The Dodgers may be a super team, but many of them will be getting their first look at Jacob de Grom, and the ones that have seen him before probably don’t have fond memories.
In other Sunday games, Yordan Alvarez and Mickey Moniak are on early tears and will be looking to continue them with favorable matchups against the opposing starting pitchers.
Several key members of the Dodgers lineup will be facing the former Cy Young Award winner for the first time, including Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker. Of the eight Dodgers familiar with Jacob de Grom, none has an OPS higher than .703. That would be Freddie Freeman, who has also struck out 21 times in 69 at-bats against him.
Through two starts, de Grom is striking out 12.1 batters per nine innings, his highest rate since 2023. He struck out 15 per nine in spring training, which is why he gets the nod in my MLB picks for today.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: RSN, SNLA
Yordan Alvarez Over 0.5 RBI (+160)
Yordan Alvarez leads the league in OPS, OPS+, slugging, and home runs. He is 5-for-9 in the first two games of the Seattle series, driving in four of Houston’s 13 runs and homering in both games. He also has four extra base hits, five RBIs, and an .887 OPS in 26 lifetime at-bats against Mariners starter Logan Gilbert.
Through two starts, Gilbert is posting the highest hits per nine innings rate of his career, and his strikeouts per nine are down more than two from last season. His offspeed stuff has been more hittable than last season — batters are hitting over .300 against his split finger, slider, and cutter.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SCHN, Mariners.TV
Mickey Moniak Over 1.5 Hits/Runs/RBI (+105)
Mickey Moniak may not have a steady starting spot, but he leads Colorado in OPS, OPS+, RBIs, and home runs, and has played every day for the past week. He’s spent time at all three outfield spots in the first three games in San Diego and has three hits, two homers, and four RBIs.
Moniak actually is hitting better on the road (.333/.333/1.000) than at Coors Field (.286/.304/.714) this year. He’s also hitting .429 with .857 OPS in two lifetime games against Padres’ starter Nick Pivetta.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV, Padres.TV
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.
Mar 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo (44) follows through on pitch against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
There was a lot of talk about running it back this offseason. After a frustratingly brief trip to the Elysian Fields of the playoffs, the fans, writ broadly, wanted change. Few, if any, would’ve wanted a change in Jesús Luzardo, though. His first season in red pinstripes (and blue/black gradient thing; not to fear, City Connect skeptics, the Phillies are scheduled to get a new one next season) was excellent, with the bespectacled baseballer bedeviling batters with his new sweeper. His ERA of 3.92 was solid, and the underlying numbers suggested his performance was better than that. When the Phaithful insisted that there be no running it back, they didn’t mean Luzardo. They would’ve been fine with him keeping his approach the same.
He didn’t, though.
His approach in the still-young 2026 campaign might look like running it back at first. He’s presenting the same pitch mix as last year: sweeper, 4-seamer, changeup, sinker, slider. For the moment, the sweeper has swapped places with the 4-seamer as the most used pitch, but that doesn’t seem to represent a sea change. Certainly nothing like the change Luzardo made at the start of last season, when he introduced said sweeper. Names, though, can be deceiving (as someone who has a surname that sounds like a first name, I know this very well). Just because he’s throwing five pitches with the same names as last season doesn’t mean he’s throwing the same five pitches.
That’s a chart showing the vertical movement of Luzardo’s pitches vs. the average for pitches of the same type, by season. What’s that green line, rising up from the dirt like the first shoots of spring? It’s Luzardo’s changeup. In 2025, it dropped 3.2 inches less than the average cambio. In 2026, it’s dropping 3.2 inches more than other pitches of its type. Year over year, it’s a change of 8.3 inches. That’s a changeup in a changeup, alright.
Why make that change, though? Luzardo’s changeup was a good pitch last season. It induced whiffs 36.2% of the time, placing in the top ten among changeups league-wide for that measure, and just behind Devin Williams’ feared Airbender. Luzardo accrued a run value of 6 with it; only nine hurlers got more value from their changeups. Pitchers may change their approach even when things are going well, in an attempt to keep ahead of batters (Zack Wheeler, in particular, is constantly tinkering and tweaking, even when he’s producing some of the best results in baseball). But it’s worth asking why it was the changeup, in particular, that changed.
Luzardo’s changeup was a good pitch last season, but his 4-seamer wasn’t. It wasn’t a bad pitch, exactly. Just not great, either. His 19.8% whiff rate with it ranked 128th. Batters slugged .421 against it. He accrued a run value of 0 with it. His so-so heater didn’t stop him from producing very good results last season, but it wasn’t a huge boon to his arsenal. The same is true of his sinker, which accrued a run value of -1. Overall, his fastballs just weren’t very good: he ranked in the 35th percentile for fastball run value. If there was some sort of tweak that Luzardo could make to his fastballs to turn them into plus pitches, it would be a major benefit. And while he doesn’t necessarily need a great fastballs to be a great pitcher when he’s got that sweeper, there’s no such thing as gilding the lily with a pitch arsenal: every advantage you can get in the endless arms race between hurler and hitter is worth pursuing.
