CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 24: Kahlil Watson #31 of the Cleveland Guardians hits an RBI during the tenth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on June 24, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In six career appearances against Cleveland, Chris Paddack has a 3.14 ERA. In 114 appearances against every other team in MLB, Chris Paddack has a 4.95 ERA. He led the Rangers to a 6-3 win over the Guardians tonight.
After the game, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said Paddack’s changeup and cutter give their lefties trouble. Join the club, Chris. Every pitcher gives this team trouble.
Oh yeah, the game. Parker Messick competed his butt off tonight but there was zero room for error as always. Texas decided to start slapping balls to the opposite field after making an in-game adjustment. Has anyone on the Guardians ever tried to do either of those things, or to coach anyone to be able to do either of those things?
Maybe, maybe not, but we do know they have been coaching Guardians hitters not to forget the power of a good sacrifice bunt. With two on and nobody out against Chris Paddack in the fourth inning, David Fry popped out on a bunt attempt. Hitting behind Fry was Steven Kwan with his OPS nearing .600 and Austin Hedges, mind you. I heard Stephen Vogt reply to Zack Meisel asking about these insane bunts saying that it was intended to be a sac bunt, but I will have to re-listen to the postgame to see if Vogt says it was the dugout’s call to see if I need to set myself on fire outside his office in protest.
Kwan ALSO popped out a bunt attempt in the eighth. I heard Vogt looked mad about that to which I would only say “Stevie, baby, you need to be mad at yourself. You simply need to tell your guys not to bunt unless you put the bunt sign on… then never put the bunt sign on.” STOP GIVING THE OTHER TEAM OUTS! ARE WE NOT DOING THAT ENOUGH ALREADY??!! PLEASE, SPARE MY LAST REMAINING SHREDS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND STOP BUNTING.
Oh, also, our Sabrowski is broken. He doesn’t look right. Sigh.
Ok, Kahlil Watson had a big hit, again, as did Chase DeLauter. And Gabriel Arias crushed a homer just as I was ready to assume our hitters wouls never homer again. Thank you, Gabby!
Back at it tomorrow. I’m sure Jacob deGrom will be so much easier to hit.
Jun 29, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Miami Marlins pinch hitter Griffin Conine (18) celebrates his three-run home run with first baseman Kyle Stowers (28) and second baseman Xavier Edwards (9) in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Mets had another brutal defensive miscue during their loss to the Blue Jays on Monday.
As if things couldn’t get any worse for the Mets, who committed six errors in a game and fired their manager across two different days last week they seem to find new ways to embarrass themselves.
Facing his first batter of the game, Mets starter Sean Manaea gave up what should have been a routine single to George Springer, only to watch Juan Soto misplay the ball and then A.J. Ewing fumble it — allowing him to score on a Little League home run on Monday.
Springer’s bloop single bounced into left field, and Soto stretched out his glove to grab the ball, only to misjudge it and allow the ball to go past the Mets outfielder and toward the wall.
Juan Soto misplays a ball during the Mets’ June 29 loss. Screengrab via X/@Sportsnet
Ewing then raced in to try and make a play after it bounced off the wall, but the scoop went horribly wrong and when he went to transition the ball from his glove to his hand, the ball came flying out.
Soto sprinted toward the loose ball, but before he could get a throw off, it became apparent that Springer was nearly home as the crowd at Rogers Center erupted over what they had just witnessed.
Juan Soto had a busy first inning in the Mets’ series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night.
After ripping a double in his first at-bat in the top of the first and getting stranded at third base, Soto was immediately put to the test in the bottom half of the inning when George Springer lined one to left field.
Playing aggressive on the artificial turf that can sometimes be tricky at Rogers Centre, Soto charged in on the ball thinking he had a chance to catch it. After realizing the ball was going to drop, Soto pulled back and was ready to play it on a hop, except the ball bounced over his glove and trickled towards the left-field wall.
“I was actually trying to think right before that [play] to come through the ball because weird hops and everything,” Soto said. “Just took a weird hop on me and bounced a little differently.”
To make matters worse, A.J. Ewing, who was backing up on the play, got to the ball in a hurry but had it pop out of his glove on the exchange which allowed Springer to run around the bases and score the game’s first run.
