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Suarez shuts down Braves, Phils win series opener after Harper's early exit

Suarez shuts down Braves, Phils win series opener after Harper's early exit originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies got right back to winning ways Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. 

Two days after having their nine-game winning streak snapped by the Athletics, the Phils opened a six-game homestand with a 2-0 victory over the Braves. 

The 35-19 Phillies will go for a series win over the 25-28 Braves on Wednesday night. 

Ranger Suarez shut down Atlanta and gave the Phillies a second consecutive scoreless start. He tossed six innings and allowed four hits and three walks. The 29-year-old lefty notched a season-high eight strikeouts. 

After beginning last season 9-0, Suarez is 4-0 in 2025 with a 2.97 ERA. 

The Phillies had a concerning bottom of the first. 

Braves starter Spencer Strider hit Bryce Harper with a 95.3 mph fastball and the Phillies’ first baseman exited in clear pain. The team later announced that Harper was diagnosed with a right elbow contusion and X-rays on him were negative.

“One of the trainers came down and told me about it,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “I was anxious but happy there was no break for sure.”

The Phils jumped in front in the second inning. Max Kepler lined a double to right-center and Alec Bohm sprinted in from first.

From there, both Suarez and Strider were very effective. The Phillies didn’t manage a second hit until Nick Castellanos’ opposite-field knock against Enyel De Los Santos in the sixth inning. 

Michael Harris II led off the fifth with a bloop single to shallow center and the Braves eventually loaded the bases. Suarez worked gutsily around the trouble, getting Matt Olson to whiff on a 2-2 high heater. He shrugged off a leadoff hit in the sixth, too. 

“It was a very long inning,” Suarez said of the fifth. “I was just thinking about trying to get out of it as quickly as I possibly could. It got complicated for a second there, but we were able to fight through.”

Out of the bullpen, the Phillies turned to Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm and Jordan Romano. All three did their job well.

The Phillies summoned a two-out rally in the eighth inning, capitalizing on Daysbel Hernandez’s erratic control and providing Romano an insurance run. Bohm scored his (and the Phillies’) second run when J.T. Realmuto walked with the bases loaded.

Nola talks lingering injury 

A few hours before first pitch, Aaron Nola stopped just short of the Phillies’ dugout steps and discussed his right ankle sprain with reporters. 

Nola threw what Thomson called a “touch and feel” bullpen session Tuesday — lower intensity and lower volume than a usual bullpen, but Nola’s first time on the mound since being placed on the 15-day injured list. 

Nola said he continued to feel “a little bit” of discomfort with “certain movements.” Though he hopes to ramp up further Thursday, Nola said he thinks he’ll “probably” need a rehab assignment before returning. 

“Just taking it day by day right now and then hopefully, Thursday I feel good when I get on the mound,” he said. 

Realmuto’s ‘got to play through it’ 

Thomson dropped Realmuto to eighth in the Phillies’ lineup and bumped Bohm up to fifth. 

“J.T.’s trying a bunch of different stuff,” Thomson said pregame. “He’s working hard to maybe limit his leg kick a little bit … just get the timing better. So I just want to take a little pressure off him, move him down a little bit.” 

With an 0-for-3 game, Realmuto’s season average is at .228. He went 2 for 14 and struck out six times in the Phillies’ series against the A’s. 

Thomson indicated he doesn’t plan to increase Realmuto’s rest days. 

“He’s got to play through it because he’s so important behind the plate to us and to our pitching staff,” he said. “(Rafael) Marchan does a great job as well, but J.T., he’s the captain out there. … I want him out there as much as we can.”

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Peterka, Rossi Highlight Young Forwards Jets Could Target In A Trade

Buffalo Sabres right wing JJ Peterka (77) waits for a face-off against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Winnipeg Jets head into the offseason looking to add skilled forwards to their roster in hopes of increasing their goal-scoring at 5-on-5 when the playoffs roll around.

The Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli released his top 20 trade targets for the NHL offseason, and topping the list were Buffalo Sabres' JJ Peterka and Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi. 

The Jets will likely integrate Nikita Chibrikov into their lineup this season, whether it's immediately after training camp or at some point in the season, an extended stint in the NHL is long overdue for the 22-year-old. He unfortunately suffered a season-ending injury, but the team hopes he'll be a complete participant once training camp begins. 

