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Astros Legends Series: Bob Knepper

American baseball player Bob Knepper, a pitcher for the Houston Astros, pictured during training, April 21st 1981. (Photo by UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Our 9th installment of the Legends Series features two-time All-Star Pitcher Bob Knepper.  Knepper started 413 games throughout his major league career, spending several seasons as a reliable member of the Astros pitching rotation.

Q:  The Dodgers will be coming to town here early next month. You had some amazing battles against L.A. in your day.  Were they the biggest team to beat in the old N.L. West?

A:  I started battling those guys even before I got to Houston.  In 1978, I was facing them as a member of the Giants at Candlestick Park, so I already had that ingrained in me.  The Dodgers were always the team to beat.    

Q:  You started 38 games in 1986.  How special was that group?

A:  We had a bunch of great guys, some amazing personalities, and a lot of the guys were having career years.  Hal Lanier did a great job managing our club that year and it was a lot of fun.

Q:  You made two All-Star appearances.  Which was more special, 1981 or 1988?

A:  I don’t know if one was more special than the other.  You know in 1986, I thought Art Howe should’ve made the team, he was putting up some impressive numbers that season.  Those appearances were a real privilege and honor.  It’s a fun event.  

Q:  When you pitched, pitch counts weren’t a big thing.  Could you do what you did in today’s game?  

A:  It’s certainly different.  The entire culture of baseball has changed.

When I played, there was an expectation that you could go 9 innings.  It’s a different world now.  

Look at even the high school ranks, kids are playing baseball year-round.  I honestly believe you only have so many pitches in your arm, why would you waste them in high school?  

I think pitchers are being overworked early on in their careers, and the philosophy has just changed so much.    

Q:  How much did you want the challenge of taking the ball in the 9th inning?

A:  I always enjoyed pitching in the 9th inning.  I enjoyed facing adversity when I’d be a little tired or worn out and my stuff wasn’t as sharp.  I’d take on that challenge head on because that’s what I was paid to do.    

Q:  Toughest hitters you ever faced?

A:   You know, I’m not sure I ever struck out Pete Rose, and trust me, I tried.   There were so many guys.  Tony Gwynn and Mike Schmidt, Andre Dawson, they were all great hitters.  Even when Jack Clark came back to the National League, it was such an enjoyable thing to try and strike him out.  Dale Murphy was also a real challenge and when you recorded an out against that caliber of players, it warranted a fist pump.  

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Pete Fatse had to go — now the Red Sox offense needs to get going

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Hitting Coach Peter Fatse #62 of the Boston Red Sox carries a speaker during a spring training workout at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 16, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I tried to be patient. I really did. It’s late April, and I know better than to overreact to a month of baseball from a team that was 43-45 last June before going on a tear. But there is a point where patience crosses the line into insanity, and Red Sox fans crossed it.

The Red Sox were 10-17 when the coaching staff got the ax. Last place in the AL East. They got swept at Fenway by the Yankees—THE YANKEES—and then went to Baltimore and got slaughtered 10-3 on Friday night. Seven losses in their last eight games. In a season that was supposed to be a real run at the division.

The underlying numbers were just as bad as the eye-test results. Boston was hitting .226/.310/.333 as a team. Their slugging percentage is 30th in baseball. Dead last. Their OPS ranked 24th. They’d hit 13 home runs through 26 games—also last in the majors and they’d scored just 90 runs all season, 26th ranked. Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu had combined for nearly half the team’s home runs just by themselves.

This was not a slump after a month of baseball. This was a structural failure, and you have to look somewhere to shake things up. That somewhere ended up being, well, just about everyone. But it certainly needed to be Pete Fatse.

The numbers tell you what’s wrong, but watching the games tells you why.

The Red Sox were swinging at 62% of pitches in the strike zone. League average is 66%. That lack of aggression and eye compounded across every at-bat: falling behind in counts, handing pitchers the advantage before a ball is even put in play. On middle-middle pitches—your bog-standard meatballs—they were swinging just 61% of the time. League average on those pitches is 73%. Did this team just lose their eye let alone their confidence? Dead last in baseball in swinging at the most hittable pitches a pitcher can throw. Embarrassing.

Fatse went in front of reporters after a loss to the Cardinals two weeks ago and said the team needed to be more “convicted” before two strikes. Look, in theory that’s the right thing to want. But when your hitters are barely lifting the bat for the easiest pitches at the lowest rate in the league, “convicted” stops sounding like a coaching philosophy and starts sounding like a vague wish you whisper into the void. You can say it all you want. The results keep screaming back.

It didn’t stop with zone aggression. The Sox weren’t stealing bases—13 steals in 17 attempts through 26 games. They hit too many grounders, produced too few pulled fly balls, and generated almost no power from anyone outside of two hitters. This offense wasn’t just cold—it was in the Antarctic. The lack of confidence in themselves was beyond apparent.

The context surrounding this team kept getting worse. Sonny Gray—someone this team was relying on to be an innings eater—is on the IL with a hamstring strain. Roman Anthony—who hasn’t looked like himself and that’s frankly scary—has been in and out with a sore back. Payton Tolle got called up to eat Gray’s rotation spot, pitched an 11-strikeout GEM against the Yankees on Thursday, and the offense still could only scratch two runs across. Blowing that masterclass from Tolle is beyond reprehensible.

It’s not a pitching problem, though there are problems there too. The onus falls on a true lack of offensive identity. This lineup doesn’t know what it is or how it’s supposed to score.

The frustrating part is that the roster was never built to bash its way out of trouble. There’s no David Ortiz in there. No Mookie. Alex Bregman walked in free agency and wasn’t replaced with anyone who could fill that role. Trevor Story and Caleb Durbin both rank in the bottom three among all qualified MLB hitters in wRC+. Those are your 3-5 hitters on most days.

For a team constructed the way this one was—contact-oriented, built around traffic and pitch counts and manufacturing runs—EVERYTHING depends on staying aggressive in the zone, working counts, and doing damage when pitchers leave pitches over the middle. They continually play against an identity that’s embedded in the inherent construction of this roster.

Fatse had been here four+ years and frankly, it wasn’t not the first time we’d called for his head. He had beyond ample time to shape an approach. The results of his approach were abysmal in 2026.

Firing Fatse and co. doesn’t fix everything. It won’t turn Story into a .310 hitter or conjure a cleanup bat that Breslow didn’t acquire this winter. The roster still has real limitations, and those deserve their own conversation. But Fatse and the coaching staff represented the most actionable move available, and doing so at least signaled that the organization understood this was deeper than a bad April—that the approach being coached was part of the problem, not just a byproduct of a cold stretch.

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Elephant Rumblings: A’s Navigating First Injury Wave

Apr 17, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics center fielder Denzel Clarke (1) attempts to catch the ball during the first inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Happy Wednesday A’s fans!

This week is the Athletics second weeklong home stand of the season. Tonight, the team will play its second of three games against the Kansas City Royals. This weekend, Stephen Vogt’s Cleveland Guardians come to California’s capital for a three-game series. The A’s need to do better this week after dropping two out of three to the Chicago White Sox to conclude their most recent stretch of games at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park.

Through the first full month of the season, the team has performed better on the road, playing in and winning more games against several quality opponents. If Mark Kotsay’s squad wants to make it through May competing with the Seattle Mariners and/or Texas Rangers for first place, then the Athletics must improve their level of play at home.

After getting through the first couple weeks of the season relatively injury-free, the A’s are starting to see injuries pile up among their position players. Just as the team got designated hitter Brent Rooker back from a 14-game absence with an oblique strain, they placed starting center fielder Denzel Clarke on the injured list with a bone bruise in his foot. As long as Clarke continues to suffer injuries that force him to miss time, he will not get the copious amount of plate appearances he needs to improve his offensive ability, which at the moment is way behind his prowess on the grass.

