Although the Pittsburgh Penguins made the playoffs this year, they are still very much a team that is focused on the future. Because of this, they will be looking to hit with their first-round pick this year.
In his latest mock draft for The Athletic, Corey Pronman predicted that the Penguins would select defenseman Ryan Lin with the 22nd overall pick of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Lin would have the potential to be an excellent pickup for the Penguins' prospect pool if he is still available when they are on the clock. The 5-foot-11 offensive defenseman has shown plenty of promise at the junior level and would immediately become one of Pittsburgh's most fascinating prospects if selected.
In 53 games during this season with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Lin recorded 14 goals, 43 assists, and 57 points. This is after he had five goals and 53 points in 60 games during this past season with the Giants. With numbers like these, it is clear that Lin has good offensive upside, and he could be a strong pickup for the Penguins because of it.
It will be interesting to see if Lin ends up being the Penguins' first-round pick this season. They could use another right-shot defenseman, and Lin is among the most notable as we inch closer to the draft.
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 19: Ha-Seong Kim #9 of the Atlanta Braves rounds the bases during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Friday, September 19, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Monica Bradburn/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After an an eventful and emotional week for Braves Country, we’ve arrived at a well-deserved off day.
The Braves will be back in action tomorrow night, kicking off the homestand with a series versus the Chicago Cubs. Tuesday’s shaping up to be an eventful opener.
Ha-Seong Kim set to return to the majors, updates to come on Sean Murphy as Eli White hits IL
Per reports from Korean outlet SBS News and Lindsay Crosby, Ha-Seong Kim has completed his rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett and is set to be activated for his season debut tomorrow night.
NEWS out of Gwinnett:
Ha-Seong Kim's rehab has been completed, and he's expected to be activated for Tuesday's series opener versus the Cubs.
Yoo Byung-min of Korean outlet SBS News was first with the news
— Lindsay Crosby, big baseball guy (@CrosbyBaseball) May 11, 2026
Kim ends his Triple-A rehab stint slashing .263/.333 /.316 with a .649 OPS in five games with the Stripers. Factoring in his four games with the Double-A Columbus Clingstones, that line is .286/.412/.321 with a .733 OPS.
In additon to the corresponding move for Kim, the Braves are expected to report an update on Sean Murphy’s hand tomorrow.
UPDATE: The Braves make it official and have reinstated Kim. The corresponding move for now is Eli White to the 7-day concussion IL. Feel better soon, Eli!
The #Braves today returned INF Ha-Seong Kim from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list, and placed OF Eli White on the 7-day concussion IL.
Well, that escalated slowly. While Arsenal left it late to score their winner against West Ham on Sunday, they got the job done and now find themselves a couple of straightforward wins against the second worst team in the league and Crystal Palace Under-9s from the Premier League title that has eluded them for 22 years. Except this Arsenal team doesn’t really do “straightforward”, as they showed when letting West Ham nab an added-time equaliser, only for it to be snatched away following an intervention from the curtain-twitching buzzkills in their Stockley Park joy-vacuum. If Football Daily was an Arsenal fan, our soul would almost certainly have left our body as we watched Chris Kavanagh repeatedly rock-and-roll the footage on his touchline monitor, trying to pick through the weeds of the 1,057 different fouls being committed simultaneously by players from both teams. Eventually, he arrived at what (everyone except Peter Schmeichel and a few Pearly Kings agreed) was probably the correct decision.
I write with admiration of Stockport’s Dave Challinor for one or indeed two hidden skills (Friday’s Still Want More, full email edition). May I explain: he either has great willpower for not eating the Smarties on his tactics board and/or he knows how long he can keep his finger on the confectionery before it melts while the picture is taken” – Shaun Clark.
I really enjoyed the photo of Dave Challinor. My question: does he prefer using Skittles, M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces on his whiteboard? I’ve experimented with all three candies in my coaching sessions with U8 and U10 teams over the years. I’d appreciate his expert insight about which is most effective. Or tastes best” – Mike Wilner.
A corner. A melee. Bodies everywhere. Blocks and tugs, pulls and shoves. A VAR decision. Fury. Empty noise. A title perhaps decided; a significant impact on the relegation battle. Shouting. Confused pundits ranting. Social media figures rallying to the side they were always going to take. Welcome to modern soccer.
After what looked like an injury-time equaliser for West Ham was ruled out on Sunday, Arsenal now need only to beat Burnley and Crystal Palace to be sure of their first Premier League title in 22 years. In the relegation scrap, West Ham are a point behind Tottenham, who play at home to Leeds, now safe, on Monday evening. But the big issue is a VAR decision. Of course it is: this is 2025-26.
CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 28: Caleb Wilson #8 of the North Carolina Tar Heels takes pregame shots with a cast on his hand before a game against the Virginia Tech Hokies on February 28, 2026 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 82-89. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Now that the NBA Draft Lottery has taken place, the top of the NBA Draft is now set with the top five picks belonging to the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Clippers.
Caleb Wilson seems to be a consensus top five pick so with the order now set, what would be his best and worst fit?
Best Fit: Memphis Grizzles
Before the lottery, my choice for this spot would’ve been either the Indiana Pacers or the Atlanta Hawks, as both have good rosters and would allow Wilson to join a winning program. Obviously, neither team made the top five (the Pacers actually did land pick number five but had to surrender it to the Clippers). I went with the Grizzlies over the Clippers because Wilson seems to fit better with timeline in Memphis as opposed to Los Angeles, though that could change based on the moves the Clippers make regarding players like Kawhi Leonard.
In Memphis, Wilson would get to play with a young team that has an opening in the post after trading away Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz this past season. With Ja Morant also likely soon out the door the team looks to turn to younger players like wings Cedric Coward, who finished fifth in the Rookie of the Year race, and Jaylen Wells as well as a young center in Zach Edey.
Worst Fit: Utah Jazz
I went back and forth between the Jazz and the Wizards. Both have front courts already in place, and of course neither have shown the ability to win with both finishing in the bottom of the league the past three seasons. However, Washington seems to have made better moves to actually try to win next season (and they play in the East where making the playoffs is easier) by acquiring veterans in Trae Young and Anthony Davis and with Davis’s health, there is a way for Wilson to get some playing time.
However, in Utah they have a young front court of the aforementioned Jackson Jr and former one time Tar Heel Walker Kessler, and though neither are the epitomes of health, both are still young and would be much more established making it harder for Wilson to get the playing time he needs to further develop into the superstar he could easily become.
Projected Spot: Chicago Bulls
Wilson is rated as the fourth overall pick and therefore is being mocked as such to the fourth overall team, which in this case would be the Bulls. The Bulls do have history with former Tar Heels — most recently with Coby White and most notably with Michael Jordan — but are horribly run and currently don’t have a head coach. The Bulls do need size and Wilson would get lots of playing time, but until they hire a coach the situation would look murky due to the ownership alone.
