The addition of some thump in the offseason hasn’t helped the Orioles avoid a dud early this season.
And one of their television broadcasters put his feelings about the state of the last-place team on full display after Baltimore’s third straight loss to the rival Rays on Wednesday afternoon.
MASN analyst Ben McDonald used the postgame show after a 5-3 loss — one in which the Orioles allowed four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning — to discuss what he believes is wrong with the team.
In short, he couldn’t care less about any expected stats or analytics, but that at the end of the day, the team is 21-29 and in the basement of the American League East.
Shane Baz f the Baltimore Orioles walks back to the dugout in the middle of the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on May 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. Getty Images
“We can talk about analytics and what could happen and what should happen if you hit the ball hard. But I don’t care if you hit the ball hard. Like, I don’t care if you hit it hard and you hit it to somebody. You’re out. I don’t care how hard you throw ball four. I don’t care what your spin rate was on your breaking ball if you bounce it three feet in front of home plate. I don’t care,” McDonald said, via the Baltimore Banner.
“What I care about is, do you make plays? Do you make pitches? Do you get hits when it matters? And that’s what the Orioles are struggling to do right now. They are struggling to complete ball games. They are struggling to have all phases of the game go right at the same time. That’s where the struggle is. So, all this nonsense is eyewash to me about all this analytical stuff. You either do or you don’t. And right now, the Orioles don’t. They are not doing it and they’re not playing well right now. That’s the bottom line.”
Alonso, who went deep Wednesday, now has nine homers through May 20, but his .744 OPS is well below his career norms and over 100 points lower than his total (.871) from last year in New York. Baz had one of his best starts of the year on Wednesday (six innings, one run), but has a 4.87 ERA and 1.45 WHIP this year.
As a team, the Orioles offense ranks 18th in OPS (.700) while the pitching staff is 26th in ERA (4.97).
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) returns to the dugout after driving in a run and being caught in a rundown during the third inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
In the three-game sweep at the hands of the Rays, the Orioles were outscored 25-10. Manager Craig Albernaz didn’t mince words about the latest loss.
“It’s a big-time gut punch, for sure,” Albernaz told reporters after Baltimore lost for the fifth time in six games.
The latest defeat was particularly crushing after the Orioles brought a 3-1 lead into the eighth before reliever Anthony Nunez imploded, allowing four earned runs to score. Closer Ryan Helsley is out with an elbow injury.
McDonald said he doesn’t even know what the Orioles’ next move is.
“They are having trouble finishing ball games. Where do they go from here?” the analyst said. “I can’t tell you where they go from here. I don’t know where the Orioles go from here other than that they have to start playing more consistent baseball. That’s the bottom line.”
Roughly 60 days into the MLB season, the Dodgers still look like the team baseball expected them to be. They remain near the top of the National League standings, project as a World Series favorite, and continue operating with one of the deepest rosters in baseball.
But beneath the standings, another market has been moving just as aggressively.
Inside the sports card world, the Dodgers are no longer functioning as one team. They are multiple collectible economies operating simultaneously. Some players are accelerating rapidly. Some are flattening despite elite production. Some are being repriced downward because uncertainty became visible. Others have evolved into historical assets that now trade more on legacy and scarcity than week-to-week statistics.
That distinction matters because baseball and sports card markets reward different things. Baseball rewards wins. The card market rewards belief, visibility, and future demand.
Shohei Ohtani’s market has moved beyond the traditional superstar cycle.
His offensive production remains elite, but the larger shift has come from the possibility of meaningful pitching innings returning later this season. Once Cy Young conversations re-entered the picture, collectors stopped evaluating Ohtani as simply the best hitter in baseball and started evaluating the possibility of another historically unprecedented two-way season.
That distinction changes the market entirely.
An MVP-caliber hitter is valuable. An MVP-caliber hitter who can simultaneously compete for Cy Young consideration becomes historically scarce. Ohtani’s OPS, power production, and hard-hit profile continue reinforcing elite offensive consistency, but the card market is reacting less to the baseline numbers themselves and more to the expanding ceiling around them.
