June 14, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Lopez still leads MLB in hits

We are now 70 games into the 2026 season and Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) still leads the majors in hits and batting average.

Lopez’s 96 hits are eight more than San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez for the MLB lead.

Also, his .345 batting average is, by far, the best in the majors. In second place is Giants right fielder Jung Hoo Lee with a .328 average.

The 27-year-old Lopez, who spent part of his youth in Montreal, also leads the Marlins in doubles (18), runs (43) and is second in RBIs (31) and stolen bases (13).

Soroka notches eighth win

Last Sunday, Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) permitted just one run on three hits in seven innings, while striking out six, to record his eighth win of the season in the D-Backs’ 5-1 victory over the Washington Nationals at Chase Field.

Soroka is tied for second in the National League in wins, one behind leader Aaron Ashby of the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Calgary Redbirds and Junior National Team alum followed up that start by limiting the Cincinnati Reds to one run on two hits in seven innings yesterday but got a no-decision.

Soroka leads D-Backs pitchers in wins and strikeouts (79) and is tied for the team lead with 14 starts.

Smith leading majors in saves

Cleveland Guardians reliever Cade Smith recorded his major league-leading 23rd save of the season on Saturday when he got the final four outs against the Detroit Tigers in a 3-1 win.

He has now been successful in his last 20 save opportunities.

For the season, the Abbotsford, B.C., native is 2-0 with a 2.48 ERA and has 49 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings. In my view, he should be a lock for the American League All-Star team.

This is the 27-year-old Smith’s first full season as the Guardians’ closer. He took over as the team’s closer in late July last year and finished 2025 with 16 saves.

Remembering Don Newcombe

Dodgers legendary right-hander Don Newcombe would’ve turned 100 today.

In parts of eight seasons with the Dodgers, the 6-foot-4 right-hander, who was one of the first Black pitchers in Major League Baseball, had three 20-win campaigns.

In 1956, he went 27-7 and posted a 3.06 ERA in 268 innings. For his efforts, he captured the Cy Young Award and National League MVP honours.

Newcombe was also one of the best-hitting pitchers of all-time. In 1955 with the Dodgers, he batted .359 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs.

Prior to pitching with the Dodgers, Newcombe honed his skills with the Montreal Royals. In 37 appearances – including 27 starts – with the triple-A Canadian club in 1948, he went 17-6 with a 3.10 ERA in 189 innings. He returned to post a 3.18 ERA in five starts with the Royals the following year before being promoted to the big leagues for good.

The hard-throwing righty finished his major league career with the Cincinnati Reds (1958 to 1960) and Cleveland (1960). He had served in an honorary role with the Dodgers prior to his death in 2019.

Blue Jays send Macko down

On Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays sent left-hander Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) down to triple-A Buffalo to clear a roster spot for future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, who was returning from a forearm injury.

The transaction definitely wasn’t performance related. Macko was an impressive 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 12 appearances for the Blue Jays.

The Vauxhall Jets grad was 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 relief appearances for triple-A Buffalo prior to his call-up.

In March, he didn’t allow a run in three relief appearances for Canada at the World Baseball Classic.

Macko was acquired from the Seattle Mariners, along with reliever Erik Swanson, for outfielder Teoscar Hernandez on November 16, 2022.

Hiller recorded career-best in strikeouts 49 years ago

Forty-nine years ago today, John Hiller (Toronto, Ont.) made a rare start for the Tigers and tossed a complete game, while registering a career-high 12 strikeouts, in a 7-2 win over the Blue Jays at Tiger Stadium. Hiller allowed just four hits in the game.

It was one of eight starts Hiller made that season. His other 37 appearances that year came out of the bullpen.

For the record, Hiller, who’s arguably the greatest Canadian major league reliever, tossed 13 complete games in his 15-season career.

Josh Naylor belts third MLB grand slam

On Monday, Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) clubbed the third grand slam of his MLB career. It came in the fifth inning off Orioles right-hander Anthony Nunez in the Mariners’ 6-3 win at Camden Yards.

It was Naylor’s seventh home run of the season. He also socked a solo home run on Friday in the Mariners’ 10-2 victory over the Nationals at Nationals Park.

Naylor hit his first MLB grand slam on May 9, 2022 when he was with the Guardians. It was a game-tying round-tripper off Chicago White Sox reliever Liam Hendriks with two outs in the ninth inning.

His second grand slam came in even more dramatic fashion when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 9, 2025. It was a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning that gave the D-Backs an 8-4 win over the Mariners.

Happy Birthday to Tim Smith!

Happy 40th Birthday to men’s national team alum and Toronto native Tim Smith!

Selected in the seventh round of the 2007 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers, the 6-foot-3 outfielder played three seasons in the Rangers’ system before splitting his final three campaigns in the affiliated ranks between the Kansas City Royals (2010-11) and Atlanta Braves (2012) organizations.

He completed his pro career with the Winnipeg Goldeyes (2013) and Quebec Capitales (2014-15).

Over the years, Smith also suited up for the Canadian national team several times, including on the gold medal-winning teams at the 2011 and 2015 Pan Am Games and on the 2013 World Baseball Classic squad.

Pitch count? What pitch count?

Fifty-two years ago today, Nolan Ryan struck out 19 batters, walked 10 and threw 235 pitches (!) in 13 innings for the Angels against the Red Sox but settled for a no-decision.

The Angels eventually won 4-3 in 15 innings.

Luis Tiant pitched 14 1/3 innings for the Sox and took the loss.

Young hitting cleanup for Mets

The New York Mets have Bo Bichette, Juan Soto, Marcus Semien and Francisco Lindor (injured right now), but who has been batting cleanup regularly since the end of May?

That would be Jared Young (Prince George, B.C.).

So far in June, Young has belted three home runs and has a .526 slugging percentage in 11 games.

Aaron signed by Braves 74 years ago

On this date 74 years ago, the Boston Braves signed a promising 18-year-old shortstop out of Mobile, Ala., named Henry Aaron.

He proceeded to bat .336 with nine home runs in 87 games (all at shortstop) with the Class-C Eau Claire Bears in 1952.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Brash back on IL

Mariners right-hander Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with a right lat strain.

It’s his second tenure on the IL with this injury this season. He was previously sidelined from May 1 to May 20.

Brash has quietly been one of the best set-up men in the majors this season. He is 3-0 with a 0.54 ERA in 20 appearances, spanning 16 2/3 innings.

The Mariners are being extremely cautious with the 27-year-old righty who missed the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Brash also experienced some mild inflammation in his throwing arm during the past off-season.

A Kingston Thunder grad, Brash is in his fourth campaign with the Mariners. In total in his MLB career, he is 17-11 with eight saves and a 3.06 ERA with 242 strikeouts and 86 walks in 190 games (five starts).

June 13, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Trois-Rivières, Que. - The Ottawa Titans won their third series in a row, adding six runs of insurance in the ninth to secure a 9-2 victory over the Trois-Rivières Aigles on Saturday night.

Making his second start of the season, former Blue Jays farmhand Eric Pardinho was fantastic, going seven innings of one-run ball, allowing six hits, walking one, and striking out eight in the win. Pardinho put together the third consecutive quality start for Titans starting pitching.

Kaiden Cardoso (Abbotsford, B.C.) opened the scoring off Anthony Escobar with a two-run homer in the top of the second. The first long ball for Cardoso on the year gave the Titans an early 2-0 lead.

The lone run for the Aigles off Pardinho came off the bat of John Montes, who cleared the wall for a solo shot in the bottom of the second.

Up by one, the Titans tacked on a run against Lucas Vega in the sixth inning, as Jackson Lyon poked an RBI double to right-centre. The extra-base hit scored a leadoff Chris Davis single to make it 3-1.

Following seven quality innings from Pardinho, the Titans turned to Yohanse Morel in the eighth. Lizandro Rodriguez smoked an RBI double off the centre field fence, scoring Francesco Barbieri to make it a one-run game. Later in the frame, Brandon Marklund (North Vancouver, B.C.) walked two to load the bases. With two outs, Marklund got out of the jam by getting Montes to ground out to second in an eight-pitch at-bat to end the threat.

Up one entering the ninth, the Titans put together a two-out rally to blow it open. Myles Smith crushed a two-run homer before Lyon brought home his second of the game with a single. Daniel McElveny and Taylor Wright (North Vancouver, B.C.) also picked up RBI hits while a wild pitch scored another. In all, the Titans sent 11 to the plate in the ninth, scoring six times to put the game out of reach.

Heitor Tokar worked a clean ninth to lock down the victory.

Taylor Wright picked up three hits, including a double and an RBI. Smith, Lyon, Cardoso and Davis all recorded multi-hit efforts. Thomas Ferroggiaro walked three times in the victory.

The Ottawa Titans wrap up a three-game series with the Trois-Rivières Aigles on Sunday night at 5:05 p.m. at Stade de Trois-Rivières in Trois-Rivières, Québec. Next week, the Titans will play a trio in New Jersey before coming home Father's Day weekend to face Québec.

June 13, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs delivered another strong performance to beat the Energy City Cactus Rats 11-3 on Saturday.

With the Cactus Rats' home venue still undergoing final preparations for the season, a strong crowd of loyal Okotoks fans made it to beautiful Seaman Stadium to watch the Dawgs earn another victory.

The Dawgs’ offence was paced by a strong performance from leadoff hitter Ayden Crouse, who went 1-for-2 with three runs, one RBI, two stolen bases and two walks.

Hank Griffin (Montreal, Que.) also made a significant impact, finishing 1-for-3 with two runs, one RBI, four stolen bases and a walk. Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) continued the offensive production, going 2-for-5 with a run scored, a double, two RBIs and a stolen base.

In his first appearance with the Dawgs, starting pitcher Aaron Taka delivered a solid outing, going four innings, allowing three runs.

The bullpen, including Dalton Hoffart, Bracken Rice, Nolan Jackson (Grimsby, Ont.), Wyatt Sadlier (Calgary, Alta.) and Grady Keljo, shut things down from there, keeping the Cactus Rats off the scoreboard over the final five innings.

The Dawgs return home on Sunday to host the Medicine Hat Mavericks at 2:05 p.m.

June 13, 2026

Baseball Canada

The Junior National Team struck first but fell 7–1 to the Aberdeen IronBirds in the second game of their MLB Draft League International Series at Ripken Stadium.

Box Score

Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville, Alta.) gave Canada an immediate spark, leading off the game with a solo home run to right field to put the Juniors in front 1–0.

Elliot Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.) collected the only other hit for the Juniors later in the inning with a single to left, stealing second and third before Canada was unable to cash in with the bases loaded.

On the mound, Josh Mills (Leduc, Alta.) turned in a strong start for Canada, working four scoreless innings while striking out three. He worked around traffic in the second inning and continued to keep Aberdeen off the board with help from the defence, including a clutch diving force-out up the middle by Ramsey Chung (Mississauga, Ont.).

Damarcus Rideout-Carter (Brampton, Ont.) followed with a scoreless fifth before the IronBirds broke through with two runs in the sixth and added five more in the seventh. Gabe Fink (Edmonton, Alta.) came on in relief and helped limit further damage, punching out a pair of batters across the final innings.

The Juniors will be back at Ripken Stadium on Sunday with a quick turnaround for a 2:00 p.m. E.T. start in the series finale.

June 12, 2026

Baseball Canada

The Junior National Team opened MLB Draft League International Series action under the lights with a 5–1 setback against the Aberdeen IronBirds at Ripken Stadium on Friday.

Canada broke through in the fourth inning when Elliot Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.) singled, stole second and advanced to third on an error before Robert Omidi (Mississauga, Ont.) drove him in with an RBI double to left field.

Lascelles later added his second hit of the game in the eighth, finishing 2-for-4. Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville, Alta.) singled and stole a base in the fifth inning, collecting the only other hit for the Canadians in the game.

On the mound, Max Nantais-Vlahovich (Mississauga, Ont.) was sharp early, retiring the first 14 batters he faced and striking out five over 4 2/3 innings of work.

The IronBirds eventually answered with a three-run fifth to knock Nantais-Vlahovich out of the game. Aberdeen added two more in the sixth before the Canadian bullpen settled things down late.

Ethan Reason (Stouffville, Ont.) turned in a strong relief appearance, working 2 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit. He also helped erase a baserunner with a pickoff in the seventh before working around a double in the eighth to keep the IronBirds off the board.

The Juniors will be back at Ripken Stadium on Saturday as they continue their three-game series against the Aberdeen IronBirds.

June 12, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Trois-Rivières, Que. - Down entering the late innings, the Ottawa Titans stormed back to take down the Trois-Rivières Aigles by a 3-2 final on Friday night.

After leaving two runners aboard in the first, the Titans could not solve Canadian left-hander Harley Gollert (Toronto, Ont.), who hurled five innings of scoreless baseball. At one point, Gollert retired nine in a row and struck out five consecutive batters. Leaving in line for the win, Gollert allowed just two hits, walked one and fanned 10.

Ky Hampton was terrific in his second start of the season, going six quality innings. The Aigles connected for two runs in the second with an RBI double from Canadian Connor Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) and a single off the bat of Isaac Nunez.

The Australian spun six innings of two-run ball, allowing seven hits, walking three and striking out seven to keep the Titans in the game.

Against the Aigles' bullpen, the Titans took advantage of a pair of walks in the sixth, with Myles Smith getting the visitors on the board with an RBI ground out.

With runners on the corners against Canadian lefty Blake MacMillan (Mississauga, Ont.) in the seventh, Jackie Urbaez tied it up with a sacrifice fly to right.

In the eighth, Smith drew a leadoff walk, stealing second then advancing to third on a throwing error to stand at third with nobody out. With the infield in, Jackson Lyon pulled an RBI single to left off Jeffrey Colon to put the Titans ahead at 3-2.

Kevin Miranda was dominant out of the bullpen, retiring all four he faced with a pair of strikeouts. In the eighth, Heitor Tokar faced traffic but managed to get out of trouble, while Brett Garcia fanned two in a clean ninth to lock down the win.

Although the offence went down on strikes a season-high 17 times, Mitsuki Fukuda and Taylor Wright (North Vancouver, B.C.) each picked up two hits. Chris Davis walked twice and singled in three plate appearances.

The Ottawa Titans continue a three-game series with the Trois-Rivières Aigles on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. at Stade de Trois-Rivières in Trois-Rivières, Québec. Next week, the Titans will play a trio in New Jersey before coming home Father's Day weekend to face Québec.

June 12, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs came through in the clutch late for an important 10-6 victory over the Swift Current 57s on Friday.

With the victory, the Dawgs extended their winning streak to four and improved their record to 9-3.

The Dawgs’ offence was led by another standout performance by Jayden Lusk, who went 1-for-3, with a two-run double to the gap in the fourth inning.

Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.) was also a big part of the offence, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, a walk and two runs. Jeremy Kuiper also had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.

On the mound, Jordan Kievman made his first start of the year for the Dawgs and also hit fifth in the lineup. He threw three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit, while also contributing two hits and two RBIs at the plate.

Dalton Hoffart had another solid performance out of the bullpen, limiting the damage in the sixth and shutting down the threat in a scoreless inning of work.

The wind picked up as the night went on, but the Dawgs turned to Max McRaray for the seventh and eighth innings and he shut down any comeback attempt by the 57s. He struck out five batters in two innings.

The Dawgs will now play the Energy City Cactus Rats at Seaman Stadium on Saturday at 2:05 p.m.

Saturday night also marks the annual Futures Game at Seaman Stadium, featuring the brightest young stars in the Dawgs Academy. First pitch for the Futures Game is set for 7:05 p.m.

June 13, 2026

By Mark Whicker

Canadian Baseball Network

Tarik Skubal has returned to the Tigers. He was supposed to be out for months, but only missed five weeks after having “loose bodies” removed.

Reportedly, Texas Senatorial candidate Ken Paxton has consulted Skubal’s doctors to find out how. Skubal’s tightened-up elbow makes him Target No. 1 in this summer’s edition of Let’s Make A Deal. The back-to-back Cy Young Award winner would be at the top of nearly every rotation in baseball and would, on paper, drastically improve the chances of the Blue Jays, Padres, Diamondbacks and Brewers. And even though the Yankees, Dodgers and Phillies don’t need Skubal as desperately, that’s never stopped their pursuits.

In acquiring Skubal, and then signing him long-term, one of those franchises will endear itself to its ticket base and its clubhouse. But this is an opportunity for the Tigers, too. Trading for Skubal and picking up three everyday players, or three kids who can become such players, could empower Detroit in the A.L. Central for the long term. There are examples of how that can work, how a white-flag deal can actually become a white paper for contention. The best illustration might be found in Washington.

Juan Soto had announced himself to baseball when he drove in 110 runs for the Nationals as a 20-year-old. They won the World Series in that 2019 season. Soto maintained his sky-high trajectory, but had trouble with health. The Nationals gave Stephen Strasburg everything but an arch and a ballroom after that season, and he gave them eight appearances in the next three seasons. The owners, understandably, wanted to sell the club, and Soto became the most prized asset.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres were consumed by ambition, an odd place for them. They sensed opportunities to make the playoffs, and they chased Soto harder than anybody. They caught him by sending Washington a massive Doordash package that featured shortstop CJ Abrams, outfielder James Wood and lefthander MacKenzie Gore at the 2022 trade deadline.

Soto responded by hitting .236 in 52 games and getting booed by the same fans who waved palm fronds upon his debut. The Padres did gather themselves and won their way to the N.L. Championship Series, and in 2023 Soto played all 162 games and had 35 homers, 109 RBIs and a .930 OPS. But Soto wasn’t simpatico with some of the other Padres stars, like Manny Machado, and it was obvious that he wasn’t interested in signing there long-term. San Diego unloaded him to the Yankees for the 2024 season, and now Soto is with the Mets for 15 years and $765 million, the highest contract in the history of American professional sports. He got a late start to the season but has a .931 OPS. Meanwhile, the Mets were 30-38 going into Friday’s play.

How did the Padres come out? Well, they’re 35-32 and in line for a playoff spot, but that is borderline miraculous, considering how gently their hitters have treated the baseball. They are the only team in the National League that isn’t averaging four runs per game, and their .218 batting average, their .291 on-base percentage and their .350 slugging percentage are league lows.

Machado is hitting .172. He has 22 singles in 65 games. Jackson Merrill, so promising two years ago as a 21-year-old rookie centre fielder, is hitting .207. Fernando Tatis Jr., the Ex-Next Face Of The Game, has two home runs. The Padres only owe him $271 million to the end of the 2034 season.

Oh, what they wouldn't give to have two dynamic young hitters leading the way. You know, like Abrams and Wood.

From nearby Rockville, Md., Wood leads the majors with 62 runs and leads the N.L. in walks with 56. He might not ever get on baseball’s Rushmore but he could certainly pose as the mountain, at 6-foot-6 and 234 pounds. His power was no secret, even in the Padres’ low minors, and he has 19 home runs, but he is showing the ability to spot his own jagged edges and smooth them out. Last year he led everyone in baseball with 221 strikeouts. He still has 97 so far this year, but he has improved his OBP to .408, and his OPS has improved to .953. Respect? He also leads the N.L. with seven intentional walks.

Abrams also has a cloud to dispel. For years he’s been known as the least stable defensive shortstop in the game, which inflames trade rumors. But Abrams, a former first-round pick from the Atlanta area, is erasing every mistake with a lively bat. His OPS of .748 last year was a career high. Now he’s at .895, with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs, and he’s hitting .284.

Gore, another high pick, is no longer in Washington. The Nationals sent him to Texas for five minor leaguers, one of whom is rigthhander Gavin Fien, a former No. 12 pick in the draft. Gore is 27 with a career record of 30-46 and a career WHIP of nearly 1.4.

He will be given every chance to fulfill his template, but the Nationals suddenly don’t feel like waiting.

They came into Saturday’s game with a 35-35 record and a true chance to make the playoffs. They have lost 91 games in each full season since the champagne of 2019. In the off-season, 36-year-old Paul Toboni became the general manager and, because he didn’t want to be the Old Guy, hired 33-year-old Blake Butera as the manager. Butera is the youngest major league skipper but was already the youngest minor league manager in history at 25, in the Tampa Bay organization. He won a pennant in every classification.

Butera was the nuts-and-bolts guy for the Italian team in the World Baseball Classic, managed nominally by Mike Piazza. The Dodgers’ Hall of Fame catcher heartily recommended Butera to Toboni. The watchwords among today’s pro athletes are “communication” and “positivity,” when it comes to accepting a coach or a manager, and Butera is well-versed, although he did watch the Nationals blow a 9-1 lead to the Giants in the final two innings the other day and informed them, later, that “this loss should really sting.”

That’s the area that the Nationals need to address. They lead the league, unfortunately, in percentage of inherited runners to score, and only Colorado has given up more runs per game in the N.L. But in the spirit of starting somewhere, the Nationals have found a recycled gem in lefthander Foster Griffin, who was Kansas City’s first-round pick 12 years ago. He stalled there, was traded to Toronto, stalled there and has spent the last three seasons in Japan. Since his return, Griffin is 7-2 with a 1.090 WHIP in 14 starts.

Otherwise, Butera is leaning into the “opener” mode of pitching and has no designated closer. Therefore, the bullpen is a bit of an unmade bed. The Nationals also have walked 3.7 batters every nine innings.

Still, there are reasons to ride the Metro to Nationals Park again, and certainly there’s less frustration in that stadium than in the generally sold-out confines of Petco Park. This is not to say that teams shouldn’t push in their chips for Tarik Skubal. Just make sure that the bodies you’re letting loose aren’t carrying your lifeblood with them.

June 12, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Standing at 6-foot-4, Zij Mina (Wasaga Beach, Ont.) towers over most of his competitors on the 18U circuit.

The left-handed hitting middle infielder has made his presence known on the Mississauga Tigers High Performance Program over the last couple of years and has been making great strides.

“I was looking for more playing time and got in contact with Sean Travers (director of player development), and things just took off from there,” said Mina. “I didn’t play summer ball that year, just worked out in the gym, but then I eventually joined on with the 17U team with coach Byron, and things took off from there.

“I really liked what the Tigers had to offer. They just focus on making you better from a development standpoint and give you the opportunities to play. We recently went to a tournament through Perfect Game, and every single player got into the game; everyone got an opportunity. And that sticks out to me.”

“Zij has really worked hard,” said Greg Byron, head of college placement for the Tigers. “He continues to build on his physicality, and people are starting to see the type of athlete he is. He can hit for average, for power, and can really run. Add that to playing from the left side, and playing everywhere on the diamond, it’s truly exciting to think about his future.”

Mina has found himself on the diamond almost every day this year. The Tigers play in the Future Stars Canada Scout League, but the program also plays south of the border. They take various trips and tournaments to help players get more exposure on the diamond, developing and getting players in front of more college eyes.

The Tigers also recently qualified for the Road to Okotoks tournament, becoming one of the seven teams from the Ontario qualifier to advance to the first-ever installment of the showcase between Canada’s top prep teams.

“That qualifier was really fun, there was a lot of good energy coming from the players and the stands,” explained Mina. “I hit a home run that I am really proud of, sitting in a 3-2 count and was able to do damage on a fastball.

“It really comes down to just feeling confident lately, and that translates into hitting the ball well. I spent some time in the Dominican Republic earlier this year with a couple of the guys, and we just played every day, getting better, sharpening our skills. It’s come a long way.”

At 19 years old, Mina is in the midst of a gap year before heading to Vernon College, a program in the NJCAA route.

He committed to the Chaparrals in August of 2025 and will be heading down to Texas later this fall to get ready for the upcoming season as he moves on to his post-secondary endeavours.

“Vernon really wanted me from the start, and I was able to experience their facilities and the field during one of our visits with the Tigers' fall schedule,” explained Mina. “The coaching staff was very approachable, and I found that they put a lot of work into their impressive facilities. What also sets them apart is their approach to development. Other programs told me that they thought I could help them win games, but Vernon gave me a detailed plan on how I could develop as a player and as a person to get better, and where that could take me moving forward.”

For now, Mina has a busy summer ahead of him.

He will continue to suit up for the Tigers in their Future Stars league play, but will also be part of the Tigers' schedule down south later this year at various tournaments. Then the Road to Okotoks tournament is slated for mid-July, which will see him head out west before taking his talents to the post-secondary route.

Regardless of what lies ahead, Mina was still critical of things he wants to work on before heading down to Texas later this year. Focusing on what he can control to get better before taking that next step in his baseball career.

“I just really want to get my approach down at the plate, and make it more consistent,” explained Mina. “And that starts with just getting at-bats, and taking reps in the cage. Over and over. Getting the approach down to an exact science. Really focusing on what I am trying to do and what I can control, and that will help shape what I can do at the plate.”

June 11, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Ottawa, Ont. - The Ottawa Titans took the rubber match over the Brockton Rox in a pitchers' duel, 3-2, on Thursday night.

Titans ace Kaleb Hill shoved through 7 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits, walking two and striking out four.

For the Rox, Zach Eldred looked phenomenal through seven innings, allowing three runs on four hits, walking two, and striking out five.

Taylor Wright (North Vancouver, B.C.) was the hero in the bottom of the seventh, sending a 411-foot shot over the right-field fence to make it 3-0, breaking the ice.

Rox first baseman Jack-Thomas Wold kept things interesting, as in the eighth inning, he would send a two-run shot just over the fence to cut the deficit to one at 3-2.

Brett Garcia came in with two outs in the eighth and went 1 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out one to earn his sixth save of the year. Garcia now sits at nine saves on his Titans career, closing in on third place on the franchise's all-time saves list.

Wright took Player of the Game honours, providing the go-ahead shot with his first home run of the season. Daniel McElveny reached base twice with a single and a hit by pitch while Thomas Ferroggiaro singled and walked.

The Ottawa Titans will now hit the road, opening a three-game series with the Trois-Rivières Aigles on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at Stade de Trois-Rivières in Trois-Rivières, Qué. Next week, the Titans will play a trio in New Jersey before coming home Father's Day weekend to face Québec.

June 11, 2026

A 10-run second inning powered the Oakville A’s to an 18-5 win over the East York Bulldogs in the annual 13U Mississauga North Michael Kim tournament at Meadowvale North.

Max Nanvavati led off with a double. Following a walk and a Xander Eichhorn double, and a hit by pitch, Colton Accadia singled in a run. An out later, Savante Goure doubled and scored on Hunter Latimer’s singled and Eichhorn singled. Noah Cornelisz-Guerrero was next and he singled. An out later, Nanvavati singled in a run and a batter was hit by a pitch. Eichhorn singled in another run and Willy Janzen doubled home a run.

Eichhorn gained the win, pitching five innings allowing one earned run and striking out a pair. William Kniginyzky and Cornelisz-Guerrero each drove in three runs apiece, while Accadia and Cornelisz-Guerrero had three hits apiece.

In the opener, Charlie Bellmore pitched Oakville to a 9-4 win over the Leaside Leafs. Bellmore gave up one run in four innings. Kniginyzky went 4-for-4 with three doubles and two runs knocked in. Accadia and Latimer added two hits, while other doubles went to Bellmore, Janzen and Latimer.

Next, the Pickering Red Sox gave the A’s their toughest match. Pickering led 8-7 with two out in the seventh when Goure singled and Latimer reached on a dropped third strike with two outs in the seventh. Back-to-back walks, tied the score and then Levi Price hit the key blow, a two-run double. Nanvavati worked four innings allowing one run and Damian Gonzalez picked up the win working 1 1/3 scoreless. Goure had three hits including a homer.

Then, Oakville finished round-robin play unbeaten knocking off Mississauga North 12U 10-0 as Latimer pitched a two-hit, complete-game, shutout, fanning six. Accadia and Nanvavati had three hits each, while Bellmore tripled.

Goure hit three homers as the A’s beat the North York Blues 13-3 in the semi-final. Goure knocked in four runs, while other home runs were by Latimer, Kniginyzky and Eichhorn. Lachlan Kern gained the win, working three innings and allowing two runs.

June 10, 2026

By Brian Larson

UMary Communications

BISMARCK, N.D. – After seven seasons leading the Marauders, University of Mary Head Baseball Coach Tanner Spencer (Craik, Sask.) has resigned to accept a coaching position at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), an opportunity that allows him and his family to return closer to home.

"Tanner has had a tremendous impact on Marauders baseball and on the lives of the scholar-athletes he has coached during his tenure at the University of Mary," said UMary Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Marcus Wagner. "He leaves our program in a stronger position than he found it, and for that we are deeply grateful. While we will certainly miss Tanner and the energy he brought to our program every day, we are excited for him, his wife, and their family as he will have the opportunity to continue coaching at a high level while returning to be closer to family that are important to them. Opportunities like this are special, and we are happy for the Spencers as they take this next step together.

"On behalf of the University of Mary, I want to thank Tanner for his service and commitment to our scholar-athletes and wish him, his family, and the UCCS program nothing but success moving forward."

During his seven seasons at UMary, Spencer helped elevate the Marauders baseball program to unprecedented success, culminating in a record-setting 2026 campaign.

The 2026 Northern Sun Coach of the Year, Spencer led the Marauders to a school-record 37 wins this season. UMary finished third in the conference during the regular season and also claimed third place in the league tournament while winning NSIC playoff games for the first time. The NSIC regular-season and tournament finishes are also program bests.

Other firsts for the Marauders in 2026 included receiving votes in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NCAA Division II national poll and earning a spot in the NCAA Central Region regular season rankings.

Five Marauders earned All-NSIC honors and three claimed NCAA All-Central Region accolades in 2026, both program bests. Additionally, the Marauders boasted an All-American for a second straight season.

UMary baseball posted a 3.40 grade point average for the spring with 23 players earning NSIC all-academic honours and five garnering CSC Academic All-Region recognition.

Spencer closes his UMary career as the Marauders' all-time leader in coaching wins with a record of 155-155 overall and 116-100 in the NSIC. He directed the Marauders to the only five NSIC tournament appearances in program history.

Since taking over the Marauders program prior to the 2020 season, Spencer has coached two All-Americans, seven All-Region performers, 18 All-Northern Sun selections, one NSIC Player of the Year, two NSIC Freshmen of the Year, five NSIC Players of the Week, eight NSIC Pitchers of the Week, two regional players of the week, one regional pitcher of the week, one national pitcher of the week, two NSIC all-tournament players, one NSIC Preseason Player of the Year, 91 NSIC All-Academic players, 13 NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic Award recipients, two CoSIDA/CSC Academic All-Americans and 10 CoSIDA/CSC Academic All-District players.

The search for the next Marauders head coach is underway.

June 10, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs defeated the Brooks Bombers 11–6 in front of 3,044 fans at Seaman Stadium on Wednesday.

The Dawgs registered 10 hits and improved their record to 8-3.

Nash Crowell (Yarmouth, N.S.) led the Dawgs offensively, going 1-for-3 with two runs scored, an RBI double and two walks. Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) also made an impact at the plate, finishing 1-for-3 with three runs scored, a double, a stolen base and a walk.

Cal Gates also turned in an impressive all-around effort, going 2-for-4, swiping four bases and making a highlight-reel diving catch in centre field.

On the mound, Brody Forno (Okotoks, Alta.) got the start and recorded five strikeouts over three innings. Wyatt Sadleir (Calgary, Alta.) was dominant in relief, tossing three scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out five.

The Dawgs will look to keep things rolling in their next home game on Friday when they welcome the Swift Current 57’s to Seaman Stadium for the first time this season. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

June 10, 2026

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Our country is best at producing left-handed power hitters like Larry Walker, Matt Stairs, Justin Morneau, Joey Votto and Josh Naylor.

Canada has also produced pitchers like Fergie Jenkins, Erik Bedard, Rich Harden, Jeff Francis, Rheal Cormier and Ryan Dempster, as well as catchers like Russell Martin, George Kottaras and Bo Naylor.

And second basemen like Dave McKay and Stubby Clapp plus third basemen like Corey Koskie, Pete Ward and Reno Bertoia.

And shortstop? Well, for whatever the reason -- weather, shortened season or who knows? -- we do not churn out shortstops.

Until this year, that is. The future could be bright for Canada at shortstop.

Exhibit A: SS PJ Moutzouridis of the Arizona State Sun Devils. Though he was born in San Jose, his father, John, is Montreal-born.

Exhibit B: SS Taj Marchand, a high schooler from Charleston, S.C. His father Hugo, is also Montreal born. He played for the Victoriaville Tigers in the Quebec League and was a seventh-round draft of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1997. No matter what projected draft list you look at he is expected to go in the top 80 picks. He batted .531 with 11 doubles, 13 home runs and 45 RBIs.

Moutzouridis’ grandparents were born in Greece and then moved to Montreal. His father, John, was born in the at Jewish General hospital in the Ahuntsic area of Montreal, spent three years in Quebec and then it was time for his family to move.

New York or San Jose?

“My parents chose California and opened two restaurants in the South Bay area of San Jose,” said John Moutzouridis, who did not chose the same path. “They worked almost 20 hours a day for 30 years.”

Instead he became a police officer. He was on the SWAT team for four years and investigated sexual assault cases (similar to Law and Order: SIV) for 17 years before retiring from the force. Now, he works 40 hours a week for NVIDIA Corporation in Santa Clara, Calif.

* * *

“PJ is looking forward to the draft,” said the father, whose son batted .291 with six doubles, four triples, four homers, 40 RBIs and a .933 OPS in 54 games.

So, one of the shortstops could be an option for Canada at the next WBC.

“It would be a tremendous honour for my son to play for Canada,” John said. “The Greek team contacted us a couple of years ago. But it looked like a lot of work. I would have had to get paperwork from Sparta and Corinth. I looked at it and said, ‘this is going to painful.’ I have a citizenship in the US, Canada and Greece.”

After two years at California-Berkley, PJ Moutzouridis transferred to Arizona State in an effort to make the College World Series in Omaha. It started when Jarren Advincula transferred from Cal to Georgia Tech.

The Sun Devils made the NCAA regionals but fell short. They opened with a 7-6 loss to the Ole Miss Rebels in 14 innings in Lincoln, Neb.

“In extras, PJ hit a ball to the warning track ... off the bat we thought it might have been a three-run homer.”

Moutzouridis singled in the game.

Next was a 17-0 win over South Dakota State as Moutzouridis singled and walked with the bases loaded to knock in a run.

The Sun Devils stayed alive -- with help from two hits from Moutzouridis -- beating the Nebraska Cornhuskers 11-5.

In the elimination game, Ole Miss beat Arizona State 5-4 in 10 innings despite Moutzouridis walking twice and scoring a run. Arizona State finished the season 39-21.

John Moutzouridis, who played outside linebacker at San Jose City College, has not been back to Montreal since his uncle’s funeral in 2008, but “I always talk to my cousins.”

“As a freshman, PJ was being recruited by Willie Bloomquist and was about to commit when he decided to stay at home -- so we could come to every game,” said John Moutzouridis, who made four trips to Phoenix and one to Dallas where Arizona State met up with some of the big boys.

* * *

Career starts at shortstop by Canadians in the majors:

(Up to June 10)

1. Arthur Irwin, Toronto, Ont. 947 starts 1888-1894

(Philadelphia Quakers, Providence Grays, Worcester Rudy Legs, Boston Reds, Washington Nationals)

2. Otto Lopez, Montreal, Que. 189 starts 2022-26

(Toronto Blue Jays, Miami Marlins)

3. Milt Whitehead Toronto, Ont., 95 starts in 1884

(St. Louis Maroons, Kansas City Cowboys)

4. Kevin Nicholson, Surrey, BC, 24 starts in 2000

(San Diego Padres)

5. Dave McKay, Vancouver, BC, 19 starts 1975-82

(Oakland A’s, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins).

6. Peter Orr, Newmarket, Ont., four starts 2005-13

(Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals)

7. Danny Klassen, Leamington, Ont., three starts 1998-2003

(Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers)

June 10, 2026

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Eddie Haas played in 55 games in the majors but his true calling was coaching, managing, evaluating and scouting players after a short stint as manager of the Atlanta Braves.

When he went looking for prospects in the backfields of America and on high school fields and college diamonds, he didn't necessarily look for statistics. He looked at a prospect's character and fundamentals. He was keen on developing players for the majors after they were drafted.

It was Haas, who recommended the likes of Delino DeShields, Marquis Grissom, Cliff Floyd and Rondell White for the Expos. 

An account of Haas's life on memoritree.com called him a "legendary scout'' for the Expos. It was true. He was named the Expos scout of the year in 1988

Former Expos general manager Dan Duquette said in an interview today that Haas first started working for the Expos in 1986 not long after being let go as Braves' manager in 1985.  He worked as an amateur scout under Expos scouting director Gary Hughes and then as a pro scout under GM Bill Stoneman. 

Haas is being remembered for his 50+ years in baseball following his death at age 91 on June 4 in Kentucky.

When Dave Dombrowski took over as Expos GM from Stoneman, he kept Haas, who worked at one time under Paul Richards, the great Orioles GM and manager who penned the excellent book Modern Baseball Strategy. Haas followed Richards's thinking by becoming a strategist of his own.

"When Dave Dombrowski got the opportunity to go to Miami to start the Marlins, he took over 20 people with him from the Expos,'' Duquette told me. "However, I asked Eddie to stay and work with me. And he became my right-hand man, similar to Whitey Lockman’s job for Dombrowski.

"Eddie helped me manage all aspects of the baseball operations in scouting, development, roster management and construction and he was especially helpful in trades because he knew so many people in baseball. I developed a relationship with him as director of player development when he took an interest in developing the players he had a role in recommending. Eddie knew the farm system.

"Eddie stayed with the club through 1994 and then joined me with the Red Sox where he enjoyed a similar role to what we did in Montreal,'' Duquette added.

“When I was in Montreal, the general managers were Murray Cook, Bill Stoneman, Dave Domrowski and Dan Duquette so they had pretty good people running the place,’’ Haas told me in an interview in 2015 as he celebrated his 80th birthday.

Haas lived for years in Louisville where he got re-acquainted with DeShields, who at that time, was managing the Louisville Redbirds triple-A team. One day, Haas went to the ballpark to see DeShields, who was tutored a lot in the minors by Haas.

Of course, Bop remembered his teacher. Haas also recalled the time DeShields was introduced to the Louisville media.

“DeShields started talking about the Expos and what a great group of guys they were and how it was a lot of fun,” Haas told me. “I had to laugh because a reporter then asked, ‘But you got traded, what did you think of that?’”

Without missing a beat, DeShields elicited a few chuckles saying: “Well, I got traded for a guy who won three Cy Young awards.”

“I don’t suppose you know to remember Pedro Martinez?’’ Haas needled this reporter in 2015, of course, all in fun, talking about the guy acquired in exchange for DeShields.

