LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 04: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres wears a USA 250 patch as he prepares to bat during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Diego Padres could not find an answer for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the result was a 3-0 loss at Dodger Stadium that extended the San Diego losing streak to eight games. The Padres had a promising start to the first inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. singled to start the game and Gavin Sheets singled later in the inning to put runners on the corners with two outs. Ty France came to the plate and struck out swinging on three pitches and that proved to be the beginning of the end for San Diego.
The Padres managed just two additional hits over the next eight innings, with only one of those being allowed by Yamamoto. The Dodgers right-hander completed seven innings, allowing a total of three hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. The third hit allowed by Yamamoto came in the top of the second inning when Xander Bogaerts singled to open the inning.
The final hit for San Diego came in the top of the eighth inning when Tatis hit a two-out double of Brock Stewart. Alex Vesia came in from the Los Angeles bullpen to face Jake Cronenworth and recorded a strikeout to end the inning, stranding Tatis at second base. Tatis finished the game 2-for-4 as the leadoff hitter, while Cronenworth and Manny Machado the second and third hitters in the Padres lineup both finished the game 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
The pitching did what it needed to do and kept San Diego in the game. Wandy Peralta opened the game with a scoreless inning before giving way to Griffin Canning. The right-hander pitched four innings, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts, which was one of his better outings of the season especially against a potent Los Angeles lineup albeit without Shohei Ohtani. Kyle Hart allowed a run in two innings of work and that came in the form of a solo home run from Freddy Freeman. Mason Miller, who has not had regular work throughout this losing streak, pitched the eighth inning and hit the leadoff batter who advanced to second on a ground out. Miller then allowed a single to Freeman and the Dodgers scored their third run of the night.
Jackson Merrill has not had the season anyone expected and while there is still time for him to get things turned around, Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ballquestions whether he has the right people in place to help him do that.
With Freddy Fermin on the IL for concussion protocol after another foul ball off his facemask, the Padres were in need of a catcher, and they welcomed back Luis Cammpusano off the IL.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 06: Leo Carlsson #91 of the Anaheim Ducks shoots the puck during the first period against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on May 06, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
About once every 15 years the Flyers go crazy with an offer sheet. In 2012, it was for Shea Weber to a $110 million contract for 14 years. Nashville would match that, but go on to trade Weber soon after.
The Flyers were back in the lab, concocting a scheme to make Leo Carlsson the highest paid player in the NHL at the age of 21, before he even has a 30-goal or 70-point season under his belt. And so it will be, with Carlsson making $18 million annually for the next five years, either with Philadelphia or Anaheim if they take the poison pill and match – as their previously promised would happen.
It’s an interesting move that has turned the hockey world on its head. The Flyers needed to do something bold and a franchise player is about the only piece missing for their young core. It takes a massive overpay to have a chance to poach another team’s restricted free agent, and no one can say they didn’t take that big swing. They’ll hope/expect their next four first round picks that they’d send to Anaheim if they don’t match would all be out of the lottery and down towards the end of the draft. If so, the high trade price isn’t that bad.
The Ducks have long been playing with fire with their young players. Getting contracts out of Anaheim has often been pulling teeth – Mason McTavish, Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras have all been without contracts when training camps have started in recent years (it’d be inaccurate to call it a hold out, when they don’t have a contract in the first place). This team drags their feet to suppress salary as long as they can, which now ironically has come back to bite them big time and ruin their whole cap structure. The lesson to other teams is clear: don’t forget what the second word in RFA means (free), let your young star players hit restricted free agency at your own peril. Anaheim has learned that lesson today.
Anaheim could be in more trouble, the sharks (not the NHL team but the whole league) are reportedly circling now that there’s blood in the water.
The Penguins traded their 2027 third round pick in the deal to acquire Hendrix Lapierre. That takes away a lot of this summer’s offer sheet ability (which goes to show the expectation/plan didn’t include much by way of trying offer sheets), but Pittsburgh
AFP and Evolving Hockey has Mintyukov’s projected salary at $3.4ish million AAV if it goes two years on a bridge deal. Another team could put further strain on Anaheim’s position if Mintyukov agreed to a short-term deal worth $4.775 million. The Ducks might have cap space to match – they’d still have $20m in room if they match Carlsson’s deal – but they do still have the non-offer sheet eligible Cutter Gauthier to sign and round out a blueline that lost talent.