That change is visible directly in pricing behavior. Ohtani’s market has risen more than 53% over the last 90 days, with demand concentrating into BBM rookies, Japanese-exclusive releases, low-population PSA 10s, and high-end autos. His buyer pool has also expanded globally, pulling in traditional collectors, Japanese buyers, and alternative asset participants simultaneously.
The market is no longer pricing short-term production alone. It is pricing historical significance.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki Are Moving in Opposite Directions
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s market has spent the first two months of the season moving from projection toward validation.
Entering the year, collectors were still pricing upside tied to his transition from Japan to MLB. But despite stretches of early ERA volatility, Yamamoto’s strikeout-to-walk profile, command metrics, and pitch efficiency remained strong beneath the surface. Just as importantly, the Dodgers continued treating him like a frontline postseason arm, signaling organizational trust before the broader market fully caught up.
That combination matters because the card market tends to follow visible role stability almost as much as raw production. Once collectors believe a player’s role is secure, confidence begins consolidating into fewer, more liquid assets.
His market has responded accordingly, climbing roughly 27% as demand concentrates into PSA 10 rookies, Topps Chrome parallels, and autograph formats.
Roki Sasaki’s market has moved in the opposite direction.
Sasaki entered the season carrying one of the most aggressively priced projection markets in baseball. Velocity, strikeout upside, and international hype created enormous demand before sustained MLB production had fully materialized. But uneven command, fluctuating velocity consistency, and workload caution introduced visible instability into what had previously been a pure upside narrative.
His market has fallen roughly 18% during the same stretch the broader baseball card market rose more than 12%.
That divergence reveals one of the central realities of modern sports card pricing: the market loves projection while uncertainty remains abstract. Once instability becomes measurable instead of theoretical, repricing happens quickly.
Andy Pages and Hyeseong Kim Show How Visibility Creates Demand
The Dodgers have also produced one of the clearest examples of how opportunity converts into card market demand.
Andy Pages has become one of the fastest-rising baseball card markets in the sport, with prices climbing more than 70% over the last 90 days. Increased lineup trust, improving offensive production, and everyday at-bats pushed him into national visibility, but the market move started before the highlights became constant.
The signals appeared earlier through playing time, lineup confidence, and improving production quality. The narrative formed afterward.
That sequencing sits at the center of how modern sports card markets operate. Visibility accelerates once performance becomes easy for the broader market to recognize and simplify.
Hyeseong Kim represents a similar dynamic. Mookie Betts landing on the injured list created immediate opportunity on baseball’s most visible roster, accelerating Kim’s relevance almost overnight. Increased playing time, defensive versatility, and growing visibility helped push his market higher as Korean collector demand expanded alongside mainstream hobby attention.
Performance created the opening. Exposure amplified the demand.
Mookie Betts Illustrates the Problem With Established Greatness
Mookie Betts presents the opposite dynamic.
Despite recently returning from the injured list, his market has remained relatively flat compared to other Dodgers stars. That is not because the market doubts him. It is because the market already fully understands him.
His greatness is efficiently priced.
Championship pedigree, Hall of Fame trajectory, elite production, and long-term consistency are already embedded into his market structure. There is very little discovery left. Modern sports card markets reward acceleration more aggressively than stability because emerging narratives create urgency while established greatness creates consistency.
For Betts’ market to materially accelerate again, it likely requires another MVP-level stretch, postseason dominance, or historically significant milestones. Sustained excellence alone rarely creates explosive repricing once a player becomes fully understood.
Blake Snell and Edwin Díaz Reflect the Volatility of Pitcher Markets
Pitchers continue to operate at a structural disadvantage inside the sports card market.
Blake Snell’s injuries and interrupted workload softened demand because pitcher markets rely heavily on continuity and visibility to maintain momentum. Edwin Díaz reflects a different version of the same issue. Despite elite stretches as a closer and a massive contract, his hobby market has remained relatively thin outside a handful of recognizable releases like Topps Heritage. Recent controversy tied to cockfighting allegations in Puerto Rico only complicated the narrative further.
Even elite pitchers often struggle to sustain hitter-level demand because they generate fewer culturally dominant moments, carry greater injury volatility, and rely more heavily on sustained performance to maintain visibility.