In Rooker’s absence, Carlos Cortes stepped up in a huge way. He is fresh off winning the American League Player of the Week Award, a well-deserved first career award for the late-blooming outfielder. This past week, Cortes hit .542 (13-for-24) with three homers, seven RBI, two doubles, a triple, four runs scored, a 1.083 slugging percentage and a .542 on-base percentage across six games.

Yesterday, third baseman Max Muncy joined Clarke on the injured list. He had been playing through a fractured finger which happened when he was hit on the hand by a pitch in a game two weeks ago. During last night’s game, left fielder Tyler Soderstrom hurt himself attempting to make a diving catch. Cortes replaced him and proceeded to get on base in all three of his at-bats. Hopefully it was just a precautionary removal as the team cannot afford to lose Soderstrom for an extended period of time.

Luckily, the Athletics’ pitching staff has mostly stayed healthy so far. On Sunday, they survived a scare involving J.T. Ginn, whose start ended abruptly due to right arm soreness. However, he is healthy, has no injury designation and is likely to make his next start. Given the A’s limited pitching depth, the team can ill afford too many injuries to pitchers if they want to take the next step and compete for the playoffs or at the very least finish the season with a winning record.

Last May, the Athletics franchise-worst 1-20 stretch put to rest any hopes they had of competing for the playoffs. What are you hoping to see from the team as May approaches? Can the bullpen keep up its strong performance or will it doom the team for a second-straight May?

A’s Coverage:

MLB News and Interest:

Best of X:

Athletics top prospect, shortstop Leo De Vries, recorded three hits, including this home run in yesterday’s game with Double-A Midland.

The injury-bug continues to bite right-handed pitching prospect Braden Nett, who the A’s acquired along with De Vries and two other players in exchange for closer Mason Miller last July.

Max Muncy’s recent offensive slump was likely connected to the injury he had been playing through. Why did it take the A’s this long to diagnose and take action?

The A’s may not be the only team bound for Las Vegas in the near future. In addition to a potential new NBA team, MLS is talking about possibly relocating the Vancouver Whitecaps from Canada to Southern Nevada. Does the city have the capacity to support all these professional sports franchises?

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Braves Minor League Recap: Alex Lodise homers twice

Florida St. infielder Alex Lodise (1) reacts to his double at second base during the first inning of an NCAA college baseball matchup Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at VyStar Ballpark in Jacksonville, Fla. FSU rallied to defeat UF 8-4 off a walk-off grand slam from Alex Lodise in the ninth inning. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alex Lodise was off to an underwhelming start in Augusta with high strikeouts and not nearly as much power production as we had hoped, but the first game of the week was a chance for him to break out as he went deep twice as part of Augusta’s 12-run, five home run performance. Luis Guanipa also added to the tally with a tank in the game, and Augusta gave the system most of the cheering potential on Tuesday. That said, Isaiah Drake and John Gil can by no means be discounted as both had good games in Rome to continue their streaks of solid play.

(18-10) Gwinnett Stripers 10, (13-15) Charlotte Knights 7

Box Score

Statcast

  • Jim Jarvis, SS: 3-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, .343/.464/.510
  • Sean Murphy, C: 1-4, 2B, BB, .222/.300/.333
  • Nacho Alvarez, Jr., 3B: 1-5, 2B, .197/.276/.236
  • Javy Guerra, SP: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0.71 ERA
  • Daysbel Hernandez, RP: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 5.79 ERA

It was a slow week for Jim Jarvis at the plate against Jacksonville, but he immediately got back on track in the series opener in Charlotte and led a scoring outburst from the Stripers. Jarvis clubbed a two-run home run in the third inning to put Gwinnett on top in the game, and they never relinquished that lead. Jarvis’s home run was his fourth of the season, bringing him already within one of his career high through just 27 games, and his contributions were far from over. He added an RBI single in the sixth inning as part of Gwinnett’s six run frame which carried them in the runs column for the whole game, and capped off his evening with an eighth inning double. That sixth inning also featured a big appearance from Sean Murphy, who kept a soft liner fair down the left field line for an RBI double. Murphy has certainly not been his best during his rehab stint in the system, but tonight was a good step for him. In addition to it being his second straight game with a hit he also caught all nine innings and went 4-4 on ABS challenges behind the dish.

With the depleted starting staff the Stripers turned to a committee approach to pitching this game, and almost ran into a wall in the late innings after a strong start to the game. Javy Guerra and Anderson Pilar have been incredible for the Stripers on the mound this season so it’s no surprise that both were on their A game in this one, combining to go five innings with only one run allowed while the offense opened up a 9-1 lead. The Stripers turned it over to Daysbel Hernandez in the sixth inning, who managed to pitch a scoreless inning though it’s clear he is not yet at the top of his game. His fastball velocity is starting to work back towards normal, sitting at 96.5 mph in this game, but he still doesn’t have the same juice he did last season. The positive note was just how well he was landing his slider in this game. He had a few very bad misses, but what for the most part he was throwing both his pitches in solid locations and didn’t make significant mistakes in the inning he threw. The game was plodding along nicely until the seventh inning when Austin Pope had a blowup outing, allowing a walk, five hits, and four runs before being pulled after retiring only one hitter. Charlotte drew even closer with a run off of James Karinchak in the eighth inning and a home run off of Ian Hamilton in the ninth, and following that long ball Hamilton got into a dangerous situation with two outs. He allowed a hard single to old friend Jarred Kelenic, then a bloop hit to bring the tying run up, a hitter whom he walked to load the bases. With his back against the wall Hamilton locked in at the right time, getting three swinging strikes on his slider to retire the final hitter.

Swing and Misses

Ian Hamilton – 6

Javy Guerra – 5

(12-9) Columbus Clingstones, (9-12) Montgomery Biscuits PPD

(11-11) Rome Emperors 4, (15-7) Bowling Green Hot Rods 8

Box Score

  • Isaiah Drake, DH: 2-5, 2B, .244/.316/.407
  • John Gil, SS: 1-3, BB, .297/.393/.486
  • Eric Hartman, CF: 0-4, .300/.371/.675
  • Cam Caminiti, SP: 5 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 5.63 ERA

We like to see good games from Isaiah Drake and John Gil, and those two helped lift an underwhelming evening for Rome who didn’t really get any offense going until the game was mostly wrapped. Drake had a solid hit in the first inning that got snagged for an out, but he wasn’t done in the game and had a couple of other hits. His double in the eighth inning down the left field line kicked off the big inning for Rome, leading to three runs to make the final score look a little more respectable for them. Drake would end up scoring on an odd play, when Cody Miller beat out a tapper down the first base line that the pitcher apparently missed the tag, though he would argue otherwise. On that play John Gil, who earlier walked, was able to come all the way in to score from second base, capping another solid performance from him to further boost his numbers. Gil’s lone hit in the game came in the fourth inning when he hit a screaming liner over shortstop for a single. Then, with just a bobble from the left fielder Gil had enough time to advance to second base, showing again what an impact his speed can make on the bases. After a perfect week at the plate Eric Hartman’s hitting streak came to a quiet close with an 0-4 performance. He had a decently well-hit ball in the fourth inning on a fly out that advanced, but otherwise had a non-impactful game for the first time in awhile.

