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Two slumping teams meet tonight at Camden Yards as the Detroit Tigers visit the Baltimore Orioles for the first of a three-game set. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. 

My Tigers vs. Orioles predictions are targeting Baltimore to hand Detroit their seventh straight loss behind Chris Bassitt's excellence at home.

Read more in my MLB picks for Friday, May 22. 

Who will win Tigers vs Orioles today: Orioles moneyline (-126)

Detroit Tigers SP Jack Flaherty sports a poor 5.70 ERA, with a 14.1% walk rate, through 10 starts — and opponents are hitting .295 against him when he's on the road. 

The Baltimore Orioles lineup has also had success vs. the righty, hitting .308 across 26 at-bats. Pete Alonso alone is 3-for-6.

As for the O's, Chris Bassitt gets the baseball, and he's compiled a 2.91 ERA across four appearances at home. To put that into perspective, his ERA sits above eight on the road. 

The Tigers are struggling immensely at the dish right now, scoring just eight runs in their previous series with the Guardians. 

COVERS INTEL: Flaherty has a career-worst 45% hard hit rate this season. 

Tigers vs Orioles Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-106)

It's rarely high-scoring when the Tigers and Orioles clash. Six of the last seven meetings have comfortably cashed the Under.

Detroit and Baltimore have both hit the Under in seven of their last 10.

While the pitching matchup could mean offense, I'm focused on Bassitt's impressive form at Camden Yards. 

He's looked like a completely different pitcher in front of the O's faithful, and he's coming up against a Tigers lineup that looks utterly hopeless at the moment. 

Detroit ranks 28th in the big leagues in runs scored, while the O's are 16th. 

Tigers vs Orioles odds

• Moneyline: Tigers +117 | Orioles -122
• Run line: Tigers +1.5 (-178) | Orioles -1.5 (+170)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+104) | Under 8.5 (-108)

Tigers vs Orioles trend

The Orioles have hit the Under in 10 of their last 13 games (+7.70 Units / 54% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Orioles.

How to watch Tigers vs Orioles and game info

Tigers vs Orioles latest injuries

Tigers vs Orioles weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Over the course of the first 50 games of the season, Andy Pages has emerged as the most dynamic player within the Dodgers offense. Among a lineup with a trio at the top that has combined for nine World Series rings and six MVPs, Pages has been one of the main leaders in terms of counting stats and averages on the team.

Pages may have struggled over the six games on this current road trip— .231 average vs. Angels, .091 average vs. Padres— he managed to have plenty of highlight plays defensively on Saturday and had arguably the most competitive at-bat for the Dodgers this year against Mason Miller on Tuesday.

Justin Wrobleski, who started against the Angels on Saturday, shared his reaction to Pages robbing a hit against Nolan Schanuel to get him out of the inning, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Freddie Freeman also gave his thoughts on Pages’ battle against Miller on Tuesday that gave the Dodgers the deciding run over the Padres.

Justin Wrobleski, after Pages laid out for a jaw-dropping catch that saved a run on Saturday night: “I thought it was a hit, and then I thought he might get there and then I was like, “Oh he’s going to try.’ And then he dove and he caught it, and I was like, ‘That was the coolest thing ever.'”

Freddie Freeman, after Pages’ epic nine-pitch at-bat against vaunted Padres closer Mason Miller on Tuesday night: “It was one of the greatest at-bats I’ve ever seen in person, and I’ve been playing a long time. That at-bat was incredible. … To hit 95 [mph] is hard, to hit 100 is even harder, to hit 102 is even probably the hardest thing to do, and to foul off 102s back to back, sliders at 87, 88 — one of the best at-bats I’ve ever seen.”

While Miller has been one of the best relievers in all of baseball this year, Pages simply views him as a “pitcher who throws hard.”

 “He’s a good pitcher, but to me, he’s simply a pitcher who throws hard, and if you’re able to get on time against him, you can do damage against him.”

