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Jake Bennett returns to MLB to try to avoid sweep vs. Rays

TV: NESN

First Pitch: 1:10 pm. ET

The Red Sox dropped a pair of low-scoring games in Boston’s first series at Tropicana Field since 2024. Now 11 games under .500 for the first time in six seasons, the Red Sox try to salvage the matinee finale before returning to Fenway Park. 

Jake Bennett takes the ball in his return to the big leagues after posting a 4.35 ERA in his first two big-league starts.

Here’s who the Red Sox send to the plate in the series finale. 

The Rays counter with Drew Rasmussen in the middle of a strong season to the tune of a 3.00 ERA in 12 starts for Tampa Bay. 

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MLB Notebook: Jacob Misiorowski has arrived, Tarik Skubal's miracle surgery, and more

Welcome to a new column I’m doing this season, where I take a bi-weekly look around Major League Baseball to fill you in on the league-wide trends, surging teams, and top individual performances. There will be some highlight clips, some criticisms, and some personal analysis of where I think the game is at and/or going. I hope that, if you’ve had a busy week or haven’t been able to watch as many games as you’d like, this article can be a great way to keep up with what’s happening in Major League Baseball.

So, let’s stop wasting time and dive right in.

⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

A new surgery has changed pitcher recovery timelines

Tarik Skubal seems on track to pitch for the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. That may not seem like major news, except for the fact that the left-hander had surgery on May 6th to remove a bone chip in his left elbow. A return this weekend would mean Skubal would have missed only five weeks due to the injury and procedure. For comparison's sake, just this season, Reds' starting pitcher Hunter Greene had surgery to remove bone chips and loose bodies from his right elbow and was given a 14-16 week timeline for his return, Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz had the same procedure and was also given a 3-4 month timeline, while Braves' starter Spencer Schwellenbach had bone chips and bone spurs removed in March and still has not begun throwing.

So why was Skubal back so quickly? Well, he's the first pitcher to have the surgery using a brand new NanoNeedle technology. The surgery, performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, was done using "a device about 1.9 millimeters in diameter, with a tiny camera lens on the end." A typical scope used in these types of procedures has a diameter of around four millimeters. The smaller instrument means a smaller incision, which leads to more precise dissection and less tissue disruption. That, in turn, leads to a faster recovery time.

With a high-profile athlete like Skubal having this new procedure and seeing quick and effective results, it's only a matter of time before it becomes the norm. Dodgers' starting pitcher Blake Snell had the same procedure just a few weeks after Skubal. Obviously, we never want players to get injured, but this particular injury happened to lead us to a groundbreaking new procedure that could change arthroscopic surgeries in high-level athletes forever.

Freddie Freeman collects a milestone hit

The Dodgers' 12-2 win over the Pirates on Tuesday may have seemed like a non-event, but it contained an important milestone as Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman ripped an RBI single to center field in the seventh inning, giving him 2,500 career hits. The 36-year-old became just the 102nd player in baseball history with that many hits, and he remains the active leader in hits. Jose Altuve is behind him with 2,430 hits, and then Andrew McCutchen has 2,280, and Paul Goldschmidt has 2,229. "It does mean a lot," Freeman said after the game."There's always another to get to, but to step back and realize how long you have to play, it does mean a lot."

Some other recent players to surpass 2,500 hits are Manny Ramirez, who finished with 2,574; Robinson Cano, who finished with 2,639; Johnny Damon, who had 2,769; and Alex Rodriguez, who finished with 3,115. That 3,000 career hit mark is next up for Freeman and would help strengthen the nine-time All-Star and 2020 NL MVP's case for the Hall of Fame. Only 33 players have recorded 3,000 hits, but Freeman does have a chance. Coming into this season, he needed to average 150 hits over four seasons to surpass that mark. In fact, exactly 150 hits over four seasons would put him at 3,031 hits, so there is some wiggle room. Freeman's hit on Tuesday gave him 69 for the season and put him on pace for 160 this year. So far, he's right on track.

Jacob Misiorowski leaps into the top-tier ace territory

Coming into the 2026 MLB season, there was a large handful of talented young pitchers who seemed poised to emerge as household names. Guys like Cam Schlittler of the Yankees, Chase Burns of the Reds, Eury Perez of the Marlins, Nolan McLean of the Mets, Bubba Chandler of the Pirates, Trey Yesavage of the Blue Jays, and Jacob Misiorowski had shown flashes of elite potential in the 2025 season and looked like a rising crop of stars who would replace aging veterans like Gerrit Cole, Jacob deGrom, and Chris Sale as appointment-viewing starting pitchers. While many people expected these young starters to find success in 2026, few expected Misiorowski to be the one leading the way or pitching nearly as well as he has been.

The 6'7" right-hander always threw hard, but walks were a major issue for him. He posted a 14.4% walk rate in the minor leagues in 2024 and had a 12.3% walk rate in Triple-A last year before getting called up. Even though his 11.4% walk rate in 66 MLB innings last year was better than what he had done in the minors, it was actually the 12th-highest walk rate in baseball among starting pitchers who had thrown at least 60 innings. It tied him with Tylor Megill and Jose Soriano and put him barely ahead of Walker Buehler and Griffin Canning. Those are not really names we associate with dominance in 2026, and so it made sense that Misiorowski posted a 4.38 ERA last season.

This season has been a completely different story. Misiorowski has lowered his walk rate to 7.3% this year while increasing his strike rate to 66.6%, which is 87th-percentile among starting pitchers. He's been getting ahead of batters far more regularly, with an 8% increase in first-pitch strike rate, and has also seen his swinging strike rate explode up to 18.2%. The results have been even better of late, posting a 0.20 ERA in his last seven starts. That's just one earned run in 45.1 innings while striking out 65 batters. That's good for the third-lowest ERA in a 7-start span since earned runs became official in 1913. The only two pitchers better than him were Bob Gibson in 1968, with a 0.14 ERA, and Don Drysdale in that same year with a 0.15 mark.

However, what makes Misiorowski even more special is that he's doing this with velocity we've never seen before. In his last three starts, his four-seam fastball has AVERAGED over 100 mph. According to Sarah Langs, Misiorowski has the second-most strikeouts on pitches over 100 mph since 2008. Hunter Greene leads the way with 96, and Misiorowski is behind him with 77. Being in second may not seem impressive until you remember that Misiorowski made his MLB debut last season, and Greene has been pitching in the big leagues since 2022. If you up the stakes to strikeouts on pitches 102 mph or higher, Misiorowski has no peers.

There may still be lingering questions about his health or walk rates, given how hard he throws, but, for now, we should just sit back and enjoy the emergence of a truly dominant ace.

Games in Las Vegas are going to be an offensive explosion

So far, we have seen two games in Las Vegas, and both have been extremely high scoring. In those two games, the Brewers and Athletics have combined for 41 runs on 52 hits, with 17 of them being home runs. Now, we should note that this is a Triple-A stadium for the A's organization, and a new stadium will be built before the A's officially move to Las Vegas, but it does make you wonder what offensive production will be like in those games. Las Vegas is 2,000 feet above sea level, which would make it the second-highest elevation among all MLB parks. Coors Field will remain number one, and is 3,200 feet higher than Las Vegas, but Vegas will be 900 feet higher than Chase Field, which is currently number two.