Looking at the seven hits and runs allowed it would be easy to write this off as a poor day on the mound for Cam Caminiti, but that wouldn’t feel like an entirely fair evaluation of his performance. Early on in this outing Caminiti worked quickly and efficienty, almost never falling behind in the count and forcing a combination of weak contact and swing and misses that had him through three easy innings. An error helped bring home a run and he did allow a double on a slider below the zone that the hitter scooped into left field, but all in all he looked solid even if his slider wasn’t at its best all the time. As the game progressed he started to settle in to slinging those sliders across the zone to lefty hitters, but in the fourth inning he just started bleeding singles. It was rarely poor locations or hard hits that did him in, but a series of soft singles that led to two runs to further the hole in the game for Rome. A bunt single and a roller through the right side of the infield accounted for the two hits and runs in the next inning, but he finished off the frame with his best fastball of the game. He went up above the zone for a whiff to strike out a hitter to end the inning, one of his strikeouts in the game. His worst pitch was probably the 0-2 fastball down the middle that got smacked for a single to lead off the sixth and he was pulled after walking the next hitter, but overall Caminiti’s execution in this game far outpaced his actual performance. Certainly there could have been occasions he made slightly better pitches with his slider to get whiffs late in counts, but he pitches significantly better than the line would indicate and I wouldn’t in any way put it in the same category as the struggles he had last week.

Swing and Misses 

Cam Caminiti – 13

Trent Buchanan – 6

(13-9) Augusta GreenJackets 12, (6-16) Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 4

Box Score

  • Tate Southisene, 2B: 1-4, BB, .269/.442/.513
  • Alex Lodise, SS: 2-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .280/.346/.441
  • Luis Guanipa, CF: 2-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI, .329/.352/.557
  • Logan Forsythe, SP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 2.70 ERA
  • Aivan Cabral, RP: 4 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3.50 ERA

April has felt like a slow wait to see when Alex Lodise would break out. The strikeout rates have been a bit concerning, but his contact quality has been there since the beginning and with three multi-hit performances last week it felt like only a matter of time before he would have a big day at the plate. That day came in the opener of the series against Kannapolis. The GreenJackets routed the Cannon Ballers thanks to five home runs in the game, and two of those came off of the bat of Lodise as he drove in five runs. Interestingly the GreenJackets didn’t do a whole lot the first time through the order against Kannapolis starter Truman Pauley, and trailed 2-0 going into the fifth inning, but Cooper McMurray woke up a sleeping giant by crushing a game-tying home run in the bottom of the fifth. A few batters late and Lodise got his first. He unloaded on one to left field for a two-run home run, and after the fifth inning Augusta held on to a 5-2 lead. That lead grew in the next inning, and Luis Guanipa had a big hand in that four run frame. He got to look at a slow breaking ball on the inning corner of the plate and had all day to get his quick hands around on the pitch, and he absolutely launched the pitch off of the apartment buildings in left field. Guanipa had a great game in his own right, starting out in the first inning with a deep fly ball that bounced off of the center field wall and allowed Guanipa to streak in to third base with a triple. Guanipa also drew a walk in the fifth inning, a hugely welcome sign for him, and in his final at bat hit a ball hard into the gap that the left fielder was positioned perfectly on to track down for a line out. Lodise added on by showing off his power with a no doubter the opposite way in the eighth inning, and two batters later Nick Montgomery got in on the action with a long home run of his own.

It took a bit of time for the pitching staff to get their bearing after the long rain delay, and Logan Forsythe was the victim of that. Forsythe’s command issues finally came around to hurt him after a decent start to the season as he walked three hitters in 1 2/3 inning and seemed to really have no idea where anything was going. He had to give way to Carter Lovasz early in the game, and Lovasz thankfully was able to settle it down quickly. He dominated with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless ball, striking out three batters. Aivan Cabral had the job of providing long relief for Augusta, and while he was just okay it was plenty for Augusta after they scored nine runs in two innings. Cabral allowed a ton of contact on his sinker and it turned into seven hits over four innings of work, but with such a solid defense behind him they were able to keep him from really getting into serious trouble. The most impressive looking of Augusta’s pitchers was Styven Paez, though his command is obviously a major problem at this stage. The Braves can hope that Paez is a late bloomer who can grow into some command, as his upper 80’s sweeper has legit major league potential and pairs well with a fastball that can really get up on hitters thanks to Paez’s low release and solid carry. It’s sort of a dime-a-dozen relief profile in the minor leagues at this point, and given the effort in Paez’s delivery it’s hard to project his command coming along too well, but it’s never a bad thing to have a few cheap guys in the system with some middle relief potential.

Swing and Misses

Aivan Cabral – 7

Carter Lovasz – 7

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Mariners News: Cole Young, Kade Anderson, and Rob Thomson

Apr 27, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young (2) hits a RBI fly ball against the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Hello folks and happy Wednesday!

The Mariners bats came alive yesterday as the team feasted on the Twins’ bullpen to the tune of a 7-1 victory. In particular, it was a great game from second baseman Cole Young, who is beginning to round into form offensively with a .278/.352/.407 slash line heading into today’s action.

How have your expectations for Young evolved over the course of the season? Just how far do you think he can go?

In Mariners news…

  • Meanwhile, Jeff Passan had Cal Raliegh on his podcast to discuss the origin of the Big Dumper nickname, coaches calling pitches from the dugout, and more.
  • There are layers to Rob Refsnyder’s go-ahead home run against the Cardinals.

Around the league…

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Best NBA Player Props Today for April 29: All Hail King James

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Two closeout games are on tap for tonight, as the Los Angeles Lakers look to finish off the Houston Rockets and the No. 8-seeded Orlando Magic try to complete the upset with a win over the Detroit Pistons.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers look to hold serve at home after the home team won each of the first four games of the series against the Toronto Raptors.

My NBA picks cover all three games for this April 29 slate.

Best NBA player props today

PlayerPickbet365
HornetsPaolo BancheroOver 34.5 points + rebound + assists-112
HornetsDonovan MitchellOver 27.5 points-112
Hornets LeBron JamesOver 15.5 rebounds + assists+100
MORE NBA FREE PICKS

Prop #1: Paolo Banchero Over 34.5 points + rebounds + assists

-112 at bet365

Paolo Banchero shot a putrid 4-for-18 from the field in Game 4, but he still finished with 30 PRA. 

Banchero will be better offensively in Game 5, especially with Franz Wagner’s status up in the air. Given his extensive injury history this season, I expect Wagner to sit this one out.

During the regular season, Banchero averaged 32 PRA with Wagner in the lineup compared to a whopping 37.7 with him sidelined. 

The Orlando forward closed out the regular season on a high note, averaging 36.4 PRA across his final eight games. He went for 35+ four times and finished with exactly 34 once more. 

Banchero posted PRA totals of 36, 32, 46, and 30 in Games 1-4 of the series, respectively, but he was even better against the Pistons in the regular season.

In three regular-season matchups with Detroit, Banchero averaged 39.3 PRA and hit the Over on this line in every game.

  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Prime

Prop #2: Donovan Mitchell Over 27.5 points

-112 at bet365

Donovan Mitchell’s home-road splits were noticeable during the regular season, but they’ve been glaring in this series.

In Games 1 and 2, Mitchell averaged 31 points while shooting 55.8% from the floor and 47.1% from beyond the arc. In Games 3 and 4 at Scotiabank Arena, he totaled 35 points on a miserable 13-for-40 from the field and 5-for-17 from long distance...

The series is now a best-of-three affair, and the Cavs get two of those in Cleveland. I’ll bet on Mitchell bouncing back in front of the home crowd tonight after letting his team down in Toronto.

  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: ESPN

Prop #3: LeBron James Over 15.5 rebounds + assists

+100 at bet365

LeBron James finished Game 4 with just 10 points on 2-for-9 shooting and 0 of 3 from 3-point range. Despite the poor offensive showing, he made an impact as a rebounder and facilitator, posting 13 rebounds + assists.