The pursuit of another young forward and the promotion of Chribrikov should not be affected by the choice Nikolaj Ehlers makes. Whether he's on the roster or not, adding additional scoring is a must. 

Rossi fits the needs of the Jets more than Peterka does, but both would be fantastic additions. Rossi would slot into the Jets' second-line centre role like a glove and would be the perfect complement for Cole Perfetti and Ehlers. In 82 games this season, the 23-year-old scored 24 goals and 60 points. His production on the power play and at 5-on-5 was balanced, and he plays an effective two-way game. He's a skilled playmaker who could run give-and-gos on the cycle with Perfetti and get Ehlers the puck to do damage off the rush. 

Peterka is a winger, which could make the line combinations more complicated, but if Gabriel Vilardi and the Jets feel comfortable shifting him back into the middle of the ice, Peterka would be an outstanding acquisition.

Finding a player as talented as he is at just 23 years of age is almost unheard of, and although the Sabres have repeatedly mentioned they don't plan on trading him, the indication is that they will have to move him unless negotiations take a pivot and he re-signs.  

In 77 games, Peterka scored 27 goals and 68 points, tied for second on his team. His shot is lethal, but unlike other snipers, Peterka can create the space for himself to get his shot off. Skating on a line next to any of Kyle Connor, Ehlers, or Perfetti would provide him plenty of opportunities to show off his shot. 

Both Rossi and Peterka averaged over 18:00 of ice time a night during the regular season, showing they are both capable of playing top-six minutes. They are also both restricted free agents in need of a contract, but with over $26M in cap space, the Jets shouldn't have too much trouble fitting them under the salary cap even after making deals with Ehlers, Vilardi and Dylan Samberg. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

"I'd Love To Stay"; Haydn Fleury Hopes To Remain A Jet Despite Log Jam Of DefensemenHaydn Fleury mentioned during his end-of-season press conference that he'd like to remain a Winnipeg Jet despite the log jam of defensemen the Jets currently employ. Jets Pending Unrestricted Free Agent Signs With Swedish TeamJets Pending Unrestricted Free Agent Signs With Swedish TeamWinnipeg Jets pending unrestricted free agent Axel Jonsson-Fjallby has signed a three-year contract with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League.
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Wednesday's Mets-White Sox series finale bumped up to 1:10 p.m. due to weather

Wednesday's series finale between the Mets and White Sox has been bumped up due to weather.

First pitch at Citi Field was originally scheduled for 7:10 p.m. but with showers expected in the area throughout the night, they game will now begin at 1:10 p.m. instead.

Gates will open at 12:10 p.m. now and parking lots will open at 11:40 a.m.

Griffin Canning (5-1, 2.88 ERA) is lined up to take the ball against right-hander Shane Smith (1-3, 2.36 ERA), a Rule 5 pick who has been spectacular thus far this season.

New York took the opening game of the set on Monday afternoon, rallying to score two runs in the eighth and ninth, walking it off on a Francisco Lindor sacrifice fly.

Tylor Megill faces off with Jonathan Cannon in the middle game on Tuesday night on SNY.

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Mets Notes: Carlos Mendoza on Jared Young's DH opportunities, Luisangel Acuña's impact off the bench

The Mets are officially at the one-third mark of the 2025 season, and Tuesday night’s matchup with the Chicago White Sox will be the official start of the “middle” of the team’s regular season.

Prior to Tuesday’s first pitch, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza discussed some of his recent lineup decisions, as well as what makes Luisangel Acuña so valuable even on days when he’s not part of the starting nine.

Here’s what Mendoza had to say…

OnJared Young starting again at DH

Called up from Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday, Young will be making his fourth start as the Mets’ designated hitter on Tuesday night, hitting sixth against Chicago righty Jonathan Cannon.

Asked about Young, Mendoza cited the 29-year-old’s ability to put himself in good hitter’s counts, with the Mets hoping to see him capitalize on those opportunities as he gets more chances.

“We’ve seen it these past couple of days,” Mendoza said. “He’s got the ability to put himself in a good hitter’s count and that’s his calling card. He hit a 107 (MPH) to dead center the other day and I feel like he’s usually 2-0, 3-1. Now he’s just got to get into the rhythm and do some damage on some pitches.”