What the Dodgers Reveal About the Modern Sports Card Market
The Dodgers are not simply one of baseball’s best rosters. They are one of the clearest real-time demonstrations of how modern sports card markets actually function.
Inside one team, the market is simultaneously pricing historical legacy, breakout acceleration, international demand, uncertainty, narrative momentum, and long-term preservation.
Shohei Ohtani trades like a global historical asset. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is moving from projection toward validation. Roki Sasaki shows how quickly uncertainty can reprice upside. Andy Pages and Hyeseong Kim demonstrate how visibility accelerates demand. Mookie Betts reflects the ceiling of established greatness, where consistency matters less than new narrative momentum.
The standings measure wins. The card market measures future attention.
That difference explains why some players rise faster than their statistics suggest, while others remain flat despite elite production. The market is not reacting to performance alone. It is reacting to how performance gets interpreted, amplified, and believed.
For the Dodgers, the opportunity is obvious. Another postseason run, continued growth from Pages and Kim, and full validation from Yamamoto could push multiple segments of the Dodgers card market substantially higher by October.
But the risks are equally visible. Pitching volatility, injuries, workload concerns, and the pressure of sustaining expectations over a full season can quickly reshape both narrative and demand.
Sixty days into the season, the Dodgers are still winning games.
The card market is now trying to determine which players, and which assets tied to them, will still look undervalued by the time October arrives.
What team should we look at next. Let us know on Mantel.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MAY 2: Michael McGreevy #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium on May 2, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Le/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s game 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals barrage of games against NL Central rivals Wednesday as Michael McGreevy will try to dominate the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Bucs will counter with Carmen Mlodzinski on the mound for Pittsburgh. First pitch scheduled for 6:45pm at Busch Stadium and game viewable on Cardinals.tv.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving during a 2024 game.
NBA teams appear to smell blood in the water and are circling the Mavericks.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday that “multiple contenders” are “monitoring” Kyrie Irving’s status with the Mavs after Jason Kidd was ousted as head coach Tuesday.
Charania suggested the Mavericks seemed to be moving on from those brought in under former majority owner Mark Cuban.
General manager Nico Harrison was fired in November, Luka Dončić was traded to the Lakers in a highly controversial deal last season and Kidd was let go this week, leaving Irving as the last major piece from the Cuban era.
"The only Mark Cuban guy left on the Mavericks is Kyrie Irving..
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving during a 2024 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“We’ve seen Patrick Dumont, the owner, essentially flush away anyone that was even around the Mark Cuban regime,” Charania said. “Nico Harrison, Jason Kidd they were all brought in by Mark Cuban. Luka Dončić, a Mark Cuban guy. The only Mark Cuban guy left on that team right now is Kyrie Irving. Kyrie Irving is a generational player, a generational talent. Masai Ujiri did his press conference today and he said we want to see Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg on the court together.
“But there’s no question, there’s multiple contenders around the NBA that are very much monitoring what Kyrie Irving’s future is right now with the Mavericks. Whether it’s the summer, whether it’s into the season, that’s all going to play out over the course of the year.”
Irving, 34, did not play a single minute for Dallas in 2025-26 due to a torn left ACL he suffered late in the previous season. Hope that the NBA star would be able to play in the second half of the 2025-26 campaign disappeared when the Mavs and Irving’s agent announced in February that he was done for the year.
Ex-Mavericks coach Jason Kidd talking with Kyrie Irving during a 2024 game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Irving can be a game-changer when he’s on the court and healthy, and his future in Dallas is certainly going to be one that rival teams monitor.
Irving has plenty of accomplishments next to his name, which include Rookie of the Year, nine All-Star nods and an NBA championship.
Kawhi Leonard is entering the final year of a three-year, $149.51 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers, potentially making him an unrestricted free agent next summer. For the 2026-27 season, Leonard is owed $50.3 million.
Leonard, 34, is coming off a season where he appeared in 65 games and averaged 27.9 points on 50.5% field goal shooting, 38.7% 3-point shooting and 89.2% on free throws. The Clippers finished the season 42-40, good enough for a No. 9 seed, but were eliminated in the NBA Play-In Tournament by the Golden State Warriors.