Through four games of the series, James has racked up 21, 15, 19, and 13 RA, carrying a hefty load as the team’s primary playmaker.

Austin Reaves is expected back tonight, so James’ scoring may take a hit. With Luka Doncic still sidelined, however, James should thrive in other areas.

During the regular season, James averaged 12.4 RA in games played with Doncic. In 11 games with Doncic sidelined, that number rocketed up to 17.3, and James hit the Over nine times. I expect a strong performance from the King at home in a closeout scenario.

  • Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: ESPN

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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Wednesday Morning Links

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 28: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers doubles against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Globe Life Field on April 28, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Morning, all!

A video of a pair of Yankees fans getting punched in the face at Globe Life Field has gone viral, with the Rangers saying the participants were kicked out of the stadium but declining to comment if they received a long term ban.

Wyatt Langford is continuing to progress in his return from a forearm strain, but it is still uncertain if he will be able to return this weekend or if he will need a few rehab starts.

The Ranger offense is not filling us with a ton of confidence that they have put last season’s struggles behind them, as the team is now two games under .500 and posted a losing record on their homestand.

Jacob deGrom, on the other hand, was just great last night, giving up one run in six innings with what he described as not his best stuff.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before… the Rangers went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and 2 for 15 with runners on base at all.

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Knicks vs. Hawks: 3 keys for New York in Game 6 of first-round playoff series

The Knicks have regained control of their first round playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks. 

Thanks to a combined 72 points from Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby, the Knicks had their most complete performance in a 126-97 win against the Hawks in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.

With a 3-2 series lead, New York can advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals if they win Game 6 against Atlanta on the road. 

Here are three keys to watch...

Star synergy

As the season has progressed, we’ve seen Brunson and Towns build better chemistry on the floor. 

On Tuesday night, the tandem put on a show. Brunson had his best stretch of the series, scoring 39 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter. Towns had a quieter scoring night, registering 16 points. However, 14 of those came in the first half, where the big man continued to set the tone for New York’s offense. 

Even more important was both stars' willingness to move the ball. Brunson had eight assists, and Towns had six dimes after recording a triple-double during Saturday’s win. They also took care of the ball for the most part, combining for just four turnovers.

The Hawks made the adjustment by placing elite defender Dyson Daniels on Towns instead of Brunson. But in what might be an earth-shattering revelation, Daniels can’t guard both Towns and Brunson at the same time. 

New York handled the adjustment well, letting Towns initiate the offense early on and having Brunson operate off the ball. Regardless of what adjustment Atlanta makes in Game 6, the Knicks can count on their two stars to solve it like they did in Game 5.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) takes a shot against Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) during the third quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) takes a shot against Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) during the third quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden / Brad Penner - Imagn Images

Containing CJ McCollum

McCollum has largely been Atlanta’s only consistent source of offense in the playoffs. Through the first four games of the first round, the veteran sage averaged 24.5 points on 51.3 percent from the field while knocking down numerous clutch shots. McCollum was held in check in Game 5, scoring just six points on 3-for-10 shooting.

New York’s defense has adjusted through this series, taking the smaller Brunson off McCollum. New York has also cut back on switches that put Brunson on the Hawks' top scorer. Instead, New York is blitzing the pick-and-roll more often and preventing McCollum from getting to his spots for easy looks.

Other Hawks like Daniels (17 points) played better offensively, but the Knicks will live with that if it takes the ball out of McCollum’s hands and keeps the Hawks under 100 points.

Dominate the paint

With a major size advantage in the frontcourt, New York has controlled the paint for most of this series. The Knicks have outscored the Hawks, 166-126, in the paint in the last three games. In Game 5, the Knicks held a 60-42 advantage in paint points, when Towns and Mitchell Robinson were dominant on the interior. 

Towns had a few post-ups throughout the game that generated good looks for him and his teammates. Robinson also had his moments, finishing a couple of lobs and scoring seven points in 16 minutes. Even more surprising was Brunson, who scored 22 points in the paint with a variety of nifty dribble drives.

With a small lineup, the Hawks don’t have much to offer in terms of rim protection. According to NBA Stats, the Hawks are giving up 55 points in the paint per 100 possessions in the postseason -- the second-highest number among all 16 playoff teams.

The aggressive focus is spilling into other categories. New York took 34 free throws on Tuesday, 17 more than the Hawks. They also won the rebounding battle, 48-27.

The Knicks' paint success has stood out in this series and should continue with another strong paint performance in Game 6.

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MLB Home Run Predictions Today: Best HR Prop Bets, Picks, Parlay & Odds for Wednesday, April 29

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Dinger Tuesday was the best day of the season after cashing a pair of home runs for +490 and +370. It was the first double-dinger day of the year and certainly not the last. Let's find some Wednesday spots and dig into those home run predictions and MLB player props.

Tomoyuki Sugano is going to face a force in Elly De La Cruz with decent hitting conditions at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, and the only thing that can stop Yordan Alvarez from crushing Chris Bassitt today is likely the rain in Baltimore. 

These are my favorite home run props for Wednesday, April 29.

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HROdds
Reds Elly De La Cruz+310
Astros Yordan Alvarez+310

Elly De La Cruz (+310)

Elly De La Cruz is on a heater, coming off a three-hit game with his 10th home run of the season, which he launched off the Colorado Rockies bullpen. He gets an elite matchup today vs. Tomoyuki Sugano, who has been one of the luckiest pitchers this year and likely owes bettors after escaping a home start vs. the San Diego Padres last time out. He threw 101 pitches — the second-most of his MLB career — which could impact him today at Great American Ball Park with winds blowing out. Few pitchers last year had a worse HR/FB rate than this Rockies starter.

The Reds’ shortstop is slashing .400/.464/.880 over his last six games with four home runs and is climbing the NL MVP odds. He’s been better vs. right-handers over his career, but if Colorado turns to a lefty, that’s fine too — he owns a 1.212 OPS vs. southpaws this year. It’s square, but that’s working right now.

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Reds.TV, Rockies.TV

Yordan Alvarez (+310)

It’s not getting more square than this, but Yordan Alvarez at +310 to go deep is still +EV, per Covers projections. The fair price for the best hitter in baseball to go yard sits closer to +270.

Alvarez is a freak. He leads baseball in most standard and advanced metrics and hasn’t homered in four straight games — his longest drought of the year. He may also have this matchup circled, as Chris Bassitt has struggled against him. Alvarez is 5-for-22 with five home runs and a 1.598 OPS vs. Bassitt in his career.

Winds are blowing out, though there is some rain risk that could ruin this great spot. Bassitt has also allowed all of his home runs this year to left-handed hitters.

  • Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: MASN, Space City Home Network
Jinglis' 2026 Transparency Record
  • HR picks: 8-48, -6.6 units

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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MLB Notebook: Munetaka Murakami is breaking records, closer chaos across the league, more

Welcome to a new column I'm doing this season, where I take a bi-weekly look around Major League Baseball to fill you in on the league-wide trends, surging teams, and top individual performances. There will be some highlight clips, some criticisms, and some personal analysis of where I think the game is at and/or going. I hope that, if you've had a busy week or haven't been able to watch as many games as you'd like, this article can be a great way to keep up with what's happening in Major League Baseball.

So, let's stop wasting time and dive right in.

⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

MLB: New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers
MLB Injury Report: Andrew Vaughn suffers hamate fracture, Nick Lodolo aims to return next week
Jorge Montanez breaks down all of the relevant injury news around the league over the last week.

