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The Chicago Cubs have won seven straight games, including multi-run victories over Philadelphia in the first two games of the series.

With a fatigued bullpen and Taijuan Walker expected to pitch in bulk relief, my Phillies vs. Cubs predictions expect Chicago to complete the sweep.

Let’s take a closer look at my daily MLB picks for April 22.

Who will win Phillies vs Cubs today: Cubs moneyline (-170)

The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to use Kyle Backhus as an opener before turning to Taijuan Walker for a handful of innings. That’s a recipe for disaster.

Backhus has allowed four runs and a couple of homers in 6 2/3 innings, while Walker’s struggles have been even more alarming.

He owns a 9.16 ERA, 2.04 WHIP, and has surrendered six homers in less than 19 innings of work. That's resulted in a -0.81 win probability added (WPA), the worst mark of today’s projected arms.

The Chicago Cubs rank fourth in runs per game and OPS, and should be heading for another big day.

COVERS INTEL: Chicago has posted a 21.9% line drive rate at home against right-handed pitching — the fifth-highest mark in the majors.

Phillies vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+110)

Taijuan Walker has allowed four or more runs in three of his four appearances, and that's no coincidence.

He ranks in the ninth percentile or lower in whiff rate, xERA, and xBA. He can’t miss bats and is allowing a ton of quality contact.

The Phillies have gotten 4 2/3 frames or less from their starter in three straight games and used five relievers yesterday, leaving their bullpen vulnerable behind him.

Matthew Boyd has allowed a sky-high 17.3% barrel rate early on and last pitched April 1, which is less than ideal when taking on a Phillies team with real power.

Phillies vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: Phillies +145 | Cubs -170
• Run line: Phillies +1.5 (-140) | Cubs -1.5 (+120)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+105) | Under 8.5 (-125)

Phillies vs Cubs trend

The Chicago Cubs have hit the moneyline in their last seven games (+7.40 Units / 88% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Cubs.

How to watch Phillies vs Cubs and game info

Phillies vs Cubs latest injuries

Phillies vs Cubs weather

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Oh, you thought the Red Sox had pitching depth? Lol, you’re cute. This is 2026, finding actual pitching depth is harder than transiting Hormuz. And with the Sox already looking for arms, Craig Breslow is turning to a AA pitcher who has never thown a single inning of MLB ball. Eduardo Rivera, the 33rd ranked Sox prospect according to Soxprospects.com, will be with the Sox for tonight’s game in Fenway. The 22-yeard-old lefty dominated in two starts this season, but it’s unclear at this point whether the Sox will use him in the bullpen or rotation. When Rivera takes the mound, he’ll already be the fifth Red Sox pitcher to make his MLB debut this year. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

Part of the reason why the Sox pitching depth doesn’t look as strong as it once did is because Kutter Crawford hasn’t been able to find himself back on a mound. Crawford made one outing last week before going in for an MRI on his elbow. While the imagine revealed no structural damage, he has once again been shut down. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

With all due respect to Eduardo Rivera, he’s not exactly a name that’s going to get Sox fans excited when talking about a promotion. Payton Tolle, on the other hand, is. But is he gonig to be back in Boston any time soon? Tolle hasn’t pitched since April 12 — not because he’s hurt, but because he’s been put in limbo in case of a call-up. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)

But right now pitching is far from the biggest issue facing the Sox. The Sox failed to score against a pitcher who came into last night’s game with an ERA over 7. And the early season stats are brutal:

And it goes without saying that, while watching a limp offense is alway hard, it’s especially bad against the Yankees, who have put together a lineup with the power that the Red Sox desperately need. (Rob Bradford, WEEI)

Win one for Jody? I think of Jody Davis when I think of number 7’s in Cub history (Also, Dansby and Rick Monday). I’ve definitely got seven on the brain with a seventh straight win and a 7-4 win. That’ll be an interesting one for Craig Counsell and the coaching staff. You have to be proud of the guys taking what is there. Also, that was a pretty sloppy win. The Cubs left a ton of baserunners, seemingly having the bases loaded in almost every inning. They also had some uncharacteristic miscues defensively.