Looming around the Clippers-Leonard era is the NBA's ongoing investigation into allegations that LA and owner Steve Ballmer allegedly facilitated a $28 million "no-show" endorsement deal for Leonard with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt sustainability company, in an effort to circumvent the NBA salary cap.
The team denied those allegations in a September 2025 statement and maintained their stance in a second statement, accusing Aspiration of engaging in "fraudulent activity."
“There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team,” the second statement reads. “Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi’s independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong.”
The Clippers now find themselves in an interesting position to make a decision on whether they are still in "win-now" mode or if its time to consider rebuilding their roster.
LA made a blockbuster splash trade just before the trade deadline this season, shipping James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland, who just turned 26. They also sent Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks (2026 and 2029), and a second-round pick. The 2026 pick turned out to be the No. 5 overall pick.
The Clippers can decide to package that No. 5 pick in a trade to bring in either another superstar or key pieces to surround Leonard. But they can also go another route and bring in one of the draft's top prospects, which could signal they could move off of Leonard and could put him on the trade market.
If Leonard is dealt from the Clippers, it would mean the end of an era that began in 2019. Leonard signed with the Clippers after leading the Toronto Raptors to a NBA championship where he was named Finals MVP.
In seven seasons in LA, he helped lead the team to the playoffs five times, including the franchise's first conference finals appearance in 2021. But since then, the Clippers have been eliminated in the first round or missed the playoffs altogether.
When on the floor, Leonard is as dynamic as anyone in the league. He shows up on both sides of the ball. There would be many suitors across the league that would give the Clippers a call.
There's a distinct list of teams that Leonard would fit in with if he was traded from the Clippers. No matter where Leonard could go, he would have to agree to an extension with that team for the trade to work. Here are the teams that should get in the sweepstakes for Leonard, if there is one.
Los Angeles Lakers
Rumor has it that Leonard was leaning towards becoming a Laker in 2019, but opted for the other LA team instead. Leonard, a Los Angeles-native, was adamant years ago about wanting to play basketball close to home. After the semi-failed experiment with the Clippers, a cross over to the purple and gold with Luka Doncic could be a breath of fresh air for Leonard. If that happened, championship expectations would continue to drive conversations, though there would be some decisions to be made about Austin Reaves, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.
Golden State Warriors
It's not sunny, Southern California, but it is still the West Coast. Pairing Leonard with Stephen Curry would give the Warriors a defensive presence who is on the level of Draymond Green, while simultaneously providing them another scorer and go-to option in late-game situations. The Warriors are trying to hang on to their No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but that would have to be the first asset the Clips target if Golden State was serious about a potential trade. With Leonard expecting $50 million, the wonder is whether the Warriors have the cache to make it happen. One player who made the case? Green on his podcast.
Toronto Raptors
It's a reunion. This would be cool not just for a homecoming sense, but because the Raptors are currently constructed to be a Leonard-type player away from being a team contending for the Eastern Conference championship. This season, Toronto dropped a hard-fought, seven-game first-round series to the Cavaliers. There isn't any speculation of a Leonard return to T-Dot, but it could be the perfect closing chapter to a future Hall of Fame career.
Detroit Pistons
With the Pistons recent playoff elimination, their flaws were on national display — specifically missing another guy who can get his own shot and make plays for others. The Detroit offense looked lethargic when the Cavaliers keyed in on Cade Cunningham. Adding someone of Leonard's caliber will fill that void tremendously. Not only that, he fits within the mold of Detroit's style of play. He's physical, thrives defensively and is no pushover. Detroit might be a little too far from home for Leonard, but the fit basketball-wise is nearly perfect.
Miami Heat
There are questions that the Heat need to answer, one of which is whether they will get back to their identity and represent Heat culture. Bringing in Leonard answers those questions. It would give them a consistent inside-outside game to pair Leonard with Bam Adebayo. Not to mention, he would team up with former Clippers teammate Norman Powell again. The Heat are made up of guys who aren't afraid to get scrappy and Leonard is the same, despite his quiet demeanor.
