MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 20: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves delivers during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on May 20, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pokemon card king and staff ace Chris Sale will take the mound for the Braves as they seek a second series win (and avoid a second consecutive series loss) over the Boston Red Sox. Sale (7-3, 1.89 ERA) checked off a box with his first win over Miami his last time out, striking out eight Marlins in his seven innings of work. He started the month of May with a 2.14 ERA and has gone at at least six innings in each of his last seven starts. As dominant as he’s been, however, he’s been a victim of not having run support. Sounds familiar…
We’re starting to see a worrying trend with this Drake Baldwin-less offense, and it is runs being at an absolute premium, even when the pitching does its job. With the record we have, it’s greedy to ask for more comfortable wins. But here I am, asking anyway.
You only have to go back to last Saturday for the last time Payton Tolle (2-2, 2.45 ERA) faced the Braves. I was only periodically checking in at a truly beautiful wedding reception celebrating some dear friends. It was a “oh, nice” vibe for most of dinner, “not comfy but a lead’s a lead” during cake cutting, and then “we tried to get Cute about Bryce Elder and the rally fell just short and we lost?” right before dutifully reporting to the dance floor. Upon review of the box score much later, it was truly dismaying to see how Tolle mowed down this Braves lineup, needing 85 pitches to get through eight innings. It is even more haunting when you see that Drake Baldwin was responsible for two of the four hits off Tolle and batted in both earned runs – get better soon, king. (And if you were wondering, José Azócar, who got the start in RF, collected the other two). Yikes! Looking for anyone else who’d like to step up here, especially after being blanked last night.
Tolle also had a quality start versus the Twins since we’ve seen him – he went six, gave up four hits and three earned runs, walked two, and struck out nine. With his run since being called up, it’s wild to think he didn’t make the team out of spring training. Here’s hoping that some familiarity and recency can help the Braves solve him this time to win the series.
Just like that, the waking nightmare that has been consuming the Cubs comes to an end. I don’t know about you, but I have no surprise whatsoever that the streak went away with a thump and not a whimper. The Cubs put 10 runs on the board while running up 14 hits and drawing seven walks. Two batters were hit by pitches and so the Cubs managed to have 23 baserunners. They managed a team hitting line of .341/.460/.561. For one day, the offense played at the level of an MVP candidate.
I said this just a day or two ago. I understand why Ian Happ would get a day off or two given his struggles. Also, any resurgence of this team is almost certainly going to involve Ian so I don’t have a lot of joy seeing him out of the lineup. With his five-RBI outburst that included a homer, Ian continues to lead the Cubs in OPS among qualified hitters. He does so by leading them in slugging percentage and being second in on-base percentage. Until some of his teammates can sustain their production, it is a justifiable choice for Ian to bat in the middle of the lineup where he is typically found. Importantly, he has generally been the Cub who has performed best against right handed pitching through almost his entire Cub career.
The offense was the big story of the night, but there was a subplot. Jameson Taillon in his return to face the team that drafted him had another rough outing. The Cubs are surely approaching a difficult decision with Jameson. I’m not sure that his stuff would play significantly better out of the bullpen, but he doesn’t appear to have the ability to consistently get major league hitters out well enough to justify his spot in the starting the rotation once a few more pitchers get healthy. You hate to see it, but at some point, unless there is something ailing him that can be fixed physically, he may be nearing the end.
The Cub bullpen came through to keep this one on ice. They threw four scoreless innings, striking out five. Jacob Webb led the way with a perfect inning and three strikeouts. Webb appears to have emerged as the Cubs best reliever. Ethan Roberts appears to be a lot of smoke and mirrors, but he did throw another scoreless inning and has an 0.68 ERA that comes almost entirely in low leverage situations. You almost have to consider him for some higher leverage spots.
Speaking of leverage, am I the only one who has noticed how little leverage the Cub bullpen has encountered year to date? I’ve mentioned this in passing a couple of times. But this is the first time I’ve done a deep dive into it. Prior to Wednesday’s games, the Cubs had played 55 games to the Brewers’ 52. So raw stats can be awkward. But check this out. High leverage opponent plate appearances: Cubs 333 and Brewers 353. So 5 or 6 innings difference despite three less games. The Brewers have been really good, so not super wacky I guess. Medium leverage: Cubs 689, Brewers 732. Now you’re at maybe 10 innings difference despite three less games. The Cubs have faced almost 200 more plate appearances in low leverage situations than the Brewers. So it’s not my imagination.
Last thought. Those three games aren’t nothing either. This first half has been a gauntlet. As someone who blogs about every game, the cadence of the games is always front and center. This has felt like an unending line of games. That was a brutal combo with all of the pitching injuries and has surely exacerbated the Cub problems and them running out of gas. The 10-game losing streak is absolutely disconcerting, but I’m not ready to say that the ship has sailed on this Cub team yet.
Nothing like a win to walk me and surely a whole bunch of others back from the ledge a little.
Three Positives:
Michael Conforto came off of the bench and hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer to help put this one on ice. He got to hang around and have a second plate appearance and drew a walk. You have to love a day that measures out to an 838 wRC+.
This was Ian Happ’s night. A two-run single in the first and a three-run homer late to break a tie. He drives in five of the 10 runs on the night.
Six Cubs in all had a night that registered as over 200 wRC+, including Kevin Alcántara, who walked in his only plate appearance. But this spot goes to Dansby Swanson, another beleaguered Cub vet. He had a single, double, walk, stolen base and two runs scored.
Game 56, May 27: Cubs 10, Pirates 4 (30-26)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Ian Happ (.256). 2-6, HR, 5 RBI, R
Hero: Alex Bregman (.119). 2-6, 2B, R
Sidekick: Michael Busch (.085). 1-3, 2 BB, HBP, RBI, R
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Jameson Taillon (-.169). 5 IP, 21 BF, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 ER, 4 K
Goat: Seiya Suzuki (-.113). 1-5, R, DP
Kid: Moisés Ballesteros (-.045). 0-2, K
WPA Play of the Game: Brandon Lowe’s one-out, three-run, game-tying homer in the third inning. (.250)
Cubs Play of the Game: Alex Bregman doubled with a runner on first and no outs in the seventh inning, setting up Ian Happ’s heroics. (.167)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 55 Winner: Alex Bregman received 52 of 84 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Michael Busch +21
Nico Hoerner +12
Alex Bregman +9.5
Michael Conforto +9
Shōta Imanaga +7
Jameson Taillon/Phil Maton -9
Matt Shaw -10
Dansby Swanson -13
Seiya Suzuki -27.5
Current Win Pace: 86.79 wins
Up Next: The fourth and final game of the series between these two teams. If you haven’t heard, it’s been a few years since the Pirates actually won a home series versus the Cubs. I’m reminded of a game last May 1. Colin Rea faced Paul Skenes in an afternoon game in Pittsburgh. The Pirates staked Skenes to two early runs. But Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki all took Skenes deep and Skenes ended up a loser as the Cubs won 8-3.