Munetaka Murakami Setting MLB Records

During the 2025 MLB season, there was a lot of chatter about which teams were interested in Japanese star Munetaka Murakami. Back in 2022, Murakami had exploded on the international scene when he hit 56 home runs and drove in 134 runs in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a 22-year-old. Even though his 2023 and 2024 seasons were not as prodigious, he still hit 30 home runs in each of those; however, concerns emerged about his contact profile. His strikeout rate exploded to 28% in 2023 and 29.5% in 2025. His batting average fell to .256 in 2023 and then .244 in 2024. Some teams and analysts began to wonder if the 2022 season was a bit of a mirage.

With his 2025 season cut short due to injury, Muramaki didn't have enough of a chance to prove that he was every bit the hitter we saw in 2022. Questions lingered about his ability to hit the high-end velocity that he would see in Major League Baseball, and his free agent market was not as robust as many had believed. As a result, he wound up signing a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox this offseason.

So far, in his first 30 MLB games, Murakami is hitting .243/.373/.592 with an MLB-leading 12 home runs to go along with a 22% barrel rate and 62% hard-hit rate. In fact, those 12 home runs give Murakami a bit of a unique record.

That record also presents a bit of the conundrum with Murakami. There is no doubting his power; however, he still has a 32.5% strikeout rate and a 72% zone contact rate that is well below the league average. He has 14 barrels on the season, but only three of them have come on pitches that were thrown 95 mph or faster. By contrast, he has seven "poorly hit" balls off of pitches 95 mph, which means, according to Statcast, balls in play that are either weakly hit or with an exaggerated launch angle that lead to an easy out.

Still, Murakami is also walking 17.5% of the time, which is the 9th-best rate among qualified hitters in baseball. When you pair that with his ability to do damage on pitches he does connect with, Murakami has also posted the 9th-best OPS in baseball. So despite his weakness as a player, the MLB debut for the 26-year-old has been tremendous. He may be a .230 hitter, but he seems like a perennial lock to hit 30 home runs, and we have seen players like that, like Kyle Schwarber, for instance, who make adjustments as their careers go on and unlock seasons with great batting averages. Any way you slice it, that profile is going to earn Murakami a big payday in two years when he's a free agent again.

Closer Chaos Reins in April

Closers are not usually the most stable position in baseball. If they were, we wouldn't have the term "Closer Carousel." However, this season seems to have brought that level of chaos to another level. If we take into account injuries, benchings, and just run-of-the-mill uneven performance, there are now 19 teams that either still don't have a closer or have a different closer from the one they went into the season counting on. That's 63% of the league.

For starters, let's look at the preseason projected saves leaders using ATC projections, which is an aggregate of all the projection systems, and see how those guys have fared to begin the season.

  1. Edwin Diaz - Dodgers: Currently on the 15-day IL after surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He'll be out for three months
  2. Mason Miller - Padres: Just had perhaps the best run ever for any closer. Leads baseball with 10 saves and has 28 strikeouts in 14.1 innings
  3. Andres Munoz, Mariners: Has a 6.55 ERA in 11 innings. Does have 5 saves and only one blown save, so maybe it's not awful
  4. Jhoan Duran - Phillies: Currently on the 15-day IL with an oblique injury. There is no set timeline for his return
  5. David Bednar - Yankees: Is second in baseball with 8 saves. Has a fine 3.09 ERA on the year.
  6. Cade Smith - Guardians: Has a below-average 4.15 ERA. Does have six saves but has also blown two saves, which is one behind the league leader.
  7. Devin Williams - Mets: Has a 9.00 ERA in eight innings. He has struck out 15 batters, but he's also walked six and allowed 14 hits.
  8. Daniel Palencia - Cubs: Currently on the 15-day IL with a lat strain. There is no set timeline for his return.
  9. Ryan Helsley - Orioles: He's tied for 6th in baseball with six saves. Has a 2.79 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 9.2 innings
  10. Aroldis Chapman - Red Sox: Has five saves this season with a 1.04 ERA and 10 strikeouts over 8.2 innings.
  11. Carlos Estevez - Royals: Began the season on the 15-day IL with a shoulder injury. Still has not made his season debut.
  12. Jeff Hoffman - Blue Jays: Leads the league with 3 blown saves and has a 6.94 ERA in 11.2 innings.Has been removed from the closer's role
  13. Pete Fairbanks - Marlins:Has a 10.00 ERA in nine innings. Left Monday's start after experiencing pain/discomfort in his thumb and was placed on the IL
  14. Raisel Iglesias - Braves: Currently on the 15-day IL with a shoulder injury. Should return soon, but there is no set date
  15. Ryan Walker - Giants:Is maybe the closer, but also has been used in the 4th inning, so maybe he isn't. Has just three of his team's six saves.

Yikes. When you also factor in that the Rays lost their potential closer, Edwin Uceta, to a shoulder injury, the Astros lost their closer, Josh Hader, also to a shoulder injury, and the Angels already waived Jordan Romano, who started the season as their closer, that adds more chaos to the landscape. The Brewers also seemingly demoted their closer, Trevor Megill, from the closer role, while the Rangers, Twins, Rockies, and Athletics can't seem to decide on a closer, and you have very few stable closer situations in baseball.

In fact, half of the closers in baseball with at least six saves weren't supposed to be their team's closer. Riley O'Brien in St. Louis had the best chance at the job, but nobody really expected Paul Sewald in Arizona to be third in baseball with seven saves, alongside Bryan Baker, who took over in Tampa Bay. Lucas Erceg has filled in for Carlos Estevez in Kansas City and snagged six saves, while Seranthony Dominguez was always likely to be the closer for the White Sox, but wasn't expected to sniff the league lead in saves.

Perhaps May will bring us some stability, or, more likely, even more chaos.

MLB: Los Angeles Angels at Houston Astros
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Nolan Schanuel, Randy Vásquez and Jordan Beck
A surprising Padres starter and two early bat speed gainers are recommended grabs this week.

Surprising Manager Firings in the Season’s First Month

Speaking of chaos, we rarely get two manager firings in the first month of the season, but it's even more rare that those managers come from teams that both made the postseason the year before. Yet, within four days, both Alex Cora of the Red Sox and Rob Thomson of the Phillies were let go by their teams.

Cora was fired on Saturday, in addition to five members of the coaching staff: hitting coach Peter Fatse, third-base coach Kyle Hudson, bench coach Ramón Vázquez, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, and major-league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin. Considering the Red Sox won 17-1 that day, it's clear the move had been decided on beforehand, when the Red Sox were 9-17 with the second-worst record in the American League.

During his tenure in Boston, Cora posted a .534 winning percentage with the Red Sox and won a World Series in 2018. However, his tenure was not without its hiccups. In 2020, he was suspended for the entire season for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. The Red Sox have made the playoffs only twice since winning the 2018 World Series, and after their 2021 playoff appearance, they had three straight losing seasons before finishing 89-73 and making the playoffs last year. They lost in the Wild Card Round to the Yankees.

Yet, not all of that can be placed on Cora's shoulders. Their playoff drought seemed to coincide with the organization scaling back its payroll compared to other "big-market teams." While it was thought that the Red Sox were just waiting for their core of young prospects like Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Ceddanne Rafaela to reach the big leagues to spend, the financial restrictions seemed to carry over to this season as well.

Still, Cora signed a new three-year deal in 2025, and he seemed to be in Boston long-term before things soured this season. Cora's managing also took a step back this season. He seemed to pull the wrong levers with his bullpen moves, and his team was making plenty of bad mental mistakes. Perhaps his struggle behind the scenes with the president of baseball operations, Craig Breslow, and the rest of the front office had just reached a point where it was too much for everybody to continue to endure.

The situation in Philadelphia was not that different.

Thomson’s .568 winning percentage in five years with the Phillies is the best mark of any of the team's managers since the 19th century, and the second-best of any manager they've ever had. He was only the fourth manager in MLB history to reach the postseason in each of his first four full seasons as a manager, and he is one of only three Phillies managers to win division titles in consecutive seasons.