There doesn’t seem to be too much change in Luzardo’s 4-seamer from last season. The vertical and horizontal movement are just about the same. He’s throwing it a half-tick harder (97 MPH vs. 96.5), but that doesn’t seem too meaningful. The sinker looks a bit different, dropping more and getting more arm-side movement, but the difference is much slighter than the changes in his changeup. He hasn’t really changed his fastballs much. That being said, you can change the results of a pitch without necessarily changing the pitch itself. Pitches do not exist in a vacuum; a change you make to one may impact the rest of your arsenal, too. Or rather, impact the way batters react to it. Luzardo may not have changed his fastballs, but the change to his changeup may be benefitting them anyway.
The whole point of a changeup is to baffle a batter who was expecting the fastball. The more distinct his changeup is from his 4-seamer and sinker, the more batters will be punished for guessing wrong. The slower the changeup is compared to the fastballs, the more the batter’s timing suffers for thinking he was getting the other pitch. The more the changeup moves compared to the fastballs, the more likely it is that the hitter will just flat-out whiff. So changes to the changeup ought to benefit not just that pitch, but the other fastballs as well. This is something that’s easier to understand visually. Fortunately, FanGraphs has introduced a new Paired Pitches tool that presents just that.
Here’s Luzardo’s pitches in 2025, using the sinker as the reference pitch:
And here’s his pitches in 2026:
Luzardo’s changeup was always pretty distinct from the 4-seamer by location, though now it’s even more distinct from it in terms of speed. But the real difference comes in the comparison with the sinker. The location his sinkers end up in is now much different than the location his changeups end up in. Lower, and slightly less to the arm side. In particular, that difference in vertical location ought to induce more whiffs. In 2025, guessing wrong in everyone’s favorite game show of Is It A Sinker or a Changeup meant you were still swinging in roughly the right area. In 2026, guessing wrong means swinging way above or below the pitch, and just missing entirely. Cue Price is Right Sad Horns.
So, is that what we’re seeing with Luzardo’s results this year?
Pitch
Whiff %, 2025
Whiff %, 2026
4-Seamer
19.80%
28.20%
Sinker
18.20%
16%
Changeup
36.20%
50%
We can get a little bit more precise here: Luzardo almost exclusively deploys the changeup against right-handed hitters (which is what you’d expect; the typical use case for a changeup is against opposite-handed batters). How do those numbers look when we take only righty batters into account?
Pitch
Whiff %, 2025
Whiff, 2026%
4-Seamer
18.40%
27.80%
Sinker
11.60%
7.70%
Changeup
35.10%
48.40%
Firstly, the standard caveat about early-season small sample size applies. We’ll need to see a lot more of these pitches before we can really draw any conclusions about what’s changed. But for the moment, let’s tread through the treacherous territory of saying things about small samples: for batters who really do have to worry about all three pitches, Luzardo’s 4-seamer and changeup are now more of a struggle. The sinker, though, appears to be less of one, at least by Whiff rate. Then again, Whiff rate may not be the right metric to look at for a sinker: the pitch is meant to generate weak contact, rather than misses. So improvement in that pitch would probably be better measured by how batters perform when they do make contact with it. And so far, the sinker has been more of a success this season: year-over-year, Luzardo’s sinker now has a lower hard hit rate, a lower barrel rate, a lower wOBA.
This is all early stuff. But for the moment, it looks like Luzardo may have improved two of his lesser pitches by tweaking one of his better ones.
Apr 11, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) walks against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Guardians and Braves will tangle on Peacock tonight to see which will be the last MLB team in 2026 to have not lost a series.
Zach has your recap from last night’s dominant win. Hopefully, it’s a sign that Jose Ramirez’s luck has turned.
Matt Seese, Tommy Pecoraro and Zach F. had another Guardians’ prospect podcast release last night.
Guardians Weekly focused on Brayan Rocchio and on Akron with Guardians’ farm director.
AROUND MLB:
The Tigers, Twins and Royals won (Kansas City beating the White Sox).
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 11: Foster Griffin #22 of the Washington Nationals throws a pitch in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
So far this season, Foster Griffin has been the Washington Nationals best pitcher. The soft tossing lefty has used his craftiness and deep pitch mix to weather the storm against three really good lineups. He has faced the Phillies, Dodgers and Brewers, and has gone at least five innings while allowing two or fewer runs in all of those starts.