Rea comes in with a 4-3 mark and a 4.83 ERA in 54 innings. This will be his ninth start of the season. He hasn’t won since May 1. In four starts since then, he’s allowed 14 runs (13 earned) in 21.1 innings. Last time he started rough but ended up throwing seven innings and allowing just three runs. That was his second quality start (though he technically also had a quality relief behind an opener). Skenes is 6-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 60 innings. This is his 12th start of the year. He’s lost two straight, allowing nine earned runs in 10 innings against the Blue Jays and Phillies.
It’s a tough matchup, but you never know. Maybe the bats are sufficiently awakened to steal one against Skenes and the Pirates.
DENVER — Captain Gabriel Landeskog explained the collapse as an “empty feeling.”
Defenseman Cale Makar described it as “tough,” while Logan O’Connor was even more direct about the season’s end.
“Feels like a waste, to be honest,” the Colorado Avalanche forward said.
The emotions were bitter and raw in the aftermath of the Presidents’ Trophy winners being swept by Vegas. The speed of the Avalanche — their trademark — was neutralized by the Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. Their power play — shaky all season — was a nonfactor.
Changes appear on the horizon, whether it’s to the coaching staff, roster or playing style. The Avalanche became the seventh No. 1 seed in league history to be swept in a best-of-seven series, according to NHL Stats.
Ask goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, though, and there’s no question the Avalanche should run it back with their core.
“Yeah,” Blackwood said, “because they are freaking amazing players.”
Coach Jared Bednar and his future were a hot topic on social media following the 2-1 loss in Game 4 in which the Avalanche struggled at times to get the puck into the Vegas zone. He has one year left on his contact.
“It takes a little bit of time,” Bednar said of processing the series loss. “I can’t really answer that right now. I think that takes a little bit of time with reflection.”
Going into the postseason, Colorado was a favorite to win the Stanley Cup — with good reason.
This team was No. 1 in the league from Nov. 1 until the end of the regular season. They had a club-record 121 points with Nathan MacKinnon (a career-best 53 goals) and Makar leading the way. The team ranked first in both goals per game (3.63) and goals-against (2.40).
The Avalanche cruised through the first two rounds against Los Angeles and Minnesota with an 8-1 record. Then, Vegas and its swarming defense brought the season to a close. Colorado had seven goals all series against the Golden Knights.
“We said it in training camp, it’s Cup or bust for us,” O’Connor said. “We let down coaches, each other, fans, management. It’s on us as players to be far better than we were. The results speak for itself. Lot of disappointment right now.”
The power play was 1 for 10 in the Vegas series. Not a big surprise, given team struggled with it in the regular season, too. They were 45 of 263 (17.1%) after assistant coach Dave Hakstol was brought in to fix it. The team was at 24.8% on the power play in 2024-25.
Back to the drawing board.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last handful of years, get knocked down, you just get right back up,” Landeskog said. “That’s the only way to do it.”
What the roster looks like going forward
For the most part, Colorado will return a similar roster. One of the big decisions will be Brent Burns, the 41-year-old defenseman who’s trying to win his first Stanley Cup. Burns has appeared in 1,007 consecutive regular-season games, trailing only Phil Kessel (1,064).
Other pending free agents include defensemen Brett Kulak, Nick Blankenburg and Jack Ahcan, along with forward Joel Kiviranta. Jack Drury is a restricted free agent.
“We have a lot of good players that are staying around still,” defenseman Josh Manson said. “As long as we keep building around those guys I think we can be competitive.”
Bumps & bruises
Makar didn’t want to delve into the injuries that caused him to miss the opening two games of the Vegas series. The Norris Trophy finalist was held without a point against the Golden Knights.
“I’m not the type of guy to talk with that,” said Makar, who had 20 goals and 59 assists in the regular season. “Did everything I can to feel good and come back and feel confident in my play, and felt 100% out there.”
MacKinnon also was dinged up after blocking a shot with his right knee in Game 3, but played in Game 4. Valeri Nichushkin, though, was sidelined for the season-ending loss.
“There’s a lot of guys dealing with stuff,” Bednar said. “I’m sure it’s the same on every team.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: Zach Ehrhard #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Dodger Stadium on March 24, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No wins for the Dodgers’ minor league affiliates; outscored 21-10. The Drillers saw their matchup with the Naturals postponed and will instead play a doubleheader today.
Player of the day
The job of a leadoff hitter is to set the table, and Zach Ehrhard did that as well as anyone could’ve hoped for in a 5-3 Comets loss. While the four hitters right behind him all went hitless, Ehrhard reached base safely four times and had one of the Comets’ three RBI.
It’s been an outstanding month of May for Ehrhard, who has reached base safely in every single one of his games, including recording a hit in nine of the last 10.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Colton Gordon came into last night’s game having allowed 16 runs in just three starts this month, but for six innings against the Comets, he was phenomenal. The left-handed starter for the Space Cowboys completely shut down an offense that had just gotten into the double digits the day prior.
Trailing 2-0 at the top of the seventh, the Comets looked to Chuckie Robison to even the score with a two-run bomb against the first reliever out of the Space Cowboys’ bullpen. But Chayce McDermott ran into plenty of issues in the eighth, allowing three runs, making OKC’s comeback effort an unsuccessful one.
Although Robinson had the big hit, one ought to look at leadoff hitter Ehrhard as the Comets’ most productive batter. The center fielder finished the game with nearly half of the Comets’ nine hits, continuously stranded by the heart of the order, unable to score a single run.
Double-A Tulsa
The game was postponed
High-A Great Lakes
Although they led from the top of the second inning all the way through the start of the bottom of the ninth, the Loons came out on the losing end of a 3-2 score despite outhitting their opponent 8-3. One day after a slugfest, this offense let down a terrific effort from its pitching staff, one that saw them induce 18 strikeouts, nine of them by starter Zach Root.