On that defensive side, the worst of those came from two errors by Scott Kingery who was essentially playing out of position. Counsell was aggressive using Moisés Ballesteros to pinch hit early and Kingery to run after Mo drew a bases loaded walk for the first Cub run. In fairness, Ballesteros wasn’t going to play third and so using Kingery to run wasn’t the issue. He was going in anyway. Pinch -itting for Matt Shaw was very aggressive when Alex Bregman is DH for the night. Craig has been going to the early aggressive pinch hitting spot, largely batting for Ballesteros. Carson Kelly’s pinch three-run homer in that situation was a big reason for a win over the weekend.

It’s interesting to nitpick on a night when the Cubs scored seven and won. It’s splitting hairs. But also, you burned Shaw with the Phillies looking at a severely depleted bullpen and having to throw lefties basically all night long. Even if they didn’t score in the fifth, the Cubs arguably didn’t need that run as they scored six over the next three. How differently does it sequence without that first run? And things might have stacked differently for Shōta Imanaga who was brilliant but ostensibly would been losing heading to the bottom of the sixth.

The good news is that the Cubs put together 12 hits and drew 10 walks. They only had eight team at bats, so that is a ton of traffic. Everyone who played for the Cubs reached base for the Cubs, including Ballesteros as a pinch-hitter, and Kingery collecting his first hit as a Cub. The Cubs had just two extra-base hits, both of them homers. So this was a lot of grinding.

The Cubs do not look like world beaters. I’m not sure what to expect at any given time out of their bullpen. This has been very opportunistic. They are 8-1 over their last nine and have scored 65 runs in those nine games — more than seven runs per game. I do not believe this is the best baseball this team will play this year. Also, they are doing what they need to do and winning. They are taking what the other team is giving them and they’ve allowed the Mets and Phillies help them win seven games.

Good teams take advantage of sloppy play by the other team. Also, the Cubs are getting contributions from up and down the roster. A lot of people have chipped in and it has covered for some slow starts. But little by little, some signs of life are showing from the slow starters. Seiya Suzuki absolutely demolished a baseball in this one. Alex Bregman had a single and two walks. It doesn’t look all of the way there, but there is progress. Michael Busch had a two-run single off of a lefty and drew a walk. Pete Crow-Armstrong had two hits, including a beautiful bunt single.

It’s all coming together. Bit by bit.

Three Positives:

• Shōta Imanaga. First Cub to get through seven. He’s been striking a ton of batters out this season, but not in this one. He struck out one, but was efficient. The Cubs only used three relievers in this one, as compared to five for the Phillies (despite one fewer inning pitched). The Phillies are probably going to be forced to throw someone longer than they are comfortable before this series ends. Meanwhile the Cubs have had their starter throw into the seventh on consecutive nights.
• Seiya Suzuki had a pair of hits, one a two-run homer.
• Nico Hoerner had a pair of hits and was hit by a pitch. One of the hits was his fourth homer, reaching that mark about three months earlier than last year. I’m very interested to see if this is a bit of a fluke or if he goes on to hit 15-20 homers. I very clearly remember the first half of Ryne Sandberg’s career when he had a line drive swing but just got a little carry from time to time to pile up some numbers. I would never comp anyone off of Sandberg, just recalling that you do not need to be a hulk over have an exaggerated uppercut to generate power.

I’m enjoying every second of this streak even while recognizing it for what it is. The team is now on pace for 98.6 wins.

Game 23, April 21: Cubs 7, Phillies 4 (14-9)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Shōta Imanaga (.235). 7 IP, 26 BF, 3 H, BB, ER, K (W 1-1)
• Hero: Ian Happ (.165). 1-4, 2 BB, 2 R
• Sidekick: Moisés Ballesteros (.143). 0-0, BB, RBI

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Jacob Webb (-.063). 0.1 IP, 4 BF, 2 H, 1 R (o ER)
• Goat: Alex Bregman (-.055). 1-4, 2 BB, R
• Kid: Scott Kingery (-.033). 1-2

WPA Play of the Game: Michael Busch batted with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, the game tied. He lofted a pop fly into no mans land between the infield and center field. It fell for a two-run single. (.249)

*Phillies Play of the Game: Kyle Schwarber homered with one out in the sixth to tie the game at one. (.169)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 22 Winner: Colin Rea received 146 out of 225 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Nico Hoerner +10.5
• Michael Conforto/Shōta Imanaga +7
• Seiya Suzuki/Jacob Webb -8
• Pete Crow-Armstrong -15

Up Next: How about win one for Andre? The all-time great Cub wore No. 8 for his six years on the North Side. The Cubs last won eight straight in 2023. Further, though, they won 83 games that year. So long winning streaks don’t necessarily correlate with great seasons. Fun with early season numbers: The Pirates lost Tuesday. They are 13-10 and in last place despite being on a 91.6 win pace.