The temperatures in Las Vegas, particularly in the summer months, are going to be much hotter than in Denver, and there are three games in this current homestand for the A's that are scheduled to have first-pitch temperatures in the triple digits. Not only will that fatigue pitchers quicker, but the ball is going to carry far more in those kinds of temperatures and altitudes, as we saw with Jonah Heim's home run on Monday (below). All of which makes it pretty clear that, whenever Las Vegas becomes a regular home park for Major League Baseball, it could quickly become the best offensive environment in the league, particularly during the summer months.

Team Trends

We are now close to 70 games into the season, which means we're inching closer to the halfway mark. That's a pretty good time to check in on FanGraph's projected playoff odds for some teams that we had high hopes for coming into the season. Of course, the Angels, Rockies, Nationals, Giants, and Marlins are all but eliminated from playoff contention if you went by odds to make the playoffs, but the Reds could not be far behind with just a 5% chance to make the postseason. Cincinnati got off to such a hot start, but extended absences for Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo have hurt the rotation, and the bullpen has been a disaster even before they lost closer Emilio Pagan to injury.

Injuries are also a big reason that the Red Sox have just an 18.5% chance to make the postseason, the fourth-worst odds in the American League. Garrett Crochet has suffered a setback in his return from a shoulder injury, and Roman Anthony is still not picking up a bat after tearing a ligament in his thumb. Trevor Story is now on the 60-day injured list after sports hernia surgery, and new additions like Caleb Durbin have not been able to help carry the offensive burden. Yet, the Red Sox have better postseason odds than the Royals, who are sitting at just an 8.8% chance after they've had to deal with an injury to their ace, Cole Ragans, as well as poor seasons from key hitters, like Vinny Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone.

On the other hand, despite currently having the fourth-best record in the American League, the White Sox have just an 18.1% chance to make the playoffs, according to FanGraphs. While that's a higher number than people expected them to have in the middle of June, it might not be indicative of how well this team is playing. The Tigers are seven games behind the White Sox right now, but feature better playoff odds at 23.7%. Of course, they do get their ace back this weekend, as we mentioned.

In the National League, it may be a surprise to see the Padres with just a 19.2% chance to make the playoffs, the sixth-worst odds in the NL. However, their offense has really foundered this season, and they lack starting pitching depth. It might also surprise people that the Mets still have a 22% chance to make the postseason despite being 29-36, but FanGraphs is likely banking on the return of Francisco Lindor from his calf injury and the overall talent on their roster.

However, perhaps the biggest surprise is that every team in the NL Central, other than the Reds, has at least a 39.7% chance to make the playoffs. We expected this to be a bit of a rebuilding year for the Cardinals, but they're 35-28 and have a 39.7% chance to make the postseason, while the Pirates have merged their young talent with strong free agent signings and put together a 34-32 record, with a 48.3% chance to make the postseason, perhaps because they have more star power and better projections than the Cardinals (what a wild sentence to write).

According to these projections, two divisions seem all but locked up, with the Braves and Dodgers having better than 90% odds to win their division. The Brewers are next up at 78%, but things get murkier in the American League. The Yankees have the best odds to win their division at 72.7%, but they are tied with the Rays and could be without Aaron Judge for two months, so that makes them a risky bet. The Guardians have a 62% chance to win the AL Central while holding a 1.5 game lead on the White Sox, and the Mariners, who are the only AL West team over .500, have a 66.7% chance to win the division.

Individual Player Spotlights

Hitter Spotlight: Jung Hoo Lee - OF, Giants

Jung Hoo Lee is not a big name in baseball. He doesn't have a cannon for an arm, or blazing speed, or light tower power. What he does have is a 17-game hitting streak that has seen him hit .508 with 15 runs scored, 10 RBI, one home run, two steals, and a 1.161 OPS. That hitting streak encompasses 11 days he missed on the injured list with back spasms. Since coming off the IL on May 29th, he’s gone 29-for-51 in 12 games (.569) with 12 runs scored, seven RBI, and two steals. He's second in baseball in OPS over that stretch and fourth in runs scored. Not only has that put him near the top of current leaderboards, but it's put him in rarified air historically as well, since Lee is one of three Giants players since 1900 to ever have 29 hits in a 12-game span, and the first since 1932. Not bad.

Starting Pitcher Spotlight: Cristopher Sanchez - Phillies

If it weren't for Jacob Misiorowski, far more attention would be paid to what Cristopher Sanchez is doing right now. The left-hander has a 1.54 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 30.1% strikeout rate in 93.1 innings this season. He is the only pitcher in the National League who has thrown at least 80 innings with a sub-2.50 ERA this season. He has a 1.54 ERA. Cam Schlittler of the Yankees has a 1.87 ERA in 82 innings pitched, and all of Chris Sale, Chase Burns, and Misiorowski have ERAs under 2.50, but have not thrown 80 innings yet.

This season, Sanchez has his best swinging strike rate ever (15.3%), his best CSW ever (32.7%), and his lowest walk rate (4.8%) since he threw 99 innings in 2023. That was his first season as a starter for the Phillies since he had been more of a multi-inning reliever before that. I'm not sure many people who have expected this meteoric rise for Sanchez back then. In fact, in 2019, the Phillies acquired Sanchez in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for Curtis Mead. Mead was a top prospect at the time, and Sanchez had thrown 74.1 innings that year at Low-A and High-A. Sometimes, gambles on young pitchers do pay off.

Relief Pitcher Spotlight: Louis Varland - Blue Jays

Varland is another pitcher gamble that paid off. Last season, Varland entered the year as a seemingly failed starting pitcher prospect for the Minnesota Twins. He had a strong 2023 season, which allowed him to get 68 MLB innings that season in Minnesota. It didn't go great, with just a 4.63 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, but he missed bats and showed some good pitch movement that a team could dream about harnessing. Yet, in 2024, he posted a 4.75 ERA in Triple-A and just a 7.61 ERA in 49.2 MLB innings, which prompted the Twins to see if he might be a better fit in the bullpen. He started off the season with a 2.02 ERA with a 47/13 K/BB ratio in 49 innings out of the bullpen for the Twins. Yet, when the trade deadline rolled around, the Twins felt like it was time to look to the future and moved Varland and Ty France to the Blue Jays for outfield prospect Alan Roden and left-handed pitching prospect Kendry Rojas.

It was a curious move at the time, but Varland went on to pitch to a 4.94 ERA in 23.2 innings with the Blue Jays, and people stopped thinking much about the trade. Well, they're certainly thinking about it now. Varland pitched so well early in the season that he moved into a crucial late-inning role in the bullpen and then was given a chance to close when Jeff Hoffman struggled. He has not looked back. Since May 13th, Varland has led all relievers in Win Probability Added. On the year, he has a 0.50 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 46/10 K/BB ratio in 35.2 innings. He looks like one of the top closers in all of baseball, and he's just 28 years old and under contract through two more arbitration years. Not a bad trade for Toronto.