Neither team managed more than a single hit with runners in scoring position, but the Dragons did enough for a rally against Nicolas Cruz in the ninth, an inning that saw the Comets commit an error and a balk and allow multiple hitters to reach base without a hit, including a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Outfielder Kole Myers had the best performance among Loons hitters, reaching base in all four of his plate appearances with a pair of knocks and a couple of walks as well.
Single-A Ontario
There isn’t a whole lot a manager or even an offense can do when every pitcher that this team keeps sending out there simply fails to record outs consistently. This was the challenge faced by the Tower Buzzers in what ended up a 13-5 defeat at home, allowing nine of those 13 runs unanswered through the game’s first three innings. Starter Hyuk-Seok Jang couldn’t get out of the first, and the first three relievers who came in for him all allowed multiple earned runs.
Offensively, the Tower Buzzers didn’t make it close, as that’d be unreasonable to ask, but they put up enough of a fight by scoring all five of those runs in the back half of this game. Center fielder Jaron Elkins had a four-hit day, just a home run short of the cycle. Speaking of homers, Ontario’s only one came from third baseman Chase Harlan in the eighth, his sixth of the season.
Transactions
The Great Lakes Loons placed catcher Gio Cueta on the injured list and activated righty Josellyn Gonzalez. The Comets activated catcher Zeby Savala and left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris as Alex Freeland was recalled to the big league club. Meanwhile, the Tower Buzzers activated outfielder Jaron Elkins.
Feb 7, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Baylor Bears guard Tounde Yessoufou (24) shoots over Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
Wednesday, May 27th was the deadline for college players to withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to school. Several big names who had been floated as potential options for the Dallas Mavericks, especially with picks 30 and 48. With everyone’s decisions now made, let’s run through the list of important guys who are staying and going.
Back to school
Amari Allen (F, Alabama)
This is not a surprise, although Allen would’ve very likely been a first-round player. Back to Alabama he goes, where he’ll have an elevated role and a chance to work on improving even further.
Tounde Yessoufou (G/F, Baylor)
Yessoufou was one of those who declared for the draft while also entering the transfer portal. Last year a Baylor Bear, after withdrawing from the draft he will be playing at Madison Square Garden… for the Johnnies. This is a player I would’ve taken at 30 for Dallas.
Milan Momcilovic (F, Iowa State)
After entering the draft, Momcilovic is also returning to school, where he will apparently be making upwards of $5 million next year. Can’t say I blame him, but losing a 49% three point shooter from this class is a bit disappointing.
Billy Richmond (F, Arkansas)
UPDATE: Billy Richmond has just switched course and will return to Arkansas next season, per his agent Bill Duffy of WME. https://t.co/nLhxOxGIuv
After initially staying in the class, Richmond’s reversal of course sends him back to Fayetteville.
Tyler Tanner (G, Vanderbilt)
One of my absolute favorites, Tanner will return to Vanderbilt as a preseason All-American and one of the five best players in the SEC. While it is a bummer he is no longer in the class, he will be a joy to watch in college one more time.
To the league
Allen Graves (F, Santa Clara)
Graves was an interesting case, as his draft range could be awfully wide. However, instead of taking a large NIL bag from LSU or Duke, the Santa Clara product will head to the NBA as a likely top 25 pick.
There were rumblings that Anderson might enter the portal earlier this offseason, but once that didn’t happen it was pretty clear that he was headed for the NBA. He will likely be a top 25 selection as well.
Koa Peat (F, Arizona)
I talked to 10 NBA executives and got their takes on what these guys should do:
Christian Anderson: 10 (go to NBA), 0 (back to college) Meleek Thomas: 9 (NBA), 1 (college) Allen Graves: 8 (NBA), 2 (college) Tounde Yessoufou: 5 (NBA), 5 (college) Koa Peat: 7 (college), 3 (NBA)…
This was an interesting case, as most NBA executives polled by the Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman said Peat should return to school. Alas, he stays in the class.
Meleek Thomas (G, Arkansas)
While no official announcement was made, ESPN’s Johnathon Givonny reported on Thursday that Thomas is indeed keeping his name in the draft. He is a likely first round pick, and depending on where Dallas goes at pick nine, he’s very much in play for them in the late first.
What’s next
It’s officially workout season for these prospects. As reports surface on who the Mavericks are bringing in, we’ll keep you posted right here at Mavs Moneyball.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 26: Evan Carter #32 of the Texas Rangers is congratulated by Ezequiel Duran #20 after hitting a solo home run during the third inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field on May 26, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning, all!
Evan Grant remembers Bob Horner, who was the first overall pick by the Atlanta Braves in 1978, slipped the minor leagues entirely, posted over an .800 OPS in 8 of his 10 pro seasons, and had his career cut short due to a bad shoulder.
With the Rangers now on their third year of offensive futility, could the answer be pivoting to contact and small ball?
Last night was a poor showing all around, so the offense doesn’t have to shoulder all the blame.
The Rangers have designated Andrew McCutcheon for assignment and signed utility infielder Nicky Lopez after infield injuries depeleted their infield depth and McCutcheon appeared to not have much left in the tank.
Deemed the most hated team in the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights have become a league-wide punching bag for a long list of reasons. But beyond the villain narrative, they were simply my team.
From 2003 to 2014 the only hockey Sin City had was the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL, and fifteen years ago that was my first taste of the sport. Then on June 22, 2016, hockey was back. Las Vegas became home to the NHL’s 31st franchise, and the city’s first major professional sports team. For me and many others at that time it gave us a hometown team that we could not only root for, but grow up with.
The Golden Knights didn’t just reshape the NHL, they reshaped the city itself. Youth hockey in Southern Nevada has skyrocketed, surging roughly 268% to over 400% since 2017. Statewide USA Hockey registrations have jumped from 500 players to nearly 3,000 today.
The largest spike is at the 8U level, where girls' hockey alone has grown by 681%. With ice time maxed out, rinks overbooked, and not enough sheets to meet demand, local groups have stepped up. The Jake Kielb Hockey Foundation launched a $15 million campaign to build the Las Vegas Community Sports Complex, complete with two NHL-sized rinks and an indoor turf field.