Young is 0-for-5 with a hit-by-pitch and a run scored in three games since his call-up.

Acuña’s veteran mindset paying dividends

Acuña is not in Tuesday’s lineup, as Brett Baty gets the start at second with Mark Vientos at third.

But the youngster has proven that he doesn’t need to start a game to have an impact, as evidenced by his last three games, entering the game in the seventh inning or later each time while stealing a bag on Sunday and scoring the tying run on Monday as a pinch-runner.

“This is a guy that doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low,” Mendoza said. “Pretty mature for his age and he has a really good understanding of his role right now and the impact that he brings to the team. He knows that even though he’s not in the lineup, there’s going to be an opportunity for him to come in and impact it in a good game, whether it’s by making a defensive play, by stealing a base, by scoring from first base on a ball in the gap, or by giving us a good at-bat, putting the ball in play. I think he obviously continues to develop. There’s a lot of tools there, but I like how he’s handled it so far mentally.”

On giving Mark Vientos more opportunities at third base

It’s undoubtedly been a rough start to the season for Vientos, who is hitting just .234 and has also struggled defensively, committing seven errors in 39 games at the hot corner, including four errors since the calendar flipped to May.

Since being called back up, Brett Baty has gotten the majority of the playing time at third base, with Vientos serving as the DH in eight of his last 14 appearances.

But Vientos will be at third on Tuesday night, and according to Mendoza, giving the 25-year-old more reps there is the only way to help him out of his defensive funk.

“For me, he’s just going through it right now,” Mendoza said. “It was really good to see him yesterday continue to put in the work. That’s how you’re going to get out of it. It’s like when you’re going through struggles offensively. You go out there and continue to work until you get the feeling back. Same thing.

“This is a guy that in the offseason worked really, really hard [on] his first step. And now he’s going through a stretch where it happens. But continue to work, continue to believe in yourself. We’re going to continue to give him chances. Here he is playing third base again. He’ll get through it, he’ll be fine, he’s a really good third baseman.”

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What If Brendan Shanahan Joined A Potential NHL Expansion Franchise?

Brendan Shanahan is a free agent. But where will he go next?

The former president of the Toronto Maple Leafs brings a wealth of experience, a Hall of Fame ring as a player and a marquee name with him. Simply put, he could probably choose a number of NHL destinations right now.

But what about a franchise that doesn't exist yet?

NHL expansion seems like a sure thing in the future and one of the leading candidates is Houston. As first reported in The Hockey News' Money and Power issue back in January, the top ownership candidate is Dan Friedkin, a billionaire car distributor who also owns British soccer team Everton and a film company that produced Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States and a major TV market, so it's a great target for the NHL.

Now imagine if Shanahan was the expansion team's first president.

Houston gets instant credibility and someone whom the NHL trusts – let's not forget that 'Shanny' worked for the league's player safety department.

While the Maple Leafs did not meet their goal of winning a Stanley Cup during Shanahan's tenure, Toronto did have a ton of success on the ice and either drafted or acquired a mass of talent. Shanahan left the franchise with a solid GM in Brad Treliving and a well-respected coach in Craig Berube.

Brendan Shanahan (Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)

That Shanahan would be an asset for Houston is not a question; only the timing remains. The NHL has not green-lit any expansion process right now, so hypothetically, we'd be looking at 2026-27 at the earliest – and let's face it, the league is in no rush.

Having said that, Houston seems to be one of the favorites if and when the NHL expands again.

Other cities in the mix include Atlanta and Phoenix, and it will be interesting to see if the next wave involves two cities at once or staggered over the course of a year. (Full disclosure: The Hockey News publisher-owner W. Graeme Roustan is supporting the Atlanta group led by Vernon Krause and his South Forsyth project.)

Regardless, keep an eye on Shanahan in the coming years. He already took on a major challenge in Toronto, so what would be new and exciting for him? Helping build an expansion team from scratch might be the answer.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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NHL releases official logo for 2026 Winter Classic, tickets to go on sale next week

The Florida Panthers may be in the midst of another exciting Stanley Cup Playoff run, but there is still something quite large looming in their future.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the Panthers would be hosting the 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot park against the New York Rangers.

The game is set for Jan 2, and tickets to the general public will be going on sale next week.