“I was in on discussions for the two times Pedro was traded, first from the Dodgers and then from the Expos,’’ Haas revealed.

Haas also was in on a lot of conversations involving many Expos before they were drafted and when they were up for possible trade. In short, he was a special assignment scout for Duquette with the Expos and then the Red Sox.

“We had a lot of frank discussions about certain players,’’ Haas said.

Following the 1994 season, Haas left the Expos to work with Duquette in Boston and stayed with the Red Sox until 2003.

"Eddie had a great influence in baseball,'' Duquette said. "In fact, he recommended Brian Snitker for managing in the Braves' organization and he was also instrumental in the Red Sox acquiring Jason Varitek, Derek Lowe, Tim Wakefield and Pedro Martinez.''

One player Haas didn’t scout or recommend for the Expos was a Canadian, who was his favourite Expo.

"Larry Walker was already taken by the Expos before I went to work for them,’’ Haas said. “Walker had a good feel for the game. He had a lot of good ability and he played hard. You could see it when he went out there in the first inning.’’

Haas is survived by his daughter Kathy, baseball-scouting sons Matt (Orioles) and Danny (Tigers) and his sisters Charlotte and Mariette

"Eddie was one of a kind and we lost a good baseball man,'' Duquette said. “He had a career that spanned over 50 years and he was one of a few that played in the majors and managed in the big leagues.''

June 10, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

Danny Gallagher is back.

After a one-year hiatus, the hardworking author has returned with his 11th book about the Montreal Expos. Published by Dundurn Press, it’s called The Tragic Story of Willie Davis and other Expos Vignettes and it’s well worth the wait.

Like Gallagher’s previous offerings, it’s chock full of never-told-before Expos stories, including six riveting chapters about Willie Davis, a longtime Dodgers star who spent one memorable season with the Expos in 1974.

There has never been an official biography written about the talented but troubled Davis, so this represents the most detailed account of his highs and lows – on and off the field.

For the book, Gallagher tracked down Davis’s first wife, Gina, once a model/dancer who performed in Sammy Davis Jr.’s troupe.

She told Gallagher that everything changed with her ex-husband on June 6, 1969. Heading into a game against the Expos at Dodger Stadium that day, Davis, in his ninth big league season, had established himself as one of the National League’s best centre fielders.

But in the first inning he was hit in the jaw by a pitch from Expos lefty Dan McGinn. Davis dropped to the ground so quickly that Expos catcher Ron Brand thought he was dead. The Dodgers star was rushed to the hospital where he underwent major reconstructive surgery.

“With that pitch, he was never the same person I married, particularly with the drugs and pain,” Davis’s ex-wife told Gallagher.

Unbelievably, Davis was back playing just 10 days later. And a little over a month after that, he was hit in the head with another pitch – this time behind the right ear – from San Francisco Giants ace Juan Marichal.

Davis’s ex-wife believes these beanings caused her ex-husband concussion-like symptoms for the rest of his life. She also thinks it also contributed to his drug use, erratic behavior and financial mismanagement.

With all of this said, Davis still managed to have four more productive seasons with the Dodgers before he was traded to the Expos on December 5, 1973 for reliever Mike Marshall.

In 1974, he performed well for the Expos – batting .295 with 12 home runs while topping the team in hits (180), triples (9) and RBIs (89).

But away from the field his behavior was growing increasingly odd. Davis would often recite Buddhist chants at his locker or while playing pepper with his teammates.

“We were in San Francisco at the Hilton,” former Expos pitcher Don DeMola told Gallagher. “I was going to eat with Pepe Frias. Willie was sitting at the flower-bed wall. I asked him if he wanted to come with us. He declined, saying that he was observing people, watching their actions and moves. Strange guy. We came back two hours later and he was still there, king of chanting something.”

Gallagher writes that Davis was using drugs during that season with the Expos. The veteran outfielder also arrived late for a game and was accused of dogging it on the field.

Then, late in the season, he called his own press conference and demanded that the Expos renegotiate his contract. According to Gallagher, Davis was seeking a three-year contract extension for $500,000. Rather than sign him, the Expos traded him to the Texas Rangers after the season.

Davis continued to play until 1979 but his off-field issues, which are documented thoroughly in the book, worsened.

And following his playing career, he found himself almost broke. Gallagher details that at one point Davis asked his mother and stepfather to loan him $5,000 and when they said no, he was arrested for threatening to kill them.

Hall of Fame worthy?

Despite Davis’s off-field drama, Gallagher contends that Davis has not received proper acknowledgement for what he did on the field. In 18 major league seasons, Davis accumulated 2,561 hits and finished with a 60.8 WAR, yet somehow he has never appeared on a National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot (not the writers ballot or the various Veterans committee ballots).

Gallagher’s chapters about Davis serve as a strong start for the book, which includes a foreword by former Expos outfielder Jerry White.

In total, Gallagher conducted more than 70 interviews for this 265-page project that includes 38 chapters and a little bit of everything about the Expos.

If you’re looking for star power, Gallagher has written a chapter about Andre Dawson’s 1983 season in which the five-tool outfielder batted .299 with 32 home runs, 113 RBIs and 25 stolen bases, while also leading the National League with 189 hits.

Gallagher also catches up with longtime Expos ace Steve Rogers who opens up about his poorly handled release by the club in 1985. In that chapter, Rogers reveals that he, as a player with 10 major league seasons under his belt and the last five with the same team, vetoed a trade to the Houston Astros in April 1985 that likely would’ve landed the Expos right-hander Mike Scott.

Lesser-known Expos

But one of Gallagher’s strengths has always been his tenacity in tracking down and sharing the stories of lesser-known former Expos.

For example, he devotes a chapter to former Expos infielder Gary Sutherland, who was a steady contact hitter in the club’s early years, but later became a highly respected scout. As a scout with the Dodgers, he evaluated and signed Pedro Martinez. Sutherland then moved on to the Angels’ scouting department to work for his former Expos teammate and Angels GM Bill Stoneman. Gallagher notes that it was Sutherland who recommended that the Angels hire former Dodgers catcher Mike Scioscia to be their field manager.

Rare interviews

And the tenacious Gallagher once again secured some rare interviews for this book. He managed to connect with elusive former Expos and Toronto Blue Jays reliever Dale Murray who has been the “foreman on a huge Texas ranch, a cow-calf operation” for close to 25 years.

“I’ve had heart problems,” Murray shared. “I’ve had a couple of heart attacks. I have a pacemaker – it keeps everything going.”

Another coup for Gallagher was speaking with volatile slugger Milton Bradley, who seemed to wear out his welcome at every big league stop, despite his otherworldly talent. It’s clear that Bradley still carries a chip on his shoulder about his tenure with the Expos in the early 2000s.

“When I played for them [the Expos], I was the best outfielder in the organization. They didn’t like my body language,” Bradley told Gallagher. “I had to walk a certain way. It was exasperating. They had a stopwatch on every ball I ran. They thought I was dogging it. I ran four seconds flat to first. I was judged unfairly.”

Great trivia

And of course, Gallagher also supplies some great trivia in this book.

For instance, did you know that Ty Cline, who played 101 games for the Expos in 1969, is the first player to be featured on a Topps baseball card in an Expos uniform (See 1969 Topps card below)?

Or that former Expos reliever Jon Rauch is the only pitcher to hit a home run off Roger Clemens? 

And Gallagher provides the answer to, perhaps, the ultimate Expos trivia question: Who was the last player to wear an Expos uniform in a professional game? The answer is Josh Labandeira who donned an Expos uniform in the Arizona Fall League after the 2004 season. 

It’s fascinating trivia like this, combined with Gallagher’s never-told-before Expos stories and his passion for Canada’s first major league team that make his books such an enjoyable trip down memory lane. 

And this book is no different.  

After a one-year hiatus, Gallagher is back and better than ever.  

You can purchase the book here. 

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on June 8. You can read it here.

June 10, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

He calls it “stick-to-it-iveness.”

While it might not be a common term, it’s the perfect way of summing up the career of Skyler Stromsmoe.

The farm boy from just outside Etzikom saw himself as under-skilled, undersized and, at times, disrespected as he tried to forge a career in baseball.

His dogged determination and resilience turned into opportunities to play in U.S. college, nine years in Minor League Baseball, and a starring role with Baseball Canada at several major events.

Looking back on it a decade after hanging up his cleats, Stromsmoe says it’s fascinating to see the parallels between his life in baseball and life back on the family farm.

“It’s the everyday grind – there are things you don’t like to do, things that you have to do, and you have to wake up and do those things,” he told Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast.

“You keep stacking days together and months and years, and then you look back and you’re like, ‘Man, that was a lot of hard work.”

While it was challenging at times, the former infielder can’t help but beam with pride on what he was able to accomplish and how he can now pass his lessons learned onto the next generation of baseball players.

FROM MOOSE TO MULERIDERS

Growing up on the farm, it can sometimes be tough to find enough time in the day to play the game you love.

You have animals and crops to take care of, farmyards to maintain, and there’s never a shortage of oddball jobs you can find if you look hard enough.

But when you love it, you find the time.

Such was the case with Stromsmoe, who followed his dad on the slo-pitch scene as a tyke before wanting to get his own glove and bat.

His parents drove him everywhere he needed to go, including Foremost and Bow Island before starring in Medicine Hat’s American Legion programs.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Listen to Alberta Dugout Stories interview Skyler Stromsmoe here.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

That’s where Stromsmoe met Rob McDonnell.

A long-time player with the Moose Monarchs and Knights of Columbus Knights programs, McDonnell had turned his attention to coaching.

He was also well-connected with U.S. college programs as he was a member of the 1993 Mayville State University team that was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame after breaking the team record for wins in a season and coming within a win of making it to the NAIA World Series.

“He said, ‘Hey, do you know where you’re going (for college)?’ Stromsmoe recalled.

“I said, ‘Not yet,” and he told me he knew someone getting a head coaching role.”

The school was Longview Community College in Missouri, but another curveball was thrown at the rising star when McDonnell’s friend didn’t actually get the job.

Luckily, things still panned out.

“The new guy came in and said he knew nothing about me but that they would honour my scholarship,” continued Stromsmoe, who also spent a summer with the Medicine Hat Mavericks. “It was a little bit hairy, a little bit nerve-wracking, for sure.”

The move paid off as he earned a transfer to Southern Arkansas University, where he helped the Muleriders win the program’s first Gulf South Conference title in 2006.

Stromsmoe was an all-GSC First-Team selection in back-to-back seasons with the first coming as an outfielder and the second as a second baseman.

Over his career at SAU, he hit .331 with 30 doubles, six triples, six home runs, 76 runs batted in and he stole 103 bases. He was named a Muleriders Hall of Fame inductee in 2024.

GETTING HIS SHOT

The idea of becoming a professional player was something Stromsmoe had always dreamed about, but his path just to getting noticed seemed as insurmountable as his origin story.

After his college days came to an end, the Albertan started looking around for tryouts and workouts with different teams.

He came up empty-handed after one with the New York Mets, then his university coach told him that there was a scout who saw him play who wanted to take a second look.

His name? Todd “Tiny” Thomas.

“I didn’t have a field to work out on, so I had to talk to the high school coach at the time,” Stromsmoe said. “It was in the summer, so the grass was long, and here’s this scout throwing me batting practice and rolling me ground balls because the grass is too long to hit him from home plate.”

His then-girlfriend and now-wife, Rachel, was there as well to take video, just in case the opportunity didn’t pan out.

After the workout and a conversation about how fast his 60-yard dash was, Stromsmoe says Thomas told him he would be in touch.

“Four days later, he calls back and asked if I wanted to be a San Francisco Giant,” the switch-hitter recalled. “Of course, I said, ‘Yes.’”

THE SPARKPLUG

When he looks back on the entirety of his career, Stromsmoe says “it was more will than skill” as he knew he wasn’t going to be the most talented, but he just wanted it more.

It’s how the 5-foot-10, 175-pound utilityman managed to walk into San Francisco’s Arizona Complex League team in 2007 and stuck around the organization for nine seasons.

That first summer, he hit .290 with a pair of home runs, 11 RBIs and seven stolen bases in just 28 games.

Then Stromsmoe embarked on a jet-setting minor league career, including 101 games over three seasons in triple-A.

His final stats line reads 578 minor league games played, 1,918 plate appearances, a .250 batting average, 12 home runs, 123 RBIs and 60 stolen bases.

“It’s pretty neat looking back,” Stromsmoe said. “Some of the guys I got to play with – especially guys like Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner – working up through the minors before they were established big leaguers is pretty cool.”

Among the highlights: getting a bloop single off Randy Johnson while “The Big Unit” was on a rehab assignment.

An intimidating character, Stromsmoe says he remembers a few choice words Johnson had, more for himself, after allowing a hit – showing his drive as a competitor.

DONNING THE MAPLE LEAF

Stromsmoe’s dogged determination to play the game at the highest level possible stood out as a major reason for getting the call from Baseball Canada for several major events over his career.

The first time came in 2011 with the Pan Am Games and Baseball World Cup.

Rachel was with him for the first time and took video of her husband opening up the equipment bag for the first time with the jerseys and hats sporting the maple leaf.

“I was like a 10-year-old kid going through my bag looking at all this stuff,” Stromsmoe said. “It was so cool just to feel like, man, I finally made it.”

The icing on the cake was the team’s performance in the two events – a gold medal at the Pan Ams and bronze at the World Cup.

Stromsmoe got the call again four years later for the Pan Ams in Toronto, where Canada beat the U.S. 7-6 in extra innings on a wild play where David Huff tried to pick off Pete Orr at first base, but his throw went into right field, scoring Stromsmoe from second.

When the rightfielder’s throw to third went wide, Orr scored the winning run.

“It was so cool to be a part of the national team because there was no selfishness at all on that team,” Stromsmoe said. “When you get to put on your nation’s colours, there’s something about that. You’re not just playing for the 25 guys with you, you’re playing for your country.”

‘SKYLER’S CRYSTAL BALL’

Flipping through some of his old mementos and memorabilia, Stromsmoe recently found an old journal from when he was in the first grade.

He couldn’t help but smile looking at what was inside, which dated back to 1991.

“It had a ‘Skyler’s Crystal Ball’ and it asked what I was going to do when I grow up,” Stromsmoe said. “It said, ‘I’m going to get married, have a couple of kids, work on the farm and play baseball.’”

Now back on that same family farm outside Etzikom, he’s hoping to instill the values he had growing up with the next generation, including his two kids.

He says no two paths are exactly the same, adding that you really have to love the game to chase the dream he lived.

It’s all about fun and hard work in his eyes, and he believes that if you put in the work and do the right things, success will follow.

“Baseball gave me opportunities that I could have never even imagined,” Stromsmoe said. “Traveling the world, going down south where I met my wife – it was quite the ride and I’m thankful for all of it.”

Through the good times and the bad, he stuck with it and learned a lot of life lessons along the way.

June 9, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs defeated the Energy City Cactus Rats 12-8 on a brisk Tuesday night in front of 3,155 fans at Seaman Stadium.

It was the Dawgs’ second straight win and they improved to 7-3 on the season.

The Dawgs’ offence was led by Ricky Sanchez, who went 2-for-4 with a walk, a two-run home run, and three RBIs. Turner Zdunich (High River, Alta.) and Hank Griffin (Okotoks, Alta.) also had back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Ayden Crouse had a strong night at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the fifth.

Catcher Jayden Lusk added two hits and called a good game.

The pitching was led by Brody Papay, who allowed three runs in four innings in his Dawgs’ debut. His collegiate teammate Aaron Taka also debuted, throwing a scoreless fifth inning.

Reliever Max McRaray had another impressive appearance with a strikeout in a scoreless seventh, while closer Grady Keljo came in to close out the contest in the ninth.

The Dawgs will now welcome the Brooks Bombers to Seaman Stadium on Wednesday night.

June 9, 2026

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA – Baseball Canada is pleased to announce the names of 29 athletes who will represent Canada at the 2026 MLB Draft League Series June 12-22.

The MLB Draft League has become a premier destination for draft-eligible players each summer, offering athletes the chance to showcase their abilities while competing against top amateur and professional prospects.

The Canadian roster features a group with extensive Junior National Team experience, as all 29 athletes selected have previously worn the red and white as part of the program.

The roster includes RHP Calum Andersen (Calgary, Alta.), INF Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, BC), OF Maxime Blain (Repentigny, Que.), RHP/OF Austin Blair (Victoria, BC), INF Ramsey Chung (Mississauga, Ont.), RHP Logan Cummins (Mississauga, Ont.), LHP Sam Davis (Beaumont, Alta.), LHP Sean Duncan (Port Coquitlam, BC), OF Sam Ellis (La Pêche, Que.), RHP Gabe Fink (Edmonton, Alta.), OF Will Henderson (Mississauga, Ont.), 1B Jalen Jacob (Maple, Ont.), C/OF Aiden Kilshaw (Saskatoon, Sask.), MIF Elliot Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.), 1B/RHP Zach MacDonald (Lacombe, Alta.), INF Cohen Miller (Calgary, Alta.), LHP Josh Mills (Leduc, Alta.), RHP Max Nantais-Vlahovich (Mississauga, Ont.), INF Robert Omidi (Mississauga, Ont.), RHP Joseph Pereira (Etobicoke, Ont.), RHP Noah Powell (Toronto, Ont.), LHP Ethan Reason (Stouffville, Ont.), RHP Damarcus Rideout-Carter (Brampton, Ont.), OF Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville, Alta.), RHP Julian Sabourin (Ancaster, Ont.), C Taye Thierman (Calgary, Alta.), RHP Desmond Tregaskis (Delta, BC), C Rhys Whiteford (Duncan, BC), and RHP/INF Will Zielinski (Victoria, BC).

Head Coach and Director of Men’s National Teams Greg Hamilton leads the coaching staff, which includes former National Team and professional players Mike Johnson, Pete Orr, and Chris Begg.

ROSTER
SCHEDULE

Fieldhouse Pirates alum and Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect Owen Gregg (Oakville, Ont.) has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week.

June 9, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

To say Owen Gregg has been hot with the Florida Complex League (FCL) Blue Jays might be understatement.

In four games last week, the Oakville, Ont., native went 7-for-10 with a home run, two doubles and six runs scored.

For his efforts, he has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week.

After striking out in a pinch-hit appearance against the FCL Yankees on June 2, Gregg was almost impossible to retire for the rest of the week.

Replacing fellow Canadian Tim Piasentin (Coquitlam, B.C.) at third base midway through Wednesday’s game against the FCL Yankees, Gregg collected a double and a run in two at bats to help his club to a 19-4 win.

He then started at third base the following day and contributed two hits and two runs in the FCL Blue Jays’ 8-5 victory over the FCL Phillies.

But he saved his best for Saturday when he started at the hot corner and went 4-for-5 and belted his first professional home run - a three-run shot in the sixth inning. He also scored three runs to lead the FCL Blue Jays to a 16-3 win.

In his first pro campaign, the Fieldhouse Pirates and Junior National Team grad is 17-for-37 (.459 batting average) in 15 games for the FCL Blue Jays. He has also scored 15 runs and has 11 RBIs.

2026 CBN Minor League Player of the Week winners

Opening Day to April 5 - Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Rangers

April 7 to April 12 - Dante Nori (Toronto, Ont.), Phillies

April 14 to April 19- Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Guardians

April 21 to April 26 - Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.), Braves

April 28 to May 3 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets

May 5 to May 10 - Jordan Woods (Oakville, Ont.), Royals

May 12 to May 17 - Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), Rays

May 19 to May 24 - Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.), Diamondbacks

May 26 to May 31 - Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Giants

June 2 to June 7 - Owen Gregg (Oakville, Ont.), Blue Jays

Top Canadian Minor League Batters (June 2 to June 7)

Top Canadian Minor League Pitchers (June 2 to June 7)

June 5, 2026

Official Canisius Athletics News Release

Former Canisius pitcher Felix Morin signed a contract with the Québec Capitales of the Frontier League, league officials announced on Friday.

Spending four seasons with the Griffs, Morin tossed 256 2/3 innings, recording 204 strikeouts to go along with a 4.87 ERA. His 204 career strikeouts rank sixth in program history, while Morin's 256 2/3 innings pitched are the ninth-most in program history.

As a senior, the left-hander enjoyed his strongest season in a Canisius uniform when he posted career bests in ERA (2.77), innings pitched (87 2/3) and strikeouts (71) on his way to being named A All-MAAC First Team selection.

A native of Québec City, Qué., Morin joins his hometown team. The Capitales are one of the most successful franchises in independent baseball, capturing 11 championships.

Since joining the Frontier League in 2022, Québec has won the league championship in each of its first four seasons.

June 8, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs delivered another explosive performance on Monday, breaking the game wide open with an eight-run seventh inning after a back-and-forth start to top the Brooks Bombers 25–9 in Brooks.

The Dawgs racked up 21 hits, including five home runs.

Nash Crowell (Yarmouth, N.S.) powered the Dawgs’ offence, going 4-for-5 with five runs, three home runs, nine RBIs and a walk.

Cal Gates added to the attack, finishing 5-for-6 with four runs, a home run, three RBIs, two stolen bases and a walk.

Rounding out the offensive standouts was Ayden Crouse, who went 4-for-7 with two runs, a home run and four RBIs.

On the mound, Gage Brabec led the way, throwing three innings to earn the win while recording two timely strikeouts early in the game.

Relievers Bracken Rice and Dalton Hoffart delivered key innings out of the bullpen, combining for five strikeouts while surrendering just one run over 3 1/3 innings to keep the Bombers in check.

The Dawgs will now look to carry their momentum into their next game on Tuesday, when they host the Energy City Cactus Rats at Seaman Stadium for the first time this year at 7:05 p.m.

June 7, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, MAN. – The Winnipeg Goldeyes avoided a series sweep with a 4-3 victory over the Sioux City Explorers at Blue Cross Park Sunday afternoon.

After the first three innings were scoreless, Winnipeg took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when right fielder Max Murphy reached on a fielding error with two outs, allowing centre fielder Noah Marcelo to come home.

The Goldeyes added two more in the fifth. Shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder tripled to centre field, driving in first baseman Roby Enríquez. Didder then scored on catcher Kevin García’s sacrifice fly to centre, making it 3-0.

In the sixth, Murphy blooped a single to right field that brought second baseman Keshawn Lynch in, giving Winnipeg a four-run cushion.

Sioux City first baseman Alberto Osuna led off the seventh inning with a home run to left, and shortstop Elliot Good later singled home designated hitter Zane Denton to cut the Goldeyes’ lead to 4-2.

In the top of the ninth, Good crossed the plate on centre fielder Austin Davis’ ground out to third base as the Explorers pulled to within one, with the tying run at second base and two outs. However, the next batter, third baseman Zac Vooletich, lined out to end the ballgame.

Mitchell Lambson went 6 2/3 innings for the Goldeyes, allowing two runs on seven hits, to earn the win. He struck out a pair and walked three. Quinn Waterhouse and Derrick Cherry appeared in relief.

Josh Landry pitched 5 1/3 innings for Sioux City, allowing four runs – three earned – on seven hits. He walked one and struck out two.

Winnipeg announced two roster moves Sunday. Infielder/outfielder Adam Hall (London, Ont.) was placed on the Injured List, retroactive to June 3. Hall was removed from the June 2 game vs. Sioux Falls after being injured.

Secondly, right-handed relief pitcher Dominic Hambley was acquired from the Kansas City Monarchs in exchange for a player to be named later. The Victoria, B.C., native appeared in six games with Kansas City this season, posting an 0-1 record with a 6.75 earned run average. The 23-year-old was chosen by the Chicago Cubs in the 18th round of the 2021 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft out of Belmont High School in Victoria.

The Goldeyes continue their season-long, 10-game homestand with three games against the Cleburne Railroaders beginning Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Right-hander Arij Fransen is expected to start for Winnipeg, with Cleburne expected to go with lefty Luke Short.

June 7, 2026

Official Jays Care News Release

As announced on Sportsnet’s Blue Jays Central, Jays Care Foundation, the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays, is proudly committing more than $2.6 million in infrastructure investments in 2026 to build and refurbish baseball diamonds across Canada through its granting program, Field of Dreams made possible by TD.

This is the largest infrastructure investment Jays Care has ever made through the Field of Dreams program, furthering Jays Care’s commitment to growing grassroots baseball across Canada and ensuring more kids have the opportunity to grow through the power of baseball.

Twenty-two organizations across seven provinces will receive funding to build, enhance, or refurbish local baseball diamonds in their community. These diamonds will help expand the game of baseball across Canada, while providing kids with a safe and inclusive space to build character, resilience, and find a sense of belonging in their community.

Since the program’s inception in 2000, Jays Care has invested more than $24 million in 262 Field of Dreams projects across the country. Communities are selected through a two-step application and grading process that begins in September of the previous year.

The following communities and organizations have been selected as Jays Care’s 2026 Field of Dreams grant recipients:

1. Calgary, Alberta – Fish Creek Little League, McKenzie Lake Diamond

2. Edmonton, Alberta – South Jasper Minor Baseball, Callingwood Diamonds

3. Strathmore, Alberta – Strathmore & District Agricultural Society, Strathmore Ag Diamonds

4. Summerland, British Columbia – Summerland Minor Baseball, Living Memorial Park

5. Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick – Vallée-des-Rivières, Ecole Sainte-Anne

6. Saint John, New Brunswick – Port City Pirates Baseball Association, St. Peters Baseball Field

7. Salisbury, New Brunswick – Salisbury Petitcodiac Minor Baseball Association, Petitcodiac Field

8. Pasadena, Newfoundland and Labrador – Pasadena Baseball, N. W. Bennett Sports Field

9. Glace Bay, Nova Scotia – Glace Bay Little League, Cameron Bowl Ballfield

10. Glace Bay, Nova Scotia – Glace Bay Learn to Succeed, Row Street Field

11. Waverly, Nova Scotia– Halifax Regional Municipality, McDonald Sports Park

12. Cambridge, Ontario – City of Cambridge, Kin 1 Softball Field

13. Elliot Lake, Ontario – City of Elliot Lake, Parsons Park

14. Guelph, Ontario – Guelph Minor Baseball, Joe Kaine Field

15. Mississauga, Ontario – City of Mississauga, Douglas Kennedy Ballfield

16. Port Hope, Ontario – Municipality of Port Hope, Welcome Park

17. St. Marys, Ontario – Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, King Field

18. Toronto, Ontario – Annette Baseball, Jack Wilson Field

19. Toronto, Ontario – East York Baseball Association, Stan Wadlow & Dieppe Park

20. Toronto, Ontario – Toronto High Park Little League, Ernie Keith Field

21. Toronto, Ontario – Yorkwoods Public School

22. Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan – Moose Jaw Little League, Gamble Diamond

“The 22 communities selected share in our commitment of giving more Canadian kids the opportunity to grow through the power of baseball. These upgraded diamonds will give kids a safe place where they can build character, resilience, and a sense of belonging through the game. Thank you to everyone involved in the local communities with bringing these projects to life and we can’t wait to see the lasting impact these diamonds will have on kids across Canada.” – Peter King, Executive Director, Jays Care Foundation

“When kids have a place to play, amazing things can happen. Through Field of Dreams, made possible by TD, we’re proud to support spaces where young people can feel welcome, build confidence, and make meaningful connections in their communities. It reflects our belief in showing up in ways that are More Human - helping create moments and places that bring people closer and strengthen communities across Canada.” - Michael Armstrong, Vice President, North American Brand and Sponsorship, TD

June 7, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs were defeated 9-6 on Sunday by the Fort McMurray Giants in the first afternoon game of the season in front of 4,639 fans at Seaman Stadium.

The loss was Dawgs’ second straight to the Giants and it dropped their season record to 5-3.

The Dawgs’ offence was led by Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.), who went 1-for-4 with two walks, three RBIs, and three stolen bases. Lachlan Maude (Toronto, Ont.) was another big part of the production, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Dawgs’ pitching was led by a tremendous effort from their bullpen. Ashton Luera, Wyatt Sadleir (Calgary, Alta.), Brydon White (Surrey, B.C.) and Grady Keljo combined for six innings of two-run ball in relief. They also registered 11 strikeouts.

The Dawgs will now travel to Brooks to take on the Bombers on Monday night at 7:05 p.m. Their next home matchup will be on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. when they host the Energy City Cactus Rats.

June 6, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs fought hard but lost 9-7 to the Fort McMurray Giants on Saturday in front of 5,412 fans at Seaman Stadium on Tight and Bright 80's Night.

At the plate, Turner Zdunich (High River, Alta.) once again performed well for the Dawgs, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI and a walk. Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) also turned in a strong offensive performance, with two hits, an RBI and a walk.

Relievers Brody Papay, Jordan Kievman, Max McCraray and Jack Thompson (Toronto, Ont.) combined for five strikeouts to help keep the Dawgs within striking distance.

The Dawgs will play the Giants again on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m.

June 5, 2026

By Seth Montgomery

Indiana State Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State outfielder Carter Beck has accepted an invitation to the 2026 MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field later this month.

Beck becomes the first player to receive an invitation since Sycamore pitchers Jared Spencer and Luke Hayden were invited to Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. in 2024 for the MLB Draft Combine.

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Carter Beck bio

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The Carnduff, Sask., native became just the second Indiana State player to receive the Missouri Valley Conference's Joe Carter Player of the Year award after putting together a historic campaign for the Sycamores. The junior finished the season among the Missouri Valley leaders in batting average (.348), hits (82), RBIs (59), runs scored (62), doubles (17), home runs (16), on-base percentage (.446), slugging percentage (.637), and stolen bases (12).

He also recorded a team-high 28 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI contests over the 2026 season and has reached base safely in 55 of the team's 57 games played. Beck continued his success in the Missouri Valley tournament connecting on a two-homer game against Southern Illinois.

Beck highlighted his season with an 11-game stretch where he recorded a .510 batting average with three doubles, a triple, five home runs, and 16 RBIs, while posting 11 consecutive multi-hit games from March 15-April 2. He added a trio of grand slams to his name going deep with the bases loaded against Miami (Ohio) (Feb. 20), Bradley (Mar. 20), and UIC (Apr. 3).

The 2026 MLB Draft Combine, scheduled to take place from June 22-27, will feature many of the top high school and college prospects in the country and includes athletic testing, medical evaluations and interviews with major league clubs. The event serves as a key step leading up to the 2026 MLB Draft, which is scheduled for July 11-13 during MLB All-Star Week in Philadelphia.

Participants will have the opportunity to take part in medical and performance assessments, educational programming and a pro-style showcase workout, along with strength and conditioning and PDP performance evaluations.

The full list of MLB Combine attendees will be announced at a later date.

June 7, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Lopez still leads MLB in hits

We are now 65 games into the 2026 season and Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) still leads the majors in hits.

Lopez’s 84 hits are five more than San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez for the MLB lead.

Also, his .333 batting average is second behind only Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh whose .335 average tops the majors.

The 27-year-old Lopez, who spent part of his youth in Montreal, has suited up for Canada in the last two World Baseball Classics.

Hicks sets career-high in RBIs

Marlins catcher Liam Hicks belted a solo home run against the Washington Nationals on Monday to record his 46th RBI of the season in just his 57th game. With that, he established a new career-high in RBIs. He had 45 RBIs in 119 contests for the Marlins in 2025.

Hicks knocked in another run yesterday and he is tied for third in the National League in RBIs with Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson, behind only Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages (53) and Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (48).

Also, Hicks’ homer on Monday was his 12th of the campaign. That’s double as many homers as he hit in his first big league season.

The Marlins chose Hicks in the Rule 5 draft from the Detroit Tigers in December 2024. The Toronto Mets alum was originally selected in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers.

Like father, like son?

Paul Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) was used as a starter and a reliever for the first five seasons of his major league career before he was shifted permanently to the bullpen by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997. From there, he became one of the most reliable and effective relievers of his era.

His son, Cal, seems to be following a similar career trajectory.

During his first seven MLB seasons, the younger Quantrill started more games than his father, but he had two seasons (2020 and 2021) where he was shuttled between the rotation and the bullpen by the Cleveland Guardians.

This season, however, Cal has been outstanding as a full-time reliever with the Rangers. The 6-foot-3 right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA in 12 appearances. In his last seven outings, the Terriers and Junior National Team grad is 2-0 and has not allowed an earned run in 11 1/3 innings.

So maybe Cal’s future is as a reliever?

His dad holds the record for most major league pitching appearances by a Canadian with 841. Cal has made 199 appearances, so he has a long way to go to catch his dad.

Canadian ball hall adds Aumont’s WBC jersey

No pitcher has appeared in more World Baseball Classic games for Canada than Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.).

This March, he came out of retirement to toe the rubber in his seventh WBC game to set the Canadian record for most pitching appearances. Right-hander Scott Mathieson (Aldergrove, B.C.) held the previous record with six.

Aumont has donated the jersey he wore during this year’s WBC to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont.

In total, Aumont has pitched for Canada in four of the six WBCs (2009, 2013, 2023 and 2026).

Selected 11th overall in the 2007 MLB draft by the Seattle Mariners, Aumont pitched in the M’s organization for two seasons before he was dealt to the Phillies as part of the package for left-hander Cliff Lee on December 16, 2009. After parts of three more seasons in the minors, he made his big league debut with the Phils in 2012. In total, he’d make 46 appearances for the Phillies between 2012 and 2015.

Peters red hot for White Sox

Outfielder Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) has been a revelation for the Chicago White Sox this season after they purchased him from the Tampa Bay Rays on December 18.

In his past 15 games, Peters, while also providing superb defence in centre field, is 18-for-44 (.409 batting average) and has seven doubles. During that span, his batting average has increased from .252 to .300.

The left-handed hitting Canuck made his big league debut with the Rays last year, going 0-for-12 into four games in August before he was sold to the Sox.

Taken in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, the Okotoks Dawgs grad has played parts of six pro seasons.

37 years ago, Blue Jays earn first win at SkyDome

It was 37 years ago today that the Blue Jays beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 for their first win at SkyDome.

The Blue Jays had dropped their first two games at the state-of-the-art facility after moving there from Exhibition Stadium.

But they would not be denied in this Wednesday night contest when left-hander John Cerutti scattered 11 hits and tossed a complete game. Catcher Ernie Whitt led the Blue Jays’ offence with three hits and three RBIs. George Bell also collected three hits and two runs.

This contest also marked the first MLB game ever played both outdoors and indoors, as rain forced the roof to be closed in the fifth inning.

Macko allows first two MLB earned runs

Blue Jays left-hander Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) permitted his first two MLB earned runs when Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies homered off him in the seventh inning of the Jays’ 7-3 loss at Truist Park on Wednesday.

Macko had eight scoreless outings to begin his big league career.

But the Vauxhall Academy alum didn’t seem fazed by the end of his scoreless streak. He was back on the mound on Friday and held the Baltimore Orioles off the scoreboard for 1 1/3 innings.

He owns a 1.80 ERA in 10 major league games.

O’Neill chosen in MLB draft 13 years ago

Thirteen years ago today, the Seattle Mariners selected a muscular, soon-to-be 18-year-old outfielder named Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.) in the third round of the MLB draft.

Legendary Canadian scout Wayne Norton (Port Moody, B.C.) scouted and signed O’Neill, who had honed his skills with the Langley Blaze and Junior National Team.

O’Neill would spend parts of five seasons in the M’s organization, rising to the triple-A level, before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for left-hander Marco Gonzales on July 21, 2017.

Guzman made MLB debut 35 years ago

It was 35 years ago today that Juan Guzman made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays.

The 24-year-old right-hander started and surrendered four runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings to the Orioles in the Blue Jays’ 6-4 loss at Memorial Stadium.

On a positive note, Guzman fanned the first two MLB batters he faced: Mike Devereaux and Tim Hulett, and struck out five batters overall.

Eight days later, Guzman lost his second MLB start before proceeding to win 10 straight decisions. He finished his rookie campaign with a 10-3 record and a 2.99 ERA in 23 starts.

Nats drafted Pivetta 13 years ago

On this day 13 years ago, the Washington Nationals selected right-hander Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.) in the fourth round of the MLB draft.

The Victoria Eagles and Junior National Team grad was assigned to the Nats’ Gulf Coast League affiliate where he posted a 2.13 ERA in four games (three starts) before being promoted to Low-A Auburn.

Pivetta then went 13-8 with a 4.22 ERA as a starter with the Nats’ class-A Hagerstown Suns in 2014 prior to being dealt to the Phillies the following July for Jonathan Papelbon.

Remembering Ralph Buxton

Right-hander Ralph Buxton was born on this date in Weyburn, Sask. in 1914.

In 1949, Buxton played on a World Series-winning Yankees team with Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra. However with the way umpires check pitchers for substances today, Buxton, the man sometimes referred to as the “Pine Tar Baby,” would’ve been in trouble. But that’s all part of the story of this little-talked-about right-hander, who in 1938 became the first player born in Saskatchewan to compete in the major leagues.

He passed away on January 6, 1988 in San Leandro, Calif.

I wrote more about him here.

Pop elects to become free agent

Right-hander Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) was designated for assignment by the Phillies on May 30.

The move was made after he was activated from the 15-day injured list. He had been sidelined since April 13 with a right-calf strain.

Yesterday, it was announced that Pop had cleared waivers and been outrighted to the Phillies’ triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. But Pop declined the assignment and has elected to become a free agent.

Pop signed with the Phillies in December and cracked their Opening Day roster. He had posted a 3.68 ERA in seven appearances in 7 1/3 innings before his injury.

The 29-year-old right-hander split the 2025 season between four major league organizations – the Blue Jays, Mariners, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs – making five big league appearances.

Chosen in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Toronto Mets alum is in his sixth MLB season.

Remembering Tom Buskey

Former Blue Jays reliever Tom Buskey passed away from a heart attack 28 years ago today when he was just 51.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander was signed as a free agent by the Blue Jays on May 13, 1978 and he spent his final three major league seasons with them.

In 1979, he topped Blue Jays relievers with seven saves and 40 games finished. In total, he posted a 3.86 ERA in 85 relief appearances for the Blue Jays after beginning his MLB career with the Yankees and Cleveland.

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on June 5. You can read it here.

June 6, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

They may have preferred to settle their differences on the field, but the final four teams remaining in the Prairie Qualifiers for The Road to Okotoks got what they came for.

What started as 13 teams vying for three spots in the inaugural event in Okotoks later this summer turned into a battle of four.

Vauxhall Academy punched their ticket with a win over Baseball Sask, who was set to play the loser of a second semi-final between Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep and AHP Academy in the third-place game.

Then … the rain started.

And it didn’t let up as Baseball Canada officials determined they couldn’t complete the regional qualifier, putting into question what would happen with the three teams who all had great records coming out of the round-robin.

With a wildcard spot also up for grabs, it was decided that instead of relying on a coin-flip or lottery situation, the three teams all earned their spots in the mid-July dance.

