Jun 2, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Michael Soroka in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Dodgers evened the series on Tuesday night by narrowly beating the Dbacks 6-5. The Dbacks had plenty of runners on base, but were 1 big hit short Tuesday night.
Michael Soroka struggled early in this one allowing 2 runs in each of the first 2 innings. He allowed a 2 run HR to Freeman in the first and Ohtani tripled in 2 runs in the second. After the second inning however, Soroka locked it in and cruised through the next 4 innings. After giving up the 4 runs through 2 innings, it was huge for him to be able to get through 6 innings and keep his team in the game.
Offensively, Corbin Carroll homered in the 3rd inning. Nolan Arenado also delivered a big 2 run double in the bottom of the 7th that narrowly missed a home run as it was hit a little to flat but plenty hard at 104 mph. Pavin Smith had a big at bat in the bottom of the 7th with the bases loaded, drawing a big walk to bring the Dbacks within 1 run. Unfortunately though, the team would leave them loaded.
I also thought it was worth noting that Juan Morillo and Kevin Ginkel were really good yet again. Ginkel had a fantastic 1,2,3 inning to maintain the momentum and shut down the Dodger offense after bringing the game within 1 run. Juan Morillo came in in the 9th and proceeded to strike out Ohtani and Freeman in dominant fashion. Just really impressive stuff from these guys once again and I think its worthy of a shout out.
The achilles heel of this Dbacks team tonight aside from the early runs surrendered by Soroka was the lack of timely hitting. The offense did a great job of getting traffic on the bases but this Dbacks offense once again struggled to have the big at bat and get the big hit. They were just 2-12 with RISP. It is tough to win games with at bats like that with RISP. One such at bat that will certainly get discussed a lot is Geraldo Perdomo’s perplexing bunt in the bottom of the 9th down 1. Ildemaro Vargas had just singled ahead of him putting the tying run on first base with one out, and Perdomo with a 3-1 count laid down a bunt and got thrown out at first. What makes this even more scratching is that lefty Pavin Smith was on deck due to face a lefty. Im sorry, but as the regular 3 hole hitter on this team, you have to be more situationally aware than that and have the confidence to swing the bat in that situation. Major red flag for me the lack of situational awareness as well as the lack of confidence.
Overall, this was yet another game the Dbacks could’ve won and there is something to be said about that when you are playing one of the top teams in the league. They will look to take the lead back in the series tomorrow night but will have the tall task of trying to do so against Shohei Ohtani. Tomorrow is a big night for Zac Gallen. This team really needs him to start stepping up and tomorrow would be a great time to start.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 02: Carson Benge #3 of the New York Mets watches his two run home run during the third inning Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 02, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Seattle Mariners proved once again why they’re the hottest team in baseball at the expense of the New York Mets.
The Mets gave up three home runs and committed two errors as the Mariners won their eighth straight game. Meanwhile, the Mets’ lineup outside of Carson Benge couldn’t get much going in Tuesday’s 8-3 loss. Benge hit two home runs and accounted for all three of New York’s runs.
Benge’s home runs came against Seattle’s starting pitcher Logan Gilbert, who finished with eight strikeouts across five and 1/3 innings. The Mariners’ bullpen took it from there, shutting New York down the rest of the way. Julio Rodriguez, Patrick Wisdom, and Jhonny Pereda added home runs for Seattle.
Huascar Brazobán played the role of opener for Jonah Tong and went once through the Seattle order with poor results. He walked the leadoff man, J.P. Crawford, before getting three groundball outs to escape. He wasn’t so lucky in the second inning. Dominic Canzone’s single was followed up by Wisdom’s home run to put Seattle up 2-0. Brazobán gave up a double to Colt Emerson before being pulled for Tong, who struck out Crawford on three pitches to end the inning.
The Mets’ rookie outfielders answered back in the top of the third. AJ Ewing hit his first big-league double, which was followed by Benge’s first home run of the night. Benge’s third-inning dinger was the hardest-hit ball of his career at 109.8 mph. Bo Bichette was then hit by a pitch, but Gilbert struck out Soto to end the inning. Soto entered the game 1 for 13 in his career against Gilbert. After he lined out and struck out, Soto got a single off Gilbert in the fifth inning before the right-hander was pulled.
The Mets’ infield defense let Tong down in his first clean inning. Randy Arozarena hit a line drive at Marcus Semien that Semien was able to knock down, but he airmailed the throw to first base, allowing Arozarena to advance to second. Next up was Luke Raley, who hit a line drive to first baseman Mark Vientos, who dropped it, easily sending Arozarena to home plate. The Vientos error put the Mariners up 3-2, a lead they never gave up.
Tong got into trouble all on his own in the fourth inning. He walked Wisdom, gave up a single to Pereda, then a walk to Crawford to load the bases. Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to score Wisdom and increase the lead to 4-2.
It kept getting worse for Tong in the fifth inning when he gave up a three-run home run to Pereda. Buried 7-2 and short on arms, manager Carlos Mendoza left Tong in for the rest of the fifth before going with Cionel Perez to start the sixth. Perez immediately gave up Rodriguez’s solo shot, but didn’t allow any more runs across two total innings. AJ Minter pitched for the second night in a row, stranding a pair in the eighth inning.
Benge’s second home run came in the sixth inning, but the Mets’ offense went quietly after the brief sign of life. A single from Brett Baty in the seventh and a walk from Benge in the eighth were all the Mets got going against Seattle relievers Eduard Bazardo and Cooper Criswell.
Semien, Vientos, Bichette, Jared Young, and Hayden Senger all went hitless for the Mets.
New York looks to avoid the sweep with Freddy Peralta on the mound for Wednesday’s series finale at 3:30 PM ET.
Big Mets winner: Carson Benge, +22% WPA Big Mets loser: Jonah Tong, -28% WPA Mets pitchers: -45% WPA Mets hitters: -5% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Carson Benge home run in the third, +20.9% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Patrick Wisdom home run in the second, +19.9% WPA
Tuesday night's game against the Mariners showed the inconsistency of Mets first baseman Mark Vientos this season.
In the first inning, Vientos made a couple of good plays at first, including a nifty play going to his left on a grounder by Luke Raley down the right field line. Vientos scooped up the grounder, turned and threw to Huascar Brazoban covering at first to get the third out of the opening frame. Just two innings later, with a runner on second and one out, Raley lined a pitch toward Vientos at first base, but the youngster could not come up with the liner as the ball trickled into the outfield, allowing the Mariners to take a 3-2 lead.