On the whole, it wouldn’t make since for ANA to let Mintyukov go if it cost $4.775 million to match, regardless of what happens with Carlsson, but now they’re exposed to answering questions a team would rather not have to answer. If an NHL team really wanted Mintyukov, they would have to do what the Flyers did and go strong – offer him in the $7 million range for five years (requiring a first and third round pick transferred to Anaheim). Forcing the issue and raising the stakes to wildly high proportions is the way to go in order to accomplish the goal.
The Pens don’t have their third round pick, and perhaps no interest in giving up a future first, so they will be sitting those proceedings out. They’ll surely be interested observers in seeing what happens with Carlsson – and pulling hard for Anaheim to match and keep their young star player.
The fourth-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Wright just completed his second full season, with 12 goals and 27 points in 74 games. As the trade deadline approached, his name was out there, particularly in Seattle’s attempt to land Artemi Panarin. (Panarin was laser-focused on Los Angeles, with many teams — not only the Kraken — unable to bribe him elsewhere.)
Wright’s still available, and there’s motivation to make it work, although disagreement on the commitment.
“I can confirm that we have had positive conversations with GM Jason Botterill, and he has agreed to move Shane this summer to a team in need of a top young centre,” Wright’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, said Wednesday.
Botterill would not comment. Other executives who’ve spoken to Seattle said there’s obviously an agreement between team and agent to work together, but the Kraken made it extremely clear they expect a fair price and won’t be pressured into anything they don’t want to do. In other words, they are making no guarantees.
Shane Wright checks every box for the type of players that the Penguins target these days for being a young player, with talent that still needs to truly blossom. Targeting or identifying the players is one thing, actually acquiring them is another. Seeking a “fair price” for a 22-year old former fourth overall pick that has scored 71 points in the NHL in the last two seasons – and still barely scratched the surface of what could be unlocked presents a tricky scenario.
Surely Seattle isn’t going to let that guy go for cheap, he has breakout potential and they’ve invested a lot in him. At the same time, finding a buyer to pay a premium for what’s been an uneven career naturally is going to be a tough ask.
It’s worth watching for the Penguins, they have a ton of forwards on the NHL roster now but could always use a 22-year old center with significant upside for the present and future. Whether or not they have the right assets to make a deal with the Kraken, plus the interest in parting with whatever that right deal is, could be anyone’s guess.
After an underwhelming debut in this year’s California Classic tournament, the Lakers look to bounce back against the Miami Heat on Sunday. This is their first game of a back-to-back with the finale against the San Antonio Spurs taking place on Monday.
The Lakers opened their summer campaign with a rather forgettable performance. Not only were they blown out by the Golden State Warriors on Friday night, but they looked exactly like a team that just played a basketball game together for the first time. Thankfully, they won’t have to dwell on that loss for long.
To be fair to the Lakers’ first game of the summer, it wasn’t all that bad. The biggest positive takeaway was how this year’s 24th pick in the NBA Draft performed. Cameron Carr wasted no time in proving his potential. The 21-year-old from Baylor University put up 19 points in 23 minutes, showing signs that he is indeed NBA-ready.
Cameron Carr was FEELIN' IT in his California Classic debut 👌
As for Adou Thiero, well, let’s just say he had an off night, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort. It seemed like he forced a lot of possessions and it didn’t help that his shots weren’t going in either. On top of that, he also had a bad fall in the second quarter, but the sophomore confirmed that he’s alright. Hopefully, we see him bounce against the Heat like the rest of the team.
Asked Adou about getting downhill and messaging from the coaches:
"If I have the drive, stampede and get downhill. It's a little bit more difficult to get downhill with spacing and everything. That's why us trying to get more organized makes basketball a lot easier for us" pic.twitter.com/3jzpvzn5V6
Speaking of the rest of the team, Coachella Valley Lakers forward Arthur Kaluma — who tallied 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks— performed well. But outside of him, nobody really played great. There was a clear lack of floor general and proper execution, which should be cleaned up as this team continues to play together.
On Sunday, the Lakers will face a Heat team that’s coming off a thrilling 88-87 victory against the San Antonio Spurs. Their 37th overall pick this year, Ryan Conwell, scored 21 points in his debut and had some help from the likes of Jahmir Young and Trevor Keels. The Lakers will have their hands full again in this one.
But hopefully Los Angeles responds with a stronger all-around team effort in this one and gives us more reason to be excited about this year’s Summer League. Let’s see if they can do just that on Sunday.
Notes and Updates
As of now, there are no injuries to report on the purple and gold side.
Prior to their game on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins, the Yankees recalled RHP Angel Chivilli from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Chivilli, 23, appeared in two games for New York in April before hitting the injured list due to shoulder discomfort. He was then activated on June 11 and optioned to Triple-A.
