MLB The Show 25 Franchise Discussion

[jmcole33]

The Amazins

Mets Wrap Up May With Series WIn
June 1, 2030

The Mets sandwiched two wins around a loss to take the home series from Pittsburgh. The pitching shined in both wins, holding the Pirates to zero runs across the two games. Pittsburgh's only win was by a score of 7-6 in Game 2.

Giolito bounced back after a couple rough starts to help lead the Mets to a 3-0 victory in the opener. Giolito would throw 5 scoreless innings, giving up just 4 hits and striking out 5. New York was held scoreless as well until the 7th inning when they broke through against the Pirates' bullpen. Luke Wray drove in a run with a single up the middle and Michael Conforto hit a pinch hit sac fly to extend the lead. Barney Nowak made the score 3-0 with an RBI single in the 8th.

Jeremy Pacheco had his worst start of the season in Game 2, with the Pirates taking a 4-0 lead 4 batters in thanks to a grand slam. To his credit, Pacheco would settle down, and at one point strike out 5 batters in a row, but he would exit the game after 4 innings giving up 6 of the 7 Pirates runs. Nick Karnitz and Steven Logan would both go deep, but it wouldn't be enough to complete the comeback with the PIrates winning 7-6. It was Logan's 20th HR of the season, and he his leading the majors.

The Mets would claim the series with a 4-0 win in the finale thanks to 7 strong innings from Anderson Espinoza. He collected 9 punchies and gave up just 4 hits. The Mets offense was powered by a pair of 2-run HRs, one by Alexis Quevedo and the other by Michael Conforto. Quevedo was scorching hot in the month of May as he looks to FINALLY live up to the hype that made him the #1 prospect in the Mets system at one point.

The Mets (44-17) now welcome the Phillies (17-44) to town. The Phillies are still looking for their first win against New York this year, and the Mets are hoping to build on their division lead over the Braves (9.5 GB).

But first, tonight is the Amateur Draft. The Mets will have the 30th pick. Expect a full recap before tomorrow's 7:10pm first pitch.

[The Gamer]

⚾ Game Facts – Expansion Diamondbacks vs Cubs (Game 2)

Final Score: Cubs 3, Diamondbacks 1
Series: Tied 1–1

Key Notes:

Injuries:

Mickey Morandini (Cubs 2B) injured in the 2nd inning → replaced by Kevin Orie.

Shawon Dunston (Cubs SS) injured in the 7th inning → replaced by Manny Alexander.


Pitching Matchup:

Steve Trachsel (Cubs): 8.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 6 K, 1 BB — Player of the Game.

Andy Benes (D’backs): 6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 6 K, 0 BB.


Cubs Offense:

Manny Alexander: 1-for-1, HR (2-run), 2 RBI.

Tyler Houston: RBI single in the 7th.

Brant Brown: Double, 1 R.


Diamondbacks Offense:

Jay Bell: 2-for-3, 2B, R.

Matt Williams: 2-for-4, 2B.

Travis Lee: 2-for-3, 2B.

Yamil Benitez: RBI double in the 9th.


Bullpens:

Rod Beck (Cubs): Closed the door for his 4th save.

Ben Ford (D’backs): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R.

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[bigjdotcom01]

September 5-7: TAHOE (82-62) @ LAS VEGAS (62-81)
Stadium: Ballys Ballpark (Capacity: 26,976)

September 5: Silver Kings 3, Lake Monsters 2
September 6: Silver Kings 2, Lake Monsters 0
September 7: Silver Kings 4, Lake Monsters 1

Las Vegas, NV (AP) - Las Vegas returned home from a ten game road trip and swept Tahoe in a three game weekend series. The pitching was outstanding as the Silver Kings only allowed three runs and 23 hits in the series.

Las Vegas opened up the home stand with a come from behind 3-2 walk-off win over Tahoe. Danny Watt lined a base hit over right fielder Edgar Rosa's head, allowing Mariano Hidalgo to walk in with the game winning run.

Ozzie Rivera led off the game by hitting the first pitch from Emery Hutchinson over the wall in left to put Tahoe up 1-0. It was Rivera's sixth on the year. It would stay that way until the eighth. Robby Lancaster hit a two-out triple to center. Willie Willey came on in relief of Emery Hutchinson, but gave up a base hit to Reese Cherry, allowing Lancaster to score to put the Lake Monsters up 2-0.

