Author: MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

The Mets are trading outfielder Alexander Canario to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team announced on Monday.

The outfielder, who was out of options and did not make the Opening Day roster, had been designated for assignment. New York will get cash considerations from Pittsburgh.

Canario, acquired by the Mets in a February trade for cash considerations with the Chicago Cubs, was competing for the final spot on the roster out of spring training. That spot went to Luisangel Acuña, with the Mets needing the depth on the infield.

The Mets had seven days to work out a trade after he was DFA'd, along with outfielder Jose Azocar.

Canario was solid during the spring – 11 hits in 36 at-bats with two doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, and a 1.030 OPS – but keeping him would have meant New York would have only four infielders on the 26-man roster.

The 24-year-old spent most of the 2024 season with the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate in Iowa, slashing .243/.336/.514 with 18 home runs in just 64 games.

In 21 career games at the big league level over the last two seasons, he has 12 hits in 42 at-bats (.286) with two doubles, a triple, and a home run for eight RBI and a .857 OPS.

What we learned as Athletics rocked by Cubs in Sacramento home opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Athletics’ historic first home game on Monday night at Sutter Health Park didn’t go according to plan as they lost 18-3 to the Chicago Cubs. The Green and Gold offered winks of promise early in front of a vociferous, sell-out crowd, but ultimately they couldn’t overcome Chicago’s 21 hits.

Athletics righty Joey Estes allowed four runs in the first inning during his first start of the 2025 MLB season, and ultimately exited after four innings having allowed six runs, three home runs, nine hits and four walks while striking out two. Cubs righty Ben Brown did his job over five frames and allowed three runs with five punch-outs on 75 pitches. Oh, and Carson Kelly was the first Cub to hit for the cycle since 1993, which encapsulated the night.

Back-to-back homers…

FILE UNDER THINGS WE LOVE TO C. 😏 pic.twitter.com/mzCx9Hs1fw

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 1, 2025

There was plenty of enthusiasm, curiosity and baseballs in the air throughout the inaugural West Sacramento matchup. However, the Athletics’ on-field results – especially in the top half of the lineup – didn’t match the energy. 

Here are three takeaways from the Green and Gold’s home-opening loss on their new turf of the next three years. 

New Digs

Many had anticipated seeing how the Athletics (2-3) – and MLB – would fit into a minor-league stadium after the Green and Gold announced on April 4 that they’d spend the 2025 through 2028 seasons at Sutter Health Park. Well, the new diamond definitely played a factor on Day 1, just not in the Athletics’ favor.

The Cubs (3-4) hit four home runs and finished with the aforementioned 21 hits. Kyle Tucker and Kelly had four while Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner finished with three.

The Athletics have scored roughly half of their runs on the long ball since the 2024 season. It wouldn’t be surprising if they’d soon return to form, or somewhat close, in a ballpark where a long ball requires a mere 330 feet in left, 403 in center and 325 in right.

First Bump on the Bump:

Estes, named the team’s fifth starter by fourth-year Athletics manager Mark Kotsay on March 15, stained the rotation’s encouraging first stretch of the season.

The Athletics allowed just eight runs throughout their season-opening four-game series against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park behind, in order, a pair of six-inning shutouts from key free-agent acquisitions Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs; a five-inning, one-run outing from Osvaldo Bido and a scoreless 6 2/3 innings from JP Sears.

In other words, Estes’ outing stung after the Athletics’ first four starters had allowed a combined three runs over their first 23 2/3 innings.

The bullpen had a similarly enticing beginning, too, outside of set-up man José Leclerc offering two homers to lose on Opening Day, but it also struggled mightily Monday against the Cubs. Mitch Spence relieved Estes and allowed three hits and two runs over 2/3 of an inning. He was replaced by Noah Murdock, who proceeded to give up four hits, three walks and six runs.

No. 1 gets No. 1

Top Athletics prospect and starting shortstop Jacob Wilson hit the first Athletics homer at Sutter Health Park and the first of what should be many more for him during his inaugural 162-slate in the majors.

In the third inning, after watching Brown toss a 94-mph four-seam fastball for a ball, Wilson sent a perfectly centered knuckle curve 341 feet left, which marked the first of the Athletics’ three runs.

The homer was the first of Wilson’s MLB career; he hit seven overall with Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas during the 2024 season. He’s more of a contact hitter, but perhaps his 15-pound muscle gain this offseason means there are more home runs to come.

Garrett Crochet, Red Sox agree to massive contract extension: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox landed their ace this offseason, and they intend to keep him for a long time.

The Red Sox and left-hander Garrett Crochet have agreed to a six-year, $170 million contract extension, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Monday night. Crochet’s new deal begins in 2026 and includes an opt-out in 2030, per Passan.