So what do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 9: G League Prospect Aiden Tobiason #3 shoots a free throw during the game during the 2026 G League Combine on May 9, 2026 at Windtrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
One of the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team’s new names is currently in Chicago looking to impress scouts and other NBA personnel.
Aiden Tobiason, who announced he was transferring to the Orange from Temple in April, was among dozens of players picked to suit up for the 2026 AWS NBA G League Combine. Tobiason is currently one of 44 prospects participating in this weekend’s combine, which allows them to showcase their skills through various drills and five-on-five scrimmages.
Right off the bat, we do have some new numbers about how Tobiason measures out:
The nearly 7-1 wingspan definitely stands out the most. Tobiason is definitely bringing a reputation of being a scorer going from the Owls to the Orange. He had a career year in 2025-26, averaging 15.3 points in 35.3 minutes per game on 48% from the field, 34% from three, and 80% from the foul line.
The wingspan could be intriguing if he can improve on the 1.2 steals per game he had last year and truly be a point of attack defender at the one. Tobiason being close to 6-4 will also, in theory, help in that department.
We’ve also got some stats from scrimmages Tobiason took part in. On Saturday, he played nearly 15 minutes and finished with five points on 2/5 shooting, one assist, and one steal. He was plus-eight in his minutes for “Team One,” which defeated Team Two 77-74.
Boxscore from Game 1 of the G League Combine.
Monster game from Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn with 17+12.
USC's Jacob Cofie did a little bit of everything on both ends.
On Sunday, Tobiason had 13 points on 4-9 shooting (2-4 from 3 and 3-4 from the foul line) but his team was on blown out 98-68.
Tobiason previously confirmed to Syracuse.com that he would participate in the pre-draft process, which includes the combine, then head to Upstate New York to participate with the program.
It seems scouts, on first impression, seem to agree.
I did not watch these games, I'm not in Chicago. I'm purely going off of what scouts told me.
I like Tobiason as an intriguing long-term guy but think he should clearly go to Cuse.
Tobiason will be entering his junior year with Syracuse and Orange fans shouldn’t be surprised when he starts appearing in 2027 mock drafts.
Syracuse commit Aiden Tobiason with some nice moments as the youngest player in the camp. Great length, shoots a pretty ball, competes defensively. Turns 20 tomorrow. Intriguing one to keep on the draft radar for 2027 and beyond. https://t.co/HFpfjRpFjc
For the second straight season, the Knicks are going to the Eastern Conference Finals, this time on the back of a 4-0 sweep over the 76ers. New York won the series by a combined 89 points, averaging out to roughly a 22-point blowout per game, despite most expecting a competitive six- or seven-game series.
Instead, the Knicks delivered their most dominant stretch of basketball in recent history, and will look to build off that momentum to make their first NBA Finals appearance in over a quarter-century. Here’s how they did it, and what we can glean from it going forward.
From a bird’s eye view, there was no area of the game that the Knicks didn’t spectacularly outperform. In the series, they scored 129.1 points per 100 possessions, eight points higher than the regular-season leader, and allowed only 106.3, or worse than the rock-bottom Nets.
However, let’s start with the defense, as it was the foundation for this conclusive win. The Philly offense is run through its two cornerstones – Joel Embiid and TyreseMaxey – and New York was able to stop them at the source.
Embiid’s 26.9 points per game during the regular season dropped to a measly 18.7 against New York, though he was relatively efficient and able to get Karl-AnthonyTowns and the Knicks in foul trouble. That was seemingly the ceiling to his contributions, though.
In Game 1, Embiid went just 3-for-11 from the field, despite largely being covered solo. After missing Game 2, the Knicks went to a more aggressive strategy, sending a second defender on every touch.
This forced Embiid into more of a playmaker role, where he struggled with six turnovers in the final two games. New York did a strong job of bodying up the paint, so Embiid had to generate much of his offense on the perimeter, where his jumpshot wasn’t bailing him out this series.
He wasn’t 100 percent, but the Knicks strong-armed and schemed him out of his comfort zone as well. Ditto for Maxey, who looked even less like himself than Embiid did this series.
Maxey went from scoring 28.3 points a night in the regular season and 26.9 against Boston in the first round to just 18.3 versus New York, shooting a rough 43.3 percent from the field and 16 percent from three. Credit to Mikal Bridges and Miles McBride for the jobs they did one-on-one, tracking the explosive Maxey.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) drives against New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) in the third quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Both did an excellent job on the scout and keeping Maxey out of the paint, where he causes the most havoc. He never scored less than 20 against the Celtics and did it three times against the Knicks, in large part due to their defensive talent.
They also schemed Maxey super aggressively, high-hedging or trapping every one of his screens, especially anything towards the baseline where he loves to get going downhill. This forced him to continually burn energy trying to turn the corner on Towns, who’s having the defensive postseason of his life, or try and force passes over the outstretched arms of Knicks defenders.
Maxey couldn’t find the easy targets – if dumped off to Embiid, who needs a beat to make the next read, the defense recovered. The rest of the Sixers didn’t have the scoring or creation chops to continually take advantage of a 4-on-3 halfcourt, especially with how quickly and accurately the Knicks rotated.
Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson and the rest of the roster cannot be overlooked here. They each did their jobs on multiple different matchups, allowing the heavy-handed defense on Embiid and Maxey to work.
When the Sixers would miss, the Knicks did a phenomenal job of securing the defensive boards to take advantage on the other end. The ensuing transition opportunities helped open up the gates for their offense.
The truth is, New York’s offense was historically anomalous in Games 1 and 4, while doing just enough in Games 2 and 3. A lot of that has to do with the mental side of the game and some shooting luck, but the headline from the series is the Knicks found their winning recipe on this end.
Their strategy carried over from the back end of the Hawks series – have Towns facilitate from the high elbow, and watch the embedded motion offense and top-tier talent make use of the space. Towns averaged 7.5 assists against Philly in a show of comfort with the pivot.
This flow got the Knicks so many looks and the Sixers so worried about Towns's passing, that in one Game 4 possession running the same action, Towns kept pivoting for a pass, until his man bizarrely left him wide open for a mid-range swish. It was a hilarious signal of Philly’s panic in trying to cover the Knicks’ vexing attack.
Of course, Brunson was the star of the offense, averaging 29 points and six assists on 51 percent shooting from the field. While he benefited from ample transition opportunities and off-ball looks playing off Towns, he also reminded folks of the gaping chasm in talent between him and the rest of the league.