In the fifth, Vientos would have a chance at making a play for his pitcher when Cole Young hit a grounder in the hole between first and second, but Vientos deflected it, allowing Young to reach for a one-out single. The Mariners would use that opportunity to score three more runs to go up 7-2, and Seattle would eventually win 8-3.
"Just jumped up and missed it," Vientos said of the error after the game.
When asked about the play in the fifth, Vientos said, "That one took a bad hop. Put a good glove on it, but took a bad hop."
"He’s been on and off," manager Carlos Mendoza said of Vientos' defense. "There’s been stretches where you see him play well defensively and then a couple of plays tonight are routine plays. Some inconsistency there at times."
Vientos made his fourth error in 50 games at first base on Tuesday. Last year, he had eight errors in 72 games at third base, but with Jorge Polanco on the IL, Vientos has been thrust into the starting role of late. So far this season, Vientos has a -4 OAA playing the field, according to Baseball Savant, which puts him in the eighth percentile in MLB.
But Vientos is in the lineup for his bat, but that inconsistency on the field has spread into his batting. The young slugger had a chance to do some damage and get the Mets back into the game.
After Carson Benge's second home run of the game cut the M's lead to 7-3, Vientos came up with runners on first and second, and one out. Jared Young's eight-pitch walk knocked starter Logan Gilbert out of the game, allowing Vientos to go up against Seattle's bullpen. However, Vientos swung at a first-pitch sinker running in on him from RHP Eduard Bazardo, and grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Vientos finished 0-for-4 and is 3-for-23 (.130) with one home run over his last seven games.
"Inconsistent, especially against righties. Having a hard time against righties," Mendoza said of Vientos offensively this season. "When you look at the numbers, he’s been pretty good against lefties. But righties are giving him a hard time."
Against left-handers, Vientos is slashing .273/.294/.439 with an OPS of .733 to go along with two home runs and eight RBI. The power numbers are greater against right-handers so far this season -- five against righties -- but the overall hitting numbers are worse. Vientos is slashing .190/.233/.347 with an OPS of .580.
The 26-year-old said he still has confidence at the plate, but acknowledged his inconsistencies.
"Last month, a lot of bad luck, but the inconsistency is not something that I want," Vientos said. "I’m pushing for better results, working with the coaches and trying to be the best version of myself. It’s not happening, but I’m working for it, for sure."
Has any of the 2026 NBA Draft’s top four been in for workouts — and interviews at HSS Training Center? Not that we know of, although there were reports that A.J. Dybansta might drop by. Nothing new on the quintet of lead guards — Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler nor Brayden Burries — nor big men Aday Mara, Karim Lopez and Nate Ament, the newest poster boy for Nets Twitter angst.
They may have been in but Sean Marks & co. don’t release names of those who’ve journeyed to 168 39th Street to show their wares, answer bizarre questions … and be wowed by the views out the Great Window on the eighth floor.
However, we have been compiling from a variety of sources, led by but not limited to Hoopshye’s Draft Workout Tracker, a list of others, most of them hoping lightning will strike. Here’s what we got:
Keba Keita, the 6’9” BYU center who played with both Dybantsa and Egor Demin;
Cruz Davis, Hofstra’s high scoring 6’3” lead guard;
Malik Dia, a 6’9” 3-and-D type who played at Vanderbilt, Belmont, then his final two years at Ole Miss;
Grant Newell, another 6’9” forward who played at California, North Texas and most recently Western Kentucky;
Jaden Henley, Grand Canyon’s 6’7” wing, a 3-point specialist.
Isaac McKeenly, Mikel Brown’s 6’4” backcourt running mate at Louisville and another 3-point specialist;
Kobe Knox, a 6’5” wing at South Carolina named for Kobe Bryant;
Corey Stephenson a 6’6” shooting guard who played last season FIU after two years at UCSB;.
Dain Dainja, a 6’9” forward who averaged 14 points and six rebounds for the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce last season.
Of the nine, only two are listed on ESPN’s Top 100 Big Board — Jaden Henley and Isaac McKneely — the former at No. 67, the latter at No. 89. Dainja who’s only 23, could be a candidate for the Long Island Nets.
As we’ve noted, the Nets have two second round picks at Nos. 33 and 43 plus two Summer League rosters, training camp and Long Island Nets roster.
We’ll try to keep things current, particularly when any of the candidates for first round slots show up.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 02: Relief pitcher Blake Treinen #49 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after pitching against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on June 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers peppered their offense throughout Tuesday’s game, then rode the high wire as the bullpen recorded the final 13 outs of a 6-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix.
He doubled down the right field line and scored on Freddie Freeman’s home run in the first inning. Then Ohtani drilled a ball into the right field corner in the second for a two-run triple. He was intentionally walked with a runner on third base in the seventh, and scored then too, part of the Dodgers’ third two-run inning of the evening.
Freeman was hitless on Monday, snapping a 14-game on-base streak, but had three hits on Tuesday. He’s been on an extra-base-hit tear, with five home runs and four doubles in his last 13 games, raising his seasonal OPS 98 points during that time.
Eric Lauer didn’t give up much in the first four innings, mostly just a solo home run by the red-hot Corbin Carroll off the top of the left field wall and into the bullpen with two outs in the third. That was to be expected, with Lauer now at 13 home runs allowed, tied for eighth-most in the majors. Carroll entered Tuesday with a 219 wRC+ against lefties this season, which Ryan Blake wrote about at FanGraphs. Arizona’s star southpaw has punished southpaws to the tune of .417/.527/.708.
Two singles to open the fifth inning set the Diamondbacks up nicely, with Ketel Marte delivering a sacrifice fly to plate a second run. Lauer was allowed to face Carroll a third time, and landed a fastball and curve at the top of the zone to strike out Carroll with a runner on second base. That ended Lauer’s night at 4 2/3 innings.
Tuesday was the first time a Dodgers starting pitcher didn’t complete five innings in 12 games, and the bullpen had a bumpy road to cross the finish line.
Blake Treinen walked a first batter, then gave up a low liner to left by Nolan Arenado that had designs on bring another run home, but Ryan Ward made a sliding catch to escape further damage in the fifth, keeping the lead at two runs.
Two Diamondbacks reached off Edgardo Henriquez in the sixth, but he kept them there. Kyle Hurt walked three batters batters and couldn’t finish the seventh, and Arenado brought two of them home with a double off the left field wall. This time a bobble from Ward helped the second run score, as Mookie Betts’ relay was just a hair late to get a sliding Gabriel Moreno at the plate.
