Tuesday Topes
Who: Oklahoma City Comets vs. Albuquerque Isotopes
When: 6:35 p.m. first pitch
Where: Rio Grande Credit Union Field
Radio: 610 AM/95.9 FM
Streaming: MiLB.tv
Probable pitchers: Not yet announced.
The Isotopes are playing big time baseball this season, sitting atop the Pacific Coast League standings in mid-May.
This week at Rio Grande Credit Union Field, the Oklahoma City Comets are hopeful that a couple of Big Leaguers can slow them down.
Three-time Los Angeles Dodgers World Series champion Kiké Hernandez and two-time Dodgers World Series champion Brusdar Graterol are both scheduled to be on injury rehab assignments this week in Albuquerque for the OKC Comets.
Hernandez, who has played in the most postseason games in Dodgers history (92), has been away from the big league club since having surgery on a torn tendon in his left elbow in November 2025.
In three games with the Triple-A Comets, this season he's hitting .222 with two strikeouts andhhh one extra-base hit (a double) in nine plate appearances.
Graterol has been away from the Dodgers since the 2024 World Series while recovering from labrum surgery. In three games with OKC this season, he has an 11.57 ERA, allowing three earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.
Coincidentally, Isotopes broadcaster Josh Suchon had a fascinating historical look at the history of Major League rehab assignment published last week by Baseball America under the online headline of "Investigating The Origin Of MLB’s Minor League Rehab Assignment Rules".
He should be well-versed on the context of this week's games.
A team paying its rent
Sunday's game will feature the annual Isotopes check presentation to the City of Albuquerque for use of the facility. This year, the Isotopes will present Mayor Tim Keller with a check for $2.05 million, bringing the 23-year total of Isotopes payments to the city to $37.5 million.
Trivia time!
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Question: We're dipping back into the well from last season on this one.
OKC used to be known as the Dodgers. They’ve been the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate since the parent club deserted the Duke City more than a decade ago. Oklahoma City even went by the name "OKC Baseball Club" for one season. But now they’re the Comets.
Why is OKC called the Comets?
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Answer: See below…
Know the foe
The Isotopes return home for a six-game Pacific Coast League series at Rio Grande Credit Union Field from Tuesday through Sunday.
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Isotopes, Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, 23-16 overall, 1st place PCL
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Oklahoma City Comets, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, 20-18 overall, 3rd place PCL
Three up, three down
Some things that have been looking good lately for the 'Topes, some not so good.
Looking good:
1.
The Isotopes’ plus-40 run differential is tops in the PCL (next closest is second place Sacramento at plus-19).
2.
The Isotopes’ winning the road series the past week at Sugar Land, 5-1, was Albuquerque's first-ever series win on the road against the Space Cowboys (11 total series). It was also just the second series win home or road against Sugar Land.
3.
Seven Isotopes players have active on-base streaks of at least 17 games, including IF Chad Stevens with a 32-game streak.
Look away:
NOTE: It's admittedly a little nit-picky to find three things the Isotopes are struggling with the past few weeks. They are far from perfect, but first place is first place. Nonetheless, here are the three "downs" for the week…
1.
It's not how your start. Or how you finish, apparently. While the Isotopes are outscoring opponents by 40 this season, they are being outscored in the first inning 27-22 (minus-5) and 20-13 (minus-7) in the ninth inning. The 'Topes are plus-52 in innings 2-8.
2.
The Isotopes' 8.76 ERA in losses is the second worst ERA in losses in the PCL. Naturally, all teams have worse ERA's in losses than in wins, but for the Topes, the difference is big — 8.76 in the 16 losses and 3.39 in the 23 wins.
3.
OK, Chuck. It's mid-May and you've still yet to leave the yard in the thin air of Albuquerque. 1B/OF Charlie Condon, is a home-run hitting Rockies prospect who entered the season as a guy likely to make it up to Denver sometime in the summer. So far, he's hitting .242 with four home runs (all in road games) and 17 RBIs in 120 at bats.
Fast food
Time to taco-bout an epic comeback in the standings. Here's a look in at this season's chile race standings.
2026 Season Standings (17 races):
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9 wins — Salsa Jar
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3 wins — Red Chile
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3 wins — Green Chile
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2 wins — Taco
Homestand highlights
Here's what the Topes are cooking up for this six-game homestand in terms of promotions, food and giveaways (start times vary, scheduled first pitch in parenthesis):
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Specialty food item of homestand: Teriyaki Chicken Skewer Bowl (available at the Bullpen Cart by section 109); Ballpark Sushi Dog (available at the Noodle Cart by section 119); Pork & Vegetable Egg Roll in a Mediterranean Bowl (available at Batters up by section 108)
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Wednesday (first pitch 6:05 p.m.): Asian American Pacific Islander Night; Ka La Kapu Chinese American Citizen’s Alliance and Bushido Kenkyukai Drummers performances pre and during game.
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Thursday (first pitch 11:05 a.m.): Day baseball!
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Friday (first pitch 6:35 p.m.): Fireworks postgame; Little League night (parade pregame); pregame autographs from select Isotopes on third base side concourse (5:40–6 p.m.)
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Saturday (first pitch 6:35 p.m.): Fireworks postgame; Little League night (parade pregame); Green Chile Cheeseburgers Night
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Sunday (first pitch 1:35 p.m.): Day baseball; Military & Veterans Appreciation Day; two model submarines on display outside McKernan Hall; pre-game check presentation to City of Albuquerque
Trivia answer
OKC settled in on the Comets as their team nickname last year in honor of the "Commerce Comet," the nickname given to Oklahoma baseball legend Mickey Mantle, who grew up in nearby Commerce, Oklahoma.
The team plays at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, located on Mickey Mantle Drive, and there is a large Mickey Mantle statue outside the stadium.
Reach Geoff Grammer at ggrammer@abqjournal.com or follow him on Twitter (X) @GeoffGrammer.