Links

Shohei Ohtani was in the lineup during a start day on Wednesday for the first time since April 8 against the Toronto Blue Jays, and he delivered by tossing five shutout innings after beginning the game with a leadoff home run on the very first pitch.

There is still no concrete long-term plan as to how Dave Roberts will decide whether Ohtani will be in the lineup when he pitches or not, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

“I think he understands that it’s fluid,” Roberts said. “I don’t think that there is one model. It should be a read and react thing. I don’t know how the week is going to look after this off day.

“I could change my mind and have him not hit in his next outing, but that’s more on workload and how he feels.”

Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register has a very insightful piece about Justin Wrobleski’s path from struggling at Clemson University, toiling between Triple-A and the big leagues the past two years, to becoming one of the best young starters in baseball today.

The Pirates were initially seen as failures in the offseason when they weren’t able to add a player to be their everyday third baseman. The Ke’Bryan Hayes trade that the team made at the deadline in 2025 left more questions than answers and admittedly I thought the Pirates were foolish to trade Hayes away in the first place. I’m happy now to eat crow and admit that the gamble to this point has paid off, and Nick Gonzales has been a welcomed presence at the hot corner.

Gonzales overall has put together a nice campaign in the early parts of the 2026 season. It was fortuitous for Gonzales that Jared Triolo landed on the injured list at the beginning of April with right knee injury, but the former has made the most of his opportunities as a starter. This year the New Mexico State product is hitting .319/.379/.363 with a .741 OPS. Gonzales has scored 21 runs of his own and has batted in 21 as well with 51 total hits at this point in the season. Gonzales is also hitting .364 with runners in scoring position.

Not only is Gonzales proving to be a valued asset for Pittsburgh, he’s shown that the Pirates sticking with the core of defenders that they have was the smart move. While a long term upgrade at the position could still be on the horizon, the interim has worked out just fine. As a matter of fact, Gonzales has the highest WAR amongst all other qualified National League Central third baseman.

Considering he is essentially serving as a replacement for Hayes, it’s incredible how much better Gonzales has been performing in comparison to the former Bucco. Gonzales’ 1.2 WAR on the season speaks volumes within the division, especially considering the fact that Hayes’ has a lowly -0.2 WAR with an ugly .142/.195/.225 slash line. Gonzales is also outperforming Alex Bergman who has a 0.8 WAR, Nolan Gorman who has a 0.5 WAR and Luis Rengifo who has a -0.5 WAR.

To put it plainly, Gonzales contributes to winning baseball games. Despite the fact that the Pirates sit at fourth in the tightly contested NL Central, their 26-24 record has been a major improvement from how the team looked last year. Gonzales doesn’t provide a ton of pop at the plate, but he is a sure contact hitter, and having him in the lineup more consistently has contributed to more scoring opportunities.

Gonzales is back to splitting time with Jared Triolo at third base now that he’s healthy, but manager Don Kelly has stuck with the hot bat for the most part since the latter’s return. Both make meaningful contributions to the team, but Gonzales is having a special year at the plate and really affects winning for this Pittsburgh ball club in a way that Triolo has not been able to to this point.

The Guardians just swept a four-game series from the preseason presumptive division favorite Tigers and now they head to Philadelphia to play a hot Phillies team.

Zack Meisel has a pop quiz about what has stood oit about the Guardians so far, and he and Cody Stevenhagen wrote about how they continue to own the AL Central.

The Guardians completed another 13 games in 13 days stretch on Wednesday against the Nationals and then they have more regular days off until June 16th where they begin 19 games in a row. You may have properly guessed, then, that their off-days are regularly interspersed through the rest of the season. If they can survive that long, that should help them finish strong.

Check out the latest episode of Disgusting Baseball Podcast with myself and Nick Karavolos here.

AROUND MLB:

Blue Jays shutout the Yankees and now the Guardians are a half-game behind New York in win-loss record, which is fun.

