Sports
Guardians rookie Parker Messick out to extend woes of Red Sox
May 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick (77) follows through on a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images The Boston Red Sox hit a season low Friday night with 4-3 road loss to the Cleveland Guardians. The setback dropped Boston 10 games below .500 for the first time in 2026.
Boston (23-33) will attempt to start moving in a positive direction when it faces Cleveland in the second game of the three-game series Saturday afternoon. The Red Sox will look to match the one bright spot from Friday — the performance by Brayan Bello, who entered the game in the second inning and pitched seven scoreless innings.
The Guardians scored their four runs in the first inning against Tyler Samaniego, who was used as an opener before Bello entered the game.
“(Bello) was awesome,” Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said. “And obviously, the way it started he came in and quieted that game down pretty quickly and gave us a shot. Just pounded the strike zone. … He was as good as you could ask for.
“Ultimately having him be that way in a starter role would be awesome. We’re still trying. Obviously, we’ve had some of those (games with an opener) where we haven’t gotten off to the best start and he comes in trailing. Credit our guys for battling back again.”
Boston has lost six of its past seven games. It’s the first time the Red Sox have been 10 games below .500 since the 2020 season.
Saturday’s game will feature an excellent pitching matchup. Rookie left-hander Parker Messick (6-1, 2.24 ERA) will start for Cleveland and will oppose Boston right-hander Sonny Gray (5-1, 3.27).
Messick, 25, has allowed no more than three earned runs in 10 of his 11 starts this season. He has 108 strikeouts and 25 walks in 18 career starts (104 innings), including in 2025.
According to MLB.com, only two Cleveland pitchers have had more strikeouts through 18 starts: Herb Score (139) and Danny Salazar (112). Shane Bieber also had 108 strikeouts in 18 starts.
“It’s really cool company to be in,” Messick said. “But at the same time, if I want to stay in that same category, I’ve just gotta go out there and keep doing it. So whatever I can do to keep doing that.”
Messick has one career appearance against the Red Sox, a no-decision last Sept. 4 in a 6-4 loss. He allowed three runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Cleveland is 9-2 in games he’s started this season.
“It doesn’t matter who he’s pitching against,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “He’s just gonna go attack.”
Gray is 7-5 with a 3.20 ERA in 20 career appearances (all starts) against the Guardians, leaders of the American League Central.
Gray, 36, struggled with his command in his last start, a no-decision in a 6-5 loss to Minnesota on Sunday. He was pulled after four innings and gave up three runs on six hits, walked two batters and hit another.
Cleveland played without outfielder Steven Kwan on Friday. He was placed on the bereavement/family medical emergency list and is expected to miss the entire three-game series.
“Obviously our thoughts are with Kwany and his family as they’re going through their situation,” Vogt said. “We’re going to miss Steven this weekend.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
White Sox await diagnosis on Munetaka Murakami (hamstring)
May 26, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the eight inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami, removed in the third inning of Chicago’s game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday after tweaking his right hamstring, will undergo imaging on Saturday.
The 26-year-old rookie, who shares the American League homer lead with Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, each with 20, grabbed at his hamstring after hustling down the first base line to avoid a 4-6-3 double play.
Murakami walked slowly back to the dugout without needing assistance.
After the White Sox’s 4-3, 10-inning win, Chicago manager Will Venable said, “Looks like a little hamstring strain on the initial evaluation. He’ll get some imaging tomorrow, but probably a couple weeks (on the injured list is the expectation). Nothing official, got to continue the evaluation. But it might be a couple weeks.”
Luisangel Acuna ran for Murakami and scored on Miguel Vargas’ double. In the top of the fourth, Vargas moved from third to first, Acuna took over at short and Colson Montgomery slid from short to third. Montgomery stayed in the game despite tweaking his lower back while popping out to close the third inning.