Philly simply did not have the bodies to guard Brunson, who was a bit slower against Dyson Daniels and the big-winged Hawks. The 76ers opted for sticking rookie VJ Edgecombe, a feisty but smaller defender, on Brunson for most of the series.
Other teams, even the Sixers of two years ago, would have sent more double teams or different, bigger defenders at Brunson. They kept it conservative with Brunson this series, opting to let him beat them one-on-one, and he did so efficiently time and time again.
New York needed more than just their two stars to step up. Anunoby had 18 and 24 points in his two contests before going down with a hamstring injury, and Bridges stepped up in his wake to average 17.5 on 64 percent shooting from the field on the series.
Both were pivotal to the offense converting at this rate, knockdown from range, decisive in attacking smaller defenders, and methodical in their cuts and transition breaks.
Both took on pick-and-roll reps to ease the creation from their stars, while filling in corners and making the little plays required that don’t fill up the stat sheet. But perhaps the Knicks' biggest edge here came from their bench.
While the 76ers struggled to field a true eight-man rotation, the Knicks were finding sparks from all over their pine. Mitchell Robinson was an unsurprising lift, McBride broke out in Game 4 with 25 points on seven threes, Landry Shamet joined the rotation late and delivered two massive games, all while Jose Alvarado and JordanClarkson provided steady hands throughout.
It can be hard to judge a team’s true ability to contend during the regular season, when stakes are lower and randomness much higher. But Knicks fans who waited until the postseason to draw their conclusions are being rewarded handsomely.
These last seven games have been the best basketball New York has played this millennium, with this Philadelphia sweep serving as Exhibit A in their case for competing. If they can build off what got them here, the Knicks have a real chance at accomplishing what they’ve been desperate to.
OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 22: Anthony Eyanson #24 of the LSU Tigers pitches against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in Game 2 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals at Charles Schwab Field on June 22, 2025 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Alec Gamboa went from making his Major League debut earlier in the weekend to pitching five innings of one-run baseball for the WooSox in the finale against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees AAA). Unfortunately, Jack Anderson would come in and let up what would become the game-losing home run, but let’s not pin that all on him. The WooSox looked listless with runners on at the plate, stranding eleven and having just one run until the ninth inning. At least a lot of guys got their knocks, though, with everyone but Kristian Campbell having at least a hit, and even he reached on a walk. It just wasn’t enough to capitalize overall, and the WooSox lost a close one.
For those excited for last year’s third round draft pick Anthony Eyanson to skyrocket through the system , you have reason to be: he looked good in his AA debut, and despite going just four innings he struck out four Fisher Cats (Blue Jays AA) and allowed just a run on three hits and a walk. Eyanson, a product of LSU (Geaux Tigers!), was pretty much untouchable in his time in Greenville to start the year and was given a well-deserved promotion following a combination of his results and his fastball being nasty, topping out at 98. The 21-year-old wasn’t quite as dominant in his first time facing Double-A bats but was also backed up by a great offense, including a white-hot Brooks Brannon having an incredible game: 4 for 4 with a home run, two doubles, a walk and five total RBIs. While the catcher was a big reason for the Sea Dogs’ success, Franklin Arias also had a great day with four hits as his average creeps back up over .350.
It is worth wondering how quickly Eyanson climbs the organization with him already achieving success in college, being seasoned through that success, and being awesome so far in his professional career. This is the same organization that saw Payton Tolle go from Greenville to the Majors in the same season just 12 months ago, so, really, the sky may be the limit.
The Drive are having a disastrous season defensively thus far, and that nightmare continued in Greensboro (Pirates High-A) as the team has still won just one game in May. They’ve now allowed at least ten runs four times this week, and have scored at least nine runs and still lost in three of those. A big part of this game starting off on the wrong foot was due to the Drive finding themselves down 10-0 at some point due to the Grasshoppers treating Luis Cohen’s start like it was batting practice, and it didn’t get better from there, as Joey Gartrell eventually had to just wear some of it while eating some mop-up innings before tempering the lineup down for the remainder of his appearance. Greenville made it appear close by hitting two home runs in the ninth, but this game was never even within striking distance.
Another game that wasn’t within striking distance due to a towering righty from Georgia, Leighton Finley, making light work (Orioles A) of Delmarva for his five innings. Finley actually may have been able to go longer in this one if he wasn’t already at 73 pitches through 5; he has never pitched into the sixth in his professional career as of yet. He departed with a 13-2 lead thanks to the RidgeYaks’ six hits with runners in scoring position, and while you, the reader, or I could have at least generated some outs with that lead, it’s good that these professional pitchers were also able to do so without the game even coming close.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 20, 2026: Kade Anderson #13 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on March 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma squandered a series split with an extra-innings loss in Sunday’s contest, dropping the six game set by a score of 4-2. Despite the loss, the series still managed to provide plenty of outstanding performances offensively, perhaps providing a glimpse at a few bats that could be up with the Mariners awfully soon.
Colt Emerson had a great week at the plate and looks to be making strides in adjusting to Triple-A pitching. The young shortstop collected ten hits this week, one of which was a massive homer he launched out to dead center. Though he’s still striking out more than you’d like to see, at just 20 years old, it’s tough to knock Emerson too much for any early season shortcomings. He’s clearly making progress, and that’s ultimately what matters most for his future as a Seattle Mariner.
Brennen Davis was a monster at the plate this series, taking full advantage of the hitter-friendly stadium in El Paso. Logging 12 hits on the week, Davis’ six doubles and two homers raised his season OPS up to .965 and make him an incredibly attractive candidate to serve as the right-handed platoon mate to Luke Raley or Dom Canzone. He’s a guy I’d expect to get some run with the major league team this year.
Arkansas Travelers
The Travs pulled off yet another series win this week, taking this one by a score of 4-2 over an excellent Tulsa team. This team is playing great baseball right now, and now with both a reliable rotation and complete lineup, they’re looking more and more like the favorite for a first-half crown. There’s still a long way to go, but their turnaround in such a short timeframe has been remarkable.
Kade Anderson awesome again. Final line: 5.2IP, 2H, 1R, BB, 9K, 22 whiffs, 75 pitches, 49 strikes.
Kade Anderson continued his bid for top pitching prospect in baseball this week, working another 5.2 innings of one run ball that featured just three baserunners allowed and nine strikeouts. It’s unbelievable how good he’s been across his first 30 innings of professional baseball, seemingly requiring zero time to adjust to the increased difficulty. Whether it’s Tacoma with the Rainiers or the M’s in the big leagues, don’t be surprised if he’s pitching in the PNW sooner than later.
Ryan Sloan posted one of his better starts in Double-A this week, allowing just one earned run across five frames. Striking out six and walking none, Sloan’s needed some time to get acclimated with Double-A, but this was a great bounceback for him after a bit of a stinker last week. He remains right up there with Anderson in terms of overall potential despite his surface numbers not looking nearly as shiny.