But Las Vegas kept battling. Danny Watt singled and then stole second to open the bottom of the eighth. After Mark Payton got the next two batters out, Todd Matsumoto singled with Watt holding at third. Tahoe went to the bullpen and brought on their closer Aaron Harding. Eric Machado lined a single to center, scoring Watt. Harding then struck out Gilberto Cardona to end the eighth with the lead.

In the ninth, David Tejeda drew a nine pitch walk to open the inning. Mariano Hidalgo then ripped one into the left field corner for a double. Caden Juarez hit a sacrifice fly to center, with both runners advancing to tie the game and put the winning run on third. Danny Watt then lined one over Edgar Rosa'a head in right to win it.

Thurman Ratto (1-2) picked up the win, getting the final two outs in the top of the ninth. Emery Hutchinson was outstanding. He went 7.2 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, striking out 12. Mark Payton was just as good for Tahoe, pitching 7.2 innings and allowing one run on six hits, striking out five, while lowering his ERA to 2.40. Closer Aaron Harding took the loss and picked up a blown save, allowing two runs on three hits.

On Saturday evening, the Silver Kings got another great pitching performance from Antoine Swanger as they beat the Lake Monsters 2-0. Swanger went 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out seven to pick up his 12^th win on the season, improving to (12-7).

Las Vegas got on the board in the second after backup catcher Julius Roderick hit an unlikely triple. Danny Watt followed with an RBI single and Vegas was up 1-0. In the third, Julio Chacon hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded, scoring Todd Matsumoto and the Silver Kings were up 2-0.

The rest of the story was Las Vegas' pitching. Henry Coronado came on in relief of Antoine Swanger in the seventh getting the final two outs. He then struck out the side in the eighth. Bill Larkin worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his fifth save.

On Sunday afternoon, the Silver Kings completed the sweep with a 4-1 victory. Jude Vernon was excellent, tossing six shutout innings, allowing six hits and striking out six.

Las Vegas would take the lead in the first inning on a Caden Juarez RBI single that scored Eric Machado. They would extend that lead to 2-0 in the fourth on back-to-back doubles from Guadalupe Valez and Caden Juarez. Valez added a two-out RBI single in the fifth to put Vegas up by three. A two-out RBI single by Todd Matsumoto in the seventh made it 4-0.

Tahoe tried to rally in the ninth as they did push a run across on a Rosa RBI single. But that was all the offense that they could muster as they were swept by last-place Las Vegas.

Joe Shannon (3-6) took the loss for the Lake Monsters. He pitched five innings, allowing three runs on nine hits.

Las Vegas won the season series from Tahoe (9-4).

Las Vegas will continue the home stand against Glendale starting tomorrow evening. The Desert Dogs (78-66) sit 1.5 games back of Surprise in the DL Central and have a one game lead on Gilbert and Phoenix for the second Wild Card spot.

Around the League: Albuquerque opened up a big weekend series with an 8-1 victory over Santa Fe. Cristian Palbicki went 3 for 5 with a home run (26) and two RBIs to lead the Mariachis, who sit a half game ahead of Colorado Springs and one game up on Santa Fe in the tight ML Central race. Colorado Springs slipped past San Antonio 12-3 as Robby Lundy improved to (12-7) on the year. The knuckleballer threw eight innings, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out seven and walking four. A David Vasquez grand slam (16) in the eighth salted this one away.

Chandler ace Jack Siddiqui left Friday night's game after getting hit with a line drive on his pitching arm. X-ray's revealed a break and he is likely out 8 to 12 weeks, meaning he will miss the rest of the regular season and likely all of the playoff's. Siddiqui was (13-7) with an ERA of 3.82 with 175 strikeouts to lead the staff.

Tucson ended a nine game losing streak on Saturday afternoon with a 3-2 win over Surprise. Micah Lange went 4 for 4 with four doubles, scoring all three Tucson runs in the win. Marcelo Vega-Ramos (12-8) went eight innings, allowing two runs on two hits, walking five and striking out ten. Boise's Daniel Valenzuela (16-7) won his 16^th game of the season on Saturday night as the Hawks beat Gilbert 7-1. Valenzuela went eight shutout innings, allowing five hits, walking one and striking out nine.