Sacramento Kings
A long shot? Yes. However, as long as the Kings hang on to the No. 7 pick in the draft, they have a little leverage in the trade, especially if a rebuild is the direction the Clippers are headed. Sacramento has been known as basketball purgatory, but there are incentives for Leonard: the board man could get paid, he can be a short flight from home and he would not have to deal with the pressure of championship expectations. The Kings are in the midst of their own rebuild so Leonard may not fit the timeline, but owner Vivek Ranadivé has a fascination with big-name players, so don't count Sac out.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 20: Jhonny Pereda #5 of the Seattle Mariners tags out Chase Meidroth #10 of the Chicago White Sox as Meidroth attempts to steal home during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park on May 20, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mariners 5, White Sox 4
Enjoying a baseball game with your family: Jhonny Pereda, +0.24 WPA A drunk 20-something whipping you in the back of his head with a sweaty shirt: Josh Naylor, -0.15 WPA
Former England fast bowler Darren Gough believes England coach Brendon McCullum was “very lucky” to remain in post after England’s Ashes flop as he expressed his “hurt” at being overlooked for the role of national selector.
DENVER, CO - MAY 20: Starting pitcher Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies hands the baseball to Manager Warren Schaeffer as he exits the game while catcher Brett Sullivan #26 stands near by in the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Coors Field on May 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The weather changed throughout Wednesday afternoon at Coors Field, and the game kept moving with it.
One day after being shut out in a 10-0 loss to the Texas Rangers, the Colorado Rockies gave themselves a chance to take the series. They grabbed an early lead, lost it when Texas went back-to-back in the fourth, then fought back with pressure, patience, and timely contact to carry a one-run lead into the ninth.
But when Texas played its late hand, Colorado could not match it and lost the third game, 5-4.
Homers hurt Freeland before traffic ends his day
Kyle Freeland is still searching for consistency since returning from the IL, and Wednesday brought more of the same: traffic on the bases and hard contact in key spots.
He handled it early.
Freeland worked a clean first inning and faced the minimum through two after Josh Jung’s leadoff single in the second was erased by a Kyle Karros-to-Edouard Julien-to-TJ Rumfield double play. In the third, he gave up a two-out double to Sam Haggerty and walked Andrew McCutchen, but got Justin Foscue looking to keep the Rangers off the board.
The fourth inning brought the damage.
After Jung singled with one out, Ezequiel Duran jumped a knuckle curve and sent it 373 feet at 106.2 mph for a two-run homer. One batter later, Jake Burger crushed a changeup 409 feet at 108.4 mph to give Texas back-to-back home runs and a 3-1 lead.
Freeland came back out for the fifth and got the first two outs, but he could not finish the inning. Foscue singled, Brandon Nimmo followed with a hard-hit single, and Freeland walked Jung to load the bases. His afternoon was done.
Jaden Hill entered and got Duran to ground out, stranding all three inherited runners.
Freeland finished with three runs allowed on seven hits over 4.2 innings. He walked two, struck out four, and threw 89 pitches, 56 for strikes.
Rockies make Leiter work
The Rockies did not match Texas’ power, but they did enough against Jack Leiter.
Leiter had velocity, with his four-seam fastball averaging 95.4 mph, but Colorado made him work in the fourth and fifth innings. The Rockies put the ball in play, forced traffic, and took advantage when his command slipped.
The key at-bat came in the fourth.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Karros was called out on strikes. He challenged the pitch, the call was overturned, and the Rockies had a bases-loaded walk instead of an inning-ending strikeout. That made it 3-2.
Colorado took the lead in the fifth. Jake McCarthy tripled to center, Tyler Freeman singled him home, and Troy Johnston added a two-out RBI single to put the Rockies ahead.
The Rockies did not homer against Leiter, but they found runs through McCarthy’s speed, Karros’ plate discipline, Freeman’s contact, and Johnston’s two-out hit. Leiter finished with four runs allowed on seven hits over five innings. He walked two, struck out five, and threw 83 pitches, 55 for strikes.
Bullpen holds until the ninth
After stranding the bases loaded in the fifth, Hill stayed in for the sixth and worked around a two-out single to post another zero. He finished with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit with no walks, and was helped by a nice play from Rumfield, one of several solid defensive plays by the Rockies on the day.
Antonio Senzatela followed with two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. He allowed two hits, struck out one, and lowered his season ERA to 1.19 while getting the Rockies to the ninth with a 4-3 lead.