The right-hander has pitched in 12 games (one start) for the RailRiders, owning a 1.08 ERA over 16.2 innings with 17 strikeouts.
In his two major league appearances this season, Chivilli allowed one earned run over 2.1 innings (3.86 ERA) with three strikeouts.
He was acquired by the Yankees from the Colorado Rockies on Jan. 28 in exchange for 1B T.J. Rumfield. Chivilli pitched in 73 games for the Rockies across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, going 1-5 with a 7.06 ERA across 58.2 IP last year.
Former Knicks center Mitchell Robinson finally revealed Sunday morning how he broke his hand before the NBA Finals, stating he banged on one of his trucks after learning his brother had been in a car accident.
Robinson, who signed a three-year, $47.4 contract with the rival Celtics in free agency after helping the Knicks win their first NBA championship in 53 years, fractured the fifth metacarpal in his right hand after the team defeated the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals and underwent surgery.
He didn’t miss any games and played in the Finals with his hand wrapped.
Mitchell Robinson practicing with his hand wrapped during the NBA Finals. Jason Szenes for The New York PostA close-up look at Mitchell Robinson’s wrapped right hand. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
“I would like to address the concerns regarding my finger, which was actually my knuckle,” Robinson began. “To provide some context, I had been dealing with personal issues, relationship problems, and internal struggles, which affected my performance on the basketball court. In this league I simply follow the instructions given to me y’all have seen videos of everything I’m very capable of doing. Moving forward to the Eastern Conference finals, after our victory in Cleveland, everything seemed to be going well. We were celebrating our achievement, but for me, things took a turn for the worse.
“As many of you know, I am a compassionate and private person who enjoys listening to country music. Without going into details about my upbringing, I am extremely protective of my siblings, whom I care for deeply. Upon returning to New York, I received an unexpected phone call, and my family members contacted me, informing me that my youngest brother had been involved in a car accident. I did not see the messages until I arrived home late that night. As the eldest sibling, I felt a deep sense of concern, and I immediately went into panic mode. I began returning calls and texts, and when I FaceTimed my brother, I thought he was deceased. He was wearing a neck brace, unresponsive, and not speaking.
“I broke down in tears, feeling like a failure for not being able to protect my siblings. Being 910 miles away, I felt helpless. In a moment of frustration, I banged my hand on my truck. As many of you know, I have a deep affection for my trucks, but my siblings and daughter are my top priority. Before judging someone, it is essential to understand their circumstances, which may not be publicly known. Life is unpredictable, and it is how we respond to challenges that truly matters.
Mitchell Robinson dunks against the Spurs during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“After consulting with doctors, I was able to gain the confidence in myself to go in and get the job done and WE DID 2026 NBA CHAMPS.so at the end of the day I battled with so much throughout this season even made a huge sacrifice to not see my daughter as much this season because I needed to focus and lock in so she can have a better future than I did.”
While Robinson’s minutes were limited as the Spurs used the Hack-a-Mitch strategy against the poor free-throw shooter, Robinson was impactful when he was on the court.
He successfully defended Victor Wembanyama at the end of Game 2 as the Spurs star missed the final shot attempt of the game to put the Knicks up 2-0 in the series.
With owner James Dolan not wanting the Knicks to enter the second apron, they couldn’t afford to retain Robinson, who will now try to usurp his former team with hated Boston.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 27: Carlos Carrasco #59 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 27, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves have selected pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the active roster and optioned pitcher JR Ritchie to Triple-A. Ritchie pitched three innings an notched his first career save – of the three inning variety – last night.
Carrasco has pitched in seven games with the Braves this season and has been through the “designated for assignment, outrighted, opts for free agency, minor league contract, selected to active roster” cycle five times so far this season. He’ll give Atlanta another long-man option for today’s game.
As for Ritchie, he was able to save the bullpen by soaking up three innings in Atlanta’s 14-3 blow-out of the Metropolitans last night.
A reminder that the Braves play at 12:30PM today, in an earlier-than-normal Sunday start.
Major League Baseball chose Saturday evening to announce this year’s All-Star teams — an odd time, in my view, the evening of a holiday — and Pete Crow-Armstrong made the NL All-Star team for the second straight season. Last year he was an elected starter; this year he’ll be a reserve outfielder.
“Nice to get the nod from the baseball world,” Crow-Armstrong said after the Cubs’ 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at foggy Wrigley Field. “Having the fan vote get me in last year is obviously special, just felt like I was able to reach the baseball world as a whole.