Hurt had three unintentional walks in 66 batters faced this season through Monday, but walked three of his six batters faced on Tuesday.
With a chance to reset, Klein allowed two singles in the eighth inning but got a double play to escape with the lead intact. He leads the Dodgers with eight appearances pitching in multiple innings this season, three more than the next-most on the team (Jack Dreyer).
Tanner Scott allowed a one-out single in the ninth. Geraldo Perdomo, who finished fourth in National League MVP voting last year but has struggled to the tune of a .679 OPS this year, laid down a bunt on a 3-1 pitch, which got the potential tying run in scoring position, but at the cost of a precious second out.
That left lefty Pavin Smith against the lefty Scott, and the resulting harmless groundout allowed the Dodgers to claim this one.
Tuesday particulars
Home runs: Freddie Freeman (9); Corbin Carroll (8)
Shohei Ohtani makes his 10th pitching start of the season on Wednesday night (6:40 p.m., SportsNet LA), with opening day starter Zac Gallen on the mound for Arizona.
Jun 2, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman Willi Castro (3) is greeted after hitting a three run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
I am weird, you are weird. Everyone in the world is weird. One day two people come together in mutual weirdness and fall in love — Dr. Seuss
When two very bad baseball teams — say the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Angels — play a series, the stage is set for weirdness. That first became clear in Game 1 (e.g., ten walks, four errors, and an MLB review to decide the game in the bottom of the ninth).
The trend continued in Game 2 as the Rockies soundly defeated the Angels, 8-2, scoring back-to-back series wins in the process. They last had back-to-back series wins in August 2025.
The offense: Oh, the places you’ll go!
Tonight, the Rockies offense was (mostly) cooking.
After a sleepy first inning, Hunter Goodman got things rolling in the second with a leadoff home run, his 15th of the season.
Troy Johnston followed that up with a double and error on Jo Adell that allowed him to move to third with no outs. An Ezequiel Tovar sacrifice fly scored Johnson, and the Rockies had a 2-0 lead with one out in the second inning.
Grayson Rodriguez walked the next two batters, Kyle Karros and Sterlin Thompson. Between the errors and the walks, Game 2 began to have terrifying echoes of Game 1. Edouard Julien singled to scored Karros, and the Rockies had a 3-0 lead when the second inning had concluded.
Nothing of note happened in the third, but the fourth inning saw the Rockies on the move again.
After Rodriquez recorded two quick outs, he issued three singles, which resulted in Jake McCarthy scoring Kyle Karros. A throwing error allowed by Wade Meckler put McCarthy on second. And then Willi Castro (3) got everyone taco’s with a three-run homer.
Because this is a Rockies-Angels game, it involved walks, errors, and general weirdness. That happened when TJ Rumfield stepped up to the plate following Castro and hit a very strange home run, his eighth of the season.
And that was it for Grayson Rodriguez. He finished with 3.2 IP, allowing eight runs (all earned) on eight hits. He walked three, struck out two, and allowed three home runs on 91 pitches. He currently has a 10.00 ERA.
The Angels got on the board in the fifth inning. Tomoyuki Sugano got two quick outs, but struggled for the third. After allowing a double and a walk, Meckler got the Halos on the board with a double, and the score was 8-2. Sugano allowed two more runners to get on base before getting the final out.
And with that, his evening was done.
Though there was a bit on on-base traffic, things settled down for the Rockies after the fourth inning. However, this 13-pitch at-bat from Sterlin Thompson in the seventh merits some “Hang it in the Denver Art Museum” treatment.
For those keeping score at home, that’s the longest at-bat by a Rockie this season.
The offense stirred in the ninth inning when, with one out, Goodman doubled, and Troy Johnston followed up with a walk. However, the Rockies were unable to capitalize.
In terms of the final numbers, it was a good night to be Hunter Goodman, who went 2-for-4 with two hits including a home run, a double, and a walk.
The Rockies finished the evening with eight runs on 12 hits. They had five walks and eight strikeouts and were 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
The Rockies challenge going forward? “Playing day by day,” Schaeffer said, pointing to the length of the season.
Tomoyuki Sugano: Great day for up!
For Sugano, it was another solid outing, marred by a struggle to get the last out in the fifth inning, but still the kind of performance the Rockies have come to expect from him.
His final line was 5.0 IP and two runs (both earned) allowed on five hits. He walked two and struck out five on 96 pitches.
“I thought his splinter was excellent today,” Schaeffer said, though he commented on a lack of efficiency. Still, “he did a nice job.”
The bullpen: One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish
In the sixth inning, it was time to bullpen.
Blas Castaño entered the game in relief of Sugano and pitched two perfect innings in which he allowed no hits, runs, or walks. He also finished his evening by striking out Mike Trout swinging.
His current ERA is 4.15. Carry on, Blas! Carry on.
On the less-weird-but-still-very-cool side, TJ Shook made his MLB debut. His first out was a fly ball to left field. Following that, Vaughn Grissom hit a double, and Shook followed that by throwing three straight balls to Jo Adell before earning a called strike.
Then Chad Stevens turned a gorgeous unassisted double play. (Unfortunately, MLB has not provided video.)
Juan Mejia handled the ninth. He allowed one hit, but no damage.
In total, Rockies pitching allowed two runs (both earned) on seven hits.
SEATTLE — A challenging schedule awaited the Mets as they departed Queens late Sunday afternoon, and two games into that slate, all is hardly well.
Tuesday night a combination of underwhelming pitching, ugly defense and mediocre offensive output sank the Mets in an 8-3 loss to the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. The Mets lost their second straight game to begin the road trip.
Access the Mets beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.
Gone are the positive vibes that accompanied the Mets to the Pacific Northwest after a weekend sweep of the Marlins that extended their winning streak to four games.
The Mariners, who won their eighth straight, are a legitimate threat to win the AL West and the Mets will continue this West Coast swing in San Diego against a Padres team very much in the NL playoff mix.
“Baseball, especially right now, there’s so much talent from so many good teams — you can sweep a team and then you can get swept,” Mark Vientos said. “But our job is to prevent that as much as possible and just get on a streak and stay hot.”
Vientos had a rough night defensively, committing an error at first base that led to a run in the fourth before misplaying another ball that was ruled a single in the fifth, helping to extend the inning before Jhonny Pereda hit a three-run homer.
How would Vientos evaluate his season defensively?