Matthew Boyd (1-1, 6.75, 9.1 IP) makes his third start of the season as he comes off of the injured list. His last major league start was April 1. He did make one rehab start for Iowa. Don’t look at the numbers. He was making sure he was ready to go. It doesn’t feel like he’s likely to get too deep into this one. That’s why Imanaga’s efficient start was so important.

The Phillies will use 28-year-old lefty Kyle Backhus (0-0, 5.40, 6.2 IP) as an opener. Hard to imagine not putting Busch, Ballesteros and PCA all into the bottom of the order. You can slot Ballesteros there, knowing you’ll pinch hit for him later in the game to break up the clump of lefties. This spot was previously Taijuan Walker’s (1-3, 9.16, 18.2 IP). The Cubs can start with Hoerner/Bregman/Happ/Suzuki/Swanson. How long are you going to let Backhus try to pitch? His longest outing was 1.2 IP and 41 pitches. Against the Cubs. Swanson already took him deep in that one. Dansby’s had strong performances in the early going at the plate.

Keep rolling!

In their attempt to aggravate an entire fanbase to absolutely no end, the Phillies have tried every avenue of the game of baseball. The laser-like focus of fans’ ire has been on the offense and rightfully so. The number of ways that one can talk about how much the offense has struggled are legion – they aren’t hitting for much power outside of two players, they aren’t scoring in multiple innings, they have uncompetitive at bats, etc. Players hitting is the part of the game that scores runs and scoring runs helps win games, so naturally it is going to be the target for any team’s struggles. A more pessimistic point of view can focus on the pitching, which has also not been as good as hoped in this early going. Baseball Prospectus pointed that out in their look at teams that have risen and fallen the most in terms of playoff odds in the early going:

Philadelphia’s pitching has registered a 4.84 ERA so far. That’s the third-worst mark in the entire league. And if the bats have made for tedious viewing, the arms have made peoples’ brains implode and melt out their ears. The average wOBA on contact of knocks with an exit velocity of 80 mph or less is .225. Against this staff, it’s been .315. That’s 25 points higher than the team behind them. DRA tells a different story, with a league-leading 3.81 mark. The gap between what they’ve absorbed vs. what they’ve earned is second-worst.

Yet for both of those parts of the game that have dipped in the early going, perhaps nothing is more frustrating than watching a professional baseball team make errors in the field.

We’re so used to watching the Phillies struggle at the plate for long periods of time that we would expect them to perform well at their other job, yet they have not. Their 15 errors in the field is third most in the National League. Considering that they had the third fewest errors in the National League in 2025, this early season lack of performance is concerning.

It’s also that the errors they have committed have happened at some of the more inopportune times, perhaps none moreso than the error committed by Edmundo Sosa on Saturday against the Braves.

An inning that should have been completed by a routine play was allowed to continue, the Braves capitalizing on it by scoring three runs and sealing the victory.

If it feels like the fielding this year has been particularly bad, you’re not alone. Looking at some of the advance numbers, the Phillies are ranking near the bottom of the league in most anything you want to look at as a unit. As of Tuesday, they are:

• 30th in MLB in DRS (-16)
• 15th in MLB in FRV (Fielding Run Value – 0)
• 23rd in OAA (-5)
• 30th in Defensive Efficiency (.631)

That’s bad!

Now, the general rule of thumb is that fielding stats, even the ones that we would consider to be advanced, are ones that take a long time to stabilize. There is still a lot of noise happening with these stats, making their trustworthiness and accuracy questionable. For example, it’s hard to believe that someone like Bryce Harper, who has been considered an above average fielder since he started playing first base, has suddenly fallen off a cliff and become the absolute worst fielder in the game right now by FRV. Yet there he sits (or sat, as of Tuesday evening).

However, with the Phillies as a whole, the numbers seem to match the eye test.

They stink right now at defense.