The Nats have to be thrilled with what they've seen from LHP Foster Griffin in his first 3 MLB starts. After a lengthy stay in Japan, the 30-year-old has excelled vs 3 projected playoff teams.
PHI: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K's LAD: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 6 K's MIL: 5.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K
Griffin is not the type of pitcher who will overpower you with stuff. That made it crucial for him to truly learn how to pitch. Griffin did just that in his three seasons in Japan. When Griffin left the US to go to Japan, he was a four pitch guy. He threw a 4-seam fastball, a cutter, a changeup and a curveball.
He has a much deeper mix after three years in the NPB. Griffin added a sweeper, a sinker and a splitter. The splitter is a staple over in Japan, so it is no surprise that Griffin picked that up. However, despite adding the split, he still throws his changeup as well.
It’s pretty impressive to have this defined of pitch shapes when you throw so many of them.
Having a changeup and a splitter with two distinct looks is pretty unique and it gives Griffin a real edge. There are not many pitchers around the league who use both of those pitches, and he might be the only lefty to do it. This new look is keeping hitters off balance.
We have to keep in mind that Griffin is doing this against some of the best lineups in the league. When you look at some of the underlying numbers, there are some causes for concern. His FIP is 4.62 and his xFIP is 4.35, which paints a different picture compared to his sparkling 1.76 ERA.
I think the fact he has faced three elite lineups help explain these underlying numbers. He is not going to sustain a sub-2 ERA all season obviously, but I think he has the craft and moxy to pitch to an era just under 4.
The Nats pitching staff has not had a lot of bright spots so far this season, but Griffin is certainly one of them. You have to credit Paul Toboni for believing in Griffin enough to give him a second chance. Griffin does not have the flashy stuff teams are looking for these days, but he has mastered the art of pitching.
Command and deception is a bit of a lost art these days, but Griffin is trying to bring it back. None of his individual pitches are outstanding, but when you combine seven offerings that all have distinct shapes, it is a tough look for hitters.
Griffin is just on a one year deal, which makes him a prime trade candidate at the deadline. With the way he is pitching right now, there will be contenders that are intrigued by his deep mix and dependability.
I am not sure how long it will last, but I am loving the Foster Griffin experience so far. There is no panic in this guy and he is taking the fight to hitters. For a guy that had not been in the big leagues for three years, he did not look scared at all when he faced the Phillies in his first start.
Griffin has called himself a tactician on the mound, and it fits him. He is constantly thinking on the mound, trying to execute the perfect pitch at the perfect moment. Griffin is a master of mixing and matching. I feel like young pitchers such as Cade Cavalli could learn a thing or two from Griffin. He is just so thoughtful on the mound, and that is something I really appreciate as someone who pitched growing up.
The Toronto Blue Jays slugger has seven hits in his last three games, cruising past today’s posted total of 1.5 bases in each of those outings, averaging 2.33 bases per contest.
Vladdy is 7-for-14 against Bradley throughout his career with a 1.286 OPS.
COVERS INTEL: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has a .373 batting average and a career .923 OPS against this Twins pitching staff.
Twins vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
Jesus Sanchez is also swinging a hot bat. The Jays outfielder has doubled in three straight games, and I’m expecting at least another hit tonight against Bradley, who he’s 3-for-6 against in his career.
Lastly, I’ll take Over 7.5 runs scored in this game. The total has gone over the number in nine of the last 10 meetings between these two teams. I am also expecting some regression from Bradley tonight, who’s underlying numbers aren’t as strong as his 1.08 ERA suggests this early in the season.
Twins vs Blue Jays SGP
Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
Sanchez Over 0.5 hits
Over 7.5
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Twins vs Blue Jays home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+440)
This is a half-unit bet.
Guerrero Jr is starting to see his power return this season. He’s recorded 2+ basis in at four straight games, and Bradly gives up a lot of hard contact, ranking 6th percentile in average exit velocity.
Additionally, this is a good matchup for Vladdy, going up against the Twins starter, who throws the four-seamer 41% of the time. Vladdy hit .314 against the pitch last season with 13 homers and a .560 slugging rate.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 4-9, -2.25 units
SGPs: 2-11, -3.50 units
HR picks: 2-11, -1.30 units
Twins vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Minnesota +115 | Toronto -135
Run line: Minnesota +1.5 (-190) | Toronto -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Twins vs Blue Jays trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 11 of their last 16 games at home (+5.25 Units / 27% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Twins vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Sunday, April 12, 2026
First pitch
1:37 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Twins starting pitcher
Taj Bradley (2-0, 1.08 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (1-1, 3.38 ERA)
Twins vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Twins vs Blue Jays 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.