“Pretty good,” he said. “I have done a pretty good job over there. I have been working.”
Jonah Tong had his first rough outing in three appearances since his recall from Triple-A Syracuse. The right-hander surrendered five runs, four earned, on five hits and two walks over 3 ¹/₃ innings in a bulk relief role.
Julio Rodriguez (44) and left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) celebrate after Rodriguez hit a home run during the sixth inning of the Mets’ 8-3 loss to the Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Overall, the Mets surrendered three homers on a night the Mariners built a comfortable cushion by the fifth inning and rolled to the finish. The Mets will try to avoid a series sweep on Wednesday with Freddy Peralta on the mound.
“We have got to start playing better,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Until we start playing consistent baseball, that is the only way to get out of it.”
Among the few Mets’ positives was rookie Carson Benge, who blasted two home runs to continue his recent offensive outbreak. But the Mets were hardly dynamic offensively, a night after getting only two hits in a 3-2 loss in 10 innings.
Huascar Brazoban, who served as the opener, worked into the second inning. Dominic Canzone singled with one out before Brazoban got ahead 0-2 in the count to Patrick Wisdom and left a changeup over the plate. Wisdom crushed it for a two-run homer that gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead. Colt Emerson doubled to end Brazoban’s night before Tong recorded the inning’s final out.
Cionel Pérez reacts after giving up a solo home run to Julio Rodríguez during the sixth inning of the Mariners’ win over the Mets at T-Mobile Park on June 2, 2026 in Seattle. Getty Images
Benge unloaded for a two-run homer in the third that tied it 2-2. A.J. Ewing doubled in the inning before Benge delivered with two outs against Logan Gilbert. Leading off the game, Benge took Gilbert to an 11th pitch before striking out.
Two fielding blunders by the Mets led to an unearned run for the Mariners in the third. After Marcus Semien misplayed Randy Arozarena’s line drive into a two-base error — his throw to first base was errant, allowing Arozarena to reach second — Vientos mishandled Luke Raley’s soft liner. Arozarena scored on Vientos’ error, giving the Mariners a 3-2 lead.
“There have been stretches where we have been playing well defensively,” Mendoza said. “And then there’s been stretches where we are making errors on routine plays.”
MEts merch shop
47 Brand logo cap
1986 eco tote bag
Mets fiber beach towel
14-ounce sculpted relief mug
Customizable jersey
Color block logo backpack
New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.
Tong walked J.P. Crawford to load the bases in the fourth before Julio Rodriguez’s sacrifice fly extended the Mets’ deficit to 4-2. Tong retired Arozarena to avoid further damage. Wisdom’s walk and Pereda’s single started the rally.
Pereda delivered a gut punch with a three-run homer in the fifth that gave the Mariners a 7-2 lead. The rally started with Cole Young’s grounder off Vientos’ glove — ruled a single — before Canzone singled. With two outs, Tong threw a cutter on his ninth pitch to Pereda that disappeared behind the fence in left-center.
Benge’s second homer of the night closed the gap to 7-3. The multi-homer game was the first of Benge’s career.
Carson Benge crushed two home runs in the Mets’ loss to the Mariners. AP Photo/Stephen Brashear
Cionel Perez surrendered a homer to Rodriguez leading off the bottom of the frame to give the Mariners an 8-3 lead.
A.J. Minter, in his first back-to-back outing since returning from his minor league rehab assignment, worked a scoreless eighth inning. A night earlier Minter surrendered the game-winning hit in the 10th inning.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 02: Masataka Yoshida #7 of the Boston Red Sox sprints for first in the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on June 02, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The latest in a long line of disgraceful factoids surrounding the 2026 Red Sox remained in tact on Tuesday night: Since Chad Tracy took over as interim manager back on April 25th, the Red Sox have not won a single game at Fenway Park in which the opponent scored more than one run. They’re 4-12 overall in Tracy’s 16 home games at the helm, have lost every single series started east of the Appalachians during that time, and continue to stumble into inefficient oddities at the plate on a near daily basis not seen since one of the Roosevelt administrations.
Speaking of which, Tom Caron announced on the NESN postgame show that this is the Red Sox’ worst home record to start a season (9-20) in 94 years. In case you’re wondering, that 1932 Red Sox team lost a franchise worst 111 games, and also fired their manager (Shano Collins) just after he reached double digit wins.
Combine all the ingredients in this sobering stew of suck, and isn’t it rather appropriate that Chad Tracy’s pet project, Mickey Gasper, made the final out of this game? On the surface, Gasper is a feel good story making the most out of his callup, batting .333 and seizing the majority of the starts behind the plate in recent days. Breaking it into even more detail, he’s collected 18 hits in just 60 plate appearances since getting the nod. All of this sounds nice, until you realize exactly zero of those hits have come in his 12 highest leverage plate appearances on the season.
There’s a reason for this: Mickey Gasper can’t hit high leverage arms! He’s not good enough, and he shouldn’t be taking the final at bat of a game at Fenway Park for the Red Sox down by two in the ninth inning. This isn’t meant to be a knock on him, because to his credit, Gasper’s actually taken some of the better looking at bats on the team in recent weeks against low and medium leverage guys (that is meant to be a knock on everybody else). But if you’re a big market team and your roster is weak enough that Mickey Gasper is getting the lion’s share of the plate appearances when his bat comes up in high leverage moments, something went seriously wrong when constructing the roster.
He’s a 30-year-old who has nearly ten times as many minor league plate appearances (a shade under 2,000) as major league ones (less then 200). Despite this, he’s both clearly the hottest hitting catcher of the three underwhelming backstops on the roster, and the right guy to bat in that spot thanks to a hideously undermanned bench.
And you know what’s specifically frustrating about this roster construction tonight? This is exactly the type of game the “run prevention Red Sox” should be winning if the formula is going to work. Connelly Early didn’t have it on the mound, but he battled enough to keep the team in the game before the bullpen froze Baltimore’s run total at four. With just a little bit thump at the plate, this is the type of Fenway fray where if Red Sox string together even a couple of consecutive good at bats against a mediocre opponent, you get the crowd buzzing, and probably end up kicking the door down in an ugly but satisfying 5-4 win. No dice with this listless lineup.
