You're locked in to Sports Desk, let's get into it.
Paul Skenes is going through something he hasn't seen much of in his young career — a rough patch. Wednesday's outing pushed his ERA to three point nine five, more than double the one point nine six he carried into two thousand twenty six. The Pirates ace says he sees the areas to fix, and given his track record, you'd be foolish to bet against him finding them fast.
Meanwhile, the Mets are absorbing another blow to an already battered roster. Jorge Polanco is heading to the injured list and likely under the knife, with left ankle bursitis ending what has been a difficult first season in New York. The Mets needed Polanco to be a stabilizing force in that infield, and now they'll have to find another way to steady the ship down the stretch.
Over in Baltimore, some good news for a change — catcher Samuel Basallo is back. The Orioles reinstated him from the ten-day injured list Wednesday and put him straight into the starting lineup. Baltimore has been hunting for offensive spark, and a healthy Basallo returning behind the dish gives this club a genuine lift right when they need it most.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