The Mets made another chance in their bullpen on Sunday, designating right-handed pitcher Luis Garcia for assignment.
In a corresponding move, 28-year-old right-hander Joey Gerber is being called up.
The 39-year-old Garcia was signed by the Mets to a one-year deal this offseason and was thought to be a key piece of the major league bullpen, but the veteran struggled on the mound. In six appearances, Garcia allowed six runs (five earned) with a 2.053 WHIP and 7.11 ERA.
"We needed an arm, especially with the way that we’ve used the bullpen the last couple of nights," Carlos Mendoza said on Sunday. "I feel like we needed some protection there in case something bad happens again.
"Yeah, not an easy one. Obviously, Luis had to pitch yesterday on a day that we were staying away from him until [Luke Weaver] got in trouble there. But yeah, felt like we needed to have a fresh arm here."
Gerber was acquired by the Mets in a trade with the Rays last November, with the Mets sending Tampa cash considerations in exchange for the right-hander.
Gerber has a 3.60 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 10 strikeouts in 20.0 innings in two big league seasons, making his debut back in 2020. He appeared in 17 games for the Mariners that season, and did not pitch in the majors again until 2025, when he tossed 4.1 innings over two games for the Rays.
In 158.0 innings across six minor league seasons, Gerber has a 3.53 ERA and 1.291 WHIP with 10.7 strikeouts per nine. He has pitched to a 5.40 ERA in four appearances with Syracuse this season.
Luis García | (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Having once again built a bullpen that was intended to have plenty of roster churn, the Mets have started churning those spots on the roster. Today, the team has designated right-handed reliever Luis García for assignment and called up fellow right-handed reliever Joey Gerber to take his place in the bullpen.
The Mets signed García to a one-year, $1.75 million deal back in mid-January, and even at the time of the signing, it seemed like the 39-year-old was destined for a DFA at some point this season. He’s been through that before, as he’s now pitched for six different teams since the beginning of the 2024 season.
In six-and-one-third innings with the Mets to start this season, García had a 7.11 ERA and a 2.80 FIP. He joins Richard Lovelady in being DFA’d as the Mets continue to look for improvements during a miserable stretch of baseball.
In five innings with Triple-A Syracuse this year, Gerber has a 5.40 ERA and a 4.60 FIP. He’s thrown just 20.0 innings total in his major league career, having spent time with the Mariners in 2020 and gotten a brief major league stint with the Rays in 2025. He has a 3.60 ERA in that limited major league sample, and he has options remaining and figures to be churned himself before long—barring a major improvement at the major league level, of course.
The Los Angeles Dodgers go for the series sweep as they host the Texas Rangers this afternoon.
Roki Sasaki will try to right his early-season wrongs, toeing the rubber against veteran Jacob deGrom.
That gives the visitors a massive starting pitching advantage, so I’m siding with the underdog for my Rangers vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks below.
Who will win Rangers vs Dodgers today: Rangers (+110)
Roki Sasaki should be in the Minor Leagues right now, and that’s where he’d be if it weren’t for a wave of Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher injuries.
The 24-year-old ranks 165th out of 171 starters in Location+ (80), which has led to a 12.2% walk rate. You can’t start at this level with a 1.56 WHIP, and Texas is good enough against RHP (107 wRC+) to capitalize.
Jacob deGrom has still got “it”, posting a 111 Stuff+ and an elite 32.4 K-BB%. The Texas Rangers have won both of his starts, and here’s betting on another victory.
COVERS INTEL:The projected L.A. lineup has faced deGrom 95 times, collecting 19 hits (.200 AVG) compared to 30 strikeouts.
Rangers vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-105)
If anyone is capable of keeping down a potent Dodgers lineup that's plated 14 runs through the first two games of the series, it’s deGrom. It also helps to have a bullpen with a 2.32 ERA behind you.
The ball isn’t carrying in MLB as it has recently, with home run rates down across the board. On a wet and rainy day in Chavez Ravine, it’ll be a surprise if a few balls leave the yard for either team.
JD Yonke's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-4, -0.75 units
Over/Under bets: 3-5, -2.26 units
Rangers vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Rangers +110 | Dodgers -130
Run line: Rangers +1.5 (-220) | Dodgers -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Rangers vs Dodgers trend
The Rangers are 4-1 in Jacob deGrom's last five starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Rangers vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Sunday, April 12, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
CW 33, SportsNet LA
Rangers starting pitcher
Jacob deGrom (0-0, 3.72 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Roki Sasaki (0-1, 7.00 ERA)
Rangers vs Dodgers latest injuries
Rangers 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.