Instead, we got to watch some of the thump that was on the free agent market last winter show up to Fenway in a road uniform and prove that yes, it’s still possible to hit home runs here from right handed batter’s box. Here’s Pete Alonso with some of that sweet, sweet right handed pop the Red Sox so sorely lack launching a ball Over The Monster:
Meanwhile, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, a right handed bat the Red Sox did sign over the winter, had this to say following the game when asked about the discrepancy between the home and road records for the club:
“I just feel like on the road we’re a very close-knit team. When we come home, there’s just a lot of people. It’s different. It’s just a different vibe at home. We’ve got to figure out a way to make it small like how it is on the road. I just feel like at home we see a lot of people we don’t know that are around this area.”
I’m sure there’s more layers coming from these comments in the coming days because that’s a statement that feels ripe with details waiting to be unearthed. If anything, we need more people in the clubhouse tomorrow, not less.
Greg Weissert: Faced five batters, got all of them out, and struck out three. Since he only seems to pitch well without men starting on base, maybe he should open for Brayan Bello?
Tyler Samaniego: Certainly not the sharpest he’s looked, and he got some serious help from the umpires on that call that went to New York and wasn’t overturned, but he sucked up two innings of work and didn’t allow a run. If the Red Sox offense didn’t suffer from narcolepsy when it’s time to rally, there’s a version of this game where he might have gotten the win.
Three Duds
Masataka Yoshida: 0-4 with three strikes outs and an OPS down to .683. And this is from a guy you pretty much have to use at DH because he’s a terrible fielder, can’t throw, and has below average speed on the bases. If he’s not going to start hitting, I’m not sure what he’s still doing here.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: Came to the plate three times tonight and made four outs.
Lengthy Replay Reviews: Another bad night for replay as the process not only failed to get a call right that could have cost the Orioles the game, but it took several minutes just to incorrectly let us know that the following call stands.
As you might imagine, Orioles Twitter wasn’t pleased in real time:
Play of the game:
It’s Pete Alonso’s two run jack (as seen above). Not just because it shoved the right handed power the Red Sox don’t have in their face, but also because it gave the Orioles the lead and provided what turned out to be the winning run.
ATLANTA (AP) — On Lou Gehrig Day, baseball’s reigning iron man came through with the biggest blow for the Atlanta Braves.
Matt Olson marked his 844th consecutive game with a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning, giving the Braves a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Olson’s towering shot — his 17th homer of the season — got a big assist from a strong breeze blowing toward the right-field corner. The slugging first baseman thought he got under the ball, but it kept drifting and drifting — until it barely cleared the tall brick wall.
“I did not” think it was a homer, Olson said. “Luckily, we had some wind blowing out that way.”
Appropriately, Olson took a starring role on a day that Major League Baseball marked the 85th anniversary of Gehrig’s untimely death from ALS at age 37 — a disease that is forever linked to the Iron Horse and cut short his then-record streak of 2,130 consecutive games.
Olson, who also doubled and came around to score a run that gave Atlanta a 3-2 lead in the third, has played in every game going back to May 2, 2021 — the longest active run in the big leagues.
“We’ve talked about the streak,” he said. “It’s not something I’m hanging up on a pedestal. But to be able to show up and play while I’m able to, I want to.”
Braves manager Walt Weiss praised Olson’s durability and couldn’t think of higher praise than being compared to Gehrig.
“Lou Gehrig was one of my all-time heroes,” Weiss said. “I made all four of my sons do their fifth-grade book report on Lou Gehrig. That was mandatory in our house. What a legacy he left behind. And you’ve got our iron man hitting the game-winning homer on Lou Gehrig Day, so very appropriate.”
Olson was acquired in a blockbuster deal with the Athletics ahead of the 2022 season after the Braves couldn’t agree on a new contract with longtime first baseman Freddie Freeman.
It was huge shoes to fill, but Olson has been highly productive since joining the Braves. He hit a franchise-record 54 homers in 2023, and is on pace for another big season for the team with baseball’s best record at 41-20.
“He’s rock-solid in every way,” Weiss said. “He’s so reliable.”
Olson said there’s a simple reason that he prefers playing every day, eschewing even the occasional day off.
“I just don’t like sitting,” the 32-year-old said with a smile. “I’ve had days off in the past and, man, it sucks sitting there and watching everybody else play. Sure, you’re tired sometimes. But I just think you have a commitment to your teammates and the fans and yourself and the organization. If you can go, you should go.”
His playing streak is the longest in the big leagues since Miguel Tejada had 1,152 consecutive games from 2000-07. Of course, Gehrig’s record was broken by Cal Ripken Jr., who played in 2,632 consecutive games during his Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Orioles.
Like Weiss, Olson appreciates what Gehrig meant to the national pastime and especially how he brought more attention to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurological disease that has no known cure.
“I know people from my area who’ve been affected by it,” Olson said. “A brutal disease. Every time we get a chance to bring some awareness to it and do something to help people who are really affected by it, we’re all for it.”
After hitting four home runs in Spring Training with the San Diego Padres, outfielder Jase Bowen was a late option to Triple-A El Paso from spring camp. He then settled in to make an impression with the organization that resulted in getting his first major league call-up on Monday.
Bowen hit his 13th homer for the Chihuahuas on May 31. He has a 45.5% hard-hit rate and his max exit velocity for one of those hard hits was 112.6 mph. Bowen possesses all five tools, and if he can improve his 26.2% K rate, he could be a long-term solution in left field for the Padres. For now, he will replace Ramón Laureano, who was placed on the injured list with right hip inflammation.
Lake Elsinore Storm
The Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm went 5-1 for the week in their series against the Inland Empire 66ers and extended their lead in the California League South to two games over the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Their overall record stands at 30-21.
Catcher Ty Harvey, who just returned after having a hamstring strain earlier in the season, has now been lost until July with a broken hand that was hit by a swing while he was catching.
Infielder Luke Cantwell was also injured last week, allowing Kerrington Cross to get more playing time, and he has taken advantage. Cross is hitting .307 with a 1.040 OPS, tops for the Storm. He has eight doubles, two triples, six home runs, and 24 RBI in his 114 at-bats. The 24-year-old should be seeing Fort Wayne soon.
Outfielder Ryan Wideman is only 22 but he could also be pushing for a promotion to the TinCaps. Selected in the third round of the 2025 draft, Wideman is an excellent defensive centerfielder and has shown that he can hit too. His .314/.376/.500 line with 16 doubles, five triples, four home runs and 36 RBI. He leads the Storm in RBI by eight. But his 36 stolen bases in 45 attempts tops all of minor league ball. He might not ever develop significant power, but his other tools are very loud.