Then Texas went all in . . . .
Brennan Bernardino got the first out in the ninth, but Joc Pederson reached on catcher interference, Justin Foscue singled, and Alejandro Osuna loaded the bases with an infield single. Juan Mejia entered, but a passed ball tied the game before Jung singled through the left side to put Texas ahead.
Bernardino was charged with two runs, one earned, over one-third of an inning. Mejia kept the deficit at one by striking out Duran and getting Burger to hit a hard grounder to Willi Castro at second.
Can’t ante up
With the rain coming down in the bottom of the ninth, the Rockies had a chance to answer but went in order. Karros flew out, Braxton Fulford struck out as a pinch-hitter, and McCarthy grounded out to end a 5-4 loss after Colorado had led entering the ninth.
The loss dropped the Rockies to 19-31, while Texas improved to 24-25. Colorado gave itself a real chance to win, but folded in the ninth and let the game slip away.
Up Next
The Rockies head to Phoenix to open a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday at Chase Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. MDT.
Colorado has not announced a starter. Arizona is scheduled to start left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who enters at 4-1 with a 2.53 ERA and 39 strikeouts.
NEW YORK - JULY 23: The grounds crew at Yankee Stadium roll out the tarp during the rain delay between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees on July 23, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A scintillating starting pitching matchup is on tap in the Bronx tonight, as young phenoms Cam Schlittler and Trey Yesavage are supposed to go toe-to-toe. Both right-handers broke out late in 2025, with Schlittler earning a rotation spot down the stretch for the Yankees and then dominating the Red Sox in his playoff debut to help New York punch its ticket to an ALDS matchup against Toronto … who had their own sensation in Yesavage. Despite just three regular-season starts to his name, the 22-year-old no-hit the Yankees over 5.1 innings in Game 2 to help the Blue Jays establish a 2-0 series lead that proved to be insurmountable. It was the beginning of a magical postseason for Yesavage and the Jays, who fell two outs shy of a World Series title.
Needless to say, there was a lot of hype for this Wednesday rumble at Yankee Stadium, as they had not previously squared off against each other. The Yankees have scrapped out the first two contests of this four-game set against a Jays team they struggled against last year, and they were hoping to nail down the series win tonight behind Schlittler, who has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball early on in 2026. Yesavage began the year on the IL with a right shoulder impingement, but he’s posted a 1.40 ERA through four starts since returning.
Alas, an ugly weather forecast is forcing us to wait. At 6:17pm ET, the Yankees announced that they do not expect to begin the game on time. There’s a severe thunderstorm watch in the Bronx, and we could be waiting awhile for baseball — if indeed we get it at all. Because Schlittler and Yesavage are so important to their teams, neither club wants to risk having a game begin, only to quickly enter a rain delay that might render each arm unable to return. So we’re getting it early and seeing what happens.
AccuWeather indicates that the storms should begin to subside sometime after 9pm ET. Hang in there and we’ll see if we get baseball tonight!
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 08: Carmen Mlodzinski #50 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the in the bottom of the fouth inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on May 08, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Carmen Mlodzinski (3-3, 4.40 ERA) vs. Michael McGreevy (3-2, 2.10 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the St. Louis Cardinals looking to grab a win.
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NEW YORK, NY - MAY 06: A detailed photo of Yankee Stadium before the game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees on May 6, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We talked about today’s new already, so all I have to say is please win.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - AUGUST 18: Starting pitcher Michael Wacha #52 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the first inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at Kauffman Stadium on August 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Stop me if you have heard this one before. The Royals are going into the game tonight looking to avoid getting swept. For the third series in a row, Kansas City is just hoping to salvage one win going into the third game. They cannot fix all of their problems in one game on a Wednesday night, but it would be nice to see them get one from a Boston team that has mostly struggled their way through 2026 as well.
The Royals will send Michael Wacha to the mound to try and get the job done. The 4-2 record and 2.83 ERA are easily the best of any Royals starter so far this season. With all of the pitching injuries that the team has sustained, they need him to have continued success.
Unfortunately, Kansas City is facing yet another left handed starter tonight in Connelly Early. He is a 24 year old rookie with a solid ERA, but peripheral statistics that say he is more a back-end starter. Over his minor league career and last season’s cup of coffee, he routinely had very high strike out rates that have not shown up in early 2026 and are making him more pedestrian. Let’s hope that continues tonight.
