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		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 08:46:55 -0400</pubDate>
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					<![CDATA[The Red Sox Should Be Sellers At The Deadline With Multiple Prime Trade Candidates]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/from-dugout-why-red-sox-should-sellers-who-trade-candidates</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/from-dugout-why-red-sox-should-sellers-who-trade-candidates</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Craig Breslow, the Red Sox chief baseball officer, is having a lot of conversations about how his front office will pilot MLB’s Aug. 3 trade deadline. But it seems like those discussions are not reflecting their reality.]]>
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				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:28:01 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Craig Breslow, the Red Sox chief baseball officer, is having a lot of conversations about how his front office will pilot MLB’s Aug. 3 trade deadline. But it seems like those discussions are not reflecting their reality. The Red Sox (27-37) are last in the American League East, 11 ½ games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, and 4 ½ games out of a Wild Card spot with six teams in front of them. They’re not a serious threat to win the World Series. They have several trade chips whose value may never be higher. Yet they’re still masquerading as potential playoff contenders. "It's been true industry-wide," Breslow said in New York over the weekend about how he would characterize trade talks. "There are a lot of teams that probably feel pretty similarly to us, which is to say that they have confidence in their rosters, they know they're not playing as well as they're capable of, and really nobody has put the postseason out of reach. So there are a bunch of teams that are in it right now that are thinking along the same lines as we are." The Red Sox are fooling themselves if they believe buying instead of selling is the best move for their immediate and future success. Their offense has hit the fewest home runs (49) in Major League Baseball. Boston’s .376 slugging percentage and 90 wRC+ are both ranked 26th in the majors. ESPN reported this week that the Red Sox are aggressively looking to add a right-handed bat, and that they’re even willing to take on money. (That's puzzling, considering they had an opportunity to spend more money on an impact bat in the offseason, but more on that later.) The larger point is that their offensive problems won't be solved by simply acquiring a power hitter at the deadline. The Red Sox don’t walk much (7.8%, ranked 27th in MLB), they don’t slug (.131 ISO, 29th in MLB), they hit a ton of weak ground balls (44.1% GB rate, 5th in MLB), and they’ve scored the second-fewest runs in baseball (250) behind only the Padres. First baseman Willson Contreras is supplying all the power in the lineup, and the Red Sox could use an extra slugger, to be sure. But that’s not going to help them play better on the margins. The lineup is poorly constructed. One way to overcome that is to change their approach at the plate, emphasize small-ball, steal bases, and execute sacrifice flies and bunts. But looking at the rest of the mediocre field, and understanding that 10 of 15 AL teams are playing sub-.500 baseball, is a trap. The danger of a weak playoff race is that the Red Sox are convincing themselves that they’re one hot streak away. "We need to run our own race," Breslow said when asked whether the weak state of the AL could drive the Red Sox to be buyers. "We need to make sure that we get our house in order. We need to play better. We need to win more games. At that point, we can figure out where we are relative to the league. But the first thing is we need to build on the progress that we've seen offensively over the last month. And then make sure that we're pitching consistently well. We need to win games for any of this to happen." The reality is, the Red Sox actually have a handful of compelling players they could be shopping in the weeks leading up to the deadline. Closer Aroldis Chapman is, by far, Boston’s most attractive trade chip. At 38 years old, Chapman has a 0.46 ERA and 33.8% strikeout rate across 20 games (13 saves) and 19 ⅔ innings. Several teams are desperate for an elite closer with proven postseason experience, who’s also a rental on a one-year deal. Chapman could net the Red Sox a top-100 prospect or multiple upper-minors prospects. It’s a no-brainer to deal him. Veteran right-hander Sonny Gray is another logical candidate to dangle in front of contenders. He’s 7-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 11 starts and 56 ⅓ innings pitched. His fastball has looked elite this season, and he’s improved on his hard-hit rate, with 37% being his lowest since 2021. Contenders always want starters at the deadline, and Gray’s postseason experience and reliable innings make him an attractive asset. The Red Sox could get a near-MLB ready arm or mid-tier prospects for Gray. Boston should also be entertaining blockbuster deals for outfielder Jarren Duran, who has started to heat up at the plate. After hitting .170 with a .481 OPS and one home run in 26 games in April, Duran hit .261 with a .879 OPS and nine home runs in 27 games in May. Rival executives might be weary of his attitude in the clubhouse after being involved in controversial off-field altercations and emotional reactions. But he’s still a fascinating player for his speed, defense and left-handed bat, with two more years of team control. Boston would likely need an overwhelming offer to move him. Right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock and designated hitter Masataka Yoshida could also join those three players on the trade block. With so many valuable candidates, the Red Sox should be using the deadline to shore up prospects and MLB-ready players. They can accelerate their 2027 window, rather than chasing an 84-win season that might be good enough to sneak into the playoffs, because that’s how weak the AL is. But the team doesn’t show much promise beyond an early October exit. That being said, Red Sox fans are right to doubt whether Breslow can engineer the best returns for the attractive pieces he has, and how he’ll handle those hauls. We’re approaching the one-year anniversary of Breslow’s infamous Rafael Devers trade, and it sure looks like the San Francisco Giants won the deal. Of course, the Giants gave up a lot of players and are paying Devers over $31 million per year. And even though Devers has not yet panned out the way the Giants had hoped, he posted a .949 OPS in May, he still owns a .847 career OPS, and they have plenty of time to figure it out together. The Red Sox, meanwhile, botched the Devers trade the minute they let third baseman Alex Bregman sign with the Cubs over this past offseason. Devers entered 2025 having played seven seasons at third base in Boston. But the Red Sox had just signed Bregman to play third base, and Breslow and company were not up front with Devers about switching positions. So they traded him to San Francisco. Entering 2026, Bregman wanted to stay in Boston. But the Red Sox were unwilling to sign him due to disagreements over Bregman's requests: a long-term contract with a no-trade clause and less deferred money. Then, the Red Sox traded away most of Devers’ return package, which consisted of four players. Since they were counting on Bregman to be their long-term solution at third base when they made the decision to trade Devers, and then Bregman signed with the Cubs, they were caught with their tail between their legs entering 2026 without a third baseman. So in February, they traded away one of the best return pieces from the Devers' haul — left-hander Kyle Harrison — to Milwaukee for Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler. Durbin, who was brought in as their primary third baseman, has an OPS+ of 55. Monasterio is also playing at replacement level, with a 0.2 WAR in 35 games. Meanwhile, Harrison has turned into an elite pitcher for the Brewers. His 2.72 ERA is ranked 12th-best among NL starters who have pitched at least 50 innings this year. So Breslow’s track record to this point should be enough for Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy to appoint a different front-office leader ahead of another important trade deadline. But according to a recent report from the Boston Globe, the Red Sox are not considering firing Breslow. In his third season, Breslow will continue to be the man in charge amid the team’s chaotic and disappointing year. The organization has regressed since qualifying for the postseason last year. On April 25, the Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora and six of his coaches. They were 10-17 at the time, and are 17-20 since interim manager Chad Tracy took over. The Red Sox have roughly seven weeks to find consistency in the win column, but it shouldn’t take that long to reach a decision. Sell.]]>
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					<![CDATA[MLB Rookie Of The Year Races: JJ Wetherholt, Kevin McGonigle Set The Early Pace]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/al-nl-rookie-year-race-kevin-mcgonigle-jj-wetherholt-murakami</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/al-nl-rookie-year-race-kevin-mcgonigle-jj-wetherholt-murakami</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[With over a third of the season in the books, here are the kids you need to watch in the Rookie of the Year races in both leagues.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:41:22 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Munetaka Murakami’s home-run party has been put on hold as he deals with a hamstring injury, but the Rookie of the Year race continues forward in what should be an interesting battle the rest of the way. From World Baseball Classic standouts to phenom middle infielders to surprising stars on the mound, the game is clearly in a good place when it comes to young talent. After breaking down the Cy Young race at the end of May, here’s our way-too-early check-in on the top AL and NL Rookie of the Year award contenders: AMERICAN LEAGUE The Frontrunner By wins above replacement, the 21-year-old has been the most valuable rookie in MLB. In fact, McGonigle and Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. are the only MLB shortstops worth more than 3.0 bWAR this year. McGonigle leads all rookies in hits and on-base percentage, ranks second in doubles and OPS and has more walks than strikeouts on the season. The Contenders The polarizing NPB star has given the White Sox everything they could have hoped for while catalyzing Chicago’s terrific start to the season. The embodiment of a three-true-outcome slugger, Murakami ranks third in MLB in home runs and also has the fifth-highest strikeout rate and fourth-highest walk rate among all qualified hitters. Add it all up, and he has been the most productive rookie hitter in MLB. However, his hamstring strain could put a … well, strain … on his Rookie of the Year hopes. One of many Cleveland ROY contenders, Messick has the distinctive honor of also possibly challenging for a Cy Young Award. He has been the most productive rookie pitcher in baseball and ranks third among all qualified AL starters in ERA behind only Cam Schlittler and Nick Martinez. Messick has earned his way to this point, picking up wins against the Dodgers, Braves and Phillies among his six victories. Basallo is a bit banged up, but the 21-year-old slugger ranks second in slugging, third in homers and fourth in OPS among all qualified AL hitters. He is prone to chase and whiff, but his quality of contact is among the best of any rookie in MLB. He ranks in the top 30 among all qualified hitters in average exit velocity. He doesn’t have the power of his teammate on the list, Murakami, but Peters should be getting more attention in the ROY race. Acquired for cash considerations from the Rays, the 2021 seventh-round pick of the Brewers is taking advantage of his first extended MLB action. He leads all qualified AL rookies in batting average, ranks third among AL rookie position players in both bWAR and fWAR and brings elite center field defense. Bazzana got a late start compared to his fellow Cleveland teammates on this list, so his counting stats lag behind other top contenders. But the top prospect is making the most of his opportunity. He has an OPS near .800 and is already tied for the AL rookie lead in stolen bases in just 37 games. If Everything Breaks Right Since his electric start, during which he joined Trevor Story as the only two players in MLB history with four home runs through their first three regular-season games, DeLauter has just three home runs over his past 60 games. He’s now hitting only slightly above league average, but his elite plate discipline and strong underlying numbers suggest better days ahead. Tolle began the year at Triple-A, but he shouldn’t be going back anytime soon. He struck out 11 batters and allowed one run to the Yankees over six innings in his first start of the year on April 23 and hasn’t looked back, registering the lowest ERA (2.28), WHIP (0.97) and opponents’ batting average (.192) and the highest strikeout rate (27.3%) of any qualified AL rookie starter over his eight starts this season. For both Tolle and Yesavage, if they can build on their short sample so far, they’ll put themselves in the Rookie of the Year conversation. We’ve already seen the potential for Yesavage, the 2025 postseason standout who had a 2.84 ERA over three World Series appearances. A shoulder issue delayed his start to the