There are many offensive stars on the Storm roster who have stepped forward with the loss of outfielder Kale Fountain for the year. Outfielder Connor Westernburg, infielder Bradley Frye, and outfielder Qrey Lott, all undrafted free agents, will be interesting to follow through the season as they try to show why they should have been drafted.
The Storm pitching staff is not as impressive as the offense, but they are doing enough to keep Lake Elsinore in the top spot. Starter Winyer Chourio has a 3.38 ERA in 34.2 innings pitched over eight starts with 56 strikeouts to 19 walks and leads the staff in strikeouts.
Reliever Nick Falter has a 2.08 ERA in 34.2 innings pitched in 17 appearances, and he has 36 strikeouts to 11 walks.
Lefty Kruz Schoolcraft, the Padres first-round pick in 2025, has had a rocky start to his professional career, battling with his command over the early part of the season. In his last start on May 29, Schoolcraft pitched 3.2 innings, allowing five hits and three runs with nine strikeouts to two walks. He has an overall 8.03 ERA in nine games started and 24.2 innings pitched.
Last season, the Padres attempted to make Sean Barnett a two-way player. The experiment did not succeed and he was converted into just a pitcher during the second part of the season. That didn’t go too well either. The organization will now give him a chance to succeed as a reliever with his upper-90s fastball and plus-slider. He struggled in his first few appearances but has allowed just one run over his past 8.1 innings pitched (report per MadFriars.com).
Fort Wayne TinCaps (23-28 record, 4th in Midwest League East)
The TinCaps played to a 1-5 record this past week with a combination of offensive and pitching issues. Outfielder Jake Cunningham is their best hitter with a .301 average and .988 OPS. He and fellow outfielder Alex McCoy lead the team with 14 home runs each. Cunningham has 24 RBI and McCoy has 32 RBI. That is most of the offense for Fort Wayne, with no other hitters over .226.
Lefty Kash Mayfield had a hiccup in his May 29 start and only lasted 0.1 innings while giving up three hits, six earned runs, two walks, and a HBP in 32 pitches before being removed. He still has a 2.83 ERA in 35 innings pitched with 43 strikeouts to 16 walks.
Carson Montgomery has eight starts and 36.1 innings pitched with a 1.98 ERA with 33 strikeouts to 18 walks. Struggling with his command but still limiting the damage has been the highlight of his season so far.
Sidewinder Clay Edmondson keeps racking up the saves and now has the league best 10 in 21 innings pitched with a 0.43 ERA.
San Antonio Missions (20-31 record, last in Texas League South)
The Missions played to a 3-3 record against the Corpus Christi Hooks this past week. Outfielder Leandro Cedeno, 27, was released after not playing since May 15 after suffering an injury.
Catcher Ethan Salas continues to impress with his consistent play. His defensive skillset is still considered major league-ready per all reports. Offensively, he is showing why the Padres were unwilling to consider trading him in the past.
Salas is hitting .311/.359/.503 with 10 doubles, seven home runs and 30 RBI over 44 games and 161 at-bats. He is catching in tandem with Chris Sargent and is the DH on most days when not catching. He also has 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts; a good runner and base stealer for a catcher.
His success makes a promotion a good possibility later in the season. Where he is promoted to is the question. With the struggles of Padres catcher Freddy Fermin continuing, it would be tempting to give Salas a look at the major leagues after the All-Star break. Bringing him up sooner is probably not an option, as he missed all of last season and should be allowed to get in a solid amount of repetition before being stressed by major league pitching.
Outfielder Tirso Ornelas had a horrible 2025. He was taken off the Padres roster, spent a good portion of the season injured, and couldn’t hit when he wasn’t injured. The Padres gave him an offseason to rework his swing and brought him back this year with the Missions. To his credit, he has performed much better. Ornelas has a .272 average and .783 OPS. He still lacks power with only five home runs but has 13 doubles and 22 RBI.
RHP Jhony Brito will be completing his rehab soon and should be ready if the Padres need him. He does have a minor league option remaining. In four starts and 13.1 innings, Brito has a 2.03 ERA. Starter/reliever Eric Yost has 29.1 innings pitched and a 3.07 ERA with 35 strikeouts but also has 19 walks.
Both Francis Peña and Andrew Moore have pitched in 14 games. Peña has a 2.21 ERA in 20.1 innings and Moore has a 2.55 ERA in 17.2 innings.
LHP Jagger Haynes leads the team with 49 strikeouts but he also has 21 walks and a 4.65 ERA. RHP Victor Lizarraga is struggling with command this season and has the most walks with 25 and a 5.95 ERA as well.
El Paso Chihuahuas (25-32 record, 3rd in Pacific Coast League East)
The Chihuahuas played to a 2-4 record for the week against the Albuquerque Isotopes. Their best hitter is now with the Padres and Tirso Ornelas might be the most likely replacement.
Infielder Pablo Reyes is hitting .331 with a .973 OPS. Outfielder Nick Schnell has 10 home runs and 22 RBI and infielder Mason McCoy continues to hit for slug with seven doubles, two triples, six homers and 36 RBI.
Outside of starter Evan Fitterer, the El Paso pitching staff is having problems with the conditions in the Eastern division of the PCL. Fitterer has a 2.81 ERA in 10 games started and 41.2 innings and has 32 strikeouts with 22 walks. JP Sears leads the team with 52 strikeouts but has a 6.93 ERA.
Kyle Hart and David Morgan are on the Padres roster, but neither looks to be promoted anytime soon. Both are struggling with command, with Hart carrying a 10.38 ERA and Morgan a 6.97 ERA.
That’s the story for the whole of the staff, for the most part.
ACL Padres (10-11 record, 3rd in West)
The ACL team played four games and split its games 2-2. Infielder Yimy Tovar was promoted to Lake Elsinore. The team continues to host several rehabbing players from other parts of the minor league system.
Outfielder Moises Valdez leads the team with a .382 average. Infielder Dawson Willis has a .346 average and 1.164 OPS.
RHP Lan-Hong Su has started three games for seven innings pitched and has a 1.29 ERA. Reliever Bernard Jose has pitched in eight games over 12.1 innings with a 0.73 ERA.
Dominican Summer League (DSL)
The DSL has begun play and the Padres have two teams again this year. The DSL Padres Brown and the DSL Padres Gold. The first games were Monday with both teams in action. Next week, the update will feature some players to watch and the results from the first week of action.
The Mets made two errors and gave up three home runs in an 8-3 loss to the Mariners in Seattle on Tuesday night.