Now the real work begins as teams get ready for what is expected to become a major annual event on Canada’s baseball radar.

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Listen to the Alberta Dugout Stories podcast on the Prairies Road to Okotoks qualifier here.

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THE ROAD FOR VAUXHALL ACADEMY

The first team out of the west to nab a spot in the national event is a rival of the hosts in Okotoks.

The Vauxhall Academy Jets took care of business early in the tournament with a 12-0 victory over Dawgs White to open up the Prairie Qualifier.

Hudson Nikkel led the offence with a pair of homers and three RBIs while Kaleb Bozek, Will Zielinski, Jaxon George and Matthew Getz also drove in two runs each.

They then outlasted Home Run Academy (Winnipeg) 9-6 and blasted the Calgary Bucks 14-3.

Then the Jets had to put on the afterburners with a trio of games on Saturday, starting with a tight 2-1 loss to Gulls Prep, before hammering the Webber Wildcats 11-1 and punching their ticket to the main event with a 9-5 win over Team Saskatchewan to ensure they would finish no lower than second overall.

Getz and Nikkel led Vauxhall with .500 batting averages over the course of the tournament, with Nikkel pacing the team in home runs (four). Sharing the lead in RBIs (nine) were Nikkel, Zielenski and Easton Kitura. Garrett Thiessen and Calum Andersen led the pitching staff with 10 strikeouts each.

THE ROAD FOR TEAM SASKATCHEWAN

Another team to set a very early tone in the Prairie Regionals was Team Saskatchewan.

A 10-run fourth inning allowed them the 18-3 mercy win over the Calgary Premier Blues to open up their round-robin action.

Rhett Anderson led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs while Jarrett Rude also drove in three. Six players scored two runs each in the contest.

The offence kept rolling in their second game of opening day as they downed Dawgs Academy Red 13-5 thanks to every player nabbing a hit and all but one scoring a run.

Team Saskatchewan kept the good times rolling on day two win a 10-6 win over ATHX Academy and a 6-1 victory over the Calgary Cubs to finish the round-robin 4-0.

The only blemish on their record came on semi-final Saturday when they fell to Vauxhall.

Anderson and Kash Berg led the offence with .467 batting averages while only one player, Trentin Kooy, went yard as the Saskatchewan offence was one of the most balanced attacks of the qualifiers. Dylan Pura and Keaton Lejan led the hurlers with seven strikeouts apiece.

THE ROAD FOR AHP ACADEMY

It didn’t come easy, but AHP Academy came out of the round-robin looking like a team ready to make a deep run with its pitching depth and balanced offence.

They started things off with a 7-4 win over the Webber Wildcats thanks to an outstanding performance from Sam Davis, who struck out 10 in six innings of work while Tyler Diprose picked up two hits and three RBIs.

Jayden Kane then played hero by hitting a walk-off single in a 4-3 victory over the Parkland Twins.

The Renegades then got an eight-strikeout performance out of Kaysen Young to shut down the Calgary Cubs 7-2 before finishing up the unbeaten run with a 13-11 victory over Dawgs Red.

They were set to take on Gulls Prep in the semis before the storm clouds rolled in.

Michael Szpak led all AHP hitters with a .545 batting average while Kale Harsch hit the team’s lone homer. Harsh, Kane and Jax Mitzel tied for the lead in RBI with four. On the hill, Davis’ lone performance netted him the team lead in punchouts.

THE ROAD FOR GULLS PREP

They had to hold on for dear life a couple of times, but Gulls Prep were ready to make some noise heading into the semis and a potential final.

The Sylvan Lake squad started strong with a 10-1 trouncing of the Calgary Bucks. Bo Anderson led the offence with a single and two doubles, driving in two.

They started the Friday off with a 6-4 win over Home Run Academy (Winnipeg) and then suffered a 15-5 loss to Dawgs White.

The Gulls rebounded nicely with a 2-1 nailbiter over Vauxhall, as the strong pitching duo of Cole Dickinson and Lucian Barker kept the Jets bats in check while Wyatt Schmidt delivered the offence with a two-run double.

The pitching again did the heavy lifting for the Gulls in a quarterfinal matchup with ATHX, as Braxton Bussing threw six scoreless innings with six strikeouts before Keaton Rusnak shut the door in a 3-0 victory.

They were set to play AHP had the rain not settled in.

Offensively, the Gulls were paced by Owen Coumont, who hit .467 over his five games. Anderson and Paxton Overwater hit homers with Overwater claiming the RBI crown with five. Bussing’s performance gave him the strikeout lead among pitchers.

THE ROAD TO BE TAKEN

The field has officially been set with 16 teams set to play for the Morneau Cup, including seven spots coming from Ontario and four from B.C. joining the four Prairie teams. The hosts from Dawgs Academy in Okotoks await them all.

The Ontario/East teams will include the HPP Tigers, Terriers Baseball, Frontier Baseball (Maritimes), Etobicoke Rangers, Ontario Kobras, Diamond Baseball Academy (Quebec) and the Ontario Blue Jays.

The B.C. teams that punched their tickets to Okotoks include the Abbotsford Cardinals, Langley Blaze, Victoria Eagles and UBC Thunder.

“These qualifiers delivered exactly what we had hoped for,” Baseball Canada CEO Jason Dickson said in a news release unveiling the 16-team bracket. “We saw a high level of competition across all three qualifiers and a strong commitment from programs across the country. We’re excited to welcome this group to Okotoks and continue building what we believe will become the premier amateur event in Canada.”

June 5, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs delivered another stellar offensive performance to beat the Brooks Bombers 10-1 on Friday night in front of 5,014 fans at Seaman Stadium.

The Dawgs improved their record to 5-1 with their second consecutive win over the Bombers.

For the second straight game, the Dawgs reached double digits in runs.

The Dawgs’ offence was led by another outstanding performance by Cal Gates who went 3-for-3 with two runs, a walk, and a stolen base. Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.) was another big part of the Dawgs’ attack, going 1-for-2 with a walk and four RBIs.

Hank Griffin (Okotoks, Alta.) also came through with a well-rounded effort, finishing 2-for-5 with two RBIs while playing a rock-solid second base.

On the mound, newcomer Tyson Willis came out firing, allowing just one run, while striking out seven, in five innings to earn the win.

The Dawgs’ relief corps was also strong. Wyatt Sadleir (Calgary, Alta.) struck out the side in a scoreless inning of relief while Dalton Hoffart limited the Bombers to just one hit and induced an incredible double play in a scoreless seventh.

The Dawgs will now play the Fort McMurray Giants at Seaman Stadium on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

June 4, 2026

Official NAIA News Release

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Bellevue University senior first baseman Carter Claerhout (Red Deer, Alberta) has been announced as the 2026 NAIA Player of the Year to headline three Bruins named to the NAIA's All-America Teams.

Claerhout was also selected as a First Team All-American while senior pitcher Brody Burnette (Kansas City, Mo.) and sophomore catcher Xavier Lerma (Muscatine, Iowa) earned Second Team and Third Team honours, respectively.

In being recognized as the NAIA's Player of the Year, Claerhout is the first Bruin student-athlete to be earn the honour in any sport. During his lone season at BU, Claerhout rewrote the Bruins' single season record books, establishing new marks for slugging percentage, OPS, home runs, total bases, and extra-base hits. He led the NAIA with a .491 batting average, .969 slugging percentage, 1.502 OPS, 29 home runs, 217 total bases, and 48 extra-base hits while ranking second in hits (110), fifth in RBIs (86), and seventh in both runs scored (7) and on-base percentage (.533). He added 18 doubles and was 12-for-15 on stolen base attempts. He posted a .986 fielding percentage at first and helped the Bruins complete 33 double plays.

Burnette saw an increased workload this year, turning into a light's out closer for the Bruins as his 15 saves led the country. He appeared in 23 games out of the bullpen, pitching to a 2-1 record and 2.51 ERA across 28 2/3 innings of work. He struck out 32 against just seven walks for 10.05 strikeouts per nine innings and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.43. He posted a 1.26 WHIP and limited opponents to a .264 batting average.

Lerma turned in a huge season as well for Bellevue in his first as a lineup regular. Among the NAIA national leaders, he ranked 12th with 19 home runs, 20th with 70 RBIs, and 32nd with a .738 slugging percentage. His .377 batting average was good for third on the team while his slugging percentage and 1.196 OPS were each good for second on the ball club, and his 27 extra-base hits ranked fourth on the team. Defensively, he posted a .995 fielding percentage and threw out four would-be base stealers while only allowing one passed ball.

Bellevue wrapped up the 2026 season with a 50-6 overall record, going 24-0 to win the Frontier Conference regular season championship. During the postseason, BU won the Frontier Conference Tournament title, qualified for their 28th NAIA National Tournament, and hosted an Opening Round Bracket for the sixth time.

June 4, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, MAN. – The Winnipeg Goldeyes earned a series split by routing the Sioux Falls Canaries 14-3 at Blue Cross Park Thursday evening.

Catcher Raphaël Pelletier (Repentigny, Que.) opened the scoring for Winnipeg in the second inning with a single to right that drove in second baseman Keshawn Lynch.

Sioux Falls quickly tied the game in the top of the third when third baseman Chris Kwitzer scored on designated hitter Anthony Hall’s double-play ball. The Canaries took a 2-1 lead moments later on a single to centre by left fielder Anthony Sharkas that drove in catcher Scott Combs.

The Goldeyes put four runs on the board in the fourth to move in front 5-2. First baseman T.J. Schofield-Sam (Mississauga, Ont.) hit a sacrifice fly to centre to bring in left fielder Roby Enríquez and tie the game. Centre fielder Noah Marcelo followed with a base hit to left that scored Lynch. Finally, third baseman Ramón Bramasco hit a sky-high pop-up to shallow right that Canaries second baseman Trevor Achenbach lost in the sun. Shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder and Marcelo came home on what was scored as a double.

The visitors got one back in the top of the fifth when centre fielder Joe Vos drove in right fielder Josh Rehwaldt with a bloop single to left, cutting Winnipeg’s lead to 5-3.

Pelletier notched his second run batted in of the evening in the fifth when he brought right fielder Max Murphy home with a sacrifice fly to left, making it 6-3 Goldeyes. Enríquez then scored on Schofield-Sam’s fielder’s choice to increase the lead to 7-3.

Winnipeg put up another four-spot in the bottom of the sixth. Enríquez drew a bases-loaded walk that forced in Bramasco before Didder hit a two-out, bases-clearing triple that drove in designated hitter Jiandido Tromp, Murphy, and Enríquez, stretching the lead to 11-3.

Schofield-Sam finished the scoring in the bottom of the eighth with a three-run blast to right-centre field with Lynch and Pelletier aboard, making it 14-3.

Luke Boyd started for the Goldeyes and went six innings. He allowed three runs on six hits, struck out four, and walked four. Ryo Kohigashi, newly signed Jack Seward (New Westminster, B.C.), and Derrick Cherry each worked an inning of hitless relief.

Christian Edwards was charged with seven runs – all earned – on seven hits over four innings for the Canaries. He struck out four and walked four.

Offensively for Winnipeg, Schofield-Sam drove in five runs, Enríquez had a pair of hits and scored three times, Marcelo and Bramasco had two hits apiece, and Lynch finished the evening with three hits, including two doubles, and scored three times.

Seward, a New Westminster, British Columbia native, was acquired earlier Thursday from the Welland Jackfish of the Canadian Baseball League in exchange for future considerations. The 24-year-old made his professional debut last season with the Québec Capitales of the Frontier League.

The Sioux City Explorers are the Goldeyes’ next opponent, with a weekend series beginning Friday at 7:00 p.m. Left-hander Kevin Vaupel will start for Winnipeg, while Sioux City will counter with right-hander Zach Willeman.

June 4, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Canadian Baseball Network

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs delivered a powerful offensive performance to beat the Brooks Bombers 17-2 on Thursday.

After rainy conditions in Brooks led to a venue change, many loyal Okotoks fans made it to Seaman Stadium to see the Dawgs record another win. The Dawgs collected 18 hits and played flawless defence in the victory.

The Dawgs’ offence was led by Turner Zdunich (High River, Alta.), who went 4-for-5 with three runs, an RBI, a stolen base and a walk. Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) was another major contributor, going 2-for-3 with two runs, three RBIs, two stolen bases and two walks.

Jeremy Kuiper also delivered an excellent all-around performance, finishing 4-for-5 with two runs, a home run and three RBIs, while also making a diving catch in the field.

On the mound, Brody Forno (Okotoks, Alta.) started and set the tone with a strong five-inning performance, allowing only two runs while striking out three. Jerome Pare (Montreal, Que.) and Grady Keljo closed out the game, combining for three scoreless innings while limiting the Bombers to one hit.

The Dawgs will play the Bombers again on Friday at Seaman Stadium at 7:05 p.m.

Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden, who won the Stanley Cup six times with the Montreal Canadiens, was a power-hitting shortstop his freshman year at Cornell.

June 4, 2026

By Tim Rappleye

The aging grade-school librarian was wearing a familiar “C” on his ball cap. I had to ask.

“Did you attend Cornell?”

“I did.”

“Are you familiar with Ken Dryden?”

“He was a classmate.”

My Spidey Senses spiked.

“Did you ever see him play at Lynah Rink?”

“No.” A buzzkill, but Kim the librarian continued. “I know that he played baseball as a freshman, and that he hit the longest home run in school history.”

Whoa! Ken Dryden as Roy Hobbs? The Hockey Hall-of-Fame goalie also in the pantheon of hardball sluggers? A bespectacled academic joining the ranks of the Bambino, Reggie Jackson and the Mick as sultans of swat? This needed further review. I rolled up my sleeves, ventured to the cliff’s edge, and dove down the rabbit hole.

Turns out it was another Ivy League slugger, Lou Gehrig of Columbia, who before joining the New York Yankees was the only man known to have hit the ball out of Cornell’s venerable Hoy Field. More heady company for Dryden, but this myth needed some hard evidence.

Enter Marshall Hain, devoted sports information director at Cornell, who provided a primary source — the end-of-season stat sheet from the 1966 Cornell frosh. Freshmen could not play varsity sports back in the day, so Dryden played both hockey and baseball his first year in Ithaca. Most of his diamond mates in ’66 went on to enjoy successful varsity careers.

Baseball stats are timeless: pitchers try to dominate batters and vice versa. Mano a Mano. Homers and strikeouts still go into the same statistical boxes, whether scribbled in by hand or typed into an Excel sheet. Dryden played in a mere 12 games in the spring of 1966, but his stats jump off the page: a .417 batting average, .511 on-base pct., OBS of 1.178. And penned innocuously into a little box, six rows the to the right of his name, were his two career home runs.

This essay was originally intended to capture the moment of Dryden’s lone Ruthian clout, but in fact there were two, each with its own story.

“He was the best athlete I ever knew,” said teammate Ken Soldewell. “He hit two home runs over 410 feet, one clearing the fence in dead centre and disappearing into the abyss.”

This account jibes with the librarian’s, a moonshot that evaporated into the ether. But there was another epic smash, this one two miles away.

Doug Roberts was a terrific hitter in his own right, an outfielder who batted .424 alongside Dryden, forming Cornell’s own Murderer’s Row in the middle of the Big Red batting order.

“I’ll never forget get the game at Ithaca College,” Roberts said. “Ken hit a line drive over the temporary centre field wire fence and struck a bulldozer which was situated there during the construction of the new campus. The ball ricocheted back into the playing field.”

There are no reports of sparks flying off the bulldozer a la Hobbs from the silver screen, but no one before or since has seen a homer rocket back onto the field off heavy machinery. There is no video of this smash, but the Homeric history lives on.

Most people interviewed for this story simply presumed the 6-foot-3 Dryden was a slugging corner infielder, a first baseman naturally, well-versed in defending with that big leather trapper of his. A goalie’s glove and a first basemen’s mitt are first cousins after all. To a scout’s eye, Dryden is the quintessential first baseman. The scouts are wrong.

Dryden was a shortstop at Cornell. Don’t rely on stereotypes, dust off the 60-year-old primary source. There in the second-to-last category of the stat sheet is the letter “A”, the digit that stands for assists. Dryden led the team with 39, his closest challenger had nine. Dryden spent half of each game in that 1966 season heaving the ball across the infield.

Getting a working mitt, however, was a bigger challenge for Dryden than throwing out runners. He showed up at his first practice nearly two weeks after his mates because of his hockey obligations. He arrived without a working glove, and that goaltending trapper of his was of no use. Dryden turned to team manager Jerry Kirzner without a moment to spare.

“I remember that he borrowed my glove that season,” Kirzner wrote via email. “It was a large glove which I had broken in previously in high school. It fit Ken’s large hands, too.

“He took a liking to it. I recall it being a ‘six-finger’ model with a deep pocket. The sixth finger served as the webbing in the glove, which, in turn, made it a pretty large one. Ken liked it and borrowed it.”

Dryden’s middle infield counterpart was second baseman Soldewel, who saw elite defence over his right shoulder every game.

“One day, Dryden went into the hole and backhanded a ground ball and threw a laser to get the guy he had no chance to get,” Soldewel said, still in awe 60 years after the fact.

Dryden’s defence impressed others in Cornell’s baseball hierarchy. Jim Purcell was Cornell’s captain in 1967, one of the Big Red’s premier pitchers of the decade. His junior year he recalled playing against Dryden.

“The only memory I have of him (Dryden) was toward the end of the 1966 season,” Purcell said. “We had the annual scrimmage with the freshman team — back then freshmen couldn’t play varsity ball. I recall this huge shortstop who moved so well and with very good hands. I wished he had been my shortstop!”

The premise that Dryden filled out his freshman year playing baseball as a hobby holds no water. The idea that he was a merely a tall target to throw to on defence is also patently false. Despite only a 13-game sample size (including the scrimmage), we can safely conclude that Dryden was a star in a sport that — in the 20th century at least — America claimed as its exclusive domain. Dryden was the only Canadian on Cornell’s freshman roster of 1966. None of his peers had such combined excellence on both offence and defence. A 6-foot-3 shortstop with both range and ferocious power conjures up images of Major League superstars like Cal Ripken and Alex Rodriguez. The pre-law academic turned heads dominating a sport few hockey experts even knew he played. The talented Mr. Ripley had nothing on Ken Dryden, Esquire.

A thorough search reveals that Dryden came about his baseball prowess naturally — it was his passion. According to journalist Jeff Morris, Dryden was an avid card collector.

“My friends and I loved sports, and we all collected cards,” Dryden told Morris. “I had more baseball cards and I was always a huge baseball fan. I have always loved the game for its aesthetic value.”

“I had a Virgil Trucks card,” Dryden told NHL.com “He had two no-hitters for the Detroit Tigers. His name was so interesting for a seven-year old. And there was Sibbi Sisti. I thought that was a fantastic name, too.”

Dryden mentioned to Morris that he had a Mickey Mantle card which, at the time, was worth “probably more than a thousand dollars.” Morris surmised that Mantle was too mainstream for Dryden to get excited about.

The foremost chronicler of Montreal Canadiens’ history is Dave Stubbs, a journalist who developed a close relationship with Dryden based on mutual respect, although the star goalie proved to be an elusive subject, preferring not to discuss his exploits on ice. On Dryden’s 70th birthday, it was Stubbs who received a present from the reticent Hall of Famer.

“In my email was a photo of Dryden’s two feet, a baseball diamond stretching out beyond them,” Stubbs said. “He celebrated his 70th birthday in a minor-league ballpark, wonderfully off the beaten path.”

Dryden’s relationship with baseball begs the question: What if? It was a question he pondered as an underclassman in Ithaca.

Teammate Jim Piersanti treasures his abbreviated diamond journey with the legend. Piersanti made a point of returning to campus in 2017 for the 50th anniversary of Cornell hockey’s 1967 national championship.

“I had no idea he would be there,” Piersanti said, but he decided to go anyway, in case his hero made an appearance.

“And there he was, facing the longest line of autograph seekers of any of the players,” Piersanti said. “I went and stood in line. I didn’t expect Ken to recognize me. It had been 50 years since our last contact.”

Piersanti waited patiently, and when he was second in line, the woman in front of him exploited her opportunity and got several autographs from the celebrity.

“She started digging into her pocketbook, pulling out every piece of paper she could find to get him to sign,” Piersanti said, who observed Dryden being exceedingly polite as he accommodated each request. Growing impatient, Piersanti took action.

“I got to the point where I said to the woman: Lady, do you realize that you are getting the autograph of the best shortstop Cornell ever had?”

Dryden immediately looked up from his chore. “Holy smokes! Jim!”

“He recognized me and I couldn’t believe it,” Piersanti said.

Dryden proceeded to reel off half a dozen names from their 1966 team, basking in the memories of his beloved ball club, despite being at a hockey reunion.

“It was fascinating that he would remember all those players,” Piersanti said. Dryden’s next comment left Piersanti speechless.

“He said that he had such a good time playing baseball, that it was really a 50-50 decision as to whether or not he was going to hockey or continue his baseball career.”

“It blew me away,” Piersanti said, who then recalled his exact response to Dryden back at the 2017 hockey reunion. “My God, you certainly made the right decision.”

The question remains: What if?

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June 4, 2026

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA, ONT. – The field is set.

Following regional qualifiers across British Columbia, the Prairies, and Ontario, 15 teams have earned their place at the inaugural The Road to Okotoks and The Morneau Cup presented by Rawlings, set for July 14–19 in Okotoks, Alberta.

From coast to coast, 29 teams began the quest to Okotoks, with each region showcasing the depth and strength of amateur baseball in Canada. In the end, seven teams advanced out of Ontario qualifiers, four from British Columbia, and four from the Prairies to complete the national qualifier process.

Due to inclement weather in Alberta, Baseball Canada was unable to complete the Prairie qualifier playoffs. As a result, the Vauxhall Academy Jets secured qualification with a semi-final victory. The remaining three spots have been awarded to the AHP Renegades, Team Saskatchewan, and the Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep, all of whom finished among the top four teams in the qualifier but were unable to compete in the semi-final and/or final round games.

“These qualifiers delivered exactly what we had hoped for,” said Baseball Canada CEO Jason Dickson. “We saw a high level of competition across all three qualifers and a strong commitment from programs across the country. We’re excited to welcome this group to Okotoks and continue building what we believe will become the premier amateur event in Canada.”

Qualified Teams

British Columbia (4):

• Langley Blaze (BC Qualifier Winner)

• Abbotsford Cardinals

• Victoria Eagles

• UBC Thunder

Prairies (4):

• Vauxhall Academy Jets

• AHP Renegades

• Team Saskatchewan

• Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep

Ontario (7):

• Terriers Baseball (Ontario Qualifier Champion)

• Mississauga Tigers HPP

• Etobicoke Rangers

• Atlantic Frontier

• Ontario Kobras

• DT Select (QC)

• Ontario Blue Jays

The 15 qualified teams will join host Okotoks Dawgs Black to complete a 16-team field competing for the inaugural Morneau Cup at Seaman Stadium.

With the field now set, attention turns to Okotoks, where the country’s top programs will come together to compete for a national title and The Morneau Cup.

Follow the Action

Fans can follow along with tournament coverage leading up to and throughout the event on the official tournament website and Instagram.

June 3, 2026

Official Toronto Blue Jays News Release

The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired RHP Simeon Woods Richardson from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations.

Woods Richardson, 25, has made 12 appearances (10 starts) this season for the Twins, posting a 7.74 ERA in 47 2/3 innings.

The right-hander from Sugar Land, Texas, was initially selected by the New York Mets in the second round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft before being traded to the Blue Jays in 2019. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound righty was then dealt to the Twins at the 2021 trade deadline and has spent the entirety of his five-year major league career in Minnesota, appearing in 65 games (61 starts) with a 4.76 ERA, 258 strikeouts, and a 1.39 WHIP.

Additionally, LHP Joe Mantiply has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

June 3, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs came up a bit short on Wednesday, falling 15–12 to the Lethbridge Bulls in front of 3,491 fans at Seaman Stadium.

It was the Dawgs’ first loss of the season.

This was a make-up game for the May 31 contest that was rained out.

Keeping their bats rolling after a 26-run performance on Saturday, the Dawgs racked up 17 hits in their defeat.

The Dawgs’ league-leading offence was led by Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.), who went 4-for-4 with two walks and an RBI. Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) was another major offensive contributor, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

Jayden Lusk also went 2-for-4 with two walks in the loss.

On the mound, Gabe Brabec started for the Dawgs and allowed four hits and three runs in three innings. The Dawgs’ bullpen took over from there.

Among the standouts out of the pen were Max McCraray who pitched a shutdown eighth inning and youngster Nolan Jackson who supplied 2 2/3 innings of strong relief.

The Dawgs now look ahead to their next game on Thursday, where they will hit the road to face the Brooks Bombers for the first time this season. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. The Dawgs will then return home Friday, June 5, to take on those same Bombers at 7:05 p.m.

June 4, 2026

By Trevor Fitzpatrick

Canadian Baseball Network

On a perfect evening in St. Catharines, Ont., the Niagara Ironbacks got their 2026 Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) campaign off to a roaring start with a statement 12-5 win over the Niagara Falls Americans on Wednesday.

The game was as close as 6-5 in the seventh inning, but four runs by the Ironbacks in the bottom half of that frame proved to be more than enough insurance for the PGCBL’s only Canadian team.

🔥 OPENING DAY = SUCCESS! 🔥

The Niagara Ironbacks kick off Year 2 with an Opening Day victory and an unforgettable night at George Taylor Field! ⚾️

A huge thank you to all of the fans who came out, cheered loud, participated in our T-Shirt Toss presented by Impact Promotions,… pic.twitter.com/cSveRIgCC0

— IronbacksBaseball (@ironbacks) June 4, 2026

Leading the charge on offence for the crew was Great Lake Canadians alum Michael Gregus (Exeter, Ont.). The Davenport University first baseman had two triples and three RBIs.

“I was just trying to ambush all the strikes I was thrown, and the guys behind me did their job and knocked me in,” he explained.

Where did the burst of speed come from today though?

“It might’ve been because I was hungry,” replied Gregus.

Despite his fantastic effort, it was his teammate Kieran Cutler (Paradise, Nfld.) that took home player of the game honours.

It’s hard to argue with the gameday staff’s judgement, as the McCook Community College catcher crushed the squad’s first home run of the season over the left-centre field wall.

The Ironbacks’ catching depth should be a boon to them this season, as they had three catchers in their starting lineup to fill the DH and EH spots.

Cutler was stationed as the EH, fellow Canadian Futures Showcase alum Connor Gaitens (Tillsonburg, Ont.) was the DH, and actually behind the dish was former Canadian Premier Baseball League Prospect Games participant Josh Bullock (Toronto, Ont.).

“That’s the biggest change from last year, the depth, especially at catcher,” said team manager and baseball lifer Richard Griffin. “Last year we had the North Dakota market cornered. We had a good pipeline of Canadian guys coming from there. We did a good job of expanding this year.”

“We have guys from better conferences this year and some great returners as well,” added new assistant coach Tyson Gomm (Aurora, Ont.).

Some extra bragging rights go Griffin’s way this season as well, as he defeated Niagara Falls Americans coach Wil Cordero in their first coaching matchup of the year.

Cordero played 14 years in the big leagues, was an all-star in 1994 with the Montreal Expos, and has known Griffin since he was first scouted by the legendary Expos talent evaluator Gary Hughes.

The Ironbacks will hope to convert this great start into more wins as they look to improve upon what owner Mal Romanin called their “year zero” last season when they went 10-35.

“I like to think of this as our year one. Slowly but surely we’re going to build this into a nice program,” he said, addressing the players before the season, “We have a lot of talent. It’s important to me that we try to build on last season and show the league what’s coming from Canada.”

Even more reinforcements are coming soon off the injured list as well. Carter Shin (Burlington, Ont.), who was a PGCBL First Team shortstop in 2025 and who set the Gordon College record for hits in a season with 59 is only a couple weeks away from his wrist injury being healed.

When asked what brought him back to the Ironbacks for round two he said, “being around all these guys and meeting new teammates is nice, not having school to worry about so I can focus on baseball is nice, too.”

It’s a quick turnaround for the team, as it always is with their busy PGCBL schedule. They’ll be back for game two of their season on June 5 at 6:30 p.m.

University of Michigan right-hander Kurt Barr (Saint Joachim, Ont.), left, has been named to the College Sports Communicators 2026 Academic All-District Team. Photo: Michigan Photography

June 3, 2026

By Conor Stemme

University of Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan senior pitchers Kurt Barr and Max Debiec have been named to the College Sports Communicators 2026 Academic All-District team.

To receive All-District recognition, student-athletes must have completed at least one year of classes at their institution, have a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average and meet athletic requirements.

Barr (Saint Joachim, Ont.) who graduated with a degree in sport management, led Michigan in innings pitched with 79 2/3 and in strikeouts with 105. He compiled a 4.52 earned-run average across 16 appearances and earned All-Big Ten third team honours.

In 16 games -- making 15 starts -- he had a 5-6 record holding opponents to a .231 batting average. Barr is pitching for the Williamsport Crosscutters in the MLB Draft League.

June 3, 2026

Official Major League Baseball News Release

Closer Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres has been named the National League Reliever of the Month for May, and relief pitcher Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) of the Cleveland Guardians has been voted the American League Reliever of the Month for May.

The announcements were made earlier today on MLB Network.

Miller claimed his fourth career, his third consecutive and his third Reliever of the Month Award with the Padres after winning March/April 2026, September 2025 and March/April 2024 when he was a member of the Athletics. Miller, already one of eight Padres relievers to receive the honor, joined Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman (3x: May 2005, September 2006 & May 2007) as the only players in Padres’ history to claim the award three times with the Club. Miller joined Emmanuel Clase, Aroldis Chapman, Edwin Díaz, Josh Hader, Liam Hendriks, Hoffman, Greg Holland, Raisel Iglesias, Craig Kimbrel, and Joe Nathan as the only pitchers to receive the award four-or-more times.

Smith claimed his second award after previously winning with the Guardians in September of last season. Smith joined Clase (7x: August 2021, June 2022, August 2022, September/October, 2022, May 2024, July 2024 & September 2024) as the only relievers in Guardians history to receive the honor on multiple occasions.

Mason Miller, San Diego Padres (@mason.j.miller)

The 27-year-old pitched to a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/9 2/3 IP) while converting all seven of his save opportunities across nine appearances in which he allowed four hits with eight walks, 20 strikeouts, a 1.24 WHIP and a .118 opponents’ average.

The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native’s 18.62 strikeouts per nine innings mark led all qualified relievers in the month of May while his 0.00 ERA was tied for first. His 47.6 strikeout percentage ranked second to only Smith; his saves were tied for sixth-most; and his strikeouts were tied for seventh-most. Additionally, his 17 saves this year lead the National League and are second-most behind only Smith’s Major League-leading 20 saves.

Along with his National League Reliever of the Month Award-winning September/October of last season, the 2024 All-Star became the first pitcher in Padres’ history to record multiple months with 20-or-more strikeouts and four-or-less hits allowed. Miller is the only pitcher to complete the feat without allowing an earned run, which he did in both months.

The third-round pick in the 2021 Draft (by OAK) joined Heath Bell (April/March 2009); Josh Hader (July 2023); Trevor Hoffman (7x); and Taylor Rogers (April/March 2022) as the only Padres pitchers to record seven-or-more saves without allowing an earned run in a single month. Miller has offered scoreless relief in 23 of his 24 outings this season, with the Padres boasting a record of 22-2 in games he takes the mound.

Per Elias, Miller is the only pitcher in Padres’ history to record 49 strikeouts in a span of 25.0 innings-or-less in a single season. Miller also holds the combined season franchise record with 54 strikeouts across 25.0 innings from August 2025 to April 2026.

Miller, who pitched for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, has not allowed an extra-base hit since his second appearance as a member of the Padres on August 5, 2025. His 44 consecutive games without allowing an extra-base hit is the longest active streak in the Majors, the longest by a Padres’ pitcher in franchise history. Additionally, it is tied for the third-longest streak since 2000, matching Brandon Morrow’s 44-game streak across 2017-18, behind only a pair of 45-game streaks by Wade Davis in 2013 and George Sherrill in 2006.

Cade Smith, Cleveland Guardians

The 27-year-old pitched to a 1.32 ERA (2 ER/13 2/3 IP) while converting all 13 of his save opportunities across 13 appearances in which he allowed nine hits with a walk, 25 strikeouts, a 0.73 WHIP and a .184 opponents’ average.

The Abbotsford, B.C. native’s 13 saves, 50.0 strikeout percentage and 25.00 strikeout to walk ratio led all qualified relievers, with the next closest reliever tallying nine saves in the month.

The 16th-round pick in the 2017 Draft became the first player in Guardians’ history to record 13 consecutive saves in a calendar month, and joined Doug Jones, José Mesa and Bob Wickman as the only relievers in Guardians’ history to record a save in 13 consecutive appearances. Smith is one of 24 players in MLB history to record 13 saves in a calendar month, and the first since Kirby Yates did so in March/April 2019.

The University of Hawaii product joined Dick Radatz (August 1966) as the only pitchers in franchise history to record 25 strikeouts in a month in which they pitched 13 2/3-or-less innings.

Smith has recorded a save in 20 of his 27 appearances this season, joining Doug Jones (2x: 20 in 1988 & 21 in 1990); José Mesa (2x: 21 in 1995 & 20 in 1996); and Chris Perez (21 in 2012) as the only pitchers in Cleveland franchise history to record 20-or-more saves through their first 27 appearances of a season.

Smith became just the sixth reliever in MLB history with 20-or-more saves and 40-or-more strikeouts in his team’s first 60 games, marking the first time a relief pitcher has done so since Yates in 2019.

June 3, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

When Jim Abbott was drafted in the 36th round by the Toronto Blue Jays 41 years ago today, the then 17-year-old left-hander called it “the thrill of a lifetime.”

“It’s a great honour to be picked by a tremendous team like the Blue Jays,” Abbott told the Toronto Star. “I’ll have to give it a lot of thought.”

Born with one hand, the inspirational Abbott also had a baseball scholarship offer on the table from the University of Michigan.

On scout Don Welke’s recommendation, the Blue Jays chose Abbott in the June Amateur draft after the 6-foot-4, 180-pound southpaw’s dominant season at Central High School in Flint, Mich., in which he allowed just 16 hits and struck out 148 batters in 73 1/3 innings. Thanks largely to his 90-mph fastball, Abbott finished with a 10-3 record, a 0.75 ERA and threw four no-hitters.

And he was also a threat at the plate, batting .427 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs.

“Other people learn to do things with two hands,” Abbott told the Toronto Star in June 1985. “I just learned to do the same things with one hand. It’s nothing special.”

But it was special.

All you had to do was ask the increasing number of disabled children who were inspired by him and started going to his high school games and writing him letters.

“I think I can relate to them and they can relate to me a little differently than other people,” Abbott told the Chicago Tribune in June 1985. “It’s hard for them to understand, but you really don’t look at it like a handicap. You don’t think to yourself, ‘How can I do this with my hand?’ You think, ‘Why can’t I do this?’”

If there were any doubts about Abbott’s all-around athleticism, he was also the quarterback of his high school football team.

“In my 13 years of high school coaching, he’s the best all-around athlete in baseball I’ve ever seen,” Bob Holec, Abbott’s high school coach told the Toronto Star. “His greatest attribute is that where most people think of the disability, he makes you aware of his ability.

“He’s got a strong, outstanding arm and he’s the fiercest competitor I’ve ever coached in baseball . . . He’s changed baseball in this city. Because of him we’ve got 1,500 to 2,000 people to high school tournaments. He just handles it with total class.”

Welke, the Blue Jays scout, clearly liked what he saw in Abbott.

“He has a major league fastball – sometimes – and a major league heart,” Welke told the Chicago Tribune in June 1985.

But though flattered by the Blue Jays’ faith in him, Abbott told the Toronto Star he was leaning towards going to the University of Michigan, which he ultimately did.

When he arrived on campus in Ann Arbor, Mich., he once again had his doubters. They weren’t convinced he could get NCAA Division 1 hitters out, but he quickly proved them wrong.

In his first season with the Wolverines, he went 6-2 with a 4.11 ERA in 14 games (10 starts). He followed that up by going 11-3 with a 2.08 ERA in 15 starts in his sophomore campaign and won the Golden Spikes Award, handed out annually to the top amateur baseball player in the U.S.

In his last college campaign, he finished with a 9-3 record and a 3.32 ERA in 17 games (16 starts).

Following that season, he opted to forego his senior year and pursue a professional career.

In June 1988, the California Angels chose him in the first round (eighth overall) of the MLB draft.

From there, he proceeded to enjoy a 10-season big league career. He spent his first four campaigns with the Angels before throwing a no-hitter for the New York Yankees on September 4, 1993.

He finished his MLB career with short tenures with the Chicago White Sox in 1998 and Milwaukee Brewers in 1999.

Abbott never did pitch for the Blue Jays, but he did have stints with the triple-A Vancouver Canadians (1996) and Calgary Cannons (1998).

And it’s safe to say that 41 years after he was drafted by the Blue Jays, Abbott continues to be an inspiration to people in Toronto and all around the world.

June 2, 2026

The Canadian Baseball League has announced their award winners for the week spanning May 24 to May 31.

Pitcher of the Week

Welland Jackfish right-hander Ben Abram (Georgetown, Ont.) has been named CBL Pitcher of the Week.

Abram started and struck out eight batters in 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his start against the Guelph Royals on May 26. He permitted just five hits and one walk to improve his season record to 2-0.

He has not surrendered a run in 13 1/3 innings this season.

Player of the Week

Barrie Baycats outfielder Canice Ejoh (Brampton, Ont.) was named Player of the Week after he went 8-for-14 (.571 batting average) in three games. He homered in each of those contests and drove in seven runs.

He is now batting .357 with three homers and 10 RBIs in six games this season.

June 2, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, MAN. – The Sioux Falls Canaries defeated the Winnipeg Goldeyes 9-8 in a rain-shortened contest at Blue Cross Park Tuesday evening.

The game was called after a 30-minute rain delay as the Canaries were about to bat in the top of the seventh inning.

Winnipeg opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly to left field by first baseman Roby Enríquez that brought in centre fielder Noah Marcelo.

Sioux Falls went ahead 2-1 in the top of the second on a two-out, two-run home run to left off the bat of second baseman Trevor Achenbach and would extend their lead to 3-1 in the third when first baseman Mike Hart singled to right field to drive in left fielder Anthony Sharkas.

The Goldeyes tied the game in the bottom of the third on a two-run home run to left by Marcelo – his sixth of the season.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, second baseman Adam Hall (London, Ont.) doubled, stole third base, and scored on a throwing error to give Winnipeg a 4-3 lead.

