Ryan Pressly's historic meltdown, plus the Guardians prospect pitching through cancer

New York Times

07-05-2025

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Well, that was quite an 11th inning in Chicago.
Plus: Ken on Geraldo Perdomo's big personality, Zack Meisel on the prospect pitching through cancer treatments, and the Red Sox really need a first baseman. I'm Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal. Welcome to The Windup! Trouble: Is it time to worry? Yeah, probably
Eno Sarris has an article today in which he looks at 10 early numbers that indicate legitimate trouble for a few teams. Most of them are things we know are going wrong, but Sarris does a good job of explaining why .
Now … let's pivot: I had a whole section here highlighting a few of these numbers. You can still click the link and read them. But here's what Sarris had to say about Cubs reliever Ryan Pressly. Keep in mind, he wrote this when Pressly's ERA was 2.08.
Pressly's declining stuff — he's lost velocity and ride on the four-seam, which has become more cutter-like, and his curve is his only remaining above-average pitch — will probably cost him the closer's role sooner rather than later.
Pressly's ERA is now 7.23, because he faced eight hitters and allowed nine runs in the 11th inning against the Giants last night.
So let's focus on that , shall we? Because holy crap. Per the Giants broadcast, it was the most runs ever allowed in any extra inning in Wrigley Field history. It was also the most runs scored in an extra inning by the Giants since at least 1901.
Per Stathead, there has only ever been one other outing in which a pitcher allowed nine runs without recording an out — extra innings or not. That was Hank Borowy of the Detroit Tigers, who did it against the St. Louis Browns on Aug. 18, 1951.
Since it came in extra innings (ghost runner), only eight of Pressly's runs were earned (so Borowy still owns the record for earned runs. Only four pitchers have previously allowed that many earned runs in an inning without recording an out (most recently: Carlos Rodón in 2023).
As you might have guessed, we have more on this game. Here's Grant Brisbee on the Giants angle, and Patrick Mooney from the Cubs side. Ken's Notebook: How Perdomo won over the D-Backs
From my latest story:
The new kid on the Diamondbacks wouldn't stop talking, and it was driving Mookie Betts nuts. So the Dodgers star pulled aside Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, a trusted confidante from their days together with the Boston Red Sox, and offered some advice: 'You've got to get this guy to shut up.'
Geraldo Perdomo wouldn't shut up and still hasn't shut up, keeping in line with an ebullient personality that once drew the ire of veteran teammates and even the occasional opponent. But since his major-league debut in 2021, Perdomo has not only emerged as one of baseball's best shortstops but also gained respect and admiration from his Diamondbacks teammates, growing into a leader.
Perdomo, 25, isn't as well-known as Francisco Lindor, Corey Seager and Bobby Witt Jr., among others. But so far this season, he leads all shortstops in fWAR and ranks fourth in the majors overall, behind Aaron Judge, Pete Alonso and teammate Corbin Carroll.
Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen calls Perdomo's plate discipline elite. Pitcher Zac Gallen calls him one of the game's underrated defenders.
Betts? He smiles when asked about Perdomo. Right away, he was taken by the kid's enthusiasm. But Betts also could see how some might view Perdomo's decorum on the field as a problem. For example, Perdomo seemed unaware his celebrations might be perceived differently when the Diamondbacks were losing.
'In my head, I was like, hey, you've got to kind of straddle that line,' Betts said.
Early on, straddling that line was not the easiest task. The Diamondbacks finished 52-110 in 2021, the year Perdomo made his debut in two brief stints totaling 11 games. They were 74-88 in 2022, his first full season. So, when Perdomo would talk away in the clubhouse in the middle of a losing stretch, or with opponents at second base regardless of the score, some of his teammates seethed.
'For some of us, the older players, it was kind of not the greatest look,' Gallen said.