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 07: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners takes batting practice prior to the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Courtney Kramer/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mariners are swinging slower and hitting worse, but connecting these dots isn’t as simple as it seems.
Bat speed is down for half the Mariners’ lineup over the first 2 1/2 weeks of the season. These batters are swinging 0.7 mph slower on average than they were last year. It’s become a fixation in the early going, especially as the team entered the weekend with a 79 wRC+ — bottom five in the majors. Some blame the slower swings for the disappointing start at the plate, and others point to Seattle’s frigid temperatures as the culprit for the decline.
These points were brought to Dan Wilson before Saturday’s game. He shot down either premise.
“That’s pretty negligible from what we’ve seen before,” Wilson said of the decline in bat speed. “It’s colder weather- there’s just a lot of different factors that could be involved there. That’s not something that’s concerning us. Obviously, we track, we monitor, but there’s nothing that’s discernible. We’re fourteen games in, there’s so much more season to go. We want to get off to a good start, obviously as a player you want to get off to a good start, but you know, sometimes those things take a little bit of time to get going. It’s not anything different.”
I pretty much agree.
The first thing to point out is only three Mariners have bat speed drops greater than 1 mph. Randy Arozarena has lost 3.5 mph from last year (the largest change in the majors), Leo Rivas has lost 1.6 mph, and Brendan Donovan has lost 1.3 mph. The next thing to point out is Arozarena and Donovan are the top two hitters on the team so far by wRC+. Bat speed is important, but it isn’t everything.
Now, there are several players with <1 mph bat speed drops who have indeed struggled. Josh Naylor, for instance, has lost 0.9 mph, and Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez have each lost about 0.5 mph.
But the further you dig into the decimals of bat speed, the more difficult it becomes to separate noise from signal, especially in just 16 games. Let’s look at Julio’s rolling bat speed, for example:
Bat speed goes up and down naturally over the course of a season. That doesn’t always reflect a change in ability. These ebbs and flows can partially be attributed to the measurement itself. Bat speed is captured at the moment when the sweet spot of the bat crosses with the path of the ball. In other words, it tells us how fast the barrel is traveling at point of contact (or missed contact, in the case of whiffs).
This “point of contact” piece is crucial. A swing isn’t one, constant speed. It starts slow as the batter fires, and gains speed as the batter follows through. The “bat speed” for any given swing not only depends on how fast the batter swings, but how far they progress in their swing by the time the ball reaches the plate.
What does that mean for interpreting bat speed data? Well, that means observed bat speed can change with the pitch type, velocity, location, and the batter’s ability to identify such variables out of the pitcher’s hand. So if Julio took the exact same swing at a 99-mph fastball on the inner-third as he did on an 84-mph sweeper out of the zone away, he’s not likely to record the same “bat speed” on both swings. And that’s before considering how Julio might change his swing to match each pitch. From that perspective, bat speed is not only a matter of physical strength and ability, but a function of timing and circumstance.
For batters like Arozarena, who display very large changes in bat speed, it’s worth considering the underlying changes pushing their swing to new… slows:
But for pretty much every other Mariners’ batter exhibiting a decline (or gain) in bat speed, there simply hasn’t been enough time to say what, if anything, is different. I’m more likely to look at slower swings as a symptom of early struggles, rather than a cause. I kind of think the Mariners’ timing is just off.
Now, one theory that’s cropped up to explain the drop in bat speed is Seattle’s cold weather. Several people have pointed out the relationship between bat speed and temperature, noting swings are slower when it’s cold and faster when it’s hot.
I did some math on this last week for FanGraphs. My conclusion was, yes, bat speed likely depends on the temperature, and colder means slower. As Patrick Dufor points out in an excellent follow-up analysis, some of that could be the drag created by denser air at lower temperatures. But Dufor also notes drag doesn’t quite explain the full change. It’s possible batters might just be less comfortable in the cold. Julio agreed in an interview with the Seattle Times. “We’re not trying to swing slower; it’s just cold as (expletive) in Seattle,” he said, responding to concerns about the team’s bat speed decline.
Regardless, I estimated the change in bat speed at about 0.2 mph per 10 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s not a lot. While Seattle is the coldest city in the majors over the course of the season, it’s typically not the coldest city in the early part of the season. Lots of places are cold right now. In fact, T-Mobile Park is more neutral than you’d expect in April. It’s the late summer, when the rest of the country warms up and Seattle still has some bite after sunset, that we see the park flex its muscles. That’s to say, yes, it’s possible the Mariners are swinging slower because of the cold. But it’s probably not a big issue, and certainly not one unique to them. And it’s not the only thing that could be pushing bat speed down.