year, but he has a 3.16 ERA through eight starts. Okamoto trails only fellow NPB standout Murakami for the most home runs and RBIs by a rookie this year. Okamoto has run hot and cold in his first MLB season — he’s only hitting slightly above league average overall — but he has caught fire in June again. He’s hitting over .400 in his first six games of the month and is consistently making hard contact, but he will likely need to cut down his 31.9% strikeout rate if he hopes to make a run at the top rookie award. AL Honorable Mentions: Sam Antonacci, 2B/OF, Chicago White Sox; Connelly Early, SP, Boston Red Sox; Brandon Valenzuela, C, Toronto Blue Jays; Colt Emerson, SS/3B, Seattle Mariners NATIONAL LEAGUE The Frontrunner By WAR, the Cardinals’ 2024 first-round pick is lapping the National League field. Wetherholt provides value across the board, hitting well above league average, running the bases well and leading all MLB second basemen defensively in outs above average. His .358 on-base percentage is the highest mark among all qualified NL rookies. The Contenders Stewart has cooled off since his blistering start — he had an OPS over 1.000 through his first 27 games — but he still leads all qualified NL rookies in most offensive categories, including hits (62), home runs (12), doubles (13), RBI (40), slugging (.455) and OPS (.803). He has also stolen 10 bases, adding some value on the basepaths in addition to his power. The Pirates’ wunderkind, the top prospect in all of baseball at the time of his call-up on April 3, struggled out of the gate — not that surprising, considering he was 19 years old at the time — but was starting to find his groove when he hit the injured list with a forearm strain. Griffin hit over .300 in May and currently leads all NL rookies with 14 stolen bases, though he remains sidelined with his arm injury. One of the favorites to win the Rookie of the Year honor after starring late last season, McLean had an ERA over 4.00 at the end of May. But that mark is down to 3.98, and McLean leads all NL rookie pitchers in strikeouts (82) and fWAR (1.2). His expected ERA is even better this year than it was last year, suggesting better days ahead. Expect him to challenge for the top NL honor by year’s end. After a dreadful start to the year offensively, Benge is turning it on. He had a five-hit day Sunday while finishing a double short of the cycle and is batting .328 since May 3. Benge is tied for second among NL rookies in hits and steals, and the underlying numbers support the surge. If Everything Breaks Right Rumfield had the highest OPS among qualified NL rookies in May and took home Rookie of the Month honors. He ranks second among NL rookies in hits, slugging and OPS and is third in RBIs. It’s a bit bizarre to have a 30-year-old here, but the veteran lefty still has rookie status after spending the past three years in Japan. Griffin is 7-2 with a 3.63 ERA in his first year back stateside, already tallying more than twice as many wins as the next closest NL rookie starter. He leads all qualified NL rookies in WHIP and has been effective despite a four-seamer that sits in the low 90s. Waldschmidt didn’t make his MLB debut until May 8, but the 2024 first-round pick hit over .300 through his first 19 games. He has fallen back down to earth over the past week and is still looking for his first home run, but the speedy outfielder leads all qualified NL rookie hitters with a .278 batting average. Eldridge is not yet qualified with fewer than 100 plate appearances to this point, but Giants manager Tony Vitello is finding him more consistent opportunities now. The 21-year-old slugger is slashing .429/.488/.657 over his past 10 games. His .812 OPS is the highest mark among all NL rookies with at least 50 at-bats this season. Honorable Mentions: A.J. Ewing, OF, New York Mets; Moisés Ballesteros, DH/C, Chicago Cubs; Bubba Chandler, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates; Logan Henderson, SP, Milwaukee Brewers]]>
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					<![CDATA[Major League Baseball's Over-35 Hitters Face Steepest Production Drop-Off in Decades]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/major-league-baseballs-over-35-hitters-face-steepest-production-drop-off-decades</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/major-league-baseballs-over-35-hitters-face-steepest-production-drop-off-decades</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[It's a tough time to be a veteran MLB hitter these days.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:33:41 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Nolan Arenado was slugging his way through the month of May when the Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman woke up one morning with an ailment that's familiar to those who felt invincible in their 20s but have advanced to their mid-to-late 30s. His back hurt. Not bad. Not enough to keep him out of the lineup. But it was one of those inexplicable moments that comes with being an aging Major League Baseball player — threatening to derail a hot streak for an eight-time All-Star who just turned 35. "There's more aches and pains," Arenado said. "There's just a little more work in the gym, getting prepared for the game, than there used to be. That's a learning curve. "I've always been in the gym, always did that stuff, but there's definitely more maintenance." Arenado got past the minor back issue and is continuing a bounce-back season in the desert, batting .256 with eight homers and 30 RBIs through Monday's games. He's among a group of the 35-and-older crowd getting solid results at the plate, joining Los Angeles Dodgers veterans Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy, along with Houston's Christian Walker. But it's a small club that's become smaller over the past decade. MLB hitters who are 35 or older have combined to provide just 5.6 WAR (Wins Above Replacement, per FanGraphs) through roughly the first 1/3 of the season, continuing a trend that's accelerated over the past decade. In the early 2000s, older stars were the norm in the big leagues. It peaked in 2003 when older hitters combined for 71.3 WAR, with a group highlighted by Barry Bonds, Frank Thomas, Kenny Lofton, Luis Gonzalez and Jeff Bagwell. So what's changed? Let's look at some of the reasons why MLB is skewing younger this days: Analytics like younger players Baseball's analytical era can be traced back to the work of Bill James in the 1970s and 1980s, but terms like WAR, wOBA, BABIP, and OPS+ didn't start to become widespread in the big leagues until at least the late 2000s. Suddenly, the eye test wasn't enough for MLB general managers. Cold, hard numbers were in. And — overwhelmingly — those numbers showed that the best years for a big league hitter usually come from their mid-20s to early 30s. That's directly correlated to MLB teams locking up young players to long-term contracts. Arizona's Corbin Carroll, Detroit's Kevin McGonigle, Pittsburgh's Konnor Griffin, Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. and Seattle's Julio Rodriguez are among dozens of promising players who were signed to lucrative deals well before they reach free agency. Spending on veterans is no longer in vogue. Walker — a three-time Gold Glove first baseman who has hit nearly 200 career homers — signed with the Astros for a relatively modest $60 million, three-year deal after the 2024 season when he was 33 years old. "I think it has a lot to do with the ability to measure guys’ value on the field," Walker said. "For a long time, WAR didn’t exist, wRC+ wasn’t a stat, right? So, you went off of the optics or this guy’s a good clubhouse guy or he’s got experience, he’s been to a World Series." Velocity has exploded during their careers Today's young stars have come of age in a game where velocity is king, but it wasn't that way when Freeman and others broke through. The average MLB fastball in 2026 is north of 94 mph, with 18 qualified pitchers averaging at least 96. When Freeman debuted 17 years ago, the league-wide average was under 92 and no qualified pitchers averaged at least 96. Arenado said that one of the first things that becomes tougher for MLB veterans is the ability to handle really good fastballs — particularly inside. It makes for tough matchups against pitchers like Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski, who routinely throws 100 mph. "I feel like just the general age of the levels and the development is trending younger and younger," Walker said. "And there might be something to that — like your best bullets might be when you’re 27 years old." Big league teams value flexibility more now, too Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has Freeman and Muncy in his lineup on nearly a daily basis. He also played in the big leagues until he was 36 years old, retiring in 2008, giving him some personal experience on the aging process. "The hardest part is to expect and want the same output you've always had, but not be willing to change the equation," Roberts said. Roberts said the process is different for every player. Some need to work out more. Some less. Others need more sleep. Diet becomes more important. The tricky part is that the habits that brought you to the big leagues might not be the same ones that will keep you there in your mid-to-late 30s. Walker, who didn't become a starter in the big leagues until he was 28, said he's embraced getting older and enjoys analyzing his blood tests that might signal what's causing vitamin deficiencies or inflammation. The tests also show how much alcohol might affect his body or the importance of a good night's sleep. "For myself, no real magic recipe, just chalk it up to being a late bloomer," Walker said. "My age is older than most guys, but service time isn’t. I haven’t been in the big leagues for 20 years or anything like that. Just fortunate that I still can help the team." Arenado embraces change Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said he believed there were two main reasons Arenado was still having success in his 14th big league season. First, he gave credit to the D-backs' hitting coaches. But maybe most importantly, Arenado has listened to those coaches, embraced change and found new ways to have success. "There's an adjustment to work habits and mindset once you get to that level where things aren't as easy as they used to be," Lovullo said. "Some say ‘I’ve had my career, it's not as easy as it once was, and I want to shut it down.'" Later he added: "It's fun to watch Nolan Arenado have all this success, but he's worked his butt off. He's working as hard as any 22 or 23 year old we have on this team." Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Brewers Vs. Athletics: Absurd 29-Run, 12-Inning Game By The Numbers]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/brewers-athletics-12-inning-game-las-vegas-ballpark-by-the-numbers</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/brewers-athletics-12-inning-game-las-vegas-ballpark-by-the-numbers</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Milwaukee Brewers and Athletics combined for 29 runs in a 12-inning showdown. Here are more numbers from the game.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:32:55 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world, a billing it lived up to on Monday night as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Athletics in a 15-14, 12-inning game at Las Vegas Ballpark in Paradise, Nevada, the future full-time home of the A's. Here's the unreal offensive display by the numbers: 2: Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom each hit two home runs. 3: Six players recorded at least three hits: Kurtz, Soderstrom, Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn, Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio and Brewers catcher William Contreras. 4A: Vaughn hit a game-tying, two-run double in the ninth inning for the Brewers, evening up the score at 10-all and ultimately forcing extra innings. Milwaukee had previously trailed by four runs (9-5) entering the seventh inning. 4B: Both teams scored four runs in the 10th inning. 4C: Both teams had four players drive in at least two runs. 4D: On a bizarre note, there were only four doubles and zero triples. 7: Both teams used seven pitchers. 9A: The number of runs scored in the third inning; the Brewers scored three runs in the top half of the inning, and the A's scored six runs in the bottom half of the inning. 9B: Vaughn — who had a game-high four hits — Kurtz and Soderstrom each racked up nine total bases. 10: Ten players had a multi-hit performance; the Brewers had six players do as such, while the Athletics had four. 11A: The number of home runs the two teams combined for; the Athletics hit seven home runs, while the Brewers hit four long balls. 11B: The number of total walks (the Brewers drew six walks, while the Athletics drew five). 12A: There were 12 runs driven in with two outs. 12B: The number of innings it took to settle this game. 16: The number of times a pitch was challenged via the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System, which is an MLB high. 17: The number of players who recorded a hit. 21: A combined 21 runners were left on base, 11 by Milwaukee and 10 by the A's. 29A: The number of runs the two teams combined for. 29B: The Brewers have been part of the only two 15-14 MLB contests over the last 25 years, the other one coming in a win over the Washington Nationals on Aug. 17, 2019. 34: The number of hits the two teams combined for; Milwaukee had 18 hits, while the A's had 16 hits. 254: This game lasted four hours and 14 minutes (254 minutes), which is the longest game in MLB this season, per MLB.com.