Individual Stat Leaders (5/13 - 6/10)

Hits

  1. Luis Arraez - 2B, Giants: 37 hits (.359 batting average)
  2. Shohei Ohtani - DH, Dodgers: 35 hits (.407 batting average)
  3. Otto Lopez - SS, Marlins: 34 hits (.347 batting average)
  4. Carson Benge - OF, NYM: 34 hits (.321 batting average)
  5. Fernando Tatis Jr. -OF, SD: 33 hits (.327 batting average)

Home Runs

  1. Nick Kurtz - 1B, Athletics: 10 home runs
  2. Yordan Alvarez - OF, Astros: 9 home runs
  3. Juan Soto - OF, Mets: 9 home runs
  4. Casey Schmitt - 1B/OF, Giants: 9 home runs
  5. Dillon Dingler - C, DET: 9 home runs

Steals

  1. Bobby Witt Jr. - SS, Royals: 11 steals
  2. Trea Turner - SS, Phillies: 10 steals
  3. Ronald Acuna Jr. - OF, Braves: 8 steals
  4. Randy Arozarena - OF, Mariners: 8 steals
  5. Jose Ramirez - 3B, Guardians: 8 steals

Strikeouts (K-BB%) - Starting Pitchers

  1. Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers: 32.8% K-BB%
  2. Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies: 30.2% K-BB%
  3. Chase Burns, Reds: 29.2% K-BB%
  4. Kyle Harrison, Brewers: 29.2% K-BB%
  5. Joe Ryan, Twins: 28.3% K-BB%

Saves

  1. Jhoan Duran, Phillies: 10 saves
  2. Cade Smith, Guardians: 9 saves
  3. Bryan Baker, Rays: 7 saves
  4. Paul Sewald, Diamondbacks: 6 saves
  5. Louis Varland, Blue Jays: 6 saves
  6. Mason Miller, Padres: 6 saves
  7. Raisel Iglesias, Braves: 6 saves
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Spurs vs Knicks Expert Picks & Game 4 Best Bets

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Despite walking into a raucous Madison Square Garden trailing the series 2–0, the San Antonio Spurs have regained traction after a road win in Game 3.

With Game 4 set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET tonight, bet365 has New York billed as 2.5-point favorites to bounce back at the Garden, and our Covers experts have you primed with their best NBA picks for Wednesday, June 10.

Spurs vs Knicks Expert Picks Tonight

PickOdds
Jon Metler Jon Metler: Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns o17.5 points-115
Jason Logan Jason Logan: Knicks Josh Hart o10.5 points+100
Joe Osborne Joe Osborne: Spurs Spurs TT o107.5-108

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Jon Metler's expert pick: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points

Price: -115 at bet365

Jalen Brunson is facing constant pressure from the San Antonio Spurs and is having to work far too hard for every point. With officials allowing a physical style of play, the New York Knicks need to make a concerted effort to feature Karl-Anthony Towns more in Game 4.

Towns is playing with tremendous confidence right now, and his five-out spacing presents a unique challenge for both the Spurs and Victor Wembanyama. Towns can stretch the floor, attack hard closeouts, and put the ball on the deck to finish at the rim, making him one of the toughest matchup problems on the court.

I expect Towns to benefit from the defensive attention Brunson commands, serving as a natural pressure-release option throughout the game. Whether it's a direct feed from Brunson or a touch against a rotating defense after the ball swings through Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby, Towns should consistently find himself in advantageous scoring situations.

At 17.5 points, I'm backing the Over, a number I make closer to -165.

Jason Logan's expert pick: Josh Hart Over 10.5 points

Price: +100 at bet365

It’s wild to think that Josh Hart was the Knicks’ best shooter in the Game 3 loss (6-for-10), but it’s a fact the Spurs are happy to live with. San Antonio is assigning Wembanyama to Hart, allowing him to sag off and stay closer to the rim with little long-range threat from New York’s wily guard.

However, with the Knicks preaching more off-ball activity in Game 4 and Towns operating as a passer from the high post against smaller defenders, Hart will find even more room to operate tonight. He’s taken 19 shots in the NBA Finals, and 13 of them haven’t had a defender within at least six feet.

Hart also does his best work in MSG, averaging almost 13 points per home game in the playoffs on 46% shooting, compared to just 8.4 points on 40% shooting on the road.

Game 4 models range from 10.8 to a ceiling of 12+ points, with my number north of 11 points. That should have the Over 10.5 priced at -115, but we’re getting EVEN money on Hart to build on a 16-point effort in Game 3.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Spurs team total Over 107.5

Price: -108 at bet365

I'm backing the Spurs to keep their offensive momentum rolling in Game 4. They came alive again in Game 3, producing a series-high 115 points, which continued a theme we've seen throughout the playoffs.

San Antonio has consistently been a better offensive team away from home, posting stronger numbers across most key metrics and clearing this mark of 107.5 in all 10 of their road playoff games.

The MSG spotlight clearly wasn't too big for them, and I expect another productive offensive performance tonight.

More Spurs vs Knicks Game 4 picks

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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Brewers reliever Brian Fitzpatrick seeks 2nd opinion after getting diagnosed with partial UCL sprain

LAS VEGAS — Milwaukee Brewers left-handed reliever Brian Fitzpatrick is seeking a second opinion after being diagnosed with a partial proximal sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow.

Fitzpatrick got injured while throwing a warmup pitch in a 9-7 victory at Colorado after getting called up from Triple-A Nashville earlier in the day.

The Brewers offered an update on Fitzpatrick’s situation before their game with the Athletics in Las Vegas.

Fitzpatrick had thrown a scoreless sixth inning in the game at Colorado. He went back out for the seventh inning and got hurt during a warmup pitch.

The 26-year-old Fitzpatrick has gone 0-0 with a 1.35 ERA in five appearances with Milwaukee. He is 3-1 with a 1.13 ERA and one save in 15 games with Nashville.

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Nick Davila accidentally became important at work

BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 09: Nick Davila #82 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates after striking out Tyler O'Neill #9 of the Baltimore Orioles in the tenth inning to win the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

In case you are one of the people who values their brain health and has fled neu-Twitter, let me introduce you to one of the foundational texts among the terminally online:

Because we are Mariners fans, this meme gets a lot of use: most recently, heavily deployed in the Leo Rivas Era, but also apropos for whatever bullpen bandaid the team is utilizing for the night.

Last night, “accidentally important at work” befell Mariners reliever Nick Davila, who was summoned from an anniversary dinner at the Southcenter Din Tai Fung with his girlfriend at 7:45 PM to make a 10:20 flight out of Sea-Tac (IT’S SEA-TAC, FIGHT ME), and 24 hours later found himself pitching in an extra-innings game to try to protect a narrow Mariners lead and secure a victory.

Davila said, sadly, he was able to get one soup dumpling before the rest of the food was boxed up and pressed into the hands of his tearful girlfriend, left holding the remains of their two-year anniversary dinner. He came to Baltimore on a red-eye absent his personal effects, relying on a clubhouse assistant from Tacoma to drive up his game-day bag and meet him at his departure gate. He arrived in Baltimore around six a.m., got to the team hotel around eight, caught a few hours of sleep, and then took the late bus to the park, believing himself to be still on the taxi squad for the game.

Instead, 24 hours after he was supposed to be eating soup dumplings, he was suited up and in the game trying to lock down his first career save.