The results speak for themselves. The Vegas Junior Golden Knights became a national powerhouse earning multiple USA Hockey titles – including the 2026 Girls Tier II 16U 1A championship, their second in three years, along with national titles in 2019 and 2023 across several age groups.
UNLV Hockey, which has been steadily growing since 2005, captured its first‑ever ACHA Division I National Championship in 2025 with a decisive 7–3 win over Adrian College. In less than a decade, Las Vegas has transformed from a non‑traditional market into a legitimate hockey pipeline.
And as someone who most definitely can’t bodycheck or shoot a puck whatsoever, I stand with the team that encouraged me to pursue journalism.
I stand by the early morning practices I woke up for.
I stand with celebrating my 13th birthday at a game.
I stand with the moment Marc-Andre Fleury stopped his car mid-drive to sign my stick.
I stand with Deryk Engelland signing the back of my jersey.
I stand with the person I was a year ago who walked into a development camp not as a fan, but as a journalist. I stand by the fact that at 19 years old I got to write a piece about the Mitch Marner trade. I stand by the experience that I got to be in the same room as journalists I grew up reading and watching, people who I’m lucky enough to have in my corner as I still work my way up in this world.
And to be absolutely clear: standing with the Knights does not mean standing with every player who has ever worn the jersey, nor every decision the organization has made. My loyalty isn’t about excusing anyone’s behavior.
This is about the team that made me love hockey in the first place, and the next chapter we get to watch unfold. From welcoming PWHL Las Vegas to watching the Golden Knights skate into their third Stanley Cup Final.
If you told Nikolaj Ehlers 10 years ago that he'd be one win away from making it to his first Stanley Cup Final, the then 20-year-old sophomore Winnipeg Jets forward likely wouldn't believe that it took that long.
What he also wouldn't believe is that he'd be doing so with the Carolina Hurricanes.
A long-time member of the Jets, Ehlers was drafted and developed through Kevin Cheveldayoff and Mark Chipman's system.
He put up 25 or more goals and 50 or more points in five of his 10 seasons in Manitoba and quickly became a fan favourite in and around Winnipeg.
He loved the team, the city and its fans.
Photo by James Guillory/USA Today
Ehlers, who moved around a fair bit as a child and teenager, has actually called Winnipeg home longer than any other city he's lived in over the course of his 30 years.
'Fly,' as he's called by teammates who marvel at his breathtaking speed and acceleration, quickly developed a friendship with fellow Scandinavian, Patrik Laine. The two seemed inseparable during their early years with the Jets.
The only place they were separated was on the ice.
For reasons unknown to the average fan, head coaches in Winnipeg have always liked Ehlers, but have never rewarded him quite the way he'd have hoped. None of Claude Noel, Paul Maurice, Dave Lowry, Rick Bowness or Scott Arniel gave Ehlers the opportunity for top-line minutes or considerable time on the first power play unit.
And that ultimately led to his departure last summer.
Nikolaj Ehlers: "I Really Did Love Living and Playing in Winnipeg."
As his long-term contract neared its conclusion, Ehlers' frustration with his usage and on-ice deployment continued to grow. It boiled over to the point of opting to use his unrestricted free agent right to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes - to the tune of six years and $51 million.
Ehlers, who often mentions the importance of his family when making decisions, said he received input from his father, Heinz - a longtime coach in his native Denmark - when talking about his playing future.
Opting for a change of scenery, Ehlers chose Raleigh, North Carolina as his new stomping grounds. That decision has already given him more points, power play minutes and more Stanley Cup Playoff wins than any singular season in Winnipeg garnered over his first 10 years in the league.
So, to say he made the 'right' decision.
Last week, after seeing his Canes fall to Montreal in the Eastern Conference Final series opener, Ehlers scored two goals - including the overtime winner - in Carolina's Game 2 victory. The Hurricanes have since gone on to pick up two more victories in the series, moving to within one win of the Stanley Cup Final.
He did so with his father in attendance at the game.
For Ehlers, making it to the Final will provide another difficult speed bump: the Vegas Golden Knights.
The full welcome back tribute video for #Canes’ forward Nikolaj Ehlers.
A team that stood in Winnipeg's way more than once in the postseason - most notably in 2018, winning the Western Conference Championship in Manitoba, en route to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in just their first year of existence.
Sure, there are a number of Manitobans on the Golden Knights, but they've all been there before. This time, it's Ehlers' time to shine. With one more victory over the suddenly powerless Canadiens, he will have that chance to skate as one of the final two teams remaining in the playoffs.
Oh, and he'll be doing it alongside Winnipeg's top current hockey player, Seth Jarvis, who is also coincidentally signed through the 2030-31 season in Carolina.
No, he's no longer with Winnipeg, but according to most in the Manitoba prairies, he will always be an easy choice to cheer for - even while dressed in Carolina's unfamiliar red and black.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 20: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets talks with James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals before the game at Nationals Park on August 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres are coming to town, which means one thing, it is time to re-examine the Juan Soto trade. Back in 2022, Mike Rizzo and AJ Preller swung arguably the biggest trade of the 21st century. With the Nats in full rebuild mode, and in need of help on the farm, they traded their crown jewel Juan Soto to the Padres for an historic prospect return.
Updated trade summary:
Padres get – Juan Soto, Josh Bell Nationals get – Luke Voit, Mackenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell III, James Wood, Jarlin Susana
As we all know, this trade will define the next decade of Nats baseball. Usually, when you are trading a top 5 player in the sport at 23 years old, it is tough to win that deal. However, to Mike Rizzo’s credit, he hit this out of the park. The foundation of the Nationals is built around the pieces from this Juan Soto deal.
At the time, people debated who the true headliner of the deal was. That was not because there was a lack of blue chip talent coming back. It was quite the opposite, with the Nats getting 4 high end young players in the swap. CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III, and James Wood all had arguments at the time to be the best piece.
Abrams and Gore were former top 10 picks who had already reached the big leagues. Tough MLB debuts had dropped their stock ever so slightly, but they were still ultra-valuable pieces. Robert Hassell was yet another top 10 pick who was doing great things in High-A at the time. He seemed like such a safe profile due to his great hit tool. However, James Wood was seen as having the most upside. He was still years away, but his freakish size, power and athleticism immediately stood out in pro ball.
As someone who values upside, I was probably most excited about Wood. I had never seen him play, but I heard tales of his freak athleticism. He was not a top 25 prospect in baseball yet, but it only felt like a matter of time before he got there.