In light of the numerous injuries, the Atlanta Braves have continued the roster shuffle; this time, catcher Maverick Handley was claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles before being optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, righty Hurston Waldrep was transferred to the 60-day injured list. 

28-year-old Handley made his major league debut in 2025 and has since appeared in just 17 big league games. In the minors this season, he’s logged six games, averaged .333, and spent 30 innings behind the plate. The O’s designated him for assignment earlier this week, and the Braves jumped on the opportunity to replenish catchers while Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy are both dealing with injury. 

Prior to those moves, the club continued the Carlos Carrasco saga and selected him to the major league roster.

More Braves News:

Ronald Acuña Jr. exited Thursday’s 9-3 win early due to a thumb injury. Fortunately, the move was precautionary and he is day-to-day. 

Luis Guanipa walked it off for the Augusta GreenJackets on Wednesday. More in the minor league recap. 

MLB News:

Miami Marlins pitching prospect Robby Snelling will undergo Tommy John surgery and will likely be out until the 2027 All Star Break. 

Athletics center fielder Denzel Clarke suffered a high-grade hamstring strain in a rehab game. He will be out beyond the All Star Break. 

From the Feed:

Cast your vote for Thursday night’s player of the game here!

Triple-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins) 9, Norfolk Tides 2

With the Orioles idle, Norfolk represented the closest thing to a major league game last night. With that said, the outcome is about what you’ve come to expect. Jonathan Rodríguez hit a solo home run in the top of the first, but the Tides proceeded to allow seven consecutive runs. Jacksonville did the majority of the damage with a five-run fourth inning, and the Jumbo Shrimp bested Norfolk 9-2.

The Tides managed only five hits during the contest. Christian Encarnacion-Strand added the only extra-base hit with a double. Heston Kjerstad finished 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts. Sam Huff finished 1-for-3 with a run scored. Huff is now fully entrenched as the team’s third catcher after the Orioles lost Maverick Handley on waivers.

Christian Herberholz allowed five runs over four innings. He surrendered a pair of homers, walked three and struck out four.

Double-A: Somerset Patriots (Yankees) 2. Chesapeake Baysox 1

Ethan Anderson plated the first run over the game with a double in the third, and it felt like the one-run lead would hold up for a majority of the game. Unfortunately, Somerset struck for two runs in the top of the seventh. Yaqui Rivera coughed up a two-run homer to Garrett Martin, and the Patriots snuck out a 2-1 win.

Chesapeake starter Evan Yates did his part with 5.1 scoreless innings. Yates limited Somerset to only three hits. He struck out seven and walked three.

Both teams tallied five hits during the game. Chesapeake shortstop Carter Young finished 2-for-4. Anderson’s double represented the only extra-base hit for the Baysox.

High-A: Frederick Keys vs. Greenville Drive (Red Sox) PPD

The game will be made up today during a single admission doubleheader.

Low-A: Wilson Warbirds (Brewers) 13. Delmarva Shorebirds 11

Delmarva’s offense did its part again after a 12-run outburst on Wednesday, but the pitching came up short. Stiven Martinez hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth, but Adrian Heredia allowed a three-run home run with two outs in the bottom half. The big fly came after a batter reached on a fielding error by second baseman DJ Layton.

Martinez finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. RJ Austin and Raylin Ramos combined for six of Delmarva’s 15 hits. Austin scored four of the Shorebirds’ 11 runs. Ramos finished a homer shy of the cycle, while Austin only needed a double to accomplish the feat.

Box Scores

Friday’s Schedule

Norfolk: at Jacksonville, 7:05 pm. Starter: Nestor German (1-1, 4.54 ERA)

Chesapeake: vs Somerset, 7:05 pm. Starter: Joseph Dzierwa (0-0, — ERA)

Game 1: Frederick: vs Greenville, 5:00 pm. Starter: Carson Dorsey (2-3, 6.46 ERA)

Game 2: Frederick: vs Greenville, TBD. Starter: TBD

Delmarva: at Wilson, 7:05 pm. Starter: Brayan Orrantia (0-3, 5.34 ERA)

Good morning.

