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In case you hadn’t noticed, there hasn’t been a ton of divisional play yet this season. But that is changing now that summer is officially under way. You are going to see more key matchups in all six divisions as teams jockey for positioning before the trade deadline and, ultimately, for the postseason. But things are about to get a whole lot more interesting.
Today’s Headlines
One Year In, Burns Again Singes Yankees
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Chase Burns introduced himself to the major leagues by striking out the first five batters he faced in front of the home crowd. Just three days shy of the one-year anniversary of his MLB debut, Burns was back on the mound facing that same New York Yankees team on the road. This time, he struck out seven over five innings as the Reds pulled out a 4-1 victory over the Yankees. Burns won for the ninth time by allowing five hits and walking three. This was the 12th straight start in which he has allowed two or fewer runs, a club record. He got all the support he would need when Tyler Stephenson belted a three-run homer in the fourth inning for a 3-1 lead. Right-hander Tony Santillan closed it out with two perfect innings for his fifth save.
Surging Phillies Ride Schwarber, Harper To Win
Don’t look now, but the Philadelphia Phillies suddenly have the fourth-most wins in the NL and sixth-most in MLB. With Kyle Schwarber hitting his fourth homer in two days and Bryce Harper nearly getting a second straight cycle, the Phillies rolled past the New York Mets 6-2. The Phillies have gone 33-16 since a managerial change and, at 42-35, sit 6½ games behind Atlanta in the NL East and possess the second wild-card spot. The Phillies did their damage early against the Mets in the teams’ first series of the season. Already up 2-0, Schwarber cranked his MLB-leading 29th homer in to the second deck in right field, a three-run blast that made it 5-0. Harper, meanwhile, used a 35-ounce bat to get his first career cycle Saturday, but went back to his regular, lighter bat for his first at-bat Sunday, where he struck out. So it was back to the 35-ouncer, leading to a second-inning double, a fifth-inning leadoff homer and a seventh-inning single, leaving him a triple shy of cycles on back-to-back nights. Phillies right-handed starter Zack Wheeler struck out seven in 5⅔ innings.
Jones’ Hustle Pays Off In Tigers’ Father’s Day Win
The family holidays are easy for a lot of folks. But then there are others who struggle with them. For Jahmai Jones of the Detroit Tigers, he has been without his dad, a former NFL linebacker, since 2011, when Andre Jones passed away when Jahmai was 13. Jones entered Father’s Day as a first-time father, with his wife having given birth to a daughter seven months ago. Jones, who is slumping and hearing boos from the fans, wasn’t in the starting lineup, but came on to beat out an infield single and score the tying run in the ninth inning in what would be a 5-4 win in 10 innings over the Chicago White Sox. Spencer Torkelson singled home the tying run in the 10th and Matt Vierling walked it off with a bloop single to right.
Gilbert Sharp As Mariners Stop Red Sox
Besides just being really good, one of the endearing things about Seattle Mariners star right-hander Logan Gilbert is that he is a bit awkward. Have you seen those faces he makes as he unleashes a pitch? Nothing you would hang in a museum. Still, he does his job very well. He struck out eight and allowed just three hits over 6⅓ innings as the Mariners topped the Boston Red Sox 3-1. The only run Gilbert allowed was a third-inning solo homer by Nate Eaton. Dominic Canzone stepped up offensively, hitting his own solo homer in the second inning and adding a run-scoring grounder in the sixth. Cole Young drove in the go-ahead run with a fifth-inning single. Canzone, however, had to leave the game after his sixth-inning RBI with a leg injury.
