All articles tagged with #bullpen
Pete Crow-Armstrong powered a five-homer Cubs attack in a 9-7 win over Baltimore, becoming the first MLB player this year with a 20/20 season as he also hit his 20th (and 21st) homers. Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly added back-to-back shots, and Chicago survived late bullpen hiccups to extend its win streak; the Cubs remain in the mix for the postseason as they head into a potential series sweep the next day.
The Mets split a road series with Atlanta thanks to two high-scoring wins despite bullpen chaos (10-9 and 7-6), then returned home and were routed 16-12 by Kansas City as Royals’ offense exploded and Mets relievers faltered, with Tyler Tolbert fueling KC with a 5-for-6 night and hits in 12 straight plate appearances, and Matt Seelinger struggling in his MLB debut.
The Orioles were held to one hit with runners in scoring position and had no extra-base hits in a 5-2 loss to the Cubs, despite Shane Baz delivering a quality start. Adley Rutschman provided both runs with a two-out, two-run single in the seventh, but Gunnar Henderson struck out to end the threat as the bullpen faltered amid injuries. Baltimore falls to last in the AL East (12.5 games back of the Rays) and 4.5 back of a wild-card, prompting questions about whether to buy or sell and the need for a winning streak before the All-Star break.
The Cubs are set to add left-hander Drew Pomeranz to their 40-man roster, clearing space by optioning Jordan Wicks. After a strong 2025 with Chicago and a rough start with the Angels in 2026, Pomeranz could again provide depth and late-inning versatility as Chicago copes with injuries; the Angels remain on the hook for about $4 million on his contract, while the Cubs will owe only the prorated portion of the minimum while he’s on their roster.
The Reds will activate Hunter Greene for his season debut this weekend against the Orioles after elbow surgery, and Emilio Pagán returns from the IL to bolster the bullpen. Greene impressed in a Triple-A rehab stint, averaging about 99 mph on his fastball, as Cincinnati tries to salvage a struggling season marked by bullpen issues and rotation questions.
The Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in 10 innings, riding a bullpen-heavy start and a late rally that included a bases-loaded walk and a two-run single in the 10th. Jordan Wicks earned his first save of the season in a tense finish, sealing the win and a series victory in Milwaukee and helping Chicago move closer to the NL Central lead.
Seiya Suzuki gave the Cubs a brief lead with a fifth-inning homer off Jacob Misiorowski, but Milwaukee answered with a multi-run rally as the Cubs’ bullpen faltered; Garrett Mitchell hit a homer off Ethan Roberts to put the Brewers in front, David Hamilton’s two-out triple chased the Cubs’ starter, and William Contreras homered off Jayden Murray to push the lead to 5-1. In the eighth, Suzuki drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Christian Yelich added an RBI double as Milwaukee padded its lead to 6-2. Cubs starter Colin Rea worked four scoreless innings before the bullpen meltdown, and Chicago’s club will debut newly acquired left-hander David Peterson in the next game against Milwaukee.
The Atlanta Braves placed setup man Robert Suarez on the 15-day injured list with forearm tightness, retroactive to June 23, and recalled Hurston Waldrep from Triple-A Gwinnett to bolster the bullpen. Carlos Carrasco cleared waivers and elected free agency. Suarez is expected to miss the All-Star Break but should return in the second half, and Waldrep is likely to debut as a multi-inning reliever as he builds back up after elbow surgery.
The Mets moved right-hander Kodai Senga from the rotation to the bullpen after a dramatic downturn dating back to last year, highlighted by a lumbar injury and a rough 2026 stretch that included a 27 earned runs in 16 innings since returning. Despite a strong spring, his season has cratered with high walks, homers, and ERA spikes. The Mets will patch the rotation with Nolan McLean, Freddy Peralta, David Peterson and Sean Manaea while evaluating whether a relief role can salvage Senga’s value or lead to further roster moves.
The Minnesota Twins erased a 2-0 deficit in the seventh, getting two-out hits from Royce Lewis and Ryan Kreidler, then pinch-hitter Josh Bell delivered an RBI single and scored on a ball caroming off his hand to put Minnesota ahead in a pivotal moment, as four relievers shut down Arizona in a 4-2 win. The victory capped a 5-1 road trip and gave the Twins their third straight series win, with defensive plays from Kreidler, Larnach and Keaschall helping cement the win ahead of a three-game set with Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers at Target Field.
Colin Rea delivered 5.1 scoreless innings to power the Blue Jays in an 8-6 comeback win over the Cubs at Wrigley, as Toronto erased a 5-0 deficit with Daulton Varsho’s three-run homer and Kazuma Okamoto’s blast, while Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong provided early Cubs offense. The Cubs left runners on in the eighth and the bullpen struggled, but Rea’s strong start earned him Player of the Game honors.
The Pirates sent catcher Joey Bart to the Atlanta Braves for right-hander Hunter Stratton, adding a controllable bullpen arm and easing a catcher logjam as Bart rehabs from a left-foot infection and is out of minor-league options; Stratton will report to Indianapolis and provides depth with a 3.75 career ERA in MLB and solid Triple-A numbers this year.
Detroit will shift Keider Montero to the bullpen for at least two series to open a rotation spot for Justin Verlander, who is returning from the 60-day IL to start Sunday against the White Sox. Montero has a 3.61 ERA across 72 1/3 innings and has largely avoided big innings, aided by infield pop-ups; Hinch left the move's duration flexible. The club also expects Casey Mize back soon and will need to demote a pitcher to free a 40-man spot for Verlander’s activation.
Noah Hiles outlines five must-answer questions for the Pirates as they try to reach the postseason: can the rotation regain momentum, when will external bullpen help arrive, how to fix a defense that’s struggled alongside the lineup, when Konnor Griffin will return and how to adapt if he’s out, and what to do with Marcell Ozuna after a costly signing that’s hindered overall performance.
The Rays moved left-hander Steven Matz to the bullpen after a rough return from the IL, with 12 runs allowed in 8 2/3 innings; manager Kevin Cash said the move isn’t permanent as the club reshapes its rotation, with Mason Englert likely stepping into Matz’s spot and a potential six-man rotation being considered to limit innings for McClanahan and Rasmussen.