And while only Ewing was charged with an error, the play began with Soto who spoke about what went wrong on the play and his thought process after the game.
“When you have an outfield like that [where the ball] bounces a lot, you have to be aware because you can give up extra-base hits really easily,” he said. “You just gotta be aggressive, that was my mindset. Just be aggressive, come through the ball instead of trying to play back and maybe bounce over my head, but I actually just stopped.”
Despite the misplay, interim manager Andy Green came to the defense of Soto who made some nice plays in the outfield after the first inning blunder.
Just like Soto said, Green saw his outfielder trying to be ultra aggressive on the play and mentioned it’s actually a common occurrence at this stadium.
“I think he’s playing it aggressively on the outset hoping to get to it because he made a lot of really good catches out there today,” Green said. “... I think he’s playing it aggressively hoping to get to it and sometimes on turf if you get caught in between -- I think every single time I’ve come to Toronto I’ve seen that particular play, not necessarily the finish of that play, A.J. usually makes that transfer fine, but that play happens frequently here and it got us in the first.”
The comedy of errors made it a 1-0 game in the first inning and Sean Manaea did a good job of keeping it there until he allowed a second run in the fifth. Unfortunately for the left-hander, other than a Francisco Lindor solo shot in the seventh, the Mets’ offense couldn’t get much going all night and lost 2-1, making the run scored in the first inning the difference in the game.
“I thought I had a chance and then it just kept dying,” Soto said. “Definitely thought [I had] a good first step, but the ball just kept dying.”
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 2: T.J. Ford #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks handles the ball against the Washington Wizards on December 2, 2005 at the MCI Center in Washington, DC. 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. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Per Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko, the Bucks are adding T.J. Ford to Taylor Jenkins’ coaching staff. Of course, Ford was drafted eighth overall by the Bucks and played for the franchise from 2003 to 2007. In the three seasons that he was on the court in Milwaukee (he missed his second year due to injury), Ford averaged 11.5 PPG, 7.0 APG, 3.6 RPG, and 1.3 steals. Following stops in Toronto, Indiana, and San Antonio, he retired from the NBA in 2012 due to a back injury.
As far as NBA coaching experience goes, Ford has none; as far as I can gather, this will be his first NBA gig. He has, however, spent a long time coaching youth, AAU, and high school hoops. I’ll hazard a guess that Ford will specialise in player development with the Bucks—which the org at large will be placing a massive emphasis on, given their new outlook—because this seems to have been his MO at prior stops.
The Memphis Grizzlies had been looking to move on from Ja Morant for the better part of a year. They had already traded away Desmond Bane (to Orlando) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (to Utah), but the market for Morant — the guy who would have brought in a massive haul just a handful of years before — was virtually nonexistent.
Memphis eventually found the best offer it could and made a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, sending Morant to the Pacific Northwest. Who were the winners and losers in this deal? Let's break it down, but first, a reminder of who is in the trade:
Portland receives: Ja Morant Memphis receives: Jerami Grant, Kris Murray
Winner: Ja Morant
Morant needs a fresh start, a second chance. The opportunity to rehab his image, to go somewhere with a blank slate and write his own story. Again.
He gets that with this trade — and is outside the brightest of NBA media spotlights. Morant will get some space to breathe. He gets to be in a locker room with two of the best leaders in the sport, Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday. He will get the ball in his hands and an opportunity.
2x All-Star All-NBA Second Team Rookie of the Year All-Rookie First Team Most Improved Player Franchise record for points in a single game (52)
12, thank you for every highlight, every memory, every unforgettable moment and for all you've given this team, this… pic.twitter.com/1RscVZdelL
Morant could not have asked for more. Now it's up to him. What does he do with it?
Winner: Trail Blazers fans
New owner Tom Durdon has come down with a serious case of New Owner Syndrome — he is sure he knows best and wants to put his mark on everything — but despite all his PR mistakes, he has given Trail Blazers fans a team they can really rally behind.
It's unclear — and maybe unlikely — that Ja Morant can ever return to his peak All-Star form. Scouts speaking to NBC Sports have said he looks like he lost a little of his burst. Even if that is true, he walks in the door as the best passer on the roster, and he knows how to get downhill and make plays.