As it turns out, Wood became the prize of the deal. He raced through the minor leagues in 2023 and 2024, making his debut in July on ‘24. His stock kept exploding, even becoming Baseball America’s number one prospect and getting compared to Dave Winfield.
There have been some swing and miss issues, but Wood has turned into one of the best young hitters in the sport. So far in 2026, he has taken his game to another level. His 175 OPS+ is historic for a player his age. Last season, he tailed off in the second half, but if he avoids doing that again, he is well on his way to being an MVP candidate one day.
James Wood has a 175 OPS+ in his age-23 season.
Here are the only AL/NL batters to produce an equal or better OPS+ in their age-23 season in the Live Ball Era: pic.twitter.com/Y9tuolmUkk
Usually when you trade a generational talent, you don’t get another guy with nearly as much upside in return. The Nats did just that when they got Wood. While Wood is not the pure hitter that Soto is, he has even more raw power and is a better athlete. He is such a special player and is only 23 years old.
However, Wood is not the only player from the Soto trade performing at a star level this season. CJ Abrams is playing the best baseball of his career, with a 162 OPS+ and a .937 OPS. While Abrams has gotten off to hot starts in the past, he has never been this good for this long. Wood and Abrams lead all of baseball in offensive WAR this season.
The Mike Rizzo trade of Juan Soto was an organizational game changer. Not talked about enough. pic.twitter.com/pba6Ld3Rf0
The Nats have shockingly been the best offense in baseball through two months, with Wood and Abrams being the catalysts. Meanwhile, the Padres are bottom five in runs scored and Soto has been off the team for years now. The Padres still have a solid record, but it is because of their pitching staff. If they had Wood and Abrams, the Padres would arguably be the World Series favorites.
It has not been totally smooth sailing for the Soto return though. The previously mentioned Robert Hassell has seen his development stall out. He had some time in the big leagues last year, but he has been passed by a lot of outfielders in the organization. Hassell’s hit tool simply was not as good as advertised. That sunk the profile, but this did not really hurt the Nats that much.
The other big piece in the Soto deal was MacKenzie Gore. At the time, Gore was injured, so he did not pitch in 2022. However, he became a fixture at the top of the Nats rotation from 2023 to 2025. Gore showed flashes of ace level upside, but never was able to put it together. Like a lot of these guys, Gore had a tendency to fade down the stretch.
In Paul Toboni’s first offseason, he traded the enigmatic lefty to the Texas Rangers for a prospect haul that looks really good so far. Devin Fitz-Gerald, Yeremy Cabrera and Abimelec Ortiz have all looked great. Headliner Gavin Fien has spent a lot of time injured, but he still has a lot of promise. These youngsters just add to the Soto trade legacy and make the tree even larger.
Juan Soto trade tree:
James Wood CJ Abrams Jarlin Susana Gavin Fien Alejandro Rosario Devin Fitz Gerald Abimelec Ortiz Yeremy Cabrera
Speaking of the Soto trade tree, the Padres eventually realized they would not be able to re-sign Soto. The wheeling and dealing AJ Preller decided to trade Soto to the Yankees, in a deal that worked out well for them. Michael King and Randy Vasquez are both in the Padres rotation. They also sent Drew Thorpe, who they got in that deal to the White Sox in the Dylan Cease deal. While Cease is gone now, he had two solid years with the Padres.
That trade and its after-effects are still so big for both teams. I have not even mentioned Jarlin Susana yet either. He was the last piece of the deal, but he has turned into a flame throwing pitching prospect with electric stuff. Susana is hurt right now, but he will be pitching for the Nats at some point.
The Juan Soto trade will forever connect these two franchises. It is one of the biggest trades in baseball history. As you guys know, I get on Mike Rizzo a lot, but he absolutely hit this deal out of the park. It takes guts to trade a player the caliber of Soto, who was still only 23 years old. Rizzo knew it was the best move for the team, and I think he took the best package he could have possibly gotten.
With the Nats on the upswing now, hopefully Wood and Abrams will be making impacts in playoff games before too long. A lot has gone wrong for the Nats in the 2020’s, but the Juan Soto trade was not one of those things. It is a shame Soto was not a National for life, but this trade set up the Nats very well for the future. Hopefully James Wood can be the Nat for life that Soto could not be.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 27: Leody Taveras #30 of the Baltimore Orioles runs the bases against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 27, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Heading into last week’s series against Detroit, our fearless leader Mark Brown proclaimed that the Orioles were “at another crisis point.” Believe it or not, this team actually responded. Baltimore secured back-to-back series victories over the Tigers and Rays to inch closer to .500. The team exploded for five runs in the first inning and completed the sweep last night at Camden Yards. Don’t let the O’s get hot!
The Orioles will have an opportunity to make up more ground against another AL East opponent that has struggled to start the season. The Blue Jays entered 2026 as the reining American League champs, but they will enter this series at a disappointing 27-29. Similar to Baltimore, the Jays hold consecutive series victories over Pittsburgh and Miami. Toronto squeaked out a 2-1 win over the Marlins yesterday afternoon.
The Jays have been trying to overcome early injuries to several key players. The team lost Dylan Cease, José Berríos, Shane Bieber, and Max Scherzer from its rotation. Alejandro Kirk is out with a left thumb fracture, and our old pal Anthony Santander has yet to make an impact for his new team after undergoing left shoulder labral surgery.
Former international free agent Kazuma Okamoto leads the team with 11 home runs. Vlad Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Daulton Varsho, and Jesús Sánchez remain offensive threats. Louis Varland (2-1, 0.31 ERA) has taken over the closer job from near Orioles Jeff Hoffman (3-3, 4.81 ERA). I can’t imagine Hoffman will find much pity in the comment section.
The Orioles have a long way to go, but the team appears to be clicking at the right time. Another series win would go a long way toward getting this season back on track.
Game 1: Thursday, May 28, 6:35 PM
RHP Chris Bassitt (4-3, 5.51 ERA) vs. LHP Patrick Corbin (2-1, 3.86 ERA)
The Orioles provided Chris Bassitt an extra day of rest by sending out rookie Trey Gibson last night. Bassitt allowed three earned over 4.1 innings his last time out against Detroit. The veteran has fallen short of expectations so far this season, but the 37-year-old still has a chance to get things right. He displayed glimpses of past success with six innings of one-run ball against the Athletics and 6.1 innings of one-run ball against the Astros.