Everett AquaSox
Everett had a dominant week in Hillsboro this week, taking all but one game from the Hops in the weekly slate. This offense has been truly relentless.
There is no other place to start than with Felnin Celesten and his scorching hot bat. Collecting another ten hits this week, Celesten has been on an absolute tear for the better part of three weeks and looks like the superstar player many have thought he’s capable of being. Maintaining a gaudy .484/.553/.839 slash on the month, Celesten has seemingly flipped a switch and ascended to new heights. He’ll head to Arkansas sometime this summer to try his hand against the Texas League.
Luke Stevenson didn’t have his best week offensively, but his plate discipline and power give him such a high floor that even his down stretches are productive. Rocketing two more homers this week, Stevenson seems like a lock to follow the aforementioned Celesten up to Arkansas this summer, a level that will be a massive test to see if his bat-to-ball shortcomings rear their head against the improved stuff. Still just 21 years old, Stevenson will be rocketing up prospect boards come time for midseason reranks.
Inland Empire 66ers
The 66ers caught a series win this week, taking four of six against a very solid Lake Elsinore team. Hopefully they are able to take this win and build on it, as up to this point, it’s been tough going for this 66ers squad.
Mason Peters was dealing again. Final line: 4IP, 3H, 1R, BB, 6K, 9 whiffs, 60-41. Legit. pic.twitter.com/ionnbEScN6
Mason Peters continues to log essentially the same start every week, and fortunately for the 66ers, that start has been consistently excellent. After another four innings with six punchouts and one walk, Peters held his season ERA at 2.25 and owns a 37:6 K/BB ratio through his first 24 innings. The M’s seem to have something really exciting here.
Grant Jay had a really nice week at the plate. An uber-physical catcher with a massive throwing arm, Jay has tremendous power to pair with an uppercut swing that’s catered for launching the baseball as far as humanly possible. This does lead to quite a bit of swing-and-miss, but he’s been able to make it work thus far and has posted excellent numbers this month. Slashing .350/.458/.750 over his last seven games, watch for Jay as a late round sleeper that could pop.
ACL Mariners
The Baby M’s had their first full slate this week, netting an even 3-3 record across their first six. This team has some super exciting names on it, and though it’s going to be several years before they end up contributing at the big league level, many of these players will be leading the next wave of great Mariner prospects.
Yorger Bautista has been dialed in at the plate to kick off his 2026 season. Already with a walkoff bomb under his belt, Bautista has led the way for the M’s offensively and seems to be well adjusted right now. Though the strikeouts are still a touch high, he’s slashing .286/.375/.571, good for a .946 OPS. He’s a tantalizing talent that should absolutely be on people’s radar as a breakout candidate.
May 7, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber (12) is congratulated by first baseman Bryce Harper (3) after hitting a home run against the Athletics at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
This might be the easiest top three we have had in a while. Guess that is what happens when the team is playing good baseball – you have players performing well!
Three up
Bryce Harper – I usually don’t mess around with leaderboards on the bigger numbers until Memorial Day. I’ll use them for searching for specific things that are more granular in nature, or if I’m looking for something that fits my very specific purpose in life. So today, I changed things up and brought up the Fangraphs leaderboards for hitters. Most of the time, filtering by wRC+ shows you the best hitters in the game currently and you’d expect to see the same names. Judge, Ohtani, Yordan – these are the names that are familiar at the top. Twelfth in the game right now? Bryce Harper, holding a 159 wRC+ on the year. His season has been outstanding thus far, this week a particular example (.429/.520/1.048 in 25 PA). Sometimes, we just forget how good Harper really is.
Kyle Schwarber – Want to know who’s eleventh on said leaderboard? One Kyle Schwarber, two points ahead of Harper with a 161 wRC+. He’s on his patented heater, smashing five home runs this week, which is truly what happens when this offense is clicking. Overall, the offense hit 14 home runs on the week altogether. Not too shabby.
Brandon Marsh – It’s hard to leave off a guy who hit .519/.533/.593 on the week, so Marsh gets the third nod here. Sure, we’d rather a lot of those hits be of the extra base variety, but thinking back to when they were doing nothing at the plate during their losing streak, singles are great too.
(bonus!) Cristopher Sanchez – I mean, you can’t leave a guy off a top three that had two starts in which he didn’t allow a run over 15 innings in a week, or over 20+ innings in his last three starts. Sanchez is locked back in at the moment.
Three down
Andrew Painter – Here’s a question: if the team had a viable option in Lehigh Valley that they believed could come to the majors and make a few starts effectively, without overtaxing the bullpen each time that turn in the rotation came around, do you think they’d give Painter a quick timeout in the minors? He was dreadful against the Athletics, which we still should contextualize as just one start, but it showcased some of the concerns that are surrounding the young starter. It’s still very early to worry about anything LONG long term, but this wasn’t a good week for him.
Jesus Luzardo – Luzardo had zero idea where the strike zone was for much of his Friday night start. It was reminiscent of his midseason hiccup last year, which is a shame because he had three really good starts in a row. Of course, the usual undercurrent of pitch tipping was there, but he just kind of stunk Friday.
backup catching – When J.T. Realmuto got hurt, one might not have expected the backup catchers to bring all of the value Realmuto brings to the team, but maybe some kind of semblance of offensive aptitude. Yet this week is a stark reminder: when Realmuto gets hurt and has to miss any chunks of time, the Phillies are in real trouble behind the plate. At least Garrett Stubbs can contribute on the mound…
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Xavier Neyens #9 of the Houston Astros in the field during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (18-21) lost 5-4 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on a Perez 3 run home run. Sugar Land got another run in the third inning on an Alexander RBI double. Weiss got the start and was solid allowing 1 run over 4.2 innings. The bullpen struggled a bit allowing 2 runs in the 6th and then 2 more runs in the 8th as the Isotopes took the lead. The offense was unable to respond as Sugar Land fell 5-4.
Ryan Weiss, RHP: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Joey Mancini, RHP: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Tom Cosgrove, LHP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Hudson Leach, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (15-18) lost 11-5 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Whitaker 2 run single. They picked up 2 more runs in the 4th on a Lytle RBI single and Hernandez RBI double. Dombroski got the start and went 4.2 innings allowing 4 runs. The Hooks retook the lead in the 6th scoring a run on a wild pitch. The Cardinals took the lead in the 7th scoring 5 runs and then got 2 more runs in the 8th.