It's a huge, home run swing by the Trail Blazers — but those are fun to watch. Trail Blazers fans will go to games, tune into broadcasts and know they will be entertained. Maybe key guys stay healthy, new coach Micah Nori pushes all the right buttons — there is a good chance of that, he's a great hire, even if he had to take an owner-friendly contract — and Portland is better than the 42-win team from a season ago. A starting/closing five of Morant, Lillard, Holiday, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan is a group I will tune in to watch.
This trade is a win for Portland fans. Whether it's a win for the Trail Blazers' organization is TBD, but the fans get the W.
Loser: Scoot Henderson
Notice when I listed all the guards the Trail Blazers had above, Scoot Henderson was not on the list. The fact that Portland made a trade for Morant essentially tells you what you need to know about how they view Henderson long term.
Portland will deny that and say all the right things about loving Henderson, and this was just too good an opportunity to pass up, but actions matter, not words. Henderson did take a step forward last season when healthy and averaged 14.2 points a game (that's across the 30 games he played, he missed the start of the season with a left hamstring injury).
You can be sure other teams are calling Portland right now to check on Henderson's availability, thinking they can give him a chance and minutes he won't get in Portland this season. We'll see if anything comes of it, but this was not a trade that signaled confidence in Henderson.
Beige flag: Memphis
This was not a good trade for Memphis. The Grizzlies traded a popular player and two-time All-Star for a player in Grant they don't need — the Memphis front court is already stacked — and it's just pennies on the dollar of return. A few years ago, Morant would have brought in a massive haul of picks and players, now it's basically just matching salary.
This isn't a bad trade, either. For Memphis, this trade is about moving on. The Grizzlies have now fully pivoted away from the Morant, Jackson Jr. and Bane as the big three plan. They have Cameron Boozer and the chance to start fresh. It was a trade Memphis had to make even if the return wasn't what they hoped.
Not good, not bad, but a clean slate for the Grizzlies as they head into next season. That's about as good as they were going to do.
Earlier this week, Net Income defined Brooklyn’s decision to select Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6 overall as the franchise’s “biggest decision since John Calipari muffed 1996 Draft and wimped out by deciding against taking Kobe Bryant.”
Debate the particulars if you want, but the point is clear: Mikel Brown Jr. has the weight of a franchise on his shoulders. Egor Dëmin had a promising rookie season, particularly shooting the ball, and profiles (potentially) as a nice contributor to winning teams for seasons to come. If that turns out to be the case, that’s a successful pick at #8 overall.
But Brown Jr. is really who Brooklyn’s rebuild rests upon. There are other avenues to improvement; Brian Lewis of New York Post reported on Monday evening that the Nets have shown interest in Trey Murphy II and Cason Wallace in the trade market. Mitchell Robinson, Keon Ellis, and Rui Hachimura are free agents that have been linked to Brooklyn (perhaps simply because the Nets have cap space), but general consensus around the league is that the Nets are more active on the trade block.
Regardless, Brooklyn is not locked into this roster, but they are locked into Mikel Brown Jr.. He is either the 20-year-old star guard of the future or the representative of an outright tank failure (or, more likely, somewhere in the middle). And he is one heck of a fascinating prospect to tote such responsibility.
Obviously, there’s the pure talent gleaming off him, the logo-threes, the handles, the dunks … we’re all familiar by now. And he is now officially a Brooklyn Net; the team introduced him at the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center on Monday afternoon, along with fellow draft picks Joshua Jefferson and Tyler Bilodeau…
Brown Jr. touts many qualities other recent Nets’ picks have. He is incredibly polite, a bit soft-spoken, eager to talk about the good of the team rather than his own career. The 6’4″ guard is also undeniably, overwhelmingly confident in his abilities.
Given that he met with the Nets three times before the draft, I asked Brown Jr. how deep certain X’s and O’s conversations went; he did not hesitate to call himself a “savant” in his answer: “They were pretty deep, but it’s nothing that I haven’t already learned and understood. That kind of made it, also, easier on them. You know, their player development could be more advanced, because I’m already a student of the game, I’m a savant when it comes to this stuff. So every type of action or terminology that they throw on me, I kind of already know. Just how they say it — you might call one action something else, but I’ve been known to call it something else, but we’re talking about the same thing. So it’s very easy. That was very easy.”