• Mike Axisa has some trends from the first third of the season.
• Chad Jennings notes that in the pitch clock era, everyone can steal bases now by timing the clock. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• David Schoenfield assesses Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber’s chances of hitting 60 home runs this year.
• Jay Jaffe looks at how the Phillies have turned their season around under interim manager Don Mattingly.
• Thomas Harrington examines how the Brewers are an top run-scoring team this year despite hitting fewer home runs than anyone.
• Matt Snyder thinks the Brewers are a pretty darn good team. He also thinks they need to drop their “us poor underdogs” schtick.
• Chris Kirchner writes that with the emergence of young stars Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice, the Yankees window of championship contention has been extended. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• AJ Cassavell looks at how Padres closer Mason Miller has been getting even better this season.
• Michael Baumann looks at Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara and how he’s almost back to what he once was before Tommy John surgery.
• Travis Sawchik examines the White Sox and whether their success this year is real or a fluke.
• Michael Baumann wants to know what has gotten into White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas this year and how he’s turned into an elite bat.
• Now that the Nationals are over .500 (well, they were when this was written), the team is asking themselves why can’t this team of outcasts and misfits be a contender? (The Athletic sub. req.) Spencer Nusbaum with the story.
• Anthony DiComo looks at how three surging Mets are turning their and the team’s season in the right direction.
• Will Leitch lists the top three divisional races right now.
• Kiley McDaniel updated his Top 50 prospects.
• Jonathan Mayo has a new mock draft.
• Jordan Schusterman has six questions about the upcoming draft.
• J.J. Cooper addresses something I’ve been talking about in the Minor League Wraps. Why are home runs and offense in general way up in the minor leagues this year?
• Bob Nightengale wants to know why Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge is just sitting on the Giants major league bench?
• Ken Rosenthal has the story of how Shohei Ohtani almost became a Tampa Bay Ray in 2023. (The Athletic sub. req.) Similarly, Junior Caminero would have become an Angel.
• Speaking of the Rays, Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa have both passed non-binding resolutions in favor of a new stadium for the Rays.
• The Marlins acquired outfielder Rece Hinds in a trade with the Reds. Hinds had been designated for assignment. The Reds got a minor league pitcher back in return.
• Ryan Blake explains how Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is taking his game to a new level this year.
• On to the butcher’s bill. Blue Jays right-hander José Berrios underwent Tommy John surgery.
• Marlins pitcher Robby Snelling made his major league debut last week. Now Snelling needs Tommy John surgery.
• Tigers ace Tarik Skubal threw a bullpen session as he attempts to come back from elbow surgery.
• Major League Baseball has announced a new initiative to spread the sport of baseball in India. Michael Clair reports.
• Barry Svrluga has the story of the friendship between two college baseball teammates at Cal: Mets second baseman Marcus Semien and Nationals team president Paul Toboni. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Michael Clair has the story behind “The Hall of the Pretty Good.”
• And finally, White Sox Pope Leo XIV has gotten a new treasured gift: a signed Paul Konerko jersey.

After an up-and-down start to the 2006 campaign, the Minnesota Twins hoped to settle in and recapture the AL Central crown. Alas, through May and into one fateful June night in the Pacific Northwest, the endeavor looked more bottoming-out than regrouped-contender.

Heading into a Twinkie Town After Dark ™ contest with the Seattle Mariners on 6/7/06 (more on that momentarily), not much outside of the always-solid Johan Santana, metronomic Joe Mauer, and newcomer Luis Castillo was working.

Remember the guys meant to inject some pop into the lineup after ‘05’s punchless group? Well, Tony Batista was sitting at a .241 BA & .398 SLG, while Rondell White was somehow even worse—perhaps historically so: .193 BA, .436 OPS, 0 HR despite everyday play.