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Last Night In Baseball: Yankees, Guardians Go Extra In Division-Leader Clash]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/yankees-guardians-brewers-athletics-las-vegas-angels-trey-mancini-rays-red-sox</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/yankees-guardians-brewers-athletics-las-vegas-angels-trey-mancini-rays-red-sox</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Yankees and Guardians clashed in a key series for both, the Brewers and A's could not stop hitting, the Angels got oh-so-close, Trey Mancini is back and more from Monday's MLB action.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:04:11 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to follow themselves. Don't worry, we're here to help you by figuring out what you missed but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: The Yankees and Guardians are both in first place in their respective divisions — New York essentially tied with the Rays in the AL East, Cleveland 1.5 games up on the White Sox in the AL Central — making this week’s series between the two not only a test for each but necessary for sticking at the top. This is doubly true since the Guardians haven’t been great against teams over .500, while the Yankees are not only worse in that regard, but are now without Aaron Judge thanks to injury. The opening game was a banger, with the Yankees coming out on top, but it took extra innings to get that result. The Yankees tied things up 5-5 in the top of the eighth when DH Paul Goldschmidt — who also opened up the scoring with a homer in the first — grounded into a force out but pushed a run across in the process. The score would stay 5-5 until extras, in no small part thanks to this incredible double play that ended the eighth. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a ball right between the legs of reliever Cade Smith, but shortstop Brayan Racchio didn’t lose sight of the ball, snagging it right at second and spinning while on the ground to get the first out then throw to first for the second. The Yankees would threaten again in the 10th, however, and had a challenge to use at the perfect time: after an intentional walk to first baseman Ben Rice, new DH Max Schuemann, who had entered earlier as a pinch-runner, challenged a high strike call and ended up walking to load the bases with one out. This was bad news for the obvious reasons, but then there was the fact that left fielder Cody Bellinger was next up. Bellinger has been having an excellent season — he’s hitting .276/.373/.474 — and here drove in two runs with a single to left to put New York up 7-5. The Guardians would end up trying to answer back in the bottom of the 10th, with right fielder Angel Martínez leading off the inning with a walk to put two on. David Bednar would retire the next two batters, however, and then got Rocchio to ground out to end the game. The Yankees were able to keep pace with the Rays — they are .003 points behind them in winning percentage, not even enough to be half-a-game back — while the Guardians failed to put some more distance between themselves and the White Sox in the standings. There are two games left in this series for both of those situations to change, however. The Athletics started a home series in their future home of Las Vegas on Monday, and this probably wasn’t actually a taste of what A’s baseball is going to be about when it settles in for good. And that would be for the best, or else they will never be able to convince a pitcher to join them. The A’s hosted the Brewers, and the two combined for 34 hits, 11 walks, 82 total bases, and 29 runs. The two teams managed to score 29 runs while still stranding 21 total runners — the entire game was made out of offense, and then it just kept going because it was still tied at the end of nine. It almost wasn’t, however. The A’s were up 10-8 in the top of the ninth, trying to secure the W, and then first baseman Andrew Vaughn happened. Or happened again, really, since he had a home run back in the third to make it 4-3. Here, Vaughn drilled a 292-foot two-run double to make it 10-10. And while the Brewers didn’t score again in regulation, they opened up extra innings with a barrage. Left fielder Jackson Chourio made it 11-10 with a sac fly, then catcher William Contreras, with two runners still on, demolished a ball 463 feet to center to make it 14-10. The A’s were not deterred: backstop Shea Langeliers hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th, then first baseman Nick Kurtz hit his second homer of the day to make it 14-13. Jonah Heim would come in as a pinch-hitter right after Kurtz’s blast, and tied things up with a back-to-back solo shot. Somehow, both teams went scoreless in the 11th — exhausted from all of that scoring beforehand, of course — and then the Brewers came up in the 12th with DH Christian Yelich starting on second. He stole third, which set up what ended up being the game-winning play. Chad Patrick came on in relief to close things out for the Brewers in the bottom of the 12th, and the A’s immediately tried to play for one run in order to tie things up and keep the game going. Shortstop Alika Williams dropped a sac bunt to move Zack Gelof over to third, but that was as close as the Athletics could get. Langeliers struck out swinging, Kurtz was handed an intentional walk and second baseman Jeff McNeil couldn’t get the job done. Incredibly, all of this still resulted in fewer extra-base hits than the Brewers hit on Sunday — Milwaukee had 10 then. Maybe throw fewer strikes to these guys for a few days, just to be safe. The Angels took on the Astros in Houston on Monday, and this one had to go to extras to be resolved, as well. The Astros tied things up in the sixth on a double by right fielder Cam Smith, but then shortstop Zach Neto picked up his one hit of the day — a huge one — to give the Angels the lead back, 4-3. Los Angeles gave up the lead again, however, with first baseman Christian Walker hitting an RBI single to once again tie the game and force it into extra innings. The Astros would score again in the top of the 10th when center fielder Jake Meyers — who had entered the game much earlier as a pinch-hitter and then stuck around — popped out to second base. That resulted in a play at the plate, but Angels’ backstop Logan O’Hoppe missed the throw from Nick Madrigal and allowed Jose Altuve to score the go-ahead run. Los Angeles nearly made it even in the bottom of the 10th, but the Angels once again didn’t have any luck on a play at the plate. With no outs and Mike Trout the starting runner at second, left fielder Jose Siri singled to left, and Trout tried to stretch it into a run. Instead, Brice Matthews made a strong throw and nailed Trout for the first out of the inning. This was bad enough, but it got worse when the game ended on a line out to left — maybe Trout would have scored there, on what would have been the second out of the inning. There was some good news from the Angels’ game for non-Astros’ fans, though. Trey Mancini returned to the majors for the first time since 2023, with 1,043 days in between big-league games. And he hit an RBI single in his first at-bat back, too. Mancini, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2020, didn’t play in the pros in 2024 despite signing with the Reds, and nearly retired before inking a minor-league deal with the Diamondbacks last season instead. He’s played well at Triple-A in the Angels’ organization this year, and got a shot when a roster spot opened up thanks to Los Angeles putting infielders Vaughn Grissom and Adam Frazier on the IL. And he went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI in his big return game, too! The Mariners defeated the Orioles 6-3 on Monday, and while baseball is a team sport, it’s also one with some huge hits. And Seattle’s first baseman, Josh Naylor, had the biggest hit you can get to win it for the M’s. Naylor’s fifth-inning grand slam put the Mariners up 5-1, and while the Orioles would cut into the lead a little, it wasn’t enough. Naylor hasn’t actually been hitting for much power this year, as part of the team’s collective early season struggles, but he’s been at a far more respectable .312/.365/.439 with five of his seven homers since April 22, a 39-game stretch: before this, Naylor was batting just .170/.253/.261, and his overall numbers are still digging out of that considerable hole. Entering play on Monday, the Nationals were 0-29 in games where they were trailing entering the ninth inning, per MLB Stats. Make that 1-29 now, after a three-run effort in the ninth erased the Giants’ lead and gave the dub to Washington. Keaton Winn took the mound in place of Logan Webb for San Francisco, and while he got outfielder James Wood to strike out to start his outing, DH Luis Garcia Jr. followed with a double. First baseman Curtis Mead was then hit by a pitch, a passed ball moved both runners over and then shortstop CJ Abrams hit a two-run single to tie the game, 3-3. Abrams would then steal second, and left fielder Daylen Lile sent him home to give the Nationals their first lead since the sixth inning, which the Giants immediately erased in the bottom of the frame. Not this time, though: DH Rafael Devers walked to open the bottom of the ninth, and right fielder Jung Hoo Lee singled him into scoring position, but first baseman Bryce Eldridge ended the threat by striking out swinging. Cristopher Sánchez might not be threatening to break the all-time scoreless streak anymore, but it turns out he’s still great at that whole pitching thing. With the Phillies taking on the Blue Jays in Toronto, Sanchez went seven innings while allowing four hits, a walk and two runs against 10 strikeouts. The only reason his ERA climbed is because it was already so absurdly low that two runs in seven innings was able to make it go all the way up to 1.54. Sánchez got some help, too, with right fielder Adolis García bashing his third homer in as many games, a three-run shot 406 feet to left-center off of Patrick Corbin. That would be enough for Philadelphia to get the win, but the Phillies added another two runs later — final score, 5-2. Toronto is still struggling to find their way back to .500 after a rough start to the year, but the Phillies have managed the feat and are now 36-30, good for second place in the NL East. The Red Sox cannot hit, which is not news, but Monday served as a reminder of this. Boston went down in order in the first inning, and then were greeted by DH Yandy Díaz on the other side — he immediately extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a leadoff homer on the first pitch he saw. Now, Boston’s pitching is much better than its offense, and limited Tampa Bay to three runs on the day. The problem is that the lineup scored just the one, so the Rays were able to win 3-1 on the strength of five shutout innings from the bullpen following the departure of starter Ian Seymour. Tampa Bay remains in first place in the AL East — again, .003 points of winning percentage ahead of New York, a tie for all intents and purposes — and needs to take advantage of this flailing Red Sox team while the Yankees take on the Guardians, in order to widen that gap as much as possible. So far, so good.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Yankees Defeat Guardians In Extras For 2nd Straight Win Without Aaron Judge]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/yankees-defeat-guardians-extra-innings-without-aaron-judge</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/yankees-defeat-guardians-extra-innings-without-aaron-judge</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The New York Yankees offense came alive in clutch time, overcoming Aaron Judge's absence to beat the Cleveland Guardians.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 23:09:04 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Cody Bellinger hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians 7-5 on Monday night. Paul Goldschmidt and Ryan McMahon homered for the Yankees, who won for the first time in four extra-inning games this season. Angel Martinez connected for a two-run homer in the fifth to give the Guardians a 5-4 lead before Goldschmidt's grounder in the eighth drove in Trent Grisham to tie it. With Ali Sanchez as the automatic runner in the 10th, Ben Rice was intentionally walked with one out. Max Schuemann challenged a called strike three on a full count and got it overturned to ball four, loading the bases. The Guardians pulled their infield in, but Bellinger's base hit to left field off Shawn Armstrong (1-1) drove in Sánchez and Rice. David Bednar (2-3), the seventh Yankees pitcher, struck out three in 1 2/3 hitless innings for the win. He retired five of the six batters he faced. Martínez was mired in an 8-for-61 slump before his two-run shot to right-center off Paul Blackburn in the fifth. It was Martínez's first homer since May 17 against Cincinnati. After Rice drew a walk in the first, Goldschmidt connected on a cutter from starter Gavin Williams and drove it into the left-field bleachers. Goldschmidt has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, batting .314 (16 for 51) with three homers and 13 RBIs during that span McMahon led off the fifth with a shot to left on a low curveball to put the Yankees up 4-3. New York had runners at the corners with one out in the eighth when Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio made a diving stop on Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s hard-hit grounder up the middle. Rocchio touched second base with his glove, pivoted and then threw out Chisholm at first from his right knee to complete the double play. Reporting by The Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 AL, NL MVP Odds: Aaron Judge Injury Shakes Up AL Race]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2026-al-nl-mvp-odds</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2026-al-nl-mvp-odds</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Baseball is going to have a new MVP in the American League. See the latest odds.