“But when it’s internal like this, knowing how hard this game is and how hard a lot of guys are working on a daily basis, that means a lot to me just ’cause first and foremost I want their respect as much as I want to go and compete and beat everybody. The best compliment you can get as a baseball player is someone in the other uniform’s respect. … I don’t want to compare this year to last year, but it really means a lot coming from this stage of the voting.”
And some praise from his manager, also quoted in that article:
“In Pete’s case, what’s fun to watch is that there’s something in every part of the game that he’s able to do,” manager Craig Counsell said Saturday. “And he also does it — he’s not some huge person that does it. He’s a pretty normal-sized person that can do it. I think that also creates a connection with fans. And he’s an entertainer. … He loves that part of it. He’s good at it. He’s naturally wired to do it. So you get a lot of it.”
In 26 games in June, PCA batted .381/.468/.781 (40-for-105) with five doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 20 RBI, 21 runs scored, 17 walks and eight stolen bases (no caught stealing).
He was also named NL Player of the Week twice during the month.
The 2026 All-Star Game will be played Tuesday, July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia and will be televised on Fox-TV.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 04: Ben Peoples #70 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the seventh inning of his Major League debut in the game against the Detroit Tigers at Globe Life Field on July 04, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, folks…
The Texas Rangers fell to the Detroit Tigers last night by a score of 3-0.
Andrew Painter of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs pitches during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
There were some fireworks on the farm, so let’s check how they did.
Rochester 2, Lehigh Valley 1
Andrew Painter had the start on the night and did quite well for the IronPigs. In his six innings, he allowed on a lone run and struck out six. The velocity on his fastball was good, averaging 97 mph, while the shape of it was still just so-so. He got only four swings and misses on the fastball on the night, so he’s still having some trouble missing bats. It’s probably going to be a while before he makes it back to the majors.
Don’t worry, there’s not much else to talk about regarding this game.
Reading 5, New Hampshire 3
Bryan Rincon went two for three and Pedro Leon added a three run home run to lead the offense over the Fisher Cats. Rincon has had a surprisingly successful season considering where his season was last year and how far his prospect star had fallen. By this point, he’s probably a good bet to be a successful bench bat should he ascend to the majors. Those are valuable players. On the pitching side, Alex McFarlane had two innings of work on the night and gave up almost nothing, striking out three. Are the Phillies testing him with different situations in hopes that he can contribute this season?
Jersey Shore was cancelled
Clearwater 7, Ft. Myers 3
Continuing to board the Ferre-Bus, the team’s catching prospect homered again for the Threshers, joining with Griffin Burkholder, who scored three runs at the top of the lineup, to give Clearwater the victory. Sean Youngerman gave them five innings of a solid start, only surrendering three runs on the night and striking out three.
Jul 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) hits a grand slam home run during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Good morning and happy hangover Sunday to everyone! I hope everyone still has all their fingers and ate and drank responsibly. Who ate the most hot dogs? I had none, because I was at my day job all day so that’s a nice low bar for everyone to clear.
The Mariners celebrated 4th of July be beating the brakes off of the Toronto Blue Jays 11-0 thanks to a dominant start by Logan Gilbert, and massive homeruns from Randy, Dom, and Cal. Emerson Hancock will take the ball in the series finale at 2:00 PST on Peacock.
In Mariners news…
Randy Arozarena was named as the Mariners lone All-Star representative in Philadelphia. Hopefully one or two more Mariners can find their way onto the All-Star roster by way of players electing to not participate, Bryan Woo and Dominic Canzone being the most obvious candidates.
The full All-Star rosters are available here. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has already announced that he will not participate in the festivities, meaning Nick Kurtz will slot in as the starting first baseman for the American League.
An emotional Willson Contreras spoke to the media before yesterday’s Red Sox-Angels game, apologizing for his actions that led to a benches clearing brawl in Boston on Tuesday, and opening up about his mental and emotional struggles over the last couple weeks following the horrible earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24th.
The Atlanta Braves made a handful of roster moves yesterday, including recalling Bainbridge Island product JR Ritchie from Gwinnett and placing infielder Ha-Seong Kim on the IL with finger inflammation.
The Houston Astros also made some roster adjustments yesterday.
The action in the Atlanta Braves system on the 4th of July was nearly cut in half due to rain and power issues cancelling three of the seven games on the slate. Of the four games on the schedule to get played the Braves teams lost the first three, and needed a late inning comeback to win the game that finished last. Still we got to see Herick Hernandez and Davis Polo look dominant, as the two combined for 34 whiffs on the day, and homers from Brewer Hicklen along with the first of Edelson Cabral’s young career.