That doesn’t mean improvement isn’t forthcoming. We’ve known and heard stories about the work put in with Bobby Dickerson to improve some of the fielders the team has. That work needs to get put in and soon. The way the offense is underperforming, the pitching cannot be forced to make extra pitches constantly due to shoddy defense. They’re already starting to cycle through bullpen arms to keep pitchers fresh, so a better defense can help in a few, small ways to make that slow down.

It needs to be better.

The Yankees made a quick shuffle today, placing starter Ryan Weathers on the paternity list and recalling Jake Bird from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Bird had been sent down to the minors after allowing three runs in an outing against the Angels, replaced first by Yerry De Lo Santos and then by Angel Chivilli.

This will likely be a quick return to the majors for Bird, who has a ways to go before regaining the Yankees’ trust (he took a step last night, tossing a scoreless inning for Scranton). Despite intriguing stuff, Bird has struggled to an almost shocking degree every time he’s put on pinstripes, getting knocked around for 13 runs in nine innings as a Yankee between 2025 and 2026.

As for Weathers, he’ll be gone for at least one and up to three days per MLB’s paternity leave policy. The left-hander is coming off a superlative start, striking out eight across 7.1 shutout innings against the Royals. He’s largely been impressive in five starts with the New York, posting a 3.18 ERA and 3.28 FIP in 28.1 innings. He was lined up to go on Saturday in Houston, and appears likely to stay in that slot.

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (12-8) POSTPONED

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (9-7) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board in the first inning on an Austin solo home run. Nezuh got the start and pitched well allowing 2 runs over 5 innings of work. The Travelers picked up another run in the 6th to make it 3-1. The Hooks got one back in the 8th to make it 3-2 but that was it from the offense as they fell by the score of 3-2.

Note: Austin has a .991 OPS this season.

• Trevor Austin, 3B: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Joseph Sullivan, CF: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI

• Jackson Nezuh, RHP: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Amilcar Chirinos, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (4-12) lost 8-4 (BOX SCORE)

Rodriguez got the start for Asheville and pitched well tossing 5.2 innings allowing just 1 run. The offense got on the board in the 7th on a Thomas 3 run home run as Asheville took the lead. The bullpen struggled with the Drive scoring 3 runs in the 8th and 4 runs in the 9th. Asheville got one run back in the 9th on a Cruz RBI single but it wasn’t enough as Asheville fell 8-4.

Note: Thomas has a .904 OPS this season.

• Justin Thomas, RF: 1-for-5, R, HR, 3 RBI
• Alejandro Nunez, 2B: 1-for-4, SB
• Max Holy, SS: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB, SB
• Narbe Cruz, 3B: 2-for-4, R, RBI

• Luis Rodriguez, RHP: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• Anthony Cruz, RHP: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (4-12) won 6-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the second inning on a Huezo solo HR, a run scoring on an error and a Forrest RBI single. They got another run in the 4th on a Neyens RBI double. Verdugo got the start and pitched well tossing 4.1 scoreless innings. He was relieved by Beck who allowed 2 runs over 3.1 innings while striking out 6. In the 7th, Flores added some insurance with a 2 run double. Rosario closed it out with 1.1 scoreless innings as the Woodpeckers won 6-2.

Note: Huezo has a .960 OPS this season.

• Kevin Alvarez, CF: 2-for-5, R, 2B, SB
• Xavier Neyens, 3B: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB
• Anthony Huezo, RF: 2-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, 2 SB
• Josh Wakefield, LF: 2-for-3, 2 R, BB, 3 SB
• Arturo Flores, C: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
• German Ramirez, SS: 0-for-3, R, BB, SB
• Nehomar Ochoa, 1B: 0-for-4, RBI, SB
• Brandon Forrester, 2B: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, SB

• Ryan Verdugo, RHP: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• Jagger Beck, RHP: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• Leomar Rosario, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (WIN)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Miguel Ullola – 11:05 CT

CC: Bryce Mayer – 6:35 CT

AV: TBD – 5:35 CT

FV: TBD – 10:05 CT

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The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox continue their series in a battle of two southpaws.

Both of these pitchers have been in some elite waters throughout their careers, but one is clearly better at the moment.

My Yankees vs. Red Sox predictions and MLB picks break down why we like New York to make it two straight over Boston tonight.