Wetherholt’s 2 Early HRs Power Cardinals
Just when you think some cracks might be starting to form in the surprising St. Louis Cardinals, one of their prized youngsters comes up big. JJ Wetherholt homered in the first two innings to power the Cardinals to a 12-10 victory over the Kansas City Royals to avoid being swept in the three-game series. Wetherholt’s second multihomer game of his rookie season were a solo shot leading off the game that fueled a five-run outburst and a two-run blast in the second inning that was part of a four-run rally. Each time, the Royals retaliated, scoring twice in the first and four times in the second to pull within 9-6. Neither starter, the Cardinals’ Dustin May or the Royals’ Stephen Kolek, made it past the second inning. Wetherholt is the 12th Cardinal to homer in each of the first two innings. The Cardinals hit four homers, with Masyn Winn in the first inning and Ivan Herrera in the fifth adding three-run shots.
Contreras, Brewers Mash Atlanta
If you thought William Contreras was being a little too chummy with Atlanta players this weekend, don’t forget that this was the team that traded the catcher to the Milwaukee Brewers in order to get Sean Murphy from the A’s a few years ago. Not that a reminder was needed, but Contreras showed Atlanta what it was missing by going 4-for-5, including a three-run homer in an eight-run second inning that propelled the Brewers to a 9-4 victory. Contreras also had a single to begin that eight-run outburst that made a winner out of left-hander Robert Gasser, his first victory since before undergoing Tommy John surgery at the beginning of the 2024 season. Gasser struck out seven and allowed two runs over six innings.
Bobby Gasser matches his career highs in IP and Ks ⛽️
— Milwaukee Brewers (@brewersbot.bsky.social) 2026-06-21T19:27:30.000Z
By The Numbers
9 A’s slugger Nick Kurtz hit his ninth homer of June in a 9-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Kurtz is also the seventh-fastest in MLB history to reach 55 career homers.
25 Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez became the first AL player with 25 homers when he went deep in a 2-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians.
6 Wyatt Langford hit a three-run homer as the Texas Rangers beat the San Diego Padres 4-3 to snap a six-series losing streak to the NL team. The Rangers are just 4-16 in their last 20 vs. the Padres.
Best Moments From Yesterday
So That’s How It Feels
Angels right fielder Jo Adell is used to being in highlights for robbing homers. But this time, he was victimized by a tremendous catch by A’s right fielder Colby Thomas.
Colby Thomas with one of the better home-run robberies you'll see this year (and against Jo Adell, ironically)
— Casey Drottar (@caseydrottar.bsky.social) 2026-06-21T20:14:57.860Z
I Don’t Wanna Go!
When you are having fun in the park but your mom is calling you for dinner. Yeah, Rafael Devers did not want to leave the San Francisco Giants‘ 2-1 loss to the Miami Marlins.
🤖 SF Giants on NBCSRafael Devers didn't want to be removed for a pinch runner after a leadoff walk to start the ninth
— SF Giants Bot (@giantbot.bsky.social) 2026-06-21T20:01:27.257796+00:00
Paying Homage
The Royals honored the Negro Leagues by having former player Sam Allen throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Royals infielder Tyler Tolbert. The Royals and Cardinals wore Negro Leagues throwback hats.
Cleats And Kids
Tampa Bay Rays players showed out with some cool cleats for Father’s Day while their kids help decorate their lockers.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones left Sunday’s start after being drilled in his right elbow by a comebacker. X-rays were negative with more tests planned for today. This was his fifth start after returning from elbow surgery last year.
⚾ Texas Rangers right-handed starter Jack Leiter was placed on the 15-day IL with a posterior angle impingement.
⚾ Miami Marlins catcher Liam Hicks went on the 10-day IL with a strained lower back. The Marlins also designated first baseman Christopher Morel for assignment as outfielder Griffin Conine (left hamstring) was activated from the 60-day IL.
Articles You Should Read
Father’s example guides Rays’ McClanahan, who is thriving after two years of pain — Tyler Kepner, The Athletic
Tigers’ Jansen “couldn’t sleep” after watching friend set World Cup saves record — Jason Beck, MLB.com
How a heavier bat helped Phillies’ Harper complete a cycle — Matt Gelb, The Athletic
Are the Red Sox headed toward a selloff like the one in 2014? — Alex Speier, Boston Globe
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