For more information on tickets, click here.

According to the NHL, ticket sales will begin on Wednesday, June 4 at 10 a.m.

Along with the announcement came a new image showing the official 20206 Winter Classic logo.

It features Miami-themed neon blue and pink colors, along with a snow-covered palm tree.

The 2026 Winter Classic will be the first ever outdoor game in Panthers franchise history.

It will also become the southernmost outdoor hockey game in NHL history.

Fans looking for additional official information on the Panthers in the Winter Classic can head to FloridaPanthers.com/WinterClassic.

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Rousek, Brannstrom Sign With European Clubs

The Rochester Americans season ended on Sunday with a 5-0 loss to Laval in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, and after only 48 hours into the offseason, the club has lost a pair of players, winger Lukas Rousek and defenseman Erik Brannstrom, to European club teams.

Rousek, a Group-6 unrestricted free agent, has signed a deal with HV71 of the SHL on Tuesday. The 26-year-old was a sixth-round pick (160th overall) of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2019 Draft out of the Sparta Praha system. After spending two seasons in Czechia, the winger signed a two-year entry-level contract with Buffalo and played 19 games for AHL Rochester. In only his second season in North America, he led the Amerks in scoring with 56 points (16 goals, 40 assists) and 12 points in the Calder Cup Playoffs and earned a two-game call-up to the NHL. 

After signing another two-year deal with Buffalo, Rousek scored 41 points in 51 AHL games, but in an extended look with the Sabres only had two assists in 15 games. This season, the 26-year-old had 42 points, but only scored seven goals and did not get another chance in the NHL with first-rounders like Isak Rosen, Jiri Kulich, and Noah Ostlund getting those opportunities.  

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Brannstrom was a 2017 first round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights, and played parts of seven seasons with the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks. This season, he was dealt by Vancouver to the NY Rangers in the JT Miller deal and acquired by the Sabres in a one-for-one deal at the trade deadline for Nicolas Aube-Kubel. 

The 25-year-old scored five goals in 13 games for the Amerks and played in one postseason game. A restricted free agent, Brannstrom has signed a three-year deal to play for HC Lausanne in Switzerland.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

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Man charged with stabbing Knicks fans at Indiana brewery during playoff series

The Knicks and Pacers are playing each other in the Eastern Conference finals. Photograph: AJ Mast/AP

An Indiana Pacers fan has been charged with stabbing two supporters of the New York Knicks on the night of their teams’ playoff series.

According to court documents, 24-year-old Jarrett Funke of Hamilton county in Indiana, was charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery resulting in serious bodily injury, and criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon.

Officers were called to a brewery in Carmel, Indiana, on the evening of 23 May, when the local NBA team, the Pacers, were playing the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The Pacers beat the Knicks to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

Funke is said to have knocked the Knicks cap off one of the alleged victims. After Funke was removed from the premises, he is said to have returned and confronted the two alleged victims. One of the men who was stabbed said he showed a knife to Funke but did not intend to use it and put it back in his pocket. An altercation ensued during which Funke allegedly stabbed the two Knicks fans. Court documents said one of the fans had a wound to his back, and the other a laceration on one of his legs.

Funke claims the Knicks fans were “talking shit” and punched and shoved him, before he swung his knife in self-defence. According to court documents, several witnesses say Funke was the aggressor in the situation.

Funke was scheduled to appear at a hearing in Hamilton county on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident is not the first involving friction between Pacers and Knicks fans during the playoffs. A Pacers fan was pelted with garbage near Madison Square Garden after the Knicks’ victory over the Boston Celtics in the previous round.

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Lehigh Valley Phantoms Head Coach Ian Laperriere Moves To Hockey Operations Role With Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers announced that the head coach of their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms Ian Laperriere has been re-assigned to the Flyers as an advisor to Hockey Operations. 

The team announced they will begin a search for a new AHL head coach immediately. 

Laperriere signed a two-year contract extension in June 2024 that was set to run through the 2025-26 season. 

The 51-year-old joined the Flyers as director of player development for the 2012-13 season and transitioned to assistant coach in the 2013-14 season, a role he served in through the 2020-21 season before joining the Phantoms. 

The Montreal, Que., native has been the head coach of the Phantoms for the past four seasons leading the team to two Calder Cup Playoff appearances and a 134-120-38 record. 

