
AAA: Round Rock 0, Tacoma (SEA) 4
Round Rock: 4 hits, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 5 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 33-34, 11.5 GB
SP Max Scherzer: 4.2 IP, 4 H (1 HR), 3 R, 2 BB, 8 SO, 79 P / 55 S, 4.91 ERA
RP Aidan Anderson: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1.64 ERA
2B Jonathan Ornelas: 1-2, BB, HBP, .254/.319/.347
Max Scherzer allowed more runs than you’d like in a Triple A game, but they don’t really matter. He looked like Max Scherzer to me. The only potential concern is velocity, and most of his offerings were below 2023 velocity. Here’s his 2023 averages (left) compared to last night (right):
FB: 93.7, 92.1
CT: 88.4, 86.4
SL: 84.0, 84.3
CH: 83.8, 81.9
CB: 75.4, 74.1
The difference could be a combination of ongoing recovery, simply being who he is (not a young man, relatively speaking), and just being one of those days. The question is whether Texas decides another rehab outing is worthwhile.
The Joshes Jung and Sborz will rehab in Round Rock tonight.
Texas released reliever Chasen Shreve (again). The next steps are for him to throw a few innings for the Red Sox, get released again, and become a credible starter for Tampa Bay.




AA: Frisco 6, Amarillo (ARI) 1
Frisco: 6 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 6 walks, 3 strikeouts
Record: 42-20, 7 G up, magic number 1
SP Dane Acker: 6 IP, 2 H (1 HR), 1 R, 5 BB, 1 SO, 91 P / 52 S, 2.81 ERA
RP Andy Rodriguez: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.32 ERA
RP Seth Clark: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.70 ERA
1B Abi Ortiz: 1-3, HR (4), .179/.250/.310
Dane Acker walked five and allowed a homer, but only one batter crossed the plate.
Midland lost again, so the only way Frisco won’t be the first-half champion is to lose today while Midland wins, and then get swept at Midland next week. Unlikely. Midland will play this afternoon, so Frisco will either be the division champ before taking the field tonight or will have the chance to clinch in front of the home crowd.

Hi-A: Hickory 4, @ Aberdeen (BAL) 3
Hickory: 9 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
Opponent: 6 hits, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts
Record: 28-34, 7 GB
SP Winston Santos: 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 10 SO, 89 P / 63 S, 2.43 ERA
RP Jackson Kelley: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.65 ERA
RP Skylar Hales: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.74 ERA
CF Alejandro Osuna: 2-5, 2B, HR (8), .257/.321/.472
C Ian Moller: 2-4, .201/.325/.269
Winston Santos: AA pitcher, 40-man member. That’s not the reality, but it’s not just a dream, either. Let’s revisit in a few months.

Lo-A: Down East 1, Charleston (TAM) 2
Down East: 5 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 3 hits, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts
Record: 34-27, 3.5 GB, elimination number 2
SP Alejandro Rosario: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 83 P / 58 S, 1.49 ERA
Trailing 2-0 in the 9th, the Woodies put themselves into position for yet another walkoff. Gleider Figuereo doubled, Arturo Disla singled him home, and a hit-by-pitch put the winning run aboard. The fun ended there, unfortunately.
Once again, Alejandro Rosario was virtually unhittable. Even though he’s been a professional for under a year, I’d think he more than anyone else at Down East is ready for the next level. For the A levels, the first half ends the middle of next week, and next Sunday for the AA and AAA squads.
One could eye the stat sheet and decide promotions are due for Rosario, Jose Gonzalez, David Davallilo, Kohl Drake, and Brayan Mendoza. Maybe some others as well. That won’t happen because of Newtonian physics. (Newton was a big baseball fan.) Every action has an equal and opposed reaction. Promoting five starter-worthy (or at least tandem-worthy) pitchers requires the removal of a roughly equal number of pitchers from Hickory, either via promotion, demotion, or release. Likewise, Down East would need many new pitchers. Does the rookie squad have several ready to jump, and are there a few in the Dominican Summer League ready to advance to replace the rookies? And would promoting players from the DSL run afoul of the 165-man domestic roster limit?
Anyone can play Pretend GM. If you want a real challenge, play Pretend Farm System Coordinator.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Sampson
AA: Teodo
Hi-A: Curry
Lo-A: TBA (Bormie and/or Curtis)
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Nashville’s Wes Benjamin allowed a run in five innings. Two starts ago, his ERA stood at 7.81, but he was beginning to put things together, and from then on he posted a 4.04 ERA. In 2020-2021, Benjamin reached the Majors, admittedly as a fringe pitcher for some bad teams, but a Major Leaguer nonetheless, and now he’s in his third year as a starter in Korea.
Ten Years Ago Yesterday