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:54:18 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[A lot of history has a chance to be made when it comes to the MLB MVP awards this season. Let's check out the odds for the AL and NL MVP race at FanDuel Sportsbook as of June 5. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. American League MVP Bobby Witt Jr.: +135 (bet $10 to win $23.50 total)Yordan Alvarez: +160 (bet $10 to win $26 total)Ben Rice: +440 (bet $10 to win $54 total)Nick Kurtz: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)Julio Rodriguez: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Junior Caminero: +2700 (bet $10 to win $280 total)Shea Langeliers: +2700 (bet $10 to win $280 total) What to know: We're going to have a new AL MVP. It was announced Thursday that Aaron Judge will miss at least four weeks with a stress fracture in his ribs, and with that, his name fell off the board. Judge's three MVP awards are tied with a host of MLB legends for the third-most all-time, including Yankee icons Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra. However, he'll have to wait to get his fourth, according to the current odds. The new name atop the board is Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr., who is fourth in the AL in hits and second in stolen bases, as well as one of the game's best infielders. Just behind him is Houston's Yordan Alvarez, who currently leads the AL in batting average and home runs, and is second in hits and RBIs. National League MVP Shohei Ohtani: -900 (bet $10 to win $11.11 total)Kyle Schwarber: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)Corbin Carroll: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Juan Soto: +2700 (bet $10 to win $280 total)James Wood: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Matt Olson: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)Bryce Harper: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total) What to know: It appears Ohtani is gonna do this thing again, mostly because of his pitching. At the plate, he's not having the season fans have become accustomed to, but when you combine his hitting with what he's doing on the mound, he's far and away the game's best player. In 10 starts, he's 6-2 with a ridiculous 0.74 ERA and 0.76 WHIP. Last season, Ohtani won back-to-back NL MVP awards for the first time since Albert Pujols did it in 2008 and 2009. He also won the AL MVP in 2023, making him the first player in MLB history to win MVP back-to-back in each league. This year, if Ohtani is to win NL MVP, he will make a dent in Barry Bonds' record of four straight MVP wins (2001-2004). All four of Ohtani's MVP wins have been unanimous, with him receiving all 30 first-place votes. He has the second-most MVPs in history, trailing only Bonds' seven.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Last Night In Baseball: Braves Sweep Pirates And Extend MLB Wins Lead]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/braves-brewers-angels-dodgers-yankees-red-sox-bobby-witt-jr</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/braves-brewers-angels-dodgers-yankees-red-sox-bobby-witt-jr</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[The Braves remind everyone they're for real, the Brewers dropped 10 extra-base hits on the Rockies, a pair of 5-hit games, Jazz Chisholm borrows Aaron Judge's power and more from Sunday's MLB action.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:54:38 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to follow themselves. Don't worry, we're here to help you by figuring out what you missed but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: "The Braves swept the Pirates" is the kind of thing that, a year ago, wouldn’t have made many waves. After all, Atlanta was scuffling and struggling to stay relevant amid significant injuries to key players, while the Pirates were, scientifically speaking, "not good." What a difference a year makes, though: the Braves entered this series leading Major League Baseball in wins, and the Pirates were 34-29, 7-3 in their last 10 and in second place in the NL Central, just 4.5 back of the Brewers, with Milwaukee holding the third-best record in the National League. Not dominant yet, no, but the 2025 team finished 71-91, so, it’s still a massive improvement in play and reasons to be optimistic. Which all makes Atlanta sweeping Pittsburgh meaningful: this was a challenge for a nascent, promising Pirates team, and one that they failed to meet head on. And for the Braves, it helped show that this really is a dominant squad. It should be noted, though, that Atlanta won by a combined seven runs in these games, and by just one on Sunday to secure the sweep. Pittsburgh was actually up 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Bubba Chandler — who came on to pitch at length following the use of an opener in the first — had made it through five innings unscathed, allowing one hit and no walks. His final inning began with a throwing error by third baseman Tyler Callihan, however, and then he walked Mike Yastrzemski and Jorge Mateo to load the bases with one out. Chandler was lifted for lefty Evan Sisk after Michael Harris II entered the game as a pinch-hitter, to give the Pirates the platoon advantage, but it didn’t work out. Harris drilled a bases-loaded triple, and it was 3-2, Braves just like that. The Pirates haven’t had the best starting pitching going, but the performance of the bullpen has made it even more of a problem — its collective ERA is 4.14, in large part because it’s allowing far more walks (4.3 walks per nine compared to 3.0) without doing anything else better to make up for it. This is something the team is going to have to address to hang with clubs like the Braves in 2026, but the good news is that the Pirates are, for a change, talented enough for "just fix the bullpen" to be a genuine path. The Brewers took out the Rockies, 12-4, and swept Colorado on the road in the process. What stands out the most, however, is that Milwaukee had 17 hits on Sunday, and 10 of those were for extra bases. Ten! That’s a season-high for the Brewers, and pretty difficult for anyone to come back from. Third baseman Luis Rengifo hit a double. Left fielder Jackson Chourio hit two of ‘em. Center fielder Garrett Mitchell had a pair, as well, and a triple on top of that. Backstop Gary Sánchez had a double and the lone homer of the day from the Brewers, while shortstop Joey Ortiz had just the one hit, but made sure it was for extra bases by smacking a two-bagger. Amazingly enough, there wasn’t just the one triple, but two: first baseman Andrew Vaughn hit the other. The Rockies walked just three batters, and good thing, too, because Milwaukee would have had even more runners on base for all of these big hits. As it was, scoring a dozen on a Sunday gave the Brewers not just the sweep, but also made them the third team in the majors to reach 40 wins this season — all three are in the NL, with the Braves (45) and Dodgers (42) the other two. The Tigers are… let’s say, a ways away from 40 wins. But on Sunday they still managed to have an exciting W all the same. Detroit’s rookie shortstop and third baseman — he played both yesterday, even — Kevin McGonigle is the one who made it happen, too. In the fourth, down 1-0, McGonigle tied things up with a 420-foot blast to right field off of Mariners’ starter Luis Castillo. He would end up coming to the plate five times, and go 2-for-4 with a walk, homer, a run and three RBIs — the last of those came in the bottom of the ninth, with two runners in scoring position. McGonigle singled on a ball that deflected off of the glove of a leaping Cole Young at second and went into right field, allowing both Zach McKinstry and Wenceel Pérez to score and giving the Tigers the dub. They call it a game of inches for a reason, folks. McGonigle, by the way, is hitting .291/.394/.426 and has produced 3.5 wins above replacement at this point, thanks to that line and his glove. He’s having a hell of a rookie campaign, even if the Tigers’ struggles are obscuring that somewhat. Twenty-five years ago, the eventual 2001 World Series champion Diamondbacks featured ace starting pitcher Randy Johnson, as well as veteran starter/reliever Bobby Witt in the final season of his MLB career. Yes, that Bobby Witt, the father of Royals’ star Bobby Witt Jr., who just happens to be 25 years old and change right now. Yes, time is incessant and ever-marching forward, that’s how it works, but hey. Here’s a photo of Randy Johnson holding Witt Jr. in his arms, side-by-side with one taken on Sunday when he was chatting up the now 25-year-old Witt outside the Royals’ dugout. The meeting of a legend and a future legend right there. The Giants are hitting lately, which feels very weird for anyone who has paid any attention to the Giants for an uncomfortably long time, but on Sunday they also managed to win against the Cubs without pulling out the big bats. Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in the first, scoring first baseman Rafael Devers… …but San Francisco wouldn’t score again in regulation. The Cubs managed to tie things up with a single from DH Moisés Ballesteros in the third, but neither team managed anything else until extras. The pitching was the strength for both squads here, as Giants’ starter Trevor McDonald allowed the one run, while five relievers followed and all pitched a scoreless inning each. The Cubs weren’t much worse, getting mostly similar production from their pitchers, except a second run was allowed in the 10th — that’s when third baseman Matt Chapman singled in the go-ahead run, one the Cubs wouldn’t answer. Chicago is now 7.5 back in the NL Central and half-a-game out of a wild-card spot after dropping this series to San Francisco; the Giants are doing much worse, and are a team the Cubs need to be beating to keep pace in a highly contested NL Central and wild-card picture, but that’s not how things went down this weekend. On May 4, Phillies’ left fielder Brandon Marsh was hitting .309/.339/.487. That’s pretty great and all, but he was just getting started. Marsh had consecutive three-hit games in his next two to kick off a seven-game hitting streak that also included a four-hit performance, and has gone without a hit in just six of the 29 games he’s played since. During each game of the Phillies’ weekend series against the White Sox, Marsh went deep. During this stretch that goes back over a month now and covers 110 plate appearances, Marsh is batting .369/.400/.563 with nine extra-base hits and 38 hits overall. He’s been on fire, even if the power wasn’t there for part of it, but that seems to be coming back around now. Philadelphia won on Sunday, 9-5, thanks in part to Marsh going 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs, two RBIs and a homer, and he’s currently leading qualified players in batting average across the majors thanks to hitting .338. His current 142 OPS+ would be a career-high over a full season: Marsh has been a good hitter for a few years now, but he’s already produced more WAR in 2026 than he did in 2025 as a whole. The Dodgers might have won the weekend series against the Angels, but Sunday’s game was all Los Angeles. No, no, the other one. The Angels hit hard and early, and responded to a typical big inning from the Dodgers late by having an even bigger one themselves. The star of all of this was catcher and No. 9 hitter Sebastián Rivero, who went 5-for-6 with a double, four singles, a run and six RBIs. The Dodgers scored five runs in the loss — Rivero outpaced them by himself. He singled in the first to put the Angels up, 2-0, then drove in two more runs with another single in the fourth to get the score to 4-1. A third single resulted in a fifth RBI and a 9-5 Angels’ lead, and then he scored that same inning on a home run by shortstop Zach Neto. Rivero would then get his fifth hit of the day, a double, to give the Angels their final run in a 13-5 W. After this five-hit game, Rivero is batting just .220/.264/.260 on the season — it truly came out of nowhere for the defense-first backup catcher. Not to be forgotten, though, is that right fielder Jo Adell had a four-hit game himself. Adell had four runs and two RBIs, as well as his 10th homer of the year and 10 total bases on the day. A big game like this isn’t exactly normal for Adell, either, but it’s less of a surprise, at least! Rivero wasn’t the only one with a five-hit day on Sunday, as Mets’ rookie right fielder and leadoff hitter Carson Benge also managed the feat. Benge went 5-for-5 against the Padres, tallying three runs, two RBIs and 10 total bases thanks to a triple and a homer being part of the fun. New York picked up a 7-3 win against San Diego, winning the series in the process and rebounding from a 3-2 defeat on Saturday. The Mets remain in the NL East basement, but it’s still too early to ignore that they aren’t perfectly healthy yet and are just five games back of a wild-card spot despite myriad issues. As for the Padres? They need to start hitting again eventually. That is the truth of things on multiple levels. The Diamondbacks defeated the Nationals, 5-1, and the highlight has to be this catch from right fielder Corbin Carroll. For one, it’s just a great catch in general, but there’s just enough style to how Carroll snatches it out of the air with his glove nearly touching the outfield grass that elevates it to baseball art. Look at that slide! That grab! See? Art. Carroll also went 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI, and that one hit was a dinger, so he had himself a game even if it doesn’t pop out of the boxscore like the pair of five-hit performances. Who knows exactly when Aaron Judge will be back patrolling the Yankees’ outfield and terrorizing opposing pitchers, thanks to a stress fracture in his rib cage that has him on the IL. He tried to play for as long as he could, putting off an extended break, but bones are supposed to be whole and not broken, so once his performance couldn’t be sustained, it was time. Judge is gone, but his bats? His bats are still there. And the Yankees should think about using them in his absence. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. did so in the bottom of the eighth against the Red Sox on Sunday, after going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in his previous trips to the plate. Here, though? Dinger. If the Yankees can’t have Aaron Judge in the lineup for maybe as long as two months, depending on his recovery, then at least get him to make the bats homer-ready for his teammates. Share the wealth, big guy, New York’s lineup is going to need it.]]>
