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The No. 13 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers take their 26-game winning streak into the finals against the No. 6 LSU Tigers today at 7:00 pm EST. Coastal Carolina can lose the streak but still win the championship because of the best-of-three format. If they do, they’ll win their second title and go 2-for-2 in trips to Omaha (here’s 25 other fun facts about the Chanticleers and their streak). If LSU wins, that will be two titles in three years (the last one in 2023 with some guys named Skenes and Crews) under coach Jay Johnson. The Tigers have the second-most titles with seven. Dynasty owners can keep an eye on LSU pitchers Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson and Coastal Carolina catcher Caden Bodine as top prospects.
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Today’s Headlines
Rafaela Delivers Sox Win
The game everyone circled on the calendar after Sunday’s Rafael Devers trade went to the team that sent their star out west. The Boston Red Sox won their first matchup with their former third baseman/designated hitter, 7-5. Devers hit third in the San Francisco Giants lineup, going 0-for-5 with a strikeout and without playing the field. The Red Sox were powered by Ceddanne Rafaela, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBIs, and two runs. He made a leaping catch on a Devers drive to the left center field wall in the third, and his homer put Boston ahead for good in the sixth. After earning his 14th save, Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman chirped with Giants players. The teams play afternoon games on Saturday and Sunday.
Misiorowski Goes to 11
Jacob Misiorowski befuddled the Minnesota Twins for six perfect innings in his second Major League start. That performance extended his no-hit streak to 11 innings after he flummoxed big league hitters for five frames in his debut. Sure, he eventually gave up a walk and a two-run homer before leaving yesterday, but the Milwaukee Brewers‘ offense gave their young hurler plenty of run support. Five Brewers had multi-hit games, including a 4-for-6 day from Christian Yelich that earned him a record: most RBIs in a game (8) without scoring a run. The Brewers won 17-6 without hitting a home run.
Misiorowski’s whole body of work is worth watching, but this offering that turned Willi Castro into a kindergartner sitting criss-cross applesauce for storytime is an S-tier, rewatchable modern baseball moment.
Mama, Jacob Misiorowski just killed a man. 🪦🧛 pic.twitter.com/mC6YXAW8ev
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 21, 2025
Raleigh Passes Benchmark
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh tied Johnny Bench for most home runs by a catcher before the All-Star Break (28) in the top of the first. In the seventh, Raleigh drove his 29th homer out of Wrigley Field to give the M’s a 6-4 over the Chicago Cubs. After wrapping up a 9-4 victory, Raleigh acknowledged the special nature of being compared to “one of the best, if not the best, catchers,” but said there’s time to focus on that later. Designated hitter Mitch Garver also had an excellent day with two homers and five RBIs, but Raleigh understandably got all the “M-V-P” chants from visiting fans.
Dodgers Announce Aid
After a week of rising frustrations from Los Angeles Dodgers fans about the team’s no-comment stance on deportation protests in LA, the team announced a $1 million commitment to supporting affected families. The official statement mentions “food insecurity, basic essentials, and mental health services” as areas of focus. The announcement was delayed a day after the organization reportedly denied Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents access to Dodger Stadium on Thursday. The statement isn’t as pointed as many fans have called for, but they will hear more from the Dodgers and community partners soon.
A quick correction: in Thursday’s newsletter, I wrote that the Dodgers were giving away Fernando Valenzuela bobbleheads that night. The date for the promotion is July 19, not June 19. That giveaway honoring a Mexican baseball legend will be an intriguing checkpoint in the relationship between the organization, the city, and the fans.
More details:
Suspensions for 4
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Dennis Santana received a four-game suspension for swiping at a fan during the second game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. Santana appeared in that game, recording an out on 10 pitches. He did not pitch on Friday. The suspension won’t begin until Santana’s appeal is processed.