Who will win Yankees vs Red Sox today: Yankees (-131)

Max Fried has once again looked like an elite arm. His 1% barrel rate is one of the best in baseball, his expected ERA is among the Top 10%, and with the swing-and-miss stuff down, he’s seemingly finding ways to reinvent himself. I made the fair price -144, so I’m happy backing New York in this spot. 

This Boston Red Sox lineup compounds the issues Fried presents: the Red Sox have a 50% ground-ball rate and just 29% hard contact against left-handed pitching this season.

Fried does not need to strike hitters out to dominate. He induces the weakest contact in the game, and Boston is already predisposed to weak contact against lefties. 

Red Sox lefty Ranger Suarez's 4.42 expected ERA tells you his 3.22 surface ERA is living on borrowed time, and the Yankees hit lefties quite hard, posting the fourth-highest hard-hit rate against southpaws this season.

COVERS INTEL: Boston's 50% ground-ball rate against left-handed pitching this season is the highest in the American League East. 

Yankees vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (+100)

I lean towards the Under, which is always kind of the directional lean with Fried on the mound. However, though I expect Suarez to get hit, he should have enough success to keep this Under.

Suarez's 46% ground-ball rate plays well against the various weak spots in this New York Yankees lineup, which likely means we won’t see many big innings

Ryan McMahon, Paul Goldschmidt, and Jose Caballero have all started this season with around a 50% ground-ball rate, which is particularly problematic in this spot. On the other side, the Red Sox's weak contact against lefties should show up here. 

Yankees vs Red Sox odds

• Moneyline: Yankees +120 | Red Sox -135
• Run line: Yankees +1.5 (-178) | Red Sox -1.5 (+150)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Yankees vs Red Sox trend

The Red Sox have cashed the first five innings (F5) team total Under in 19 of their last 30 home games for +6.15 units and a 16% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Red Sox.

How to watch Yankees vs Red Sox and game info

Yankees vs Red Sox latest injuries

Yankees vs Red Sox weather

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We're running with run lines for our MLB best bets today, taking advantage of the prices available at Polymarket (which allows users across the country to join in on baseball action).

Read on to see why our expert MLB picks for April 22 feature the Cubs, Padres, and Dodgers all winning by multiple runs.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Josh Inglis: SD -1.5	-104
Neil Parker: CHC -1.5	+122
Joe Osborne: LAD -1.5	-117

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: Padres -1.5

Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket

Don’t let the sub-4.00 ERA from Tomoyuki Sugano fool you: He’s been one of the luckiest pitchers to start the year, carrying a 7.71 xERA vs. a 3.92 actual ERA. He’s getting hit hard, running a low BABIP and stranding 88% of runners — clear regression signals. The San Diego Padres, sitting at 16-7 SU, are well-positioned to stack runs tonight, and a late comeback is unlikely with a fully available bullpen, including closer Mason Miller. The fair price on the moneyline sits around -195, versus a -165 market, and the run line breakeven is closer to -130, making -104 strong value. The Rockies were just shut out last night, and I'm expecting those struggles to continue today.

Neil Parker's expert pick: Cubs -1.5

Price: 45¢ (+122) at Polymarket

The Cubs are on a 10-3 heater, while scoring 6.4 runs per game and pacing the majors in wOBA during that span. Chicago has also covered the run line in eight of those 10 wins — and 14 of the past 22 at Wrigley Field overall. Philadelphia is projected to open with Kyle Backhus, followed by veteran Taijuan Walker in a bulk role, which sets up poorly for the Phillies: Walker has been saddled with a 5.08 ERA and 4.90 xFIP, alongside the fourth-lowest strikeout-to-walk rate (7.9%) in the majors across the last four seasons.

Joe Osborne's expert pick: Dodgers -1.5

Price: 54¢ (-117) at Polymarket

If Shohei Ohtani’s first three starts are any indication, this could be his best season yet on the mound. He’s posted a 0.50 ERA with 18 strikeouts and a 0.72 WHIP, limiting baserunners at an elite level, which lines up strongly against a Giants lineup that's ranked 27th in OBP over the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Tyler Mahle has allowed 5+ earned runs in two of his last three starts and faces the league’s top offense vs. right-handed pitching. I'm also expecting to see a motivated Dodgers team after last night’s loss: They’re 5-1 in games following a defeat in 2026.