The Louisville product also shared his confidence level with the 85 children that attended his introduction. Before leading them through drills, he let the crowd know he had spoken with Julius Randle (though not officially a Net just yet), and that the conversation was simple: “We’re gonna shock the world.”
Mikel Brown Jr. on his vision for the Nets:
“I was talking to Julius Randle about it the other day and he told me, ‘We’re gonna shock the world.’ That’s what we plan on doing.” pic.twitter.com/4fvaUXssBt
Sean Marks also spoke on Monday afternoon: “I don’t think anybody’s ever questioned the confidence that [Brown] has had, right? And these guys, they’ve got to this level by — as you heard them before — not believing in the doubters. And I think they’ve got something to prove, they’ve all got a chip on their shoulder, which I think you hear us talk about a lot with wanting guys that are self-motivated.”
That piece of it is not new for the Brooklyn Nets. Over the past few seasons, we’ve heard players yearn for “second-chances” or simply an opportunity to prove themselves, whether that be Keon Johnson or Josh Minott or Ziaire Williams or Dennis Schröder. This is not Mikel Brown Jr. who (understandably, justifiably) thinks, or rather knows he is that guy. He is the man.
“When we interviewed him at the combine in Chicago, you know, he spent a lot of time interviewing us, which I love,” said Marks. “I love the interaction. Going back and forth, how would he fit in Brooklyn, how we see him and so forth, it was — it was great banter, going back and forth with him.”
Brown Jr., as he will tell you, is a coach’s son. You can tell. He speaks with great reverence of a point guard’s duty, and said he’s been studying game tape of Joshua Jefferson and Tyler Bilodeau to see how they can fit together once Summer League rolls around.
Both he and Joshua Jefferson smiled when talking about recent practice days at HSS Training Facility, admitting that they are both real happy to get back in the gym after a tiring draft process.
Jefferson, the #28 pick, says that working on his outside shooting is his main focus right now but that he is indeed as versatile as they come, adding: “I think my defensive ability at the high level can be undersold a little bit. I think I can move my feet pretty well, guard one-through-five, so that’s what I’m going to try to prove on day one.”
Jefferson was not listed on Brooklyn’s initial Summer League squad…
…but only because the Minnesota-Brooklyn trade cannot be finalized until July 6th at the earliest. Therefore, Jefferson will not be able to play in the California Classic, which ends on the 6th. He is expected to play in Las Vegas Summer League though. However, Nolan Traore and Grant Nelson are not. Both players are rehabbing injury.
Marks did clarify that Nolan is “expected to be full return for training camp in early September, so he won’t miss much time,” after a scope on his right knee. He also clarified that the issue cropped up during the season. Nelson had a leg procedure after the season.
Other than Traore, the Nets other four first rounders last year will be on the court, with each of them having put on ten to 15 pounds and at least one, Drake Powell, adding an inch to his height, jumping from 6’5″ to 6’6″ in barefeet. While some have speculated that Demin too has added height, the Nets said he’s been measured recently is just where he was last season: 6’8.5″ in barefeet.
More news
Following Brooklyn’s presser, Mike Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Ochai Agbaji and Jalen Wilson were not tendered qualifying offers, making them unrestricted free agents…
The Brooklyn Nets declined to tender qualifying offers to Ochai Agbaji and Jalen Wilson, making both unrestricted free agents, league sources told @hoopshype. Agbaji averaged 6.7 points in 20 games after being traded to Brooklyn. Wilson averaged 7.4 points over 3 seasons as a Net pic.twitter.com/IFgDsgdibc
However, the Nets did exercise their team option on Malachi Smith, though it is a non-guaranteed contract…
The Brooklyn Nets will exercise the $2.15 million team option on Malachi Smith, which is fully non-guaranteed for the 2026-27 season, league sources told @hoopshype. Smith averaged 8.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for Brooklyn last season.