Again, my sense is the Mariners were kind of just bad the first two weeks of the season. I think their timing was off, I think they were swinging at bad pitches, and I think they were falling behind in counts. Each of those things could explain their bat speed slump, and I doubt it’s the other way around.
The Mariners entered the weekend with a 79 wRC+. After walking all over Astros’ pitching the last two nights, they enter Sunday with a 93 wRC+. We are not even 10% of the way through the season. It can swing in a jiff.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Xavier Neyens #9 of the Houston Astros bats during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (9-5) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
Ullola started for Sugar Land and allowed 1 run over 2.2 innings before leaving with an injury. It appeared to be leg related and not arm related. Fleury went the next 2.1 innings allowing 1 run. The offense got on the board in the 5th on a Winkler hit by pitch. In the 7th, Alexander tied the game with a sac fly. The Sugar Land bullpen continued to pitch well as the game stayed tied into the 9th. In the bottom of the 9th, Sugar Land walked it off scoring a run on a wild pitch as they won 3-2.
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (WIN)
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (4-4) lost 4-3 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board in the 2nd inning scoring a run on an error. In the 3rd inning, Sacco added a solo HR. Gillis got the start and pitched well allowing 1 run over 4.2 innings while striking out 6. Garcia would add a solo HR in the 5th to extend the lead. The bullpen was solid until the 9th when Chirinos allowed 2 runs. The game went to extra innings and in the 10th, San Antonio walked it off as the Hooks fell 4-3.
Railin Perez, RHP: 0.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (3-5) lost 11-6 (BOX SCORE)
Asheville jumped out to a big lead early scoring 6 runs in the first inning on a Frey RBI single, Call RBI single, Daudet hit by pitch, Holy RBI groundout, Brutcher sac fly and Hernandez RBI single. Howard got the start for Asheville and went 3.2 innings allowing 3 runs. The pen struggled allowing 8 more runs as the Grasshoppers took the lead. The Asheville offense was quiet the rest of the way as they fell 11-6.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1-7) lost 6-3 (BOX SCORE)
Pecko madę another rehab start and after allowing a leadoff home run, he settled down striking out 3 over 3 innings. The Woodpeckers offense got on the board in the first inning on a Monistere sac fly. They got another run in the 2nd inning on a Diaz solo home run. In the 5th, Neyens connected on a solo home run, his first professional home run. The pen allowed five runs as the RiverDogs took the lead but the offense was unable to respond as the Woodpeckers fell 6-3.
Note: Neyens home run had a 116 MPH exit velocity.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 11: Chris Martin #31 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium on April 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Feb 22, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Ryan Ward against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
For the first time in seven opportunities this season, all four Dodgers affiliates won on the same day.
Player of the day
Wyatt Crowell put up more zeroes for Double-A Tulsa, with seven strikeouts in five scoreless innings against Springfield. It was the second appearance of the season for the left-hander, who pitched three scoreless frames against San Antonio on April 4. Crowell struck out four in a row at one point, including all three in the second inning.
Crowell, the Dodgers’ fourth-round draft pick out of Florida State in 2023, walked 15.2-percent of his batters faced in his first two professional seasons. But so far this year, he’s walked only three of 33 batters faced (9.1 percent), to go with 10 strikeouts.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Ryan Ward hit a three-run walk-off home run to erase a two-run deficit and lift the Comets over the Round Rock Express (Rangers) in a wild game.
Ward had three hits on the night and stole a base. Austin Gauthier also had three hits, including a double. Ryan Fitzgerald had two hits, including a double.
River Ryan allowed three doubles in a row in a first inning that also included a walk, a hit batter, two runs scored, and needed 36 pitches to complete. He retired seven of his final eight batters faced to get through three innings without any further damage. Ryan struck out four on the night, and threw 56 total pitches, just 20 over the final two frames.
It’s been a rough go so far this season in the Pacific Coast League for left-hander Logan Allen, who allowed only one run in his first three innings of relief but ran out of gas in the seventh. He allowed two singles and two walks before getting pulled with one out, and all of them scored during the frame. Allen this season has faced 59 batters, and 28 of them have reached (19 hits, nine walks) for a .475 on-base percentage and only six strikeouts.
Double-A Tulsa
Zyhir Hope blew open a low-scoring affair with a three-run home run in the sixth inning to give the Drillers the breathing room they needed to beat the Springfield Cardinals.
Hope’s home run was not only against a left-handed pitcher, but was also hit to the opposite field.
The Loons scored in five different innings to beat the West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers).
Third baseman Logan Wagner had three hits, including a double, and scored three times. Center fielder Charles Davalan also doubled, part of a two-hit, two-run game. Designated hitter Jose Meza reached base four times with two walks, a double, and single, with two RBI. Shortstop Jose Izarra homered.