Chandler got a walk off three-run home run from Jose Valdez with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as they stunned Salt River 3-1 to win their series. Scottsdale completed a sweep of Glendale on Sunday with a 2-0 win at home, leaving the Desert Dogs 1.5 games back of Surprise in the DL Central. Oakland's Freddy Rice went 4 for 6 with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs as the Oaks took two of three from first place San Diego, winning on Sunday 14-5.

Antoine Swanger has been a solid #2 starter for the Silver Kings.

[countryboy]

Cardinals drop first series of 2028 season against Dodgers

RECORD: 11-5
DIVISION: 1ST (+0.5 PIT)
WILDCARD: N/A

The Cardinals dropped their first season of the 2028 campaign as they dropped 2 games of a 3 game series to Dodgers in Los Angeles over weekend. The Dodgers offense proved to be too much for the Cardinals pitching staff during the series, with the Cards only win coming Saturday in a 12-9 slugfest that saw Nolan Gorman's grandslam in the Top of the 9th be the difference maker.

Outside of that game, the Dodgers beat the Cards 9-2 on Friday and 13-1 on Sunday. Ugly series for the pitching staff.

The Cardinals will head home as they welcome the Twins to town for a 3 game series.

[jmcole33]

The Amazins

1st Year Player Draft Recap
June 1, 2030

The Mets entered this year's amateur draft with the best record in the majors at 44-17. The draft is incredibly important for maintaining long term success. Last year, New York went pitcher heavy and came away with a draft that they felt really good about. This draft had a lot less depth and the Mets had the 30th overall pick, but the Mets managed to select a couple prospects that they feel will be able to help - albeit further down the line. Let's take a look at their selections:


1st Round – SS Lenny Stokes
18 years old | 5’10 | 189 LBS | California

New York went the route of high school position player with their first pick. Lenny is a plus athlete on the bases and looks like his bat to ball skills will translate to the big leagues. He'll need to pack on some muscle to unlock some power, but it's likely he'll never hit more than 15 HR in a season. The Mets see Stokes as a high-OBP, defensive middle infielder, but he will need several years until he's knocking on the door.

Prediction: Speed + Contact Middle Infielder | ETA: 2037


2nd Round – 1B Alberto Moreno
23 years old | 6'5 | 221 LBS | Venezuela

The Mets went after another bat with their second pick. Alberto Moreno has some professional experience in Venezuela where he hit 30 HR in his most recent season. Moreno provides a big stick from both sides of the plate, but he has some major swing and miss issues. He will need to clean up his plate discipline and ability to shorten his swing, but the power will absolutely play.

Prediction: Middle of the order power bat | ETA: 2035


3rd Round – CF Tim Green
20 years old | 5’8 | 173 LBS | Hawaii

Green had an excellent season for the University of Hawaii and it helped put him on the map. His diminutive stature kept him from going earlier in the draft, but his production cannot be argued with. He can change a game with his speed alone, and his ability to get on base at a high clip makes him a terror to opposing teams. His athleticism will allow him to play anywhere up the middle, but he'll need time to develop into a big leaguer.

Prediction: Leadoff hitter | ETA: 2036


4th Round – RHP Bobby Phillips
23 years old | 5'11 | 167 LBS | Germany

Phillips was the only pitcher selected by New York and is a bit of a project. He's got incredible power and torque in his short frame, allowing his fastball to touch 99 and average around 96. He also features a low-80s curveball and a changeup that has some potential. What Phillips lacks is a grasp of the finer points of pitching. He often loses the strike zone and he hasn't quite figured out how to pitch strategically. If the mental part of the game can click for Phillips, he will contribute in New York.

Prediction: Backend Starter or Bullpen | ETA: 2035


5th Round – 2B Kris Barrios
21 years old | 5'10 | 194 LBS | Dominican Republic

Barrios is a solid baseball player, but doesn't do anything great. He can hit, has some pop, and can run the bases. Defensively, he looks like a second or third baseman. Overall, he doesn't give scouts much to write home about, but there's no glaring weakness in his game. Barrios is a few years away from being considered for a MLB spot, but he should be able to provide organizational depth at a minimum.