It is unlikely Smith makes the team out of training camp, but you never know. Though not official yet, it seems likely that Brooklyn’s two-way contracts will belong to Tyler Bilodeau, Chaney Johnson, and Grant Nelson, with the latter once again joining the Nets for Summer League ball.
Brooklyn tips off Summer League play at 5:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 4th, playing against the Sacramento Kings in SacTown. That’s right. Darius Acuff Jr. vs. Mikel Brown Jr.
AUSTIN, TX - MAY 14: Catcher Andrew Ermis #7 of the Texas Longhorns on the field before the SEC college baseball game between Texas Longhorns and Missouri Tigers on May14, 2026, at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Texas catcher Andrew Ermis, a junior who recorded a .353 batting average and a .571 on-base percentage over 14 games with the Longhorns this season, will be coming to Fort Worth. Zachary Symm of Orange Bloods reported that Ermis will be transferring to the TCU Horned Frogs for his senior season. Ermis, who started seven games during the 2026 campaign, posted six hits and five RBIs over his 17 at-bats with the Longhorns. Prior to Texas, Ermis spent two seasons at Temple College, where he led the Leopards in batting average (.338), home runs (10), RBIs (41), on-base percentage (.479) and slugging percentage (.588) as a sophomore in 2025.
Ermis played in 98 games with 91 starts at Temple College before signing with the Longhorns. His commitment continues a scorching hot recruiting run for the Horned Frogs, who’ve added several talented position players including Saint Mary’s outfielder Tanner Griffith, UW-Milwaukee catcher/outfielder Dominic Kibler, Midland College infielder Bammer Maes and catcher Caleb Eagar, Coastal Carolina infielder Trace Mazon, Mississippi State outfielder James Nunnallee and Flagler College outfielder/infielder George Gilson.
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 26: Taylor Trammell #26 of the Houston Astros catches a fly ball that was hit by Spencer Torkelson of the Detroit Tigers during the seventh inning at Comerica Park on June 26, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Twins came into Monday Night leading the American League in runs scored for the month of June. Unfortunately for the Astros, they kept the hot bats going, launching multiple homeruns in a 5-4 win before an announced crowd of 22,969.
Royce Lewis and Victor Caratini would go back-to-back with solo blasts in the 4th inning, providing the initial run support for Zebby Matthews. They would represent the first two hits of the night. Matthews would go 7 innings, striking out 7 with only 1 run allowed.
Peter Lambert, in his first career outing against Minnesota, would go 5 2/3 innings, allowing 5 hits, 4 runs with three walks. He would strike out four on the night, two of which came in the first inning.
Cam Smith finally put Houston on the board with his blast in the 5th. That would be Cam’s fifth homer for the month of June, and his 10th for the season, cutting the deficit in half.
However, in the sixth, Josh Bell would get in on the long ball party, launching his 10th homer of the season, which brought home Brooks Lee, making it 4-1. Lee began the frame with a single. For Bell, he continues to feast on Astros pitching, it’s his 7th career homer against Houston. Isaac Paredes would have a chance in the bottom of that inning to cut into the lead with Alvarez and Altuve on base, but he grounded out.
In the seventh the Twins would add to their lead when Kody Clemens brought in Luke Keaschall who led off things with a walk off of Nate Pearson. Pearson made his 12th relief appearance for the year.
Despite being down 5-1, the Astros would not quit.
Taylor Trammell blasted a 2-run HR in the bottom of the 9th of Travis Adams, chasing him from the game.
Yoendrys Gomez then entered the game to get the final out for Minnesota against Cam Smith, but Cam blasted his 2nd HR of the game (11th of season), a solo shot to make it 5-4. However, that would be as close as they would get as Joey Loperfido would ground out meekly to end the rally and the game.
Odds & Ends:
Jeremy Pena was held out of Monday’s game with discomfort in his left leg.
After going hitless in Detroit, Yordan Alvarez continued his mini funk, reaching only on a walk.
Miguel Ullola would make his Astros debut. He’d provide some much-needed “juice” striking out a pair of batters in his first inning pitched. Royce Lewis and Ryan Kreidler would be on the receiving end. He’d add two more K’s in the 9th, for a total of 4 in his 2 innings.
