Sports
D-backs building steam entering series vs. streaking Twins
Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (7) and Ketel Marte (L) celebrate a Carroll grand-slam against the Angels during a game at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. on June 17, 2026. Thanks to Corbin Carroll, the Arizona Diamondbacks enter the weekend feeling better about their season.
Carroll helped the Diamondbacks enjoy a rare day off at home before they open a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night in Phoenix.
Carroll hit a grand slam in the second inning Wednesday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels, providing the lead for good in an 8-1 victory.
“The dugout felt an immediate sigh of relief,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It took the air out of some very tense moments and games over the past 12-14 days.”
Following a 3-10 stretch, Arizona has won the rubber match in the past two series. Now, the Diamondbacks will try to get off to a good start against Minnesota with their hottest pitcher, right-hander Michael Soroka, starting on the mound.
Soroka (8-3, 3.11 ERA) earned his eighth win on June 7 after holding the Washington Nationals to one run and three hits over seven innings of a 5-1 victory.
Six days later, he limited the Cincinnati Reds to one run and two hits over seven innings but did not receive a decision in his team’s 2-1 loss.
He walked two batters against the Nationals but didn’t issue any free passes against the Reds.
“When you feel like the hitter might not know what’s coming, I feel a little bit more comfortable throwing balls completely over the plate,” Soroka said. “Last year (when he went 3-8), I think I ran into struggles, because I didn’t have those extra pitches. And second, third time around, these guys were seeing the same two [pitches], four-seam, curveball, over and over again.”
Lovullo has been impressed with Soroka’s run, which included a 3-1 mark with a 1.78 ERA in five starts in May.
“We can depend on him to go out there and do the things he did, but I want to emphasize, we’re not one of 26, we’re 26 of 26, and it takes a team effort,” Lovullo said.
Soroka has made four appearances (three starts) against the Twins in his career, going 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA.
The Twins beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Thursday afternoon for their fourth straight win. They can establish their longest winning streak of the season with a victory against the Diamondbacks on Friday.
Minnesota plans to start rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-4, 5.26 ERA) but will keep a close eye on its 2022 second-round draft pick.
Prielipp has made 10 starts this year, building his pitch count and innings along the way.
“We will definitely have to monitor the volume regardless of if it’s within starts or throughout the year,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said after his start on June 7 against the Kansas City Royals. “I don’t think we’re at the point in the year where we will determine, or we have determined where we’re at with that yet.”
Prielipp dealt a season-high 98 pitches in his next outing against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals last Saturday. He was tagged for four runs and seven hits over six innings in a 9-6 loss in which he didn’t factor into the decision.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve pitched this long besides last year, and my body’s felt fine this whole year,” Prielipp, 25, said after his start against the Royals. “These last two years have been really big for my development, and I feel like I’m getting better and better every outing.”
Prielipp will face the Diamondbacks for the first time in his career.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kyle Schwarber (3 HRs), Bryce Harper (cycle) help Phillies pound Mets
Jun 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) reacts with infielder Bryce Harper (3) after hitting a home run against the New York Mets in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Schwarber had three home runs, including two in one inning, for the Philadelphia Phillies in a 15-3 rout of the visiting New York Mets on Saturday.
Bryce Harper hit for the cycle while going 4-for-5 for the Phillies, who had lost two in a row. Starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (9-3) held New York to one run on five hits and struck out five with one walk in six innings.
Freddy Peralta (5-6) allowed 10 runs on 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings for the Mets, who had won two straight games.
Harper sent a fastball over the wall in right-center field to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead in the first.
In the second, Alec Bohm singled, J.T Realmuto drove him in with a double and then came around to score when Justin Crawford knocked a double of his own for a 3-0 advantage.
The Phillies went through 12 batters to blow the game open in the third, chasing Peralta.
Schwarber (4-for-5, six RBIs) rocked a solo shot 456 feet to the upper deck in right center to lead it off. Harper doubled and scored on a Brandon Marsh single. Marsh went to second on a throwing error by Marcus Semien on his hit, and Bryson Stott brought him in with a double. Realmuto connected for another pair of bases, scoring Stott to extend it to 7-0.
Crawford walked and Trea Turner singled to drive in Realmuto. That marked the end of Peralta’s night.
Cionel Perez entered to face Schwarber in his second turn of the frame, and he blasted a sinker 457 feet to the same spot to make it 11-0.
The Mets got on the board in the top of the fourth inning when Mark Vientos connected for a solo shot to left field.