Prediction: AAAA Player | ETA: 2038+


6th Round – Giovanni Namura
19 years old | 6'2 | 214 LBS | Japan

Like a lot of the players from Japan, Namura is a professional hitter. At just 19 years old, he already possesses a MLB ready bat and plate discipline. However, he lacks the power output that would make him a really exciting hitter. Unfortunately, Namura struggles on the defensive side of the ball, which makes his options limited with no DH in the NL. His contact-ability is so good that he'll be in conversations to be on a roster his whole career.

Prediction: Career Minor Leaguer/Bench Bat | ETA: 2033

[The Gamer]

Pedro Astacio is absolutely locked in.

Through five starts he’s pitching like prime Pedro Martínez wearing a Rockies jersey. Let’s break it down:

Recent Games:
• 2 complete-game shutouts already (including a 13-strikeout gem vs Montreal).
• Only 3 ER in 42.1 innings → ERA 0.64.
• WHIP 0.66 — he’s basically suffocating hitters.
• 33 Ks vs 7 walks → 4.7 K/BB ratio.

Pitch Mix:
• 95 mph sinker with late life, plus that slider at 90.
• Change and curve working just enough to keep hitters honest.
• The numbers show he’s pounding the zone and daring hitters to beat him — and they can’t.

Context:
• This isn’t Coors Field Pedro Astacio of real life, giving up homers in thin air.
• This is franchise-mode Pedro Astacio, suddenly looking like the ace of the National League.
• He’s averaging 8.4 innings per start. That’s Maddux/Smoltz territory.


If this continues, you’re staring at NL Pitcher of the Month and maybe even an early Cy Young pace.

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[The Gamer]

Diamondbacks Outlast Cubs in 15-Inning Marathon
By Paul Sullivan. Chicago Tribune – April 20, 2025

CHICAGO – On a gray afternoon that turned into a night of endurance, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs staged a classic at Wrigley Field, with Arizona finally breaking through for a 2-0 victory in 15 innings to take the series.

The duel began with brilliance from both starters. Arizona’s Omar Daal flirted with perfection deep into the evening, setting down the first 24 Cubs he faced. The left-hander carried a perfect game into the ninth inning and did not allow his first baserunner until the 10th, when Mark Grace lined a single to left. Daal finished with nine shutout innings, one hit allowed, 13 strikeouts, and no walks, cementing his place as the star of the day despite not factoring in the decision.

On the other side, Mark Clark matched him frame for frame. Clark kept the Diamondbacks’ lineup quiet across nine innings of his own, scattering four hits and striking out five. Though not as overpowering as Daal, Clark was equally effective, forcing Arizona into a string of groundouts and timely outs.

With both starters long gone, the bullpens took center stage. Chicago’s relief corps held until the 15th inning, when Arizona finally cracked through. Tony Batista doubled to center, then Kelly Stinnett drove a single to plate the first run. Moments later, Travis Lee added another RBI single, giving Arizona the only runs it would need.

The Cubs had their chances late, particularly in the 14th inning when Grace reached second on a wild pitch, but the rally fizzled as Sammy Sosa grounded out to first.

Arizona’s bullpen, pieced together with appearances from Russ Springer, Gregg Olson, Felix Rodriguez, Scott Brow (earning the win), and Clint Sodowsky (collecting his third save), combined for six scoreless innings after Daal departed. The Cubs’ relief was steady until veteran Terry Mulholland surrendered the two decisive runs in the 15th.

At the plate, offense was scarce. Grace collected two of the Cubs’ eight hits, while Henry Rodriguez chipped in two more. For Arizona, Brent Brede had a pair of knocks, and Stinnett and Lee delivered the game-winning RBIs.

When it finally ended, the numbers told the story: 23 combined scoreless half-innings before a run crossed. For Daal and Clark, it was a reminder that dominant pitching can still define a game, even in an era built on power.

“This one was all about the arms,” Cubs manager Jim Riggleman said afterward. “Daal was spectacular, Clark was gutsy, and both bullpens gave everything they had. It just came down to who blinked first.”

Arizona blinked last.