Laperriere has expressed a desire to be an NHL head coach and will help continue to develop Philadelphia's prospects in his new role. 

In his playing career Laperriere recorded 121 goals and 336 point sin 1083 games while racking up 1956 penalty minutes. He spent one season with the Flyers and was forced to retire after taking a slapshot to the face. 

Check out The Hockey News' Philadelphia Flyers team site for more updates. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.    

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Harper exits game after being hit by Strider fastball, X-rays negative

Harper exits game after being hit by Strider fastball, X-rays negative  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Bryce Harper had a short night Tuesday in the Phillies’ series opener against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. 

Harper left the game in the first inning after being hit on the right arm by a Spencer Strider fastball. The Phillies later announced that Harper was diagnosed with a right elbow contusion and X-rays taken on him were negative. 

Strider plunked Harper with two outs in the bottom of the first on an 0-1 count. Phillies fans booed him heavily. 

Harper was in immediate, obvious pain and went down to a knee near Kyle Schwarber in the on-deck circle. Edmundo Sosa entered the game in Harper’s place and played third base. Alec Bohm shifted over to first. 

“You’re always concerned,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said after his team’s 2-0 win. “There could be a little crack in the bone or whatever. The X-ray, thankfully, was negative. We’ll just have to see tomorrow.”

The Phillies finished Tuesday with a 35-19 record and MLB’s best winning percentage. Harper has played in every one of the team’s first 54 games, hitting .267 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs. 

“Everybody was holding their breath when it first happened,” Max Kepler said. “It definitely hurts, but it’s very relieving to know that it’s nothing major and that hopefully, he’ll be back with the team soon.”

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Harper exits game after being hit by Strider fastball, X-rays negative

Harper exits game after being hit by Strider fastball, X-rays negative  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Bryce Harper had a short night Tuesday in the Phillies’ series opener against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. 

Harper left the game in the first inning after being hit on the right arm by a Spencer Strider fastball. The Phillies later announced that Harper was diagnosed with a right elbow contusion and X-rays taken on him were negative. 

Strider plunked Harper with two outs in the bottom of the first on an 0-1 count. Phillies fans booed him heavily. 

Harper was in immediate, obvious pain and went down to a knee near Kyle Schwarber in the on-deck circle. Edmundo Sosa entered the game in Harper’s place and played third base. Alec Bohm shifted over to first. 

The Phillies began Tuesday with a 34-19 record and MLB’s best winning percentage. Harper has played in every one of the team’s first 54 games, hitting .267 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs. 

This story will be updated when more information is available. 

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MLB Power Rankings: Phillies grab the top spot, Padres slip as Michael King lands on IL

Featured in this week's MLB Power Rankings, the red-hot Phillies make their first appearance at the top, Tarik Skubal has his best-ever start, the Padres lose Michael King, Marcelo Mayer loses his car keys, Ronald Acuña Jr. has a flare for the dramatic, and much more.

Let’s get started!

(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)

MLB: Chicago Cubs at New York Mets
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Chase Meidroth, Brett Baty, and AJ Blubaugh
Young infielders earning their roles

Rankings are from the morning of Tuesday, May 27.

1) Philadelphia Phillies ⬆️

Last week: 6

While the Phillies saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday, their recent heater has carried them to the top of this week’s rankings. Trea Turner has been a key part in their ascent, hitting .366 over his last 26 games. The Phillies have gone 20-6 in that time.

2) Detroit Tigers ⬇️

Last week: 1

After a couple of uncharacteristic so-so starts, Tarik Skubal had the best outing of his career on Sunday against the Guardians, tossing a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts in just 94 pitches. Yes, that’s a Maddux. It was the first complete game of his career and just the fifth shutout across MLB this season. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Skubal dialed it up to 103 mph for his final pitch of the ballgame. Pure dominance.

3) New York Yankees ⬆️

Last week: 5

In one of the truly weird and somewhat unbelievable stats, this game-winning homer off the bat of Jasson Dominguez last Wednesday was the first walk-off blast by a Yankees player in 974 days. Giancarlo Stanton was the last to do it on September 20, 2022. With some expected growing pains, Jasson Dominguez has mostly been worth the wait for Yankees fans.