It’s not Nick Davila’s fault that a team designed to contend for not just the AL West but the AL crown, full stop, has instead been so injury-ridden and start-and-stop that they’re fighting tooth and nail to steal wins from down-on-their-luck clubs like the 2026 Royals or Tigers or, now, the Orioles. It’s not Davila’s fault; he was just the next available reliever selected by the claw machine of Seattle Mariners Baseball 2026, plucked by his Tacoma jersey and deposited on a major-league mound in the highest-stress situation of his career.

Let’s take a moment and roll the tape back. I first became aware of Nick Davila at spring training in 2023 – or maybe it was 2024. During spring training, I make a point to hang out on the backfields at the Peoria complex as much as I can; it’s usually my only chance every year to get an up-close look at prospects who will be playing at the complexes in the Dominican, Arizona, or in Little Rock or California. Even for running drills, players helpfully wear jerseys with their names on the back, and I try to remember the names, take notes on the plays, and store them in a little mental database to draw from during the season.

I remember Davila, bearded and maybe a little less fresh-faced than the other pitchers in his group, and remember specifically because he had come off a rough outing on the backfields and looked visibly distressed, shoulders heavy as he greeted the family who had shown up to support. I remember looking him up – a free-agent sign by the Tigers during the COVID-shortened draft year, released a few years later, leading to the Mariners scooping him up – and thinking about timing, how cruel it can be. It’s not the first time I’ve seen a fringe player come apart, wondering if he had a future in the game he loved. It will not be the last.

Davila thrummed along in my subconscious for the next few years, organizational filler in its truest sense. We had him on our list of fringe prospects to watch prior to the 2024 season, more checking off a name than an actual scouting report, and followed his performance in Seattle’s system until TJ surgery knocked out most of his 2024-25 season.

But in the spring of 2026, Davila became important to the Mariners once again, his previous background in the system earning him an invite as an NRI, and the absence of several relievers during spring training earning him opportunities to pitch in big-league games. Davila saw action in seven games this spring, often coming in to clean up messes other pitchers had made, and pitched with a steady enough hand the Mariners brought him up to make his big-league debut on May 3. Davila pitched solidly during the three-ish weeks he was with the club, maybe walking more than ideal but allowing no runs in his seven low-leverage appearances. Davila was optioned back to Tacoma May 26 when Gabe Speier was able to come off the IL, with the understanding he’d be back at some point this season; that point came sooner than expected, with stalwart tall wall Cooper Criswell placed on the IL yesterday, leading to Mr. Davila’s Wild Ride from Sea-Tac to BWI.

And then, to Oriole Park, to try to preserve a win for the Mariners in extras.

“I just couldn’t believe I was in the game,” said Davila. “It was freaking nuts. I kind of had goosebumps going out there. I was like, this is not real.”

It wasn’t pretty. It wouldn’t have ever been. Davila hit the first batter he saw, losing control of a slider and grazing Blaze Alexander (“the first one I plunked the dude. I was like, ohhh, that’s not good” said Davila postgame); Alexander then scored on a hard-hit single from former Mariner Leody Taveras, who took advantage of a hung slider. Davila continued to battle for control of his slider, one of his major weapons, but was able to get Coby Mayo to pop out on a sinker, and then got weak contact on a better slider to get Jeremiah Jackson to ground into a fielder’s choice that erased the would-be tying run at home.

That left just one more former Mariner, slugger Tyler O’Neill. Davila was still scrapping for command of his slider, but he had his sinker.

“Every single pitch I just told myself, you don’t want to be anywhere else but right here. Execute this pitch to the best of your ability, and everything I was putting into it was just that pitch. And I was like, all right. That was a good pitch, you got a strike there. Let’s get the next strike. And it was just a stepping-ladder to the next one, to the next one.

The Mariners set us up for success with the way they have us funnel. They teach you like, hey, you gotta get to this spot to have a pre-pitch funnel so you can get to your best pitch. Once I got that first pitch on the sinker and Mitch called sinker again I was like, okay. Let’s go.”

Two straight sinkers – two called strikes – put Davila in the driver’s seat in 0-2. He tried a slider, but couldn’t elicit a chase on a good pitch, and then a fastball that landed just out, before taking a moment to step off.

“I had him 0-2 but like, there’s so many guys that get one pitch away and they blow it. So I was like, I can’t get too ahead of myself, I gotta make sure I’m in the moment right here, and I did have a capture moment where I was like, I could get out of this right here.”

Davila’s “capture moment” was captured on-camera, as he gave himself a talking-to before throwing his next pitch.

Davila and Garver dialed up the sinker, again, getting some nasty armside run for a swinging strikeout to end the game. I’m not sure what Davila was saying to himself in the previous clip but I feel like it was

okay, you’re one pitch away

now let’s strike him out

Dinner: ruined. Game: saved.

If you happen to find yourself accidentally important at work, take a tip from Nick Davila: give yourself a pep talk, remind yourself of what you do well, and strike them all out.

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2026 MLB Draft Preview: Aiden Robbins

AUSTIN, TX - JUNE 07: Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) celebrates after hitting a home run during the NCAA Super Regional college baseball game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oregon Ducks on June 7, 2026 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, TX.(Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2026 MLB Draft Preview: Aiden Robbins scouting report.

The 2026 is about a month away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.

Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at University of Texas outfielder Aiden Robbins.

Aiden Robbins is a 6’2”, 205 lb. righthanded hitting outfielder at the University of Texas, where he transferred this year after playing his first two seasons for Seton Hall. A native of Pennsylvania, Robbins was relatively unheralded coming out of high school, and was not ranked in Baseball America’s top 500 draft prospects in 2023, when he went undrafted coming out of high school.

Robbins’ bat is his carrying tool, as he has hit well all three seasons at the collegiate level, as well as in summer league play. Coming into the season, Robbins was more of a hit-over-power guy — however, in 2026, he’s gotten more aggressive at the plate, resulting in much more power, but also a drop in batting average and a significant uptick in his strikeout totals. It sounds like Robbins has made changes this year to put the ball in the air more, as well. The reports praise his bat speed, and he can catch up to fastballs, though MLB Pipeline mentions that his more aggressive approach this year has made him more vulnerable to offspeed stuff.

Robbins played center field for Texas this season before moving to right field about a month ago, after playing right field for Seton Hall in 2025 and splitting time between left field and center field in 2024. The reports have his arm at average, and it sounds like he’ll likely end up a corner spot long-term as a pro. His speed also shows as grading out as average, though he is apparently a good baserunner, and has had success as a basestealer.

Robbins played his first two seasons for Seton Hall, slashing .302/.368/.512 with 31 Ks against 15 walks in 185 plate appearances as a freshman. His breakout 2025 campaign saw him slash .422/.537/.652 in 255 plate appearances, with 44 walks against 32 Ks. He went 20 for 21 on the basepaths, though he only had six homers, matching his total his freshman year. In summer league play in 2024 and 2025, he showed more power, as well as bigger strikeout totals.

Robbins transferred to UT for 2026, which resulted in him facing a more difficult level of competition in the SEC than he faced in the Big East. He nonetheless thrived, though with a different offensive profile than he showed at Seton Hall. His K rate almost doubled, as he struck out 60 times in 271 plate appearances as a junior for UT, but he also hit 24 homers while drawing 39 walks, ultimately putting up a .342/.435/.720 slash line, and going 12 for 13 in stolen base attempts.