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[Itsma806]

2026 Houston Astros 05/15-05/17

Overall Record: 23-22 (2nd AL West/0.5 behind Mariners)

Game Results:

Game 1
Astros-9
Rockies-4

Game 2
Astros-4
Rockies-3

Game 3
Rockies-4
Astros-3

Stros collect series win vs. Rockies but fail to sweep.

Houston had their chance but failed to complete the sweep against the Colorado Rockies. Houston won the first two games, 9-4 and 4-3. After that, they entered game three with a chance to sweep the series. To thing about it, Houston started with a great first inning that featured homeruns by Yordan Alavrez (17) and Christian Walker to open up the game 3-0,

That wouldnt hold up for too long however as Colorado tied it in the 3rd inning and eventually took the lead in the 5th off of a Nolan Jones RBI double to give the Rockies the 4-3 lead.

That lead heldup as neither team scored past that point.

Houston will now head back to LA to face the Angels (15-22/5th AL West) as they close out their road trip with four against their divisional rivals.

[bigjdotcom01]

September 8-10: GLENDALE (79-68) @ LAS VEGAS (64-82)
Stadium: Bally Ballpark (Capacity: 26,976)

September 8: Desert Dogs 5, Silver Kings 1
September 9: Silver Kings 3, Desert Dogs 2
September 10: Silver Kings 11, Desert Dogs 1

Las Vegas, NV (AP) - Las Vegas continues to play well late in the season as they take two of three from Glendale, a potential playoff team. The Silver Kings are (44-44) since June 1 as they look to build momentum heading to the 2026 season.

Glendale put an end to Las Vegas' four game winning streak as they took the opener 5-1. Anthony Davidson (11-6) picked up the win, going seven innings and allowing one run on six hits, striking out five.

Las Vegas picked up a run in the first. Eric Machado singled to open the game and stole second. He advanced to third on a Gilberto Cardona single. David Tejeda bounced into a 3-6-3 double play, allowing Machado to score as Vegas went up 1-0.

Steve Sechrist had a no hitter heading into the fifth inning. Brent Madden broke that up with a one-out blooper to left. Kiki Rouse followed that with a screaming double into the gap in left center to tie the game at 1-1. Andreas Ruiz hit a one-out solo home run (14) in the sixth to give the visitors the lead. Jay Craig (36) and Brent Madden (24) hit back-to-back home runs to open the seventh to end Steve Sechrist's night. A Carlos Sanchez triple in the eighth plated Ruiz to make it 5-1 Glendale.

Steve Sechrist (1-13) took the loss, losing his 13^th straight decision. But he did not pitch poorly. He went six plus innings, allowing four runs on five hits, striking out two and walking one.

On Tuesday evening, the Silver Kings blew a ninth inning lead, then walked it off on a Danny Watt two-out RBI single in the bottom half in a 3-2 victory over the Desert Dogs.

Las Vegas took an early 2-0 lead in this one on a Julius Newsome two-run home run in the second inning, his second on the year.

Glendale got on the scoreboard in the fifth on a solo home run from Kiki Rouse, his 19^th on the year.

Las Vegas starter Kevin Perez was excellent in this one, going 7.2 innings, allowing one run on six hits. Willie Willey came on in relief of Perez in the eighth with a runner on second and he struck out Brent Madden to send it to the ninth with a one run lead.

Kai Ransom came on in the ninth, looking for his 21^st save. He gave up a lead off single to Roberto Blanco, then got Jay Craig and Tom Levine to fly out. A wild pitch allowed Blanco to move into scoring position. Andres Villasmil then doubled off the wall in left, scoring Blanco to tie the game at 2-2.

David Tejeda opened the bottom half of the ninth with a ringing double. Mariano Hidalgo, mired in a huge slump, struck out. Caden Juarez hit a screamer to short for the second out. Danny Watt came through with a line drive single to center, allowing Tejeda to score as the Silver Kings walked it off.

Kai Ransom blew his sixth save, but picked up the win (2-6), allowing one run on two hits. Glendale reliever Billy Schaffer (4-6) took the loss, allowing one run on two hits in 1.2 innings of work.

In Wednesday afternoon's finale, the Silver Kings scored six times in the second inning and cruised to an easy 11-1 victory to win the series. Rookie David Tejeda continues to impress, going 4 for 5 with a double, home run and two RBIs with three runs scored.