More MLB best bets for today

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It was surely an emotional return to Minnesota for Brandon Williamson his last time out. The Fairmont, MN native had hundreds of friends and family in attendance at Target Field as his Cincinnati Reds came to town, a game (and series) in which the Reds began to consolidate the momentum they’ve carried down to Tampa.

The Reds swept the Twins. The Reds are on the verge of sweeping the Rays, if Williamson can help hold down the fort in Wednesday’s series finale.

Cincinnati’s lefty fired 5.1 IP of 1 ER ball in that last start, and he’s allowed just 4 ER in 16.0 IP across his most recent trio of outings. That, though, came after he was shelled for 6 ER in 4.2 IP against the Pittsburgh Pirates in his season opener on March 31st – the first time he’d pitched in a game in a year and a half after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

It’s not been an immediate return to form for him, as he’s walked more batters so far this season (13) than he has strikeouts (12). Still, his velocity has ticked up to form despite the frigid weather he’s pitched in a couple times already, and after watching his start against Minnesota (in which he walked 4 against just 2 K) you could see he was executing pitches well while just barely missing his spots outside the top and bottom of the zone.

In other words, I think he’s getting closer and closer to refining his craft to the point of being really effective. The hope is that it continues today as the Reds wrap up their series against the Rays.

Standing in their way today is old friend Nick Martinez, who joined the Rays in free agency over the winter. Interestingly, Tyler Stephenson is not in the lineup to start today despite having caught Martinez 23 times in 2025 and 31 in 2024, as PJ Higgins – who has never caught Martinez in a big league game – will instead start this day game after last night’s game.

First pitch is set for 1:10 PM ET.

Here’s how the Reds will line up for this one:

There are landmark moments in the histories of baseball teams that signal the shift in the organization’s trajectory. Years of poorly-assembled starting rotations squandered the primes of Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield and Rickey Henderson, contributing to a 17-year World Series drought and multiples seasons of playoff-less baseball in the Bronx.

The 1990s brought a renewed focus on returning the franchise to respectability. The fab-five core of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte were still several years away from truly stamping their mark on the major league team, but you could feel that the front office sensed a shift in the tides. They therefore looked toward the 1993 class of free agents and trade candidates to add several experienced veterans on the roster in advance of the arrival of the youth movement. Paul O’Neill and Wade Boggs joined on the position player side, but it was the arrival of starting pitcher Jimmy Key who truly signaled the opening of a new era.

James Edward “Jimmy” Key
Born: April 22, 1961 (Huntsville, AL)
Yankees Tenure: 1993-96

James Edward “Jimmy” Key was born April 22, 1961, in Huntsville, Alabama to Carol — a 30-year employee for NASA — and Ray Key, a US Army Engineer for 35 years. He inherited his father’s avid baseball fandom, and by high school he was the ace of the pitching staff. As a senior, Key went 10-0 with nine shutouts and a 0.30 ERA while also batting .410 with 11 home runs and 35 RBI as the team’s DH.

Though the White Sox selected Key in the 10th round of the 1979 amateur draft, Key honored his commitment to play for National College Baseball Hall of Fame coach Bill Wilhelm at Clemson University. As a sophomore, Key pitched seven complete games and logged a 2.79 ERA while also batting .359 with a then-school record 21 doubles along with four home runs, 49 RBI, and eight stolen bases to become the first Clemson player to be receive All-ACC first-team honors at two positions: pitcher and DH.

This performance earned him a much higher draft position, the Blue Jays selecting him in the third round of the 1982 amateur draft, one round after they selected David Wells. After just two seasons in the minors, Key was handed his major league debut on on April 6, 1984, after breaking spring camp with the major league team — 3.1 innings of scoreless relief to close out an 11-5 victory over the Angels.

Despite finishing the year with a 4.65 ERA in 63 appearances, Key did enough in the eyes of manager Bobby Cox to earn a spot in the starting rotation. There, he joined a unit led by veterans Dave Steib and Doyle Alexander — the perfect environment for a young pitcher to gain experience. In that debut season as a starter, Key went 14-6 in 32 starts, with a 3.00 ERA (141 ERA+) and 85 strikeouts in 212.2 innings to earn the first of his five All-Star selections. The season ended on a sour note, however, as Key gave up five runs on 15 hits across his Game 2 and Game 5 starts in the ALCS, the Blue Jays squandering a 3-1 lead in the series to the eventual World Series champion Royals.