Still, the Phillies have "championship or bust" expectations like the Red Sox supposedly do, and the team entered Tuesday with a 9-19 record that was tied with the Mets for the worst record in baseball. Perhaps more importantly, they have just been unable to win in the postseason despite strong regular-season performances.

Thomson took the Phillies to the World Series in 2022, but the team then lost in the NLCS in 2023, the Division Series in 2024, and the Division Series in 2025. Overall, they lost eight of their last 10 postseason games.

Still, the Phillies made the decision this offseason to extend Thomson’s contract through 2027. They also re-signed the entire coaching staff to contracts that would keep all of them in Philadelphia through 2027, so the move was a bit surprising.

Which brings us to the last point that we have to acknowledge, which is the tie that binds these two teams. Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies' president of baseball operations, was also in that same role for the Red Sox back in 2018 when the team won the World Series with Alex Cora as his manager. Dombrowski was fired in September of 2019, and all three of Craig Breslow's predecessors were each fired within their first four years as leaders of baseball operations. That means both Dombrowki and Breslow will be under the microscope as the potential next man to go.

For his part, Dombrowski apparently already reached out to Cora to join him in Philadelphia, but considering Cora will still get paid his full $21.75 million deal even if he doesn't coach, it's not a surprise that the former Red Sox manager decided to pass. For now.

More Top Prospects Are Here

In one of my earlier editions of this article, I talked about the hot starts from Chase DeLauter, Sal Stewart, Carter Jensen,Moises Ballesteros, and Kevin McGonigle, plus the debut of JJ Wetherholt, who has been heating up at the plate of late. On the pitching side, we've also seen great stuff so far from Parker Messick and Nolan McLean. But now we have a slew of other rookies who have been called up since then to join the mix, including MLB's top prospect, Konnor Griffin of the Pirates.

On Tuesday, the Guardians also called up Travis Bazzana, the 16th-ranked prospect in baseball, and the Red Sox last week recalled Payton Tolle, the left-handed pitcher who is the 15th-ranked prospect in baseball. Before that, the White Sox called up left-hander Noah Schultz, who is the 43rd-ranked prospect in baseball, the Braves called up JR Ritchie, who is the 79th-ranked prospect in baseball, and the Twins called up left-hander Connor Prielipp, who is their 5th-ranked prospect and 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

If you add those names to a list that includes players who have already debuted but still have their rookie eligibility then you have Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage, the 9th-ranked prospect in baseball, Mets outfielder Carson Benge, the 13th-ranked prospect, Phillies right-hander Andrew Painter, the 23rd-ranked prospect in baseball, Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford, the 47th-ranked prospect in baseball, Pirates left-hander Hunter Barco, the 84th-rankes proepect Braves right-hander Didier Fuentes, the 91st-ranked prospect, and Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson, the 99th-ranked prospect.

That means, of MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects, 15 of them have already played in an MLB game this season. That doesn't include guys like Stewart, Jensen, Ballesteros, McLean, and Messick, who are all among the leading candidates for Rookie of the Year in their respective leagues but have lost their prospect status. Major League Baseball is filling up with young stars right before our eyes.

Team Trends

The Reds currently lead the NL Central with a 19-10 record, but it doesn't seem sustainable. Their pitching staff currently has the third-worst strikeout rate in baseball, and many of their offensive players are underperforming. The Pythagorean Standings, which use current stats to look back at the amount of "deserved" wins a team has, say the Reds should be 15-14, and the +4 wins the Reds actually have is the biggest gap between actual and "deserved" wins in baseball.

On the other side, the Angels lead baseball with three fewer wins than they "deserve." Their record would still be 15-16, but it's interesting to note, since the Angels are surprisingly 7th in baseball in runs scored. A few other teams have been surprisingly potent on offense, with Washington currently sitting 4th in runs and the Twins at 8th. The Angels are also 7th in OPS, while Washington is 10th.

Of course, Washington's pitching has been a disaster. They have the second-worst ERA in baseball, the largest hard-hit rate allowed, and the worst strikeout numbers of any staff. Surprisingly, the Houston Astros actually have the worst ERA in baseball. I guess that's not really much of a surprise given that Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier are hurt, and Framber Valdez is now on the Tigers.

Individual Player Spotlights

Starting Pitcher Spotlight: Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians

There was a time in spring training when it seemed like Parker Messick might not make the Guardians rotation. Despite posting a 2.72 ERA in seven starts for the Guardians at the end of last season, Messick was a rookie with minor league options, and the Guardians had more established veterans who could take that spot. Yet, he continued to go about his business and pitch with tremendous poise all spring until manager Stephen Vogt had no choice but to keep him on the Opening Day roster.

Despite being just 25 years old and 13 starts into his MLB career, Messick is thriving. He's 5th among qualified starters in ERA, 7th in WHIP, 2nd in hard-hit rate allowed, and 17th in strikeout rate. That's put him in some pretty good company.

What's funny is how different he and Skenes are. Messick's fastball sits just 93.5 mph from the left side, with league-average extension and slightly above-average vertical movement. Yet, he commands it really well, keeping it up in the zone where it can miss more bats and barrels, and help set up an elite changeup that he buries low in the zone. So far this season, his changeup has an absurd 30.3% swinging strike rate and has a 92nd-percentile PutAway Rate to righties. Yet, Messick also isn't resting on his early success. This season, he added a cutter that he's using almost exclusively to righties. He throws it 78% of the time early in counts, trying to keep it up and in to righties on their hands. It's another pitch that has set up the diving changeup really well and led to a huge bump in strikeout rate for Messick.

He may not have the prospect shine of somebody like Skenes, but Messick is proving himself to be every bit the up-and-coming star.

Relief Pitcher Spotlight: Riley O’Brien, St. Louis Cardinals

What has emerged from the closer chaos I mentioned above is a slew of under-the-radar relievers who are posted near the top of league leaderboards. There may not be a more surprising name than Riley O'Brien. The Cardinals' closer is tied for third in baseball with seven saves while also posting a 1.26 ERA and nearly 28% K-BB% in 14.1 innings to start the season. That's not a reality many expected for the 31-year-old.

O'Brien was not a big-time prospect. The Rays took him in the 8th round of the 2017 draft out of the University of Idaho as a starting pitcher. He pitched well for the Rays in his first two minor league seasons in 2018 and 2019, making 20 starts in 45 appearances, but then missed the entire 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the minor league season. When minor league baseball started up again, the Rays traded O'Brien to the Reds, where he struggled. He posted a 4.55 ERA in 112.2 innings for the Reds as a starting pitching prospect. Still, he made his MLB debut in 2021 but allowed two runs and three walks in 1.1 innings. Early in April of 2022, he was designated for assignment so that the Reds could add Nick Lodolo to their 40-man roster.

The Mariners then swooped in and worked out a trade for O'Brien and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma, where he pitched primarily out of the bullpen for the first time in his career. He seemed to thrive in that role, posting a 2.29 ERA with 86 strikeouts and 15 saves in 55 innings. Yet, still, the Mariners decided to trade him that offseason to the Cardinals, who finally gave O'Brien a shot in a big league bullpen during the 2024 season. Sadly, in the first week of the season, he suffered a flexor strain and was put on the 60-day injured list. He would wind up making just eight subpar appearances that season. He started the 2025 season in Triple-A, again, but was dominant in 19 innings of work and finally got another shot with the big league team. This time, he made the most of it, posting a 2.06 ERA with 45 strikeouts and six saves in 48 innings for the Cardinals last season.