With the defeat, Houston and Minnesota each have 45 losses.
On Tuesday Night, Houston will send Mike Burrows to the hill in search of his fourth win. He’ll be opposed by Joe Ryan. Ryan has registered 108 k’s this season.
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 29: Sean Sullivan #45 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on June 29, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While there hasn’t been a ton of action in the later innings of this Rockies-Marlins game, there’s been so much action in the comments that we decided it warranted an overflow thread for the final three innings!
Ronny Mauricio accidentally hit Francisco Alvarez in the on-deck circle June 29.
Another Mets moment has hit the internet.
In Monday’s game in Toronto, the Mets had yet another injury scare — this one of their own making.
Ronny Mauricio was warming up in the on-deck circle to pinch-hit for Eric Wagaman when he hit Francisco Alvarez on a practice swing.
Alvarez appeared to avoid getting injured and took his at-bat right after Mauricio, but it was a feeling of dread all too familiar for Mets fans, especially after the week they’ve had.
Ronny Mauricio accidentally hit Francisco Alvarez in the on-deck circle June 29. Screengrab via X/@Masterflip_
Mauricio immediately went to check on his teammate as Alvarez grimaced and bent over in pain.
Alvarez appeared fine after a few seconds, but the moment was concerning nonetheless.
Ronny Mauricio hit Francisco Alvarez with a swing on the on deck circle.
"Just saw him right now," Boone said. "He's in concussion protocol, so we'll kind of see how he's doing tomorrow."
Chisholm has not been diagnosed with a concussion, Boone added.
"No," Boone said when asked if Chisholm was diagnosed with a concussion. "No, he's just in the protocol."
Chisholm left the game after colliding with Jasson Domínguez in shallow right field on Hao-Yu Lee's fly ball, which Domínguez caught for the second out.
"Looks like he kind of got smoked there," said left fielder Cody Bellinger. "I haven't watched it yet, but hope he's doing good. I haven't seen him yet, so, obviously, probably get an update tomorrow on it."
Domínguez's left arm made contact with Chisholm's head after Chisholm did not peel off the route to the ball while Domínguez charged in.
"It was really unfortunate," Domínguez said. "I mean, they were playing infield in. So, as soon as he hit the ball, in my mind, I decided, 'I've got to go catch that ball.' I called it, but obviously I didn't call it loud enough. But really unfortunate, what happened."
Chisholm, who is slashing .222/.305/.398 with 12 home runs and 33 RBI through 81 games, struck out in the second inning -- his only at-bat of the game -- while batting from the cleanup spot.
He was replaced by Oswaldo Cabrera, whose 0-for-3 evening included two strikeouts.
Jun 29, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson (2) bobbles a ground ball allowing a run to score in the third inning against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
The Orioles’ recent funk continued on Monday night as they dropped their series opener with the visiting White Sox 8-2. The Birds have now lost three in a row and five of their last six.
This game was close as could be through the first seven innings. Shane Baz was wild but effective, allowing just two runs over seven innings of work. Meanwhile, the Orioles offense blew the few chances they did create, which left no room for the bullpen to maneuver. It may not have mattered anyway since those relievers would fall apart, serving up six runs (four earned) over the final two innings of the night.
The Orioles were actually the first ones on the board. Gunnar Henderson, hitting out of the lead-off spot in this one, began the bottom of the first inning with a double. Taylor Ward moved him to third on a fly out to center field, and then Adley Rutschman got the RBI with a sac fly to left.
Baz sailed through the first two innings before running into some trouble in the third. He issued a lead-off walk to Chase Meidroth, who then scored on a Jacob Gonzalez double. The next three hitters went as follows: flyout, walk, and strikeout to put two runners on base with two outs. The O’s starter nearly limited the White Sox to just the one run, but a Kyle Teel flair that came off the bat at just 43.7 mph got past Baz and spun out of Henderson’s hand as he tried to barehand it. That allowed the runner from third to score and give the White Sox a 2-1 lead at the time.