A+: Asheville Tourists (8-25) lost 17-4 (BOX SCORE)
The Emperors scored 2 in the first inning but Asheville responded with 2 runs on a Brutcher 2 run home run. DeVos, who got the start, continued to struggle allowing 11 runs over 3.1 innings. Steinbaugh allowed another 4 runs as Rome extended their lead. The offense got one in the 3rd on a Schiavone solo home run and another in the 7th on a Schiavone bases loaded walk. Rome added a few more and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Asheville fell 17-4.
Eurys Martich, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (13-20) won 7-6 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers jumped out to a big lead scoring 5 runs in the first inning on a Neyens RBI single, Sierra RBI single and Flores 3 run home run. Smith got the start but struggled allowing 5 runs over 4.2 innings. The Woodpeckers retook the lead with a Sierra RBI single. They picked up another run in the 7th on a Cauro groundout. Carrera was solid in relief allowing just one unearned run in the 9th as he held on for the save.
A day after scoring 13 runs the day before, the Toledo Mud Hens had just six hits in an 8-1 loss, ending the series with the Memphis Redbirds tied at three games apiece.
Max Anderson and Andrew Navigato each had two hits, Ben Malgeri drove in the only Mud Hens run of the day and Tomas Nido scored that run after reaching on a double in the eighth. Toledo had baserunners in each of the first three innings, but there was no follow-up to any of those moments.
Carlos Pena was strong in his seventh start of the year, but he only went three innings after going two on Wednesday. The pitching situation in Detroit means Toledo has to figure things out on the fly, so bullpen games are happening in Triple-A, too.
Pena didn’t miss a ton of bats in this one, but he’s not giving up hard contact either. The result is outs and an ERA down to 0.90 over 29 1/3 innings this year. He only gave up two hits today and didn’t allow any runs.
Tyler Mattison was first out of the bullpen, and he was even better than Pena. Two innings, one hit, one walk and five strikeouts. He landed five first-pitch strikes in eight tries and had a whiff rate of 44% (7/16) today.
The sixth inning is when the trouble started. Yoniel Curet was wild as wild can be, hitting two batters and walking a pair. The second hit-by-pitch scored the first run of the game and got him yanked. That’s really as bad as it can get.
Eric Silva cleaned up Curet’s mess the best he could, but a second run still scored on a groundout. Silva got through the seventh, walking a batter in each inning, but everything else was fine until the eighth came around. Silva gave up a leadoff double, threw a wild pitch and allowed a third run to score on a single from our old friend Bligh Madris. A two-run homer from Ramon Mendoza made it 5-0 and got Silva pulled.
Matt Seelinger took over and walked the first batter he faced, but a strikeout and double play ended the inning without any more damage. Jack Little got the ninth and gave up three more runs. Rough day for the pitching staff, besides Pena and Mattison.
Anderson: 2-4
Navigato: 2-3, 2 2B (4), K
Pena: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K
Mattison: 2.0 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: The Mudhens are in Omaha next week, starting at 7:35 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Erie couldn’t get back in the win column on Sunday, dropping the Mother’s Day game against the Harrisburg Senators, 5-3. Still, it’s a 4-2 week for the SeaWolves.
Erie scored first thanks to an error and two singles. Thayron Liranzo got the RBI. That was all the scoring for the SeaWolves until the eighth, though.
From earlier…Thayron Liranzo rips and RBI single to right center to score John Peck. pic.twitter.com/OOBtIcv9pO
As most Sundays go in the minors, the SeaWolves pieced together a bullpen game on the mound, throwing five pitchers, with none going more than two innings.
Luke Taggart got the start and went 1-2-3 in the first. Duque Hebbert was next. He worked around a two-out base hit and a walk in the second, but he had no such luck in the third. Cayden Wallace tripled in Elijah Nunez, who reached on a one-out walk, Sam Peterson drove in Wallace with a sac fly, and back-to-back homers from Kervin Pichardo and Caleb Lomavita made it 4-1.
John Stankiewicz came in to get out of the third, but he gave up another run with a pair of singles and a wild pitch. The fourth went better for him, retiring the side after allowing a leadoff single.
Wandisson Charles got the fifth and sixth. He faced the minimum despite giving up a leadoff single in the latter frame. A double-play cleaned things up nicely.
Moises Rodriguez got the final two innings for Erie. He gave up a hit in each inning, but his three strikeouts were enough to make us forget about that. Nice work from the backend duo today.
Both of the SeaWolves’ extra-base hits came in the eighth. John Peck led off with a double, and Andrew Jenkins homered him in. That cut the four-run deficit in half, but it was too little, too late.
Andrew Jenkins crushes a 2-run homer 385 feet to left…and nearly takes out the cashier in the Rally Galley in the process. pic.twitter.com/KlN65PstW4
West Michigan lost game No. 14 in a row on Sunday, 8-4, against the Dayton Dragons, capping off another sweep.
If you’re wondering, at least three minor league teams have lost more games in a row in recent memory. The Rocket City Trash Pandas had 16 last year, the Altoona Curve lost 15 in a row in 2024 and the Rochester Red Wings went 0-19 in 2022.
The silver lining is that Bryce Rainer had an incredible night at the plate. He walked four times — seeing 30 pitches over those plate appearances — and hit his second home run in the first inning. Rainer has struggled a bit since coming off an injury, but this is the guy every prospect junkie knows him to be. He’s made some adjustments to his posture, standing a little more upright now with higher hands, although it’s still a pretty busy load. That should open up the pull field more for him, as it did with this blast.
Bryce Rainer crushes a 2-run homer to right center to give West Michigan the lead. Left his bat at 112 MPH according to @ThatDanHastypic.twitter.com/FWNjjulPLs
The 2-0 lead didn’t last long, though, as Dayton scored a run in the second and third innings off Gabriel Reyes. It was a bit of a mixed bag for Reyes today. Seven hits and two walks aren’t good, but six strikeouts and only allowing the two runs are.
West Michigan responded in the fourth with a run. Rainer walked to open the frame and was eventually driven in by Juan Hernandez. Reyes came back out in the fifth with a lead, but he couldn’t get through the inning to qualify for the potential win. Seth Chavez took over with two on and one out and got a double play ball right away.
Juan Hernández singles to the right side and Bryce Rainer (BB) comes around to score and give West Michigan a 3-2 lead. pic.twitter.com/b0XVS7cYDY
Chavez wasn’t as good in the sixth. A leadoff double is always a bad omen. Dayton put up a crooked number, scoring three runs on as many singles. West Michigan manager Rene Rivera got tossed after the third one for arguing balls and strikes. It was a horrible call on 0-2, and Rivera took a mound visit to yell at the umpire a bit. He was ejected before he even got to the mound, so he got his money’s worth.
Ethan Sloan took over with the score at 5-3 in favor of Dayton. He was nearly perfect through 1 2/3 innings, allowing one baserunner on a fielding error. CJ Weins relieved Sloan in the eighth and gave up a two-run home run to double the deficit.