They managed just five hits and have now dropped two straight games.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Huascar Brazoban worked around a leadoff walk and got through the first inning after 20 pitches thanks to some help from Mark Vientos' defense at first base. But instead of just a one-inning outing, Carlos Mendoza kept him in to pitch the second inning and the move backfired.
Brazoban let up a two-run home run to Patrick Wisdom with one out as Seattle took a 2-0 lead. He then allowed a two-out double to top prospect Colt Emerson, ending his night after 1.2 IP. Overall, the righty allowed two runs on three hits and a walk over 33 pitches.
-- In the top of the third inning, A.J. Ewing doubled to the right field wall for the team's first hit of the night (and his first career double) against Logan Gilbert.The Mets got the runs back as Carson Benge tied it up at 2-2 by blasting a cutter over the RF wall for a two-run home run. The ball had an exit velocity of 109.8 mph and traveled 394 feet.
-- New York's gloves caused them problems two plays in a row in the third inning. Marcus Semien nearly made a great leaping catch on Randy Arozarena's liner, but he dropped the ball and then rushed the throw past first base, allowing Arozarena to advance to second. A similar play then happened with Vientos at first, as Luke Raley's liner went off his glove and rolled beyond the base for the run to score, making it a 3-2 game.
Vientos had another rough play in the fifth inning on a hard grounder with one out, allowing a baserunner and eventual run.
-- Jonah Tong took over on the mound in the second inning and struck out J.P. Crawford to avoid further damage. He allowed an unearned run in the third after the two errors and ran into more trouble in the fourth inning, loading the bases with one out and letting up a sacrifice fly to Julio Rodriguez as the Mariners took a 4-2 lead. Tong needed nearly 30 pitches to get through the frame.
The young righty's pitch count caught up to him in the fifth inning. He gave up back-to-back singles and then surrendered a two-out, three-run home run to Jhonny Pereda on the ninth pitch of the at-bat. Benge helped Tong out by making a running catch in right to end the inning, keeping it a 7-2 game. Overall, Tong tossed 83 pitches over 3.1 IP, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
-- Benge blasted his second home run of the game in the top of the sixth inning, cutting the Seattle lead to 7-3. It's Benge's first career multi-homer game.
Juan Soto singled and Jared Young walked to keep the line moving, but Vientos spoiled the rally attempt by grounding into the inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
-- The bullpen woes continued in the sixth inning as Cionel Pérez, making his Mets debut, allowed a solo home run to Rodriguez and Seattle went up 8-3. Pérez settled and retired six out of the next seven batters through the seventh inning, allowing two hits and a run over 2.0 innings pitched. A.J. Minter tossed a scoreless eighth inning.
Game MVP: Logan Gilbert
Besides allowing two homers to Benge, Gilbert kept the Mets bats quiet with just four hits and eight strikeouts over 5.1 IP.
Highlights
Mark Vientos sticks with it and tosses it to Huascar Brazobán covering for the out pic.twitter.com/N2Ev9B0u7D
Angels outfielder Jo Adell has made some impressive plays this season.
On Tuesday night, he did not have one of them.
Adell had himself a true Jose Canseco moment against the Rockies in the top of the fourth inning of an 8-2 loss when a fly ball was hit to right field by T.J. Rumfield and bounced off the Angel outfielder’s head and over the wall for a home run.
The bizarre moment seemed to match the way the night was going for the Angels, who were trailing 7-0 at that point in the game, only to fall behind by eight after the homer.
Rumfield sent the 0-2 pitch from Grayson Rodriguez high into the air, and Adell seemingly was able to chase the ball down.
Jo Adell misplays a ball hit by Colorado’s TJ Rumfield that hit him in the head and then bounced out for a solo home run during the fourth inning of the Angels-Rockies game on June 2, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Nevertheless, he did not line his glove up correctly, and the ball clipped the top of it and bounced right off his head, going over the wall.
Initially, everyone thought the ball had stayed in play, and Rumfield held up at second.
The blunder was the opposite of some of the impressive catches that Adell has made this season, which included one just the night before.
In the Angels’ 9-8 loss to the Rockies on Monday night, Adell made a catch in a similar spot despite Mike Trout running into him trying to chase the sixth-inning fly ball down.
Jo Adell misplays a ball hit by Colorado’s TJ Rumfield that hit him in the head and then bounced out for a solo home run during the fourth inning of the Angels-Rockies game. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
It was believed to be the first time that a single player had robbed three home runs in a single game in MLB history.
The play on Tuesday brought baseball fans back to May 26, 1993, when Carlos Martínez hit a ball to right field to then-Rangers outfielder Canseco. When the slugger tried to catch the ball, it hit off the top of his head and went over the wall for a home run in one of baseball’s most memorable bloopers.
During the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins largely featured a new-look blueline beyond the likes of longtime NHL veterans Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang.
The one remaining slot on the right side was a carousel, beginning with rookie Harrison Brunicke and ending in a rotation between Connor Clifton, Jack St. Ivany, and Ilya Solovyov. The left side - other than Ryan Shea, who was given an opportunity to play a bigger role and broke out in a big way - had entirely new faces for most of the season in Parker Wotherspoon, Caleb Jones, and Matt Dumba, then, eventually, Brett Kulak and Sam Girard.
Even though the Penguins were better on the blue line last season, it's still an area of weakness that needs addressing, which is something that Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas mentioned in his end-of-season press conference in May.
And there is one blueliner who might just make sense for where the Penguins are at right now.
26-year-old Buffalo Sabres' defenseman Michael Kesselring was acquired from Utah - along with forward Josh Doan - last summer as part of the trade that sent JJ Peterka to the Mammoth. The hope for the Sabres was that Kesselring would tandem with Owen Power in top-four and be a staple for them, mostly on the left side despite being a right-shot blueliner.
Unfortunately, injuries and inconsistencies derailed the 6-foot-5, 215-pound defenseman's first season with the Sabres. He played in only 34 regular season games and one playoff game, registering just two points and coming in even in the plus-minus department. The acquisition of Logan Stanley from the Winnipeg Jets at the trade deadline limited his playing time and his growth into a larger role post-injury, and now, the Sabres have some decisions to make on the blue line.
Stanley is a pending unrestricted free agent, as is veteran Luke Schenn (likely a true rental) and forward Alex Tuch. They are due to give Zach Benson - a pending restricted free agent - a relatively handsome pay raise after a solid campaign. Peyton Krebs is also a free agent, as are two other forwards, and left blueliner Bowen Byram has only one year left on his current deal at $6.25 million.