Baseball America has Robbins at #18 on their board. MLB Pipeline has Robbins at #30 on their board. Kiley McDaniel puts Robbins at #25 on his top 150 list. Keith Law’s rankings have Robbins at #85 on his board. Fangraphs does not have Robbins on their board. Baseball Prospectus also does not have Robbins on their top 30 draft board.

In the most recent Baseball America mock draft, Carlos Collazo has Robbins going to the Pirates at #34. Jim Callis’s June 4 mock draft has Robbins going to the Mets at #27, and says that the Rangers, at #16, would be Robbins’ ceiling. Keith Law’s May mock draft doesn’t have Robbins going in the first 28 picks. Kiley McDaniel’s May 29 mock draft has Robbins going to the Astros at #28, and also mentions the Rangers at #16 as the “high water mark” for Robbins.

I picked Robbins a couple of months ago as my “way too early” prediction for the Rangers at #16, as a guy with a quality hit tool who has had success against high-level competition. The profile has shifted this year, with Robbins becoming, in Keith Law’s words, a power-over-hit guy now, with Law noting his 30% whiff rate is a concern.

As a guy who can play center but will probably have to move to a corner, Robbins is going to have to hit more to succeed that an up-the-middle player. He’s shown this year that he can tap into the power that folks have thought was there, but the question is whether the trade-off, in regards to his contact, is worth it.

Previously:

Liam Peterson

Tyler Bell

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2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Alex Bregman is the Superhero vs. the Rockies

On this night, I have a silver lining. Now your mileage may vary, but for me? I’m not even frustrated anymore. I’ve moved on to apathy. These losses are no longer catching me off guard. It’s been a long day, travelling from Tampa to Jackson, MS by way of a stop in Atlanta. So forgive me if I’m reading my notes wrong, but I’m seeing the Cubs at 7-21 in their last 28 games. 27-24 over 51 would be perfectly fine. But I’m pretty sure sequencing matters here.

Long story short, the Cubs were never as good as that 20-3 run that they had. Also, they are better than the 7-21 run. But, I think the key is they are closer to the more recent team than that team in the past. That’s bad news. The injuries to key starting pitchers appears to have over exposed a number of pitchers who can’t be expected to go out every fifth or sixth days and battle against major league talent while also giving the Cubs a reasonable chance at victory.

Tuesday night wasn’t an unfamiliar story for the 2026 Cubs. Colin Rea allowed a pair of homers. Of course, that can happen pretty easily in Colorado. But it was complicated by three walks and a hit batsman. Two of the walks and the hit batter scored. On just walks and homers, that totals to five runs. The Cub offense produced some traffic, but only managed three runs. The other runs just kept digging the hole for the Cubs.

Multiplying the issues were all seven runs Rea allowed scoring in the first three innings. That tilts things so hard. With the bases empty, an opposing pitcher doesn’t have to give in against a Cub slugger. With runners on base, an opposing pitcher and the defense can focus on just not letting an inning spiral out of control and allow a big crooked number. As trouble arises, the Rockies can go to the pen and get a fresh arm in there without really having to break into their better arms.

Long story short, all too easy for the Rockies to score a win. They are a team trying to advance some youth and figure out how to win again after a few years of putrid baseball. On Tuesday night, they were a young team having a lot of fun. Maybe the Cubs still rebound and win a series. It’s bad when it’s been so long since this team has won a series that I can’t really remember which series they last won.

It appears the Cubs have a little over a month to talk to their corner outfielders about how nice it would be to find their own silver linings by getting a chance to go to a team with a chance to win and be a part of it. Both of those corner outfielders have no trade clauses and they are probably the two best fits for trading otherwise. This season has all of the funeral march vibes of 2021 without any of the upside of really interesting trade chips that might bring in some talent to help the future.

Three Positives:

  • Michael Busch had just one hit, but it was a homer. He trails only Ian Happ for the Cub OPS lead. He’s come a long way after a slow start. He also drew a walk that was one of the more interesting points in the game.
  • Alex Bregman had two singles, a sacrifice fly, a run scored and an RBI. His best game in some time.
  • Ian Happ drew a pair of walks.

Game 67, June 9: Rockies 7, Cubs 3 (34-33)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

  • Superhero: Alex Bregman (.044). 2-3, SF, RBI, R
  • Hero/Sidekick: (tie) Carson Kelly/Ryan Rolison (.021). Kelly: 1-1; Rolison 1.1 IP, 5 BF, H, BB, K

THREE GOATS:

  • Billy Goat: Colin Rea (-.318). 4.2, 26 BF, 9 H, 3 BB, 7 ER, 2 K, HBP (L 5-4)
  • Goat: Seiya Suzuki (-.063). 1-4, RBI
  • Kid: Miguel Amaya (-.049). 0-2

WPA Play of the Game: Hunter Goodman hit a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the first to start the scoring. (.160)

Cubs Play of the Game: Michael Busch walked to load the bases with one out in the third with the Cubs down five. The Cubs failed to get a hit with the bases loaded and less than two outs and were only able to get one run to reduce the deficit to four. (.042)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 66 Winner: Javier Assad 170 of 172 votes

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

  • Michael Busch +20
  • Ben Brown +11.5
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong/Michael Conforto/Carson Kelly +10
  • Ryan Rolison/Phil Maton/Jameson Taillon -8
  • Caleb Thielbar -9
  • Matt Shaw -10
  • Dansby Swanson -11
  • Seiya Suzuki -28.5

Up Next: Game two of the three game series Wednesday evening. Shōta Imanaga (4-6, 4.74, 76 IP) starts for the Cubs. Imanaga has allowed homers in six consecutive starts (14 total) and 10 homers over his last three starts. That’s a scary prospect heading to one of the most prolific parks in baseball history for allowing homers.

Michael Lorenzen is not only still pitching, but starting games for the Rockies. Neat. The 34-year-old is 2-8 with an 8.01 ERA and has started 13 times. Those numbers are garish. And yet, he’s only allowed 11 homers.

This game ought to be something. I’ll be travelling back home during this one and curious to see how it came out. The optimist in me isn’t dead. I suspect the Cubs win this one.

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Mariners vs. Orioles prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 10

The Mariners and the Orioles continue their series tonight in Baltimore, with Seattle taking the first two games and pushing their record to 36–32 in the process. The Orioles, meanwhile, have dropped four straight and are quickly erasing any momentum gained from wins in five of the previous six games prior to this slide.

Last night’s 6–5 extra-inning win for the Mariners boiled down to Seattle getting excellent starting pitching and doing just enough at the plate to earn the win while the O’s struggled to string hits together. Seattle converted its power opportunities (two homers, 6 runs on 11 hits), while Baltimore went just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base. The Mariners jumped ahead on a three-run homer from Mitch Garver in the fourth and carried a lead into the late innings behind a strong outing from Logan Gilbert, who retired the final 14 batters he faced over six innings. Baltimore rallied in the ninth, highlighted by Coby Mayo’s game-tying home run and a sequence that brought them back from 4–2 down to force extras. But in the 10th, Randy Arozarena delivered the decisive blow — a two-run homer to open the inning — and the Mariners held on from there despite a brief scare in the bottom half.