The Silver Kings blew this one open in the second. Caden Juarez led the inning off with a single to center. Danny Watt reached on an error by shortstop Sanchez. Julius Newsome singled to center to load the bases with no outs. Stefan Hernandez hit a sacrifice fly to center with Juarez scoring to give Vegas a 1-0 lead. Todd Matsumoto singled to right, scoring Danny Watt. Gilberto Cardona doubled to right with Todd Matsumoto getting thrown out at the plate 9-4-2 with Newsome scoring on the play. Julio Chacon then tripled with Cardona scoring. David Tejeda capped off the inning with a two-run home run his 28^th, to make it 6-0.

In the third, Julius Newsome singled home Caden Juarez, who had singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Newsome singled and stole second in the fifth, scoring on a Todd Matsumoto RBI single. In the sixth, Danny Watt lined a two-out, two-run single to center to make it 10-0.

Glendale got one back in the seventh after Brent Madden tripled and scored on a Kiki Rouse sacrifice fly. Danny Watt added another RBI single in the eighth, scoring David Tejeda, to make it 11-1.

Las Vegas pounded out 18 hits in this one, with Glendale managing just two. Emery Hutchinson (14-9) continues to have an amazing season. He went seven innings, allowing one run on two hits, striking out eight and walking two. Thurman Ratto worked two scoreless and hitless innings in relief. Enrique Quintero (13-12) took the loss, getting lifted after just 1.2 innings. He allowed six runs (two earned) on seven hits.

The Silver Kings (64-82) will now head out on their final road trip of the season, a ten game trip, to Long Beach (70-76) for four games, Albuquerque (77-70) and Flagstaff (72-74). They will then return home for their final home stand against Scottsdale (56-90) and Oakland (65-81).

Around the League: Gilbert's Craig Miller homered three times (16,17,18), driving in four, and Alton Callahan took over the Desert League lead with his 39^th home run, as the Barnstormers beat up on Tahoe 8-1 to open a three game series on Monday evening. San Diego beat Albuquerque 4-2 to extend their lead in the DL West to eight games over slumping Tahoe. Chris Christensen went 2 for 3 with a double, home run (23) and he drove in three of the four runs for the Seals.

Phoenix's Richie Dale doubled, tripled and homered (21), driving in three as the Firebirds beat Chandler 8-1.

Chandler beat Phoenix 2-1 on Wednesday evening behind a strong start from Shawn Lettiere (7-6) and excellent bullpen work. The Chiefs bullpen did not allow a run over the final 2.1 innings with Reese O'Farrell picking up his 45^th save. Scottsdale's Shea Horton went 2 for 5 with a home run (39) and drove in four as the Scorpions beat Surprise 11-4. Austin gave up three runs in the top of the tenth, then rallied with four of their own to stun San Antonio 6-5. Donnell Bronk had a two run double and Boone Samuel walked it off with a two run triple for the Fire Frogs. Red-hot Amarillo won for the ninth time in ten games as they shutout West Texas 2-0. Fredrick Tillman (12-10) went 8.1 shutout innings, scattering four hits, striking out 10 and walking four. The Honey Hunters are now just 4.5 games out of the second Wild Card in the Mountain League.

David Tejeda looks like he has locked up Rookie of the Year at this point.

[The Gamer]