Zach Root needed 32 pitches to record only two outs in his start, pulled with the bases loaded in the first inning. He allowed only one run, thanks to Dilan Figueredo inducing a groundout to strand three runners. Figueredo followed with three perfect innings of his own, earning the win with his 10-up, 10-down performance, including two strikeouts.
Class-A Ontario
Four Tower Buzzers pitchers combined to shut out the Inland Empire 66ers (Mariners), with 10 strikeouts and no walks.
Isaac Ayon, the Dodgers’ 18th-rounder from 2024 out of Oregon, pitched four scoreless innings with four strikeouts, allowing only a pair of singles. Logan Lunceford got the next five outs, with two strikeouts of his own, followed by Robby Porco getting five outs.
Jecsua Liborius earned the save by striking out all three batters in the ninth. He has retired all 10 batters he’s faced this season with eight strikeouts, seven weeks shy of his 21st birthday.
Easton Shelton on Saturday was designated to hit, and that he did, driving in both Ontario runs, with a second-inning double and solo home run in the seventh.
Transactions
Triple-A: Pitcher Chris Campos was activated off the injured list after missing a week and a half, and had a rocky first game back, allowing three of his six batters faced to reach, giving up an unearned run and allowing both inherited runners to score. Right-hander Jordan Weems was placed on the development list.
BRONX, NY - APRIL 18: A general view of Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, on April 18, 1923 in Bronx, New York (Photo by MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
When the Yankees famously purchased Babe Ruth from the Red Sox in 1919, there was always going to be someone who’s playing time was massively cut, if not erased at all. As it happens, that fate mostly fell on Sammy Vick.
Vick’s career prior to Ruth’s acquisition wasn’t especially notable, and it wasn’t anything especially great after then. However, in making way for Ruth and then another move involving him later, he helped shape the first Yankees dynasty.
Samuel Bruce “Sammy” Vick Born: April 12, 1895 (Batesville, MS) Died: August 17, 1986 (Memphis, TN) Yankees Tenure: 1917-20
Vick was one of four children born to farmers Hugh and Lillie. He was born and raised in Mississippi, and attended Millsaps College. Unlike a lot of the people we write about in this birthday pieces, he apparently didn’t play much baseball as a youth, as he was said to have learned the game while attending Millsaps. However, he was apparently quite athletic, as he played several sports in college in addition to picking up baseball.
Despite getting to baseball late, Vick apparently picked it up quickly. By 1917, he had signed a deal with the minor league Memphis Chickasaws, and would soon rise even faster. He absolutely hit the ground running in Memphis, hitting .322 in 126 games. By the end of the season, he was already getting looks from MLB scouts, and the Yankees acquired him in July. On Baseball Reference, he’s listed as having been traded from Memphis to New York. One player that went the other way is future Hall of Fame pitcher Dazzy Vance, which the team would probably later wish they could undo.
After Vick’s season in Memphis concluded, the Yankees brought Vick up to the big leagues for a September cup of coffee. He walked in his first MLB plate appearance and singled in the next in a pretty nice debut. He ended up appearing in 10 MLB games in 1917, putting up right at league average numbers. In 1918, Vick appeared in two games before joining the military to serve in World War I.
Vick returned for the 1919 season and ended up as the team’s regular right fielder. He ended up appearing in 106 games in ‘19, although a 83 OPS+ wasn’t much to write home about. However after the season, the Yankees purchased Ruth from the Red Sox in probably the most well known baseball trade of all time. It also left Vick in a fourth outfielder role. Adding to that was that another young outfielder named Bob Meusel also debuted during the 1920 season. He still ended up playing over 50 games for the 1920 Yankees, but was quickly falling down the pecking order.
One thing of note that happened for Vick in 1920 was getting into a fight with manager Miller Huggins after a game in Cleveland. While you might expect that played a role in Vick’s diminished playing time and eventual departure, Huggins thought the incident was a good thing, as the manager had thought Vick was too shy and timid and not capable of that type of emotion.
Despite that, Vick was headed for a departure after the season, as the team thought had he never lived up to his potential and now had a couple better players. The following December, the team made another deal with the Red Sox, sending Vick to Boston as part of a nine-player deal. This one would also go in the Yankees’ favor as the most notable mover in the trade was pitcher Waite Hoyt, who became an ace for the team as they finally got over the World Series championship hump.
An injury delayed Vick’s Boston debut until June, and he never really got going in 1921, posting a .594 OPS in 44 games. He was eventually sold to the minor league Toronto Maple Leafs (a baseball team, they didn’t make him learn hockey), and he never returned to the majors. Vick continued playing in the minor leagues through 1930, mostly playing for teams in the south near his Mississippi birthplace.