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					<![CDATA[4 Takeaways From Red Sox-Yankees As AL East Rivals Split Series]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/red-sox-yankees-4-takeaways</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/red-sox-yankees-4-takeaways</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
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				    <![CDATA[Aaron Judge didn't feature in this edition of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry but his bat sure did.]]>
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				<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:48:27 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Yankee Stadium (NEW YORK) – Even though baseball's most iconic rivalry didn’t quite have the same buzz as we’re used to with Aaron Judge sidelined by injury and Boston languishing at the bottom of the AL East, the Yankees and Red Sox still delivered. No matter the circumstances, when these two historic franchises share the same field, the pressure is heightened and the excitement always draws an enormous crowd. Sure, the stakes weren’t as high. But the rivalry still felt bigger. Here are my takeaways from the series split in the Bronx: 1. Lessons Learned With Judge Out Spencer Jones, the Yankees’ top outfield prospect, returned to the lineup on Friday night with a new frame of mind. Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray found out the hard way. In his first at-bat since being called up from Triple-A to replace the injured Judge, Jones turned an eight-pitch at-bat into a 101-mph single to center field. The 25-year-old rookie gave Gray a headache all night. Gray tried to change his approach against Jones in their next meeting in the fourth inning, trying to get Jones to chase pitches outside like he did last month, when he was called up for a cup of coffee in the major leagues. But Jones didn’t bite. He waited for something better down the middle, eventually ripping an RBI double down the first-base line to right field. Hitting sixth, Jones went 3-for-3 in his return to the big leagues, showing that he had learned a thing or two during his two-week minor-league demotion. "I kind of used it as motivation," Jones told me in the clubhouse on Sunday. "Before I got called up the first time, I always wondered if how I played was good enough." Jones hit .167 (4-for-24) with three walks and 12 strikeouts in his brief, 10-game stint with the Yankees in May. The lefty-swinging outfielder went back down to the minors, focusing on the exact areas he needed to improve. He made subtle changes in the batter’s box, standing in different positions against certain pitchers, particularly lefties. He cleaned up his swing. He focused on being more intentional on defense and worked on getting jumps before stealing bases. He also has more confidence in his abilities this time around. Though he still hasn’t hit a home run in the major leagues, the power is there. It’s a small sample size, but his 96.9 average exit velocity and 77.6 mph bat speed are both considered elite. The homers will come, Jones said, because he no longer feels like he’s "drinking out of a firehose," like he did the first time he was called up. "It’s only been a couple of days, but for me, I know what it feels like," Jones said of the pressure to perform for the Yankees. "That was part of being in the minor leagues. It’s like, how do you bottle that feeling and replicate that feeling, where it’s like, I won’t let those things affect me." 2. The Contreras Trade Is Paying Dividends For Willson Contreras, this was nothing new. The Red Sox first baseman has carried the lineup all year, so putting on a show in a visit to the Bronx was no different. In Friday’s series opener, Contreras delivered a go-ahead RBI single and a two-run home run that broke the game open in Boston’s 5-3 win over the Yankees. His two-run shot was his first-career home run at Yankee Stadium, and Contreras stopped in his tracks and admired all of it. Craig Breslow, Boston’s chief baseball officer, is known for some pretty lopsided trades — we’re coming up to the one-year anniversary of his jaw-dropping Rafael Devers’ trade — but acquiring Contreras from the Cardinals isn’t one of them. Since Contreras joined the Red Sox in December, he leads the offense in batting average, home runs, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, and walks. The Red Sox gave up three pitching prospects in the deal for Contreras, with the biggest piece being right-hander Hunter Dobbins for St. Louis. Breslow acquired Contreras for the right-handed pop from his bat, and he’s become a stabilizing, veteran force in an otherwise young and unproven Red Sox lineup. "We need to make sure we get our house in order," Breslow said in the visitor’s dugout at Yankee Stadium on Friday. "We need to play better, and we need to win more games. … The first thing is to continue to build on the progress we’ve seen offensively over the last month." Without Contreras, the Red Sox offense would be unwatchable right now. Even with his help, Boston is ranked 25th in wRC+ (91), 26th in slugging (.378), 25th in OPS (.694), and 27th in walk percentage (7.9%). Contreras has days when he can carry the team, like he did in Friday’s win. But even on Sunday, he was the only Red Sox hitter to put a run on the board when he lined an RBI single to left field, which extended his on-base streak to 18 games. Contreras is doing his job. What about everyone else? 3) How Is Judge's Bat Still Getting Action? While Judge is catching bench splinters, his bat is still getting plenty of action. Jazz Chisholm Jr. used Judge’s bat to hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 6-1 win over the Red Sox on Sunday. That was Chisholm’s second time using Judge’s bat; he tore his oblique the first time he used it, on April 29, 2025, and missed five weeks on the injured list. On Sunday, Chisholm knew not to swing as hard. "Sometimes you need a little bit more weight," Chisholm said. "And a little bit less on your swing." Did Chisholm ask Judge’s permission before using his bat? "Definitely didn’t ask him," Chisholm said. "You know, it’s like a big brother, little brother thing." The Yankees are in the early days of navigating life without Judge, who went on the injured list Friday with a stress fracture on the first rib on his right side. He’s expected to miss two months recovering from the fracture, waiting for the bone to heal before he can begin swinging again. The results have been a mixed bag, with the Yankees going 2-3 in the five games they’ve played without Judge anchoring the lineup. But there are reasons for optimism from the offense. Ben Rice homered off Red Sox veteran right Sonny Gray on Friday, hours after Judge was placed on the IL, to become the team leader in homers with 18 this season. Trent Grisham, batting fifth instead of leading off on Sunday, had an excellent day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI single in the eighth. Cody Bellinger mashed his ninth home run of the year on Sunday with a tie-breaking solo shot to right. Paul Goldschmidt continued to pile on hits against left-handers. And after Amed Rosario and Grisham swiped a bag each in the eighth inning Sunday, the Yankees are tied with the Guardians for the most stolen bases (64) in the American League. "I think this offense is capable of a lot more than people realize," Jones said. "I think there’s a lot of speed on this team. There’s a lot of different ways to win baseball games. And the guys are super close. All the position players are super tight-knit. Everybody’s rooting for each other. It’s such a solid unit that it’s like, obviously it sucks to have the captain go down. But I truly believe that the people in this room are more than enough to pull together wins and play good baseball without him." 4. Suárez Outduels Schlittler Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suárez and Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler engaged in a good, old-fashioned pitcher’s duel on Sunday, though it didn’t go the distance. Schlittler gave up a run in the fifth, while Suárez threw 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball. Since April 11, Suárez has gone 2-2 with a 2.38 ERA over his last 10 starts. The southpaw has allowed one run or fewer in seven of those 10 outings. It’s too bad his bullpen couldn’t hold a 1-1 tied game in eighth inning. Besides a couple of clunkers against Atlanta and Cleveland this month, Suárez has been solid on the mound in the absence of injured ace Garrett Crochet. "Your focus as a starter is to get deep into the games," Suárez said after his outing on Sunday. "It was good to be out there and throw into the seventh inning. I know the past few starts haven’t been that long, but that’s what you strive for as a pitcher." There will always be a little extra juice when Cam Schlittler takes the mound against the Red Sox, and on Sunday he was under pressure to bounce back. Schlittler recorded the worst start of his career his last time out, coughing up five runs (four earned) over 4 ⅓ innings against Cleveland last week. Against the Red Sox, his favorite childhood team, Schlittler’s fastball velocity recovered and he looked more like himself. It helped that the Red Sox are the worst team in baseball against cutters, which he used nearly as much as his four-seam fastball to blow past batters in the series finale. Schlittler cemented himself in Yankees-Red Sox rivalry lore when he gave it some new ammo last October. He pitched eight scoreless innings and recorded 12 strikeouts in Game 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series to eliminate the Red Sox from the playoffs. After that shutout start, Schlittler revealed he was extra motivated to silence Boston because the Weymouth, Massachusetts native had been receiving inappropriate messages from Red Sox fans, comments that he said crossed a line. He used his frustration as fuel for the game. "The velo was there, and the movement was a little better," Schlittler said of his performance against the Red Sox on Sunday. "I was still a little sloppy, but definitely better than last week and that’s all I can really take from that." 4 ½. What’s Next? The Yankees and Red Sox will meet again in just a couple of weeks, when Boston hosts New York for a four-game series beginning June 25 at Fenway Park. The Red Sox come back to the Bronx at the end of August for what will unexpectedly be another four-game series. Saturday’s postponed game was moved to August 29 as part of a split doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Kyle Freeland Passes Aaron Cook to Become Rockies' All-Time Innings Pitched Leader]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/kyle-freeland-passes-aaron-cook-become-rockies-all-time-innings-pitched-leader</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/kyle-freeland-passes-aaron-cook-become-rockies-all-time-innings-pitched-leader</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
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				    <![CDATA[Kyle Freeland, the left-handed pitcher who grew up close to Coors Field, became the Colorado Rockies’ all-time leader in innings pitched against Milwaukee.]]>
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				<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 18:06:38 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Kyle Freeland, the left-handed pitcher who grew up close to Coors Field, became the Colorado Rockies’ all-time leader in innings pitched Sunday against Milwaukee. The Denver native got Luis Rengifo to fly out in the fifth inning to take over the top spot. That out to center put Freeland at 1,312 2/3 innings for his career and one-third ahead of Aaron Cook, the sinkerball specialist who notched 1,312 1/3 innings for Colorado from 2002-11. The crowd gave Freeland an ovation as he tipped his cap in appreciation. Freeland has never shied away from pitching at the hitter friendly park in part because he's spent so much time throwing at higher elevation. He went to high school about 15 minutes from Coors Field. As a kid, he showed up in the seats to watch plenty of Rockies games. Freeland was taken with the eighth overall pick by Colorado in the 2014 first-year player draft. The 33-year-old made his major league debut on April 7, 2017, in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Entering the day, Freeland was 66-96 with a 4.67 ERA. He had two strikeouts against the Brewers to give him 989 for his career. In April 2022, Freeland signed a five-year extension that runs through the 2026 season. He has a player option for 2027 if he logs 170 innings this season. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 MLB Trade Deadline Rumors Tracker: Red Sox' Expected to Trade Aroldis Chapman]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2026-mlb-trade-deadline-rumors</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2026-mlb-trade-deadline-rumors</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