After a decent showing in 1986, Key authored his best season in the big leagues. He went 17-8 in 36 starts, striking out 161 and posting 5.6 fWAR in 261 innings while posting the best ERA (2.76 ERA (164 ERA+)) and WHIP (1.057) in the majors to finish runner-up in AL Cy Young voting behind Roger Clemens. The effort would prove for naught, Toronto suffering a seven game losing streak to narrowly miss out on the playoffs.

Key remained consistent over the next five seasons, making his second postseason appearance in 1989. His second All-Star nod came in 1991, Key going 16-12 in 33 starts with a 3.05 ERA (139 ERA+), 125 strikeouts, and 5.3 fWAR in 209.1 innings. Toronto won its third AL East crown, but Key gave up two runs in Game 3 of the ALCS, the Blue Jays losing, 3-2, in extras and getting eliminated by the eventual World Series champion Twins.

Tired of narrowly missing out on a Fall Classic appearance, the Blue Jays were aggressive that offseason and Trade Deadline, adding World Series winners Jack Morris and David Cone to form a formidable postseason rotation. Key made just one relief appearance in the ALCS, but Toronto advanced to the World Series in six games over the A’s to face the Braves. Key out-dueled Tom Glavine — winner of the previous year’s NL Cy Young Award — in Game 4, twirling 7.2 innings of one-run ball to put his team on the cusp of its first World Series title. After the Braves stayed alive with a Game 5 victory, Key completed a scoreless tenth inning to become the pitcher of record in Game 6, Winfield’s two-run double in the 11th making Key the winning pitcher of the Blue Jays’ first championship.

These gutsy performances by Key caught the attention of George Steinbrenner, determined after years of mediocrity to restore the Yankees to respectability. He missed out on his top targets — Barry Bonds spurning New York for San Francisco, Greg Maddux taking a $6 million discount to pitch for Atlanta, and Cone returning to Kansas City. Steinbrenner had to pivot, and on the advice of general manager Gene “Stick” Michael, made an offer of four years and $16 million to Key. New York’s offer was an improvement on Toronto’s strict policy of never offering more than three years to a pitcher, and after Key requested an extra $1 million in the third year of his contract, the deal was finalized on December 10, 1992.

“Michael called Key, ‘The best control pitcher in the game. When you think about an artist painting a picture or a genius on the mound, he is it. Obviously, he’s smarter than the hitters’”

His debut season in pinstripes was his best on an individual basis, Key establishing himself as the ace of Buck Showalter’s staff by going 18-6 in 34 starts with a 3.00 ERA (139 ERA+), 5.2 fWAR, and AL-best marks in walks per nine (1.6) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (173:43) across 236.2 innings — good for a third All-Star appearance and fourth place finish in AL Cy Young voting. The only downside was that, after a second-place finish, he had to watch his old team become the first franchise to secure consecutive World Series titles since the 1977-78 Yankees.

He followed it up with more of the same in 1994, pitching to a 3.27 ERA (140 ERA+) with 97 strikeouts, 4.0 fWAR, and an AL-best 25 starts, 17 wins and 0.5 home runs per nine in 168 innings to finish runner-up again for the AL Cy Young — this time behind Cone — and sixth in the AL MVP race. However, the next 12 months were full adversity, the Yankees first missing out on their best shot at a World Series appearance under Mattingly’s captaincy and Key making just five starts in 1995 before his season was ended by left rotator cuff surgery.

Key returned from his fourth major arm injury and had to take over as veteran leader of the staff after Cone’s season was cut short by an emergency surgery to remove a right arm aneurysm. He was so-so on the mound — 12-11 with a 4.68 ERA (107 ERA+) in 30 starts totaling 169.1 innings — but far more important in the clubhouse, mentoring a young Pettitte on his pickoff move. Powered by their young, explosive offense, the Yankees won 92 games to secure their first division title in 15 years.

In Game 3 of the ALDS against the Rangers, Key dueled with Darren Oliver, tossing five innings of two-run ball as his offense rallied in the ninth to take a 2-1 series lead. His next appearance was against the Orioles in Game 3 of the ALCS with the series knotted at a game apiece. Squaring off against the AL’s best pitcher in Mike Mussina, Key completed eight innings allowing two runs on two hits to stake his team a 2-1 lead, New York going on to sweep Baltimore in the three games at Camden to advance to their first World Series since 1978.

