Worldwide Sports News

New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers

Monday, April 27, 2026, 7:05 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

LHP Max Fried vs. RHP Jack Leiter

Go Rangers!

We get the Red Sox, with their new manager, for however long he lasts, for the next three games.

And, we’ve had the post on Max Scherzer, we won’t have him to kick around (more like other teams won’t have him to kick around) for at least the next 15 days. I wonder if he’d be willing to try the long reliever role? Likely, not. I’ll admit I’m using him for that in OOTP Baseball, and he’s been fine in the role. Course, in the game, Kevin Gausman was hurt, in his first start, and is out for the season.

I have to post the rules again, but let me say you are not allowed to insult people here. If you are the smartest in the room, show, not tell.

Tonight’s lineups:

First Pitch (CT):6:40 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App
Know Yo’ Foe: Lookout Landing

After the latest bout of losing, it appears I need to adjust my previews back to “look at the bright side” mode. So, after losing 5 straight and 9 of their last 10, let’s pull a few positives.

1. Brooks Lee: Since infamously hitting himself in the face on a botched bunt (please watch it if you haven’t), the Twins’ shortstop is hitting .277/.338/.538 with 5 HR, 13 RBI, and a 140 wRC+ in 71 plate appearances. The defense has been poor and his pitch-level metrics say he’s been much worse (.227 xBA, .363 xSLG, hard hit rate lower than 2025, somehow) but this is probably the longest, successful stretch Lee has had at the plate in the Majors. Let’s appreciate it for now.
2. Connor Prielipp: His workload will still be limited for now, but you saw exactly why he’s the Twins’ top pitching prospect in his debut. Six strikeouts, a ton of swings and misses, and a slider that can make the best hitters look lost. Prielipp may have already jumped SWR in the rotation heirarchy, but we’ll cross that bridge when Mick Abel returns.
3. Austin Martin: You don’t need any fancy advanced stats to know he’s been arguably the Twins’ best hitter in the young season. Getting on base in 50% of your PAs will do that. But perhaps even more important, the early defensive metrics like his work so far, ranking above average in every system in all three of left field, right field, and center. Martin has reverse splits in the minors for his career, and combined with his new defensive strength, he should probably be in the lineup every day right now. With Wallner, Keaschall, Lewis, and Clemens all seriously struggling, it’s only a matter of time.

Now back to the game at hand. Prielipp is back on the mound in start two of his young career. He’ll face MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh and perennial All-Star Julio Rodriguez who are both struggling, but have found their footing a bit over the past week. The good news for Prielipp is outside of those two and postseason hero Randy Arozarena, the rest of the lineup is extremely poor with numbers rivaling the Minnesota’s own offensive incompetence.

For the the Twins, they’ll be facing veteran Luis Castillo who is probably past his prime at this point. Shelty is running out the usual lineup, with newly crowned Brooks Lee filling into the two hole amid Keaschall’s continued struggles. Unfortunately, my personal nemesis Kody Clemens (who has about 6 good weeks of baseball in his entire MLB career) continues to get starts at 1B. He’s a bad defender, hasn’t hit a lick, and doesn’t run the bases well. I know Josh Bell is a poor defender in his own right, but at least then you can get Martin or Caratini’s bats in the lineup.

Or start getting Martin reps at first at this point. Less Kody Clemens = better Minnesota Twins.

Lineups

The Seattle Mariners are fresh off what is both their first road series win and their first three-game series sweep of the season and headed to Minnesota to face a Twins team that is rebuilding after being sold for parts at last year’s trade deadline, which should be a harbinger of momentum finally shifting in Seattle’s favor. Unfortunately, the weather in Minnesota, as it always does, Sucks Out Loud, and tonight’s series opener will likely start in a delay if not get canceled entirely.

UPDATE, 4:30 PT: The warmup notification hit my phone screen so it looks like this one is starting on time. Head on over to the game thread and let’s all agree this almost-rain-delay never happened.

UPDATE, 3:40 PT: Apparently things are now tracking towards an on-time start, which is bonkers considering Shannon’s video below.

We got our first ever Shannon Drayer TARP! post of the season, and while Shannon is a delight, these posts are not.

That was posted early this morning; this post was from an hour ago, just a couple of hours before scheduled start time.

However, things do seem to be on the upswing. Both Brad Adam and Daniel Kramer report the Mariners have at least come out on the field to do pregame activities as the rain has stopped.

If tonight’s game is postponed, the Mariners will likely play a doubleheader tomorrow, followed by the regularly-scheduled day game for Wednesday before Thursday’s off day. The forecast in Minnesota says the rain should pass through tonight, but I trust the accuracy of a Midwest weather report about as much as I trust the proportions of my grandmother’s bourbon balls recipe (ingredients: 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup each nuts and chopped fruit, and “Bourbon, as much as you like”).

This is the second time in a row the Mariners have had to contend with Minnesota’s weather and Target Field’s lack of a roof; perhaps you remember the four and a half hour rain delay in the series finale last June that resulted in the Mariners getting walloped 10-1. The Mariners were lousy on the road in the rain last season, going 1-6 in games delayed by rain. I had the not-at-all pleasure of recapping the Little League Classic game and thus getting to excise some childhood trauma, literature edition (Mrs. Ward was wrong for assigning Asimov to third graders and I stand behind that). I also got this un-fun one in Baltimore, and apparently rain delays make me think about my childhood. Probably standard for a Seattle kid. But the one that mad me the maddest was probably the mid-game interruption at Yankee Stadium that threw Logan Gilbert off his game. Ryan had that one, which might explain his posts on Bluesky today.

This post – which will serve as an off-day open thread if tonight’s game is canceled – will be updated as we know more about tonight’s game, and Ryan, we assume, will keep Posting Through It.

The St. Louis Cardinals begin one of their toughest stretches of the young season as they kick off a 4-game series in Pittsburgh Monday night. Dustin May (3-2 with a 5.84 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cardinals. Mason Montgomery will make the start for the Pirates. First pitch scheduled for 5:40pm St. Louis time Monday.

The Cubs welcomed back a member of their Opening Day bullpen before Monday night’s game in San Diego when they activated right-hander reliever Phil Maton from the 15-day injured list.

Maton had been placed on the IL April 10 (retroactive to April 8) with right knee tendinitis. He had posted a 13.50 ERA (six earned runs in four innings) before the IL stint. He threw one scoreless inning in a rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa last Friday.

Maton had been signed to a $6 million deal this past offseason with an $8.5 million team option or $3 million buyout for 2027. His last three relief seasons had been very good, with a combined 3.15 ERA in 202 relief appearances covering 191.1 innings, with 215 strikeouts and only 16 home runs allowed. Hopefully Maton can get back to that level of performance; the Cubs surely need it.

Charlie Barnes, who was recalled Sunday along with Yacksel Rios, was optioned back to Triple-A Iowa. Barnes threw three innings for the Cubs May 13 in Philadelphia, allowing four runs (three earned), the last game the Cubs lost before the 10-game winning streak.

But the Cubs still need more relief help. And so this seems a good place for me to ask you this: Jordan Romano, who had been very good from 2021-23 with 95 saves for the Blue Jays, has been pretty bad the last three seasons for the Jays, Phillies and Angels. This year Romano had a 10.13 ERA and 2.125 WHIP in 11 games (eight innings) for the Angels, who designated him for assignment Sunday.

Once Romano clears waivers, assuming he opts for free agency, worth a flyer? The Cubs can use just about any live arm they can find. Let us know what you think in the comments.

Today’s game preview will post at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Here’s the Rays’ lineup:

Here’s the Guardians’ lineup:

Let’s go, Guardians!