The fallout from the Dodgers and San Diego Padres trading beanballs includes one-game suspensions for managers Dave Roberts and Mike Shildt and a three-game suspension for San Diego reliever Robert Suarez. Suarez, who hit Shohei Ohtani on Thursday, will appeal. Roberts and Shildt, who scuffled briefly behind home plate, missed their teams’ Friday night games. The Dodgers held off the Washington Nationals 6-5 without Roberts. The Padres lost to the Kansas City Royals 6-5 without Shildt. Fernando Tatis Jr., one of the players hit, was in the lead-off spot after scans revealed he did not suffer a broken hand.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Phils Take First Together
The Philadelphia Phillies are your NL East leaders by a game after beating the New York Mets 10-2. The team played defense and ran the bases with a little extra dose of brotherly love. Otto Kemp hauled in a catch with Bryson Stott and Nick Castellanos in his back pockets. Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto turned a bases-loaded Stott double into a bang-bang play at the plate.
Before the Blowout
It got ugly late for the Twins, but Joe Ryan tried to keep it as close as possible early on by throwing up the stop sign for Jackson Chourio.
Joe Ryan also tried to stop Jackson Chourio from running home 😂
Fountain of Youth
Atlanta right-hander Didier Fuentes is 20 years old, and I’m pretty sure, by rule, he has to change his name to Spencer now. He took the 6-2 loss against the Miami Marlins, but he’s the youngest pitcher to start an MLB game since Julio Urias in 2019.
Didier Fuentes' first MLB strikeout
— Baseball GIFs (@baseballgifs.bsky.social) 2025-06-20T23:38:54.294Z
The Real MVP
No disrespect to Cal Raleigh, but the reigning American League MVP is just two home runs off his total while holding a 1.207 to 1.025 lead in OPS. Aaron Judge has a 1.3 fWAR lead (5.7 to 4.4) and a 45-point advantage in OPS+ (225 to 180) over his closest competition. Judge hit a home run on his own Superman bobblehead night. But the Yankees did lose to the Baltimore Orioles, 5-3. Superman can’t do it alone.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ The Los Angeles Angels announced that manager Ron Washington will step away from the team indefinitely due to health issues. Bench coach Ray Montgomery will take over in Washington’s absence. Also, the team placed outfielder Jorge Soler on the 10-day IL with a sore back.
⚾ The Mariners reinstated infielder/outfielder Luke Raley from the injured list and designated first baseman Rowdy Tellez for assignment. Tellez’s 11 home runs were tied for the second-most on the team.
⚾ Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo gave outfielder Corbin Carroll an extra day off against the Colorado Rockies due to a bruised hand. Lovullo also announced that catcher Gabriel Moreno, who was placed on the 10-day IL on Thursday, has a hairline fracture in his finger, and reliever A.J. Puk had elbow surgery today and will miss the rest of the season.
⚾ The Red Sox traded left-hander Zach Penrod to the Dodgers for cash considerations. Los Angeles transferred right-hander Roki Sasaki to the 60-day IL. Sasaki can be reinstated in mid-July.
⚾ Boston also reinstated outfielder Wilyer Abreu from the 10-day IL and optioned infielder/outfielder prospect Kristian Campbell to Triple-A.
⚾ St. Louis Cardinals catcher Iván Herrera will miss two to six weeks with a Grade II hamstring strain.
⚾ The Cincinnati Reds placed Wade Miley on the 15-day IL with a left flexor strain. They recalled right-hander Connor Phillips and added right-handed Chase Petty to the taxi squad.
⚾ Aaron Boone announced that Luke Weaver and Devin Williams will both be used to close games for the Yankees.
Articles You Should Read
How the Red Sox-Rafael Devers breakup got so messy — Jeff Passan, ESPN
Mookie Betts Is a Star Shortstop Now — Jay Jaffe, FanGraphs
Behind a fiery coach and a 26-game win streak, Coastal Carolina is no fluke — Elizabeth Merrill, ESPN
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