 

Tonight’s pitching matchup features George Kirby getting the ball for Seattle against Brandon Young of the Orioles. Kirby owns a record of 5–5 with a 4.04 ERA. He has become a middle of the rotation arm, capable of working deep into games with solid control (64 strikeouts in 78 innings). Young has been one of Baltimore’s more effective pitchers sporting a record of 4–1 with a 3.47 ERA.

 

From a hitter matchup perspective, Baltimore actually has several hitters that have seen success against Kirby. Pete Alonso stands out (3-for-5 with a home run and 3 RBI), while Gunnar Henderson (.438 average in 16 at-bats) has also had consistent success. Colton Cowser (.375 in 8 AB) and Tyler O’Neill (.333 in limited chances) have chipped in as well, suggesting the Orioles lineup could get to Kirby. Mariners’ hitters have little to no meaningful history against Brandon Young.

 

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

 

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game Details and How to Watch: Mariners vs. Orioles

 

  • Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
  • Time: 6:35PM EST
  • Site: Camden Yards
  • City: Baltimore, MD
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, MASN, Mariners.TV

 

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

 

The Latest Odds: Mariners vs. Orioles

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Seattle Mariners (-113), Baltimore Orioles (-107)
  • Spread: Mariners -1.5 (+141), Orioles +1.5 (-171)
  • Total: 9.0 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers: Mariners vs. Orioles for June 10

  • Mariners: George Kirby
    Season Totals: 78.0 IP, 5-5, 4.04 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 64K, 18 BB
  • Orioles: Brandon Young
  • Season Totals: 49.1 IP, 4-1, 3.47 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 37K, 17 BB

 

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Mariners vs. Orioles

  • Randy Arozarena had 3 hits last night and has hit in 5 straight games (10-19)
  • Julio Rodriguez is hitting .188 in June with but 1 HR and 2 RBI
  • Pete Alonso is 1-11 over the last 3 games
  • Taylor Ward is riding a modest 3-game hitting streak (4-11) and has hit safely in 6 of his last 7 games (11-28)
  • Gunnar Henderson is 1-11 over his last 3 games and has not homered since hitting a pair on May 27th

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

 

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Mariners vs. Orioles

 

  • The Orioles are 32-36 on the Run Line this season
  • The Mariners are 27-41 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 32 times in Seattle’s 66 games this season (32-34-2)
  • The OVER has cashed 39 times in the Orioles’ 68 games this season (39-27-2)

 

Expert picks & predictions: Mariners vs. Orioles

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

 

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

 

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Mariners and the Orioles:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Mariners on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 9.0

 

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Injured Pirates rookie SS Konnor Griffin is hoping to start a throwing program soon

PITTSBURGH — Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin’s right forearm strain is improving, and the 20-year-old is optimistic he’ll be back soon.

Griffin initially reported discomfort in his forearm after a loss to the Chicago Cubs on May 27. He appeared as a designated hitter over the next two games before going on the 10-day injured list on May 31.

The team thought his stay on the IL would be brief, though the timeline for his possible return was pushed back after the nature of the injury turned out to be a little more severe than the club anticipated. Griffin is eligible to come off the IL on Wednesday but remains out indefinitely.

Griffin, who made his big league debut in early April as a teenager and quickly signed a nine-year deal with the team, was seen by multiple physicians. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said imaging of Griffin’s right (throwing) arm indicated the UCL was “stable.”

While Griffin indicated he hoped to start a throwing program as early as Wednesday, Tomczyk indicated any throwing activity won’t begin until Griffin meets with the medical team “in the coming days.”

Griffin, who turned 20 on April 24, was hitting .270 with four home runs, 22 RBIs and 14 stolen bases at the time of the injury.

“Just trying to take a little break and really make sure I don’t hurt myself worse and just take our time with it,” Griffin said in the Pittsburgh clubhouse before a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. “It’s still middle of the season, so we’ve got some time to rehab and get back and be ready to roll towards the last half.”

Griffin, who pitched in high school before being drafted in the first round of the 2024 draft, said he’d never experienced any issues in his throwing arm before but made it a point to be proactive in bringing it to the attention of the club’s medical staff.

“I think we caught it at the right time, where I’m not going to have to miss the whole year,” he said. “I can just miss just a couple weeks and try to be back out there as soon as possible.”

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NBA trade rumors: Hornets targeting All-Star center, Jaylen Brown update, and more

BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics shoots a free throw during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The NBA offseason will officially arrive in a matter of days, and while the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs slug it out in the 2026 NBA Finals, the league’s other 28 teams are already positioning themselves for their summer moves. The league’s trade landscape is already coming into focus, with Giannis Antetokounmpo as a possible first domino and more big names potentially on the move.

Let’s dive into some rumors already popping up during the NBA Finals.

Hornets, Kings talking Domantas Sabonis trade

The Charlotte Hornets could make a big leap in the Eastern Conference next year, but they need more toughness inside. Charlotte caught fire once the calendar flipped to January 1, finishing the regular season 33-16 with the league’s best net-rating, but their lack of size was exposed in their play-in tournament elimination.

The Hornets are talking to the Sacramento Kings about a trade for Domantas Sabonis, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Charlotte holds the No. 14 and No. 18 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and Sacramento reportedly wants one of those selections to part with their highly productive big man. So far the Hornets haven’t been willing to meet that asking price.

Sabonis is a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection who recently turned 30. He has two years, $94 million remaining on his contract. The Kings are potentially over the luxury tax next season if they don’t cut salary, and could be motivated to get a deal done. Sabonis is one of the very best rebounders in the league while also being a gifted playmaker, solid interior scorer, and efficient low-volume three-point shooter.

This feels like a good match for both teams, but Charlotte would be smart not to give up a top-20 pick for him at that salary.

Celtics not looking to trade Jaylen Brown, per report

Jaylen Brown had a career year for the Boston Celtics this season during Jayson Tatum’s prolonged absence, going as far to call it his “favorite year” of his basketball career. That rubbed some Boston fans the wrong way given that Brown was named NBA Finals MVP on the Celtics 2024 championship team, and it sets up a potentially odd dynamic with Tatum fully back in the mix next season.

The Celtics have been mentioned as a possible Giannis suitor, and that would require shipping Brown out to a third team. NBA insider Sam Amick said pump the breaks on any Brown trade talk, telling a local Boston outlet “There’s no sign that they’re putting Jaylen out there at all.”

Brown is owed $183 million over the next three seasons. That’s a massive contract even for someone as good as he is. The Celtics will be one of the most fascinating teams to monitor this summer as they look to challenge the Knicks at the top of the East in the 2027 playoffs.

Want Trey Murphy III? The Pelicans reportedly want help now, not picks

Trey Murphy III is one of the most coveted players potentially available on the trade market this summer. The Pelicans’ wing will be 26 years old for next season, and he’s one of the better shooters and off-ball scorers in the NBA.

Don’t think the Pelicans are going to trade Murphy for picks just because the team has finished with 21 and 26 wins the last two seasons. New Orleans wants players who can help now, not future assets, for Murphy if he is moved, according to insider Jake Fischer.

