BWDIK: Brash, Hiller, Lopez, Macko, Naylor, Ryan, Smith, Soroka
Chilliwack Cougars and Junior National Team grad Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) has 23 saves for the Cleveland Guardians this season, which leads the majors.
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.
Don Newcombe registered 17 wins with the Montreal Royals in 1948.
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).