And, given all that, they have only $11.9 million in cap space to work with. Sure, that's enough to fill out the roster, but to keep everyone plus improve? Probably not.
Kesselring - also a pending-RFA - only made $1.4 million last season. He's also coming off of a letdown campaign. So, it could be the perfect time for Dubas to buy low - like he did with Egor Chinakhov - on a player with some nice upside as a top-four staple, whether that's through the RFA sign-then-trade market or through offer sheet.
The Penguins could, reasonably, offer sheet Kesselring in a range that the Sabres wouldn't want to pay given their cap situation, but they might also be able to acquire him for less in the trade market. Either way, it's a risk probably worth taking for Pittsburgh.
His large frame and the strong two-way play he showcased with Utah over parts of three seasons - recording 12 goals and 50 points in 156 games - is likely closer to the version of Kesselring that the Sabres thought they were getting, and he's just the type of player that Dubas likes to target.
Although Karlsson found a fair amount of chemistry with Wotherspoon on Pittsburgh's top pairing last season, Letang had a rotating carousel of partners, and he could probably benefit from an extended look alongside a young blueliner who is capable of shouldering a heavier load than some of his partners from last season.
And, simply put, it just gives the Penguins more options on their left side, especially if Shea leaves in free agency. They have Wotherspoon under contract for one more year - same with Girard - and Caleb Jones and Owen Pickering figure to be battling for a spot, too. However, even Wotherspoon - despite the breakout season he had - is 28 with no guarantee that he'll replicate his success from 2025-26. The Penguins could use a higher-upside option on their left side, and because Kesselring had a disappointing season, they should have to pay an arm and a leg for him.
Combine all of the upside and what is likely to be a relatively low cost, Kesselring is well-worth the gamble by Dubas and the Penguins, especially if they are looking to take a big step next season. He may not be the biggest deal of the summer, but a trade for him should help the Penguins in the short-term and, hopefully, the long-term, too.
On Sunday evening, Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was crowned the Indian Premier League’s most valuable player after a breakout campaign with the bat, finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
For a second straight year, Norris Trophy voters backed up Jake Sanderson's status as a top 10 NHL defenseman. The voting results were unveiled on Tuesday, and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski was named the winner.
For Sens fans, if finishing in 10th place again sounds disappointing, it says more about the large number of great NHL defensemen than it does about Sanderson's game.
We could dig into the analytics to assess things, but let's be honest. The voters want goals, assists, and points, and Sanderson had a healthy improvement in that area.
Last year, Sanderson recorded 57 points in 80 games. This season, he put up 54 points in just 67 games. So his points-per-game rate jumped from 0.71 to 0.81. Projecting over a full 82-game season, Sanderson would have finished with roughly 66 points.
But voters took his 15 games missed (most of them due to a shoulder injury) fully into account. Even at 66 points over 82 games, there still would have been eight defensemen who produced more.
It's a reflection of just how loaded the position has become.
Look at this year's voting results (in order) Zach Werenski (winner), Cale Makar, Rasmus Dahlin, Evan Bouchard, Moritz Seider, Lane Hutson, Quinn Hughes and Miro Heiskanen all finished ahead of Sanderson. Erik Karlsson, who won two of his three Norris Trophies with Ottawa, finished tied with Sanderson for 10th.
Like most of the men on the above list, Sanderson's value extends well beyond the scoresheet.
There's an old hockey cliché about players being able to stickhandle in a phone booth. If there is one player on the Senators who perfectly fits that description, it's Sanderson.
Whether he's trying to find an outlet pass on a breakout with an aggressive forechecker draped all over him, or attempting to hold the offensive blue line with no space to work with, Sanderson somehow finds a way.
And his skating. My God, the skating.
When you have Tim Stutzle, one of the fastest guys in the league, fanboying about your skating, you know you're at a special level.
Sanderson's quickness allows him to escape pressure that would overwhelm most players. His ability to maintain possession in tight spaces turns broken plays into scoring chances and keeps offensive-zone possessions alive. Ottawa fans see it every night, even if it doesn't always translate into league-wide headlines.
If Senators fans needed another reminder of Sanderson's value (spoiler: they don't) they got one during the first round of the playoffs.
Ottawa entered Game 3 against Carolina, facing a 2-0 series deficit after a heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 2. Back on home ice for the next two games, the Senators were still very much alive in the series and looking to seize some momentum.
But with Carolina leading Game 3, 1-0, disaster struck.
Taylor Hall, who has played a noticeably greasier style in these playoffs, clipped Sanderson in the side of the head with his shoulder. Sanderson tried to stay in the game, but it quickly became clear that something wasn't right, and the timing couldn't have been worse.
The Senators had a lengthy 5-on-3 power play opportunity, and Sanderson, Ottawa's power-play quarterback, was forced to leave the game. For Hall, who was at best reckless on the play, getting a minor penalty with no ensuing suspension for eliminating the opponent's top player was a fabulous trade-off.
The Sens, who were already without Artem Zub, lost that game 2-1 to fall behind 3-0 in the series, which was all but done at that point.
Sanderson's absence served as a reminder of just how valuable he has become. And at some stage, when voting on the best defenseman award, the league needs to introduce a best defensive defenseman award, because Sanderson would be in the mix for that one, too.
As a sidebar, they could call it the Tim Horton Trophy. As my Leafs-loving grandfather would tell me, Horton was one of the greatest shutdown defencemen in NHL history. Meanwhile, the league could probably work out a pretty lucrative sponsorship deal with a certain coffee company while they're at it.
Or just stick with the Norris.
Then create the Bobby OrrTrophy for the league's best offensive defenceman. Orr won 8 Norris Trophies and was the first skater in history to have 100 assists in an NHL season.
For now, though, offensive production remains king, and Sanderson is still climbing the Norris ladder. The encouraging news for Ottawa is that he's climbing it quickly, and he's going to be here for a long time.
Sanderson is signed through the summer of 2032 with a cap hit of $8.05 million per season. When the contract was signed, it looked like a strong deal. Today, it looks like a bargain. In another two or three years, it will be highway robbery.
The scary part for the rest of the league is that, at 23, it's unlikely that Sanderson reached his ceiling. If he stays healthy, continues producing at his current pace and helps lead the Senators on a deeper playoff run, the bigger recognition will come.
A second consecutive top-10 Norris finish may not generate many headlines, but in a league overflowing with elite defencemen, it's another reminder that Sanderson already belongs among the NHL's best.