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				    <![CDATA[Here are the latest whispers and trade rumors currently shaping the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline.]]>
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				<pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 16:56:06 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[The early-season dust has settled, but the trade market is already heating up as front offices across the league begin to separate the contenders from the sellers. Here are the latest whispers and trade rumors currently shaping the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline. June 7 The Boston Red Sox are expected to be among the most active sellers at the MLB Trade Deadline in August, with closer Aroldis Chapman emerging as one of the team’s most likely trade candidates, per USA Today. "Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman is expected to join his eighth different team, and potentially be in the postseason with his sixth different team," Bob Nightengale wrote. "He is the top reliever available on every contender’s target list, converting 28 consecutive saves dating back to last season, one shy of his career record." Chapman has appeared in 20 games for the Red Sox this season and has been highly effective, drawing interest from multiple contenders. He has recorded 17 saves with a 0.46 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP over 19.2 innings. May 10 The San Francisco Giants could be headed toward a fire sale after a sluggish 16-24 start that has them sitting fourth in the National League West. The Giants are exploring ways to move several major contracts as they look toward the future, according to USA Today. That includes the remaining money owed to Jung Hoo Lee ($85 million), Willy Adames ($161 million), Rafael Devers ($226 million) and Matt Chapman ($125 million). If they are able to unload those contracts, it would mark a dramatic shift toward a long-term rebuild. The San Francisco Giants are expected to make pitcher Robbie Ray their biggest trade chip at the deadline, while several executives told USA Today that the club could also listen to offers for ace Logan Webb.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Red Sox And Yankees Postponed Due To Rain, Doubleheader Set For Aug. 29]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/red-sox-and-yankees-postponed-due-to-rain-to-play-doubleheader-on-aug-29</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/red-sox-and-yankees-postponed-due-to-rain-to-play-doubleheader-on-aug-29</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
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				    <![CDATA[Boston’s game at the New York Yankees on Saturday night was postponed due to rain and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader on Aug. 29]]>
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				<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:32:54 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Boston's game at the New York Yankees on Saturday night was postponed due to rain and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader on Aug. 29. The tarp was placed on the field about an hour before the 7:35 p.m. scheduled start and rain started about an hour later. Cam Schlittler will start Sunday for the Yankees and Will Warren will open a three-game series in Cleveland on Monday. Ranger Suarez will start Sunday for Boston. Boston has won six of its last seven games at Yankee Stadium after taking Friday’s series opener 5-3. New York is 1-3 since captain Aaron Judge was sidelined by a stress fracture in a rib. Tickets from the postponed game can be used for the 1:05 p.m. game on Aug. 29 and tickets for the original Aug. 29 game can be used for the 7:15 p.m. game. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Cubs Capitalize On Giants' Error For Eighth Walk-Off Win, Beat San Francisco 3-2]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/michael-busch-singles-in-10th-cubs-benefit-from-giants-error-to-beat-san-francisco-32</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/michael-busch-singles-in-10th-cubs-benefit-from-giants-error-to-beat-san-francisco-32</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
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				    <![CDATA[Michael Busch singled in the 10th, allowing Dansby Swanson to score on an error as the Chicago Cubs edged the San Francisco Giants 3-2.]]>
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				<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 18:24:29 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Michael Busch singled to right in the 10th inning, allowing automatic runner Dansby Swanson to advance from second and score on an error, and the Chicago Cubs edged theSan Francisco Giants 3-2 on Saturday. Leading off the 10th, Busch grounded the ball to right off Sam Hentges' 2-2 slider.Victor Bericoto charged the ball but couldn't come up with it and was charged with an error. That allowed Swanson — who was slowing at third — to continue home. The Cubs won for only the seventh time in their last 26 games. Pete Crow-Armstrong's second solo shot of the game, with two outs in the ninth off Keaton Winn, tied it at 2-2. The Cubs center fielder added two singles on a 4 for 5 afternoon to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games. Crow-Armstrong, who made a nifty sliding catch in the sixth, has 11 home runs. Ryan Rolison (5-1) worked around a walk, pitching a scoreless 10th for the win. Hentges (1-1), who entered in the 10th, took the loss. Rafael Devers cracked a solo shot in the sixth and Matt Chapman hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth to put the Giants ahead 2-1, but their three-game-win streak ended. Both starters, Chicago's Ben Brown and San Francisco’s Landen Roupp, were sharp. Brown allowed no runs and one hit while striking out five, walking one and hitting a batter in 5 1/3 innings. Brown exited after a season-high 87 pitches in his sixth start since joining Chicago’s rotation on May 8. Roupp gave up one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking three. The Cubs left slumping shortstop Swanson out of their starting lineup, but he entered as a pinch automatic runner in the 10th. The two-time Gold Glove winner entered the game batting just .180. Crow-Armstrong hit his first solo shot in the sixth, hammering Roupp's high sinker deep to right to tie it at 1-1. Up next Giants RHP Trevor McDonald (2-3, 4.50 ERA) faces Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (2-5, 5.13) on Sunday night. Reporting by the Associated Press.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Last Night In Baseball: Giants And Nationals Hit How Many Home Runs?]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/giants-nationals-orioles-red-sox-yankees-brewers-dodgers-walkoff</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/giants-nationals-orioles-red-sox-yankees-brewers-dodgers-walkoff</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
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				    <![CDATA[The Giants and Nationals hit an absurd number of home runs, the Red Sox beat the Yankees, Freddie Freeman walked it off for the Dodgers and more from Friday's MLB action.]]>
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				<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2026 11:52:09 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to follow themselves. Don't worry, we're here to help you by figuring out what you missed but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: The San Francisco Giants got a road victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The details? Shortstop Willy Adames got the party started for the Giants with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. Later, third baseman Matt Chapman blasted a grand slam as part of a six-run fourth inning, which also saw Casey Schmitt hit a two-run homer. Chapman drove in another run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Then, the sixth inning happened. After back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, first baseman Rafael Devers doubled in a run, second baseman Luis Arráez brought home a run on a sacrifice fly and Adames hit a two-run homer. Later in the inning, Chapman hit a three-run homer, putting the Giants up 16-0. In the ninth, Jonah Cox and Schmitt hit back-to-back solo home runs in what was an 18-3 San Francisco win. The Giants combined for seven home runs, with Adames, Chapman and Schmitt each hitting two long balls and Chapman driving in eight runs; Schmitt leads the Giants with 15 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .559 slugging percentage. On the hill, the Giants got five shutout innings from left-hander Robbie Ray. San Francisco has scored a combined 30 runs over its last two games, while the 15-run loss was Chicago's largest margin of defeat this season. The Washington Nationals unleashed pain on the Arizona Diamondbacks. The power display began in the opening frame, as first baseman Luis García Jr. hit a two-run home run inside the right-field foul pole. Then, right fielder James Wood led off the top of the third with a laser, solo home run to center field, his 17th of the year, with left fielder Daylen Lile hitting an RBI single and third baseman Jorbit Vivas hitting a two-run double later in the inning. Lile, who had a game-high three hits, later blasted a solo homer in the fifth, and the Nationals went on to build a thick cushion in the sixth. After the first three batters reached base in the top of the sixth, García launched his first career grand slam. Two batters later, shortstop CJ Abrams — whose second in MLB with 48 RBIs — hit a solo homer, with an eighth-inning hit-by-pitch and a ninth-inning RBI single by Vivas rounding out a 14-1 Washington victory. Washington starter Foster Griffin gave up just one run over five innings, while Paxton Schultz and Cole Henry each pitched two shutout innings in relief of the southpaw. The Baltimore Orioles handled their American League East rivals, and it was catcher Adley Rutschman who did most of the damage against the Toronto Blue Jays. For starters, Rutschman hit a solo home run in the top of the first. Later, trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Rutschman evened up the score at 3-all for the Orioles with a two-run double, with Baltimore's catcher hitting another two-run double in the ninth in what became an overwhelming, 13-3 win. Rutschman reached base in each of his five plate appearances, going 4 for 4 with a walk. As for the rest of the Orioles' offense, Jeremiah Jackson hit an RBI single in the sixth and seventh; third baseman Coby Mayo hit a two-run homer in the sixth; right fielder Colton Cowser hit an RBI single in the eighth, with center fielder Leody Taveras hitting an RBI ground out in the eighth and driving in a run on an error in the ninth. Baltimore (31-33) has won five of its last six games and is just a half-game behind the Texas Rangers for the third AL wild-card seed. Designated hitter Ben Rice drew first blood for the New York Yankees with a solo home run — his team-leading 18th of the year — in the bottom of the first, but the Boston Red Sox took the lead in the top of the third and never looked back. An RBI ground out from right fielder Wilyer Abreu tied the game at 1-all in the third and an RBI single from first baseman Willson Contreras later in the inning gave Boston the lead. In the fourth, second baseman Andruw Monasterio hit a solo home run, and Contreras hit a two-run homer in the fifth. The Yankees got a solo homer from center fielder Trent Grisham in the bottom half of the fifth, with right fielder Spencer Jones — who went 3 for 3 — hitting an RBI double in the fourth, but it was to no avail in a 5-3 Boston victory. Boston starter Sonny Gray surrendered three runs and 10 baserunners (eight hits and two walks), but he got through 6 ⅓ innings. Contreras looks like a shoo-in to have a spot on the AL roster for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, as he leads the Red Sox in home runs (13), RBIs (38), batting average (.299), walks (25), on-base percentage (.394), slugging percentage (.540) and OPS+ (164). New York has lost three of its last four games, with Friday night marking its first loss to Boston this season (the Yankees swept a three-game series against the Red Sox in Boston from Apr. 21-23). Catch Game 2 of the series on Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app. Coming off being swept at home by the Detroit Tigers and losing eight of their last 10 games, the Tampa Bay Rays were in need of a win, and Drew Rasmussen answered the bell. The right-hander pitched seven scoreless innings, recording nine strikeouts and surrendering just one baserunner (one hit) against the Miami Marlins in a 6-0 win. Moreover, Rasmussen retired 17 straight batters to end his outing. This was the second time in Rasmussen's last three starts that he both pitched seven innings and threw a shutout, with his nine strikeouts on Friday night a season high. Through 12 starts, Rasmussen, a 