Cristian Guzman SS heir-apparent Juan Castro was another lineup liability at .238 BA & .576 OPS. Touted power prodigy Justin Morneau did have 11 bombs, but with a less-than-stellar .236 BA & .747 OPS that would soon prompt a “come to Jesus” meeting with skipper Ron Gardenhire.

Outside of should-have-been-Cy Santana, the starting pitching was in similar shambles:

• Brad Radke: 12 GS, 6.42 ERA
• Kyle Lohse: 8 GS, 8.92 ERA
• Carlos Silva: 9 GS and some relief appearances, 7.76 ERA

This was all leading to the night of June 6, a game I will never forget watching on TV.

After the Mariners battered Boof Bonser, Willie Eyre, & Dennys Reyes to gain a huge early lead, the Twins mounted an epic comeback—capped by a Michael Cuddyer grand slam in the 8th inning to tie the contest at 9-9!

After a few scoreless frames (for a change) in this wild affair, in B11 Twins RP Jesse Crain—my noted irrational nemesis, since usurped by Justin Topa—needed just one more out to give MN bats another crack at victory.

Instead: a mammoth Carl Everett home run that gave the M’s a walk-off victory and sent me into a profane rage that would have made Jerry Burns blush.

After that soul-crushing loss, the Twins sat at 25-33—buried in fourth place in the AL Central & a whopping 11.5 GB the front-running Detroit Tigers. Instead of the ‘05 mediocrity feeling like a blip, it now seemed to indicate a trend. Roughly four months of games remained on the ’06 schedule, but it would seemingly take a miracle to dig out of such a large early deficit and make a true division championship run.

Meet the Mets

Thanks mostly to David Peterson and the bullpen, the Mets finished their series against the Nationals with a 2-1 win. Bo Bichette’s two-run single with the bases loaded in the third provided all of the Mets’ offense, but the proved to be enough. And the Mets wake up this morning in fourth place in the National League East, the first time they’ve been out of the cellar in weeks.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, New York Daily News, New York Post

Laura Albanese writes that Peterson has found himself again at a time when the Mets desperately needed it.

Juan Soto stole the 100th base of his career in the win, and he got to keep the base.

Devin Williams got the save in the win, and following his outing on April 23, he decided to raise the position of his hands to reverse a change he made last year in his time with the Yankees.

John Harper believes in the changes that Williams has made and sees him as a confident closer.

It seemed like there was a good chance that Jonah Tong would join the Mets this weekend as they visit the Marlins for a three-game series, but Tobias Myers is getting the start tonight in the series opener.

Kodai Senga is set to begin a rehab assignment tonight with the St. Lucie Mets.

Anthony DiComo writes about three surging Mets.

Around the National League East

The Braves beat the Marlins, and their 9-3 win officially got the Mets out of last place in the National League East, as the Marlins moved into the cellar.

Marlins starter Robby Snelling, who came into the 2026 season as one of the very best pitching prospects in all of baseball, will undergo Tommy John surgery after experiencing elbow discomfort following his major league debut earlier this month.

With Aaron Nola sporting a 6.04 ERA this year, which is almost exactly in line with his 6.01 ERA last year, the Good Phight wonders what the Phillies can do about him as he’s still in just the third year of his seven-year, $172 million contract.

Around Major League Baseball

Braxton Ashcraft bedeviled the Cardinals as the Pirates won by a 6-2 score.

The Tigers got a great start from Casey Mize, but that wasn’t enough to avoid getting swept by the rival Guardians.

Spencer Miles was great as the Jays beat the Yankees.

Luis Severino went seven innings and struck out ten for the A’s in a game that saw them beat the Angels in extra innings.

The Diamondbacks managed a 2-1 victory over the Rockies.

Shohei Ohtani was the subject of serious trade talks between the Angels and Rays at the 2023 trade deadline.