West Michigan scored in the bottom half of the eighth on a bases-loaded walk, but Dayton got the run right back in the ninth with a solo homer. Maybe they’ll figure out a way to win next week…
Rainer: 1-1, HR (2), 2 R, 2 RBI, 4 BB
Reyes: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are on the road next week against the Great Lakes Loons, starting Tuesday at 11:05 a.m. ET.
The Lakeland Flying Tigers took Sunday’s game against the St. Lucie Mets, 8-3, to secure a 4-2 series win.
Carson Rucker got the scoring going in the second, hitting a solo shot to right-center field. It could have been a bigger inning with Javier Osorio singling and Edian Espinal reaching on an error, but Osorio was caught stealing third base. Espinal made up for it in the fourth with the first of two RBI singles. He drove in Rucker, who walked to open the inning.
Meanwhile, Charlie Christensen was dealing for four innings. He gave up just three hits and didn’t allow a runner to reach third. He looked like he had more in the tank, too, with three strikeouts in his final frame.
Andrew Pogue took over for Christensen in the fifth and worked around a two-out single. A leadoff walk in the sixth came back to bite him. A deep single brought the runner around, but the defense made sure to get Randy Guzman trying to stretch out a double.
St. Lucie briefly tied the game up in the seventh on a Chase Meggers single. Another base hit from Simon Juan almost gave the Mets the lead, thanks to a throwing error, but Meggers was tagged out at home on a good throw from Anibal Salas.
Sergio Tapia gave Lakeland the lead back immediately on a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the seventh.
Sergio Tapia unloads on the first pitch he sees in the 7th and it goes for a solo home run to left to give the Flying Tigers a 3-2 lead. pic.twitter.com/3eqjSExFam
Rucker walked later in the inning with the bases loaded to make it 4-2. Osorio singled in two more runs to double that lead, and Espinal hit his own two-run single to make it 8-2. (Well, that escalated quickly.)
Jatnk Diaz came in for the eighth with the idea of closing things out, but he allowed too many baserunners to get the job done. Diaz walked four batters and gave up two hits over 1 1/3 innings. He left the game after St. Lucie scored a run in the ninth, and Eliseo Mota struck out both batters he faced to end the game.
Rucker: 1-2, HR (2), 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K
Christensen: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: Lakeland is on the road next week in Clearwater, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Feb 23, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn (28) takes a lead off third base in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers will enjoy what feels like their 20th off day on Monday in Milwaukee before hosting the San Diego Padres for three games beginning Tuesday evening. The Crew, coming off a big three-game sweep of the Yankees, is sitting at 22-16 on the season, tied with the Cardinals for second place in the NL Central. The Padres, coming off a 2-2 series split with the Cardinals, are 24-16 this season and find themselves tied atop the NL West with the Dodgers.
After getting Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn back last week, the Brewers are still waiting on Christian Yelich to rejoin the lineup. It seems possible — if not likely — that Yelich could be ready for this series. The team also lost outfielder Brandon Lockridge on a nasty slide that injured his right knee on Friday night, an injury that is likely to keep him out for at least a few weeks/a month, though it seems he avoided the worst-case scenario as initial X-rays came back negative. For the pitching staff, Brandon Woodruff, Quinn Priester, and lefty relievers Angel Zerpa, Rob Zastryzny, and Jared Koenig are all out. Woodruff is set to resume throwing this week, meaning he could be back in the next week or two, while Priester’s return is TBD after dealing with shoulder soreness during his rehab assignment. Zerpa is out for the season as he’ll undergo Tommy John surgery today, and Zastryzny and Koenig are both targeting late May/early June returns.
The Padres IL is a balanced mix of pitchers and position players. On the pitching front, San Diego is without Jhony Brito (midseason), Joe Musgrove (second half), Nick Pivetta (midseason), Bryan Hoeing (out for season), and Yu Darvish (out for season) with serious injuries. Germán Márquez is also out until at least June with a forearm injury. On the offensive side, the team is without Jake Cronenworth, who is in concussion protocol, and catcher Luis Campusano, who went on the IL last week with a big toe fracture, keeping him out until at least late May.
Brice Turang leads Milwaukee’s offense through the first month-plus of the season, as he has six homers, eight doubles, and is hitting .298/.422/.511 overall. William Contreras and Chourio round out the heart of the lineup, while Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez have also been key contributors, especially on the power front. The returning Vaughn is another major boost to the lineup, and Tyler Black, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, Blake Perkins, Luis Rengifo, and Joey Ortiz round things out. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .240/.333/.353 (.686 OPS ranks tied for 24th), with 26 homers (tied for last), 195 runs (eighth), and 40 steals (tied for fourth).
The leaders of San Diego’s offense are probably not who you’d think. Xander Bogaerts leads the team with seven homers, and Manny Machado is right behind him with six (though he’s hitting just .191/.294/.353 on the season). Ty France has had quite a bit of success, albeit in a small sample size, as he’s only played in 23 games, while Jackson Merrill, Gavin Sheets, and Ramón Laureano have also been key pieces offensively. Fernando Tatis Jr. has no homers, though he has driven in 15, scored 14 runs, and has 10 steals through 39 games. Freddy Fermin, Miguel Andujar, Rodolfo Durán, Sung-Mun Song, Nick Castellanos, and Bryce Johnson round out the active roster. As a team, the Padres are hitting .223/.297/.370 (.667 OPS ranks tied for 27th), with 39 homers (20th), 170 runs (tied for 19th), and 40 steals (tied for fourth).
Aaron Ashby leads Milwaukee’s bullpen with 19 appearances, spanning 26 innings with a 2.08 ERA, a perfect 7-0 record, and 41 strikeouts. Grant Anderson and DL Hall have been the other fairly reliable arms, while Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill have also been solid pieces, even if their ERAs may not show it. Jake Woodford has been a key low-leverage piece for Milwaukee, with Shane Drohan and Brian Fitzpatrick rounding things out. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.43 team ERA (fourth), including a 3.44 starter ERA (sixth) and a 3.42 bullpen ERA (eighth). They’ve struck out 366 batters (fifth) over 338 1/3 innings.