2025 All-Star, has a 3.00 ERA, an 0.92 WHIP, a 142 ERA+ and 1.5 wins above replacement across 66.0 innings pitched. Regarding the bats, Tampa Bay got a two-run triple from second baseman Richie Palacios and an RBI single from outfielder Ryan Vilade in the top of the first; first baseman Jonathan Aranda singled home a run in the fifth; center fielder Cedric Mullins hit a solo home run in the sixth; Vilade singled home another run in the seventh. Elsewhere for the Rays, third baseman Junior Caminero and designated hitter Yandy Díaz each had three hits, with Caminero reaching base in each of his five plate appearances (three hits and two walks). The New York Mets silenced the San Diego Padres in their home park. First baseman Jared Young led off the top of the second for the Mets with a solo home run, with shortstop Bo Bichette hitting an RBI triple in the third. Later, catcher Luis Torrens hit a two-run homer in the fifth, with a Brett Baty ninth-inning RBI single giving the Mets another run for good measure in a 5-0 win. All four of the aforementioned players tallied two hits, with Young boasting a .313/.382/.563 slash line. On the hill, the Mets got 5 ⅔ shutout innings from Christian Scott, which was followed by a combined 3 ⅓ shutout innings of relief from Huascar Brazobán, Luke Weaver and A.J. Minter. As a whole, the Mets held the Padres to just three hits and zero extra-base hits. This marked the Mets' third shutout win of the year. The Cincinnati Reds got out to a 3-0 lead in the opening frame on a two-run double from first baseman Sal Stewart and an RBI single from third baseman Eugenio Suárez, but it was all St. Louis Cardinals from there. After scoring two runs in the bottom half of the first on an infield error and a wild pitch, first baseman Alec Burleson hit a game-tying, solo home run in the third, with right fielder Jordan Walker — who had a game-high three hits — hitting a go-ahead, RBI double in the fifth. St. Louis then distanced itself with a six-run sixth inning that saw left fielder Lars Nootbaar hit an RBI double, designated hitter Ivan Herrera and José Fermín hit RBI singles and the team also have a pair of RBI walks and an RBI hit-by-pitch; the Cardinals won, 10-3. As for some of the offensive catalysts, Burleson has driven in 43 runs and sports a .291 batting average this season; Walker has totaled 15 home runs and 45 RBIs, while boasting a .297/.359/.547 slash line. After Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy gave up three runs over four innings, Hunter Dobbins pitched five shutout innings out of the bullpen. The Texas Rangers got all the runs they needed in the sixth inning. Trailing the Cleveland Guardians 2-0, catcher Kyle Higashioka led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run for the Rangers, who got a go-ahead, two-run blast from shortstop Corey Seager later in the inning. The two long balls put Texas up 3-2, which would be the final score. Cleveland wasted a three-hit performance from second baseman Travis Bazzana, who opened the game with a solo home run and also had a triple, while Texas only had five hits in the win. The Rangers are on a roll, as they've won six of their last seven games. It took 10 innings — and it was wild — but the Milwaukee Brewers got a road win over the Colorado Rockies. Trailing 3-1 in the top of the ninth, Milwaukee put four runs on the board, with first baseman Jake Bauers hitting an RBI single, right fielder Sal Frelick bringing home a run on a double and Andrew Vaughn hitting a two-run single. With that said, Colorado forced extra innings with a two-run bottom of the ninth that saw it record an RBI walk and a sacrifice fly. In the top half of the 10th, Bauers hit a two-run double, with both center fielder Garrett Mitchell and Frelick singling home a run. Those last two runs were pivotal, as the Rockies scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run single by designated hitter Sterlin Thompson, but the Brewers held on for a 9-7 win. Bauers, who leads the Brewers with 10 home runs, 39 RBIs and a .497 slugging percentage, had a team-high three hits for Milwaukee, who has a five-game lead on St. Louis for first place in the National League Central. By the way, check out this sunset at Coors Field. And we finish it off with the only walk-off of the night. With the game tied at 0-all in the bottom of the ninth, Los Angeles Dodgers star first baseman Freddie Freeman led off the inning with a walk-off, solo home run to center field, giving Los Angeles a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels. The game-winning homer was Freeman's 10th home run of the year and improved the Dodgers to 4-0 against the Angels. Furthermore, Freeman accounted for 66.7% of the Dodgers' hits and 50% of their baserunners on Friday night, with him going 2 for 3 with a walk (Los Angeles had just three hits and six combined baserunners). Meanwhile, Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki had one of the best starts of his MLB career, tossing seven shutout innings, posting 10 strikeouts and surrendering just four baserunners (two hits and two walks). It was Sasaki's first shutout of the season, the most strikeouts he has recorded this year and just the second time he has pitched through seven innings this season. For what it's worth, Angels star center fielder Mike Trout made a slick, diving catch in the bottom of the first. Freeman, Sasaki and the Dodgers are 41-23, good for a seven-and-a-half-game lead on the Diamondbacks for first place in the NL West.]]>
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					<![CDATA['I Fought As Long As I Could': Why Aaron Judge Kept Going Despite Injury]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/yankees-aaron-judge-injury-stress-fracture-rib</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/yankees-aaron-judge-injury-stress-fracture-rib</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Most players would have shut it down. Aaron Judge kept showing up. Did playing through an injury make it worse?]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 22:24:10 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[YANKEE STADIUM (New York) – Most players would have shut it down. Aaron Judge kept showing up. For more than a month, the Yankees captain played with a stress fracture on the first rib on his right side. He took swings, chased fly balls and crashed into walls, absorbing the pain in silence while anchoring the Yankees lineup. There were too many important pieces sidelined, including Giancarlo Stanton and left-hander Max Fried, for the slugger to consider missing time — until the injury revealed itself in his swings. "Big G’s hurt. Max Fried’s hurt. We got a lot of guys banged up," Judge said on Friday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. "You gotta be out there. That’s what they’re paying me to do, is to go out there and play." Judge, speaking to a horde of inquiring reporters in front of his locker in the Yankees clubhouse, believes he sustained the stress fracture on April 26 while diving for a fly ball during the Yankees’ series against the Astros in Houston. He called it "an awkward dive" because he was also trying to avoid running into an oncoming teammate in right field. He started feeling the pain the following day, when the Yankees opened a series against the Rangers in Texas. He felt the symptoms of his stress fracture for the past month. Judge was familiar with the pain, because it’s in the same area as the rib fracture he sustained in Sept. 2019. Yankees manager Aaron Boone noticed that Judge’s swings were off last weekend during the team’s series against the Athletics in West Sacramento. After voicing his concern with the team captain, Boone pulled Judge from the series finale against the A’s on May 31. "We did everything we could to make sure we could be out there, and Sacramento just got a little worse," Judge said. "I fought as long as I could." Is it possible that Judge made the injury worse because he played through it? "Probably," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Friday in the team’s press conference room. "I mean, I think it's a culmination of different things. But no one can pinpoint when it occurred. That's the undiscovered situation. He was never coming in, getting treatment, per se. He didn't have any complaints." The injury was first brought to Cashman’s attention this past Monday. "I was caught off guard by the call on the off day," the GM said. Cashman then checked with the Yankees’ medical and training staff to find out whether Judge had shifted from his usual treatment routine. Judge receives pregame and postgame work, as well as a full-body massage, as part of his daily treatment. Everything Cashman found out from the training staff was all consistent with Judge’s normal routine. "He's been here a long time, and I've talked to our trainers, and they know our players inside out," Cashman said. "They know their tells. They can project that something's bothering them, but they're not really saying it. It's just how their demeanor is, how they go about their business, and then they coax them into spilling the beans, if there're any beans to spill — because these guys are supersapiens. "They're unbelievable about how they can withstand more than you and I maybe can withstand. They're amazing, strong, athletic, and this is a rigorous schedule of 162 games. So to be able to play as much as these guys do, they're always playing with something." The Yankees spent four days trying to understand what exactly Judge was dealing with. There was edema, or swelling, in the area of the stress fracture, so it was difficult to understand and diagnose Judge’s injury. Before getting a clear answer, the Yankees had hoped at one point that he could avoid the injured list altogether. On Thursday, the team sent his MRI, CT scan, and X-ray images to a vascular surgeon, Dr. Gregory Pearl, who specializes in treating thoracic outlet syndrome. Late Thursday night, the club was able to rule it out, before landing on the final diagnosis of a fractured rib. Cashman said because the team "ran him through a car wash of testing," he believes that even if Judge had flagged the injury to the medical staff on April 26, they wouldn't have found an issue. An injury this severe was not on anyone’s radar, even as Judge’s performance started to dip around the middle of May. He batted .267 with a 1.043 OPS and 16 home runs through his first 41 games of the season. Since May 11, Judge has batted .206 with a .613 OPS and one home run in his last 18 games before going on the injured list. "You’re not going to replace Aaron Judge," Boone said of the prolonged absence of his best player. The Yankees expect Judge to rest for 4–6 weeks, giving time for the bone to heal. Both Boone and Cashman said they are intentionally not disclosing a roadmap for when exactly to expect Judge back in the Yankees lineup. It could be July. It could be August. It could even be September. But they do expect the face of their franchise to play again before the season is over. For now, Cashman said Judge’s injury does not change his upcoming trade-deadline strategy. And don’t even bother asking Judge about his timeline to return to play. "Oh, I don't like talking timetables," Judge said. "That stuff's all made up. You never know what's going to  happen." For now, Judge is limited to lower-body activities only. He is not permitted to run, throw, or swing the bat. For the next few weeks, Judge will try to keep his legs fresh by using a stationary bike, and he’ll try to stay locked in at the plate by using the team’s Trajekt machine to track pitches. Even though he can’t physically help the Yankees win games, he’s still making sure his voice is heard. Judge has been one of the loudest voices in the room during the team’s hitter meetings to prepare against opposing pitchers. While the insight from a three-time MVP and seven-time All-Star will always help, the Yankees, who entered the weekend with the most wins in the American League (37), will need more from the rest of the roster this summer. To that end, they called up top outfield prospect Spencer Jones on Friday in correspondence with Judge’s move to the IL. Jones is expected to roam right field most games, with utility players Jose Caballero and Max Schuemann serving as other options. More help is on the way after outfielder Jasson Dominguez began a rehab assignment on Friday. He could return in the next week or so. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, who has been out since April 24 with a right calf strain, is 2–3 weeks away from potentially rejoining the Yankees. "We built this team the last couple of years trying to shore a couple of things up," Boone said of the Yankees' run-it-back roster. "We have a lot of good players and some that are going to get opportunities to try and run with something. I feel great about our club. There’s no getting around missing Aaron, of course. "But hopefully this is something that over the long haul puts us in a better position because we get to find out about more people, and more guys have an opportunity to maybe carve out a role — all with the expectation that we’re going to get our captain back later in the year, too." The Yankees just have to survive until then.]]>