4) Los Angeles Dodgers ⬇️

Last week: 2

With a number of high-profile injuries in their starting rotation, the Dodgers have been topsy-turvy since their red-hot start to the season, but the good news is that Shohei Ohtani is approaching his return to the mound. The Dodgers’ dynamo threw 22 pitches over five simulated at-bats on Sunday at Citi Field. According to Sonja Chen of MLB.com, Ohtani sat in the 94-95 mph range with his fastball and topped out at 97 mph. He’s likely to make his first start as a member of the Dodgers after the All-Star break.

5) Chicago Cubs ⬆️

Last week: 7

Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker are getting most of the headlines, but Seiya Suzuki is enjoying his best season stateside. The 30-year-old leads the NL with 49 RBI through 49 games. Keep in mind that he’s never driven in more than 74 runs in a season. He’s also up to 14 homers after never having hit more than 21 homers. Losing the hot-hitting Miguel Amaya to an oblique injury certainly hurts, but this Cubs’ lineup remains a powerhouse.

6) New York Mets ⬇️

Last week: 3

Pete Alonso endured the longest home run drought of his career before slugging a go-ahead two-run homer against Tony Gonsolin and the Dodgers on Sunday night. That blast was set up by Juan Soto legging out a ground ball which was mishandled by third baseman Max Muncy. With all the recent commentary on Soto and effort level, it was an especially big moment.

7) San Francisco Giants ⬆️

Last week: 8

The Giants might have come back down to Earth in May, but don’t blame Robbie Ray. The southpaw spun six innings of one-run ball against the Nationals on Sunday, giving him a 1.41 ERA across five starts this month. He’s 7-0 on the year and the Giants are 10-1 in his starts this season.

8) Seattle Mariners ⬆️

Last week: 10

As hot as Jorge Polanco was in April, the opposite has been the case in May. He’s hitting just .155/.234/.241 with one home run this month.

9) Minnesota Twins

Last week: 9

While the Twins' offense has been piecemeal at times, the starting rotation has been a true strength. Entering play on Tuesday, the club ranks sixth in the majors with a 3.34 ERA.

10) San Diego Padres ⬇️

Last week: 4

The Padres snapped a six-game losing streak by winning two out of three against the Braves over the weekend, but they also lost their ace Michael King with right shoulder inflammation. The hope is that he won’t require an extended absence, but we should learn more about his status soon.

11) St. Louis Cardinals ⬆️

Last week: 12

The Cardinals swept the Diamondbacks over the weekend, with catcher Ivan Herrera driving in a run in all three games. The 24-year-old catcher has picked up where he left off before his left knee bone bruise in April, hitting .365/.435/.500 with one homer, 14 RBI, and an 8/6 K/BB ratio this month.

12) Cleveland Guardians ⬇️

Last week: 11

Congratulations to Nic Enright, who made his major league debut against the Tigers on Sunday two and a half years after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in December of 2022. In a moment he wasn’t sure would ever come, he struck out three batters over two scoreless innings.

13) Houston Astros ⬆️

Last week: 15

A statement series for the Astros, who took three out of four from the first-place Mariners over the weekend. They are just 1.5 games out of first place in the AL West despite the struggles from Jose Altuve, Yainer Diaz, and Christian Walker. Walker provided his biggest hit in an Astros uniform with a walk-off blast to cap off the series victory on Sunday.

14) Kansas City Royals ⬇️

Last week: 13

With the Royals’ offense in need to a boost, it’s likely just a matter of time before we see Jac Caglianone in the major leagues. The 2025 first-round pick has done nothing but mash since being promoted to Triple-A, including this titanic blast on Sunday. Get ready, Royals fans.

15) Tampa Bay Rays ⬆️

Last week: 23

The Rays are Ray-ing again. Maybe. After six straight wins, the club has climbed back to the .500 mark for the first time since April 27. Brandon Lowe has homered three times during the win streak and is hitting .396/.442/.771 over his last 32 games.

16) Atlanta Braves ⬇️

Last week: 14

Like he never left. Ronald Acuña Jr. announced his return with authority on Friday, homering on the first pitch he saw against Nick Pivetta. It was also the only run of the game for the Braves, who have lost four out of their last five.