Mason Miller leads the Padres’ pitching staff in virtually every category. Across a team-high 18 appearances, he’s a perfect 12-for-12 in save chances with just two runs allowed (0.96 ERA) and 38 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings. Adrian Morejon, the only other reliever with 18 appearances, has a less-than-sterling 5.57 ERA, while Wandy Peralta (3.00 ERA over 18 IP), Bradgley Rodriguez (1.83 ERA over 19 2/3 IP), and Jason Adam (1.50 ERA over 12 IP) are the other key pieces. Ron Marinaccio (4.37 ERA over 22 2/3 IP), Jeremiah Estrada (3.97 ERA over 11 1/3 IP), and Yuki Matsui (2 2/3 scoreless innings in one appearance since IL stint) round out the bullpen for San Diego. As a staff, the Padres have a 4.07 team ERA (15th), including a 4.55 starter ERA (23rd) and a 3.50 bullpen ERA (ninth). They’ve struck out 350 batters (12th) over 358 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, May 12 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Brandon Sproat (0-2, 5.87 ERA, 6.00 FIP) vs. RHP Matt Waldron (1-1, 7.71 ERA, 5.43 FIP)
Entering his 10th career start (12th career appearance) in his second season, Sproat is still seeking his first major league win as he’s 0-4 with a 5.44 ERA thus far in his young career. The 25-year-old righty had a solid outing against the Cardinals in his last appearance, going four scoreless innings, allowing three walks, a hit, and a hit batter to go with five strikeouts on 76 pitches. This marks Sproat’s first career appearance against San Diego.
Waldron, 29, is in his fourth MLB season, all with the Padres. After making 27 appearances (26 starts) in 2024, he’s had a 7.71 ERA over five appearances (four starts) in 2025 and 2026. Waldron tossed five innings after an opener in his last appearance against the Giants, picking up the win, allowing just one run on two hits (including a solo homer) and striking out seven on just 67 pitches. Waldron has never pitched against the Brewers.
Wednesday, May 13 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (3-2, 2.45 ERA, 2.63 FIP) vs. RHP Michael King (3-2, 2.76 ERA, 3.87 FIP)
Misiorowski, 24, is also in his second major league season, though he’s had quite a bit more success compared to Sproat. Over 23 career appearances (22 starts), Miz has a 3.60 ERA, 3.22 FIP, and 157 strikeouts over just 110 innings, including an MLB-leading 70 strikeouts over 44 innings this year. He’s coming off back-to-back wins against the Nationals and Yankees, totaling 11 1/3 scoreless innings with two hits and four walks allowed, striking out 19, including 11 against the mighty New York lineup. This marks Misiorowski’s first career appearance against San Diego.
King, 31 later this month, is in his eighth MLB season and third with the Padres after spending the first five with the Yankees. The former 12th-round pick has made eight starts this season, with a 2.76 ERA, 3.87 FIP, and 45 strikeouts across 45 2/3 innings. He took a no-decision against the Cardinals in his last outing, going six innings with one run allowed on two walks and a hit (a solo homer), striking out six in a 2-1 loss. King has made three career starts against Milwaukee, including a pair while with the Padres. He’s 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA and 27 strikeouts across 18 2/3 innings in those games.
Thursday, May 14 @ 12:40 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (3-1, 2.41 ERA, 3.28 FIP) vs. RHP Griffin Canning (0-1, 6.75 ERA, 3.56 FIP)
Harrison, 24, has had a great start to his Milwaukee tenure after being acquired this offseason from the Red Sox. Over seven starts this year, he has a 2.41 ERA, 3.28 FIP, and 41 strikeouts across 33 2/3 innings, allowing two runs or fewer in all seven outings. He took a no-decision in an abbreviated start on Saturday night against the Yankees, going just four innings with two runs allowed on four hits and four walks, striking out six. Harrison has made three career starts against San Diego, all during his time with the Giants. He’s totaled 16 innings, with a 1-1 record, a 7.31 ERA, and 13 strikeouts against the Padres.
Canning, who turns 30 on Monday, is in his seventh MLB season and first as a Padre after agreeing to a one-year, $2.5 million deal. After missing the second half of last season and the beginning of this year due to left Achilles surgery, Canning was activated earlier this month and has made two starts this season. After going five innings and allowing one run on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in his season debut against the White Sox, he got hit hard for six runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out five in a loss against the Cardinals in his last outing. The longtime Angel made his only career appearance against Milwaukee while with Los Angeles, taking the loss in a 2024 start where he went five innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks to go with four strikeouts.
How to Watch & Listen
Tuesday, May 12: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, May 13: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Thursday, May 14: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The Padres have been a consistent threat over the last several years, making the playoffs in three of the last four seasons. This should be a fun midweek battle, but I’ll take the Crew to win two of three to wrap up the homestand.
The Philadelphia Flyers' playoff run came to an end with their Game 4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. While the Flyers got swept in the second round, they still have a very bright future.
The 2026 NHL Entry Draft will provide them with the chance to add another promising prospect to their system, too, as they still have their first-round pick. But who could the Flyers pick?
The Athletic's Corey Pronman recently released his latest 2026 NHL mock draft. For the Flyers, Pronman predicted that they would select right winger Casey Mutryn with the 21st overall pick.
If the Flyers selected Mutryn with their first-round pick, they would be bringing in another big winger who plays a heavy game. The 6-foot-3 forward has the potential to become a good NHL player and could be a nice addition to the Flyers' prospect pool because of it.
In 62 games this season with the United States National Development Team, Mutryn recorded 18 goals, 28 assists, 46 points, and 89 penalty minutes. Overall, the Norwell, Massachusetts native had a strong season and demonstrated plenty of promise in the process.
While the Flyers have plenty of depth on the wing, the idea of adding Mutryn to their prospect pool is still interesting. Time will tell if he ends up being their first-round pick this year from here.
Thanks to everyone who asked questions for today’s off-day mailbag! I especially appreciate the slightly unhinged ones.
Speaking of which, since I do not have an answer to the question of why God hates the Mets (though after a few months here, I must admit I can’t dispute the premise), I figured I would focus on some slightly less existential ones for now. Here’s what I’ve got…
“As Gary and Keith discussed, why not bring up [A.J.] Ewing and [Nick Morabito]? At least that gives me a look at a possible future. What good are retreads Slater and Ibanez?” – @FAN5577
I think the main concern with bringing up either of those guys is rushing them: Morabito has only been in Triple-A since Opening Day, and Ewing only has 12 games there (though he is hitting .326 with an .827 OPS, so he seems to have adjusted quickly). Their numbers are good, yes. But as we saw with Carson Benge early in the year, the jump from Triple-A pitching to major league pitching is substantial and requires time for adjustment.
The risk in calling up Ewing and/or Morabito would be that they are called upon to help a struggling team, find themselves unable to do so, and need to be sent back down with less confidence as the big-league team continues to flounder. Now, of course, they could also adjust quickly. They could thrive. But having watched the Nationals and Orioles thrust young players into key roles out of need over the last few years – or even watched the way the Red Sox have struggled counting on young guys to make leaps for them this year -- I can say that relying on young players to fix things is a risk to the franchise in the present and the future.