The Birds returned fire in the bottom of the third. Blaze Alexander led off with a walk and scooted around to third on a Jackson Holliday single into right field. Henderson followed with a walk to load the bases with no one out. Surely the Orioles would break the game open here, right? Not a chance. Ward lined out, and Rutschman got his second RBI of the day with another sac fly. But that is as much as they would get with Pete Alonso striking out to end the threat with the score knotted at two runs apiece.
That would end up being the last Orioles run of the day. From the fourth inning through the end of the day, the O’s scattered a few more baserunners on walks and singles, but they couldn’t string anything together. And they went particularly quiet in the late innings, as the final 10 O’s hitters of the game went down in order.
Henderson had himself a nice night atop the order. He went 2-for-3 with a double (the Orioles’ only extra-base hit), a walk, and a run scored. Rutschman had the two RBI. Colton Cowser walked twice and also made a nice defensive play to potentially steal a home run in the fifth inning. That was really it. As a team, the Orioles went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base. On the whole, it was a pitiful performance.
Baz was the bright spot, though he wasn’t without his warts. He gave the Orioles length with his seven innings, crossing the 100-inning threshold on the season. And he showed some grit to toss 109 pitches to get to the finish line, his highest pitch total of the season. But he also issued four walks and yet again posted mediocre whiff numbers (22%). There is no doubt that Baz has been a valuable member of the staff, but not exactly the frontline arm we were promised.
Things got ugly for the Orioles once Baz was lifted. Grant Wolfram hit the first batter he faced in the eighth inning. After a flyout to Miguel Vargas, he gave up a double to Colson Montgomery to drive in the White Sox third run of the day. Wolfram struck out Teel to end his night. Rico Garcia followed and continue his latest struggles. His fist batter, Randal Grichuk, singled to make it 4-2 before Garcia wrapped up the inning. That single nearly turned into an out at the plate when Cowser threw a perfect strike from center field, but Rutschman failed to hold onto the ball.
Yennier Cano came on for the ninth and made it even worse. The first four batters of the inning went: single, double, single, double to extend the White Sox lead to 6-2. Josh Walker would come on later in the inning and should have gotten out of the inning without allowing any more runs, but an error by Blaze Alexander on a soft liner to third base scored two more runs to give us our final score, 8-2.
This was not a completely terrible game. Baz was good on the mound. Henderson had a nice night at the plate. Cowser showed some patience and flashed in the field. But man, the stink of the bullpen really overwhelmed everything. And the offense’s general ineptitude didn’t help. Could this be the downward spiral that finally dashes the hopes of the 2026 Orioles? The trade deadline is only a month away.
This series will continue on Tuesday night in Baltimore. Trey Gibson (1-2, 5.64 ERA) is scheduled to duel with Erick Fedde (2-6, 4.34 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:35 from Camden Yards.
Jun 29, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) checks on second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) after the two collided while chasing a fly ball during the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The June swoon that was promised arrived late, as it often does—but it is unmistakably here. The Yankees took their butts home to Yankee Stadium after an excruciating four-game sweep at the hands of the reviled Red Sox and performed in a similarly moribund fashion en route to a 7-3 loss to the Tigers. To add injury to insult, Jazz Chisholm Jr. exited the game in the top of the fourth inning after colliding with Jasson Domínguez on a popup, and entered concussion protocol.
This may seem like an awfully apocalyptic way to begin a recap of a 7-3 game, but Amed Rosario’s pinch-hit three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning is carrying the world on its shoulders with that scoreline. Because I like you, dear readers, I will let you watch that homer first before we get into anything else. Believe me, there’s plenty of anything else to last us a tick.
Just like in Boston, the Yankees fell behind the 8-ball near instantaneously. I cannot stress enough how important a clean first inning is to a struggling team, but Ryan Weathers would not listen, coughing up a double to Tigers terror Dillon Dingler. The slugging Detroit backstop advanced to third on a passed ball, the first of several unforced mistakes tonight, before Spencer Torkelson’s two out knock brought him home for the opening tally. A conventional, if frustrating early setback.