Patrick Corbin joined Toronto after spending 2025 with the Rangers. The former National routinely earned “credit” on the Tony Kornheiser Show for going out there and pitching every five days despite struggling at the end of his tenure in Washington. Corbin led the league in earned runs allowed in 2021, 2022 and 2024, but he eclipsed 150 innings over each of the last five seasons. He’s off to a decent start up north with a 2-1 record and 3.86 ERA.
It will be interesting to see if the Orioles send out Samuel Basallo and Jackson Holliday against Corbin. Both sat against a left-handed starter on Wednesday.
Game 2: Friday, May 29, 7:05 PM
LHP Trevor Rogers (2-6, 6.96 ERA) vs. TBD
Speaking of players that have fallen short of expectations, Trevor Rogers has entered the chat. Rogers has struggled to put away hitters over the last month and has allowed a crazy amount of damage with two strikes and two outs. Rogers failed to complete five innings and allowed four earned runs last week. He’s provided some candid and emotional post game remarks but does not believe he’s tipping his pitches.
Can the Orioles accomplish any of their goals without getting Rogers back to form? The lefty earned a long leash after an absolutely dominant 2025. The Orioles gave Rogers a 15-day breather when he went down with the flu, but he obviously still needs a reset. The team will continue to give the free-agent-to-be opportunities, but the leash will only grow shorter with time.
The Blue Jays had yet to list starters for Game 2 or Game 4 as of Wednesday evening.
Game 3: Saturday, May 30, 4:05 PM
RHP Brandon Young (3-1, 3.47 ERA) vs. RHP Trey Yesavage (2-1, 2.25 ERA)
I spent some time giving Brandon Young his flowers earlier this week. Nobody expected Young to play this big of a role this early in the season. The 27-year-old was reassigned to minor league camp on March 7 with 67 players still on the roster. The Orioles turned to Young after losing several starting pitchers to injury, and the Big Texan has outperformed projections up to this point.
Trey Yesavage made quite the impact down the stretch last season. Yesavage capped an impressive debut with 5.1 scoreless innings against the Yankees in the ALDS. Yesavage still has his rookie status intact, and he’s right in the mix for AL Rookie of the Year with Munetaka Murakami, Kevin McGonigle and Samuel Basallo.
Game 4: Sunday, May 31, 12: 15 PM
RHP Kyle Bradish (2-6, 3.86 ERA) vs. TBD
Kyle Bradish appears to be back on track after hitting a few speed bumps. Bradish shutdown the Rays in his last two appearances and has his ERA back in the threes. The Orioles could not afford to have Bradish and Rogers struggling at the same time. The righty has looked the part of a rotation leader over his last five outings. Maybe he can provide Rogers a template to follow.
It’s tough to win a four-game series against another talented team, but the Orioles can do it if they play liked they did against Tampa. How many games do you expect Baltimore to win in this four-game set against Toronto? Let us know in the comments below!
READING, PA - APRIL 22: Raylin Heredia #23 of the Reading Fightin Phils takes the field prior to the game between the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and the Reading Fightin Phils at FirstEnergy Stadium on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in Reading, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cade Burdette/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Wednesday was the night of offense for the Phillies prospects. There were quite a few hitters to make note of on the evening, including one that might just might force his way back into the major league picture.
Lehigh Valley 7, Buffalo 6
Felix Reyes just continues to hit minor league pitching. This time, he goes three for five with two home runs and four runs batted in.
Felix Reyes continues to just demolish Triple A pitching. He absolutely crushed another home run and added a double to the warning track for 2 hits today. pic.twitter.com/tBdvF3lCwn
This time, joining in on the fun, was Gabriel Rincones, Jr., who also had three hits on the day. At least there were some outfielders in the Phillies organization able to hit the ball.
Harrisburg 8, Reading 4
The Jean Cabrera downfall continues as the right hander allowed five runs on six hits and a walk over 4 2/3 innings. He did strike out seven, but he still continues to struggle this season. Wonder if there is a hidden injury. On a lighter, more positive note, Raylin Heredia had two hits for the Fightin’ Phils, one being a home run.
— Reading Fightin Phils (@ReadingFightins) May 27, 2026
For me and my limited prospecting knowledge, Heredia is still one to watch as he continues climbing the minor league ladder.
But hey, it’s Thursday and that means it’s Gage Wood Day for Reading!
Jersey Shore 5, Frederick 4
Kodey Shojinaga had three hits for the Blue Claws, leading the offense. Luke Davis chipped in with two hits of his own. On the pitching side, maybe the biggest news was the continued rehab of Wen-Hui Pan. He threw another scoreless inning as he continues working his way back from Tommy John surgery. While he likely won’t impact the big league team this season, this is something to watch in the future as they continue to try and develop relief arms from within.
Clearwater 16, Dunedin 6
The pitching? Eh.
The hitting? Well that’s a horse of a different color. Matthew Ferrera had three hits on the night. Griffin Burkholder had two, Alirio Ferrebus had one. Heck, Robert Phelps and Jonathan Hogart had four runs scored a piece. It was a veritable explosion from the Thresher offense. What’s nice though is that it was some of the team’s more prominent prospects in Ferrera, Burkholder and Ferrebus that were doing the damage. Would be nice if some of them made themselves a little more attractive to other teams.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 27: Anthony Nunez #66 and Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 27, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Once upon a time, Kansas City was effectively the farm team of the Yankees despite being a fellow major league franchise. They were the Athletics back then, but flash forward to modern times and Kansas City felt like a home away from home as the Yankees demolished the Royals. After sweeping them to open up their road trip, New York has given themselves a chance to charge right back in the AL East race provided they could get a bit of help from an unlikely source. As it turns out, the O’s were up to the challenge.
Baltimore Orioles (26-30) 11, Tampa Bay Rays (34-19) 2
Baltimore has gotten a win in just about every way possible in this series against Tampa Bay, opening with a barnburner 13-inning win before getting a dominant performance from Shane Baz against his former team. Wednesday saw them mix the two, getting an outing from Trey Gibson that could’ve easily gone sideways as he allowed 10 baserunners yet only one crossed home plate in 5.2 innings. That was more than enough to put him in line for the win, thanks to his lineup gifting him a 5-0 lead after the first inning.