Durham got to Elieser Hernandez early in this one, scoring two in the first and another in the second, though he was able to get the Stripers through two more innings without giving up any additional runs. Anderson Pilar followed, and was hit hard – giving up four runs on three homers in his inning of work. That’s when the bullpen finally showed some life in this one. Hayden Harris was the third pitcher and over two scoreless innings he stuck out five batters, before Rolddy Munoz struck out the side in the eighth and final inning. Harris picked up eight whiffs, while Munoz had five.
After the Bulls scored early the Stripers were never able to get back into this game, as the offense just didn’t show up. A two-run homer by Brewer Hicklen, his 14th of the season, was able to cut it to 3-2 in the top of the third – but the team managed just three hits. Hicklen’s homer and walk and Brett Wisely’s three walks and run scored were the only real standouts, though Luke Williams picked up a double and Jose Azocar added a single.
Columbus Clingstones 4, Knoxville Smokies 3
Ambioris Tavarez, 2B: 2-5, 2B, R, .194/.311/.327
Patrick Clohisy, CF: 0-4, BB, R, 2 SB, .259/.336/.437
Herick Hernandez, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 2.80 ERA
Herick Hernandez’s stuff was dominant in this win for the Clingstones, though they needed to come from behind in the seventh to earn that win. Hernandez went five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks. He also struck out eight with 16 swings and misses, bringing his ERA to 2.80 and K/9 up to 12.0. Owen Hackman picked up the win in two scoreless innings of relief, with the save going to Luis Vargas after two scoreless frames of his own.
The Clingstones had plenty of offense in this one, and it’s a little surprising that they only scored four runs – other than the fact that they left so many runners on base. As a team they had 10 hits, six walks, and three stolen bases. Ambioris Tavarez went two for five with a double and scored a run, while he was joined by Tyler Tolve (2-3, 2B, BB, RBI), Luke Waddell (2-5), and Jordan Groshans (2-5, R) with a multi-hit game. Will Verdung also walked, doubled, batted in two, and scored a run in the win. While Patrick Clohisy didn’t come up with any hits, he walked, stole two bases, and scored a run.
Rome Emperors vs Jersey Shore BlueClaws – Cancelled
The day after the Friday night game was called early due to issues with power, Saturday’s game was cancelled altogether.
Salem RidgeYaks 1, Augusta GreenJackets 0
Juan Mateo, 3B: 1-3, BB, SB, .277/.355/.375
Alex Lodise, SS: 1-4, .255/.340/.475
Davis Polo, SP: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 3.72 ERA
Davis Polo threw a gem on the 4th, going five and two thirds and allowing a run on just four hits and a walk. Polo struck out eight and racked up a total of 18 whiffs in his 83 pitch outing. Cristobal Abreu followed, and quickly got himself into a little trouble with a pair of walks before finishing off the final out of the sixth inning. After two scoreless innings from Logan Forsythe, Daniel Brooks pitched the final inning without allowing any more damage.
The offense never got going in this one, picking up just two hits in the shutout. Juan Mateo had one of those hits, and a walk and a stolen base – but also got picked off as well. Alex Lodise had the only other hit in the loss. Among the other notable prospects Luis Guanipa and Cody Miller were each hitless in four at bats, while Conor Essenburg was hitless in one at bat before leaving the game two innings after being hit by a pitch.
FCL Braves vs FCL Rays – Suspended
This one was suspended in the top of the second, tied 0-0. The game is set to be finished on July 10th. Of note Manuel Campos singled in his first inning at bat, then stole second – his 22nd steal of the season.
DSL Rays 18, DSL Braves 7
Sherrintely Da Costa Gomez, LF: 1-5, 3B, R, RBI, .338/.451/.585
This was a rough pitching performance by the Braves squad. The final line was 9 IP, 11 H, 18 R, 9 ER, 17 BB, 10 K – yes that is accurate, 17 walks in this game. It also didn’t help to see three errors, four wild pitches, and a hit by batter, but the Rays squad was constantly on base. The bright spots for the pitching staff was three and a third one run innings from Geowin Gomez, two and a third scoreless from Wilmer Almonte, and two scoreless from Giovanni Medina.