With a team gone sour, Perdomo even raised eyebrows with a seemingly innocuous act, jumping over the dugout rail in excitement when the Diamondbacks would score. Former Arizona catcher Carson Kelly, now with the Chicago Cubs, recalls some of the veterans reacting skeptically: 'Whoa, that's a little different.'
Lovullo, pitcher Merrill Kelly and others said Perdomo indeed rubbed people the wrong way.
More here. Drama?: Devers not the 1B answer (for now) in Boston
It was the biggest story in camp. The Red Sox had signed Alex Bregman — reigning AL 3B Gold Glove winner Alex Bregman, mind you — and the entire sport seemed to slowly turn its head toward incumbent third baseman Rafael Devers to see his response.
He didn't disappoint (assuming you were hoping for a little drama, anyway). Devers made it clear that he was a third baseman, not a designated hitter. Period. Aaaaaand then a couple more periods to make it an ellipsis, because after meeting with manager Alex Cora and the Red Sox front office, Devers reversed course: He was ready to do whatever the team needed.
Well, they need a first baseman now. Triston Casas' season-ending knee injury created a void. Could Devers be that guy? Here's a line from Jen McCaffrey's recent story:
'Before Tuesday's game, Cora said that he's had no discussions with Rafael Devers about moving to first base. Devers has been asked by the media to discuss the matter, but so far he has declined to talk.'
To be fair, that's not quite the full-chest 'no way' we got from Devers this spring. It's also not an offer to do it. All we know is: It's not happening.
So far, the Red Sox have used Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro in Casas' absence. If Devers did play first base, it would allow Boston to put Masataka Yoshida at DH. Yoshida is returning from a shoulder injury, and capable of hitting, but is still experiencing pain when he throws.
Stay tuned? Today's Must-Read: The prospect pitching through cancer treatments
When it comes to telling stories like this, there aren't many who can do it like Zack Meisel. Today, he brings us the story of Nic Enright, who hasn't even made it to the big leagues just yet.
Part of the reason might be because he's pitching through cancer treatments.
In December 2022, the Guardians prospect was selected by the Miami Marlins in the Rule 5 draft, meaning — barring an IL stint — they would have to keep him on their big-league roster all season long, or offer him back to Cleveland.
Less than a month later, an egg-sized lump on his neck caused him to see a doctor. He was diagnosed with 'Stage 2 nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma.'
That IL stint in Miami did happen. By the time the deadline came to activate him or send him back, it was late June, which is how he ended up back with the Guardians.
Meisel walks us through Enright's journey — chemotherapy treatments, walks with his wife, scheduling his treatments around the baseball season, and support from others in the sport who had battled cancer.
Now, at age 28, he's back on the verge of making the big leagues.
Go read the rest of the story. Whether you're a Guardians fan or not, you'll probably have a new player to root for by the time you're finished. Handshakes and High Fives
From prospect to regular to folk hero: Pete Crow-Armstrong is an undeniable star with the Cubs.
The Astros are nearing a decision deadline on Brendan Rodgers as they try to replace Jose Altuve at second base.
Royce Lewis didn't do his usual big-day-at-the-plate-in-his-return-from-the-IL bit, but the rest of the Twins lineup stepped up and did it for him.
Last year, new glasses helped break Kiké Hernandez out of a slump. Now Max Muncy is giving it a go.
The Yankees scored 10 runs off the vaunted Padres bullpen, who apparently decided to get all their regression out in one go. Additionally, the Yanks have DFA'd Carlos Carrasco. Brendan Kuty tells us what the rotation options are.
Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández has officially hit the IL — it's a Grade 1 adductor (groin) strain.
On the pods: Tigers manager A.J. Hinch is on 'Starkville,' talking about the team's hot start — including Spencer Torkelson and Javy Báez. And on 'Rates and Barrels,' Will Sammon discusses the Mets' rotation and lineup questions.
Most-clicked in our last newsletter: Five trades Jim Bowden would like to see this month.
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(Top photo: Ed Szczepanski / Imagn Images)