The Orioles couldn’t have asked for a better start, with their first six batters reaching base. Gunnar Henderson launched a two-run shot to start the scoring, and after a Pete Alonso single (which was his 1,000th career hit) and a pair of walks loaded the bases, Leody Taveras poked a single out to right to score a third. Tyler O’Neill made the first out on a strikeout, but Blaze Alexander lined another to right to cash in the next two runs before Steven Matz finally got out of the inning.
O’Neill made up for dropping the hit baton earlier by driving in a run in the third to make it 6-0, and Alexander doubled in two more in the fifth to make it a whopping 8-0 Orioles lead. After Tampa scratched across one in the sixth to chase Gibson at last, Henderson got it right back with his second homer of the game. Alexander completed an incredible day at the plate for himself with a two-run shot in the seventh, giving him six RBI on the night. The Rays worked a bases-loaded walk in the eighth to give them their second run, but an actual rally was denied as Andrew Kittridge struck out the next three batters and Anthony Nunez retired the Rays in order in the ninth.
The Orioles exacted revenge after getting swept by Tampa a week ago down in the Trop by sweeping them in Camden, and with the Yankees’ sweep of the Royals the top two teams in the East are tied with 34 wins. Tampa’s played less than New York at the moment though, so they still have a crucial 1.5 game lead built up off of having three less losses, but after a split washed out their chance to gain ground against them directly they got as good of an immediate result as they could’ve asked for.
Other Games
Toronto Blue Jays (27-29) 2, Miami Marlins (26-31) 1: The Jays continue to try and claw their way back to .500, and they narrowly made progress in that quest with a nail-biter against Miami. Kevin Gausman coughed up a run in the first inning after a leadoff double got cashed in, but wound up going five innings with just that one blemish on his record. Toronto couldn’t get anything going against Eury Perez, but he left the game after just four innings of work and they tied the game in the very next frame on a Nathan Lukes RBI double before taking the lead for good on Kazuma Okamoto’s solo shot in the sixth. Miami couldn’t come up with an answer, running into an out in the seventh and a strike-‘em-out, throw-’em-out double play in the eighth to end any threat of scoring.
Cleveland Guardians (33-25) 3, Washington Nationals (29-28) 2: Gavin Williams did more than enough to keep the Guardians in this game long enough for their offense to wake up, tossing seven innings and scattering enough weak contact to allow just one run despite only getting four strikeouts. His endurance paid off, as the Guardians cashed in for three runs in the fifth inning, benefitting from a leadoff error to start the frame. Travis Bazzana hit a one-out double and a sac fly tied the game at one, before Chase DeLauter and Angel Martínez knocked in runs on RBI singles to tip the needle.
The extra run was needed as the Nats had a ninth inning rally, both Curtis Mead and CJ Abrams singling to put the tying run on base ahead of a sac fly to cut the deficit to one. Abrams stole second to put himself in scoring position, but Cade Smith hunkered down and struck out the next two Nationals to secure the save.
Seattle Mariners (28-29) 9, Athletics (27-29) 1: At long last, the defending AL West champs have taken back first place. The West has been a mess throughout the first third of the season with the Athletics leading it for most of this run thanks in large part to the expected competitors tripping all over themselves, but the Mariners have charged back thanks to a sweep bookended by nine-run eruptions by the offense.
Rob Refsnyder got them off to a good start with a three-run homer in the first inning, and Colt Emerson made it a sizeable lead with a two-run triple in the fourth. Emerson tacked on one more in the sixth on an RBI groundout, and Julio Rodríguez got in on the action with a three-run home run in the eighth to put the game well out of reach. The A’s broke the shutout in the ninth inning, but it took a double-play to do so effectively ending their chance of chaining enough hits together to make things interesting.
Houston Astros (25-32) 4, Texas Rangers (25-30) 3: Jacob deGrom and Mike Burrows handed in solid starts for their respective teams, giving six and seven innings respectively with two runs allowed each. The difference-maker came after their exits, with the eighth inning wrapping up our scoring: Yordan Alvarez hit a solo shot to break the tie, and after Christian Walker lived up to his last name and walked Taylor Trammell dropped a sacrifice bunt that got real goofy when pitcher Tyler Alexander fielded it and chucked it past his first baseman. Walker scored all the way from first, and that run proved pivotal as Joc Pederson crushed his second homer of the night to leadoff the bottom half. The rest of the Rangers managed just a walk after that though, giving Houston the W.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - APRIL 22: Bryce Mayer #6 of the Corpus Christi Hooks pitches during the game between the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Braeden Botts/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (23-30) won 5-3 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the 3rd inning on a Cole RBI single. They scored another run in the 6th on a Loperfido groundout. Gordon got the start and was great tossing 6 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. Hader pitched in relief but allowed a 2 run home run, though both runs were unearned, over one inning. Sugar Land took the lead in the 8th on a Biggio RBI single and Winkler 2 run home run. Murray allowed a run in the 9th but held on for the save as Sugar Land won 5-3.
Colton Gordon, LHP: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Josh Hader, LHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (WIN)
Jayden Murray, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (SAVE)
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (22-25) won 11-3 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on a Sullivan 2 run home run. They got another run in the third inning on an Austin RBI triple. Mayer got the start and pitched well allowing 1 run over 4.2 innings while striking out 9 batters. The offense added more runs with a Holy RBI single in the 6th and Ferreras 2 run single in the 7th. The offense added more runs in the 9th on a Bruthcer 2 run single, Guillemette 2 run single and Holy sac fly.
Hudson Leach, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (9-37) lost 11-5 (BOX SCORE)
Rodriguez got the start for Asheville but struggled allowing 6 runs over 3.2 innings. The offense got 4 runs back in the third inning on a Frey 2 run double, Call RBI double and Lytle sac fly. The offense got another in the 7th on a Frey RBI double but the pen allowed another 5 runs. The offense was unable to score again as Asheville fell 11-5.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (20-27) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Wakefield solo home run and Huezo RBI single. Potter got the start and was pitching well tossing 3 scoreless innings but a rain delay caused his start to end early. The Woodpeckers got another run in the 8th inning on a passed ball. Oakes pitched well in relief allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, over 5 innings. Cassedy tossed a scoreless 9th inning as he closed out the 3-2 win.
May 12, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) hits a single during the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Good morning everyone! Your Seattle Mariners get to enjoy this off-day in sole possession of first place in the American League West after confidently toppling the A’s last night 9-1.