The rest of the NBA should be circling the Pelicans’ front office to make a deal. New Orleans’ was panned for giving up its unprotected 2026 first-round pick for Derik Queen last summer, though that pick only came in at No. 8 overall in the lottery. Front office leaders Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver aren’t shy about trying to make a big splash, and that could put them in a desperate position to improve the team.

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Four stats that explain the rise of the Washington Nationals in 2026

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 09: Washington Nationals OF James Wood (29) greets Washington Nationals DH Jose Tena (8) after his 2 run home run early in the game between the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants on June 09, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It is June 10th and the Washington Nationals are tied for the third Wild Card spot in a competitive National League. Before the season, the thought of that would sound insane, but here we are. I dove into the stats to find some numbers that explain the rise of the Nats, and found four that stood out.

Scoring Early and Often:

At this point even casual baseball fans know the Nationals have scored the most runs in baseball. It is one of those stats that seems to get mentioned on every telecast or MLB Network segment. Given how shocking the stat is, I do not blame the baseball media for beating it into fans’ heads. However, the Nats 362 total runs is not the stat I am highlighting here. 

The first stat of the profile is 53. That is how many first inning runs the Nationals have scored after Luis Garcia Jr’s two run shot last night. This Nats team is setting the tone early and laying down the gauntlet for teams.

With the Nats shaky pitching staff, getting out to early leads is vital. The early action prevents the offense from pressing and chasing the game. A big reason why the lineup is so successful early in games is the construction. James Wood is an on base machine at the top of the lineup. He has an OBP over .400 on the season. Wood also allows his dugout to see plenty of pitches to start the ball game and is always a threat to make it 1-0 very early.

After Wood, the Nats have a fun mix of aggression and patience with Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead. Then Blake Butera puts his chief run producer CJ Abrams in the cleanup spot where he has been driving in runs for fun. This lineup is just incredibly dangerous, and they get out of the gates hot.

The Advanced Numbers Back the Nats:

It is easy to look at the runs scored number when looking at this offense. However, the lingering question all season has been whether this offense is sustainable. When you look at the advanced data, it will tell you that this Nats offense should remain a strong unit going forward.

The next number I am going to highlight is .331. That is the Nationals xwOBA, which is Baseball Savant’s stat which measures a combination of quality of contact, strikeouts and walks. This link has a deeper description of what the stat measures. Basically, it is trying to measure the hitters true skill level based on things they can control.

The Nats .331 xwOBA is the fourth best in baseball, only behind the Dodgers, Yankees and Braves. What this is telling me is that the Nats offense is not doing anything unsustainable at the moment. Of course, players on the team could slow down, but right now, it is not like the Nats are getting lucky. In fact, their wOBA of .326 is lower than their xwOBA mark, so if anything they are getting unlucky.

A big driver of the Nats xwOBA dominance is James Wood. Among qualified hitters, Wood’s .429 xwOBA is second in baseball behind Yordan Alvarez. Wood’s savant page is bleeding red from all the things he is elite at. He hits the ball harder than anyone, he is barreling everything and his bat speed is also elite. There is a reason James Wood is one of the best hitters in the sport.

While I still doubt the Nats will finish the season with the most runs in baseball, this offense is legit. I would not be that surprised anymore if they finish as a top 5 scoring offense in the sport. That would have been an insane thing to say at the beginning of the season. You have to credit these young hitters for blossoming and Matt Borgschulte for getting the best out of these guys.

The Bullpen is not Great But it is Better:

Last season, the Nationals bullpen was an absolute joke. They had the worst bullpen ERA in the sport with a 5.59 mark. At best, there were a couple guys at any given moment that were not total disasters. To start this season, it seemed like it would be more of the same. There were a number of bullpen implosions in the beginning of April that had fans on edge.

Paul Toboni did not build a bullpen that was filled with big names. Instead, he assembled an island of misfit toys. He made several waiver claims and moved starters into the bullpen. The hope was that some of these guys would stick, and the ones that did not would just be replaced.

The Nationals bullpen is not good by any means, but it is no longer a disaster. As a unit, they have a 4.58 ERA, which is just over a run lower than last year. Instead of being the worst bullpen in baseball, they are now the 8th worst.

For me, Gus Varland is the poster boy of this new bullpen. He was a waiver claim who has bounced around a lot in his career. Heck, he is not even the best reliever in his family, that title would go to his brother Louis who is dominating with the Blue Jays.

Gus has not been amazing by any means, with an ERA of 4.01 and a WHIP of 1.58. However, Varland has been far from a disaster and has come up with some clutch saves. His performance the other night was a good microcosm of his season. Varland came in to protect a one run lead, and while he allowed a couple baserunners, he got the job done. A commenter on here said they did not know if Varland was good but knew he had the dog in him. That is a perfect way to describe him.

Richard Lovelady is another example of a bullpen arm with questionable skill but unquestioned heart. Like Varland, he allows plenty of base runners, but usually finds a way out of jams. The Nats also have guys like Orlando Ribalta and Brad Lord that usually get out of innings with less drama. Sure, the bullpen could use further improvement, but it is no longer a massive liability.

Chicks Dig the Long Ball:

In Darnell Coles’ tenure as hitting coach, the Nats ranked 28th, 29th, 29th and 24th in home runs. This was not a team that hit for power, and the offensive philosophy was not one that prioritized the long ball. Instead, the Nats wanted to put the ball in play, and single teams to death.

This season, the Nats have 87 home runs, which is tied for 5th in baseball. That 87 number is the fourth and final key stat we will explore. Sure, James Wood and CJ Abrams’ continued development is a big part of this. The pair have 17 and 14 homers respectively. 

However, those two are not the biggest reason why the Nats home run totals have shot up. The biggest factor is the power from the supporting cast. Curtis Mead never hit more than 3 homers in a season before this year, and he already has 9. Daylen Lile and Luis Garcia Jr. have 8 homers each.

The biggest surprise comes from the Nats center fielder Jacob Young, who also has 8 bombs. Entering this season, we thought we knew who Jacob Young was. His glove has always been elite, but he was not a guy who gave you any power. Young had been an everyday player the past two seasons, and hit a combined 5 home runs in that time. Now, he already has 8, and seems poised to slug at least 15 bombs.

The Young transformation is the best example of the Nats changing their offensive approach. As Dan Kolko and Kevin Frandsen have said a couple times, Young was told to hit the ball on the ground and use his speed to get hits. However, that was not working.

This offseason, Young went to Driveline to fix his swing. Instead of swinging down on the ball, Young now has a mostly level swing with a slight uppercut. That has led to him trimming his ground ball rate and pulling the ball in the air more. Young is a pretty strong guy, so if he hits the ball at the right angle, he can leave the yard. That is exactly what he has been doing this year.

Players like Young and Mead are a big reason why the Nats are top 5 in homers. They are also a big part of why the Nats currently sit in a Wild Card spot. This team has been an absolute joy to watch, and these numbers explain the Nationals dramatic turnaround.