The Canaries erupted for five runs in the top of the fifth. First, Hart brought in right fielder Anthony Hall and Sharkas with a single to left field that made it 5-4 Sioux Falls. Then shortstop Michael Curialle hit a three-run home run to centre field to make it an 8-4 game.

Sioux Falls added another in the sixth on a base hit to right field by Sharkas that plated centre fielder Joe Vos.

The Goldeyes nearly tied the game in the bottom of the sixth as the rain increased in intensity. Left fielder Jiandido Tromp singled home third baseman Ramón Bramasco before designated hitter T.J. Schofield-Sam (Mississauga, Ont.) doubled off the wall in left field to bring in right fielder Max Murphy and second baseman Keshawn Lynch to make it 9-7. Catcher Raphaël Pelletier (Repentigny, Que.) then delivered a bloop single to shallow left that drove in Tromp that made the score 9-8 Canaries with the tying run at third base. However, Marcelo grounded out to shortstop to end the inning before the tarp was deployed.

Chase Gearing went 5 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs – five earned – on five hits. He struck out four and walked two.

For Winnipeg, Mitchell Lambson started and worked four innings, exiting in the fifth. He was charged with seven runs on six hits while striking out five and issuing four free passes. Ryo Kohigashi pitched the remaining two frames and surrendered two runs on three hits.

The four-game series continues Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. when right-hander Arij Fransen will take the mound for his second start of the season. Lefty Thomas Dorminy is Sioux Falls’ scheduled starter.

Atlantic Frontier Punches Its Ticket

By Ryan Sweeney

The newest program on the scene, Atlantic Frontier, punched its ticket in the inaugural year of the Road to Okotoks and the Morneau Cup,

Arriving a few days before the Ontario qualifier, sneaking in two practices, an intersquad game, and an exhibition game against the Kitchener 22U Panthers, Frontier had all the preparation it were going to get.

The week started out slow, with the group feeling each other out, learning how to play with one another, and some players moving to different positions to align with team needs. The pitching was good, the fielding was okay, but the bats and bench were quiet.

After the final pre-tournament exhibition game, the coaching staff sent a message:

“You belong here. It’s time to become a team, not individuals from separate provinces.”

“I’m glad we had that game where we came out flat against Kitchener, otherwise it would have happened in the first game of the tournament,” said assistant coach Mike Konigshofer of Nova Scotia. “I said to the boys in our post-game chat, I don’t want to live in a world where we look at 2-0 and 3-1 fastballs down the middle of the plate.”

Konigshofer added: “We need to play with a chip, with some swagger, and we need to do the things that make Atlantic teams successful.”

Besides comments from Konigshofer there were more direct messages from other members of the coaching staff about expectations and standards heading into the tournament, and what needed to be done by each individual to keep or earn playing time.

The result: message received.

In Game 1 of the tournament, the Frontier took on the Etobicoke Rangers. It was a low-scoring affair on both sides. PEI’s Chase DesRoches shut down the Rangers, and late in the game, New Brunswick’s Thomas Richardson came in and threw two innings to get the Frontier out of a jam unscathed.

After regulation, the score was tied 1-1. In extra innings, with runners starting on first and second base, the Frontier was able to put three runs on the board, taking a 4-1 lead. However, they weren’t able to hold off the Rangers, who put up a four-spot of their own in the bottom half to earn the walk-off win.

The post-game message was positive, setting the table for Game 2, where the Frontier would take on the DT Selects of Quebec. In a must-win situation, the Frontier turned to Truro, Nova Scotia’s Malky Murphy, and the senior did not disappoint, throwing a complete-game two-hitter with nine strikeouts and zero earned runs.

In another game that went down to the wire, the Selects put a runner on in the bottom of the seventh, but Nova Scotia’s Lewis Stonehouse gunned him down at second base to bring an end to the late surge, and Frontier came out with a 2-1 victory.

As results across the round robin began to take shape, the Frontier headed into Game 3 against the 2-1 Ontario Kobras knowing that a win would likely punch their ticket to Okotoks, while a loss would mean they would have to win their final game to earn a playoff spot and even have a chance to qualify.

Newfoundland’s Jack McCarthy was on the hill for Game 3 and battled against the Kobras for four innings. Down 3-0 (one earned) the Frontier battled back to tie the game 3-3, but in the top of the fifth inning, the Kobras landed a major blow with a three-run home run for a 6-3 lead.

With time running out in the bottom of the fifth, Nova Scotia’s Jake Trask pinch hit and with a 3-2 count, he sent a towering home run over the lights in left field to cut the Kobras’ lead to two and give some life to the Frontier bench.

After the previous Kobras home run, Newfoundland’s James Piercey came in and worked through the rest of the inning cleanly. He continued to shut down the Kobras, giving the boys from Atlantic Canada a chance to mount a comeback.

In the bottom of the sixth, after getting runners into position, Trask once again delivered with a two-run single to right field, tying the game at 6-6.

With a clean seventh inning on both sides, the Frontier once again headed to extras, this time with home-field advantage.

With runners starting on first and second, Piercey struck out the first batter, then the Kobras pulled off a double steal to put runners on second and third. After a walk loaded the bases, Piercey induced two weak fly balls to escape the inning without damage.

His final stat line was 3 2/3 innings with zero hits allowed, setting up the Frontier with a chance to win the game.

In the bottom half, PEI’s Rhys O’Brien stepped in as a pinch hitter and perfectly executed a bunt to move the runners up to second and third. The Kobras intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases, setting up a double-play opportunity with Nova Scotia’s Austin Brown stepping to the plate.

In a 2-2 count Brown had a seven-pitch at-bat, scorching a line drive to the base of the fence in right field, securing the walk-off win for the Frontier and officially punching their ticket to Okotoks.

A final round robin game, followed by a semi-final showdown against the Mississauga Tigers, brought a close to the Ontario qualifiers. The Frontier squad battled the Tigers early, reeling off nine hits against their starting pitcher before his departure partway through the fourth inning, but a three-run shot from Ziji Mina in the bottom half put the game out of reach.

Some of the Frontier team will remain in Ontario this week to compete in a Canadian Perfect Game event, while the rest of the squad heads home to prepare.

The entire group will reconvene in early July in Halifax for a training camp and games prior to their departure for Okotoks in mid-July.

June 2, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Former Baseball PEI and Baseball Canada president Ron Rice died on May 27 at the age of 82.

“Baseball Canada extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ron Rice . . . Ron served as president of Baseball Canada from 1996 to 2000 and made a lasting impact on the baseball community, particularly in his home province of Prince Edward Island,” said Baseball Canada in a statement on Monday.

Born on December 4, 1943, in Charlottetown, PEI, Rice was a lifelong Islander who when not around the diamond, was a highly respected teacher.

His official obituary indicates he had a deep passion for sports, particularly baseball.

“He served as president of Baseball Prince Edward Island helping grow the game of baseball on the Island,” reads a part of his official obituary. “He then served as president of Baseball Canada, a role that allowed him to travel the world and share his passion for the game. Among his many memorable experiences was representing Baseball Canada at the summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.”

Baseball PEI also paid tribute to Rice on Monday.

“Baseball PEI is saddened to learn of the passing of Ron Rice,” the organization said in a statement. “Ron had a deep love for the game of baseball and made a lasting impact on our sport, serving as president of Baseball PEI and Baseball Canada. We extend our sincere condolences to Ron’s family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Rice is survived by his wife, Katherine, his children Jamie, Gordon, and Jill, as well as eight grandchildren.

For funeral details, click here.

June 1, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, MAN. – Down three runs after two innings, the Winnipeg Goldeyes came back to defeat the Sioux Falls Canaries 6-3 at Blue Cross Park Monday evening.

Sioux Falls took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning when designated hitter Jabari Henry lined a two-out single to centre field that brought in left fielder Anthony Sharkas.

The Canaries added two more in the top of the second. First, shortstop Michael Curialle came home on a base hit by third baseman Chris Kwitzer, then Sharkas hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored second baseman Trevor Achenbach to make it 3-0 Sioux Falls.

Sioux Falls nearly made it 5-0 in the third but for a defensive gem by Goldeyes left fielder Adam Hall (London, Ont.) who brought what appeared to be a two-run home run by Achenbach back into the ballpark for the third out of the frame.

Winnipeg reduced the deficit to two in the bottom of the fifth on first baseman T.J. Schofield-Sam’s double down the right field line that drove in Hall to make it 3-1.

An inning later, the Goldeyes pulled to within one when centre fielder Noah Marcelo scored on right fielder Roby Enríquez’s ground out to shortstop.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Winnipeg tied the game at 3-3 on a sacrifice fly to centre by second baseman Keshawn Lynch that brought Hall in to score. Two batters later, Marcelo crushed a two-out, three-run home run to left field with shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder and catcher Kevin García aboard. It was Marcelo’s team-leading fifth round-tripper of the season and it gave the Goldeyes a 6-3 lead.

Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) started for Winnipeg and gave up three runs on six hits in five innings of work. He struck out two and walked a pair. Weston Lombard did not allow a hit in two innings of relief. Eli Saul (Vancouver, B.C.) and Derrick Cherry pitched a scoreless inning each.

Derek Craft went six innings for the Canaries, allowing two runs on five hits while walking a batter and fanning one. Will Levine surrendered four runs on two hits in the pivotal seventh inning.

The series continues Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. with veteran lefty Mitchell Lambson scheduled to start for the Goldeyes. Right-hander Chase Gearing will take the mound for Sioux Falls.

June 1, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Whether he’s pitching in the Cleveland Guardians’ organization or in the San Francisco Giants’ system, it doesn’t seem to matter to Matt Wilkinson.

The Surrey, B.C., native, nicknamed Tugboat, continues to shine.

Last Wednesday, in his third start for the Giants’ double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels since being acquired from the Guardians on May 9, Wilkinson allowed just one hit in seven scoreless innings to earn the win against the Akron RubberDucks, his former club.

For his efforts, Wilkinson has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week (May 26 to May 31).

It’s the second time the Canuck southpaw has captured the honour this season. He also won it for the week of April 14 to April 19 while he was with the RubberDucks.

In his dominant start against his former team last week, he threw 49 of his 75 pitches for strikes. He walked one batter and struck out three.

With this performance, he improved to 3-2 in nine starts this season and lowered his ERA to 1.87. He has 49 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings and opponents are batting just .154 off him.

Selected in the 10th round of the 2023 MLB draft, the 23-year-old Okotoks Dawgs alum is in his fourth pro season.

2026 CBN Minor League Player of the Week winners

Opening Day to April 5 - Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Rangers

April 7 to April 12 - Dante Nori (Toronto, Ont.), Phillies

April 14 to April 19- Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Guardians

April 21 to April 26 - Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.), Braves

April 28 to May 3 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets

May 5 to May 10 - Jordan Woods (Oakville, Ont.), Royals

May 12 to May 17 - Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), Rays

May 19 to May 24 - Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.), Diamondbacks

May 26 to May 31 - Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Giants

Top Canadian Minor League Batters (May 26 to May 31)

Top Canadian Minor League Pitchers (May 26 to May 31)

June 1, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The Terriers and Langley Blaze emerged as champions of the Ontario and B.C. Road to Okotoks qualifiers on Sunday.

Both will now advance to Baseball Canada’s Road to Okotoks national championship tournament to be held in Okotoks, Alta., from July 14 to July 19.

The Terriers claimed the Ontario title with two victories on Sunday - a 7-5 win over the Etobicoke Rangers in the morning and a 6-3 triumph over the Mississauga Tigers HPP in the afternoon. They finished the tournament 5-1.

The Langley Blaze, meanwhile, defeated the Victoria Eagles 5-1 in the semi-finals before downing the Abbotsford Cardinals 9-0 in the finals to win the qualifier. The Blaze finished the tournament with a 5-2 record.

Other Ontario teams to qualify

Despite their losses on Sunday, the Etobicoke Rangers (3-2 record) and Mississauga Tigers HPP (5-1 record) have also qualified for the Road to Okotoks tournament in July.

They will be joined by the Terriers, Atlantic Frontier (2-3), Ontario Blue Jays (3-3), Ontario Kobras (3-2) and DT Select (3-2).

Sunday scores:

Mississauga Tigers HPP 9 Atlantic Frontier 3

Terriers 7 Etobicoke Rangers 5

Ontario Kobras 11 North Toronto 1

DT Selects 6 Ontario Blue Jays 5

Terriers 6 Mississauga Tigers 3

Ontario Blue Jays 10 North Toronto 0

Other B.C. teams to qualify

On top of the Langley Blaze, Abbotsford Cardinals (6-1), the Victoria Eagles (3-3) and UBC Thunder (2-4) also punched their tickets to Okotoks.

Sunday scores:

Semi-finals

Abbotsford Cardinals 2 UBC Thunder 0

Langley Blaze 5 Victoria Eagles 1

Finals

Langley Blaze 9 Abbotsford Cardinals 0

Prairies Sunday games cancelled due to rain

The qualifier games scheduled for Sunday in Alberta were cancelled due to rain.

“Due to rain, the remaining games in the Prairie Qualifiers are cancelled today,” Baseball Canada said in a statement early Sunday morning. “Baseball Canada will provide an update on remaining qualifying spots for The Road to Okotoks and The Morneau Cup in the coming days.”

May 31, 2026

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

It’s a tough choice.

Which season would you rather have if you were the SUNY Niagara Thunderwolves, who went 51-2 in 2025?

Or would you rather finish 55-6 as coach Matt Clingersmith did this season?

Never mind the losses, this year the Thunderwolves won their final game of the season 12-8 against Rowan College at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in Johnson City, Tenn. to win the 2026 NJCAA DIII World Series title. It was a rematch of SUNY Niagara’s second-round victory.

Shortstop and lead-off hitter Cam Gravelle (Smithville, Ont.) led the blue-and-gold to its first national championship in its 59-year history, going 2-for-5 with a double and four RBIs. DH Alexander Graham (Toronto, Ont.) singled and knocked in a run.

RHP Keegan Bazinet (Windsor, Ont.) started and picked up the win for the New York State JUCO version of Team Canada. Given a 10-2 lead, he pitched six innings allowing six runs on 11 hits and two walks, while fanning five.

Four runs in the fifth helped Niagara to beat the Dallas Eastfield Harvester Bees 6-5 in the semi-final. Again, Gravelle had two hits from the lead-off spot, including a double, while RF Luke Gigliotti (Toronto, Ont.) and DH Graham each added a single.

The Thunderwolves moved to 2-0 when they beat Rowan 9-7 as Gravelle had three hits, including a double, knocked in a run and stole a base. DH Graham had two hits and singled in a run.

Again in the opener, Gravelle, the former Ontario Royal, was the man in an 11-5 victory against the Northern Essex Knights as he went 3-for-5, while stealing two bases. It was Gravelle’s 24th multi-hit game of the season and his most hits in a postseason since he tallied four and drove in a career-high five runs in SUNY Niagara’s 8-0 Region III semifinal against Hudson Valley in Auburn.

RF Gigliotti had a pair of hits. Bazinet started the opener and picked up the first of two wins. He pitched seven innings, allowing five runs -- four earned on 11 hits and four walks, while fanning three.

Besides earning first team all-conference honours, the resident of C Bobby Killins hometown, Gravelle hit .452 with 24 doubles, five triples, three homers, 64 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. Gravelle owned a 1.182 OPS in 61 games.

Bazinet, who also earned first team honours, finished with an unbeaten 13-0 record in 12 starts, with a 2.54 ERA in 78 1/3 innings and 14 career wins, tying Ryan Birchard for fourth-most in the modern era. His 118 strikeouts are the sixth-most. Bazinet struck out 89 while walking only 23.

Gigliotti batted .377 with eight doubles, two homers and 33 RBIs. He had a .940 OPS in 55 games. Graham batted .353 with five doubles, four homers and 33 RBIs. He had a 1.090 OPS in 29 games.

Nolan Bigras (Burlington, Ont.) was 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts. He struck out 13 in 12 innings.

Charlie Chubak (Petawawa, Ont.) was 0-1 with a 4.32 ERA in six games. He struck out five in 8 1/3 innings.

Austin Barton (Kitchener, Ont.) had a 3.60 ERA in five games. He struck out nine in five innings.

Jackson Sheehy (Guelph, Ont.) was 1-0 with a 16.88 ERA, striking out five in 2 2/3 innings.

C Carter McCormick (Oshawa, Ont.) was also on the roster.

May 30, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs delivered a dominant performance against the Lethbridge Bulls in a 26-1 win in front of 4,487 fans at Seaman Stadium on Saturday.

It was the first 5 O’Clock Saturday of the year where the Dawgs sported their blue “Margaritaville” uniforms.

The Dawgs pounded out 19 hits and had another errorless game.

The Dawgs’ dominant offence was led by Cal Gates, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one home run, four RBIs and two walks. Ricardo Sanchez also went 3-for-4 and had five runs, two RBIs and two walks.

Newcomers Jordan Kievman and Turner Zdunich (High River, Alta.) were also major offensive contributors, pumping out five hits and six RBIs between them.

On the mound, Ty Johnson led the charge, permitting only three hits in three innings.

The Dawgs’ bullpen then only allowed five hits in five innings to close out the game.

Clean pitching performances by Caden Fischer (St. Albert, Alta.), Bracken Rice and Tyson Willis kept the momentum on the Dawgs’ side as they rolled to their first ever mercy rule victory in WCBL history.

The Dawgs will play the Bulls again on Sunday at 2:05 p.m.

May 30, 2026

Baseball Canada

Here’s a rundown of the scores and standings from Day 3 of the Road to Okotoks qualifiers being held in Ontario, the Prairies and B.C., as well as the semi-finals and finals schedules for Sunday.

B.C.

Scoreboard

Standings

Semi-Finals and Finals Schedule

Prairies

Scoreboard

Standings

Semi-Finals and Finals Schedule

The Vauxhall Academy beat Team Saskatchewan 9-5 on Saturday night.

Ontario

Scoreboard

Semi-Finals and Finals Schedule

May 31, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Lopez still leads MLB in batting average, hits

We are close to 60 games into the 2026 season and Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) still leads the majors in batting average and hits.

His .330 batting average puts him ahead of Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh whose .323 average ranks second.

Lopez’s 75 hits are also five more than his Marlins teammate Xavier Edwards for the MLB lead.

The 27-year-old Lopez, who has played for Canada in the last two World Baseball Classics, had a four-hit game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Caissie improving with Marlins

Lopez’s Marlins teammate Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) has been hitting well over the past couple of weeks.

After a lengthy slump, the Fieldhouse Pirates and Junior National team grad is batting .293 with a .561 slugging percentage in his last 15 games. He also has three home runs and 11 RBIs in that span.

Caissie belted a two-run home run in the eighth inning in the Marlins’ 9-7, 10-inning loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field on Friday. It was his fifth home run of the season.

Four days earlier, Caissie had a double, a single and two RBIs in the Marlins’ 8-2 win over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Since May 13, he has boosted his batting average from .202 to .225.

Caissie is in his first season with the Marlins after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs as part of the package for right-hander Edward Cabrera on January 7.

Soroka notches seventh win

On Wednesday, Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) permitted just two runs in six innings, while striking out three, to record his seventh win of the season in the D-Backs’ 3-2 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park.

Soroka is tied for third in the National League in wins.

He also leads the D-Backs in wins and strikeouts (60) and is tied for the team lead with 11 starts.

Smith extends saves streak

Cleveland Guardians reliever Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) has a save in each of his last 15 appearances.

On Friday, he struck out the side against the Boston Red Sox to secure a 4-3 win and his 20th save of the season. That made him the first MLB pitcher to reach 20 saves this season.

This is Smith’s first full season as the Guardians’ closer. He took over as the team’s closer in late July last year and finished 2025 with 16 saves.

19th anniversary of Halladay’s 100th win

It was 19 years ago today that Roy Halladay recorded his 100th win as a Blue Jay when he pitched seven scoreless innings against the Chicago White Sox at Rogers Centre.

He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter in the Blue Jays’ 2-0 victory. Right-hander Jeremy Accardo recorded the save. Left-hander Mark Buehrle threw a complete game for the White Sox but was saddled with the loss.

With this performance, Halladay became the fifth Blue Jays pitcher to record 100 wins, joining Dave Stieb, Jim Clancy, Jimmy Key and Pat Hentgen.

Expos fired Alou 25 years ago

Twenty-five years ago today, the Montreal Expos fired Felipe Alou after parts of 10 seasons as the club’s manager. He was replaced by Jeff Torborg.

A fan favourite, Alou departed the Expos with 691 victories, by far the most by any manager in franchise history (Buck Rodgers is second with 520 wins).

But Alou wasn’t out of work long. After serving as the Detroit Tigers bench coach in 2002, he was hired to be the Giants’ dugout boss in 2003. He remained in that role for four seasons.

Macko makes first MLB start, also thriving out of Jays’ pen

Blue Jays left-hander Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) made his first MLB start on Friday. He held the Baltimore Orioles off the scoreboard for the first 1 2/3 innings as part of a bullpen day in the Blue Jays’ 6-5 win.

The Vauxhall Academy grad has yet to allow a run in his first seven big league appearances. He has five strikeouts and three holds in six innings.

With Brendon Little demoted to triple-A and Joe Mantiply undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, Macko has become a key left-hander out of the Blue Jays’ bullpen, alongside Mason Fluharty.

Macko was 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 relief appearances with 18 strikeouts in 19 innings for triple-A Buffalo prior to his call-up.

He was acquired from the Seattle Mariners, along with reliever Erik Swanson, for outfielder Teoscar Hernandez on November 16, 2022.

Five-year anniversary of national team no-hitter

Five years ago today, Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.), Brendan McGuigan and Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.) combined to throw a no-hitter for the Canadian national team against Colombia in their tournament opening 7-0 win at the Americas Olympic Qualifier.

Albers started and fanned seven batters in the first seven innings. McGuigan and Onyshko followed with hitless frames. They struck out two batters each.

Offensively, Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) had three hits and three RBIs for Canada.

Sabrowski placed on 15-day injured list

The Guardians placed left-hander Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.) on the 15-day injured list on Monday (retroactive to May 22) with left elbow inflammation.

The Guardians are being extra cautious with Sabrowski who has a history of arm woes. Prior to joining the Guardians, Sabrowski underwent Tommy John surgery twice (2018 and 2021).

The Canuck lefty has been outstanding out of the Guardians’ bullpen this season. He leads the majors with 17 holds and owns a 1.71 ERA and has struck out 39 batters in 21 innings.

The Edmonton Prospects Academy grad has pitched in parts of three MLB seasons with the Guardians.

He was originally selected in the 14th round of the 2018 MLB draft by the San Diego Padres.

McAdoo becomes sixth Blue Jay to homer in first game

Blue Jays infielder Charles McAdoo belted a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Orioles on Friday to become the sixth Blue Jays player to homer in their first MLB game.

The others are:

Al Woods – April, 7, 1977

Pinch-hitting for right fielder Steve Bowling in the fifth inning of the Blue Jays’ first-ever game, Woods promptly clubbed a two-run home run off White Sox righty Francisco Barrios in his first at bat.

Steve Staggs – July 1, 1977

Starting at second base and batting second in his MLB debut, Staggs walloped a solo home run off Texas Rangers right-hander Doyle Alexander in the sixth inning. It was his third at bat of the game.

J.P. Arencibia – August 7, 2010

In one of the greatest debuts in Blue Jays’ history, Arencibia hit not one, but two homers in his first MLB game. The young catcher connected for a two-run round-tripper off Tampa Bay Rays right-hander James Shields in the second inning and then for a solo shot off Rays reliever Dale Thayer in the sixth. For good measure, he also had a double and a single in the contest.

Devon Travis – April 6, 2015

Batting ninth and playing second base, Travis hit a solo home run off New York Yankees reliever Chasen Shreve in the seventh inning. It was his third plate appearance.

Davis Schneider – August 4, 2023

Starting at second base and hitting seventh, Schneider belted a solo home run off Boston Red Sox lefty James Paxton (Ladner, B.C.) in his first MLB at bat. He later singled in the top of the seventh for his second hit of the contest.

*Note: I wanted to add Junior Felix to this list. But though he did homer in his first MLB at bat on May 4, 1989, it came in his second MLB game. He had entered the game the previous day as a late-inning defensive replacement.

Sixteen years ago, Stern played final MLB game

On this date 16 years ago, outfielder Adam Stern (London, Ont.) played his final major league game for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Stern pinch-hit for Brewers pitcher Jeff Suppan in the ninth inning and hit a grounder to Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez who flipped the ball to second base to force Brewers catcher George Kottaras (Scarborough, Ont.) out. Stern reached first on a fielder’s choice and then moved up to second on a single by Rickie Weeks. But he was stranded at second when Carlos Gomez flied out to left field and Prince Fielder grounded out to first base.

The Marlins won the game 13-5.

Young activated by Mets

Outfielder/first baseman Jared Young (Prince George, B.C.) was activated by the New York Mets on Tuesday.

He had been sidelined since April 13 due to a meniscus tear in his left knee.

On Saturday, Young belted a solo home run for the Mets in their 6-1 win over the Marlins. He has gone 3-for-8 in four games since his return. In total this season, he is 10-for-29 (.345 batting average) in 14 games.

Signed by the Mets in December 2024, Young socked four homers in 22 games with the big league club last season.

Chosen in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB draft by the Cubs, the Okanagan Athletics alum also played parts of two seasons with the Cubs in 2022 and 2023.

Tong strong out of Mets’ pen

Right-hander Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.) has not allowed an earned run in 6 2/3 innings in two appearances as the long man out of the Mets’ bullpen since being recalled on May 22.

On Wednesday, in his second outing since his promotion, he allowed three hits and an unearned run in 3 2/3 innings in the Mets’ 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Prior to his promotion, the 22-year-old Tong had posted a 1-3 record and a 5.68 ERA in nine starts for the triple-A Syracuse Mets this season. He struck out 55 batters in 38 innings.

This is the 6-foot-1 right-hander’s second major league tenure with the Mets. He went 2-3 with a 7.71 ERA in five big league starts with them last season.

Ranked the Mets’ No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Tong dominated in the minors last season, combining to go 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts in double-A and triple-A. His 179 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher in the affiliated minor league ranks. He also topped all minor league hurlers in ERA and opponents’ batting average (.148).

Selected in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB draft by the Mets, Tong is in his fifth pro season.

May 31st Birthdays

1943 – Jackie Brown, former Expos pitcher (died in 2017)

1962 – Joe Orsulak, former Expos outfielder

1973 – Marty Janzen, former Blue Jays pitcher

1977 – Phil Devey (St. Jerome, Que.), former Los Angeles Dodgers pitching prospect

1981 – Ray Olmedo, former Blue Jays infielder

May 30, 2026

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

The Doane Tigers went two and out at the 2026 Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.

But no one can blame Carter Roth.

Roth (Stratford, Ont.) was 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI in a 7-3 loss to 18th-ranked Mid-America Christian at the 69th annual championship.

And in a 10-8 loss to No. 1 ranked Taylor, the former Ontario National was 3-for-5 again with a double and an RBI.

Four Canucks were wearing Doane uniforms during the tournament, the majority of them fared better against Taylor:

-Jordan Bond (Victoria, BC) had two hits, including a two-run homer, and knocked in three runs.

-Johnny Vulcano (Cloverdale, BC) had a pair of hits.

-Ethan Merk (Regina, Sask.) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless, with three strikeouts, in Doane’s loss to Mid-America Christian.

On the season, at the plate Roth batted .455 with 22 doubles, three triples, 12 homers and 74 RBIs. He had a 1.113 OPS in 58 games.

Bond batted .297 with 13 doubles, a triple, six homers and 40 RBIs. He also carried a .871 OPS in 58 games.

Jimmy Vulcano (Cloverdale, BC) hit .328 with 11 doubles, a triple, two homers and 42 RBIs. He carried a .806 OPS in 51 games. Brother Adam Vulcano hit .267 with five doubles, a triple, three homers and 15 RBIs. He had an OPS of .876 in 47 games.

And on the mound, Merk was 4-3 with five saves and a 3.24 ERA. He fanned 38 in 41 2/3 innings in 19 games.

In addition to the four Doane Tigers, four others made it to the NAIA World Series.

_ Florida Southeastern, who knocked out the UBC Thunderbirds, started 2-0 beating the Johnson Royals 14-13 and Indiana Southeast 16-4. Next came a 17-7 loss to William Carey and an 8-5 loss to Tennessee Wesleyan.

RHP John McDonald pitched in seven games with a 2.44 ERA. McDonald (Mississauga, Ont.) was 1-0, striking out nine in seven innings.

_ Two Canucks were with the Mid-America Christian University Evangels, who beat Doane 7-3, then were edged 14-13 by Southeastern and eliminated in an 11-0 decision to Tennessee Wesleyan.

Ned Ceklic had a pinch-hit single in the second loss. On the season, Ceklic (Okotoks, Alta.) batted .261 with a double, two homers and five RBIs. He had a 1.051 OPS in 20 games. Jordan Hartley (Whitby, Ont.) had one at-bat.

_ RHP Ryan Dexter (Ottawa, Ont.) was with Johnson but did not pitch.

Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs secured their third NAIA national title in a record-breaking 21-3 blowout win over Johnson.

May 27, 2026

Official Bellevue University Athletics News Release

BELLEVUE, Neb. — The Bellevue University Athletic Department celebrated its top student-athletes, coaches, and support staff at the annual Athletics Awards Banquet, recognizing achievement in competition, in the classroom, in performance training, and in service to Bruin Athletics during the 2025-26 academic year.

The evening was highlighted by the presentation of the department's major annual awards, including Male and Female Athlete of the Year, Male and Female Academic Athlete of the Year, Male and Female Lifter of the Year, Student Athletic Trainer of the Year, and the Bruin Award.

Athlete of the Year Awards

Carter Claerhout, a graduate student first baseman, was named the BU Male Athlete of the Year after putting together one of the top offensive seasons in program history.

As of May 18, Claerhout (Red Deer, Alta.) ranked first nationally in batting average (.491), slugging percentage (.969), OPS (1.502), home runs (29), hits (110), total bases (217), and extra-base hits (48). He also ranked fifth nationally with 86 RBIs and sixth with 78 runs scored.

Claerhout's 29 home runs set a Bellevue single-season record, highlighting a 2026 season that placed him among the top offensive performers in program history. He also set BU single-season records for slugging percentage, OPS, total bases, and extra-base hits, while ranking second in batting average and RBIs, third in hits, fifth in runs scored, and sixth in on-base percentage.

Claerhout was named the Frontier Conference Player of the Year, first-team all-Frontier Conference, a Frontier Conference Gold Glove Team selection at first base, and a Frontier Conference All-Tournament Team honoree. He was also a two-time NAIA National Player of the Week and a five-time Frontier Conference Player of the Week during the season.

Eve Fountain, a graduate student outside hitter on the Bellevue University volleyball team, was selected as the BU Female Athlete of the Year after capping one of the most decorated careers in program history with another standout season in 2025.

Fountain earned first-team AVCA and NAIA All-American honors, was named the Frontier Conference Attacker of the Year, and received first-team all-Frontier Conference and first-team AVCA all-North Region recognition. She was also selected to the NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team after helping lead the Bruins to the national quarterfinals.

Fountain led Bellevue with 372 kills, 44 service aces, and 447.0 points while ranking second on the team with 370 digs. She averaged 3.18 kills and 3.16 digs per set, added 52 total blocks, and posted a team-best 14 double-doubles. She led the Frontier Conference in total kills, ranked second in service aces, and finished 15th in digs. Fountain recorded double-figure kills in 22 matches and double-figure digs in 19.

Fountain broke Bellevue's career kills record and finished with 1,917 kills. She also closed her career ranked sixth in program history with 161 service aces and sixth with 1,918 digs.

For her career, Fountain was a three-time first-team NAIA All-American, four-time first-team all-conference selection, four-time first-team AVCA all-region honoree, and five-time all-conference selection overall. She was also the 2025 Frontier Conference Attacker of the Year, the 2020 NSAA Freshman of the Year, the 2020 AVCA North Central Region Freshman of the Year, and the 2024-25 Omaha World-Herald all-Midlands Athlete of the Year.

Academically, Fountain earned first-team CSC Academic All-America honors in 2025 after receiving second-team recognition in 2024. She was also a three-time CSC Academic All-District selection, a four-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete, and a six-time conference scholar-athlete.

Academic Athlete of the Year Awards

Kenji Miller, a senior left-handed pitcher on the Bellevue University baseball team, was named the BU Male Academic Athlete of the Year. Miller earned his bachelor's degree in biology from Bellevue and is currently pursuing his master's degree in data science while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Miller earned first-team all-Frontier Conference, Frontier Conference All-Tournament Team, Frontier Conference Champion of Character, NAIA Scholar-Athlete, and academic all-Frontier Conference honors during the 2026 season.

On the mound, Miller went 10-1 with a 4.45 ERA, leading the Bruins with 85 innings pitched and 98 strikeouts. He made 15 appearances, including 14 starts, for a Bellevue team that was 50-6 overall and 24-0 in conference play as of May 19. Miller's season highlights included 11 strikeouts over eight innings in an 11-1 win over No. 25 Central Methodist and 10 strikeouts against Valley City State.

Audrey Sandfort, a senior defensive specialist on the Bellevue University volleyball team, was selected as the BU Female Academic Athlete of the Year. Sandfort carries a 4.0 GPA in business analytics and earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete and academic all-Frontier Conference honors.

Sandfort was also named Bellevue's representative as the Frontier Conference Champion of Character, in recognition of her commitment to character, leadership, and service.

On the court, Sandfort appeared in 85 sets while contributing in multiple roles as a libero, defensive specialist, and serving specialist. She recorded 152 digs, averaging 1.79 per set, while adding 10 service aces and 15 assists. Sandfort posted a season-high 19 digs against College of Idaho on Aug. 22 and added 17 digs in the Bruins' sweep of Indiana Wesleyan on Aug. 29. She reached double figures in digs five times during the season.

Lifter of the Year Awards

RJ Smith, a senior center on the Bellevue University men's basketball team, was named the BU Male Lifter of the Year after helping the Bruins to a runner-up finish in the Frontier Conference regular-season standings, an at-large berth to the NAIA National Tournament, and a run to the NAIA Round of 16.

Smith started all 32 games and averaged 12.0 points and a team-best 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 67.1 percent from the field. He led the Frontier Conference in rebounding and ranked second in field goal percentage.

Smith recorded six double-doubles during the season, including 19 points and 14 rebounds against Hastings, 19 points and 11 rebounds against Mission, 16 points and 13 rebounds against Waldorf, 14 points and 15 rebounds against Mayville State, 14 points and 14 rebounds at Montana Tech, and 21 points and 11 rebounds against Graceland in the NAIA National Tournament.

Aspen Meyer, a junior outside hitter on the Bellevue University volleyball team, was selected as the BU Female Lifter of the Year after returning to competition following a season-ending knee injury in 2024-25.

Meyer appeared in seven sets over four matches during the 2025 season, totaling six kills, two digs, and two block assists. Her return included a season-high three kills in Bellevue's five-set home win over then-No. 1 Providence on Nov. 1. She also finished with two kills in the Bruins' sweep of Bismarck State on Oct. 11 and added one kill in a road win at Montana Tech on Oct. 23.

Student Athletic Trainer of the Year

Abigail Murphy was named the Bellevue University Student Athletic Trainer of the Year.

Bruin Award

Rob Brown, the only head coach in Bellevue University men's golf history, received the Bruin Award in recognition of his 15-year tenure building the program from its launch into one of the NAIA's consistent national contenders.

Brown was hired in 2010 to start the Bruins' men's golf program and led Bellevue through its first varsity season in 2011-12. Under his direction, the program captured 12 conference championships, won 48 team tournament titles, and qualified for the NAIA National Tournament 12 times.

Bellevue became a fixture on the national stage during Brown's tenure, recording five top-10 finishes at the NAIA National Championships. The Bruins placed a program-best third nationally in 2022 and finished fifth in 2013. His 2024-25 squad added a seventh-place national finish, continuing a run of national success that spanned more than a decade.

Brown was named Conference Coach of the Year 12 times and earned two GCAA Regional Coach of the Year honors. He coached 15 NAIA All-Americans, 48 first-team all-conference selections, and 10 Conference Golfers of the Year. His impact also extended to the classroom, where 43 student-athletes earned conference scholar-athlete recognition during his tenure.

Before launching Bellevue men's golf, Brown had nearly 40 years of professional golf experience, including time teaching alongside Al Geiberger and serving as a head professional at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa, and The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis. An accomplished player, Brown is a former Iowa State Open champion, five-time Iowa PGA Senior Champion, and U.S. Senior Open qualifier.

Brown will retire following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

May 30, 2026

By Patrick Kennedy

Canadian Baseball Network

In today's baseball world of sky-high salaries and ludicrous nine-digit deals, it's hard to imagine a time when most big-league ballplayers held down off-season jobs.

Often they did so out of financial necessity, supplementing modest baseball salaries with a few months of workaday toil alongside everyday people in everyday jobs.

During the winter, Brooklyn Dodgers star Jackie Robinson worked in an appliance store. Pirates infielder Richie Hebner traded his glove for a shovel and dug graves at his family-owned cemetery, while Yankee catcher Yogi Berra sold hardware for Sears & Roebuck. Flame-throwing pitcher Nolan Ryan installed A/C units. Baltimore Orioles ace Jim Palmer sold suits (in the days before he stripped to his skivvies in underwear ads.)

Chicago Cubs icon Ferguson Jenkins was no different. Soon after the baseball season finished, Jenkins returned to his off-season sideline. It was honest, sweaty work that kept him fit, and like his summer job, it played out before large enthusiastic audiences in vast stadiums, small-town arenas, and in one unique instance on the deck of an aircraft carrier.

Fergie played hoops. And not just with any old basketball team but the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters. He played for parts of three seasons (1967-69), roughly 120 games in total.

“It kept me in shape and the money was very good,” Jenkins points out on his Globetrotter days during a recent telephone interview. “In 1967 my Chicago Cubs salary was $12,000. That winter the Globes paid me $14,000 to play basketball for three months.”

Unlike other big leaguers who suited up with the Globies (Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, even ageless Satchel Paige in a three-piece suit come to mind), Jenkins was more than just a participant in skits and stunts. He played when the basketball tempo changed and the pace quickened. That the Cubs even allowed their linchpin to play basketball – or any sport outside of darts or Tiddlywinks – boggles the mind nowadays, especially considering that in 1969, his final season with the Globies, Jenkins was only halfway through a streak of six straight 20-win seasons during which he averaged a tad more than 300 innings per year. Little wonder why his Cubs manager, baseball lifer Leo Durocher, once called Jenkins “not only the best pitcher today, but one of the best ever.”