The big story here would have to be the first career homer from Edelson Cabral, who also walked and scored twice while running his OPS up to .826. Sherrintely Da Costa Gomez continued his strong season by adding a triple, run scored, and one batted in, while Jose Nelo was three for five with a double and two runs batted in. Durban Arnedo added a double, while Jose Manon was hitless in four at bats, Elioberto Mondesir went one for three with a pair of walks, and Jorwin Pulido walked and scored a run in two plate appearances.
DSL Braves vs DSL Rays – PPD
The actual game for Saturday was cancelled due to lightning.
In a corresponding move, RHP Joey Gerber was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
Zuñiga, 27, signed a minor league contract with New York on May 5 and has pitched to a 3.29 ERA over 14 appearances in Double-A and Triple-A.
He was dominant with Binghamton over nine games (1.93 ERA), but had a 6.23 ERA in five games (4.1 IP) with Syracuse.
The right-hander last played in the majors in 2024 with the Los Angeles Angels. He appeared in 15 games with the Angels, owning a 5.09 ERA with two saves over 17.2 IP.
For his MLB career, including two games with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023, Zuñiga has a 5.03 ERA with 16 strikeouts and two saves over 19.2 IP.
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 3: Gabriel Hughes #43 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates the win after pitching in the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants in his major league debut against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on July 3, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Gabriel Hughes (PuRP No.12) was back in his hotel room in Round Rock, Texas, done for the night, when his phone rang. It was 11:30 p.m. On the other end was Pedro Lopez, his Triple-A manager in Albuquerque, calling with news that would change the trajectory of Hughes’ summer – and maybe his career.
“He said, ‘Hey, I need you to head back to the stadium and start packing your bags. You’re going to the big leagues,’” Hughes recalled.
He called his parents. He called his brother. By the next morning, he was on a flight out of Austin, landing in Denver around 10 or 11 a.m. — hours before he’d put on a Rockies uniform for the first time.
A setback that became a reset
It was the conclusion of a monthlong stretch that began, of all places, on the injured list.
Hughes missed time earlier this year with a left oblique injury, and while no pitcher wants to lose time to the IL, he says the setback doubled as a reset button.
“Every time it happens, it’s always an opportunity to kind of take stock of where you’re at,” Hughes said. “It was an opportunity for me to go back to Arizona, talk with a lot of the people there, get ideas on mechanics, on pitch usage, on kind of a bunch of things, and then come back with a lot more ideas and things to try out.”
He returned by way of a rehab stint with High-A Spokane before rejoining Triple-A Albuquerque’s rotation, and whatever he found in Arizona worked. Over his final three Triple-A starts, Hughes didn’t allow a run.
The sweeper that changed everything
The centerpiece of that stretch has been a pitch that Hughes has thrown for only a few months. He picked up a sweeper in the middle of spring training — almost on a whim, after asking veteran Michael Lorenzen how he grips his own version on a back field one day. Hughes started experimenting in his next bullpen session, with mixed early results.
“I threw the first one about 10 feet over the catchers head and said ‘Hey, I’m done with it,” Hughes said, laughing.
Assistant pitching coach Gabe Ribas encouraged him to throw a few more, and the pitch stuck.
Hughes said learning any new offering comes with a learning curve — getting comfortable with the grip, the thought process, locating it for strikes — and this one was no exception, especially since he went straight from picking it up to using it in games. He credited Rockies Director of Pitching Matt Daniels with helping him refine the shape when it wasn’t quite where he wanted it.
Beyond the swing-and-miss value against right-handed hitters, Hughes said the sweeper has given him a new way to tunnel his other pitches. He described most of pitching as changing speeds, locations, and looks — and said the sweeper lets him do exactly that, playing off his two-seamer, curveball, changeup, and traditional slider to give hitters a different picture out of the same release.
Simplifying the game
The approach has been shaped as much by a mental shift as a mechanical one. Colorado’s new pitching staff this year installed a simplified three-part framework.
Get ahead. Stay ahead. Kill.
“Pre-two strike, I’m filling up the zone. Two strikes, I’m getting a little outside the zone for swing and miss, and for weak contact,” Hughes said. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing. It’s just really simplified my thinking. I’m filling up the zone, and then I can’t control anything that happens after that.”
Hughes has also leaned on that same instinct for simplicity to manage the mental side of pitching — staying in the moment rather than replaying the last pitch or bracing for the next one. He pointed to an outing this spring against Team USA in Scottsdale as an early proving ground. Facing a lineup that included Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, and Kyle Schwarber, Hughes said the nerves the night before gave way to a simple realization once he took the mound.