The solution to the lineup issues is evidently to give Vinnie Pasquantino a day off and move Salvador Perez up to the three hole? Elias Diaz will be behind the dish with Perez at first.
DETROIT, MI - MAY 19: Jose Ramirez #11, Kyle Manzardo #9, Travis Bazzana #37 and Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate a win over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on May 19, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
May 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Brewers players hug against the Chicago Cubs after the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Brewers moved back into first place in the National League Central yesterday when they defeated the Cubs, and they also clinched a series victory in the first set between the two teams this season. Tonight, they aim for a sweep with Kyle Harrison on the mound.
Harrison continued his excellent first season with the Brewers last Thursday when he went five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and zero walks against the Padres in a game that Milwaukee ultimately won 7-1. The only nit to pick in that start was Harrison’s efficiency, as he needed 99 pitches to complete those five innings; he’ll look to improve on that tonight, given that Milwaukee used their entire A bullpen on Tuesday. They’ve got a day off tomorrow, though, so bullpen usage may not be particularly restricted. On the season, Harrison is 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA and 2.88 FIP, and he’s striking out over 11 batters per nine innings.
The Cubs will counter with right-hander Edward Cabrera, who they traded top prospect Owen Caissie for in the offseason. Cabrera’s results have been a little mixed this season; he’s done a decent job of keeping his walks at a sustainable level (3.2 per nine, slightly worse than last year but significantly better than his career rate), but he isn’t striking out as many (7.9 per nine, which would be a career low by far). Cabrera’s ERA of 4.06 is slightly worse than league average, but it still outpaces his 4.51 FIP by quite a bit. After back-to-back scoreless starts in his first two appearances of the year, Cabrera hasn’t allowed fewer than three runs in any of his seven starts since (though he’s given up more than three runs only once). Historically, Cabrera has been pretty good against Milwaukee, though: 19 2/3 innings against the Brewers when he was a Marlin, Cabrera had a 2.29 ERA and 20 strikeouts.
One quick roster note before we get to lineups: Peter Strzelecki, who was called up for one day before being designated for assignment, cleared waivers, but elected free agency rather than accept an assignment to Triple-A Nashville.
Milwaukee uses another unique lineup tonight (their 47th in 47 games). This one features David Hamilton at third base, Joey Ortiz in at shortstop against the right-hander, and an outfield of Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Sal Frelick. Andrew Vaughn once again starts on the bench, with Christian Yelich as the designated hitter and Jake Bauers in left field.
First pitch at Wrigley Field is at 6:40 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball against Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on March 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are not even 24 hours removed from their gut-punch of a loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, and there is already offseason talk. Once again, it involves LeBron James.
Sometimes, James is cryptic in his moves and thoughts. Other times, he just likes a post about a potential return to play next season in Cleveland. That is not so cryptic.
Sure enough, James “liked” an Instagram reel that featured in bold letters “Come Home” with a still of him banging his chest in the black Cavs uniforms they wore during his 2017-2018 season. The rest of the reel was about his most recent game in Cleveland.
LeBron liked a short IG reel posted about his last game in Cleveland which features this image. pic.twitter.com/RvDd8bryG7
— Jackson Flickinger (@JacksFlickinger) May 20, 2026
The rumors of James returning to Cleveland have gathered steam seemingly for years, gaining more traction after the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic as the ultimate baton hand-off from one superstar to another. With the Lakers’ prioritization of equipping Doncic, not James, with players that fit his style of play, the rumblings of his unhappiness grew. This, coupled with the Cavs’ hole at small forward and dire need for LeBron’s mental toughness in playoff situations, just adds fuel to the fire.
Do the Cavs blow a 22-point lead with James on the roster, getting in people’s faces and commandeering his head coach’s decision-making ability? It is hard to say for sure, but it would have certainly been helpful to have one of the game’s smartest ever to calm the nerves and stop the bleeding.
ESPN’s Shams Charania adds that James is expected to play another season, with the Lakers “probably” being his preference. However, this liked post from James may hint otherwise.