Jenkins showcased remarkable consistency, durability and pinpoint control over 19 major league seasons. He posted a career won-loss record of 284-226 (3.34 ERA) and retired in 1983 as the first of only four pitchers with at least 3,000 strikeouts and fewer than 1,000 walks.

In his dazzling 1971 Cy Young Award-winning season (24-13, 2.77 ERA), he fanned 263 batters and issued just 37 walks, six of which were intentional. Fergie and the strike zone enjoyed a long-lasting relationship. That same year he also surrendered a league-high 29 home runs, a hazard for any control pitcher. In the days when pitchers batted, that summer he also belted a half-dozen dingers of his own and added 20 RBIs, What's more, he threw a complete game in 30 of his 39 starts. (By comparison, all major-league pitchers in 2025 managed a cumulative total of just 15 complete games.)

Traded from Chicago following a 14-16 season in 1973, Jenkins rebounded the next season with a 25-12 record for manager Billy Martin's last-place Texas Rangers, finishing runnerup to Jim 'Catfish' Hunter, ace of the World Champion Oakland A's, for Cy Young salutations. Jenkins was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, the first Canadian inductee.

Curiously, it's in Cooperstown on Memorial Day Weekend 2026 where the phone call from Kingston reaches the 83-year-old Chatham native and longtime Texas resident.

Fergie, fresh off a rain-shortened 14 holes of golf with fellow inductee Rollie Fingers and former Baltimore Orioles outfielder Al Bumbry, is asked about the vintage photograph that appears with this column, a promotional shot by longtime Whig-Standard photographer Cliff Knapp for a 1968 Globetrotters game at the Kingston Memorial Centre. In the photo, the young major leaguer, then 25, palms a basketball and demonstrates to Kingston sportsman Bob Elliott “how to throw a curve,” something Jenkins does during the team's 'pitching skit” that always ends with Globetrotter master showman Meadowlark Lemon clubbing a two-fisted home run.

Fergie doesn't recall the photo or the actual exhibition contest in Kingston, “a long time ago,” he chuckles. “We played a busy schedule, don't forget...so many towns and cities. But I also got to play in places like the (Detroit) Olympia, the (St. Louis) Checkerdome, and of course in Madison Square Garden, which is the Mecca of basketball.”

The mention of his sparkling 'rebound' season in 1974 triggers a story involving the late Billy Martin, who had carved a reputation as a nightclub brawler beginning in the mid-50s and was evidently still padding it.

“We were on NBC Game of the Week one Saturday,” Fergie recalls a time when the Game of the Week was the ONLY nationally televised game of the week. “It's mid-season, we're in last place, and Billy comes into the ballpark late with some woman trailing him. We're all wondering who she is because she's following him everywhere, even into his office.

“It turned out she was a network makeup artist. Apparently Billy had been in a scrap the night before...half an eyebrow gone, bruises on his face, on his neck. That was Billy.”

Jenkins, like Tom Glavine, current Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement, and a few other major leaguers, played high-level hockey in his teens. He remembers his mother's influence in his decision to ultimately pursue baseball. In particular, he recalls one poignant chat with her one night after the teenager came home from a juvenile all-star hockey game sporting fresh stitches. Delores Ferguson, though visually impaired, spotted a different kind of obstacle ahead in her son's puck-game future. “She said 'Son, this sport isn't for you,' then added: 'Besides, you and the puck are the only black things on the ice.'”

In his 1991 Hall of Fame induction speech, Ferguson thanked his dad, Ferguson Jenkins Sr., a splendid fleet-footed centre fielder with the three-time OBA champion Chatham Coloured All-Stars, and cited his mom's influence on his career.

"My mother knew before I did that the sport of baseball was what I should play," Jenkins said. “Although she was blind, and never saw me play, she always knew this was the game I wanted to do whole-heartedly."

Jenkins maintains a hectic schedule of memorabilia and card shows, golf tournaments, speaking engagements, and public appearances.

“It keeps him going,” notes his wife.

The pitcher who tossed a staggering 264 complete games is still going the distance.

“Gotta keep busy,” says Jenkins. “Like that rolling stone, I'm not gathering any moss.”

Patrick Kennedy is a retired Whig-Standard reporter. He can be reached at pjckennedy35@gmail.com

May 27, 2026

Saskatoon Berries Official News Release

The Saskatoon Berries have locked up a key piece of the pie as head coach Joe Carnahan has signed a three-year contract extension.

"Excited and thankful for the opportunity to continue coaching with the Berries summer collegiate team and academy," said Carnahan, who is entering his third season with the organization. "Sask Entertainment Group is a first-class organization ran professionally with forward-thinking. Steve Hildebrand has been great to work under, as well as working with the rest of the staff and coaching staff. Our goal is to keep raising the bar and continue to elevate the Berries brand."

Carnahan has been the coach of the team since its inaugural season, leading them to a 77-34 record over their first two seasons. He was named WCBL Coach of the Year after the team set the league's wins record with 46 through the 2025 season.

"We are thrilled to have Joe back for the next thre years," said Berries president Steve Hildebrand. "Joe has been instrumental to the team's early success while serving as a crucial part of our development program with the Berries Academy as well."

Carnahan is also a key ingredient of the Saskatoon Berries Academy as its head coach. Under him, the academy has been successful in its first couple of seasons. Graduating several local talents to the NJCAA and NCAA levels. Notably, the academy has graduated impact players to the Berries, with pitcher Merek Yeager and catcher Aiden Marien donning the purple uniform for the season.

May 28, 2026

Official Hamilton Cardinals News Release

HAMILTON, ONT. – The Hamilton Cardinals are excited to announce the signing of infielder Trevor Nicoll for the 2026 season.

Nicoll is a 5-foot-11, 175-pound left-handed hitting infielder from Coombs, B.C. He played his youth baseball with the Parksville Royals of the British Columbia Premier Baseball League.

Nicoll committed to Vancouver Island University in 2022, where he spent all four collegiate seasons with the Mariners, appearing in 100 games. Over his collegiate career, Nicoll posted a .316/.403/.401 slash line with a 48-to-60 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His best season came in 2025, when he slashed .410/.466/.562 and drove in 27 runs in 29 games.

He joins the Cardinals following a strong collegiate career and will reunite with his brother Brandon, who played for the Cardinals last season and earned a CBL All-Star selection.

May 29, 2026

Baseball Canada

Here’s a rundown of the scores and standings from Day 2 of the Road to Okotoks qualifiers being held in Ontario, the Prairies and B.C.

Ontario

Scoreboard

Standings

Prairies
Scoreboard

Standings

B.C.

Scoreboard

Standings

May 29, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Sylvan Lake Gulls 8-7 in front of a capacity crowd of 6,194 at Seaman Stadium on Friday night.

It was the Dawgs’ second straight victory over the Gulls to open the season.

Ricky Sanchez, Cal Gates, Leo Cote (Boucherville, Que.), and Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.) all reached to start the ninth, paving the way for Jeremy Kuiper to beat out a ground ball as Crowson came around to win it.

Four consecutive singles in the bottom of the eighth from Cote, Crowson, Nash Crowell (Yarmouth, N.S.), and Kuiper kickstarted the comeback as the Dawgs cut the lead to two, before winning it in the ninth.

Newcomer Jayden Lusk also had a nice night with two hits, and three RBIs.

On the mound, Dawgs Academy player, and University of Houston commit, AJ Rogers (Dartmouth, N.S.) got the start and gave up three runs in four innings.

A trio of Dawgs Academy pitchers also made their WCBL debuts out of the bullpen as Jack Bello (Vancouver, B.C.), Jack Thompson (Toronto, Ont.) and Brydon White (Surrey, B.C.) all had scoreless innings. White’s scoreless ninth also earned him the win.

There was a beautiful tribute to the late Don Seaman in the pregame festivities on Friday as the Dawgs continue to celebrate their 20th season in Okotoks. The action continues on Saturday night when the Dawgs welcome the Lethbridge Bulls to Seaman Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

May 28, 2026

By Mark Whicker

Canadian Baseball Network

By now you’ve heard about the first rules of engagement in baseball’s proposed Money War.

The collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of the season, and the curtain goes up on the biggest off-field rivalry in the game: Owners vs. Owners.

The players are the scenery, although the Players Association is never easy to persuade. For its part, the hired help has proposed a $1.5 million minimum salary, free agency for five-year players who are 30 or over, and something called a Pre-Arbitration Performance Bonus Program that will enrich over-achieving kids who have played fewer than three years.

Although some of the ideas might be modified, their proposal will last about as long as your receipt from the cleaners. The real issue, as always, is the salary cap, which sends the players out of the room faster than a bunt sign.

The official MLB wish list includes a hard salary cap of $245.3 million, including benefits which are thought to average $23 million per club, and also a hard salary floor of $171.2 million. Revenues would be split 50/50. Local TV revenue will be pooled and shared equally, which is a first.

The dimensions of all this are not trivial. The Dodgers and Mets would have to trim payroll by about $150 million, and six other teams would need a haircut as well. But 12 franchises would have to add significantly to reach the floor. According to Fangraphs, the Marlins have a $74 million payroll. They will have to swell that figure by 97 percent to comply.

The Dodgers will cough up tens of millions, at least, by sharing all their local TV revenue. But since they’re estimated to spend $580 million on players, due to the luxury tax, they’ll reduce their outlay by almost half, even if they have to subject their back-to-back championship roster to heavy triage.

So it’s actually difficult to figure out who really likes the MLB proposal, except for commissioner Rob Manfred, whose idea to cut back game times has been an extraordinary success, just as a busted clock is right twice a day and only momentarily.

When something isn’t broken you don’t fix it, and when something is wildly successful you don’t take a blowtorch to it. Manfred likes to cite the NHL, the NBA and the NHL as leagues that thrive with a salary cap. But the NBA’s cap is pretty much like a “Speed Limit 55” on the Autobahn, since there’s a thicket of exceptions and several “aprons” that allow the profligate spenders to keep spending.

The NFL might be the most successful business venture in the USA, not just in sports, and shouldn’t be compared to anything else. Its player contracts aren’t fully guaranteed either. As for hockey, commissioner Gary Bettman pushed its hard cap because it was self-evident that some franchises were legitimately hurting. The NHL still lost an entire season and a playoff, and only regained its footing with extreme rules changes that made the game watchable.

Manfred says the lack of a cap hurts franchise values. His definition of “hurts” is that NBA and NFL teams have a higher uptick in sale price than baseball teams do. According to the annual Forbes Magazine survey, all 30 MLB teams are worth more than $1 billion, with the Yankees leading the way at $9.4 billion. Only ten years ago the Yankees topped that list at $3.7 billion. Revenues will approach $13 billion this year, industry-wide, and MLB says that figure has increased 247 percent since 2003. In that span, player salaries have increased 149 percent.

A salary cap, at least a hard one, provides cost certainty. Since rich pitchers have a way of suffering career-threatening injuries, baseball will have to create a Long Term Injured Reserve list, as hockey does, that doesn’t count against the cap

There will be a large argument over what constitutes baseball-related income. The Braves make a fortune off The District, the restaurants and shops that ring their ballpark in Cobb County. Sure, that has nothing to do with baseball, but The District wouldn’t be there if the Braves weren’t there.

There also is no provision about staff sizes, or at least it hasn’t been specified. The Oklahoma City Comets, who are the Dodgers’ triple-A affiliate, have 10 coaches, including two hitting coaches and two “performance” coaches. Even the Marlins have 12 coaches, including three who deal with hitters. This might be a cause of correlation and not causations, but some of us remember when there was one hitting coach per team and maybe four .300 hitters in the lineup. If you want to go after expenses, put a magnifying glass on every club’s staff directory.

Most of all, MLB needs to turn away from the charade about equalizing the competition. At this writing, the high-rolling Cubs and the pennywise White Sox have virtually the same record. The Mets, with the No. 2 payroll, are two-and-a-half games behind Miami, with the No. 30 payroll. The Brewers had the No. 23 payroll last year and the No. 1 regular season record, and they have the third-best record in the National League. Tampa Bay leads the Yankees in the A.L. East, playing way above its ledger. The Giants have the No. 9 payroll and are 22-34. And the Tigers, who had the No. 14 payroll last year, came within a 15th-inning single of going to the A.L. Championship Series.

Even with the NHL’s salary cap, the Buffalo Sabres stretched their non-playoff streak to 15 years before they broke through. Pittsburgh and Chicago have won three Cups since the 2004-05 work stoppage, and Los Angeles and Florida have won two apiece. Wise personnel moves and injury luck determine champions, as they always have, but a salary cap puts a premium on what team-building really means. As mentioned before, the Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman would be the first in line to sign up for a hard cap. He built a year-to-year winner in Tampa Bay with a brutally fixed income.

People close to the situation are alarmingly fearful about the precarious 2027 season. It’s true that the MLB proposal is almost guaranteed to spread unanimous discord. But it’s also true that all parties, from dugout to boardroom alike, are more prosperous than they’ve ever been. Canceling a season, in a livelihood where seasons are perishable and finite, is only conceivable when the alarms are sounding. And, even though it’s never happened, there might come a time when a lockout drives them away from the ballpark once and for all, considering the truly outrageous concessions, ticket and parking prices.

Two minority opinions: There will be no work stoppage. And if there is a work stoppage, with all the potential for cleansing the palate and reminding people just what baseball used to mean, it won’t be the worst thing.

May 28, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

GARY, INDIANA – The Gary SouthShore RailCats won the rubber match of a three-game series at U.S. Steel Yard Thursday evening, defeating the Winnipeg Goldeyes 9-3.

For the second game in a row, the RailCats scored in their first at-bat, when second baseman Nick Podkul hit a sacrifice fly to left field that brought designated hitter Cooper Weiss in to make it 1-0.

The Goldeyes took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third as centre fielder Noah Marcelo belted a two-out double to right field scoring left fielder Keshawn Lynch. One batter later, third baseman Ramón Bramasco lined a base hit to left field that drove in Marcelo.

Gary SouthShore put six runs on the board in the bottom of the third inning to take a 7-2 lead. Right fielder Scout Knotts tied the contest with a single to right that plated Weiss. Next, first baseman Joe Suozzi hit a two-run double to right field that scored Podkul and Knotts to make it 4-2 RailCats. Olivier Basabe and Suozzi then came in on a throwing error after third baseman Camryn Williams’ fielder’s choice, extending the lead to 6-2. Finally, catcher Colin Summerhill doubled to centre field to bring Williams in for a 7-2 cushion.

In the home half of the sixth, Gary SouthShore centre fielder Korry Howell came in on a passed ball to make it 8-2, and Weiss scored when Podkul grounded into a double play.

Winnipeg reduced the deficit by one run in the top of the ninth inning on catcher Raphaël Pelletier’s single to right that drove in shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder. It was the Repentigny, Que., native’s first professional run batted in.

Peyton Long started and went seven innings for the RailCats. He allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out five. Joan Valdez pitched the final two frames, surrendering a run on three hits. He struck out three. Neither Gary SouthShore pitcher walked a batter.

Mitchell Lambson gave up seven runs – five earned on seven hits over five innings. He struck out two and walked four. Weston Lombard and Eli Saul (Vancouver, B.C.) worked the final three innings for the Goldeyes.

Following the game Winnipeg made the brief journey northwest to Rosemont, Ill., where they will open a three-game weekend series with the Chicago Dogs Friday at 6:30 p.m. The Goldeyes have not announced their starting pitcher. Chicago is expected to send right-hander Dwayne Marshall to the mound.

May 28, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

It was a sweet victory for the Okotoks Dawgs as they opened up the 2026 WCBL season with a 8–4 road win over the Sylvan Lake Gulls.

The name of the game on Thursday night for the Dawgs was playing clean and taking care of the baseball.

The Dawgs got out to an early lead, scoring a pair in the top of the first as Ricky Sanchez and Cal Gates came around to score on a pair of throwing errors by the Gulls. They never relinquished their lead after that.

Fan favourite Sanchez, in his final season with the Dawgs, was part of the trio of veterans that led the offensive charge along with Nash Crowell (Yarmouth, N.S.) and Leo Cote (Boucherville, Que.). All three drove in runs in the contest. Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) also added a pair of hits.

As mentioned, the defensive effort of the Dawgs stole the show, with Sanchez, Cote and Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.) all making stellar plays in the infield.

On the mound, Joe McBride got the start and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs before turning things over to the bullpen with a 7–2 lead.

The pen was able to lock down the win, getting out of a couple of tough jams. A base-running error by the Gulls in the bottom of the sixth helped keep things in check for the Dawgs. Dalton Hoffart and Grady Keljo had standout performances out of the pen, inducing 1-2-3 eighth and ninth innings in the victory.

The Okotoks Dawgs will now welcome Sylvan Lake for their home opener tonight at 7:05 p.m.

May 28, 2026

Here’s a rundown of the scores and standings from Day 1 of the Road to Okotoks qualifiers being held in Ontario, the Prairies and B.C.

Ontario

Scoreboard

Ontario Standings

Prairies

Scoreboard

Prairies

Standings

B.C.

Scoreboard

B.C. Standings

May 28, 2026

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network 

The field for the NCAA Baseball Tournament is set. 

How many Canadians are competing, you ask? There’s 36 players and two coaches across 19 teams. 

That’s up from 35 in 2025 but down from 51 in 2024. 

Let’s break down, by regional, which Canucks will play where. 

Morgantown Regional 

West Virginia Mountaineers (39-14) 

Infielder Tyrus Hall (Victoria, BC) and right-handed pitcher Ben Goodacre (Ancaster, Ont.) have the luxury of hosting after the Mountaineers neared 40 wins. 

Hall was an instrumental piece of head coach Steve Sabins offence, hitting .269 with five home runs, an .801 OPS and 16 stolen bases. 

Goodacre didn’t see action this season. 

West Virginia is joined by Wake Forest, Kentucky and Binghamton in Morgantown. 

Game 1: vs. Binghamton on Friday 

Kentucky Wildcats (31-21) 

The selection committee believed the Wildcats did enough to get in despite finishing 10 games over .500 and bowing out of the Southeastern Conference tournament after one game. 

Like West Virginia, Kentucky has two Canadians. 

Left-handed pitcher Jackson Soucie (Cambridge, Ont.) made 21 appearances out of the bullpen and posted a 3.24 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. 

Infielder Maxime Boies (Levis, Que.) didn’t see action this season. 

Game 1: vs. Wake Forest on Friday 

Hattiesburg Regional 

Jacksonville State Gamecocks (46-13) 

The Gamecocks swept their way through the Conference USA tournament to earn an automatic bid. 

Infielder and outfielder Greg LaChance (Whitby, Ont.), a transfer from Illinois, played in 35 games, starting 23. He hit .241 with a .649 OPS. 

Right-handed pitcher James Wilson (Toronto, Ont.) made six appearances, five of which were starts, with a 10.05 ERA over 14 1/3 innings. 

Jacksonville State goes up against host Southern Miss, Virginia and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 

Game 1: vs. Virginia on Friday 

Arkansas Little Rock Trojans (36-26) 

Three Canadians helped the Trojans win the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. 

Infielder Blake Simpson (Toronto, Ont.) hit .327 with an .860 OPS in 36 games. 

Outfielder Austin Coyle (Kamloops, BC) played in 28 games and put up a .167 average and 1.000 fielding percentage. 

Outfielder David Stanley (Toronto, Ont.) also hit .167 but in just eight games. 

Game 1: vs. Southern Miss on Friday 

Gainesville Regional 

Florida Gators (39-19) 

Top 2027 Major League Baseball draft prospect Brendan Lawson (Toronto, Ont.) leads the Gators on their home field. 

Lawson started all 52 games with a .308 average, 16 home runs, a 1.196 OPS and 16 stolen bases. 

The Gators welcome Miami, Troy and Rider to The Swamp. 

Game 1: vs. Rider on Friday 

Troy (32-29) 

Troy cracks the field with an at-large bid. 

Right-hander Matteo Pare (LaSalle, Ont.) appeared in three games and posted a 27.00 ERA. 

Game 1: vs. Miami on Friday 

Chapel Hill Regional 

Virginia Commonwealth Rams (37-23) 

The Rams captured their fourth Atlantic 10 title since 2021. 

Infielder Nate Kirkpatrick (Surrey, BC) powered the offence with a .308 average, nine home runs and a .890 OPS in 60 games. 

Right-hander Nick Frers (North Vancouver, BC) made 16 appearances, five starts, with a 1-3 record and 6.27 ERA. He fanned 31 in 33 innings. 

Former Rams southpaw Campbell Ellis (Georgetown, Ont.) is the program’s director of pitching development. 

VCU will see host North Carolina, Tennessee and East Carolina in Chapel Hill. 

Game 1: vs. North Carolina on Friday 

College Station Regional 

Texas State Bobcats (36-24) 

Kyle Froehlich (Nipawin, Sask.) has appeared in 21 games, nine being starts. He’s 4-2 with a 4.73 ERA and 63 punch outs in 59 innings. 

The Bobcats, host Texas A&M, Southern California and Lamar make up the regional. 

Game 1: vs. Southern California on Friday 

Lincoln Regional 

Nebraska Cornhuskers (42-15) 

A 42-win season so far earned Nebraska the right to host, despite not winning the Big 10 Conference tournament. 

Southpaw Caleb Clarke (Orillia, Ont.) is 2-2 with a 6.86 ERA in 22 relief appearances. He’s struck out 23 in 19 2/3 innings. 

Ole Miss, Arizona State and South Dakota State round out the regional. 

Game 1: vs. South Dakota State on Friday 

Atlanta Regional 

Oklahoma Sooners (32-21) 

The Sooners head to Georgia as the No. 2 seed in the regional. 

Catcher Deiten Lachance (Sherbrooke, Que.) has had one of the best seasons of any Canadian in Division I baseball. Through 52 games, he’s hitting .335 with 12 home runs, 51 RBIs and a 1.029 OPS. His slugging percentage is .612. 

Host Georgia Tech, The Citadel and the University of Illinois Chicago are the other three teams in the regional. 

Game 1: The Citadel on Friday 

Lawrence Regional 

Kansas Jayhawks (42-16) 

Kansas has been one of the top teams in college baseball and is fresh off winning the Big 12 tournament. 

Outfielder and catcher Jordan Bach (Ladner, BC) has been a big part of it, hitting .295 with seven home runs, 43 RBIs and an .893 OPS. 

Kansas welcomes Arkansas, Missouri State and Northeastern. 

Game 1: vs. Northeastern on Friday 

Missouri State (34-19) 

Head coach Joey Hawkins (Whitby, Ont.) leads the Bears back to a regional. 

Infielder and outfielder Taeg Gollert (Toronto, Ont.) is hitting .254 with 16 home runs and 64 RBIs through 53 games. He’s fielded 1.000. 

Right-hander Owen Slater (Brooklin, Ont.) has made 15 appearances, 12 starts, and is 4-3 with a 6.95 ERA in 55 2/3 innings. 

Left-hander Sam Maclaughlin (Toronto, Ont.) has a 5.66 ERA in 10 appearances. 

Right-handed pitcher and infielder Adyn Schell (Toronto, Ont.) has made 15 appearances on the mound. Over 15 1/3 innings, he’s put together an 8.22 ERA with 14 strike outs. He’s also played in four games as a position player. 

Right-hander Michael Yusypchuk (Edmonton, Alta.) is 2-1 with a 7.30 ERA in seven appearances, five starts. 

Game 1: vs. Arkansas on Friday  

Tallahassee Regional 

St. John’s Red Storm (33-24) 

The Red Storm stormed away with the Big East tournament championship. 

Left-hander Carter Wall (Oakville, Ont.) has made 10 appearances this season with a 10.38 ERA. 

Catcher Declan Spooner (Vancouver, BC) is hitting .200 over five games. 

Host Florida State, Coastal Carolina and Northern Illinois complete the regional. 

Game 1: vs. Florida State 

Tuscaloosa Regional 

Oklahoma State Cowboys (37-20) 

The Cowboys have a pair of Canadian right-handers. 

Kai Fyke (Langley, BC) owns a 7.15 ERA in 39 innings. 

Matthew Brown (Carlisle, Ont.) hasn’t seen action. 

Host Alabama, USC Upstate and Alabama State take to the field in Tsucaloosa. 

Game 1: vs. USC Upstate on Friday 

USC Upstate (33-28) 

The Spartans have momentum heading into the regional after winning the Big South Conference. 

Infielder and outfielder Wylie Waters (Vancouver, BC) has played in 55 games and put up a .320 average, 12 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .906 OPS. 

Right-hander Reece Hemmerling (Beaumont, Alta.) carries 16 appearances, including four starts, into the tournament. He’s 1-3 with a 4.75 ERA in 36 innings. 

Game 1: vs. Oklahoma State on Friday 

Eugene Regional  

Washington State Cougars (30-26) 

The Cougars have received plenty of production out of their Canucks. 

Infielder Gavin Roy (Sudbury, Ont.) leads the team with a .372 average to go along with a .954 OPS and 100 total bases. 

Outfielder Max Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.) is hitting .338 in 56 games. He also has a .992 OPS and is 18-for-21 in stolen base attempts. 

Catcher Alexandre Giguère (Levis, Que.) has a .261 average and .989 OPS in 29 games, while fellow catcher Cam Macleod (Vancouver, BC) owns a .198 average and .665 OPS over 35 games. 

Right-handed pitcher Scott Rienguette (Sudbury, Ont.) has thrown 29 innings across 19 appearances with a 5.28 ERA and 31 strikeouts. 

Washington State will go up against host Oregon, Oregon State and Yale. 

Game 1: vs. Oregon State on Friday 

Starkville Regional 

Mississippi State Bulldogs (40-17) 

Left-hander Dane Burns (Regina, Sask.) has 26 appearances, a 3.32 ERA, 31 strikeouts and one saves in 21.1 innings for the host Bulldogs. 

Cincinnati, Louisiana and Lipscomb make up the rest of the regional. 

Game 1: vs. Lipscomb on Friday 

Cincinnati Bearcats (37-20) 

Right-hander Logan Knight (London, Ont.) is a transfer from North Dakota State, where he pitched in a regional in 2025. 

This season, he’s 4-4 with a 4.99 ERA in 15 appearances, 13 being starts. 

Game 1: vs. Louisiana on Friday 

Athens Regional 

Long Island Sharks (30-20) 

The Sharks earned a berth by winning the Northeast Conference tournament. 

Right-hander Owen Luchies (Victoria, BC) has made 13 appearances and one start. He’s 1-0 with a 8.36 ERA. 

The Sharks will swim with host Georgia, Boston College and Liberty. 

Game 1: vs. Georgia on Friday 

Fieldhouse Pirates infielder Robert Omidi (Mississauga, Ont.) belted three home runs for the Junior National Team on their Dominican pro trip earlier this month. Photo: Baseball Canada

May 28, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

The Junior National Team was back in action this month, with the squad taking their talents to the Dominican Republic for their annual road trip against a new crop of professional players and teams.

Across nine days from May 12 to May 20, the Canucks played 11 games against DSL squads from the Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays.

This trip is another way for Canadian prep players to play against fellow talented players that hail from Latin America but sit in a similar 16-19 age group, versus their extended spring training trip in Florida, where they face older, more polished talent.

Here are five players who stood out on the Dominican trip:

Robert Omidi – INF

It’s safe to say that nobody swung a hotter bat than Robert Omidi on this trip. The Fieldhouse Pirate and Mississauga, Ont., product led the way with three home runs and 1.317 OPS, collecting six hits through 20 at-bats (.300 batting average). He also topped the JNT squad in SLG with an .800 mark, thanks in part to his round trippers and additional double.

Omidi also added a team-high eight runs and walked seven times compared to three strikeouts. He suited up in eight games for the Canucks and produced a strong .517 OBP.

Omidi also had a .214 BABIP and was tied for the team lead with his four extra-base hits.

Heading into the summer, Omidi is ranked No. 7 on the 2026 Canadian Baseball Network Draft List.

Rogan Rivard – OF

The Vauxhall Jets scored an organizational win when Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) made his big league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this month, and the good times keep rolling for Les McTavish and his crew.

Outfielder Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville, Alta.) was one of the other top bats down in the Dominican, producing a .333/.583/.400 slash line with a .983 OPS, sitting just behind Omidi. Rivard went 5-for-15, while also chipping in with a double and an RBI. He walked three times compared to one strikeout and got hit six times at the plate.

Rivard was also tied for the team lead in steals (3) while committing zero errors in the outfield on 12 chances. Kansas State University has already locked up the 2027 grad, but if he continues this strong showing, big league clubs will come calling for the Alberta product.

Calum Andersen – RHP

Keeping in line with the Vauxhall Jets players, right-hander Calum Andersen has been causing a ruckus on the JNT stage.

The 6-foot-4 Calgary product was downright dominant in the Dominican, leading the Canadian hurlers in innings pitched (6 1/3) while starting two games. He threw 115 pitches and produced a 2.21 ERA with a 1.421 WHIP while striking out eight compared to four walks.

The right-hander allowed just five hits and two earned runs and finished with one of the top ERAs amongst the starting crew for the JNT squad. The walks hurt his FIP total (4.61), but he was effective on the mound, holding opposing bats to a .208 average while producing a 75% weak contact rate.

Ranked No. 4 on the CBN’s 2027 Draft List, Andersen has the size and frame to be a starter, and it’s why the University of Oklahoma locked him up this past winter.

Sam Davis – LHP

Hello, Sam Davis.

Making his debut with the Junior National Team this trip, the left-hander from AHP Academy and the pride of Beaumont, Alta. put on quite the show.

Working as a bulk reliever, Davis finished the trip with a 1.17 ERA in six innings. The southpaw allowed five hits with one earned run while walking four compared to nine strikeouts, tied for second best on the team.

Davis is one of the few uncommitted 2026 arms on the team, but there is a lot to like in his 6-foot-6 frame. He held opposing bats to a .217 average and produced a strong 1.59 FIP in his first foray against pro hitters.

Cole Dorland – RHP

Right-hander Cole Dorland is no stranger to the junior squad. The Langley, B.C., product put together a strong showing in what will likely be one of his final trips with the JNT before he heads off to the University of Alabama.

Making two starts, Dorland allowed just four hits and one earned run in 5 1/3 innings. He held opponents to a .174 average and finished the trip with a strong 3.66 FIP.

Striking out three batters, Dorland was efficient in his outings and finished second on the team with his 121 pitches.

May 26, 2026

Official Toronto Blue Jays News Release

The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired RHP Connor Seabold from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for LHP Juanmi Vasquez.

Seabold, 30, has made 11 appearances for the Tigers this season, posting a 3.45 ERA across 15 2/3 innings.

The right-hander signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays this offseason, making six appearances during spring training as a non-roster invite. The Laguna Hills, Calif., native was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft, making his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2021.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound righty has suited up for 51 career MLB games (19 starts) between the Red Sox, Rockies, Braves, Rays, and Tigers, combining to post a 7.28 ERA over 134 2/3 innings.

Vasquez, 22, has suited up for 12 games with High-A Vancouver in 2026, going 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA, issuing 16 walks while striking out 35 hitters over 23 innings. The New York, N.Y., native was signed by Toronto in the summer of 2022 and has spent the entirety of his five-year professional career in the Blue Jays’ system.

Across four levels and 68 career minor league contests (five starts), the 5-foot-11, 205-pound lefty has posted a 4.94 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP with a 26.6% strikeout rate, an 11.8% walk rate, and a 32.4% whiff rate.

Additionally, RHP José Berríos has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

May 28, 2026

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA – The Road to Okotoks starts now.

Beginning May 28, 29 teams from across the country will battle in the inaugural The Road to Okotoks and The Morneau Cup presented by Rawlings, all with the same goal - earn a place on the national stage.

Over four days (May 28–31), teams will compete in regional qualifiers in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Only 14 teams will advance, punching their ticket to Okotoks, Alberta for a chance to compete for the Morneau Cup from July 14-19.

From coast to coast, some of the country’s top programs will play host to high-stakes competition. In British Columbia, the Langley Blaze and White Rock Tritons will welcome teams to two competitive qualifier sites. Across the Prairies, Vauxhall Academy, Prairie Baseball Academy, and the Lethbridge Bulls will host a deep and talented field. In Ontario, the Mississauga Tigers HPP, Ontario Nationals and Terriers Baseball will play hosts while looking to punch their own tickets to Okotoks.

Ontario will see 10 teams competing for seven spots, while 13 teams in the Prairies will battle for three, and six teams in British Columbia will compete for four positions.

Awaiting the qualifiers is the final destination: Okotoks, Alberta (July 14–19). There, the 14 advancing teams will join host Okotoks Dawgs Black and a wild card entry to complete a 16-team field competing for the inaugural Morneau Cup.

Participating Teams

Prairies (Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba):

Calgary Bucks

HR Sports Academy (MB)

Okotoks Dawgs White

Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep

Vauxhall Academy

ATHX Academy Redhawks

Calgary Premier Blues

Okotoks Dawgs Red

Team Saskatchewan

AHP Renegades

Calgary Cubs

Parkland Twins

Webber Wildcats Prep

British Columbia:

Abbotsford Cardinals

Langley Blaze

Mid-Island Pirates

UBC Thunder

Victoria Eagles

White Rock Tritons

Ontario:

Ontario Nationals

DT Select (QC)

Etobicoke Rangers

Atlantic Frontier

Ontario Kobras

Ontario Terriers

Mississauga Tigers HPP

Ontario Blue Jays

North Toronto 17U Elite

Ontario Giants

Follow the Action

British Columbia
Prairies
Ontario

The journey begins May 28. The destination is Okotoks.

Other Canadian Baseball Network Road to Okotoks Articles:

Terriers

Abbotsford Cardinals

AHP Renegades Baseball Academy

Home Run Sports Training Centre (Winnipeg)

Terriers

Etobicoke Rangers

Mississauga North Tigers

North Toronto Athletics

Elliott: The best will compete on the Road to Okotoks and in the Morneau Cup — Canadian Baseball Network

Wilson: WCBL to showcase teams to young talent during Road to Okotoks — Canadian Baseball Network

Wilson: Morneau appreciates team-first focus of Road to Okotoks national championship — Canadian Baseball Network

Sweeney: Atlantic provinces prep for Road to Okotoks — Canadian Baseball Network

May 27, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

GARY, INDIANA – In a tightly contested pitching battle, the Winnipeg Goldeyes had their four-game winning streak snapped by the Gary SouthShore RailCats on Wednesday night, falling 2-1 at U.S. Steel Yard.

The RailCats opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, as Korry Howell came in to score on an Elvis Peralta sacrifice fly.

Jiandido Tromp knotted things up 1-1 in the top of the second inning on an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Adam Hall (London, Ont.) from first base.

Gary SouthShore jumped back in front in the bottom of the fifth inning on a single from Howell that deflected off Goldeyes pitcher Landen Bourassa’s glove and into right field, scoring Olivier Basabe from third to make it 2-1.

Despite threatening in nearly every inning, Winnipeg was unable to plate a second run, as the 2-1 score held for the remainder of the contest.

Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) had an outstanding night, but took the tough-luck loss for the Goldeyes. He allowed two runs (both unearned) on just five hits while striking out 10. He faced just four batters over the minimum and threw 71 strikes on 96 pitches and did not walk a batter.

Deyni Olivero was on the winning end of the pitchers' duel after throwing six innings of one-run ball, allowing just four hits and striking out one.

Jacob Coats picked up his first save of the season, coming on in the eighth inning, and did not surrender a hit.

The three-game series will conclude in Gary on Thursday at 6:45 p.m. when Goldeyes lefty Mitchell Lambson takes on right-hander Peyton Long.

May 26, 2026

Official Okotoks Dawgs News Release

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs are set to host Opening Weekend Friday, May 29 through Sunday, May 31, marking the start of the club’s 20th season in Okotoks.

The milestone summer will feature key roster additions, returning fan favourites, impressive upgrades to Seaman Stadium, and to cap it off, the Road to Okotoks National Academy Championship.

This year marks 20 years since the construction of Seaman Stadium, made possible through the vision and generosity of the late Don and Doc Seaman. Over the past two decades, the stadium has become one of the premier destinations in summer collegiate baseball, earning recognition as Ballpark Digest’s Best Ballpark in Summer Collegiate Baseball in 2023.

In addition, the Stadium has become a true baseball complex with the addition of the Duvernay Fieldhouse, the Rose Pitching and Hitting Lab and Tourmaline Field, thanks to the generosity of Michael Rose, Dawgs management, and the Province of Alberta.

“We’re incredibly proud to celebrate 20 seasons of Dawgs baseball in Okotoks,” said Founding and Managing Director, John Ircandia. “The passion and support from our fans over the years has meant everything to our organization, and we’re grateful for it every single day. Reaching this milestone is a testament to the loyalty of our supporters and our generous donors. We are excited to celebrate this special season together all summer long.”

With championships in three of the past four seasons, the Dawgs are eager to reestablish their dominance atop the WCBL.

“Our program has grown tremendously over the years,” said Head Coach Lou Pote. “This year’s team brings a great mix of talent, depth, and competitiveness, and we’re excited for the opportunity to compete for a ninth WCBL championship.”

New roster additions include outfielders Ayden Crouse and Cal Gates (Indiana University), catchers Jayden Lusk (Vernon College) and Lachlan Maude (University of New Mexico), and pitcher Max McCraray (University of Houston).

Dawgs Academy graduates Will Labonté and Leo Cote will return for the summer collegiate season following successful years with the University of Portland. Hometown slugger Connor Crowson (Tennesse Tech), who fans will remember for his walk off, championship-clinching home run in the 2024 WCBL championship, also returns to a powerful Dawgs lineup.

Labonté, along with returning Dawgs shortstop Ricky Sanchez (Gonzaga), were both given second-team all-conference honours for their outstanding performance in the West Coast Conference this season.

Performances like these and several others make this anniversary season one with great promise for the Dawgs.

The Dawgs have also recently completed significant expansions and renovations to Seaman Stadium, including the addition of Section 112 and the Custom Mechanical Field Level Suite, along with phases one and two of the Duvernay Fieldhouse expansion. The upgrades include a state-of-the-art weight and training room as well as the Rose Pitching and Hitting Lab.

In addition to an exciting collegiate season, the Dawgs are hosting the Road to Okotoks: Baseball Canada’s ultimate showcase of talent, competition, and championship spirit. It brings together the 16 strongest Academy programs and travel teams from across Canada doing battle for the Morneau Cup at Seaman Stadium and Tourmaline Field from July 14 to July 19.