Still, to your point, calling up one or both of those guys at least ensures that more at-bats on this struggling Mets team will go to players who are likely to be part of good Mets teams to come. Austin Slater, Andy Ibañez, Vidal Brujan and whoever else they funnel into these spots are not the answer now or in the future. They are Band-Aids. And I think one can argue they should be ripped off in favor of more substantial roster interventions.
But more substantial roster intervention would require a shift in posture from David Stearns and his front office, who, to this point, have preached patience with a historically expensive roster. If they suddenly decide that the Mets’ slow start means they should prioritize the future over success this year, then yes, calling those players up makes sense. But it does not seem the front office is there yet. And if it gets to the point of surrender, calling up young players will be the least significant move it will probably make between now and the trade deadline.
“Is there anything to point to in spring training or otherwise that might help explain why the team is so impacted by significant injuries so early this year? Or is it just bad luck?” – Fir Douglass on BlueSky
I think the Mets are so impacted by injuries because they built their roster around a few players who have a history of injury. Period. End of story. Stearns took a risk this winter: As part of his roster remodel, he bet that the Mets could keep Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. healthier than any of their previous teams ever had. Even with careful handling in spring training and beyond, they couldn’t. Robert’s back has not yet allowed him to do baseball activities. Polanco’s bursitis lingers, flaring up seemingly whenever he threatens to make progress, and is not the kind of injury that will simply go away.
Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) reacts after popping out with the bases loaded in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Juan Soto, I think, is pure bad luck. He has so little history of injury and returned so quickly that his calf issue seems to be a blip. As for Francisco Lindor, I think the Mets might have to confront a new reality there: Between the back issue at the end of last season, his elbow cleanup in October, the hamate bone break in spring training, and now the calf injury, the 32-year-old is no longer as invincible as the guy who has played at least 158 games in six of his 12 seasons (and all 60 during the Covid campaign).
Ronny Mauricio, Mike Tauchman,and Jared Young seem to fall more in the bad luck category. But if it weren’t for the injuries to the players they were needed to replace, their injuries would not be substantial enough to derail the Mets like the others.
No one can predict injuries. Every player expects to be healthy. But I think it is the job of the front office to make sure their team is not counting on players to be healthier than they have ever been, and the Mets look like victims of their own optimism so far.
“How can Cohen justify leaving Stearns in his role? He created this mess of a roster. He can’t be trusted to fix it, can he?” -- @Big_John1906
Everything I have heard about Steve Cohen’s stance during the last few weeks is that it is largely one of patience. Stearns would not have told MLB.com he is not firing Carlos Mendoza had Cohen not ok’ed the message. And Cohen does not have a history of dramatic reactivity.
That being said, Cohen knew what he was doing when he told reporters in spring training that he is annoyed that his team has not won regularly during his tenure. He was not bloviating when he said the Mets “have to make the playoffs.” With a roster as expensive as his, that standard seems more than fair.
All of which is to say, I think Cohen gives Stearns a chance to fix this between now and the end of the season. If they miss the playoffs, I do not think he will get more chances beyond that.
“If you were Stearns, what would you do in this situation?” – Brian Bardin on BlueSky
I have thought about this a lot, and I am aware there are always things we don’t know about why some moves have been made and not others. For example, while I have heard the Mets are in contact with teams about potentially moving a pitcher for help, I do not know exactly what offers they have had or considered, so exactly what kind of roster shakeup is available to them is not entirely clear to me.
Still, the first thing I would do is go to Cohen and say, do you want me to try to save this season at any cost, or do you want me to operate with an eye toward the future. If he says the former, I would take advantage of my financial flexibility and pursue a major trade for a big contract that might bring in a new veteran presence and might also bring in some kind of bullpen help or starting depth if I shouldered enough of the money.
There are several veterans around the sport who look uncomfortable with their current teams. Rafael Devers looks hapless with the frustrated San Francisco Giants. Trevor Story is struggling, even as he is vocally frustrated with Red Sox management: Could the Mets pair a deal for him and his contract while grabbing an outfielder from Boston’s longstanding logjam? The Orioles could use some infield depth, and while the Mets might not have it to offer, perhaps some kind of mutual shakeup is possible there. If that sounds like throwing good money after bad, it might be. But if the whole season is going to be bad money anyway, might as well see if a fresh start for a player with a strong track record can help revive him and the Mets at once.
Mostly, I would hunt for a first baseman who can hit for power. There are plenty of them around and securing one would not eliminate Polanco’s usefulness when and if he is healthy. Polanco, famously, has never been a full-time first baseman anyway. Bumping him into more of a utility role deepens the team immediately.
Absent options there, I would make clear that a $400 million-dollar roster is not a place to experiment, but rather a place where every spot is earned.
New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) reacts during the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
For example: Sean Manaea is neither starter nor effective short reliever. The Mets do not need a long reliever, since they have Tobias Myers. Keeping Manaea on the roster means working around him when the only thing the Mets should be worried about is winning games.
Besides, it does not seem fair to Manaea, who simply does not look right. When he is right, his velocity is better and his stuff is sharper. Whatever he and the team insist about his health, he has been off since spring training, throwing in the high 80s. I would see if the loose bodies he decided not to get surgically removed are still affecting that elbow, and I would suggest he remove them. He is not helpful in the bullpen as is, and the Mets need as many effective relievers as they can get. And his best chance at an effective future is likely a total physical reset.
I would also be decisive about Kodai Senga’s future. The veteran right-hander threw a bullpen this week, which means he is starting to build his way back from the lumbar spine inflammation that landed him on the injured list after several bad outings. But rosters paid nearly $400 million should not be proving grounds, and Senga has not proven he is an asset. Perhaps he could use a fresh start elsewhere. Perhaps he and the Mets have both needed one for quite some time.
Speaking of which, I would also stop patching holes with veterans trying to reestablish themselves. Tommy Pham,Slater, and the rest have been solid players throughout their careers. But they are not hitting well now, and the Mets do not have enough at-bats to give them to allow them to figure things out while playing in games the Mets must win to save their season. I would call up whichever prospects (Morabito, Ewing, Ryan Clifford) I think are most ready and let them prove they cannot handle it until injured veterans come back. The playing time they need is available in the big leagues now. I think I would let them take it.
And finally, I would tell the entire lineup, top to bottom, to take more pitches. I know the Mets are built around aggressive hitters. But that aggressiveness has not yielded good results. They are not stringing enough hits together to create consistent offense, so they need to find ways to get men on base. No more first-pitch outs from the bottom of the order down a run. If the Mets are built around hitters who cannot work the count and succeed offensively, they need to be built around different hitters. Seeing pitches does not have to come at the expense of making contact, and seeing pitches is the most proven recipe for success this sport has ever had.