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					<![CDATA[Yankees Budding Star Ben Rice's Breakout Season By The Numbers]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/yankees-ben-rice-season-by-the-numbers</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/yankees-ben-rice-season-by-the-numbers</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[First baseman Ben Rice is raking for the New York Yankees. Here's the budding star's 2026 campaign by the numbers.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:21:19 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[Ben Rice is tearing it up. If the 2026 American League MVP voting were held today, the New York Yankees' first baseman would likely be a finalist for the award, as the 27-year-old has come into his own as a budding force for the Bronx Bombers. Here's Rice's 2026 campaign by the numbers: 1: Rice leads the Yankees in hits (62), doubles (15), RBIs (44), total bases (132), runs scored (46), batting average (.300), on-base percentage (.393), slugging percentage (.638), OPS (1.031) and OPS+ (184). 2: His .638 slugging percentage, 1.031 OPS, 184 OPS+ and .435 weighted on-base percentage each rank second in MLB, according to FanGraphs. 2.7: Rice's 2.7 offensive WAR (wins above replacement) has him in a three-way tie with Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez and Detroit Tigers rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle for seventh in MLB. 5: The number of three-plus-hit games Rice has this season. 16: The number of multi-hit games Rice has this season. [What’s Next: For Aaron Judge, The Yankees And The AL MVP Race] 17: Rice is tied with Yankees superstar and three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge for the team lead with 17 home runs, who are both tied with Atlanta Braves star first baseman Matt Olson for fifth in the sport. 40: The number of games Rice has recorded a hit this season. 44: Tino Martinez hit 44 home runs in the 1997 regular season, which was the most homers hit in a single season by a Yankees' first baseman since Lou Gehrig hit 49 home runs in both 1934 and 1936 (Gehrig also hit 47 home runs in 1927 and 46 homers in 1931); Rice is on pace to hit more home runs than Martinez did in 1997 and tracks to challenge Gehrig for the all-time franchise record for a first baseman. Granted, Rice, who has made 34 starts/37 appearances at first base for the Yankees this season, has been the team's designated hitter in 19 games. 90: Rice's 92.3 mph average exit velocity ranks in the 90th percentile of MLB, according to Statcast. 91: His 50.7% hard-hit percentage ranks in the 91st percentile of the sport. 95: Rice's 17.1% barrel percentage ranks in the 95th percentile of MLB. Watch Rice and the Yankees take on the AL East-rival Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, which can be viewed at 7:35 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app.]]>
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					<![CDATA[2026 MLB Odds: Athletics' Nick Kurtz Best Bet to Win AL MVP]]>
				</title>
				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2026-mlb-odds-al-mvp-best-bet</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2026-mlb-odds-al-mvp-best-bet</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[In the wake of Aaron Judge injury news, Nick Kurtz might be the best bet to win AL MVP. Will Hill breaks it down.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:15:15 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[On Thursday night, huge breaking news came out of the MLB: New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his ribs that will keep him out for the majority of the summer. Re-imaging will take place in four to six weeks for the three-time American League MVP. But this injury assures that his fourth MVP will have to wait another year, at the very least. While the loss of Judge will certainly make it more difficult for the Yankees to capture the American League East, I want to focus on the MVP race from a betting perspective. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Earlier in the season, Judge’s teammate Ben Rice was someone I identified as having value to win this award at 150-1. While there is still a long way to go to cash that ticket, the odds on Rice have slowly adjusted over the course of the season, dipping now to as low as 4-1 with news of Judge’s looming absence. Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez are the only players with shorter odds than Rice, as both are currently +135 and +150, respectively. Prior to being injured, Judge was around even money to win this award for a third consecutive year. With Judge out of the conversation, who is the best player to bet on right now? As much as I loved Rice at long odds, 4-1 is not worth a bet, in my opinion. Witt and Alvarez also don’t provide enough value, especially considering they both play on teams with losing records. The best number I think right now is Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz at 11-1. Kurtz burst onto the Major League Baseball scene last summer as a rookie, crushing 36 home runs in just 420 at-bats and winning AL Rookie of the Year in a landslide. Could Kurtz add another piece of hardware in his sophomore season? So far this year, he is hitting .284 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs, but his prolific homer-to-at-bat ratio last year has proven that he can hit the long ball in bunches. Getting to 40 dingers is certainly not out of the question for Kurtz, who has an eye-popping on-base percentage of .437 entering Friday’s games — a mark that leads all of Major League Baseball with room to spare. With four months left in the season, this is enough of a wide-open race where getting relatively long odds is something I would look for when making a bet. Kurtz plays in anonymity in Sacramento, but the numbers suggest he is a legitimate MVP candidate and is worth a shot to win it. PICK: Nick Kurtz (+1100) to win AL MVP]]>
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					<![CDATA[What’s Next For Aaron Judge, The Yankees And The AL MVP Race]]>
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				<link>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/whats-next-aaron-judge-yankees-al-mvp-race</link>
				<guid>https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/whats-next-aaron-judge-yankees-al-mvp-race</guid>
				<category>mlb</category>
				<description>
				    <![CDATA[Aaron Judge's latest injury has major implications for the Yankees, the American League MVP race and the slugger himself.]]>
				</description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:05:38 -0400</pubDate>
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				    <![CDATA[NEW YORK – Aaron Judge's pursuit of another historic season, and the Yankees' hopes of dominating the American League, took a major hit late Thursday night when the superstar slugger was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side – an injury expected to sideline him for two to three months. Few teams are built to withstand the loss of a three-time MVP for half a season. Fewer, still, can absorb the absence of a player who touches nearly every aspect of the game and clubhouse the way Judge does. The Yankee captain’s stress fracture, though not the worst-case scenario, comes at a pivotal point in the season for New York, which entered the weekend with the most wins (37) and the best offense (114 wRC+) in the AL. What’s next for the Yankees without their most feared hitter? What’s next for Judge’s recovery? How does his injury impact the rest of the league? Let’s dive in. What’s Next For Judge The 34-year-old right fielder will be re-imaged in approximately four to six weeks to determine the level of healing on his rib. Until then, he’ll rest and engage in limited activity. Learning the injury is a stress fracture – something Judge has actually dealt with earlier in his career – was a bit of good news for the Yankees after all the alarming testing and imaging he underwent this week. Judge isn’t sure when the injury occurred, according to Yankees skipper Aaron Boone, but he’d felt it for a couple of weeks and flagged it with the team sometime after the Yankees’ series finale against the Athletics last Sunday. Then, over the span of four days, multiple specialists across different states looked at his MRI, CT scan and X-rays. On Thursday, Dr. Gregory Pearl, a Dallas, Texas-based vascular surgeon who specializes in thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), examined Judge’s images. In some cases, TOS can be career-ending; Judge’s diagnosis of a stress fracture is comparatively a positive. In Sept. 2019, Judge sustained a stress fracture of his first right rib and a partially collapsed lung while attempting a diving catch in a game. He played through the injury into the 2019 postseason, but he would have been on the injured list until June 2020 had the pandemic-shortened season started on time. Judge hasn’t spoken to reporters since last weekend, during New York’s trip to West Sacramento, so it’s unclear if his current stress fracture feels more or less manageable than the last time he dealt with it. Judge’s performance started to dip around the middle of May. He batted .267 with a 1.043 OPS and 16 home runs through his first 41 games of the season. Since May 11, Judge has batted .206 with a .613 OPS and one home run in his last 18 games before landing on the IL. The last time Judge played fewer than 150 games was in 2023, when he missed two months with a fractured toe after crashing into the Dodger Stadium wall on a running catch. In a best-case scenario, Judge and the Yankees will receive the green light sometime in July for the slugger to resume baseball activities. It seems likely that the team will have to navigate the season without Judge at least until August, if not longer. What’s Next For The Yankees For the past two years, the Yankees survived injuries, slumps and roster questions because Aaron Judge remained Aaron Judge. Now — in what will be the biggest test of their season — they'll have to find out who they are without him. We got a glimpse of what their life will look like this week, as the Yankees dropped two out of three games to the Guardians, their only win coming in a tight, 2-1 victory in the series finale on Thursday. Without Judge, the Yankees lineup combined to bat just .193 in three games against Cleveland. Top outfield prospect Spencer Jones is being called up by the Yankees on Friday, according to a person familiar with their plans. Jones was promoted to the big leagues in May after outfielder Jasson Dominguez went down with injury, but he struggled at the plate, hitting .167 (4-for-24) with 12 strikeouts in 10 games, before the Yankees sent him back down to Triple-A. It would help, of course, if Jones has improved in his return to the majors, but at least some reinforcements are on the way. Slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who has been out since April 24 with a right calf strain, is making strides in his recovery. New York’s designated hitter has started to take reps in live batting practice while continuing to ramp up his running program. The Yankees expect Stanton to bypass a rehab assignment, but there’s no date for his return just yet. Perhaps Judge’s injury and absence will change his timeline. Dominguez, who has been out since May 7 after crashing into the Yankee Stadium wall and sustaining a left AC joint sprain, is scheduled to play in minor-league rehab games this weekend. It’s possible he could join the team during its series in Toronto next weekend, if not during New York’s next homestand on June 16. Beyond the immediate loss of Judge's bat, his absence raises questions about the Yankees' ability to maintain their position atop the AL. While New York has received significant contributions from breakout player Ben Rice, who has crushed 17 home runs and boasts a 1.030 OPS that’s ranked second-best in the major leagues, no player on the roster can replicate Judge's combination of power, on-base ability and presence in the heart of the lineup. It helps the Yankees that the AL features a weak and largely mediocre field this year. But it will still take everyone, and then some, for the Yankees to stay afloat until he returns. What’s Next For The AL MVP Race Suddenly, the AL MVP race is wide open after Judge has all but closed the door on the possibility of a three-peat this year. Judge wasn’t having the kind of overwhelming and commanding season he had in 2024-25 before he hit the IL, and if he returns without any setbacks, he’s lucky to land in the neighborhood of 90–110 games played for the season, depending on his recovery. That doesn’t automatically disqualify him from the race, but it would require an absurdly dominant final two months and an extraordinary comeback to overcome the missed time. Even though Judge is known to separate himself from mere mortals, it would be surprising if the Yankees pushed him in the stretch run. The team is more likely to be cautious with the face of its franchise and take its time with his recovery. Now, the biggest beneficiaries of Judge’s injury and the favorites to win the AL MVP award include Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, and even his own Yankees teammate, the slugging Ben Rice. The Yankees first baseman has struggled to get pitches to hit in Judge’s absence, as Rice is used to hitting in front of Judge in the lineup, but he remains a dark-horse candidate if he can sustain his production for four months. If Witt can keep up his strong start to the season, this might finally be his year to win the MVP. The shortstop challenged Judge for the award in 2024, when Witt finished second in AL MVP voting after hitting .332 and winning the batting title. This year, Witt leads the majors with a 3.8 fWAR through 63 games. He’s hitting .281 with a .818 OPS, and he’s likely to have a huge advantage in games played compared to other MVP favorites. The combination of Witt’s offense, defense at a premium position and durability makes him the newest frontrunner for the award.]]>
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