Game Preview: Dodgers @ Cubs

📍 Wrigley Field
🎙️ Game 1 of 2
Pitching Matchup
Dodgers: Hideo Nomo (2–0, 0.58 ERA)
The Tornado has been nearly unhittable this year, allowing just 18 hits in 31 innings while striking out 25. His funky delivery and devastating forkball continue to baffle hitters, and he enters tonight’s game with the second-lowest ERA in the National League.
Cubs: Geremi González (2–0, 3.86 ERA)
Quietly steady for Chicago, González has been dominant of late, limiting walks (just 2 on the season) while showing sharp command. He’ll need every bit of that against a Dodgers lineup stacked with power bats.
Storylines to Watch
Cubs’ Hot Hand: Kevin Orie carries a 12-game hitting streak, extended in extras against Arizona. Can he keep it alive against Nomo?
Grace Returns: Mark Grace is back in the lineup and will hit third, providing veteran presence and balance against L.A.’s righty.
Sosa Watch: Sammy Sosa has been quieter since his 200th career homer, but he remains the most dangerous bat in the Chicago lineup.
Dodgers’ Firepower: Eric Karros (.337 AVG), Raul Mondesi, and Mike Piazza form the heart of an order that has given the Cubs fits in recent meetings.
Momentum Factor: Dodgers come in at 14–9 (2nd in NL West) while the Cubs sit at 9–15 (5th in NL Central), looking to snap back after the grueling 15-inning loss to Arizona.
Projected Lineups
Dodgers (14–9):
1. Eric Young — 2B (.228)
2. Trent Hubbard — CF (.259)
3. Mike Piazza — C (.235)
4. Raul Mondesi — RF (.244)
5. Eric Karros — 1B (.337) 🔥
6. Todd Zeile — 3B (.321)
7. Todd Hollandsworth — LF (.224)
8. Jose Vizcaíno — SS (.241)
9. Hideo Nomo — SP (.286) 🔥
Cubs (9–15):
1. Lance Johnson — CF (.313)
2. Jose Hernandez — 2B (.289)
3. Mark Grace — 1B (.297) ⭐
4. Sammy Sosa — RF (.260) 👑
5. Henry Rodriguez — LF (.373) 🔥
6. Shawon Dunston — SS (.280)
7. Tyler Houston — C (.254) ❄️
8. Kevin Orie — 3B (.226)
9. Geremi González — SP (.167)
📌 Key Matchup to Watch:
Kevin Orie’s streak vs. Nomo’s ERA

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[LowerWolf]

Do you guys tinker with your rosters as much as I do? Baseball is such a long season (that I love) that I can't help but tinker a bit.

Late June in my dynasty, so we still have a month until the trade deadline. Coming off a sweep of the Mets, I decided to send Pavin Smith (whom I acquired earlier in the year) to Gwinnett. I'm happy with that trade - and he'll play a bigger role in 2026 - but he just doesn't see any playing time behind Acuna and Olson. I recalled Luke Williams to replace him.

Won the first two games in Miami to push the winning streak to five. The game kept telling me to insert Williams into the lineup since he hadn't played in awhile, so I decided I'd give Ozzie a day off and start Williams at second. But before the game, I decided I'd really rather see Vidal Brujan (whom I acquired just a week or so earlier) instead. So I called him up and put him in the lineup and sent Williams back down.

We ended up getting shelled, 11-3, in the finale with Dane Dunning (another in-season acquisition) getting tagged for 7 runs in two innings. Put Williams on the block and - following my house rules - the Pirates were willing to trade Carson Fulmer for him. Pulled the trigger on that trade, added Fulmer to the 40-man and then called him up and sent Dunning down. Kind of worked out perfect.

In my head, Williams was unhappy with being called up only to be sent back down two days later, so we shipped him off.

[countryboy]

I've been doing an extremely poor job at keeping up to date on my franchise progression. I was trying to go back and write series by series, but its a daunting task so I'll just do a summary.
I'm going to try my best to do a better job at keeping up as it enhances my experience with my virtual universe.

Cardinals enter June atop the NL Central

The Cardinals will enter the month of June with a 35-23 record which is good for first place in the NL Central. They lead the Reds by 2 games and the Cubs by 3.5. The Brewers and Pirates are struggling this year, which is a huge surprise with the Pirates considering the moves they made this offseason and how good their starting rotation is.

We are coming off a series with the said Pirates who took 2 of 3 from us in Pittsburgh thus trying to see if they can salvage what has been a horrible beginning to the 2028 season. May was a bumpy ride as we split a 4 game series with the Rockies as well as the Cubs. We also lost a series in Kansas City where we blew 2 late inning leads of 4 runs and 6 runs respectfully. We have also been targeted by the injury bug as Masyn Winn is out until the All-Star break with a broken hand suffered on a HBP. JJ Wetherholt is out until August sometime with a collarbone injury thus meaning we are now 3rd deep on our depth chart at shortstop. Then a huge blow about a week later as Alec Burleson suffered a broken forearm that will put him out until the end of August first part of September. This resulted in Nolan Gorman going from DH to 1B, Jordan Walker moving from RF to DH, and the call up of #7 STL prospect Jack Gomez to play RF.

