Game Day: Saturday, May 30th

A quick look at the standings.  The Blue Jays are moving up the ranks, riding a four-game winning streak into tonight's action.  The Yankees are riding a five-game winning streak and are now just 1.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.

The Mariners have won four straight, the A's have dropped four straight, and these teams have swapped places in the standings as a result.  Seattle has a 1.5 game lead on the A's for best in the AL West.

The Guards are up 3.0 games on the White Sox in the AL Central.  The White Sox are dead set on finishing the season at .500 and they have an outside shot to accomplish that goal but will be without Japanese sensation Munetaka Murakami who has been placed on the IR with a Grade 2 hamstring strain.  He'll miss the next six weeks but should be good to represent the White Sox along with Davis Martin in July's Midsummer Classic.  Both players are locks for this year's AL all-star team.  

Interesting player replacing Murakami on the White Sox.  Jacob Gonzalez, a former first-round pick out of Ole Miss.  Gonzalez packed on some weight has transformed himself from a fleet-footed shortstop into a power-hitting first baseman.  The Sox' prospect leads the AAA International League with 19 homeruns this season.  Gonzalez has a good glove and a strong arm and could be a big star on the left side of the White Sox infield next to Colson Montgomery.  An infield of Montgomery, Gonzalez, Meidroth and Vargas with Murakami at DH is very solid.  They'll get veteran outfielder Austin Hays and second-year catcher Kyle Teel back soon.  If Gonzalez continues to slug the ball at the big league level, and the White Sox starting pitching pulls together, they can win the AL Central.  They can make a run at the World Series in '26.

The Braves still have the best record in MLB and lead the NL East by 9.5 games.  This team will be without catcher Drake Baldwin for the next month.  Baldwin is on the injured reserve with a Grade 1 oblique strain.  Their lineup without Baldwin looks soft to me.  Sean Murphy is out until July with a fractured finger.  Their starting pitching has been good, Chris Sale, Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder are a legitimate front three at the top of the rotation and their bullpen has been elite but they keep playing games with Carlos Carrasco and I feel like it is going to cost them.  They still have a Jurickson Profar and a Ronald Acuna Jr. problem although most fans choose to ignore the giant elephant in the stadium.  I think the Phillies are going to catch them before the end of the summer.  

Brewers lead the NL Central by 4.5 games over second place, St. Louis.  The Brew Crew got healthy on offense and returned to their winning ways, posting an 18-6 record over the month of May.  This a solid baseball team with a lot of depth.  They are deep in the rotation, deep in the bullpen and with more than a few top prospects knocking on the door in MiLB, they are deep in the field.  All five teams in the NL Central are currently above .500 but Milwaukee is the cream ale.

The Dodgers have won six straight and lead the NL West with the Padres and the Diamondbacks keeping pace.  Dodgers are definitely going to trade for Tarik Skubal.  It feels like a certainty.  The Tigers are preparing to cash out soon.  Skubal on the Dodgers is going to be ridiculous.  Skubal, Ohtani, Yamamoto, Snell and Glasnow is how it looks down the stretch.  It's a ridiculous team.  

Padres play a big game tonight against the Nationals in Washington with their ace, Michael King, on the mound.  Padres get a win in this series and they will have weathered the storm to some degree after getting swept at home by the Phillies earlier this week.  It will help to have some momentum for the rematch against the Phillies.  That series starts on Monday from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA.

Baltimore plays a big game today and needs a win against the Blue Jays.  Red Sox need a win today.  Mets need a win.  Cubs need a win.  Giants need a win or they are done.  These are pivotal games tonight.

I look at the standings and the schedule and there are more than a few teams on the brink this weekend.  I don't have the time to hash them all out but it's a good topic for tomorrow.

Cubs and Cardinals at Busch Stadium in a 6:10 PM CDT start from St. Louis, MO.  Braves and the Reds at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.  First pitch is also at 6:10 PM CDT.  Giants and Rockies tip at 8:10 PM CDT from Coors Field in Denver, CO.  Round Two of the Yanks and the A's from Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, CA at 9:05 PM CDT.  D'Backs and Mariners from Safeco Field on the undercard tonight.  First pitch at 9:10 PM CDT.  Dodgers and Phillies are the Main Event live from Chavez Ravine in LA, CA.  Also a 9:10 PM CDT start time.  

It should be a great night of games.  Back in a few with Today's Pick.  Stay tuned.  

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