Paul DeJong is set to undergo season-ending hamstring surgery.

This Date in Mets History

In one of the best moves in franchise history, the Mets traded for Mike Piazza on this date in 1998.

Good morning, baseball fans!

The San Francisco Giants return to the bay this weekend for a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox. So let’s take a look at what Oracle Park has on deck for fans who might be thinking about attending.

Friday night will be a Special Event for Japanese Heritage Night! Fans with special event tickets will get at Japanese Heritage Night baseball t-shirt giveaway designed by Sumo Fish, and there will be festivities around the park throughout the evening.

As with all Saturday home games this season, Saturday will be a Fiesta Gigantes event with music, food and other celebrations featured throughout the park. Additionally, the first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a Chain Hat giveaway.

Sunday will be Star Wars Day at Oracle Park. The first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a Grogu Bobblehead giveaway. I am incredibly jealous because they are very cute. Fans are encouraged to dress up, and will have photo opportunities throughout the park.

If you’re headed to the park this weekend, have fun! And make sure to share pictures!

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants take on game one of this three-game series against the White Sox tonight at 7:15 p.m. PT.

Just a month and a half into the season, the Colorado Rockies injured list has already seen its fair share of residents.

From long-term injuries like RJ Petit and Pierson Ohl (Tommy John surgery), to 15-day IL stints like Mickey Moniak (right finger sprain), Kyle Freeland (left shoulder inflammation), Jose Quintana (right hamstring sprain), Ryan Feltner (right ulnar nerve inflammation), Jimmy Herget (right shoulder impingement) and Chase Dollander (right elbow strain) to name a few, the Rockies — and every MLB team — always have players dealing with and recovering from injuries.

This keeps the Colorado training staff busy year-round. It also means they form close relationships with the players. 

“We know a lot about the guys. In fact, when I was early in my career, the saying was ‘If you want to know about the player, ask the trainer,’” said Colorado assistant athletic trainer Any Stover said a Rockies Fest at Coors Field in January. “And I think that’s the whole truth. That’s one of the things that holds true.” 

And it’s not just the players, but their families as well. 

“One thing that people don’t realize is that we work for their families, too,” said Keith Dugger, the Rockies head athletic trainer. “So if somebody’s sick, or for their kids, we’re getting the pediatrician or doctors or family or OBGYNs, whatever it is. We’re kind of like the referral gatekeeper for the families, too.”

The day-to-day job

An average day throughout the season is busy for all members of the training staff. They have daily meetings, including before and after batting practice. They talk with players and give the coaching staff updates on the players. 

“We give our status of our players and where we think they should be,” Dugger said. “We are the go-between for our management and the administrations to tell them, ‘Hey, you might either get him out of the game if it’s a blowout game,’ or ‘This would be a good day to get a break,’ or, ‘He’s played eight days in a row here,’ or ‘Altitude’s kicking his butt and he’s not sleeping. Let’s give him a break here on this next day game.’ So that’s kind of how we map out.” 

A big part of gathering information on the players goes beyond what’s happening on the field.

“Players are real people too. They have real-life problems. They might not have slept. [Maybe] they have twins at home who kept them up all night,” Dugger continued. “So there is that pressure from outside that sometimes people don’t understand why they might be slacking on the field.”

The athletic staff works closely with the physical performance team to look at on-field production, strength and conditioning, what’s happening before and after games to help assess each player’s workload management.

Thanks to advancements in technology and sports science, the training team has lots of data to work with.

“We have tools, we have cameras now, we can look at how much somebody ran, how fast they ran. There’s a lot of things out there now,” Dugger said. “We have electronic devices that help us in the weight room, where maybe we’re doing the same exercises, but you’re talking about power. Now we have little machines that are telling us how much force they’re using, or how high they’re jumping.”

Injury prevention and management

A huge struggle is trying to prevent injuries, especially for pitchers in an era when major injuries and surgeries are more and more common.