The squad will now head back home for a pair of interleague battles against the Diamondbacks and Mets. What are you most looking forward to during this homestand?
In Mariners news…
Dan Wilson and Jerry Dipoto each privately met with pitchers Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo to smooth over any potential issues revolving around the piggyback situation. The club reiterated that it plans to continue with the setup for the foreseeable future.
Around the league…
The MLBPA presented its first official proposal in the latest round of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations. Among many items in the proposal were a near-doubling of the league minimum salary, a reduced year of club control for players older than 30, and a “competitive-integrity tax” which would serve as a pseudo-salary floor. The league will present its first proposal later today.
Veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen has been DFA’d by the Rangers. I really wish he was even half-decent, because he’s right-handed (which the Mariners sorely need) and a ton of fun to root for.
Christian Yelich assured reporters that the beef between the Cardinals and Brewers — stemming from Milwaukee reliever Abner Uribe’s obscene celebration gesture — has been “handled.”
Dodgers prospect Kendall George suffered a leg injury while trying to avoid colliding with the Tulsa Drillers’ bat dog. In response, the team announced that it will suspend the bat dog program.
Phillies right-hander Cristopher Sánchez broke the franchise record with 41 consecutive scoreless innings pitched.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 29: JJ Picollo General Manager of the Kansas City Royals talks with John Sherman Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Royals prior to a game Kauffman Stadium on June 29, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ever wondered what it’s like inside a big league clubhouse like after a blowout loss? I can tell you: it’s quiet.
At least, that’s what it was in the Kansas City Royals clubhouse after getting stomped 15-1 by the New York Yankees on Tuesday evening. Half a dozen or so players sat around a table, silently eating their postgame dinner. The faint sounds of the shower echoed through the hallway. Some players in street clothes, heads down, scrolled on their phones at their locker.
Wading through the foglike weariness politely trudged a small parade of reporters and writers. Three players were offered as a tribute to the ever-churning machine of sports media, as was manager Matt Quatraro in the media room a few minutes prior. The responses were pretty consistent.
“We were getting our brains beat in and nobody feels good,” Quatraro said.
“It’s wearing on me,” first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino said.
Sometimes blowouts like these happen. But this particular loss had teeth. It’s the team’s 13th consecutive loss to the Yankees, two of which happened in the 2024 playoffs. More importantly, it sunk the Royals to 11 games below .500 and was their 14th loss in their last 19 games. Three weeks ago, the Royals were second in the American League Central with a 42.5% chance to make the playoffs, per Fangraphs. That figure has sunk to a lean 13.4%, a figure that feels too high and is only in the double-digits because pretty much everybody in the AL is having a rough go of it.
While the Royals won’t go on losing 75% of their games for the rest of the year like they have for the last two weeks, the players are stuck right now. Losing isn’t fun for anyone, let alone hypercompetitive athletes. “Nobody wants to stand there and watch that,” Quatraro said about the blowout against New York. “But that’s the reality of what happened in the game. There’s nowhere to go.”
Pasquantino echoed that thought. “We just got to keep moving forward and we don’t have a choice,” he said from his locker. “We’re not doing our jobs so we’ve got to get better. We’ve got to keep working hard and we’re going to do that. Like I said, we’ve got faith in this team. Just got to keep pushing forward.”
Vinnie’s thought process is a healthy one. Individual athletes can only really affect two things: their own performance and how good of a teammate they are. He’s committed to getting better to the best of his ability, and he’s tired of losing, but it’s a job and it’s important to keep things in perspective.
But there is a natural silhouette around those words about what athletes can’t do, what they are not employed to do. It is not their job to construct a roster or decide on strategy. It is not their job to evaluate the performance of the team or organization. When things go bad, it’s the players who have to go out there the day after getting blown out and compete in an incredibly difficult league against some of the best athletes in the world, in front of fans who could boo and heckle them. It’s the players putting their bodies on the line and risking damage that could impact the rest of their lives.
Earlier, Quatraro was asked how difficult it was to stay the course when things weren’t going their way during the course of the season. After the question, Q took a short but noticeable pause before answering. “I mean, there’s no alternative but to stay the course,” he said. “We’re not going to blow things up. These guys are working their butts off. We talk about it all the time. You got to trust in the people and the processes that you have and we got to go out there and play better.”
Ah, ‘the course.’ It is one thing to stay the course when the course is a proven path of success. The Royals simply haven’t established that. Yes, the team made the playoffs in 2024. But everything is clearer in hindsight: the further we get away from the season, the uncomfortable truth seems to be that they squeaked into the playoffs mainly through a combination of an incandescent Bobby Witt Jr. masterpiece of a season and the nearby presence of a historically bad, 121-loss Chicago White Sox club floundering about in Kansas City’s division. Without what amounted to a minor league team to beat up on and with a merely great-but-not-otherworldy Witt, the Royals’ course has been mediocre at best.
Vital to this discussion is the longevity of mediocrity going on: the Royals are now 114-132 over their last 244 regular season games, and it took them winning their last two games of 2025 to claw their way out from a losing season. This year, they’re on pace for 98 losses. I don’t need to tell you that this performance is unacceptable for a team that thinks of itself as a good team. They are going backwards.
But is it unacceptable? The players think so. I’m not sure team leadership does, at least not in a way that is impactful. See, there are a wide variety of moves that a team like this can do. Some of them are minor, like taking some creative approaches to lineup construction. Some are maybe a little more involved, like making a change at hitting coach or pitching coach or sending a struggling player back to the minors for a reset. Some of them are somewhat major or even organization-shaking, like making a change at manager or general manager. There are legitimate reasons to make or not make each of these moves, but if the Royals thought that they were a playoff team going into this year, something should have happened by now. We’ve gotten, well, nothing.
Quatraro has gotten a lot of heat lately, but JJ Picollo and John Sherman should be getting more than they are because it’s really their job to evaluate the performance of the entire baseball operations department. The players are giving it all they’ve got. It’s the team leadership that ought to be evaluating if the right players are in the right spots with the right coaching. It’s clearly evident that’s not happening.
The Royals were, of course, swept by the Yankees. They were, naturally, shut out in Wednesday’s game. They’re off on a 10-game road trip. Things might get worse before they get better. But to get better, Royals brass will have to set aside their egos and pay attention.