Fans will get their first look at the 2026 Dawgs at Seaman Stadium during Opening Weekend, May 29–31. The weekend begins with the Home Opener Friday, May 29 vs. the Sylvan Lake Gulls. The Dawgs are anticipating a full house to begin the season so fans are encouraged to get their tickets now. The game will include a special tribute to the late Don Seaman, honouring his significant lasting impact on the Dawgs organization and baseball in Alberta.

The Opening Weekend celebration continues with 5 O’Clock Somewhere Saturday, a night that sets the tone for the summer with food and drink promotions while the Dawgs play in their “Margaritaville” tropical blue uniforms.

The weekend concludes on Sunday afternoon with Diggity’s Birthday– Mascot Mania. The classic Sunday afternoon game features family-friendly fun, and fans will enjoy the antics of mascots from around Okotoks and the greater Calgary area.

May 26, 2026

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

Many of the top players and programs from across the province will head to Kings Christian Collegiate this weekend to try and qualify for the Baseball Canada national championship tournament later this summer.

The Terriers home field will be one of the regional locations for the Road to Okotoks slated for Thursday, May 28 to Sunday, May 31. Meadowvale Park in Mississauga and Tip O’Neill Park in Woodstock will be the other sites of Ontario qualifying games.

The Prairie qualification tournament featuring 13 teams will be hosted in Lethbridge, with the BC qualifier of six teams set for White Rock and Langley.

“The Road to Okotoks is a bold new chapter for amateur baseball in Canada,” Jason Dickson, Baseball Canada’s chief executive officer, said in a release when the tournament was announced last September.

“We’re creating a platform that not only celebrates elite competition but also supports player development and exposure. Just as importantly, this event helps unify our baseball community from coast-to-coast by bringing the best together on a national stage. We’re thrilled to launch this with support from the Okotoks Dawgs, Justin Morneau and some of the most respected amateur programs in the country.”

The Terriers will play in Pool B and open their tournament on Thursday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m. versus North Toronto 17U Elite before taking on the Ontario Giants at 8:30 p.m.

The team will then travel to Meadowvale Park for a 7 p.m. game on Friday, May 28 versus the Mississauga Tigers. The round robin wraps up with a game against the Ontario Blue Jays on Saturday, May 30 at 10 a.m. at Kings Christian Collegiate.

Pool A includes the Ontario Nationals, Diamond Baseball Academy, Etobicoke Rangers, Atlantic Frontier and Ontario Kobras.

Seven teams will advance following the quarterfinal, semifinals and finals, along with four from BC, three from the Prairies, one wild card and the host Okotoks Dawgs.

The winner of the 16-team tournament will hoist the Morneau Cup.

“This event represents a major step forward in providing elite Canadian amateur players with meaningful, high-level competition,” Greg Hamilton, Baseball Canada’s director of national teams and head coach of the junior national team, said in the release.

“The Road to Okotoks will deliver a true best-on-best environment with national bragging rights on the line — a setting that challenges our top athletes and prepares them for the next level. It’s an exciting initiative that will elevate amateur baseball in Canada.”

The Baseball Canada national championship is scheduled for July 14 to 19.

Other Canadian Baseball Network Road to Okotoks Articles:

Abbotsford Cardinals

AHP Renegades Baseball Academy

Home Run Sports Training Centre (Winnipeg)

Terriers

Etobicoke Rangers

Mississauga North Tigers

North Toronto Athletics

Elliott: The best will compete on the Road to Okotoks and in the Morneau Cup — Canadian Baseball Network

Wilson: WCBL to showcase teams to young talent during Road to Okotoks — Canadian Baseball Network

Wilson: Morneau appreciates team-first focus of Road to Okotoks national championship — Canadian Baseball Network

Sweeney: Atlantic provinces prep for Road to Okotoks — Canadian Baseball Network

May 26, 2026

By Rowan Bronee

Victoria HarbourCats

VICTORIA, B.C. – They say familiarity breeds contempt.

With the HarbourCats home opener looming one week from today, the old proverb certainly applies to the first homestand of the 2026 season. After seven consecutive contests between Victoria and Edmonton to end the 2025 season, the Riverhawks will perch in Victoria for a three-game series beginning June 2.

For the returning HarbourCats, last year’s playoff series against Edmonton will be fresh in their minds. Victoria forced game three after dropping the opener, but were defeated 8-7 after a valiant comeback effort. Todd Haney’s crew will be in search of sweet revenge in the opening homestand of the year.

Among the returnees is Austin Lindsey, a right-handed pitcher entering his second season as a HarbourCat. The Lufkin, Texas product went 8-3 over 13 starts for Hill College this season, striking out 48 batters and maintaining an ERA just under five. Lindsey earned a crucial save in game two of the playoffs last year, striking out two in the ninth inning to force game three. Marcus Janovsky returns for the Cats as well, who struck out five over three innings in game one of the Victoria-Edmonton series last year.

Tuesday, June 2 is the home opener, always one of the most exciting days of baseball season. Fresh off an away series in Portland, the Cats will return to Victoria for their first performance in front of a home crowd in the 2026 season.

Following the home opener, Wednesday, June 3’s game is Help Fill a Dream Night, in partnership with the Help Fill a Dream Foundation in support of families with children affected by serious health challenges. The series wraps up on June 4, with the first School Spirit Game, where local students can enjoy some HarbourCats baseball and bring the youthful energy to Royal Athletic Park.

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on May 25. You can read it here.

May 27, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

There’s no place like home for the Prairie Baseball Academy (PBA) Dawgs.

The Lethbridge-based squad has become the regular host of the Canadian College Baseball Conference (CCBC) World Series over the last few years at Spitz Stadium.

When the new turf at the home of the Lethbridge Bulls was deemed not ready to be played on, officials moved championship weekend to PBA’s usual home: Lloyd Nolan Yard.

Along with home-field advantage thanks to winning the CCBC’s regular season pennant, the Dawgs capped off an unbeaten weekend with a 12-7 victory over the Edmonton Collegiate Hawks on a sunny Sunday afternoon to claim the league championship.

“I’m just proud of the way the kids played all year,” head coach Todd Hubka told Alberta Dugout Stories.

“Just everything. It was an exciting year with our pitching staff, our hitters and we played the game the right way. I thought we were the best team (this year) and we proved it.”

It was the 11th title in program history since 2002 and its first since 2017.

THE LONG ROAD BACK

Hubka admits it had become almost a given for a while that his Dawgs would be in the championship game.

After wins in 2004, 2006 and 2008, they went on an unprecedented run of seven consecutive CCBC titles from 2011 to 2017.

Okanagan College and the University of Fraser Valley captured the next two before the pandemic, then the Dawgs dry spell continued for the following five years.

They were always in contention and were among the spring circuit’s top teams during the regular season but were always missing one or two key elements that would put them over the top for another crown.

Coming into the 2026 season, Hubka felt like he had all the right pieces with a solid core of returning veterans in the lineup and a deep pitching staff full of young arms capable of handling big moments.

While the team took some lumps during a pre-season trip to the U.S., he says they learned a lot about themselves by facing some early adversity.

It served them well as they started the CCBC season off with nine wins in their first 11 games, then followed that up with a nine-game winning streak.

By no means were they in cruise control though, as they were in a dead heat with Okanagan College for first place right until the final weekend of the regular season, eventually finishing with a 25-11 record, winning the conference by two games.

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Listen to the Alberta Dugout Stories podcast about the Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs CCBC crown here.

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SETTING THE STAGE

For the first time in the CCBC’s history, not every team was making it to championship weekend.

With the addition of the new University Baseball Club out of the University of British Columbia, the league decided that only the top six teams would be making the trip.

PBA, holding the No. 1 seed, started the tournament off with a 7-3 win over Vancouver Island University, thanks to a three-hit performance from rightfielder Declan O’Kane and four other players posting two-hit games.

Their relentless offence and strong pitching was on full display in their second game of the tournament, an 18-0 romp against Edmonton Collegiate, who had been the only other unbeaten team in the tournament.

Jack Mortimer led the charge offensively, going 4-for-5 with four runs batted in and three runs scored, while Sean Bavis rendered the Hawks’ offence without wings, allowing just two hits while striking out five in the seven-inning complete game.

The win gave PBA a berth in the final, while the Hawks had to play Okanagan for the other spot.

BACK-AND-FORTH AFFAIR

The Hawks would get their chance at revenge when they won a wild 21-17 contest to give the Coyotes their second loss of the double-elimination tournament.

However, the Dawgs had other plans as they turned to Abbotsford, B.C. native Aiden Beck on the mound.

“I just tried to keep it like any other game when I was playing catch and getting ready,” said the right-hander, who said he found out about the start the day before while sitting in the bleachers with his family. “Coach (Josh) Burgmann was like, ‘Hey, just like any other game, right? Don’t make it any bigger than it needs to be.’”

Beck didn’t allow a run in his first inning of work despite a couple of base runners, as catcher Willis Takahashi picked them both off trying to steal. He also struck out Hawks slugger Caedyn Colford.

Then the offence provided their hurler with some buffer in their half of the first, as O’Kane took Riley Starko deep for a two-run homer.

The flood gates opened in the third inning as the Dawgs put up five runs, then another three in the fourth, and it looked like a repeat of the previous meeting with their northern counterparts.

The Hawks weren’t ready to pack it in though, scoring three runs in the fifth to put an end to Beck’s day.

They kept coming in the sixth, tagging Zak Wright with three more runs before Will Paterson took over to stop the bleeding and the score still 10-7 in favour of the hosts.

He went on to twirl three more innings of shutdown baseball while his offence put up some insurance with a run in the sixth inning and another in the eighth courtesy of another blast from O’Kane.

The celebration began when, with two outs in the top of the ninth, Daku flew out to centre fielder Nathan Webb.

🏆 For the first time since 2017, @PrairieBaseball are @CCBaseballConf champions with a 12-7 win over @ECHawksBaseball! ⚾️🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/InTzPPVUdE

— ABDugoutStories (@ABDugoutStories) May 24, 2026

“Unreal – it’s the best feeling in the world,” O’Kane said. “This is such a great group to deal with, so we couldn’t end it on a better note.”

A TIGHT-KNIT GROUP

After the trophy presentation and team photos were taken in front of the scoreboard at Lloyd Nolan Yard, the players couldn’t help but take a moment to soak in all that they had accomplished.

Many, including Paterson, were also quite hoarse as they were heard chanting and screaming throughout the contest.

“It just comes down to the mindset as we talk all the time about wanting to win,” said the Surrey, B.C. product. “We just brought it right from the get-go and for all nine innings.”

It’s a team chemistry that is unmatched in the eyes of shortstop and leadoff hitter Tetsu Nishida.

“I think we never got down throughout the entire playoffs,” said the Calgary native. “Even when they started to come back, we knew we still had the lead and that they were still the ones chasing us. We finished number one, so we just had to play like it and keep that mindset throughout.”

One-by-one, the players took photos with the championship trophy, then shuffled off towards their clubhouse to continue their celebration.

ANOTHER BANNER AWAITS

The banners won by the Dawgs over the years hang upstairs in the Dawgs’ facility at Lloyd Nolan.

Just before he walked inside, first baseman Nate Garth stopped to take a look at the field one more time, then smiled from ear-to-ear.

“I always look at those banners and it’s great to finally have one with my name on it,” said the Calgary native. “This group is just the greatest one to win it with.”

Before long, they will head their separate ways with some returning in the fall, some going onto four-year schools, and some starting their own careers.

Hubka says he’s already looking forward to next year’s team, which will have a lot of familiar faces thanks to a very young core, especially on the mound.

For now, he’s soaking in the moment of being a CCBC champion once again.

“I’ll cherish this one,” said the PBA Hall of Famer. “Who knows when the next one is, right? So cherish the ones that you win.”

May 26, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Left-hander Mitch Bratt continues to make a strong case to be the next Canadian to make their major league debut this season.

On Saturday, the Newmarket, Ont., native tossed five scoreless innings, while striking out five, to pick up the win in his start for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ triple-A Reno Aces against the Oklahoma City Comets. He allowed just three hits and didn’t walk a batter.

For his efforts, he has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week (May 19 to May 24).

Bratt threw 54 of his 83 pitchers for strikes and all three hits he allowed were singles.

The 22-year-old Junior National Team and Toronto Mets grad lowered his season ERA to 2.35 and his WHIP to 0.910 in nine starts. He has 37 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers, the Canuck lefty is in his first full season in the Diamondbacks’ organization after he was acquired as part of the package for right-hander Merrill Kelly on July 31, 2025.

2026 CBN Minor League Player of the Week winners

Opening Day to April 5 - Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Rangers

April 7 to April 12 - Dante Nori (Toronto, Ont.), Phillies

April 14 to April 19- Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Guardians

April 21 to April 26 - Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.), Braves

April 28 to May 3 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets

May 5 to May 10 - Jordan Woods (Oakville, Ont.), Royals

May 12 to May 17 - Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), Rays

May 19 to May 24 - Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.), Diamondbacks

Top Canadian Minor League Batters (May 19 to May 24)

Top Canadian Minor League Pitchers (May 19 to May 24)

Kingston Ponies batboy Eddie Long in a 1950 team photo. Behind him are playing manager Barney Hearn, second from left, and fan fave Gideon (Apples) Applegate, right.

*Patrick Kennedy recently shared the sad news that Kingston sports legend Eddie Long has passed away at the age of 83. A former southpaw pitcher and first baseman in the local ranks, Long also served as the bat boy for the Kingston Ponies for a stretch. But he is most remembered as a standout defenceman for the Senior A Kingston Ponies. In 225 games with the Ponies, he scored 57 goals and accumulated 174 points.

Long had battled health issues in recent years but remained relentlessly upbeat. Kennedy says there will be no funeral service for Long, but as a tribute, we are re-running the article Kennedy wrote about Long in January 2024.*

January 26, 2024

By Patrick Kennedy

Kingston Whig-Standard

Eddie Long’s story is one that’s equal parts joy and jarring sadness, despair and dogged determination, hardship and happiness. And that’s just his childhood.

“Hey, I’m still here,” cackled the 80-year-old, laughing at having bucked the odds against him ever reaching octogenarian status.

Eddie Long’s name doesn’t leap to mind when the topic of great Kingston athletes is broached. Yet maybe it should. Not for sheer athletic ability — which he had — but for what he overcame as a wee lad. We’re talking about obstacles such as a restricting birth defect and the wrenching heartbreak of being an orphan. Factor in those grim truths, and it says here that Eddie’s among Kingston’s all-time best.

In his youth, during the latter half of the 1950s and early ‘60s, Eddie Long was a dandy southpaw pitcher and slick-fielding first baseman on several local all-star ball clubs, including a crackerjack junior club coached by Bob Elliott that more than held its own in a blue-chip Kingston men’s house league.

Yet it was in hockey where Eddie blossomed. He did so first on the blue line in the old Rotary Kiwanis loop, then with a formidable Junior B Frontenacs, and later as both a rear guard and a defence-minded “200-foot” forward with the Kingston Aces of the Ontario Hockey Association Senior A league.

Eddie Long holds a newspaper photo of the Kingston Jr. B Frontenacs forward raising his arms after his goal sealed a 5-3 victory over the Napanee Red Wings in 1963.

Long knew one speed on skates — full throttle. “Fast Eddie” could render the Energizer Bunny breathless. Despite that, prior to his sporting exploits, he had a childhood that was anything but typical or idyllic. Young Eddie had to clear some high hurdles.

He never knew his father, and when Eddie was still a wee gaffer, his mother abandoned him with the Children’s Aid Society (CAS).

“My mom visited a few times, we’d talk while she sat in the back seat of a taxi driven by her boyfriend,” he recalls candidly during an interview in the apartment he now shares with longtime partner Jan Patterson. “After two or three visits, I never saw my mom again.”

The CAS placed young Eddie with the Walker family of 24 Stephen St., a short pop fly from the new Megaffin Stadium that was built in 1946 for Kingston’s professional baseball team, the Ponies. His placement with the Walkers and the house’s proximity to the ball yard were Eddie’s first real breaks in life.

“It wasn’t always easy being in that house,” Long remembers. “The Walkers had nothing, really, but Mrs. Walker was a kind, caring person whose husband was a crippled-up old stone mason with bundled feet. I don’t know how many nights I soaked his feet in Epsom salts.”

Long himself knew the frustration of coping with a disability. He’d been born with a crooked neck that left his head tilted to one side and one shoulder sloped noticeably lower than the other. That caused him to walk with a somewhat laboured gait.

Around the age of five, Long started going to Megaffin Stadium with a neighbour who cleaned the grandstands after Ponies games. Soon young Eddie was working a broom and doing odd jobs at the ballpark. That led the Ponies players to befriend the industrious little lad who seemed to look at the world sideways. They bought him a little Ponies uniform. One player in particular, a kindhearted American named Bill Meara, intervened on young Eddie’s behalf with CAS to push for corrective surgery that would allow the lad to run and play like a normal kid.

“I was in a cast from my head to my waist for about three-quarters of a year, with only my ears and face uncovered,” Eddie recalls, pointing to where stabilizing rods held his head in place. “What made it even worse was that I had chicken pox and the measles while I was in the darn cast.”

The life-altering surgery was successful. Finally able to walk and run normally, Eddie started playing sports. But he still had a big problem: The Walker household was not flush with money for such extracurriculars. Eddie needed another break, which he soon received from local sportsman Wally Elmer, a Kingston sports Hall-of-Famer.

“Mr. Elmer approached me one day at the stadium and asked where I lived and if I wanted to come to his dry-cleaning store on Saturday to earn a little change,” Eddie recalls. “Of course, I said yes. It was money, and I didn’t have any.”

Businessman Elmer, an ardent supporter of local sport, told Mrs. Walker about the job offer, and thereafter Eddie spent most Saturdays working at Elmer’s Patton’s Cleaners, where he was joined by such aspiring young athletes as Donnie Bellringer and others.

“It was Mr. Elmer who got me into hockey,” Eddie says of the former pro player who won a Stanley Cup with the 1925 Victoria Cougars. “He bought me a new pair of skates and gave me Donnie Bellringer’s old equipment, which was much too big, not that I cared.”

He laughs uproariously, slapping together two powerful hands that wouldn’t look out of place on an ironworker.

Long developed quickly as a hockey player. He played in the old Rotary Kiwanis loop and toiled three seasons with the Kingston Jr. B Frontenacs, including the 1961-62 campaign when the club reached the provincial final. His coach was Maj. Danny McLeod, the man who later guided the Kingston Aces.

The Aces. The mere mention of the name twists Eddie’s weathered mug into another wide grin. He played eight seasons for Kingston’s top shinny squad, second most in team history behind Bob Collins (nine). Long, who earned his daily bread as an electrician, played 225 career games and tallied 174 points, including 57 goals, heady totals for a player who primarily played defence during his first half-dozen campaigns.

“Eddie was a great teammate and he’s been an even better friend,” lauds Aces nimble netminder Tom Mercer, 79.

Each man was the best man at the other’s wedding.

“He’s a happy, good-natured guy, which is unusual for someone who hasn’t been given a lot in life to be happy about.”

Jim Sprott, the Aces’ angular sniper, says Eddie was a special teammate.

“Has there ever been a better team player than Ed Long? I don’t think so,” the 79-year-old Sprott says. “In my books, he’s one of Kingston’s most unsung heroes. He never got the credit he deserved, and when he did get some praise, he deflected it on his teammates.

“How he’s endured after what he’s been through the last several years … he’s the ultimate survivor.”

Sprott alludes to the cancer that a few years ago flattened Long and left him facing a 10 count. Thanks to an unwavering will and chemotherapy, Eddie got up off the canvas to continue the fight.

Even today, with the cancer in remission, he still undergoes dialysis thrice weekly.

His most memorable time with the Aces was the team’s stirring 1967 playoff run that resulted in a league title. Eddie, Sprott and seasoned ex-pro Tom Carty were tossed together as a checking line, often pitted against the opposition’s top unit. During the post-season run, the trio flipped the script and instead filled the opponent’s net. The line combined for 42 points in 16 games. In a semifinal contest against the Toronto Grads, Long scored four goals, still a treasured memory more than 60 years later.

“We were a checking line, so come hell or high water you didn’t try to score,” he says. “But we did anyway.”

Eddie’s eyes twinkle merrily.

“Tommy and Jimmy were the playmakers, I was just a grunt who was in the right place at the right time.”

There he goes again, deflecting praise.

Sometimes good things do happen to good guys.

Patrick Kennedy is a retired Whig-Standard reporter whose favourite Kingston Aces player was No. 11, Eddie Long. He can be reached at pjckennedy35@gmail.com.

May 23, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, MAN. – The Winnipeg Goldeyes won their first series of the season Saturday after defeating the Milwaukee Milkmen 5-3 at Blue Cross Park.

It was the Goldeyes’ third win in four games.

For the second straight contest, Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after third baseman Michael Hallquist singled on the first pitch of the game and later scored on designated hitter Parker Lester’s base hit through the right side of the infield.

That score held until the home half of the fourth when Winnipeg crossed the plate three times. They went ahead when two runs came home on a throwing error after a sacrifice bunt by designated hitter T.J. Schofield-Sam (Mississauga, Ont.). Right fielder Max Murphy and second baseman Adam Hall (London, Ont.) both scored on the play. Later in the inning, left fielder Keshawn Lynch doubled to right to drive in Schofield-Sam to make it 3-1 Goldeyes.

Winnipeg added two more in the sixth. Centre fielder Noah Marcelo continued to swing a hot bat, driving a single to left that plated shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder and Lynch and extended the lead to 5-1.

The Milkmen got those two runs back quickly, however, as Hallquist hit a two-run home run to left field that also scored catcher Chase Waddell and reduced the deficit to 5-3.

That was as close as Milwaukee would come, as Derrick Cherry retired all six batters he faced to close the door.

James Bradwell (North Vancouver, B.C.) started for the Goldeyes and worked the first inning. It was his first appearance since leaving a game due to injury last August 13 vs. Cleburne. Quinn Waterhouse, Eli Saul (Vancouver, B.C.), Tasker Strobel, and Arij Fransen also appeared out of the bullpen for Winnipeg. Waterhouse pitched three innings, giving up just two hits and striking out three.

Milkmen starter Juan Díaz worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed five runs (two earned) on six hits. He struck out five and walked two.

Murphy and Lynch had three hits apiece for the Goldeyes.

Earlier Saturday, Winnipeg signed rookie right-handed relief pitcher Chas Wheatley. The Edmonton, Alta., native attended the University of Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa) where he compiled a 4-1 record with a 4.66 earned run average and one save in 52 games over four seasons.

The 24-year-old becomes the seventh Canadian on the Goldeyes roster, joining Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.), Bradwell (North Vancouver, B.C.), Hall (London, Ontario), Raphaël Pelletier (Repentigny, Qué.), Saul (Vancouver, B.C.), and Schofield-Sam (Mississauga, Ont.).

The series concludes Sunday at 1:00 p.m. when Luke Boyd will take the mound for Winnipeg. He’ll match up against fellow right-hander Christian Young (Oakville, Ont.).

May 24, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Macko picks up first MLB win

On Thursday, Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) picked up his first major league win when he tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief against the New York Yankees in the Blue Jays’ 2-0 victory at Yankee Stadium.

Three days earlier, the Vauxhall Academy grad made his MLB debut when he hurled a scoreless inning in the Blue Jays’ 7-6 loss to the Bronx Bombers. Canadian baseball historian Tyler Partridge pointed out on X that when Macko made his debut he became the first Albertan to pitch in a regular season game for the Blue Jays.

In total, Macko has pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings and has two holds in four relief appearances to begin his big league career.

Lopez still leading MLB in batting average, hits

We are more than 50 games into the 2026 season and Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) still leads the majors in batting average and hits.

His .338 batting average puts him well ahead of Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene, whose .324 average ranks second.

Lopez’s 69 hits are six more than San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez.

It’s still hard to believe the Marlins picked Lopez up off waivers from the Giants on April 4, 2024.

Let’s not forget that the Blue Jays also underestimated Lopez. They sold Lopez to the Giants on February 13, 2024.

Hicks has first two-homer game

Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) had the first two-home run game of his major league career on Saturday to lead the Marlins to a 4-1 win over the New York Mets at loanDepot Park.

Both homers were solo shots off right-hander Freddy Peralta in the third and fifth innings respectively.

Hicks, a Toronto Mets grad, now has 11 home runs this season.

The homers also increased Hicks’s RBI total to 44, which leaves him just one behind Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams for the MLB lead.

Smith’s saves streak continues

Cleveland Guardians reliever Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) has a save in each of his last 12 appearances.

He has 17 saves in total this season, which leads the majors.

This is Smith’s first full season as the Guardians’ closer. He took over as the team’s closer in late July last season and finished 2025 with 16 saves.

Brash earns win in return

On Wednesday, right-hander Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) collected a win after being activated from the 15-day injured list by the Seattle Mariners earlier in the day.

He fanned two batters, while pitching a scoreless seventh inning, in the M’s 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox. The win improved Brash’s record to 3-0 this season.

The 28-year-old righty then notched his fifth hold of the season when he held the Kansas City Royals off the scoreboard in the eighth inning of a Mariners’ 2-0 win on Friday.

Brash had been sidelined with right lat inflammation since May 1.

A Kingston Thunder grad, he is in his fourth big league campaign. He has yet to permit a run in 16 relief outings this season.

Tong recalled by Mets

Right-hander Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.) was called up by the New York Mets on Friday and proceeded to throw three scoreless innings in relief in the Mets’ 2-1 loss to the Marlins on the same day.

Prior to his promotion, the 22-year-old Tong had posted a 1-3 record and a 5.68 ERA in nine starts for the triple-A Syracuse Mets this season. He struck out 55 batters in 38 innings.

This is the 6-foot-1 right-hander’s second major league tenure with the Mets. He went 2-3 with a 7.71 ERA in five big league starts with them last season.

Ranked the Mets’ No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Tong dominated in the minors last season, combining to go 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts in double-A and triple-A. His 179 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher in the affiliated minor league ranks. He also topped all minor league hurlers in ERA and opponents’ batting average (.148).

Chosen in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB draft by the Mets, Tong is in his fifth pro season.

Moseby made MLB debut 46 years ago

On this date in 1980, Lloyd Moseby made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays.

Batting seventh and DHing, he went 2-for-4 against the Yankees at Exhibition Stadium. His first hit was a double off Luis Tiant in the fourth inning.

The Yankees won the game 6-2.

Peters belts first two MLB homers

White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) clubbed his first two big league home runs this week.

Last Sunday, he socked a three-run homer in the eighth inning off Chicago Cubs reliever Phil Maton in the White Sox 9-8, 10-inning win.

He followed that up with a solo homer in the seventh inning off Mariners’ reliever Eduard Bazardo in the M’s 6-1 victory the next day.

An Okotoks Dawgs grad, Peters is batting .262 with 12 RBIs and four stolen bases in 48 games for the White Sox this season.

The left-handed hitting Canuck made his big league debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025, getting into four games in August before he was sold to the White Sox on December 18.

Selected in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, Peters has played parts of five pro seasons.

Happy Birthday to Rob Ducey!

Happy 61st Birthday to Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Rob Ducey!

Born in Toronto but raised in Cambridge, Ont., the left-handed hitting outfielder was signed as an amateur free agent by the Blue Jays in 1984.

He rose through the organization’s ranks to make his big league debut on May 1, 1987. His first major league home run came on September 14, 1987 in a contest in which the Blue Jays clubbed a big league record 10 round-trippers to defeat the Orioles 18-3.

Ducey would suit up for parts of five more seasons with the Blue Jays prior to being dealt to the Angels in 1992. Tenures with the Texas Rangers, Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies would follow, as well as a two-year stretch in the Japanese Pacific League with the Nippon Ham Fighters in 1995 and 1996 that saw him belt 51 home runs.

He returned to the Blue Jays for five games in 2000 and saw his final big league action with the Montreal Expos in 2001. That made him the second Canadian (along with Denis Boucher (Montreal, Que.)) to start his major league career with the Blue Jays and end it with the Expos.

Soroka registers sixth win of season

Last Sunday, Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) permitted just two runs in 5 2/3 innings, while striking out eight, to record his sixth win of the season in the D-Backs’ 8-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Soroka also had another strong start against the Rockies on Friday when he held them just one run on four hits in the D-Backs’ 3-2 loss.

The 28-year-old right-hander is tied for third in the National League in wins and he has already doubled his 2025 win total.

Soroka, who is in his seventh major league season, also leads Diamondbacks pitchers in wins and strikeouts (57).

Seventh anniversary of Naylor’s MLB debut

Seven years ago today, Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre with dozens of friends and family members in attendance.

Batting sixth and DHing, he went 0-for-4, but the Padres beat the Blue Jays 6-3.

Naylor would record his first three hits in his second game the following day.

Quantrill strong out of pen for Rangers

Right-hander Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) is quietly enjoying a solid season out of the Rangers’ bullpen. Since being called up on April 15, Quantrill is 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA in 19 1/3 innings in eight relief appearances.

Quantrill has been a starter for most of his big league career, but he did make 18 relief appearances for the Guardians in 2021.

Quantrill signed a minor league contract with the Rangers on February 1.

A San Diego Padres’ first-round pick in 2016, the Ontario Terriers and the Junior National Team alum is in his eighth major league season.

Happy 53rd Birthday to Bartolo Colon!

Happy 53rd Birthday to former Expos pitcher Bartolo Colon!

Colon went 10-4 with a 3.31 ERA in 17 starts for the Expos in 2002 after he was acquired from Cleveland on June 27 that year for a package of prospects that included Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips and Cliff Lee.

In all, Colon recorded 247 wins in parts of 21 big league seasons.

May 22, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, MAN. – Second baseman Adam Hall (London, Ont.) celebrated his 27th birthday in style as the Winnipeg Goldeyes defeated the Milwaukee Milkmen 9-2 at Blue Cross Park Friday evening.

Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when third baseman Michael Hallquist stole third and came home on a throwing error.

Goldeyes centre fielder Noah Marcelo led off the bottom of the first with a home run to left field – his second in as many games, evening the score at 1-1.

Winnipeg went ahead by a run in the second when Hall scampered home on a wild pitch.

The Milkmen tied the contest at 2-2 in the top of the third inning on a line drive base hit to left by second baseman Andy Blake that drove in centre fielder Alec Olund.

From there on, it was all Goldeyes. In the bottom half of the third, Winnipeg crossed the plate four times. First, Hall lined a single to centre to bring home right fielder Max Murphy. Then shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder belted a three-run home run to left field that increased the lead to 6-2.

Hall hit a single to centre in the bottom of the fourth that knocked in first baseman T.J. Schofield-Sam (Mississauga, Ont.) to give the Goldeyes a 7-2 advantage.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Hall notched his fourth hit and third run batted in of the evening with a base hit to left that plated third baseman Ramón Bramasco. Later in the frame, designated hitter Jiandido Tromp drew a bases-loaded walk to round out the scoring at 9-2 Goldeyes.

Veteran left-hander Mitchell Lambson went six innings for Winnipeg, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out three. Ryo Kohigashi earned a nine-out save. He gave up three hits and struck out four.

Milwaukee starter Solomon Bates exited the game due to injury with one out in the bottom of the second inning and was relieved by Eric Chalus, who surrendered five runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings.

The series continues Saturday at 6:00 p.m. when the Milkmen will send southpaw Juan Díaz to the mound against a starter whom the Goldeyes have yet to announce.

May 23, 2026

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Neither Josh Anderson nor Mark Jankowski played in the 2009 gold medal Baseball Canada bantam championship in Vaughan.

That does not mean they were not involved.

“To show you how much of ‘team guys’ they were, they came racing in from the left field bullpen to tell me that they had Quebec’s signs,” said assistant coach Scott VandeValk.

Not that Ontario did a lot with the signs -- managing one single by Brad Bedford. But as head coach Bill Byckowski used to say “they decide games not on hits, but on runs scored.” Ontario scored a 4-2 win over Quebec thanks to walks, errors, stolen bases and who knows what else, overcoming a 2-1 deficit in the sixth.

Now Jankowski, of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Anderson, of the Montreal Canadiens, teammates in 2009, are facing off in the 2026 NHL Eastern Conference final. One will be playing for the Stanley Cup. Montreal beat Carolina 6-2 in the opener of the best-of-seven series. Two of the smaller players on the Georgetown team, they “growed up good … real good,” as Jed Clampett used to say.

Jankowski assisted on two Canes’ goals Sarturday night in a 3-2 in overtime victory. Anderson scored both goals for the Habs — making 11th straight goals which have either tied the score or put the Canadiens ahead.

That Sunday night, Jankowski, the regular centre fielder for the Georgetown Eagles and the eventual Ontario champs, was 5-foot-9 and 140 pounds. Now, he is a 6-foot-4, 200 pounder, having a growth spurt in grade 11 at Stanstead College.

Back then, Anderson was 5-foot-7 and 138 pounds. Now, he is a 6-foot-3, 226-pound bruiser. He clanked the post in Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres and twice showed bursts of speed to create breakaway chances. Not that we watch all the games, but we’ve read more than once by wiser hockey men than me how Anderson is a “Conn Smythe candidate.”

“Joshua-and I would always throw knuckleballs to each other,” said Jonathan Palumbo, Anderson’s best pal on the Eagles. “We’d throw them till the cows come home. He still has a pretty good one to date. We played in the Leslie Wells softball tourney in Milton a couple years ago.”

On the season, Anderson hit .313 with an .816 OPS, hitting five doubles and knocking in 17 runs. Jankowksi hit .219 with a .588 OPS, a double and 18 RBIs.

“We used to make fun of Janker for his 2-3-4 steps in the outfield,” said Palumbo. “Sometimes he would get turned around on a fly ball -- but you know what? He always ended up making the catch.”

Outfielder Nathan DeSouza was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays, while pick-ups who went pro were Daniel Pinero, who reached triple-A with the Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees draft Dayton Dawe.

“I didn’t appreciate this at the time as a self-centred teenager,” said Bedford, “but I think it was incredible that both Josh and Mark played their roles on the team so well, despite them not being ‘the guy’ on the ball field when clearly they were ‘the guy’ on the ice.

“It says something about their character to execute a (smaller) role with a smile on their face. Maybe I’m wrong and Bill was hearing complaints from them, but I doubt it.”

“My mother-in-law was actually the Jankowski family dentist for years, right up until retirement, small world,” said Kyle Hann. “I honestly can’t remember much from those days or games. I know both were definitely late bloomers though.”

Hann was a member of the same Georgetown team that won the 2007 Baseball Canada peewee championship in Quebec City. Jankowski threw out a runner at the plate against British Columbia which allowed Ontario to avoid playing an extra tie-breaker game due to run differential. Hann went to the College World Series in Omaha with Mississippi State and then played at St. Johns River.

Rose Mary and Len Jankowski -- along with brother David, who skated four years at St. Lawrence University and one at Michigan Tech University, plus sisters, Natalie and Nicole -- were not at every game, but some. Michelle and Gary Anderson -- sometimes with their children Jessica, Jordan and Jake - were at a lot of games.

“It felt like between the two of them, their families took up an entire section of the bleachers, and while Janker’s family was quiet, I’m pretty sure I’d still recognize Michelle’s voice cheering,” said Bedford. “There were generations of support.”

Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fourth round of the 2012 draft from the London Knights, Anderson has scored 160 goals in 688 games, while Jankowski, a first-round pick of the Calgary Flames, has scored 79 goals in 481 games. The Jankowski name is hockey royalty: grandpa Lou, who later worked for the NHL Scouting Bureau, played for 20 years, including 127 NHL games for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, and his great uncle is Hockey Hall of Famer Red Kelly. His father, Len, was an Ottawa 67s draft who attended Cornell.

Anderson scored 14 goals this season, while Jankowski scored 11.

Byckowski won the bantam eliminations with Brampton without losing a game. Then he won the 2007 peewees without losing. When he started out 3-0 in the bantams (playing as minor bantams) in Windsor, he may have mentioned once, or twice or 100 times “you know I have never lost a game in the eliminations.” To the other coaches -- used to going 2-2 and going home -- it became quite annoying.

So, a plan was hatched: the players would sign a ball and after a loss against the older age group, someone would present it to Byckowski after his first loss. But who?

Anderson was selected. No one could get angry with Josh.

Well, unless you were a Carolina Hurricane.

May 22, 2026

By Claire Smith

If you give it time, there will always be a moment in which the Phillies interim manager goes … well … full-on Don Mattingly. He becomes one of the most down-to-earth, self-deprecating All-Star baseball men most of us have seen in our lifetimes.

Stoic at times, but with twinkles in his eyes and a warm smile when speaking about anyone other than himself, Don Mattingly refuses, as always, to count himself in that class of unapproachable baseball royalty.

When this reporter, who met Mattingly when he walked into the Yankees clubhouse in 1982, called him before a recent game at Citizens Bank Park, he said, “Just getting back on track, getting some laundry done. … Back off the road and getting back at it.”

We both laughed. “That is so Don Mattingly,” I said. “‘Getting some laundry done.’”

Well, he said, laughing, “somebody’s got to do it!”

Somebody’s got to do it, indeed.

Coming off a 5-1 road trip that catapulted the Phillies past the .500 mark, Mattingly probably could have been the hottest special guest every sports talk show host and podcaster in the land is craving to have on. But if he has to start tooting his own horn, that is just not him.

It’s the players, he has said on repeat. It’s Rob Thomson’s game plan, still in place after the popular manager was dismissed after a 9-19 start.

“From the beginning, I wanted it to be about the players and didn’t need to hear about me,” said Mattingly, who has led the Phillies to a 16-6 record since taking over for Thomson on April 28.

Yet Mattingly, 65, knows from experience what will surely follow if he again manages a team back from the precipice and closer to a run at the playoffs.

He’s been here before

Look up the 2013 and 2014 Dodgers. Or the 2020 Marlins. Both of those L.A. teams were in deeper holes than the 2026 Phillies, but ended up easily winning division titles. The 2020 Marlins roster was devastated by a COVID-19 outbreak. Yet that team also made the playoffs, then ousted the Chicago Cubs before falling to the stacked Atlanta Braves.

What occurred in 2013, 2014, 2020 and in 22 games since the end of April certainly doesn’t surprise Derek Jeter, the Hall of Fame shortstop who as recent part owner of the Marlins extended Mattingly’s managerial contract at his first opportunity in 2019.

“I grew up in my younger years as a minor-leaguer going to spring training with the major league team, so I got to spend a lot of time with Donnie,” Jeter said by phone from Florida. “He was a hitting coach by then. And the thing that stood out with Donnie was that he is so calm. He has such an even keel that when you’re going through the grind of 162 games, you need someone that’s gonna be a constant.

“Donnie’s mindset, his demeanor, he just brings a calming influence to the players on the field.”

Jeter especially remembers those attributes contributing to the 2020 Marlins. Scores of COVID-19-ravaged Marlins were quarantined for days at a time as the franchise stood out as Patient X in the majors.

Mattingly spent the summer getting to know minor-leaguers with the next-man-up attitudes, measuring veterans’ leadership while fighting back against claims that his players became ill because they were out clubbing during a trip through Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Atlanta.

It was a test, but one all involved passed as Miami made the playoffs and upset Chicago in the first round of the cloistered playoffs.

“Even when you’re going through circumstances that you have no control over, Donnie always stayed the same,” Jeter said. “And I think that rubs off on players. He was the perfect guy at the helm.”

No one can predict if the Phillies will author another chapter in Mattingly’s history of helping teams dig out of seemingly unscalable holes. All the Phils and their fans can hold on to is that he’s done it with teams that were in a lot worse circumstances.

The same everyman as always.

Through his nearly half-century in uniform, the baseball lifer still possesses the same quiet, almost shy demeanor, yet has a baseball know-how that is beyond question, as he was with the Toronto Blue Jays as a coach.

Mattingly has the same wry sense of humor, often appearing in the most sublime ways, such as the time he entered Yankees spring training camp with beads threaded throughout a mullet only John Kruk could love. Were they remnants of a Caribbean vacation, or perhaps subtle commentary on the Yankees’ strict hair policy? If Mattingly sparred with owner George Steinbrenner over any one thing it was the length of his locks.

Mattingly is still the same everyman from Indiana. He has always eschewed the spotlight, even in New York.

When asked how many paid commercials he made in New York, he said none, before remembering that he did do an “old Coke vs. New Coke” commercial with Phil Niekro, the knuckleballer and the Yankees’ resident father figure at that time.

That was about as close as Mattingly wanted to get to celebrity.

“I was never comfortable around that kind of thing,” he said.

A family man, he yearned for normalcy and the ability to walk down a street without being swarmed. He was the quiet storm, but a storm nonetheless.

Something to behold

Mattingly didn’t start quietly, numbers-wise. He won a batting title in his first full season with the Yankees, edging out teammate Dave Winfield on the final day of the 1984 season, .343 to .340.

The next year he was voted the American League’s Most Valuable Player by the Baseball Writers Association of America, thanks to a season for the ages (.324, 35 home runs, 145 RBIs). The Gold Glove he won as a first baseman in 1985 was the first of nine in a 14-year career.

In 1984, he was something to behold, a left-handed hitter built for the old Yankee Stadium and its short porch in right field. He had punch, he had power, and he could pile up multi-hit games with the best of them. And it just so happened that so could Winfield, the Yankees’ first $1 million per year man.

What is known now is that while battling for a batting title in an otherwise lost season, Winfield had a handicap: The secret, increasingly harsh war of attrition being waged against him by Steinbrenner. That the war was ugly can be seen in the result of the game’s investigation into Steinbrenner hiring a gambler to dig up dirt on Winfield . When Commissioner Fay Vincent suggested a three-year suspension, Steinbrenner instead opted for a lifetime ban.

That ban, later reduced to two years, came six years after the 1984 batting title chase. It all still seems fresh to Winfield. He did his best to check the fight at the clubhouse door, so much so that Mattingly was not truly aware of what his teammate was enduring.

“I was probably fitting into the lifestyle in New York,” said Mattingly.

“I wasn’t really paying that much attention to the papers. As a young player, first year in the big leagues, all you’re doing is playing. And for me, having fun. I was having a good year, proving to people I can hit and I can play and trying to establish myself. I had nothing to lose.

“It was probably more after the fact that I realized how much Dave went through compared to me.”

* * *

“I never talked about all the stuff I was going through,” Winfield, 74, said by phone from Southern California. “You know, lawsuits with the owner of the team. The way they’re messing with my game, my head.

“Everybody only knew a narrow slice of what was going on.”

Why he hid so much, Winfield said, was to keep the spillover off the field of play. He was the player rep for the players association, so he felt an obligation to shield his teammates, be they rookies or veterans, from as much turmoil as possible.

Perhaps no one benefited from that effort more than the kid at first base.

“Dave was awesome during all this,” Mattingly said. “He never treated me badly, never made me uncomfortable.”

“Donnie, he was coming to work just doing his thing,” said Winfield, who is ready to open up about his battles with Steinbrenner in a book he’s written, Touching All The Bases, due out in September. “People should know that there’s never been any ax to grind with Donnie, for sure. I’m happy for him, definitely.”

Biggest regret

One would think that missing the start of the Yankees’ dynasty under Joe Torre and Joe Girardi by a year when he retired in 1995 would be Mattingly’s biggest regret. Or maybe it would be the bad back, or the circus follies of the 1980s, or the wars of attrition between players and management in the Bronx and beyond.

“No, my biggest regret was that we just didn’t move to New Jersey and not go back to Indiana,” said Mattingly, the father of three sons — Taylor, Preston and Jordon — from his first marriage. “We would have kept the kids in school here all year. We would have been there all together, all season.”

Perhaps the hardest tug was Indiana and family calling him home.

“The older they got, the more they wanted Little League, things like that,” said Mattingly. “If we were in New Jersey, even though I may not have got to every game, they could have been playing Little League right here. We could have all been a family right there. Not them back in Indiana and me in New Jersey or New York. More and more, ‘home’ was the road for me.”

So, after that 14th season, Mattingly went home to his boys, who now number six in a blended family with wife Lori and her boys Andrew and Issac, plus 11-year-old Louie.

Mattingly returned to coach, then manage, first the Dodgers, then the Marlins. He even reached a World Series at last, as a bench coach with the 2025 Blue Jays. When the team whose GM is none other than Preston Mattingly approached him about serving in a similar role with the Phillies, Don Mattingly could not say no. Home schooling Louie at times during the season and October, along with daily FaceTime sessions convinced Mattingly that it was OK to go back at it. The game is more family friendly, making it easier to be a baseball lifer and a dad.

It’s a different kind of blend, with one son above in the front office, and another playing ball in Indiana. As always, Don Mattingly is as unique as his many challenges and contributions to the game.

As he said, somebody’s got to do it. Thus far, Donnie Baseball is doing just that, for the Phillies and himself.

Claire Smith is the founding executive director of the Claire Smith Center for Sports Media at Temple University. She is in the writers wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a Red Smith Award honoree.

*This article was originally published on Saskatchewan Dugout Stories on May 21, 2026. You can read it here.

May 22, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Saskatchewan Dugout Stories

The extra buzz around Carter Beck doesn’t seem to be affecting him at all.

The Carnduff native has rocketed up this summer’s Major League Baseball Draft rankings over his two seasons at Indiana State University.

Recognized as the No. 81 outfielder across NCAA Division I schools, according to D1Baseball, he’s also moved up to No. 8 on the Canadian Baseball Network’s list of draft-eligible Canadians.

Scouts who made their way to Sycamores games this spring were treated to an historic season from the junior outfielder, culminating in him being named the Joe Carter Baseball Player of the Year, which goes to the top player in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Despite the noise surrounding him, Beck has remained laser-focused on one thing: winning baseball games.

“The most important thing was just staying consistent no matter what happens,” he told Saskatchewan Dugout Stories.

“Just going out and giving the same effort every day, and finding ways to compete at the highest level possible.”

⚾️ Joe Carter Player of the Year ⚾️

🏆 Carter Beck @IndStBaseball #TheValleyRunsDeep pic.twitter.com/5rlJvBiXZx

— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) May 19, 2026

The award was among several accolades Beck has received so far this year as he looks forward to potentially hearing his name get called during the draft in July.

SETTING THE TONE

Ever since Beck has leapt onto the U.S. college scene, he’s made his goals known and then followed through with them.

Heading into his freshman season with the University of Mary in 2024, he wanted to be named the conference freshman of the year.

The Southeast Twins alum did exactly that when he hit .355 with 12 home runs, 53 runs batted in and 11 stolen bases in 48 games.

“There’s been a lot of times in my life where I’ve been the guy showing up who is a nobody and has to go up, show out and do the best I can to even get a look sometimes,” he said in an interview with SDS during that season.

That performance, along with a 2024 season to remember with the Saskatoon Berries where he was named the Western Canadian Baseball League’s Most Outstanding Canadian and Rookie of the Year, gave him the opportunity at Indiana State.

NEW SCHOOL, SAME RESULTS

Heading into his sophomore campaign at a new school, Beck again wanted to make sure everyone took notice of his game.

The 5-foot-11, 206-pound slugger hit an impressive .335 with 11 roundtrippers, 56 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 55 games – almost a mirror image of his previous season at UMary.

For his efforts, he was named MVC First Team All-Conference and MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team.

Beck then returned to the Berries, where he continued to put on a show by hitting .385 with nine homers, 43 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 43 games, was named a league all-star, and also hit a dramatic walk-off home run in the playoffs against the Moose Jaw Miller Express.

“The most important thing is being consistent,” the Baseball Sask product said in an interview with the Canadian Baseball Network in 2026.

“I vividly remember playing a home game and looking up at the scoreboard (last season) and seeing my batting average at .268. I thought ‘wow that needs to change,’ and from that day forward, I was able to get going again and hit pretty well the rest of the season.”

KEEP ON ROLLIN’

When you look at his season statistical reports over the last few years, consistency and bold predictions certainly became a theme for Beck.

Going into the spring, he set his sights on being named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and to be in consideration for All-American.

The 20-year-old then went to work and put together a season that looked like another carbon copy with a .348 batting average, 14 homers, 56 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 55 games, sitting among the conference leaders in those categories as well as hits, runs scored, doubles, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

He became just the third Sycamore in school history with back-to-back seasons of 10 homers and 10 stolen bases, joining Paul Frye (1985-1986) and Tyler Thompson (1997-1998).

And the big one: the Joe Carter Baseball Player of the Year selection.

“I knew that I had a chance to win it and that it was between me and one other guy,” Beck said. “I knew it was close so I was super-excited to hear that they honoured me with that award.”

He was also named one of five Sycamores to the MVC Baseball Scholar-Athlete Team, as the finance major picked up a GPA of 3.96.

BIG LEAGUE ASPIRATIONS

As much as the personal accolades have been nice, Beck says the job isn’t done yet.

The Sycamores are getting set to play in the conference tournament starting Thursday in Murray, Kentucky.

While he admits that having the extra attention was overwhelming at first, he’s settled into a rhythm and hopes to show what he can do when the stakes are higher for the team.

“I realized that nothing changes (with the scouts and draft buzz) and everything is still the same, it was easy to not worry about it,” Beck said. “It also helped when I remembered that all of this is cool right now, but the real goal is to get to the big leagues and this is another step along the way.”

As a result, he says he hasn’t thought too much about when he might get a call or what teams might be interested.

Beck does acknowledge that it would mean a lot for his hometown and home province to show kids that there is a path in baseball if they want to pursue it.

“I have a pretty unique path and showing kids that it is still possible to come from a small town and be a multi-sport athlete is something I really strive for,” he said. “The draft will be pretty cool, but hopefully in the next few years, something even cooler can happen and I can make my major league debut.”

The way Beck has been manifesting his goals and dreams into reality in recent years, it seems the baseball world is being put on notice of what’s to come.

May 22, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The New York Mets have recalled right-hander Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont).

The Mets announced the transaction just before 3 p.m. E.T. today.

Tong, 22, has posted a 1-3 record and a 5.68 ERA in nine starts for the triple-A Syracuse Mets this season, but he has struck out 55 batters in 38 innings.

This will be the 6-foot-1 right-hander’s second major league tenure with the Mets. He went 2-3 with a 7.71 ERA in five big league starts with them last season.

Ranked the Mets’ No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Tong dominated in the minors last season. Prior to his big league call-up in late August, Tong combined to go 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts in double-A and triple-A. His 179 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher in the affiliated minor league ranks last season. He also topped all minor league hurlers in ERA and opponents’ batting average (.148).

For his efforts, the Toronto Mets grad was named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Wayne Norton Award winner, as the top Canuck pitcher in the affiliated minor league ranks.

He was also named New York Mets’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Eastern League Pitcher of the Year and Baseball America’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

Chosen in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB draft by the Mets, Tong is now in his fifth pro season.

To make room for Tong on their roster, the Mets have designated veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel for assignment.

May 22, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Outfielder Denzel Clarke will be sidelined until after the MLB All-Star break after he suffered a significant hamstring strain during his rehab assignment with the triple-A Las Vegas Aviators.

The A’s made the announcement on Thursday.

Clarke, who has been on the 10-day injured list since April 22 with a bone bruise on his right foot, will be reassessed after the All-Star break.

Prior to his injury woes, Clarke was 9-for-53 (.170 batting average) with six RBIs in 22 games in his second MLB season with the Athletics.

In March, the 25-year-old Toronto Mets grad was a key member of Canada’s WBC squad. He started in centre field in all five games and scored three runs, while also knocking in two.

Clarke made his MLB debut with the A’s in 2025. In 47 big league contests last season, he batted .230 with three home runs, eight doubles and two triples.

After his promotion last season, he made several highlight reel catches in centre field for the A’s, which made him the first player to win the MLB Electric Play of the Week award in three consecutive weeks and earned him the Capital One Premier Play of the year at the MLB Awards.

Selected by the A’s in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB draft, Clarke is in his sixth pro season.

May 21, 2026

Official Seattle Mariners News Release

SEATTLE – Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Justin Hollander announced today the following roster moves:

-Matt Brash, RHP, reinstated from 15-day Injured List (right lat inflammation).

-Robinson Ortiz, LHP, optioned to Triple-A Tacoma (post-game May 19).

Brash, 28, has been on the Injured List since May 1 with right lat inflammation. He made two rehab appearances with triple-A Tacoma. In his 14 MLB appearances this season, Brash (Kingston, Ont.) is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA with eight strikeouts and two walks, allowing just one unearned run. The Mariners are 12-2 when Brash appears in a game.

The right-hander has appeared in four Major League seasons with Seattle, going 16-11 with eight saves and a 3.10 ERA with 235 strikeouts and 82 walks in 184 games (five starts). He missed the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Brash was acquired by Seattle as the “player to be named later” from the San Diego Padres in a deal that sent right-hander Taylor Williams to the Padres on Aug. 31, 2020. Brash has been one of the most effective relief pitchers in the game since joining the Mariners, leading the Majors in appearances (78) in 2023 and going 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in 11 postseason appearances between 2022 and ’25.

Ortiz, 26, was recalled on May 18 but did not make an appearance. The left-hander has also made 15 appearances for triple-A Tacoma, posting a 1.69 ERA (3 ER, 16.0 IP), 12 walks and 18 strikeouts with a 1.25 WHIP. He is currently ranked as the Mariners No. 26 prospect (MLB Pipeline).

Ortiz was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers on November 16, 2025 in exchange for minor league RHP Tyler Gough. Ortiz was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent on June 2, 2017. The Peravia, Dominican Republic native has appeared in 7 minor league season in the Dodgers (2017-25) and Mariners (2026) organizations, going 17-13 with a 3.37 ERA, 121 walks and 256 strikeouts in 114 games (41 starts). He missed the 2022 and 2023 seasons due to injury.

May 21, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, AN – The Kane County Cougars used a late surge to defeat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 12-5 Thursday afternoon at Blue Cross Park.

Boxscore

Winnipeg opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when designated hitter Max Murphy lined a single to right field that brought home centre fielder Noah Marcelo.

They would double that lead an inning later on a two-out solo home run to left by shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder.

Kane County tied the contest at 2-2 in the third inning when second baseman Josh Allen doubled to centre field to score left fielder Dave Matthews and catcher Charles Mack.

The Cougars went in front 4-2 in the top of the fifth with more timely hitting from third baseman Claudio Finol, who lined a ground-rule double into the right-field corner that drove in Allen and centre fielder Matt Bottcher.

The visitors added a fifth run in the sixth inning on Allen’s single to centre that scored Mack. Allen finished with four hits, three runs batted in, and two runs scored.

Kane County went up 6-2 in the seventh when right fielder Armond Upshaw doubled to left to bring designated hitter Todd Lott around.

The Goldeyes closed to within one in the bottom half of the inning. Didder drove left fielder Jiandido Tromp home with a single to left field to make it 6-3 before Marcelo bounced a two-run homer off Waterfront Drive to cut the deficit to 6-5.

A five-run eighth inning for the Cougars put a quick end to any thoughts of a Goldeyes’ comeback. Lott hit a two-run single to centre that scored Allen and shortstop Zane Spinn. Upshaw then lined a base hit to right field to plate Bottcher, Finol singled to left to score Lott, and first baseman Alex McGarry lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Upshaw to trot home, making the score 11-5.

The final run of the game came in the top of the ninth when Mack led off with a home run to right field.

Along with Allen’s four-hit performance, Upshaw and Mack each had three hits for the Cougars.

Four Goldeyes had multiple hits: Marcelo, third baseman Ramón Bramasco, Murphy, and Didder.

Westin Muir, making his first appearance of the season for Kane County, started and went five innings. He allowed two earned runs on four hits while striking out two.

Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) made his second start of the season for Winnipeg, working six innings and surrendering five runs, all earned, on eight hits. The right-hander struck out four and walked four. Weston Lombard, James Colyer, and Quinn Waterhouse all saw action out of the bullpen for the Goldeyes.

A three-game weekend series with the Milwaukee Milkmen is next, starting Friday at 7:00 p.m. Veteran left-hander Mitchell Lambson will match up against right-hander Solomon Bates.

May 22, 2026

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

The Abbotsford Cardinals believe they can compete with the best programs in the country.

And what better opportunity to prove it than the Road to Okotoks national championship?

“Over the last few years, our program has grown significantly in numbers, as well as overall talent and performance,” Cardinals Director of Baseball Operations Max Ishikawa said.

“We believe we’re a program that may be overlooked on the national stage, but because of our culture, commitment to excellence, elite staff and overall talent, we’re excited for the opportunity to see where we stack amongst the best of Canada.”

The Cardinals will be led on the mound by right-hander and North Dakota State University commit Dylan De Meyer, Alex Manuel (University of British Columbia) and two-way left-hander Austin Meinen (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College).

Catcher Ryder Silverton (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College), infielder Elias Robinson (Indian Hills Community College), infielder Dylan Bird (uncommitted) and outfielder Jake Carriere (uncommitted) will be relied upon to drive the offence.

“Our players play with a unique balance of selflessness, grit, pride and excitement,” Ishikawa said.

“Our players have played in high pressure situations against top competition before, and though the national championship is unlike anything our players have experienced, we believe our players won’t let the moment get the best of them.”

Abbotsford is coming of an organizational-best 42-16 record in 2025 and has played to a 15-7 record in the Premier Division of the British Columbia Premier Baseball League this season.

It became a member of the BCPBL in 1997 and has produced 12 Major League Baseball draft picks and helped send over 150 players to college.

“Our program finds a perfect balance of on-field product, online presence, holistic development, intense competition and having fun in our community,” Ishikawa said.

“A unique aspect of our organization is that we don’t recruit, rather we take a lot of pride in developing the young ball players in our area.”

The BC qualifier, which is being hosted in Langley and White Rock, features six teams. The Langley Blaze, Mid-Island Pirates, UBC Thunder, Victoria Eagles and White Rock Tritons join the Cardinals.

Abbotsford opens against UBC on Thursday, May 28 before facing White Rock, Langley, Victoria and Mid-Island in the round robin.

Four teams will advance to the national championship tournament to compete for the Morneau Cup at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks from July 14 to 19.

“The Road to Okotoks is an opportunity for our players to face elite competition at every stage of the tournament,” Ishikawa said.

“Through the qualifier to the national tournament, our guys will be facing the best, and along the way we’ll learn a lot about our program and our players. We take a lot of pride in never being a finished product, rather continuing to get better every day, week, month and year.”

Other Road to Okotoks Articles

AHP Renegades Baseball Academy

Home Run Sports Training Centre (Winnipeg)

Terriers

Etobicoke Rangers

Mississauga North Tigers

North Toronto Athletics

Elliott: The best will compete on the Road to Okotoks and in the Morneau Cup — Canadian Baseball Network

Wilson: WCBL to showcase teams to young talent during Road to Okotoks — Canadian Baseball Network

Wilson: Morneau appreciates team-first focus of Road to Okotoks national championship — Canadian Baseball Network

Sweeney: Atlantic provinces prep for Road to Okotoks — Canadian Baseball Network

May 21, 2026

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

The time has almost arrived for the AHP Renegades Baseball Academy.

The team will hit the field for its Road to Okotoks qualifier beginning on May 28 in Lethbridge, but the tournament has been on the minds of players and coaches since it was announced back in September.

It may be a relatively new program, one that was founded in 2021 by former Central Missouri Mule right-hander Taylor Burns (St. Albert, Alta.), but the sights are set high.

“We believe in a principle of 'sinking to the level of our training.' We’ve been training and practicing six days per week together since Sept. 1,” Burns said.

“Our expectations are to compete to the best of our ability and give ourselves the best chance to be the last team standing.”

Thirteen teams make up the Prairie Qualifier, with AHP slotted into Pool C alongside the Calgary Cubs, Parkland Twins and Webber Wildcats Prep.

Pool A consists of the Calgary Bucks, HR Sports Academy, Okotoks Dawgs White, Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep and Vauxhall Academy.

Pool B features ATHX, the Calgary Premier Blues, Okotoks Dawgs Red and Team Saskatchewan.

AHP goes up against Webber in its opener on Day 1 before taking on the Parkland Twins, Calgary Cubs and Okotoks Dawgs Red to close out round robin play.

Three teams will advance, along with 11 combined from the Ontario and British Columbia qualifiers, to the national championship tournament for a chance to compete for the Morneau Cup at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks from July 14 to 19.

“It's an awesome opportunity to compete for a national championship against the best programs in the country,” Burns said.

“We believe in our depth and all 25 players are key cogs in this team's success.”

Burns points to the chemistry his program has created, thanks to a tight-knit roster built by coaches who focus on relationships, as what sets it apart.

While the goal is to win, the chance to play on a pressure packed stage will certainly be beneficial for player development, he believes.

“Ultimately, training and practice are to prepare you to try to perform in the moments that matter most,” he said.

“It's a great opportunity for our group and players to get a taste of that and it will serve them in their respective baseball careers in the years to follow.”

Terriers

Etobicoke Rangers

Mississauga North Tigers

Home Run Sports

North Toronto Athletics

Elliott: The best will compete on the Road to Okotoks and in the Morneau Cup — Canadian Baseball Network

Wilson: WCBL to showcase teams to young talent during Road to Okotoks — Canadian Baseball Network

Wilson: Morneau appreciates team-first focus of Road to Okotoks national championship — Canadian Baseball Network

Sweeney: Atlantic provinces prep for Road to Okotoks — Canadian Baseball Network

Sweeney: Atlantic provinces unite as one for Road to Okotoks and Morneau Cup

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on May 19. You can read it here.

May 21, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Alberta Dugout Stories

Adam Macko is a major leaguer.

From first discovering baseball in the first grade at school in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia; to winning a Little League championship in Ireland; to teaching himself how to pitch by watching YouTube videos of David Price and Justin Verlander; to training in Vauxhall in southern Alberta, Macko has now realized his dream of playing Major League Baseball (MLB).

The left-handed pitcher has taken an unlikely path to the bigs and ended up on the sport’s biggest stage at Yankee Stadium in New York for his MLB debut.

Macko’s introduction to American League action was staggered. Sportsnet reporter Hazel Mae noted that he had a locker in the visitor’s clubhouse at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, May 16, prompting speculation of a callup for the 25-year-old prospect with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Jays had a number of pitchers who were banged up and looking like gametime decisions. Macko lingered on the team’s taxi squad while the coaches and medical staff assessed their mound options.

On Sunday, the southpaw was officially called up and added to the roster when Tommy Nance was placed on the injured list.

Reporters flocked to Macko ahead of the Jays game against the Tigers to hear about his journey.

“I learned about MLB when I was in Ireland, and I learned about Verlander, and he won the Triple Crown that year… that’s what I want to do,” he said.

“It’s funny how things all work out together to be the most perfect scenario I could ever imagine.”

Macko shared a story about how he discovered he was joining the big club. Casey Candaele, the manager of the triple-A Buffalo Bisons, messed with Macko before breaking the news. Candaele questioned the hill topper about eating two burgers, instead of just one, a move that allegedly left the coaches with not enough food to eat. The skipper then let Macko off the hook and sent him on his way to Michigan.

When he arrived in Detroit, Macko made a startling wardrobe discovery.

“Everybody was wearing collared shirts on the bus. I was the only one in a hoodie. I was like, ‘This cannot happen,’” he told MLB.com reporter Keegan Matheson.

As Macko was “panic shopping for collared shirts,” pitching coach Pete Walker called him to confirm his callup to the Jays.

While he was trying on different clothes so he could look the part of a big leaguer, Macko’s supporters were scrambling to get to Detroit so they could see his debut.

When the Blue Jays squared off against the Tigers, starting pitcher Kevin Gausman went six innings before Walker called upon relievers Yariel Rodriguez, Joe Mantiply and Tyler Rogers to help deliver a 4-1 victory for Toronto.

“We didn’t see Adam pitch live that day, but we enjoyed the game at Comerica Park,” said Macko’s father, Vladimir, who attended the game along with Adam’s fiancée Victoria, his sister Tana, and Vladimir’s wife, Milena.

“After the game we were allowed to go on the field to see Adam. That was a very nice gesture from the Blue Jays and we really appreciate that. We spent the day in the park on Adam’s first official day as a Blue Jay.”

A BRONX TALE

The anticipation and excitement continued to build as the Blue Jays left Detroit for a date with the Yankees in the Bronx.

Patrick Corbin got the start for Toronto in this one against Ryan Weathers. Corbin allowed three runs through four innings before Braydon Fisher got the ball and worked into the sixth inning.

Macko took over with two outs in the bottom of the sixth with the Jays up 5-3 and a runner on first base. He got catcher J.C. Escarra to ground out to first base to end the inning.

The 6-foot moundsman returned for the seventh inning to face the top of the Yankees lineup, and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt also grounded out to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Designated hitter Ben Rice then lined out to Yohendrick Pinango in right field and that was the end of Macko’s night, which was a one, two, three outing that earned him his first official MLB hold. Of his 15 pitches thrown, 10 went for strikes.

“My knees were weak when I stepped on the field. The lights went out and I was like, ‘This is a cool entrance. Is this for me? Why are they doing this? I’m on the road.’ It was amazing. I honestly blacked out for a lot of it,” said Macko after the game, which the Yankees ended up winning 7-6.

“Once I got on the mound, I felt like I’d done this before and I’d be okay … the feeling when I got out there was like no feeling I’ve ever had.”

At Yankee Stadium, Macko’s fan club grew exponentially, with high school friends and coaches added to the mix. Les McTavish, the head coach at the Vauxhall Academy of Baseball, and former Jets teammates Carlin Dick and Ben Adams were in the crowd, cheering him on.

“Vauxhall is a family thing and once you are a Jet, you are always a Jet. You understand that motto way better once you experience that. And we are one of those families that have that privilege,” noted the elder Macko.

For Vladimir, a lifetime of memories flooded back during his son’s introduction to big-league play.

“It was surreal to watch him walk on the field in a regular season MLB game. He has been through ups and downs, but you see those little things, little moments in your life, like when we built a batting net or when we went to see him play in his elementary school and a ball went by him and he just stared at it and didn’t move, little things like that,” he said.

“This game is about feelings, passion, excitement … this game isn’t about the size, speed or muscles. It all starts inside, in your heart, and that connection between other players through your heart.”

Memories of Vauxhall and Adam’s time pitching under Spruce Grove Bantam AAA White Sox coach Kevin Inch came to mind. Vladimir recalled a tournament in Kamloops where opponents were frustrated because Macko was only throwing fastballs but the batters couldn’t hit them.

“Kevin was his very first coach in Canada and he has had a huge influence on Adam. Kevin was a coach, mentor, friend,” said Vladimir.

And the more recent recollection of a group chat with Adam announcing his callup is also fresh in Vladimir’s mind.

“We erupted with joy. We were shouting like crazy. It was a happy group of people who couldn’t even fully express how happy we were,” he said.

THE ORIGIN STORY

In the truest sense of the words, it’s a dream come true for a young man who has traveled the world while chasing a career in baseball.

Macko’s story has become well-known over the years as baseball watchers have tracked his origin story.

With his MLB debut now in the record books, Macko becomes the first Slovakian-born player in the major leagues since Elmer Valo of the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies.

He found baseball on his first day of grade one in Bratislava when he noticed team tryouts happening at school. Macko hit some plastic balls off a tee into some netting and played catch. After the tryout, he signed up.

His parents were stunned and knew very little about the sport.

Macko continued to play baseball at school, but his competition was limited.

“We only ever played one other team that was 30 minutes away,” he said.

“Every time we played, we played in the finals and were guaranteed silver. The competition was scarce, so I tried to make the best of it and challenge myself as much as I could.”

In 2012, the Macko family – 11-year-old Adam, Vladimir, mom Milena and Adam’s sister Tereza – packed up and moved to Ireland. They were also accompanied by Adam’s sister Tana, her husband Rasto, and their son Jakub. The long-term goal was a move to Canada, but Ireland worked in the short term.

The family settled in Bray, south of Dublin, which was home to the Greystones Mariners baseball club. It was the oldest and best baseball club the country had to offer and Adam excelled there, winning a Little League title.

“I remember the first couple of practices when I had to translate a bit for him. He did not know English at that time,” said Vladimir, adding there was more competition and more games in Ireland than in his home country.

That’s when Adam started to take the game more seriously. Studying video online became a big part of his development. He sought out any Justin Verlander and David Price videos he could find.

“I never paid attention to how much time I’ve spent by the laptop studying baseball and watching videos on YouTube because it’s something I loved to do,” said Adam.

Vladimir ultimately took a job in the Edmonton area in 2013, which placed Adam in the Spruce Grove baseball system. From there, he enrolled at the Vauxhall Academy of Baseball and honed his craft.

“You never hear of players from Slovakia and you never hear of players from Ireland,” said McTavish.

“But as he continued to mature and grow, he came down for a visit and as soon as you meet Adam, he’s infectious. He has this great confidence about him. Then as soon as he got on the mound it was clear this kid knew what he was doing.”

Fellow Vauxhall coach Jim Kotkas also saw something special in Macko.

“Adam is the only player I’ve ever been around where I said, ‘I can see him in the big leagues.’ Just the way he handled himself around us for three years and how the bigger the moment, the bigger he got, which is kind of unlike a lot of Canadian kids,” noted Kotkas.

Former Vauxhall teammate, Maddux Mateychuk, recalled watching an incredibly driven athlete in Macko.

“His work ethic was insane. Just how he came to work every day was really fun to watch,” Mateychuk said.

“The difference in his mindset compared to most others is crazy. He wants to be the best all the time and he will outwork anyone who challenges him.”

GOING PRO

Macko was impressive enough that the Seattle Mariners chose him with their seventh-round selection in the 2019 MLB Draft.

After a couple of seasons in the Mariners’ farm system, Macko was traded alongside Erik Swanson to the Blue Jays for slugger Teoscar Hernandez following the 2022 season.

“If Adam can stay healthy we are really going to see him take off with the Jays,” said McTavish after the deal was made.

“The Mariners had him as their top left-handed pitching prospect and everyone involved with the Vauxhall program are really excited to see what he can do for the Jays. We couldn’t ask for a better spot than with Canada’s team.”

Justin Hollander, the general manager of the Mariners, discussed sending Swanson and Macko to the Blue Jays on the Brock & Salk show on Seattle Sports 710 AM.

“When they asked for Macko and we ultimately settled on that, it was probably the 10th time that they’ve asked us for Adam Macko over the years since we drafted him,” said Hollander.

“That they had asked about Macko so many times didn’t surprise me that they circled back to him. One, he’s good and, two, I think they always have a soft spot for the Canadian kids.”

He kept plugging away in the minors, making it up to triple-A for the first time near the end of the 2024 campaign.

Ranked as a top-10 prospect in the Jays’ organization, there were some high hopes for him heading into 2025, but injuries early in the season kept him from really getting into a groove.

Macko finished the year with a 3-8 record, 5.06 earned run average, and 91 strikeouts in a little more than 81 innings of work.

“There are some things to be really happy about and some things that definitely need some ironing out as well,” he said.

“I kind of feel like I found myself a little bit towards the end of that stretch of my year coming back from the injury.”

It was a tough pill to swallow for Macko, who hadn’t really endured a lot of adversity over his career.

The Blue Jays gave him a major vote of confidence during their memorable run to the World Series last year.

To keep the big league team ready in between playoff series, Macko was among the players named to the “stay hot group” who helped with practices, simulations and intrasquad games.

The lefthander says it was another eye-opening opportunity to see the Blue Jays come so close to winning a championship.

“I was lucky enough to get a chance to do that, getting to compete against the cream of the crop, and just be there,” Macko said.

“I was so proud of all those guys and how far they had come. It was just unbelievable.”

It also served as inspiration to join the team in 2026.

“I got a little bit of a taste of just being able to throw lives and compete against the big league guys,” Macko continued.

“I got more of an itch to do that than I had at any other point, so that was a great motivator to end my year like that and go into the season, hopefully making the team.”

Macko got a head-to-head look at top MLB talent earlier this year, as well.

In one of the biggest baseball games in Canada’s history at the World Baseball Classic, Macko took the mound in the quarterfinal game against the United States.

In the sixth inning with two runners on, he was summoned to shut things down. A pair of singles from Brice Turang and Pete Crow-Armstrong plated two runs and inflated the American lead to 5-0. But Macko induced a double play to limit the damage after that.

He returned to the mound in the seventh inning after a Tyler Black single scored Owen Caissie and a monster home run from Bo Naylor cut the lead to 5-3. Macko locked in ahead of the seventh inning stretch against the heart of the U.S. order. He struck out Bryce Harper, got reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge to fly out and then prompted Kyle Schwarber to strike out swinging to end a four-pitch at bat.

The final line for the 25-year-old showed two hits, a pair of Ks and no earned runs.

At triple-A in Buffalo this year, Macko made 13 relief appearances and went 2-2 with 19 strikeouts and a 4.50 ERA in 18 innings in the International League.

But his most important stats came on May 18 in New York: one relief appearance, one inning pitched, no hits, no walks, no runs … and a major league dream realized.

May 20, 2026

Baseball Canada

The Junior National Team took command early and earned a 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres DSL squad in their last game of the Dominican Pro Academy Camp on Wednesday.

After falling behind on a solo home run in the bottom of the first, the Juniors answered quickly in the second. Zach MacDonald (Lacombe, Alta.) was hit by a pitch before Cohen Miller (Calgary, Alta.) delivered the big swing, launching a two-run home run to left field to give Canada a 2–1 lead.

Canada added to their lead in the fifth when Jalen Jacob (Maple, Ont.) reached on an error, moved around the bases, and scored on a RBI ground out from Miller. The Juniors kept applying pressure in the sixth, loading the bases before Ramsey Chung (Mississauga, Ont.) worked a walk to bring home Rhys Whiteford (Duncan, B.C.) and make it 4–1.

The Padres got one back in the seventh, but Canada responded again late adding a run in the eighth and two more in the ninth to reach the 7-3 final.

On the mound, Calum Andersen (Calgary, Alta.) opened the game for Canada and recorded three strikeouts through the early innings. Gabe Fink (Edmonton, Alta.) followed in relief before Ethan Reason (Stouffville, Ont.) and Will Zielinski (Victoria, B.C.) helped close things out, with Zielinski striking out two over the final two innings.

May 14, 2026

Official KJCCC Athletics News Release

COLBY, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference has announced the 2026 All-KJCCC West Division Baseball teams and winners of the major postseason honours.

The awards, which were voted on by each of the league head coaches, include four individuals from two different conference institutions bringing home major accolades.

Major award winners from the 2026 regular season are Most Valuable Player Simon Baker (Cochrane, Alta.) of Cloud County, Pitcher of the Year Cohen Nelson of Cloud County, Freshman of the Year Turner Rhett Winchester of Barton, and Coach of the Year Eric Gilliland of Cloud County.

Most Valuable Player: Simon Baker (Cloud County)

Ranking in the top five of the KJCCC West Division in triples (12), home runs (20), total bases (169), and walks (44), Baker was one of the most electrifying and dangerous batters at the plate in the division after posting a batting average of .412 and leading the division in both on-base percentage (.549) and slugging percentage (.955). The 12 triples were the most of any KJCCC Baseball West Division player, while his 20 home runs ranked fifth, also drawing 11 hit-by-pitches and stealing 14 total bases.

Freshman of the Year: Rhett Winchester (Barton)

The league leader in stolen bases across both divisions, Winchester swiped 41 bags this season and posted a .412 batting average with 14 home runs and 59 RBI for the Cougars. Ranking third in the conference in triples with eight, Winchester also tallied 159 total bases and recorded 84 total hits, which ranked seventh among KJCCC players. Nationally, Winchester’s stolen base total ranks fifth among NJCAA Division 1 players.

Pitcher of the Year: Cohen Nelson (Cloud County)

The second-straight player from Cloud County to earn KJCCC West Division Pitcher of the Year honors, Nelson went unbeaten on the mound this season by posting a 6-0 record across 37 2/3 innings with a 1.19 earned run average and 70 strikeouts. Six of Nelson's nine starts came in conference play, recording 17.47 strikeouts per nine innings against conference foes and allowing just four earned runs in 28.1 innings of work. Posting four outings with double-digit strikeouts, Nelson had 11 strikeouts on three different occasions and accounted for 41 strikeouts across his final four outings of the regular season.

Coach of the Year: Eric Gilliland (Cloud County)

Following back-to-back second-place finishes in the KJCCC West Division, Gilliland led the T-Birds to their first division crown in program history by going 28-4 in league play to finish two games ahead of second-place Hutchinson Community College. In the regular season, Cloud County posted a 49-5 overall record and their highest national ranking in program history, ascending to number two in the final NJCAA Division 1 Baseball Top 25 poll of the regular season. As a team, Cloud County ranked in the top three in the league in runs, hits, home runs, extra-base hits, total bases, and walks while posting the second-best team ERA in the KJCCC.

May 19, 2026

By Seth Montgomery

Indiana State Athletics

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Joe Carter Baseball Player of the Year resides in Terre Haute as Indiana State outfielder Carter Beck was recognized as the Missouri Valley Baseball Player of the Year as announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning.

Beck (Carnduff, Sask.) received five first-place votes and 12 total points as voted on by the league's head coaches in becoming just the second player in Indiana State baseball history to receive the conference's award that goes to the top overall player in the conference. Beck joins Jeremy Lucas (2012) as the lone Sycamores to receive the award since its inception in 1980.

The junior outfielder put together a historic campaign for the Sycamores sitting among the Missouri Valley leaders in batting average (.348), hits (80), RBIs (56), runs scored (60), doubles (17), home runs (14), on-base percentage (.448), slugging percentage (.622), and stolen bases (12).

The Carnduff, Sask., native recorded a team-high 27 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI contests over the 2026 season and has reached base safely in 54 of the team's 55 games played. Beck enters the postseason having reached base in 39 consecutive contests.

Beck highlighted his season with an 11-game stretch where he recorded a .510 batting average with three doubles, a triple, five home runs, and 16 RBIs, while posting 11 consecutive multi-hit games from March 15-April 2. He added a trio of grand slams to his name going deep with the bases loaded against Miami (Ohio) (Feb. 20), Bradley (Mar. 20), and UIC (Apr. 3).

Beck saved his best for conference play increasing his numbers to a .379 batting average with a team-high 39 hits and six doubles, while tying with teammate Mason Roell for the Valley lead with eight home runs. He added seven stolen bases in conference competition.

In addition to his prowess at the plate, Beck also shined in the outfield with multiple plays in centre field. This was never more evident than in the series-clinching win at Murray State where he tracked down the final two outs against the Racers with a running catch in right center, while tracking down the final out at the warning track in the 10-8 win.

Beck and the Sycamores head to Murray, Kentucky to take on the winner of No. 3 Murray State and No. 6 Illinois State on Thursday, May 21, in the second day of the 2026 Missouri Valley Baseball Tournament Championships.

May 19, 2026

Baseball Canada

The Junior National Team mounted a late comeback but fell 7–5 to the New York Mets DSL squad during Dominican Professional Academy Camp action on Tuesday.

After falling behind early, the Juniors chipped away throughout the second half of the game, highlighted by a two-run seventh inning.

Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, B.C.) worked a walk and later scored on a ground out from Jalen Jacob (Maple, Ont.), while Zach MacDonald (Lacombe, Alta.) came home moments later on a triple from Cohen Miller (Calgary, Alta.) to cut the deficit to 7–3.

Canada continued to pressure the Mets in the ninth inning. Ramsey Chung (Mississauga, Ont.) and Armitage opened the frame with back-to-back singles before Jacob delivered an RBI single to centre field to score Chung. Maxime Blain (Repentigny, Que.) later brought home Armitage on a fielder’s choice as the Juniors closed within two runs before the comeback fell short.

Miller led the offence with a triple and a single, while Armitage reached base twice with a single and a walk. Jacob added a hit and two RBIs while Aiden Kilshaw (Saskatoon, Sask.) added a hit, a walk, and a run scored.

On the mound, Cole Dorland (Langley, B.C.) started for the Canadians, allowing only two hits and punching out one in the opening three frames. Oscar Leah (Maple Ridge, B.C.) and Noah Powell (Toronto, Ont.) each struck out two over 2 2/3 innings of relief to close out the ballgame.

Defensively, Canada turned in several strong moments, including Kilshaw throwing out a runner attempting to steal in the third inning and Ellis firing a strike to Miller at third base to erase a runner in the ninth.

The Juniors will play their final Dominican Professional Academy Camp game on Wednesday against the San Diego Padres DSL squad in San Cristobal.

May 20, 2026

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Indigo, the mega bookseller, has evolved over the years in other areas but one move that has eluded much fanfare is book publishing.

The company has been publishing several books over the last several years, including a number of baseball tomes produced by Andrew Podnieks, the famous photographer known more for coffee-table books in the hockey genre.

Podnieks has published some books under his Moydart Press umbrella but Indigo has taken over some of his instant sellers on the Blue Jays.

Podnieks is often seen in the photo well at Jays' games to accumulate a portfolio of pictures for his 8x11 books full of gloss all the way through.

Indigo occasionally publishes proprietary titles, especially instant books in time for Christmas, produced in a month's time when Canadian teams win championships

Indigo jumped in to produce Podnieks's What A Ride book when the Jays came this-close to capturing the 2025 World Series.

Indigo knows it will see a high volume of sales in a short time span where the company is trying to catch in-the-moment events that traditional publishers aren't producing.

In the case of Podnieks's baseball books, he and Indigo share some costs of printing and he gets the traditional cut from the profits in the form of royalties as is the case with all authors, resulting in a win-win scenario for both sides.

Indigo has also been known to jump in mid-stream after a very high profile self-published fiction of works blows up online, resulting in exclusive Indigo editions.

Danny Gallagher's latest book the Tragedy of Willie Davis: And Other Expos Vignettes is available at most Indigo stores across Canada.

May 18, 2026

Baseball Canada

Game 1

The Junior National Team battled through a back-and-forth contest against the San Francisco Giants DSL squad on Monday, ultimately falling 9–8 during Dominican Professional Academy Camp action.

Box Score

Maxime Blain (Repentigny, Que.) delivered one of Canada’s biggest swings of the game in the second inning, driving a two-run triple to left field to score Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, B.C.) and Jalen Jacob (Maple, Ont.) and give the Juniors an early 2–1 lead. Sam Ellis (La Peche, Que.) helped extend the advantage in the third, reaching with a single before coming around to score on a sacrifice fly from Austin Blair (Victoria, B.C.).

After the Giants tied the game in the bottom of the third, Canada answered again in the fourth when Jacob came through with a two-out RBI single that gave the Juniors a 4-3 lead. Zach MacDonald (Lacombe, Alta.) delivered the big blow in the game for the Canucks, launching a two-run home run after Robert Omidi (Mississauga, Ont.) was hit by a pitch to pull Canada even again at 6–6.

The Juniors continued to battle late, responding to another Giants’ rally with two runs in the seventh. Cohen Miller (Calgary, Alta.) and Aidan Kilshaw (Saskatoon, Sask.) delivered back-to-back doubles that tied the game at 8–8.

On the mound, Josh Mills (Leduc, Alta.) started for Canada and struck out five over three innings, while Damarcus Rideout-Carter (Brampton, Ont.) and Joseph Pereira (Etobicoke, Ont.) followed in relief.

The Giants pushed across the deciding run in the bottom of the seventh.

Game 2

In their second game on Monday, the Junior National Team battled late but fell 6–3 to the Houston Astros DSL squad.

Box Score

Jacob sparked the rally with a single before Blain and Kilshaw worked walks to load the bases. Wild pitches brought home Jacob and Blain before Noah McIntosh (Dartmouth, N.S.) lifted a sacrifice fly to score Kilshaw to cut the deficit to 6–3.

On the mound, Desmond Tregaskis (Delta, B.C.) started for the Juniors and struck out three over three innings. Sam Davis (Beaumont, Alta.) followed with a strong relief outing, recording five strikeouts across three innings of work. Austin Blair (Victoria, B.C.) tossed a scoreless frame, striking out one to close out the game.

The Canadians will now gear up for a game against the New York Mets DSL squad on Tuesday morning.

May 19, 2026

By Aidan Sinclair

Canadian Baseball Network

Born in 1967 in Oakville, Ont., Jamie Campbell entered the world not knowing he would not only pursue a career in baseball but also touch the lives of so many others throughout his journey.

Fans today may recognize him for his eminent delivery on Blue Jays Central, and fans from previous generations may remember him for his time in the booth providing play-by-play. What they do not see is the continuous work he puts in behind the scenes to improve the community and the country at large.

Early Beginnings in Baseball

As a young child, Campbell did not have access to baseball at large, with the only Canadian team in Major League Baseball (MLB) being the Montreal Expos, who played their first ever game in 1969.

It was not until 1977, when the Toronto Blue Jays became the new face of baseball in Canada, that Campbell would be able to experience an MLB game in person. The Jays played their inaugural game at Exhibition Stadium on April 7, 1977, against the Chicago White Sox — a game Campbell’s father attended. He would bring home a team program for his son to read, and the sight of an empty Stadium in downtown Toronto was all it took for Campbell to be hooked.

“I just distinctly remember being so excited to finally figure out what this Major League Baseball game was all about,” said Campbell.

As years passed and he attended more and more games, Campbell quickly began to realize there may be a path to turning this passion for baseball into a career. He became so attached to the Blue Jays as a teenager that he would do everything in his power to attend as many games as possible.

“I was jumping on a commuter train and going to games by myself at the age of 14,” said Campbell. “I had this scheme where I would go to games four or five hours early, find the hotel of the visiting team, and wait in the lobby to introduce myself to the players. It was a tried and true habit, all because I had this incredible passion”.

World Series Champions

By the early 90s, the Blue Jays had solidified themselves as true contenders, finally breaking through to the World Series in 1992 against the Atlanta Braves.

At the time, Campbell had immersed himself in the sports world, working with CBC Sports, though he had no direct affiliation with the team. Games one and two were played in Atlanta, making game three the first World Series game to be played outside of the United States — a game Campbell could not miss.

With no credentials, he found a way to purchase a ticket in the front row overlooking the Braves’ bullpen at SkyDome. Later that game, seven-time Gold Glove winner Devon White made one of the most spectacular catches in Blue Jays history, starting what should have been a triple play.

“I can still hear and see the thud of Devo smacking the wall because I was so physically close to it,” said Campbell.

Campbell was within approximately 50 feet of White at the point of contact when he famously went face-first into the centre field wall, a moment he will never forget.

October 24, 1992. A day, baseball fans across Canada have ingrained in their memory banks, including Campbell, who was in Halifax, N.S., when a team from Toronto finally became World Champions in game six of the series.

“I was working an equestrian event that we were broadcasting nationally for CBC,” recalled Campbell.

The event happened to be taking place during the day, which allowed Campbell and colleagues to convene at a pub in downtown Halifax to soak in the moment the Blue Jays won it all for the first time.

“I thought it was fascinating that a place so far away from Toronto would react the way that it did,” said Campbell. “Thousands of locals flooded the streets; people were annihilated and inebriated. Everyone was celebratory. It garnered attention across the country”.

1993: Back-to-Back Champs

The Blue Jays became a fixture of Canadian sports over the offseason heading into the 1993 campaign as reigning champions. For Campbell, a new chapter was beginning. It was a fresh start in a new province. In September of that year, he joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Edmonton, Alta., working as a sportscaster. A young 26-year-old diehard Blue Jays fan was leaving his hometown for the first time in his life, not knowing how it would affect his love of the team and the game.

While in Alberta, Campbell sought out any baseball he could get his hands on. He looked no further than the Edmonton Trappers, the then triple-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins, hailing from John Ducey Park.

“I spent an abnormal amount of time in that ballpark,” said Campbell.

With media accreditation, he had access to the Trappers whenever he wanted, spending hours around the park talking to players and soaking in the game he loved.

“They were so important in giving me my fix,” he said.

With no Blue Jays games to attend, the Trappers became Campbell’s new home away from home, rebirthing his love for the game of baseball. Less than two months later, just like so many other fans across the country, he became a witness to the greatest swing in Blue Jays’ franchise history, having to watch from afar for the first time. Game six of the 1993 World Series, at SkyDome, Joe Carter against Mitch Williams, and the famous ‘touch ‘em all Joe’ that was heard around the world.

2025: Return to the World Series

Thirty-two years later, a magical season culminated in a battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the Blue Jays returned to the World Series for just the third time in their franchise’s history. Campbell reflected on his time covering the team through Sportsnet, highlighting what tied for the longest game in World Series history in game three.

“I remember checking my phone close to the 18th inning and seeing it was midnight in Los Angeles and trying to process what time it would be on the East Coast,” said Campbell. “I then realized that it was 4:30 in the morning in Newfoundland and Labrador, and fans were still watching.”

Midway through extra innings, the Sportsnet crew had exhausted its commercial inventory, relying on Campbell, Madison Shipman, and Joe Siddall to fill the gaps in between innings. At one point on air, Campbell mentioned the dedication of fans remaining awake to watch the game, and was subsequently bombarded with direct responses from said fans on X.

“There were about 50 notifications on my X feed, all from Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Campbell.

Fans were informing him of their hometowns across the East Coast. By the 18th inning, it approached five o’clock in the morning in some areas.

“For example, one fan told me their fishing vessel was leaving in 45 minutes; it blew my mind how many people were still tuned in in Newfoundland and Labrador,” stated Campbell.

He later explained that the live count of viewers across the country ends at two in the morning Eastern time, and at that point, viewership registered at 4.5 million, once again demonstrating the dedication of a country-wide fanbase.

#WorldSeries Game 5 on @Sportsnet #BlueJaysCentral at 7:00et/4:00pt pic.twitter.com/aMdGHD18Tf

— Jamie Campbell (@SNETCampbell) October 29, 2025

The 2025 campaign sparked a new love of baseball for both diehard and brand-new fans, increasing the popularity of the team dramatically. When reflecting on both the two championship seasons and the near victory a season ago, Campbell offered an anecdote he shared with former National League MVP and Canadian Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.).

“He told me that watching the 1992 and 1993 Blue Jays teams made me think I could play in the MLB. There will be kids in 20 years from now who make the big leagues that will say their love of baseball emerged from the 2025 playoff run,” said Campbell.

This demonstrated how instrumental the return of Canada’s only MLB team to the World Series was in reinvigorating a love of the game across the country.

Sportsnet and community initiatives

In 1998, Campbell was offered a position at a new network called CTV Sportsnet and was able to return to Toronto after spending the prior few years in Ottawa working for CJOH-TV. This new network ended up becoming Rogers Sportsnet.

From 2002 to 2009, Campbell had stints working as the play-by-play voice of the Blue Jays, before the legendary Buck Martinez returned to the booth to call games in 2010. From that point forward, Campbell was assigned to Blue Jays Central, acting as the pre-game host for all Blue Jays games. Sixteen years later, he continues to deliver consistent and reliable information for fans across the country, but it is his behind-the-scenes work that sets him apart from the rest.

Wes Johnson

As of January 2026, Campbell, like many others, had no idea who Wes Johnson was or what he was going through. Then, through the power of the internet, someone reached out directly informing Campbell of his situation and his love for the Blue Jays. At just 17 years old, Johnson was battling heart disease and, earlier this year, had his eligibility for a heart transplant revoked due to health complications.

By mid-February, his family had realized he would be nearing the end of his life within weeks, prompting Campbell to reach out to the family and visit Johnson in person.

“I spent a day with Wes at his family home and later learned that his last wish was to see a Blue Jays game in Dunedin, and meet Davis Schneider and Trey Yesavage,” said Campbell.

As he walked out the front door, he recalled turning back to Wes’s mother, Jenna, who mentioned that a GoFundMe was set up to raise money in an attempt to get their son to Dunedin.

“I asked Jenna if I could post a picture of Wes to my X feed with a link to their GoFundMe to raise awareness of his situation. 48 hours later, their total money raised went from approximately $16,000 to $43,000. The generosity of Blue Jays fans really took me aback,” said Campbell.

Before the family’s trip to Dunedin, Campbell spoke to the chairman of the Jays, Edward Rogers, and, though he would not be present in Florida, relayed that “we need to get Wes an introduction to Schneider and Yesavage”. The rest was history.

By early March, Wes and his family made it to Dunedin, getting to not only see a Blue Jays game, but also get a tour of the entire training complex through the guides of Schneider and Yesavage. Campbell recalls Jenna reaching out to him after the eventful day, saying Wes had told her “it was the greatest day he had ever had”.

On May 9, 2026, it was announced that Wes Johnson had passed away after a hard-fought battle with heart disease, making the last few months of his life so incredibly special. Campbell’s lone in-person interaction with the young Blue Jays fan is a moment he says he will never forget.”

Many of you contributed financially to get Wes Johnson to Florida in March. I’m forever grateful to all who helped. Wes passed away this morning in St. Thomas, Ontario. 💔 pic.twitter.com/axVARE1tmD

— Jamie Campbell (@SNETCampbell) May 8, 2026

Pandemic phone calls

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the baseball world, like everywhere else, was shaken. By mid-March, like many other major sports leagues, it was announced that the MLB season was being suspended, leaving Campbell with no Blue Jays games to cover. He realized during this time that elderly people were at a greater risk of health problems and less inclined to visit family members to protect themselves from the virus. This prompted Campbell to purchase a flip phone, with the intent to offer a friendly voice to those who were isolated and needed some support. He made a post on Twitter offering his time to speak with fans across the country, and within days had received thousands of messages from those in need.

“I realized in hindsight that there were nearly 1200 phone calls,” said Campbell.

One of those calls happened to come from a 105-year-old woman who joked about the fact that she had lived through two pandemics in her life, being two years old at the commencement of the Spanish Flu.

“The calls were magnificent, some eclipsed 30 minutes, and I got into really deep conversations with lots of fans,” said Campbell.

At one point, the number of phone call requests became too much for one man to handle, prompting the now-retired Buck Martinez to chip in, so he and Campbell could offer more time to each fan. It turned out that the first phone call Martinez made, the recipient was “pissed off” in the words of Campbell, being absolutely convinced that it was not Buck Martinez on the phone. Eventually hanging up on the longtime Blue Jays play-by-play voice, the older gentleman had not realized what he had done until after his children let him in on the nature of the call. Nonetheless, Martinez called the man back hours later, and the two enjoyed a lengthy conversation talking about all things baseball and the Jays.

Timmins, Ontario

When Campbell was just 17 years old, he was sent to a summer camp in Timmins, Ont., learning how to live independently for the first time. After spending the entire summer in a town seven hours outside of Toronto, Campbell would not return until 35 years later, during COVID-19.

With no work, Campbell got busy quickly, signing up with a volunteer organization to help distribute PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to those in need. A paramedic from Timmins had reached out to Campbell, relaying the town’s desperate need for PPE’s, prompting the Blue Jays host to make the solo journey to the place he once called home for a summer.

“We were focusing on distributing within the GTA, but I went to the head of Conquer Covid-19, Sulemaan Ahmed, and told him how important Timmins was to me, offering to be the northern driver. If we had any further requests up north, I wanted to be the person to fulfill them,” said Campbell.

Within a handful of days, he was on the road heading north, passing through North Bay, Temiskaming Shores and Sudbury before reaching Timmins, delivering PPE to locals along the way. He eventually made a separate trip to Thunder Bay, Ont., a 15-hour car ride from Toronto. Though he made the trip solo once again, Campbell looks back fondly on those journeys.

“When I am feet up in a retirement facility one day, I will look back on those solo rides across Northern Ontario as some of the greatest moments of my life,” said Campbell.

Fast forward to the 2025 playoff run, fans from Timmins had created t-shirts with the message ‘He hit it all the way to Timmins,’ after hearing Campbell reference the town on numerous occasions during live broadcasts. At one point, Campbell caught sight of an initiative to raise $1,000 for the oncology unit at the Timmins District Hospital, later mentioning it during a separate Blue Jays game, prompting fans from across the country to chip in once again. Just a few days later, $31,000 was raised.

I’m grateful to the staff at Timmins and District Hospital for the kind reception today. The T-shirt initiative raised over $30,000 for the oncology unit. pic.twitter.com/7otWXQDaZQ

— Jamie Campbell (@SNETCampbell) May 11, 2026

Personal battles

In early 2021, Campbell received a phone call from his doctor, who diagnosed him with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), ultimately forcing the Blue Jays' central host to miss time from the broadcast. He would later post an image of his face revealing the damage that had been done as a result of this cancer.

“I was unaware at first of how long I would be away from the broadcast,” said Campbell.

When asked if he made a point of revealing these health struggles to the public, he suggested there was full intent behind the decision.

“I realized that if I could go on a Blue Jays broadcast every night while carrying this disease, at some point other people in this country are going to get the same diagnosis, and in their moments of fear, will see a healthy me on their television,” said Campbell.

He went on to say, “if I can live and thrive with this thing, other people who get a similar phone call will get the comfort they need knowing I am doing just fine. If I made the promise that I was going to live vibrantly with leukemia, I had to come through on that.”

Though his symptoms have been suppressed to a point that he has been able to work since 2022, CLL is still incurable, and Campbell is aware that there is a great possibility that the cancer will return in the future in a larger capacity. His commitment to Sportsnet and the Blue Jays epitomizes his continuous perseverance and dedication to his craft, something that has remained a constant throughout his entire career.

Imprint on Canada

In nearly three decades working alongside the Blue Jays, the name Jamie Campbell has evolved into an extended part of the families of fans at home. From all across Canada, those who turn on the television every night to watch a game know that his face will be on their screen, and his uplifting messages continue to empower others to be empathetic and caring for one another.

“I want people who watch the Blue Jays to know that I care deeply about this sport. I’m as passionate about the game and the team as anybody out there. I have been living and breathing this thing since I was nine years old,” said Campbell.

Though he has become a recognizable face for so many in his years with Sportsnet, he does not want to be remembered just as a broadcaster who happened to find himself working in television.

“What I try to tell my children is you can not save the world, but what you can do is shine your light on the people around you. My purpose here is to, as best as I can, every single day, make a positive impact on the people around me, whether through a TV screen or in my life directly,” said Campbell.

Beyond his work with the Blue Jays, fans across Canada will remember Jamie Campbell for his dedication to doing whatever he can to better as many communities as he possibly can. A kind, compassionate, and caring man, he is a true Canadian hero and the beacon of hope that so many people rely on for support.

May 18, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The Greenville Drive, the High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, had a difficult time keeping Émilien Pitre off the bases last week.

In six games for the Tampa Bay Rays’ High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods, Pitre (Repentigny, Que.) had 10 hits, eight walks, six stolen bases and nine runs. All of those numbers topped Canadians in the minor league ranks last week.

For his efforts, Pitre has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week (May 12 to May 17).

The 23-year-old second baseman also topped Canadian minor leagues in batting average (.526) and on-base percentage (.633).

Batting cleanup for the Hot Rods, Pitre started the week by going 2-for-2 with a home run, a walk and three RBIs to lead his club to a 5-1 win over the Drive. He followed that up with three walks, a run and a stolen base in the Hot Rods’ 10-4 victory the next day.

On Thursday, he added another hit, two walks and two runs, while stealing three bases, to help the Hot Rods to their third straight win over the Drive.

He then had back-to-back three-hit games on Friday and Saturday to propel the Hot Rods to two more victories. One of his hits on Saturday was a solo home run.

To finish off the week, he collected a single and an RBI in the Hot Rods’ 12-10 loss to the Drive.

Thanks to his current hot stretch, Pitre boosted his batting average this season from .222 to 258.

The ABC grad was selected in the second round (58th overall) by the Rays in the 2024 MLB draft and is in his third pro season.

2026 CBN Minor League Player of the Week winners

Opening Day to April 5 - Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Rangers

April 7 to April 12 - Dante Nori (Toronto, Ont.), Phillies

April 14 to April 19- Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Guardians

April 21 to April 26 - Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.), Braves

April 28 to May 3 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets

May 5 to May 10 - Jordan Woods (Oakville, Ont.), Royals

May 12 to May 17 - Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), Rays

Top Canadian Minor League Batters (May 12 to May 17)

Top Canadian Minor League Pitchers (May 12 to May 17)

May 17, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Brockton, Mass. - The Ottawa Titans took down the Brockton Rox by an 11-8 final on Sunday afternoon, securing their first series sweep of the 2026 season.

Box Score

Making his first start of the season, left-hander Max Martzolf gave the Titans 5 2/3 innings in the series finale. The Rox got to the southpaw in the second, stringing together three consecutive two-out hits to take an early 2-0 lead. In his first appearance of the series, Nick Marola smoked a two-run double off the centre field fence to get the scoring started.

Going quietly in the early stages of the game with the bats, Cristian Inoa got the Titans on the board with a one-out solo homer to right in the fourth inning, taking Eli Majick deep.

In the sixth, the Titans once again erupted for a six-run inning, taking their first lead of the afternoon. A fielder's choice scored the tying run while a wild pitch added another. The frame was headlined by a two-run single off the bat of Chris Davis, as the Titans took a 7-2 lead. The visitors sent 11 to the plate in the big inning.

A solo homer from Derek Bender and a two-run shot from Tommy Kretzler in the bottom of the sixth got the Rox back in the game, seeing the end of the line for Martzolf. The lefty went 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, walking one, hitting one, and striking out two for the victory.

Taylor Wright (North Vancouver, B.C.) and Davis connected for a pair of two-out RBI singles in the seventh before AJ Wright homered for the third time this season in the eighth as part of a multi-run inning to get the Titans over double digits.

The Rox made it a three-run game against left-hander Colt Anderson in the eighth inning and brought up the potential tying run with two out. Brett Garcia recorded his second multi-out save of the year, striking out two over 1 2/3 innings to lock down the win.

Brandon Marklund (North Vancouver, B.C.) and Yohanse Morel also tossed in relief, holding the Rox off the board.

Chris Davis went 3-for-6 with three RBIs and two stolen bases in the win, extending his hit streak to four games. Justin Fogel, Cristian Inoa, Aaron Casillas, and Taylor Wright also posted multi-hit efforts.

The record of 6-3 for the Titans is the best through the opening nine games of a season in franchise history. The Titans also swept the Rox for the second time on the road all-time.

The Ottawa Titans will now head home, playing the first of a three-game series on Monday afternoon against the New York Boulders at 1:00 p.m. at Ottawa Stadium on Victoria Day.

May 17, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

FRANKLIN, WISC. – The Winnipeg Goldeyes were swept by the Milwaukee Milkmen in their season-opening series, falling 12-2 at Franklin Field Sunday afternoon.

Box Score

Milwaukee’s offensive onslaught began early, when their third batter, first baseman Griffin Doersching, hit a two-run home run to left field – his second of the new season.

Doersching struck again an inning later, lining a two-out, two-run double to left field that brought in catcher Andrew Sundean and third baseman Michael Hallquist, making the score Milwaukee 4 Goldeyes 0 after two.

Milkmen left fielder Andy Blake led off the third inning with a home run to left that increased the lead to five runs, before they erupted for five more in the fourth. First, Doersching notched his fifth and sixth runs batted in of the afternoon with a double to right field. Shortstop Delvin Pérez and Hallquist came in to make it 7-0. Doersching would score on a throwing error before second baseman Yordys Valdés singled to right field to drive in right fielder Justin Janas and Blake to give Milwaukee a 10-0 lead.

The Goldeyes finally broke through in the top of the fifth when right fielder Roby Enríquez and left fielder Adam Hall (London, Ont.) hit back-to-back, two-out doubles to make it 10-1.

Milwaukee added two more in the bottom of the inning on Janas’ two-run single to centre field that plated Hallquist and Doersching to give the Milkmen and 11-run lead at 12-1.

Winnipeg scored once in the top of the eighth on a bloop single to right field by second baseman Keyshawn Lynch. First baseman Raphaël Pelletier (Repentigny, Que.) came home round out the scoring at 12-2.

Oakville, Ontario native Christian Young started for Milwaukee and worked five innings during which he allowed one earned run on five hits. He struck out five and walked one. Kenny Pierson and Eric Chalus each threw two innings in relief for the Milkmen.

Goldeyes starter Mitchell Lambson surrendered seven runs – all earned – on seven hits in just 3 1/3 innings, fanning one and issuing one free pass. He also hit two batters. Arij Fransen, Weston Lombard, James Colyer, and Tasker Strobel pitched out of the bullpen for Winnipeg.

Winnipeg now returns to Blue Cross Park for their Home Opener Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. against the two-time defending Miles Wolff Cup Champion Kane County Cougars. Luke Boyd will start for the Goldeyes while fellow right-hander Vin Timpanelli is scheduled to take the mound for Kane County.

Wildcats win Nova Scotia Sr. League opener against Metro, Brett McGinnis had a two-run single in Kentville win

By Dan Estey

CABC

The Kentville Wildcats picked up where they left off from last season as they opened defence of their Nova Scotia League title with a convincing 4-0 victory over the Metro Brewers at Mainland Commons in Halifax.

After a pair of scoreless frames, the Wildcats opened the scoring as they plated a pair of runs on an error and an Adam Crocker RBI double to grab a 2-0 lead. They would tack onto their lead in the top half of the sixth as they scored another two runs on a two-run single off of the bat of Brett McGinnis, extending the lead to 4-0, which was the final score.

Offensively for Kentville, McGinnis led the way going 1-for-3 with a single and a pair of RBIs. Adam Crocker was 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, a run and an RBI while Kyle Armsworthy was 1-for-2 with a single, a walk and a pair of runs. Matty Johnson reached on an error and scored a run to wrap up the Wildcats offence.

For the Brewers, they only managed two hits, both singles, from Ryan Abraham and Dylan Smith.

On the hill, Tyson Slaunwhite was in mid-season form for the Wildcats as he went the distance, tossing seven innings allowing zero runs on two hits while striking out 11 in picking up the win.

Mason Taylor started and took the loss for Metro. He went three innings, allowing two runs on one hit while walking one and striking out five.

Kyle Sampson followed up with two scoreless innings, walking two and striking out one. Glenn Harvie tossed the next inning, allowing two runs on two hits, walking one and striking out one. Andrew Miller had a scoreless seventh for the Brewers with a walk and a strikeout.

The league will now take a few days off and will pick up again on Thursday with the Halifax Mets traveling to Beazley Field to take on the Dartmouth Dry in the season opener for both of those clubs. First pitch is slated for 7:30 p.m.

May 17, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Sabrowski, Smith dominate for Guardians

You can’t pitch much better than Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.) and Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) did for the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday.

Sabrowski entered the game in the eighth inning with his club leading the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 and proceeded to strike out the side to register his major league-leading 16th hold.

Smith then took over in the ninth and also struck out the side to record his 13th save, which tied him for most in the majors.

The Canadian duo has been overpowering out of the pen for the Guardians, especially recently.

Sabrowski has not allowed a hit or a run, while striking out 14, in six innings in his last seven outings.

Meanwhile, Smith has notched a save in each of his last nine appearances. During that stretch, he has surrendered just one run in 9 2/3 innings and fanned 16.

Smith registered his American League-leading 14th save of the season yesterday in the Guardians’ 7-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He is also tied for the most saves in MLB this season with San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller.

Hicks, Lopez powering Marlins’ offence

I woke up this morning and looked at the 2026 MLB stats leaders and Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) is leading the majors with 61 hits and a .341 batting average, while Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) leads the big leagues with 40 RBIs.

This is remarkable when you consider that the Marlins picked Lopez up off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on February 13, 2024 and selected Hicks from the Detroit Tigers in the Rule 5 draft on December 11, 2024.

Let’s have a round of applause for the Marlins’ scouting department.

Lopez and Hicks also played on Canada’s World Baseball Classic team together in March.

Macko with Jays in Detroit

Left-hander Adam Macko, who was raised in Stony Plain, Alta., is on the Toronto Blue Jays’ taxi squad in Detroit this weekend.

The 25-year-old southpaw has not been activated, but if he is, he’ll be making his major league debut.

Born in Bratislava, Slovakia, Macko is 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 relief appearances for triple-A Buffalo this season. He has 19 strikeouts in 18 innings.

In March, he didn’t allow a run in three relief appearances for Canada at the World Baseball Classic.

Macko was acquired from the Seattle Mariners, along with reliever Erik Swanson, for outfielder Teoscar Hernandez on November 16, 2022.

Selected in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB draft by the Mariners, the Vauxhall Academy grad owns a 17-28 record and a 4.53 ERA in 102 games (73 starts) in parts of seven minor league seasons.

Soroka collects fifth win of the season

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) started and tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the Texas Rangers on Monday to record his team-leading fifth win of the season.

He also struck out five batters, giving him 47 Ks – which also tops the D-Backs.

Overall, Soroka, 28, is 5-2 with a 3.53 ERA in eight starts this season, his seventh in the majors.

He is scheduled to start today against the Colorado Rockies.

Wilkinson shines in first start in Giants’ organization

Left-hander Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, B.C.) permitted just two hits, while striking out six batters, in five scoreless innings in his first start with the Giants’ double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels on Wednesday. That performance lowered his ERA to 1.35 ERA in seven starts this season.

On May 9, the Guardians dealt the Okotoks Dawgs grad, along with the 29th overall pick in this year’s MLB draft, to the Giants for catcher Patrick Bailey.

Prior to the trade, Wilkinson, 23, had posted a 1.59 ERA and struck out 36 batters in 28 1/3 innings in six starts for the double-A Akron RubberDucks this season. This followed his outstanding performance for Canada at the World Baseball Classic in which he didn’t allow a hit, while fanning four, in 2 2/3 innings in two outings.

Nicknamed Tugboat, the 6-foot-1 southpaw was selected in the 10th round of the 2023 MLB draft by the Guardians.

Canadian baseball historian Tyler Partridge recently shared on X that if Wilkinson were to receive a big league call-up from the Giants this season he’d become the first Canadian to play for the Giants since left-hander Ken MacKenzie (Gore Bay, Ont.) in 1964.

Gagné made first start at Olympic Stadium 25 years ago today

It was 25 years ago today that Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Éric Gagné, who grew up in Mascouche, Que., started a game at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium for the first time.

He allowed just two runs on four hits in six innings, while striking out seven, but was saddled with a tough-luck loss in the Montreal Expos’ 3-1 win.

Sean Gordon, of the Montreal Gazette, described the atmosphere at the Big O that day in this excellent May 18, 2001 article:

Anniversary of Carter’s 2,000th game as a catcher

In 1992, Gary Carter returned to the Expos for his final season.

And it was on this day, 34 years ago, that he caught his 2,000th career game, which at the time made him just the third major league catcher to reach that milestone, joining Carlton Fisk and Bob Boone.

Ivan Rodriguez, Jason Kendall and Yadier Molina have since added their names to the exclusive 2,000 games caught club.

Black sent down by the Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers sent Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) down to the triple-A Nashville Sounds on Tuesday.

The transaction was made to create a roster spot for outfielder Christian Yelich, who had been on the 10-day injured list with a groin injury.

It was the second tough-luck demotion for Black this season. In nine games with the Brewers, Black went 9-for-27 (.333 batting average) with four doubles and seven RBIs. He had four multi-hit games.

The 25-year-old Toronto Mets alum was also sent down near the end of spring training despite going 11-for-20 (.550 batting average) with 14 RBIs in six Cactus League games.

The left-handed hitting Canuck also spent the bulk of 2025 with the triple-A Sounds, where he had a .369 on-base percentage with four home runs and 22 stolen bases in 61 games. He also hit .250 with an RBI in five games with the big-league Brewers.

Black made his MLB debut with the Brewers in 2024. In 18 big league games that season, he went 10-for-49 with two doubles, three stolen bases and seven walks.

Jordan Zimmerman made MLB debut 27 years ago

On this date 27 years ago, left-hander Jordan Zimmerman (Kelowna, B.C.) made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners.

He came into the game with one out in the eighth inning and retired both Minnesota Twins batters he faced in the Mariners’ 15-5 win at the Kingdome.

It was the first of 12 relief appearances Zimmerman made with the Mariners in 1999.

Happy Birthday to Orv Franchuk!

Happy 82nd Birthday to legendary Canadian coach Orv Franchuk!

The Amesbury, Alta., native has spent more than 50 years in the amateur and professional baseball ranks as a coach and a scout.

After playing college ball at Pepperdine University, Franchuk served as a scout for the Cincinnati Reds from 1977 to 1984. During that period, he doubled as a coach for the Canadian national team.

By 1988, Franchuk had transitioned to the California Angels organization where he served as a scout and as a minor league hitting coach before returning to his home province in 1995 to work as the hitting coach for the Oakland A’s triple-A Edmonton Trappers.

After a stretch as a roving hitting coach in the A’s organization, he came back to Canada again in 2002 when he was hired to manage the A’s class-A Short-Season Vancouver Canadians. Following that campaign, he moved to the Boston Red Sox organization, where he’d work as a minor league hitting instructor and earn a World Series ring with the club in 2004.

He’d later have tenures as a hitting coach in the Houston Astros and San Diego Padres organizations prior to returning home again to manage the independent Northern League’s Edmonton Capitals to a North American League championship in 2011.

For his efforts, he was inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.

Remembering Harmon Killebrew

Please take a moment to remember Hall of Famer and legendary Minnesota Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew who passed away 15 years ago today at the age of 74.

As a Canadian baseball history buff, when I think of Killebrew, I think of the influence he had on 2020 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee and fellow Twins legend Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.). Morneau used to talk hitting with Killebrew, but Killebrew is also responsible for Morneau’s very legible signature. You can hear the story in the following video:

Barfield set RBI high 40 years ago

It was 40 years ago today that Jesse Barfield recorded a career-high six RBIs for the Blue Jays in their 11-5 win over Cleveland at Exhibition Stadium.

Barfield had a single, a double and a three-run home run in the contest.

For the record, Barfield also had four, five-RBI games during his MLB career

Also, McGriff’s MLB debut

In the same game Barfield registered six RBIs, a 22-year-old slugger named Fred McGriff made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays.

He came in as a defensive replacement for Willie Upshaw at first base in the top of the eighth inning.

Remembering Pascual Perez

Former Montreal Expos pitcher Pascual Perez would’ve turned 69 today.

He died in 2012.

What we tend to forget about him is that beyond his enthusiasm, energy and antics on the field, he was an excellent pitcher for the Expos. In 10 starts for the club in 1987, he went 7-0 with a 2.30 ERA. He followed that up with 12 wins and a 2.44 ERA in 27 starts in 1988 and a 3.31 ERA in 33 appearances in 1989. You can watch some fun highlights of him in the following video:

May 16, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

FRANKLIN, WISC – The Winnipeg Goldeyes dropped their second straight game Saturday evening, falling to the Milwaukee Milkmen by a score of 3-2 at Franklin Field.

Box Score

The Goldeyes opened the scoring just three batters into the game when centre fielder Adam Hall (London, Ont.) lined a single into right field to bring home third baseman Ramón Bramasco.

Neither team would cross the plate again until Milwaukee catcher Chase Waddell hit a two-run home run to right field with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to make the score 2-1 Milkmen.

Milwaukee added a run in the eighth on right fielder Baron Radcliff’s single to centre that drove in centre fielder Alec Olund.

Winnipeg threatened in the final frame and pulled within one when left fielder Jiandido Tromp lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Hall to score. However, one batter later, shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder popped out to end the game.

Starter Noah Millikan was spectacular for the Goldeyes, allowing just three hits and striking out six over five innings of work. He walked just one batter. Ryo Kohigashi, Derrick Cherry and Kevin Vaupel each pitched an inning of relief.

Juan Díaz was equally effective for the Milkmen. He went six innings and gave up one earned run on three hits while striking out three and issuing two free passes. Brendan Hardy pitched a scoreless seventh and was the pitcher of record when Milwaukee took the lead. Brady Puckett got the job done in the ninth, despite Winnipeg having made things interesting.

The series concludes from Franklin Field Sunday at 1:00 p.m. with veteran southpaw Mitchell Lambson starting for the Goldeyes. The Milkmen will counter with right-hander Christian Young.