17) Boston Red Sox

Last week: 17

Marcelo Mayer is the latest high-profile prospect to arrive for the Red Sox, as the was the corresponding move with Alex Bregman going down with a significant right quad strain. That’s exciting and all, but the saga of Mayer’s missing car keys has been the real story. Mayer’s keys were reportedly missing for three weeks and he needed a clubhouse attendant to drive him to Fenway Park for his MLB debut. Worry not, though, as his keys were finally found…in Milwaukee.

18) Arizona Diamondbacks ⬇️

Last week: 16

What’s going on with Zac Gallen? After allowing four runs over 5 2/3 innings in a loss to the Cardinals on Friday, the veteran right-hander now holds a 5.25 ERA through 11 starts for the season. Take out his two starts against the Mets (two ER in 13 innings) and his ERA sits at 6.29.

19) Milwaukee Brewers ⬆️

Last week: 22

What does a 1.80 ERA over three starts in May get you? A demotion, apparently. Logan Henderson is headed back to Triple-A despite an impressive and historic start to his major league career. The Brewers deemed it necessary with Jose Quintana and Brandon Woodruff on their way back from the injured list. Either way, odds are it won’t be long before Henderson gets his next opportunity.

20) Cincinnati Reds ⬇️

Last week: 19

Andrew Abbott just keeps getting it done. After allowing one run over 5 2/3 innings in a win over the Cubs on Saturday, the 25-year-old southpaw now holds a 1.77 ERA on the year. He’s allowed one earned run or fewer in seven out of his eight starts this season.

21) Texas Rangers ⬇️

Last week: 18

Jacob deGrom failed to strike out a batter for the first time in his career in Monday’s start against the Blue Jays. In addition to that, he managed just three swinging strikes in his 81 pitches. This simply does not compute.

22) Toronto Blue Jays ⬇️

Last week: 20

This just about sums up the ups and downs the Blue Jays have navigated so far this season.

23) Los Angeles Angels ⬆️

Last week: 25

While the Angels await Mike Trout’s return from a knee injury, Taylor Ward has stepped things up in grand fashion this month, including two grand slams during their recent eight-game winning streak. The club has lost three straight since the win streak, of course.

24) Washington Nationals

Last week: 24

Cool moment for Keibert Ruiz and his family last Thursday. Ruiz’s parents were able to watch him play for the first time as a professional baseball player and he wasted no time in putting on a show.

Ruiz’s parents, who are from Venezuela, were denied travel visas in their previous four attempts before finally getting clearance this month.

25) Athletics ⬇️

Last week: 21

The Athletics were four games over .500 on May 5, but they’ve gone 3-15 since then, including their recent 11-games losing streak.

26) Miami Marlins

Last week: 26

Sandy Alcantara has struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery, but that doesn’t mean Marlins fans shouldn’t be excited about Eury Pérez as he makes his way back. The 22-year-old struck out seven batters in his most recent rehab start in Triple-A and should find his way back to the major leagues by mid-June. Pérez looked like a future ace when we last saw him in as a 20-year-old rookie in 2023, posting a 3.15 ERA over 19 starts with 108 strikeouts in 91 1/3 innings.

27) Pittsburgh Pirates

Last week: 27

After tying the MLB record by going 26 straight game with four runs or fewer, the Pirates scored five runs in three out of their next four games. Baseball gonna baseball!

We also can’t leave out that Oneil Cruz now has the hardest hit ball in the Statcast Era.

28) Baltimore Orioles

Last week: 28

Thanks for Dylan Carlson exacting revenge against his former team on Monday, the Orioles have secured their first three-game winning streak of the season. Cue the scene from Lou Brown in “Major League.”

29) Chicago White Sox

Last week: 29

It wasn’t too long ago that Andrew Vaughn was considered a building block for the White Sox, but he was surprisingly demoted to Triple-A Charlotte last week after beginning this season with a .189/.218/.314 batting line. According to White Sox general manager Chris Getz, the club is hopeful that he’ll be able to “slow down and regain confidence” in a less-pressurized environment.

30) Colorado Rockies

Last week: 30

The Rockies are currently on pace to go 28-134. There’s very little hope that they can avoid a place in baseball infamy. The weirdest thing about the Rockies’ struggles are that they are 20th in OPS at home this season; they are usually in the top-tier at Coors Field.