Our starting pitching has been solid but the bullpen has struggled the past 3 weeks. Giving up leads, allowing leads to grow, and its not just one or two people but everyone except for Ryan Helsley who is a perfect 19 for 19 in save opportunities.

We begin the month of June with a 10 game homestand beginning with a 3 game weekend series with the Diamondbacks.

[jmcole33]

The Amazins

Mets Drop Series To Philly
June 5, 2030

The Mets turned in their first truly disappointing series of the year and dropped 3 of the 4 games to the lowly Phillies. Their lone win came in Game 2 on the heels of 7 scoreless innings by Michael Whitehead.

Overall, the Mets were outscored 18-9 across the four games, including an 8-2 drubbing in the opener. Broderick McClendon made his second start in a Mets uniform and gave up 5 runs on 10 hits over 4.2 IP. Sounds like he'll get one more start to show carrying him as a 6th starter is worth it for the club.

In addition to his stellar performance on the mound, Michael Whitehead also provided an RBI double in the 2-1 Game 2 victory. The Phillies would score in the 8th, but Alexis Quevedo cut down the runner trying to extend a single into a double, which ended the rally. Donald Beals collected his 21st save of the year despite allowing a leadoff double.

In the next game, Beals would enter the game once again with a 2-1 lead in the top of the 9th. However, the Phillies would tag him for back to back homers that put them on top 4-2. Corey Seager would bring the Mets within a run, but Steven Logan grounded into a double play that would end the game. A tough loss.

The finale was all Philadelphia as they prevailed 5-2. They would plate 4 runs on 10 hits off Lucas Giolito and the Mets offense never really found its groove. Steven Logan provided the two Mets runs with a solo HR and a sac fly. He was the one Met who had a productive series - 4 for 14 with 2 HR and 5 RBI.

The Mets (45-20) will now get a day off before hitting the road for six games. They'll head to Miami to face the Marlins (34-32) for the first time this season before 3 more games in Philadelphia.

Julio Fernandez Not Close to Return

Management got word today that the lefty pitcher is still a ways away from making his return to the big league mound. Despite a successful surgery, he will still need quite some time to rehab. The Mets are hoping to get the lefty veteran back before August.

The news isn't necessarily a surprise, but it does indicate that the 6-man rotation experiment is on its last leg. Broderick McClendon has an 11.50 ERA over his two starts, and Lucas Giolito has turned in three out of 4 below-average starts. Management will not throw 6 arms just for the sake of doing so, and if Giolito cannot turn it around, they'll quickly be down to 4 viable starting arms.

Lincoln James is the only other arm currently on the 40-man with any starting experience, and he's been used primarily out of the bullpen for the last year and a half. The Mets will be forced to call up one of their younger prospects (which they don't want to do quite yet), give Aaron Blair a look as a starter, or they'll have to explore the trade/free agent market.

[The Gamer]

Wrigley was rocking tonight! 🎉

The Cubs outslugged the Dodgers 7–5 behind a balanced attack and some timely hitting:

Mark Grace was vintage, going 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI — the steady heartbeat of the lineup.

Sammy Sosa crushed his 7th home run of the year, a 423-foot blast to center, driving in two.

Kevin Orie extended his red-hot run, hitting his first homer of the season and adding another RBI.

Jose Hernandez chipped in with a 2-for-4 night, scoring twice.

Tyler Houston added 2 RBIs from the catcher’s spot.


On the mound:

Geremi González (3-0) battled through 6 innings, giving up 5 runs on 8 hits but striking out 6 to stay unbeaten.

Terry Adams steadied things in relief with 2 clean innings.

Rod Beck slammed the door for his 5th save of 1998.


The Dodgers made it interesting with Eric Karros (4-for-4, RBI) and Todd Hollandsworth’s homer, but it wasn’t enough against Chicago’s 12-hit barrage.

👉 Final: Cubs 7, Dodgers 5
👉 Player of the Game: Mark Grace

The Cubs improve to 10–15, snapping out of their early funk and taking Game 1 of the series.

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[The Gamer]

AL HR Leaders

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