What followed in the top of the second was a parade of silliness enabled and exacerbated by a careless throwing error from José Caballero. Had Cabellero’s throw from third base hit Paul Goldschmidt square, the runner who was already on third would have scored anyway, but the ensuing sacrifice fly from Dingler would have been a harmless final out to leave the score at 2-0. I will not fully excuse the rest of Weathers’ performance, but it is worth noting both this detail and the unfortunate fact that Weathers receives significantly less run support than his teammates. The Yankees were one-hit over seven innings by the ascendent Casey Mize in the meantime; candidly, they have done Weathers few favors, and he responded in kind.
The worst part about the frame, in which the Tigers scored four runs on five hits (and the aforementioned error), was that all but one of Detroit’s base hits (all singles) were under the 95-mph exit velocity threshold as a hard-hit ball. To be fair, all were at or above 90 mph, so they were solidly struck.
But like the penalties that decided Paraguay vs. Germany in Boston earlier in the evening, this was more of a placement rally than a power rally. There’s nothing quite like seeing five potential double play balls squeak through without being touched. Either the Yankees’ index cards need an update, or the baseball gods really had it out for Ryan Weathers. He hit the showers before the frame concluded.
By the bottom of the second inning, I was already showing my friend the ‘dibigah’ video while only keeping one eye on the game. (Please comment below what you think that fine young man is eating.) I know the recapper is not supposed to let the audience behind the curtain like this, but you have my heart, humble citizens of Pinstripe Alley. You are not alone in your suffering. Protect your peace.
Unfortunately, the worst had yet to come. Not on the scoreboard, but on the implications this baseball game may have on the remaining 78 games of the regular calendar.
First of all, Cody Bellinger dropped a fly ball. I’ll let you sit with that one.
Then, it got worse.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. must have thought he’d narrowly avoided disaster when he collided with Kevin McGonigle on a throw to second base in the top of the fourth inning. I certainly did, and surely most of the 40,506 sad saps in attendance. McGonigle had flapjacked a single to score a pair of runners—one of whom may have been thrown out at the plate had Caballero not cut off the throw in a vain attempt to throw out the precocious rookie. Like with his error in the second, they got nothing; and Chisholm got tangled up with McGonigle in the process.
Thankfully, Jazz was okay to stay in the game. Two batters later, Hao-Yu Lee hit a lazy popup toward right field. Chisholm backed out, and Domínguez traveled in from right field. Domínguez failed to communicate that he had a path to the ball, and while he caught the ball, his elbow also caught Chisholm right in the face. Jazz tumbled on his back and stayed down, eventually being led off the field by the training staff to enter concussion protocol.
The Tigers never scored again, but the damage had been done. The Yankees were down a man. Chisholm’s week-or-so from hell continues. Hopefully he does not miss an extended period of time; while his season has fallen short of expectations, he’s still a critical player for this team.
Nothing of note really happened the rest of the way with the exception of Rosario’s home run, an off-the-bench jolt in the place of Austin Wells, who is setting an ignominious kind of history.
Austin Wells currently has a 40 wRC+. He is having one of the worst offensive seasons by a Yankee in franchise history
Irritatingly, the Yankees blew through their bullpen, stapling together appearances from seven different pitchers in an attempt to hold the Tigers back for a heroic final push that was never coming. You need to be able to save your bullets in a bad stretch like this, and I’m not sure that holding the Tigers scoreless from the fifth inning onward was a wise use of ammo. I doubt it’ll be something to build upon for tomorrow, since morale can’t be high after Jazz’s early exit.
In tonight’s game thread, I asked the hypothetical question: if you were the Yankees, would you prefer a day off or a game right after the four-game sweep in Boston? It would appear the Bombers really could have used a reset day. Baseball, though, offers such favors only when it deems them necessary. This great march of steamrollers rolls on, or whatever James Earl Jones said in that stupid movie.
Same time, same place tomorrow? Yeah, sounds fun. Okay, to cut the sarcasm, a Cam Schlittler-Tarik Skubal pitching matchup is exactly what you dream for as a baseball fan. Nobody get hurt okay? That’s first pitch at 7:05 PM on Amazon Prime Video.
DALLAS, TEXAS - JUNE 25: New Dallas Mavericks player Morez Johnson Jr. responds to a question during a press conference at American Airlines Center on June 25, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. Johnson was selected ninth overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. 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. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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