Despite all of that, nobody knew what to expect from him in 2026. He had only one good season of MLB experience under his belt and had really only been a reliever for three years. Could he be trusted to close games? So far, he has left little doubt that he's up to the task.

Hitter Spotlight: Kevin McGonigle - SS/3B, Detroit Tigers

We talked a little bit about McGonigle above, but I felt it was important to highlight just how good the 21-year-old has been to start the season. So far, he is slashing .327/.417/.518 in 127 plate appearances with 22 runs scored, 12 RBI, two home runs, and two steals. He also has 16 walks and 16 strikeouts, which is impressive plate discipline for somebody so young. In fact, most of the ways McGonigle stacks up to the rest of the league are incredibly impressive, given his age and the fact that he had only 46 games at Double-A before making the Opening Day roster.

Entering Wednesday's game, McGonigle ranks 5th among qualified hitters in doubles, 5th in batting average, 5th in Offensive WAR, 7th in wRC+, 8th in on-base percentage, 10th among position players in WAR, tied for 10th in runs scored, 11th in hits, and 14th in OPS. That puts him on the level of some of the best young players to have ever played the game.

Individual Stat Leaders (4/1 - 4/28)

Hits

  1. Drake Baldwin - C, Braves: 32 hits (.308 batting average)
  2. Nico Hoerner -2B, Cubs: 32 hits (.302 batting average)
  3. Otto Lopez -SS, Marlins: 32 hits (.333 batting average)
  4. Ozzie Albies - 2B, Braves: 31 hits (.316 batting average)
  5. Yordan Alvarez - DH, Astros: 31 hits (.348 batting average)

Home Runs

  1. Ben Rice - C/1B, Yankees: 10 home runs
  2. Aaron Judge - OF, Yankees: 10 home runs
  3. James Wood - OF, Nationals: 9 home runs
  4. Munetaka Murakami - 1B, CWS: 9 home runs
  5. Seven players tied with 8 home runs

Steals

  1. Jose Caballero - SS, Yankees: 11 steals
  2. Oneil Cruz - OF, Pirates: 10 steals
  3. Nasim Nunez - 2B, Nationals: 10 steals
  4. Jakob Marsee - OF, Marlins: 9 steals
  5. Jose Ramirez - 3B, Guardians: 9 steals
  6. Bobby Witt - SS, Royals: 9 steals

Strikeouts (K-BB%)

  1. Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers: 26.8% K-BB%
  2. Will Warren, Yankees: 26.4% K-BB%
  3. Nolan McLean, Mets: 25.7% K-BB%
  4. Drew Rasmussen, Rays: 25.6% K-BB%
  5. Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers: 25.6% K-BB%

Saves

  1. Mason Miller, Padres: 9 saves
  2. Bryan Baker, Rays: 7 saves
  3. Seranthony Dominguez: 7 saves
  4. David Bednar, Yankees: 7 saves
  5. Riley O'Brien, Cardinals: 6 saves
  6. Lucas Erceg, Royals: 6 saves
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Marlins vs Dodgers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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We have two solid arms on the hill this afternoon as the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Miami Marlins in the rubber match at Dodger Stadium. 

While both Tyler Glasnow and Sandy Alcantara have pitched well, my Marlins vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks are backing L.A. to win another contest behind their big righty. 

Who will win Marlins vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (-108)

The Los Angeles Dodgers will be looking to win the series finale after losing on Monday evening. They’ve covered the run line in two of their last four contests, but more importantly, L.A. often gives Tyler Glasnow run support.

The defending champions have covered the run line in three of his five outings this season. They blanked the Giants 3-0 in Glasnow’s last start, and he's been dominant overall. The veteran tossed eight scoreless innings, and he owns a 2.46 ERA. 

Glasnow hasn’t faced anyone in this Miami Marlins lineup, but he’s been practically unhittable. He also owns a 1.29 ERA across his two afternoon outings.

As for Sandy Alcantara, he’s gone 3-2 with a respectable 3.05 ERA., showing flashes of his old self. However, the Dodgers will be looking forward to facing him. They’re hitting .324 off Alcantara across 105 at-bats.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Sandy Alcantara has struggled on the road, compiling a 7.50 ERA across two starts.

Marlins vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+100)

Seven of the last eight meetings have comfortably gone Over the total. In fact, Monday’s 2-1 game was the first time the Under cashed since 2024. The Dodgers often score a lot of runs in this matchup, and the Alcantara matchup plays in their favor. 

Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani,Max Muncy, and Teoscar Hernandez are all hitting a minimum of .286 against Alcantara. He’s really been poor away from Miami, giving up 10 runs in just two appearances.

I believe Glasnow will be his dominant self, but this could be an offensive explosion for the Dodgers. Expect a loud victory from L.A. and Alcantara exiting relatively early.

Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 7-8, -4.94 units
  • Over/Under bets: 8-7, +0.34 units

Marlins vs Dodgers odds

  • Moneyline: Marlins +195 | Dodgers -240
  • Run line: Marlins +1.5 (-115) | Dodgers -1.5 (-105)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5

Marlins vs Dodgers trend

The Dodgers have covered the run line in 25 of their last 50 home games for +2.8 units and a 5% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Marlins vs. Dodgers.

How to watch Marlins vs Dodgers and game info

LocationDodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
DateWednesday, April 29, 2026
First pitch3:10 p.m. ET
TVMarlins.TV, SportsNet-Los Angeles
Marlins starting pitcherSandy Alcantara
(3-2, 3.05 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcherTyler Glasnow
(3-0, 2.45 ERA)

Marlins vs Dodgers latest injuries

Marlins vs Dodgers weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Red Sox vs Blue Jays Prediction, Odds & Home Run Pick for Today's MLB Game

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The value on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s base prop is too good to pass up with Bryan Bello on the mound for the Red Sox today. 
 
Read on to see why my Red Sox vs. Blue Jays predictions and MLB picks like Toronto's superstar on Wednesday, April 29.

Red Sox vs Blue Jays predictions

Red Sox vs Blue Jays best bet: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases (+115)

I was quite surprised to see Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s total bases prop paying plus money to go Over 1.5 today.

Firstly, Vladdy is one of the hottest hitters in baseball, batting .378 over his last 10 games while averaging two bases per outing. 

I expect the Toronto Blue Jays slugger to continue swinging that hot bat tonight, too, especially with Bryan Bello on the mound for the Boston Red Sox.

Vladdy has crushed Bello throughout his career, going 12-for-30 with a 1.153 OPS and two homers.

It’s been a rough start to the season for Bello, who is 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA. Analytically, Bello has been one of the worst pitchers in baseball, ranking in the second percentile in xERA and a .314 xBA.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Bello has a 50% usage on his sinker to righties, which favors Vladdy and his .364 average against the pitch.

Red Sox vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)

I’ll continue to fade Bello, and take Over 2.5 earned runs. He’s gone Over this mark in four of his five starts, averaging 4.4 runs allowed per game, and the Jays' lineup matches up well against him. 

Which leads me to why I like Over 0.5 runs for Vladdy today as well.

Firstly, he’s scored nine times in his last nine games. However, it’s Toronto’s .320 average against Bello that makes me believe Vlad will not only get on base, but his teammates will drive him in, too, especially with the 1.115 OPS he’s allowed through five starts this year. 

Red Sox vs Blue Jays SGP

  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 runs
  • Brayan Bello Over 2.5 earned runs
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Red Sox vs Blue Jays home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+575)

75-100 words about the home run pick.

2026 Transparency record
  • Best bets: 9-19, -6.95 units
  • SGPs: 3-25, -12.25 units
  • HR picks: 5-23, -0.73 units

Red Sox vs Blue Jays odds

  • Moneyline: Boston +110 | Toronto -130
  • Run line: Boston +1.5 (-175) | Toronto -1.5 (+150)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)

Red Sox vs Blue Jays trend

The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 10 of their last 13 home games (+7.00 Units / 42% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Blue Jays.