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Extra-innings homer from Sal Stewart gives Reds 5-3 win over Padres

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: Sal Stewart #27 of the Cincinnati Reds tosses his bat after hitting a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the 11th inning at Petco Park on June 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Into the wee hours of the morning went the Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres after their 9:40 PM ET start time on Tuesday evening in southern California, the second game of their three-game series heading to extras after neither team could quite figure out Chase Burns or Lucas Giolito, respectively.

Tied at 2-2, the two clubs reached bonus baseball just before 1 AM ET, with Eugenio Suarez socking an RBI double to score the Manfred Man and give the Reds a 3-2 lead heading into the Bottom of the 10th. Not to be outdone, Samad Taylor responded in the back half of the frame with an RBI single to score a fellow Padres and level the score at 3-3, at which point the game headed into the 11th inning.

It was then that Sal Stewart took matters into his own hands.

Cincinnati’s star rookie sat back on a breaking pitch from San Diego lefty Yuki Matsui and launched it over the wall in the deepest part of Petco Park, a 2-run homer that gave the Reds a 5-3 lead that they would not relinquish.

Zach “Big Sugar” Maxwell came on to nail down the first save of his career right after, a nearly perfect 9-pitch Bottom of the 11th that gave Cincinnati a much needed win to bust up their latest stretch of futility.

A win is a win, and the Reds will take them any way they can these days. Still, it was the kind of game where it felt like Cincinnati should have been ahead by several runs the entire way. Burns, to his credit, was once again pretty electric, allowing just 2 ER in 5.1 IP with 7 K against just 2 BB. The Reds, though, coaxed 8 walks, poked 8 hits, and swiped a season-best 7 bases on the night, yet still found themselves needing Stewart’s 2-run blast late in the game after leaving runners stranded just about everywhere imaginable throughout the course of the night.

In the end, though, it was Mustang Sally who rose to the occasion and claimed the night for the Reds. Maybe, just maybe, it ends up the kind of swing that changes the fortunes of this sputtering club.

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Predators Should Move On From Jonathan Marchessault

When the Nashville Predators signed Jonathan Marchessault to a five-year, $27.5 million contract in the summer of 2024, the expectation was pretty simple. He was coming off a Stanley Cup win with the Vegas Golden Knights, had just scored 42 goals, and looked like the type of player who could help push Nashville into contender territory, playing alongside Steven Stamkos.

That obviously hasn't happened.

The Predators have missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, and now that Chris MacFarland is running the front office, it feels like some difficult conversations are coming. One of them probably has to involve Marchessault.

It's tough to look at the last two years and call the signing anything other than disappointing. This past season was especially rough. Marchessault finished with 12 goals and 31 points in 62 games, dealt with injuries, and never really found the offensive rhythm Nashville brought him in to provide.

At the same time, the Predators are no longer a team built entirely around veterans. There are younger players pushing for bigger opportunities, and that's where things get interesting. Matthew Wood, Joakim Kemell, and Luke Evangelista are part of the future. And, eventually, those players need more ice time and bigger roles if the organization wants to find out exactly what it has.

That's why a trade should happen this season.

Not because Marchessault can't still help a team, but because Nashville may have reached the point where moving forward is more important than trying to make an old plan work. Reports have already suggested that both sides could be open to a fresh start, although his no-movement clause means he will have a significant say in where that might be.

The contract is probably the biggest hurdle. Nashville may need to retain salary, and the return likely isn't going to be anything headline-grabbing. However, sometimes it's just worth moving out a heavier contract even if the return isn't overly impactful.

If MacFarland can clear some cap space, open up a roster spot, and give one of the organization's younger forwards a bigger opportunity. Then it starts with moving on from Marchessault, which could happen as early as the 2026 NHL Draft. 

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Astros Prospect Report: June 9th

WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 19: Caden Powell #38 of the Houston Astros hits a game-winning fielder's choice in the ninth inning during the game between the Miami Marlins and the Houston Astros at Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (27-37) lost 5-4 (BOX SCORE)

Javier made a rehab start for Sugar Land last night and was really good tossing 3 perfect innings with 3 strikeouts. The offense got on the board in the first on a Ferreras walk. Javier was relieved by Alexander who allowed 5 runs over 4 innings. Sugar Land got 2 runs back in the 6th on RBI singles from Ferreras and Perez. In the 9th, they got a run on a Winkler RBI double but the comeback fell short as Sugar Land fell 5-4.

Note: Ferreras is hitting .500 in Triple-A.

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (26-32) won 8-7 (BOX SCORE)

Nezuh started for the Hooks and allowed 4 runs over 4 innings of work. The Hooks got on the board in the 3rd inning on a Spence Rbi groundout. They got another run in the 5th on an Encarnacion RBI single. Santos allowed 3 runs in relief as the Hooks found themselves down 7-2. They picked up 2 runs in the 6th on a Holy RBI single and Sullivan RBI triple. In the 7th, the offense scored 3 runs to tie it on a Brutcher RBI double, Guillemette RBI double and Whitaker RBI double. In the 8th, Austin connected on a solo home run to give the Hooks the lead. McLoughlin and Chirinos closed it out with scoreless outings as the Hooks won 8-7.

Note: Austin has a .902 OPS this season.

A+: Asheville Tourists (16-41) won 13-3 (BOX SCORE)

Asheville got on the board in the first inning on a Thomas solo home run. They got 2 more runs in the 2nd inning on a Nunez 2 run home run. Rodriguez started for Asheville and pitched well allowing 2 runs over 6 innings while striking out 4. The offense played add on scoring 4 runs in the 4th on a Moss RBI single, Garcia 2 run double and Powell RBI double. The offense picked up 2 more in the 5th on a groundout and Moss sac fly. The offense would add 4 more runs in the 6th inning on a Powell 2 run single, Ochoa RBI double and Moss sac fly.

Note: Thomas has a .980 OPS this season.

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (26-32) won 7-6 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on an error. They got 4 runs in the 2nd inning on a Flores solo home run, Lytle RBI double, a run on an error and a run on a balk. Beck got the start and was solid allowing 2 runs over 5.1 innings with 3 strikeouts. The offense got one more in the 4th inning on a Huezo RBI single. Varela allowed 3 runs in relief and didn’t retire a batter. Fraide came on after him and pitched well closing the game out with 6 strikeouts over 3.2 innings allowing just 1 run.

Note: Huezo has a .885 OPS this season.

  • Jagger Beck, RHP: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (WIN)
  • Jose Varela, RHP: 0.0 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
  • Juan Fraide, RHP: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (SAVE)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Colton Gordon – 7:05 CT

CC: Bryce Mayer – 6:30 CT

AV: TBD – 10:05 CT

FV: TBD – 5:35 CT

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Everton ordered to pay Burnley nearly £40m in Premier League relegation legal case

  • Burnley relegated in 2022 after Everton breached PSR

  • Everton ‘angered’ by verdict and have appealed

Burnley have won a landmark legal case against Everton for breaching Premier League financial rules, with the Merseysiders ordered to pay nearly £40m in compensation. It is the largest financial penalty ever imposed on a Premier League club.

The verdict by a Premier League independent disciplinary commission – comprising the same three-man panel that deducted Everton 10 points over the same £19.5m breach in November 2023 – has widespread ramifications for the competition and increases the likelihood of more clubs taking legal action against members who have broken league rules.

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