“These guys are better, faster, stronger than they’ve ever been. More guys are throwing 100 miles an hour or harder, more than ever,” said Scott Murayama, the Rockies coordinator of major league rehabilitation. “We’re seeing a huge uptick in elbow injuries. I think that’s a legitimate fear of these guys getting hurt and trying to avoid that. The industry is definitely trying to get a handle on these arm injuries, but it’s tough.”

Whatever happens, the athletic team works together to assess, diagnose and make a plan. Murayama said they consider different perspectives, approaches, surgery options, and rehab possibilities that cater to each player, all while also focusing on injury prevention.

“The game’s changed. No doubt,” Dugger said. “Guys are throwing 100-plus miles per hour, which basically I call Ferraris. You can’t take Ferraris and drive them long distances all the time. They’re gonna be overworked, and that’s what happens with our bullpen or our starters.”

Dugger believes that the emphasis on velocity when players are young and the intense club circuits that youth players compete in can make players more susceptible to more serious injuries earlier in their careers. They may pitch faster, but they don’t pitch very many innings in high school or college. Then they are expected to take on large inning loads in their pro careers in longer seasons than they’ve ever played. 

“One of the best predictors of the future is the history of the length a guy has thrown, if they’ve done it before, or if they’ve gradually made increments,” Dugger said. “It is a tougher game at this level. It’s a faster, longer season.” 

 Sometimes, when the Colorado training staff goes out on the field, it’s precautionary to check on something like a player being hit by a pitch. They talk with the player, decide he’s OK and retreat to the dugout. Other times, it’s more serious  — like when Dugger has to remove a starting pitcher like Dollander in the second inning of his start against the Pirates on May 14.

Each situation and each player has to be handled differently, and each member of the training staff has their own role. This is why knowing the players so well is a vital part of the job.

“It’s like your own kids. You could be tougher on one individual than others. There are other guys you have to put your arm around, and kind of baby it, and you do little. Everyone’s a little bit different,” Dugger said. “I’m always the bad cop. They [as he pointed to the rest of the staff] are always the good cops. So I’m the mean guy.”

As of Thursday, May 21, the Rockies had one player on the 10-day IL (Brenton Doyle), four players on the 15-day IL and five on the 60-day IL. The athletic staff is managing the grind, helping players in their rehab (like Feltner’s Minor League ease in) and continuing to try to prevent and monitor each player. With a long season ahead, there is no doubt that the trainers will remain busy.

On the farm

Triple-A: Las Vegas Aviators 12, Albuquerque Isotopes 1

In a game to forget, the Isotopes were held scoreless for eight innings before Vimael Machín hit a solo homer in the ninth inning to prevent the shutout, while Las Vegas amassed 14 hits in a blowout win on Thursday. Machín and Cole Carrigg each posted two hits, combining for four of Albuquerque’s seven total. Valente Bellozo (0-3) took the loss after surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits with one strikeout and one walk, but the game really got out of hand when the Aviators scored six runs in the eighth.

Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 6, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2

Bryant Betancourt hit a two-run homer, Andy Perez doubled and tripled while driving in three runs and Jake Brooks threw a seven-inning gem to earn his first win of the season for the Yard Goats on Thursday. Brooks held the Fisher Cats to one run on a solo homer, six hits, four strikeouts and one walk to improve to 1-1 on the season. After falling behind 1-0 in the second, Betancourt hit his homer in the third to help Hartford take a lead it never lost. GJ Hill added a hit and scored a run and Conner Capel added a double and RBI.

High-A: Spokane Indians 9, Vancouver Canadians 4

Jack O’Dowd hit two homers, one with two runners on and his second with one runner on base, on a 3-for-4 night when he scored three runs to lead Spokane to a high-scoring victory on Thursday night. The Indians also took advantage of three Vancouver errors that led to four unearned runs. Tommy Hopfe added a two-run homer of his own, Jacob Hinderleider drove in two runs on two hits and scored a run and Robert Calaz also posted two hits and scored a run. Everett Catlett had a short, but effective start, giving up one run on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 3.2 innings. Nathan Blasick followed with 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings for the win with two walks and two strikeouts.