In the years following his baseball career, Vick did some work as a teacher and also bought a farm. He eventually passed away in Memphis in 1986 at age 91.
In a way, Sammy Vick helped set the stage for the first dynasty in Yankees’ history. It just wasn’t in a way he himself might have hoped.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Apr 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) hits a one run double against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Here’s your weekly injury notes! Must be Sunday! The Mariners guaranteed at least a split of the four-game series against Houston with a thrilling walk-off win to celebrate Humpy shoulder plush night to get to 6-9. The Mariners can secure an important series win today at 1:10 with Logan Gilbert on the mound. Happy Sunday everybody!
In Mariners news…
Lance Brozdowski broke down how some teams are training their pitchers to add more cut to their fastballs by making subtle differences to their throwing motion, and used the Mariners and Emerson Hancock as heavy focuses in the study to show the effectiveness these changes can have.
The Toronto Blue Jays have another star player with a broken digit! George Springer fouled a ball of his foot in yesterday’s game that broke the big toe on his left foot. I’ve broken a toe. Not fun!
Orioles infielder Ryan Mountcastle was removed from yesterday’s game after he took a tumble on his way into second base and will be getting an MRI today.
If you ever feel like you’re an impostor and aren’t qualified for the work that you do, remember that there are people with no background in economics who get paid to write up economic impact reports for new stadium projects.
Reminder: I’m on vacation all this week and will be a little briefer than usual and one or more pieces could be delayed. Thanks for your patience.
If you’re not one of my longtime readers, this is a great jumping-in point. By about the third inning Saturday, I saw the season declared as over, the team described as garbage and had officially muted my first Cub-focused Twitter user of the season. I don’t have any interest in gloom and doom. Any time I’m looking for that, I can dial into the outside world. Baseball is where I go to unwind and have fun.
For me, the strangest thing that I’ve learned in my time blogging about baseball over the last 10 years is what a significant part of the fan experience doom and gloom is for some portion of the fanbase. Is it frustrating when the Cubs have a pitcher throw six no-hit innings and end up losing anyway? Absolutely. Is it a compound wound when for four innings the next day they haven’t scored? Yes, it is.
I saw one person post in the comments to Game 13 how much this reminded them of 2025. That’s a fair comment. That’s the concern. But I’m certainly not giving up on this team before the weather even warms up. This team benefits greatly from the long ball and it doesn’t help when that is suppressed. Both teams play in those conditions, but not all teams have nine or more players who could legitimately hit double digit homers. They had eight do it last year with their third catcher at nine and Nico Hoerner at 7. I feel like their whole regular nine less Hoerner but possibly also Matt Shaw are legit double digit homer guys. Miguel Amaya or Michael Conforto might challenge double digits with enough playing time.
When the Cubs did play in the dome in Tampa, the ball was jumping and they did win two of three. So I’m going to wait before I rule this team buried. This has been a frustrating stretch. Every season for the best and worst teams includes frustrating stretches. Keep the faith.
Three Positives:
Moisés Ballesteros was two for two before being lifted from the game. He’s been one of the most productive bats in the early going. I’m not sure I want to see him instantly lifted every time a lefty comes in. I know sometimes a bat gets overexposed when getting extra playing time. But I’d lean a little heavier and see where that point is.
Alex Bregman had a pair of hits including a game-tying RBI single in the ninth.
Hoby Milner has been terrific so far. He faced the top of the order in the ninth inning and worked a perfect inning, giving the team a chance to tie in the bottom of the inning.
Game 14, April 11: Pirates 4, Cubs 3 (8-6)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Daniel Palencia (.308). IP, 4 BF, 0 H, BB, 0 R, 0 K
Hero: Alex Bregman (.196 ). 2-6, RBI
Sidekick: Nico Hoerner (.075 ). 1-6, RBI
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Seiya Suzuki (-.440 ). 1-4
Goat: Ian Happ (-.235 ). 0-5, BB
Kid: Matt Shaw (-.183). 0-1
WPA Play of the Game: Alex Bregman’s game-tying single with two out in the bottom of the ninth. (.468)
*Pirates Play of the Game: With first and second and two outs in the 11th, Brandon Lowe batted with runners on first and second. He reached on an error and the go ahead and eventual winning run scored. (.331)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 13 Player of the Game: Shōta Imanaga received 121 of 123 votes.
Up Next: In the third and final game of the series, Jameson Taillon matches up with Bubba Chandler.
Jacob deGrom
Yordan Alvarez
Mickey Moniak
COVERS INTEL: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has a .373 batting average and a career .923 OPS against this Twins pitching staff. 