Philadelphia added two more in the fifth. With two on and two out, Harper completed the cycle with a triple to center field off Tobias Myers, scoring Turner and Schwarber.
Carson Benge’s two-run homer to right-center in the seventh off reliever Max Lazar cut it to 13-3.
Schwarber connected for his third home run of the night in the bottom half of the frame, a two-run shot to right.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orioles place C Adley Rutschman on 7-day concussion list
Jun 18, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Adley Rutschman (35) walks to the clubhouse after being struck in the head by an errant throw while running out a ground ball against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images The Baltimore Orioles placed catcher Adley Rutschman on the seven-day concussion list on Saturday after he was injured on an unusual play on Thursday against the Seattle Mariners.
The move, which is retroactive to Friday, came after Rutschman was hit on the left ear while running to first base on a grounder in the ninth inning. Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson was trying to complete a double play and threw the ball inside second base at close range. Rutschman came out of the game and host Seattle went on to win 3-0.
Rutschman, 28, missed Friday’s 6-5 loss to the Dodgers as well as Saturday’s game in Los Angeles.
“Obviously, it sucks for Adley,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “Especially with concussions and head injuries, it’s tough, and especially the position he plays, with the constant foul tips and balls in the dirt and backswings, plays at the plate. So right now, Rutsch is on the concussion IL and we’ll kind of take it day by day and see where he’s at.”
Rutschman also was on the 10-day IL from April 11-21 due to left ankle inflammation. He is hitting .254 with 15 doubles, eight home runs, 40 RBIs and has a .787 OPS in 54 games.
For his career, Rutschman is batting .254 with 69 homers and 270 RBIs in 559 games. Baltimore selected him first overall in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Oregon State.
In a corresponding move on Saturday, the Orioles recalled outfielder Michael Siani from Triple-A Norfolk.
Siani, 26, has hit .221 (76-for-344) with two homers and 20 RBIs in 160 games over parts of four seasons for the Cincinnati Reds (2022-23) and St. Louis Cardinals (2023-25).
He hit a combined .185 (25-for-135) in 44 games this season for Triple-A Oklahoma City (Dodgers affiliate) and Norfolk (Orioles).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wings rally from 15 down in fourth quarter to stun Sky
Jun 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) and Chicago Sky guard Gabriela Jaquez (11) battle for the loose ball during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Li Yueru converted the deciding free throws with 12.5 seconds left as the Dallas Wings put everything together in the fourth quarter to produce a wild, come-from-behind 93-92 win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Dallas’ 36 points in the fourth quarter resulted in its highest-scoring period of the season, and the Wings (10-6) needed every one of them to beat Chicago, which dropped its fifth straight game.
Chicago led by 17 points late in the third quarter but the Wings rallied in the fourth, drawing to within 81-80 on a pair of Jessica Shepard free throws with 3:21 to play. Paige Bueckers’ layup with 1:35 left tied the game at 86 before Sydney Taylor poured in a 3-pointer with 1:26 remaining to put Chicago up 89-86.
Skylar Diggins had a steal that resulted in her two free throws with 35.7 seconds left to push the Sky’s advantage to six points. A free throw by Azzi Fudd and then a four-point play from Bueckers got Dallas to within one, and Chicago turned over the ball with 29.8 seconds to play.
Kamilla Cardoso then fouled Yueru, who made both free throws to give the Wings their first lead of the game. Chicago’s Jacy Sheldon then missed a short jumper with three seconds left, and Azura Stevens’ putback layup just before the buzzer glanced off the rim and away, allowing Dallas to walk off with the unlikely victory.
Shepard led the Wings with 21 points, with Bueckers adding 19, Fudd scoring 13 and Arike Ogunbowale hitting for 12 points.
Cardoso’s season-high 26 points led all scorers. Taylor added 18 for the Sky (4-11), while Diggins had 14 and Natasha Cloud tallied 10. Stevens led all players with 11 rebounds.
The Sky dominated the first quarter, going up 25-13 after a running jumper by Gabriela Jaquez at the 2:24 mark before carrying a 28-16 lead after 10 minutes of play. Dallas eventually pulled to within a point and missed on multiple chances to take the lead before the Sky swung back as Cloud’s left-handed layup with 5.7 seconds left allowed Chicago to take a 43-38 advantage into the break.
Cardoso led all scorers with 14 points at halftime, while Maddy Siegrist paced Dallas with eight points off the bench in the first half.
–Field Level Media
Kyle Schwarber (3 HRs), Bryce Harper (cycle) help Phillies pound Mets
Orioles place C Adley Rutschman on 7-day concussion list