It would be a different test against the juggernaut Braves in the Fall Classic. After getting blasted in Game 1, 12-1, Key coughed up four runs on ten hits in six innings in Game 2 while Maddux twirled eight shutout innings to seemingly put the Bombers in an unsurmountable hole, down 0-2, with the next three games in Atlanta. The Bombers somehow rallied to win all three games, setting up Key’s seminal moment in pinstripes and indeed his entire 15-year career.

Handed the ball for the potentially decisive Game 6, Key opened the game with three scoreless innings before facing a huge jam in the fourth. However, he got Terry Pendleton to roll over an inning-ending double play to leave the bases loaded. Key made it into the sixth inning with a 3-1 lead intact, Torre then calling on David Weathers, Graeme Lloyd, Mariano Rivera, and John Wetteland to toss a scoreless final 3.2 innings to secure the Yankees’ 23rd World Series title.

Upon the expiry of his Yankees contract, Key signed a two-year deal with the Orioles, with whom he would go 22-13 with a 3.64 ERA (122 ERA+) in 59 appearances (45 starts) totaling 291.2 innings. He came within two games of returning to the World Series in his first season while arm injuries limited him to 79.1 innings in 1998, convincing the 37-year-old southpaw to hang up his cleats.

Key was by no means the splashiest addition to nor the best pitcher on the Yankees squads of the mid-90s. However, his arrival signaled the dawning of an era that would blossom into a dynasty. His professionalism, routine, and precision pitching set an invaluable example for a team full of young players. He may have only been around for the first of an eventual trio of titles, but his legacy remains as one of the foundational pieces needed to launch that dynasty.

References

Jimmy Key. Baseball-Reference.

Jimmy Key. Baseball Almanac.

Addis, Sean. “Jimmy Key.” SABR.

Curry, Jack. “Yankees Finally Get it Right and Land a Lefty.” New York Times, December 11, 1992.

Curry, Jack. “Jimmy and Cindy Key Are Co-Stars in ‘Honey, I Blew Up Your Salary’.” New York Times, January 24, 1993.

Curry, Jack. “Jimmy Key: The Man in Control.” New York Times, June 26, 1994.

Heyman, Jon. “While Key Pitches, His Wife Controls Money in Family.” Los Angeles Times, August 4, 1993.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

Most baseball fans expect to see their team boost its offensive numbers when playing the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. That was the expectation of many San Diego Padres fans as well when the Padres opened their three-game set on the road against the Rockies on Tuesday night. That was not the case as Randy Vasquez, and for the majority of the time, Chase Dollander engaged in a pitcher’s duel. Vasquez struggle in his last outing allowing four runs over four innings, but the right-hander returned to form in Colorado. Vasquez pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits and did not allow a walk while recording five strikeouts en route to a 1-0 win. It would make sense that with a pitching performance like that, San Diego would have rolled to an easy win, but that was not the case. The Padres were held to just six hits and their only run was scored when Manny Machado drew a bases loaded walk in the top of the sixth inning. The bullpen arms of Jason Adam and Adrian Morejon pitched two scoreless innings and Morejon earned the save to preserve the win for San Diego.

Padres News:

• Michael King has not found his rhythm to the season, but he has been effective and has looked like the ace pitcher the Padres thought he could be when he joined San Diego in the trade with the New York Yankees. The good thing is King looks to be getting better with each outing.

• Ryan Wideman powered Lake Elsinore to a win over Visalia.

• There has been a lot of discussion about Fernando Tatis Jr. and his offensive performance this season. He has not been bad at the plate, but he has yet to hit a home run this season. The numbers show it is not for a lack of hitting the ball hard and with time, his home run stroke should return.

• Dennis Lin and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic say the potential ownership stake for Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones, could be as much as 40 percent with other investors making up the remaining ownership group.

Baseball News:

• Munetaka Murakami homered in his fourth straight game to help the Chicago White Sox offense get going in win.

• The New York Mets saw their losing streak extend to 12 games with a loss to the Minnesota Twins.

• Shohei Ohtani has the longest on-base streak in Los Angeles Dodgers history, reaching for the 53rd game in a row, but it was not enough to lift the Dodgers over Landon Roupp and the San Francisco Giants.