Murakami has been a revelation for a White Sox squad that sits in second place in the American League Central. The first baseman has appeared in all 57 games and delivered a .240/.378/.560 slash line with 41 RBIs and 44 walks.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cardinals sock 3 homers, dump Cubs to end 4-game skid
May 29, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Nelson Velazquez (38) celebrates with right fielder Jordan Walker (18) after hitting a three run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Ivan Herrera belted a go-ahead solo homer in the fifth inning, fueling the host St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
St. Louis’ Nelson Velazquez celebrated his call-up from Triple-A Memphis on Friday by launching a three-run homer in the first inning.
Thomas Saggese crushed a solo shot in the fourth inning and Jose Fermin had an RBI single in the eighth for the Cardinals, who snapped a season-high-tying four-game losing streak. They also lost four in a row from April 22-26.
St. Louis used seven pitchers to subdue Chicago, with Gordon Graceffo (4-1) retiring the side in order in the fifth during his lone inning.
Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the ninth with a double and came around to score following a pair of outs. Riley O’Brien induced Alex Bregman to ground out to secure his 14th save of the season.
Chicago’s Ian Happ went deep for the third straight game, belting a three-run homer in the first inning.
Michael Busch had an RBI single and joined Seiya Suzuki with three hits for the Cubs, who have lost 11 of their past 13 games.
Shota Imanaga (4-6) surrendered three homers in his second consecutive outing. He lost his fourth straight start after permitting five runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Saggese forged a 4-4 tie after depositing a 2-2 fastball from Imanaga over the wall in left-center field for his first homer of the season. The Cardinals claimed their first lead in the fifth inning when Herrera sent a 0-1 splitter from Imanaga 409 feet to left-center.
In the opening inning, Busch and Bregman each had a two-out single to center field before Happ deposited an 0-1 fastball from Andre Pallante over the wall in right-center. The homer was Happ’s team-leading 13th of the season.
Velazquez erased Chicago’s early 3-0 lead by sending a first-pitch fastball from Imanaga 411 feet to left-center with two on in the bottom of the first.
Dansby Swanson regained the advantage for the Cubs in the second inning. He singled and stole second before coming around to score on Busch’s single to left field.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mets' MJ Melendez beats Marlins with 10th-inning homer
May 29, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Mark Vientos (27) reacts to hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images MJ Melendez hit the first walk-off homer of his career in the 10th inning Friday night, when the New York Mets squandered a four-run lead before outlasting the visiting Miami Marlins 9-7 in the opener of a three-game series between the National League East foes.
Pete Fairbanks (2-3) retired Juan Soto on a flyout to center before Melendez, who lofted a sacrifice fly as a pinch-hitter for Jared Young in the seventh, hit a long arcing homer into the second deck in right field.
The hit was just the sixth in 46 at-bats this month for Melendez, who stared at the home dugout and spiked his bat after his homer landed.
Austin Warren (1-1) threw a perfect 10th inning to strand automatic runner Jakob Marsee at third.
The win was the second straight for the Mets following a six-game losing streak. The Marlins have dropped three in a row.
A.J. Ewing and Brett Baty had two-run singles in the first for the Mets, who took four-run leads at 5-1 on Mark Vientos’ homer in the third and at 6-2 when Marcus Semien scored on a throwing error by Marlins catcher Joe Mack in the fourth.
Ewing finished with two hits, two RBIs and a run scored.
Owen Caissie hit a game-tying two-run homer in the eighth for the Marlins. Xavier Edwards began the comeback with a third-inning RBI triple and Marsee had an RBI double in the fourth. Miami scored twice in the fifth, when Mark Vientos misplayed Otto Lopez’s grounder as Mack scored before Lopez raced home on Kyle Stowers’ double.
Lopez had a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Stowers finished with three hits while Edwards, Marsee and Caissie had two hits apiece.
Mets starter Freddy Peralta allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out five over 4 2/3 innings. The Marlins’ Max Meyer gave up six runs (five earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings.
–Field Level Media
White Sox await diagnosis on Munetaka Murakami (hamstring)
Cardinals sock 3 homers, dump Cubs to end 4-game skid