“I don’t know what better lineup I’m going to face than that one,” Hughes said. “So it’s always in the back of my mind, knowing, hey, I’ve already done that, and I’m going to take that for where I’m going.”
Learning altitude, and learning to rest
Altitude, too, has become less of a mystery.
Hughes said the bigger adjustment isn’t how his pitches move differently in the thinner air — he doesn’t throw anything with the kind of movement that would create a drastic split — but simply learning where he has to locate the ball to be competitive at altitude compared to sea-level parks.
“I think a big part of it is understanding how your pitches are going to move and working with that, instead of wishing you had something else,” he said. “It’s just learning what you have and then working to maximize it the best you can.”
He’s also revamped his between-starts routine, trusting recovery as much as work. After a lesson learned late last season, Hughes says he’s scaled back the instinct to fill every day with extra reps in the gym, instead balancing high-output days with some genuinely light ones.
“Sometimes doing less is more,” he said. “I’m always the guy who wants to be in the gym, wants to be doing a ton of exercise. I think something I learned really at the end of last year is that sometimes the best thing to do is take a step back and let your body recover”
A new role, and a familiar face
Now that routine gets rebuilt on the fly.
Hughes has started 48 of his 50 minor league appearances, but he’ll begin his major league career in the bullpen, working as a length option for a Colorado relief corps that is often thinned out.
It’s uncharted territory — outside of a handful of spring training outing, he’s never really come out of the pen — and he say’s he’s leaning on teammates who’ve made the same jump, including Antonio Senzatela, with whom he trained this offseason.
“A lot of it’s just keeping it the same — it’s the same game, keep doing what I’m doing, and just go out there, have fun, and be loose, don’t over complicate it,” Hughes said of Senzatela’s advice.
As for who he wanted to see first walking into the Coors Field clubhouse, the answer came without hesitation: Jaden Hill, who’d known Hughes going back through the system, ran across the room and pulled him into a hug.
Hughes debuts with a save
On Friday night, the wait ended. Hughes was summoned from the bullpen in the seventh inning of what had become a rout, and tossed three scoreless innings, closing out a 15-3 win over the Giants. Under the rule that credits a reliever who finishes a game with three or more effective innings, it went down as a save — the first of his career, in the first game of his career.
“I didn’t know that was a save until after the game, honestly,” Hughes said. “I’m not really familiar with the rules for saves, but hey, I’ll take it. Senza just told me it took him 10 years to get one. I got mine in my first game.”
He could not, he said, have drawn it up any better.
“There’s no way to describe it,” Hughes said. “It seemed packed, and I could not draw up a better scenario for my first big league game than tonight. There are no words to describe the experience. It was incredible. It was life-altering. And I’m so excited that I was able to debut here at home, in front of so many people.”
Chills under the lights
The moment that stayed with him came in the ninth. With the game long decided and a crowd of over 47,000 people on hand, the Coors Field lights dimmed and the stands filled with the glow of phone flashlights on a fireworks Friday. Hughes, going through his pre-inning routine, looked toward center field and stopped.
“Can confirm that’s the first time that’s ever happened in my life,” he said. “The lights are going, everyone’s waving their flashlights, and I got chills. I took a second to be like, oh my gosh, I cannot believe how much this is affecting me right now — in such a good way, in such a positive way.”
He’d been active since Wednesday, waiting for the opportunity, and had spent each pregame the same way.
“Every day I’ve been on the mound before the game, doing some visualization, doing some breath work,” Hughes said, “because I knew when the moment got here it was going to be big. And I thought I was prepared — and I got out there, and it was still, wow.”
The people he wanted there most had made it just in time. Hughes found out about the call-up so late Tuesday night that none of his family could reach Denver for Wednesday. His father and grandparents arrived Thursday, and by Friday the whole group — his mother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and his girlfriend — was in the stands.
“Knowing that I would not be here without my parents and my entire family, the support system that they’ve given me — I’m getting emotional now just thinking about it,” Hughes said, his eyes welling. “This was absolutely a collective endeavor. I’m so excited to go out and see them, and just thank them.”
There was one rite of passage waiting before that reunion. Asked whether his teammates had given him the traditional postgame ambush, Hughes grinned.
“It was a lot more than shaving cream,” he said. “It ended with an ice bucket being dumped on me. I’m very glad it was in the shower when it happened.”
One word, he said, kept surfacing for all of it.
“Special. That’s the word that keeps coming to mind.”
The Minnesota Twins can win a series on the road against the New York Yankees for the first time since 2014 with a win this afternoon. Minnesota blew out New York yesterday, sending the Yankees deeper into a spiral.