How to watch Red Sox vs Blue Jays and game info

LocationRogers Centre, Toronto, ON
DateWednesday, April 29, 2026
First pitch3:07 p.m. ET
TVSportsnet
Red Sox starting pitcherBrayan Bello
(1-3, 9.00 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcherEric Lauer
(1-3, 6.75 ERA)

Red Sox vs Blue Jays latest injuries

Red Sox vs Blue Jays weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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ICYMI in Mets Land: A slew of injury updates; top prospect buzz

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Tuesday, in case you missed it...

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Some fun-but-meaningless stats and moments from the Yankees’ first month

Late April is, in many ways, one of the most fun times to look at stats. Now that the season is a month old and can officially be considered “in full swing,” we’ve got just enough data that we have a true representative sample to begin analyzing, but not so much that weird beginning-of-season quirks haven’t fallen away completely. With that in mind, I feel this is a perfect opportunity to dive into the Statcast data and take a look at what we see in order to find some fun, but ultimately meaningless, stats from the first month of 2026.

Death Star Ignitions

We start by introducing the new stat I made up which inspired me to do this piece in the first place, the Death Star Ignition. As you probably know, every time a Yankees pitcher reaches a two-strike count when there are two outs at home, the Stadium plays the Death Star siren. After a rough introduction a couple of years ago, during which time David Cone referred to it as a pregnant whale, it has become a staple in the Bronx, and while not quite as iconic as the P.C. Richard’s whistle after a strikeout, the siren is well on its way to this status, especially among younger fans.

Of course, whenever a team does this sort of visual or audio cue to indicate that there are two strikes on a batter, it makes a subsequent strikeout all the more aesthetically pleasing. And so, I decided to dive into the Statcast data to figure out which Yankees pitchers have been able to most often record the inning-ending strikeout. For this exercise, I divided these strikeouts into two categories: single-reactor ignitions (inspired by the destruction of Jedha City and the military installation on Scariff in Rogue One) occur when a pitcher fails to strike out the batter on the next pitch, but is able to eventually record the K, while a full reactor ignition (such as the one in the original movie) represents a strikeout on the next pitch.

It probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that the pitchers who have the highest rate of firing the Death Star this season are among the team’s leaders in strikeouts…with a catch, though. Fernando Cruz, whose 35.7 strikeout percentage heading into action last night leads the team, has struggled to get an inning-ending strikeout while at home. Well, you know what they say: that’s baseball, Suzyn.

Batted Ball Shenanigans

Of course, since we’re already on Statcast, let’s also see what players have been given gifts by the baseball gods (have lucked into a hit on a softly batted ball) and who has been cursed by them (a hard-hit ball straight into a glove).

Right now, the three softest hits by a Yankee this season — at 40.3, 35.4, and 28.6 mph off the bat — shouldn’t really count for this exercise, as they are bunts, although I do want to give props to Austin Wells for reaching on a bunt single. Outside of these, then, the softest hit on the year heading into action last night belongs to Randal Grichuk, whose single past a diving Caleb Durbin on April 21st clocked in at just 49.6 mph.

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On the flip side of that, the hardest batted ball to become an out comes off the bat off, perhaps unsurprisingly, Aaron Judge, whose ground out to Trevor Story on April 22nd was 112.4 mph off the bat — just, unfortunately, straight down.

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For the pitchers, Max Fried on April 11th is the beneficiary of some good luck, as Junior Caminero’s ground ball to Jazz Chisholm came off the bat at 111.1 mph — beating, by just one tenth of a mph, Jac Caglianone’s flyout on the 18th off Will Warren.

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Note: Although if you want to get technical, Bobby Witt Jr.’s double on April 19th was technically hit harder, but since the out came at the plate, not on the batted ball, I didn’t count it.

Former Yankees prospect Agustín Ramírez, meanwhile, has the softest hit against any Yankee pitcher this season, dropping a soft grounder into No Man’s Land between third base and the pitcher’s mound at a whopping 48.6 mph.

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Note: technically speaking, this was the fifth-softest ball, with the first four being bunts by members of the Tampa Bay Rays, three of which came off the bat of burgeoning Yankees Killer Taylor Walls.

Some final fun facts

Last, and certainly not least, we’ve got a rundown of some basic fun facts that don’t require much explanation, but are nonetheless amusing:

  1. Last season, Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm invented a new stat: home runs plus stolen bases. So which Yankee currently leads this stat, affectionately called the Jazz Chisholm? What a surprise — it’s Aaron Judge, whose 11 home runs and 5 stolen bases give him a grand total of 16 Jazzes on the season. Behind him, we’ve got José Caballero’s 14 (3 HR + 11 SB), Jazz Chisholm’s 12 (3 HR + 9 SB), and Ben Rice’s 11 (10 HR + 1 SB).
  2. Heading into action last night, Caballero and Rice were tied atop the team in Win Probability Added at 1.4. In two appearances against the Yankees this year, Jordan Romano has -1.7 Win Probability Added — yes, that means that Romano has contributed more to Yankees victories than anyone else this season.
  3. Despite being the second fastest runner on the team according to sprint speed (behind only, checks notes, Amed Rosario?), Caballero has grounded into the most double plays so far this season (five).
  4. While Trent Grisham’s overall performance at the plate has been below expectations, as he’s slashing .165/.321/.341 prior to last night’s game, he trails only Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt when it comes to getting runners in: 22.2 percent of runners on base score when he comes to the plate.
  5. Brent Headrick and Tim Hill have yet to allow an inherited runner to score.
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Good Morning San Diego: Padres get another stinker from bullpen, fall to Cubs

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 28: Manager Craig Stammen takes relieves Walker Buehler #10 as Ty France #25, Fernando Tatis Jr. #23, Xander Bogaerts #2, and Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres during the fifth inning of a game against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park on April 28, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Walker Buehler was not sharp, but he was not terrible either. He allowed two runs on three hits and left the game after 4.2 innings with the score tied, 2-2. Kyle Hart came in from the bullpen to help Buehler and the San Diego Padres get out of the inning without allowing a run, but that was where the positives on the night came to an end for the San Diego relievers. The normally steady bullpen, which has been a bit shaky recently, allowed six runs and the Padres dropped the second game of the series to the Chicago Cubs, 8-3 at Petco Park on Tuesday night. Hart returned to the mound for the top of the sixth inning and faced three batters. Two of them reached base and he was replaced by David Morgan. The right-hander uncorked a wild pitch, which allowed the runners to advance to second and third with one out. Morgan then recorded a strikeout for the second out of the inning and gave the Friar Faithful hope that he would strand the inherited runners — he did not. Morgan allowed a two-run double to Nico Hoerner on an 0-1 pitch that put the Cubs in front, 4-2. He got out of the inning one batter later and the Padres responded in the bottom of the inning with a run to cut the deficit to one run. Morgan started the top of the seventh inning but allowed a leadoff walk, which resulted in Padres manager Craig Stammen replacing him with Wandy Peralta. That move did not pay off as the left-hander allowed a two-out pinch-hit RBI single to Alex Bregman that gave the Cubs a 5-3 lead. San Diego fell further behind when Peralta allowed a three-run home run to the next batter Pete Crow-Armstrong that put Chicago in front 8-3. The Padres’ offense did not put up much of a fight in the final innings of the contest, sending three batters to the plate in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

Padres News:

  • Manny Machado got the day off following his early exit from the game on Monday night. Jake Cronenworth made the start at third base in Machado’s absence and Fernando Tatis Jr. filled the role at second base.

Baseball News: