Samwise MLB Newsletter
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Rays Claim AL East Lead After Beating Blue Jays 8-5, Yankees Fall Again
The Tampa Bay Rays moved into sole possession of first place in the American League East on Monday, topping the Toronto Blue Jays 8-5 while the New York Yankees dropped their fourth straight game, falling 3-2 to Baltimore. Jonathan Aranda homered and drove in three runs, and Chandler Simpson added three hits, two stolen bases and three runs scored as Tampa Bay won its 15th of the last 17. Drew Rasmussen pitched six solid innings; Kevin Gausman surrendered seven runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings for Toronto. Bryan Baker earned his 11th save. The Rays sit at 26-12, half a game ahead of the 26-13 Yankees.
Sources: MLB.com, CBS Sports
Orioles Escape Yankees; Weathers Carries No-Hit Bid into 7th, Mayo Homers for 3-2 Win
Ryan Weathers nearly pitched a no-hitter before Coby Mayo delivered one of the most dramatic blows in the Orioles-Yankees rivalry Monday night in Baltimore. Weathers carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, striking out nine before yielding a single. Relief pitcher Brent Headrick then surrendered a three-run homer to Mayo, turning a scoreless game into a 3-2 Baltimore victory. The loss extended New York’s losing streak to four games and dropped the Yankees to 26-13, falling half a game behind the first-place Rays in the AL East. Weathers threw 101 pitches across his near gem before the drama unfolded.
Giants Trade Two-Time Gold Glove Catcher Patrick Bailey to Guardians for Draft Pick, Prospect
The Cleveland Guardians acquired two-time Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey from the San Francisco Giants on Monday in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Matt Wilkinson and the 29th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. Bailey, 26, leads all major league catchers since 2023 with a plus-85 fielding run value, ranking first in catcher framing runs and caught stealing above average. His bat has been a liability, though, as he slashed just .146/.213/.183 over 30 games this season. With prospect Daniel Susac on the injured list and Jesus Rodriguez recently recalled, the Giants opted to trade their backstop. Bailey immediately joined Cleveland’s active roster.
Sources: MLB Trade Rumors, CBS Sports, ESPN
Devers Homers and Draws Bases-Loaded Walk as Giants Rout Scuffling Dodgers 9-3
Rafael Devers homered in the second inning and drew a bases-loaded walk to break a seventh-inning tie as the San Francisco Giants routed the scuffling Los Angeles Dodgers 9-3 Monday night to open a four-game series at Dodger Stadium. Devers drove in a run with a single in the sixth before his seventh-inning walk capped a four-run frame and handed the Giants a lead they would not relinquish. Willy Adames finished with three RBI, and Matt Gage earned the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. The Giants won consecutive games for the first time since late April, snapping a seven-game road losing streak.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports, MLB.com
Mariners Set Franchise Record with 8th Straight Win Over Astros; Rodriguez Homers in 3-1 Victory
Julio Rodriguez hit his seventh home run of the season and Randy Arozarena contributed two hits as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Houston Astros 3-1 Monday night in Houston, setting a franchise record with their eighth consecutive win over their AL West rival. Dominic Canzone and Cole Young each hit RBI singles in the second inning before Rodriguez added his blast in the third for a 3-0 cushion. Jose Altuve went 3-for-4 and Isaac Paredes tied a season high with three hits for Houston, which has now dropped three straight games. The eight-game winning streak against the Astros is Seattle’s longest ever against any single opponent.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports, MLB.com
Cantillo Blanks Angels for Six Innings; Bazzana’s Two-Run Double Powers Guardians 7-2
Joey Cantillo threw six scoreless innings and rookie Travis Bazzana capped a five-run third inning with a two-run double as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-2 on Monday night in Cleveland. Cantillo held the Angels hitless through the first two innings before finishing his start with a quality line that lowered his ERA. Bazzana’s double came with the bases loaded, turning a close game into a rout. The Guardians, who also completed the Patrick Bailey acquisition earlier in the day, improved to 22-19 and maintained their lead atop the AL Central. Jorge Soler had two hits for Los Angeles, which fell to 15-24 on the season.
Diamondbacks Shut Out Rangers 1-0 After Eovaldi Scratched with Left Side Soreness
The Arizona Diamondbacks blanked the Texas Rangers 1-0 Monday night in Arlington, taking the series opener after the Rangers were forced into a bullpen game when scheduled starter Nathan Eovaldi was scratched with left side soreness before first pitch. Jakob Junis, making his first start since 2024 with Cincinnati, handled starting duties for Texas in his stead. Arizona’s pitching staff shut out the Rangers on a night when runs were scarce throughout both lineups. Paul Sewald closed out the ninth for the Diamondbacks. The Eovaldi scratch adds uncertainty to a Rangers rotation already under strain heading into a pivotal stretch of the season schedule.
Sources: ESPN, Sports Illustrated
Twins Place Taj Bradley on 15-Day IL with Right Pectoral Inflammation
Minnesota Twins right-hander Taj Bradley was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday with inflammation in his right pectoral muscle, retroactive to May 6. An MRI in Minneapolis revealed no significant structural damage, providing optimism for a relatively quick return. Bradley allowed two earned runs across six innings in his most recent start against Washington, but the outing aggravated the injury. Acquired by Minnesota this offseason after several seasons with Tampa Bay, Bradley has been a key piece of the Twins rotation. His absence opens a gap in Minnesota’s starting staff during a competitive stretch in the AL Central race.
Sources: MLB.com, ESPN, MLB Trade Rumors
American League
AL East
1. Tampa Bay Rays — 26–12, —
2. New York Yankees — 26–13, 0.5
3. Baltimore Orioles — 18–21, 8.5
4. Toronto Blue Jays — 16–22, 10.5
5. Boston Red Sox — 16–22, 10.5
AL Central
1. Cleveland Guardians — 22–19, —
2. Detroit Tigers — 18–20, 2.5
3. Chicago White Sox — 17–20, 3.0
4. Kansas City Royals — 17–21, 3.5
5. Minnesota Twins — 16–22, 4.5
AL West
1. Oakland Athletics — 20–18, —
2. Seattle Mariners — 19–20, 1.5
3. Texas Rangers — 17–21, 3.0
4. Houston Astros — 15–24, 5.5
5. Los Angeles Angels — 15–24, 5.5
National League
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves — 26–12, —
2. Washington Nationals — 18–20, 8.0
3. Philadelphia Phillies — 17–21, 9.0
4. Miami Marlins — 17–21, 9.0
5. New York Mets — 14–23, 11.5
NL Central
1. Chicago Cubs — 26–12, —
2. St. Louis Cardinals — 22–15, 3.5
3. Pittsburgh Pirates — 21–17, 5.0
4. Milwaukee Brewers — 19–16, 5.5
5. Cincinnati Reds — 20–18, 6.0
NL West
1. San Diego Padres — 24–16, —
2. Los Angeles Dodgers — 24–17, 0.5
3. Arizona Diamondbacks — 21–18, 2.5
4. San Francisco Giants — 17–24, 7.5
5. Colorado Rockies — 11–27, 12.0
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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