The Twins have an All-Star on the mound and yet are still the underdogs. My Twins vs.Yankees predictions and MLB picks look for a Minnesota win.
Who will win Twins vs Yankees today: Twins moneyline (+119)
The Minnesota Twins scored 11 on Saturday, two days after plating eight in Houston. Minnesota has won two of three and four of six, while the Yankees have lost eight of nine.
The New York Yankees have the better overall record, but they're just 13-16 since Aaron Judge went down and had four or fewer hits five times this week. The Yankees are also struggling on the other end, giving up 27 unearned runs in the last 14 games.
I’d take the Twins at anything above +100. They’re starting newly named All-Star Joe Ryan, who's in the 95th percentile in pitching run value.
COVERS INTEL: In addition to struggling against left-handed pitchers, the Twins are unfamiliar with Ryan Weathers. Only four players on the Twins roster have ever faced him, and they’ve combined for just 11 plate appearances and one RBI.
Twins vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-107)
The Yankees scored five runs in Friday’s win. That’s the only time in the last 13 games they’ve reached that mark, despite playing Red Sox, Tigers, Reds, and Twins, all sub-.500 teams, including two last-place squads. Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice, and Paul Goldschmidt are all hitting below .150 over the last two weeks.
Ryan is in the 85th percentile in strikeout rate, and only four A.L. teams have whiffed more than the Yankees.
New York starter Ryan Weathers has struggled lately, but he’s a southpaw. Minnesota hits 36 points lower with 101 points less OPS against left-handers and has an OPS+ 11% below league average.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 24-32, -5.15 units
Over/Under bets: 31-29, +1.3 units
Twins vs Yankees weather
Twins vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Twins +117 | Yankees -122
Run line: Twins +1.5 (-178) | Yankees -1.5 (+170)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+100) | Under 8.5 (-104)
Twins vs Yankees trend
The Yankees have cashed the Under in 10 of their last 16 games for +3.45 units and a 20% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. Yankees.
How to watch Twins vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Sunday, July 5, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Twins starting pitcher
Joe Ryan (5-5, 3.61 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers (3-6, 4.08 ERA)
Twins vs Yankees latest injuries
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 30: Martin Perez #33 of the Atlanta Braves reacts during the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Truist Park on June 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a dismal June, July has started pretty well for the Atlanta Braves.
The Braves have started the month with three wins in four games, clinching at least a split of their four-game series against the New York Mets with a 14-3 demolition Saturday night.
But considering Atlanta lost six of its last seven series before this one, it’s safe to say just a split isn’t what anyone is looking for. It can clinch the series in Sunday afternoon’s series finale (12:30 p.m. EDT) at Truist Park.
The Braves turn to Martín Pérez (6-5, 3.27 ERA), who has been amongst the team’s most consistent starters but is looking to bounce back from one of his worst starts of the season. The fact that he gave up a season-high-tying four runs on five hits over five innings speaks to how effective the southpaw has been this season for a rotation desperately in need of exactly that.
He gave up two homers in his last start, as many as he had allowed in his prior six starts combined.
Pérez faced the Mets less than a month ago, giving up one run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings in Atlanta’s 3-1 road win on June 13. In fact, he’ll put his perfect 5-0 record and 2.94 career ERA over 11 appearances (seven starts) against New York on the line Sunday afternoon.
The Mets will counter with rookie righty Nolan McLean (5-5, 3.78) on the hill. Like Pérez, McLean has never lost to the Braves. However, he’s just 1-0 in two starts, winning his second career start against Atlanta last August.
The last time he faced them didn’t go as well as he gave up two runs on three hits, striking out six but also walking four as the Braves forced him to throw 93 pitches to get through nine innings in New York’s 7-5 win on June 12. That was his only June start that wasn’t six-plus innings.
Facing McLean could be a test of sorts for the resurgent power the Braves have discovered in this series, hitting nine total homers in the first two games. After McLean allowed six home runs in as many May starts, he allowed just two homers in five June starts.
This early Sunday start will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock instead of the usual TV and streaming places you can find the Braves. Matt Vasgersian will be on play-by-play, joined by Braves legend Andruw Jones — mere weeks before he’s set to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame — and former Mets infielder Todd Zeile as color commentators.
COVERS INTEL: In addition to struggling against left-handed pitchers, the Twins are unfamiliar with Ryan Weathers. Only four players on the Twins roster have ever faced him, and they’ve combined for just 11 plate appearances and one RBI.