Low-A: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 6, Fresno Grizzlies 3

The Quakes took advantage of three singles, two walks and a fielding error to put up a four-run second inning, earning a lead they never lost against Fresno. Roldy Brito doubled, singled, scored a run and drove in a run for the Grizzlies, while Clayton Gray added two hits and a run and Tanner Thach also recorded two hits and drove in a run. Angel Jimenez took the loss, giving up six runs (five earned) on with five hits, five walks and six strikeouts.

Rockies place Brenton Doyle on the IL, select Chad Stevens, make additional roster moves | Purple Row

After hitting the ground hard on a diving catch attempt on Wednesday, Brenton Doyle moved to the 10-day IL with a left oblique contusion on Thursday. The Rockies also made other roster moves, including bringing up Chad Smith.

Stevens carries Minors-best 39-game on-base streak into Rockies debut | MLB.com

In case you aren’t yet familiar with the Rockies newest call-up, here’s a nice feature on the infielder who made his Rockies debut on Thursday night in Arizona. You’ll learn about his success at Triple-A Albuquerque and his super-fan grandmother, who lives in Phoenix and is his biggest fan.

As Rockies’ losses mount, speedster Jake McCarthy is one bright spot | Denver Post ($)

Patrick Saunders talks about the benefits of having Jake McCarthy on the roster this season. In addition to his speed, he’s been hitting better lately. This article has some good quotes from Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer.

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The Red Sox are certainly not back yet, but at least the brand of baseball is improving. 

Boston swept the Kansas City Royals and finished a road trip (with multiple series) with a winning record for the first time this season.  The Red Sox are 22-27 and keep creeping closer to .500, not that that should be some cause for celebration.

If nothing else, Boston looks better than the disaster that took place over the first month of the season. The Red Sox are 10-8 in May and reached that mark without Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet. In this delusional reality, the ballclub in the midst of a frustrating start sits just two games out of a playoff game.

That’s not to say they’re good yet. That’s not to say the wild-card race matters in May. What it does mean is that it’s pretty insane that they’re not out of the realm of contention by any means. 

Give credit to the quality starting pitching and improved defense that’s dragged an insufficient lineup to a solid month of May so far. But at the end of the day, this conversation goes beyond the Red Sox. The real story here is that the American League is realistically in Year 3 of legitimate mediocrity. 

As of Thursday, there are FIVE TEAMS in the American League with a winning record. Five! For reference, nine teams in the National League are over .500. 

This issue stretches back the last two seasons as well. No AL team won more than 94 games in that stretch and postseasons formed without a true standout team. The Yankees cakewalked through the American League Central duo of the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians to reach the 2024 World Series before a swift defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

The Red Sox made the postseason with 89 wins in 2025. That’s the new reality of the American League. Gone are the juggernauts of even the end of the 2010s. Remember, the AL had three teams win 100 games or more in 2018 and the Red Sox beat the other two (Yankees, Astros) to win the World Series. 

So this is not the powerhouse American League we’ve known for most of the 21st century. Instead, it’s a swirling pool of mediocrity without a king to take control. It’s unfortunate for baseball, but in this case, it’s beneficial for the Red Sox.

Despite the rough start that cost Alex Cora and several coaches their jobs, Boston can still realistically fight to play for October the rest of the way. The path to a division title is probably already gone as the team trails the Tampa Bay Rays by 11 ½ games for the top spot in the East. 

The melting pot of fringe teams and six playoff spots is just the perfect storm for the Red Sox to do just enough the rest of the way under interim manager Chad Tracy. 

It’s wild to think about how little it takes to be a playoff team in the American League. For the Red Sox’s sake, they should be thankful.