Boston acquired Crochet from the White Sox this offseason in a blockbuster trade that sent the Red Sox’ No. 4 prospect, catcher Kyle Teel, to Chicago along with prospects Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth and Wikelman Gonzalez.

Crochet, who’s in his fifth MLB season, signed a one-year, $3.8 million deal with Boston earlier this offseason to avoid arbitration but would have entered his final year of arbitration next season.

Considering what the Red Sox gave up to acquire the 25-year-old left-hander, keeping him around long-term was a priority, and it appears they’ve accomplished that goal with a deal that will pay him an average of $28.3 million per year.

Crochet is fresh off the best season of his career, posting a 3.58 ERA in 2024 with a 1.068 WHIP and 209 strikeouts in 146 innings in 2024. He started Boston’s 2025 season opener on Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings with four strikeouts in a 5-2 win.

A baseball card autographed by Shohei Ohtani and featuring a piece of the pants the Dodgers superstar wore while becoming the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season has sold for more than $1 million.

The one-of-a-kind Topps Dynasty Black card that features an on-card signature in gold ink by Ohtani and the MLB logo patch from the pants he wore during his record-setting game against the Miami Marlins was sold by Heritage Auctions on Saturday night for $1,067,500. The name of the buyer has not been revealed.

That is by far the most money paid in a public auction for an Ohtani card. The previous record was the $533,140 paid last year for a card from the 2018 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autographs Orange Refractor set. While 25 of those cards exist, that one received a 10 from the Beckett Grading Service.

The record-setting card is one of three different cards from the 50-50 game that Topps used to launch its Dynasty Black series, which features one-of-one autographed cards with pieces of game-used memorabilia from specific, historic moments. One of those Ohtani 50-50 cards — which includes a tag from the batting gloves Ohtani wore while hitting his 50th home run and a laundry tag from the pants he wore during that game — received $173,240 at auction in February.

Read more:Champagne, hugs and T-shirts: Inside the unforgettable night Shohei Ohtani reached 50-50

"Shohei Ohtani is currently the best player in the game, and this 1-of-1 card is tied to a significant historical moment as the first MLB player to join the 50/50 club in 2024," Chris Ivy, director of sports auctions at Heritage, told The Times in an email. "It is also the most desirable of the three 1-of-1 Dynasty black cards because of the logo patch."

Ivy added: "Part of what makes this result remarkable is the fact that it was not a rookie card — they usually are among the most popular in the collecting community — and still set the world record."

Earlier this month, the one-of-one major league rookie debut patch autograph card for Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes sold at auction for $1.11 million.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run ball sells for record $4.4 million. Who gets the money?

Ohtani entered the Sept. 19 game at loanDepot Park with 48 home runs and 49 steals. He wasted no time reaching 50 stolen bases, swiping third base in the first inning, then added No. 51 in the second inning. Then came home run No. 49 in the sixth inning, setting the stage for history to be made in the seventh.

After fouling off the first two pitches and laying off one in the dirt, Ohtani sent a hanging curveball by Marlins reliever Mike Baumann 391 feet and over the left-field wall. That ball was auctioned for $4.392 million, an amount that surpassed any sum paid for a baseball, in October.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Hicks lives out childhood dream, dominates in hometown for Giants originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

HOUSTON — Jordan Hicks stepped out of the dugout at 6:30 p.m. on Monday and looked around. He had a glove in one hand, a bag of equipment in the other, and a lifetime of memories flooding back into his head. 

Hicks is a Houston native and grew up rooting for Lance Berkman, Craig Biggio and others. He came to about 20 Astros games as a child and has fond memories of experiencing Major League Baseball for the first time at a ballpark that he still refers to by its previous name. As Hicks looked around what is now Daikin Park, he thought back to where he used to sit. 

For the rest of the night, it was his childhood team that was caught looking. 

Hicks struck out six across six one-hit innings in his first big league appearance in Houston, including three straight strikeouts looking in a dominant second inning that signaled his second year in orange and black might take on a much different tone.

Jeremy Pena, Cam Smith and Mauricio Dubón went down looking in succession, all watching 98 or 99 mph sinkers clip the edge of the zone. Patrick Bailey’s golden framing helped a bit, but for the most part this night was about Hicks, who had his best start as a big leaguer as the Giants beat the Astros 7-2.

“That’s a good one to build off in 2025,” Hicks said. “I’ll just stay right there.”

Hicks got off to a strong start in 2024, too, but this was something different. His fastball averaged 98 mph, nearly a full tick higher than his best average in any single game last season, his first as a starter. He hit 100 mph for the first time as a Giant and threw 13 pitches at 99 mph or above, three more than he had all of last season.

Hicks had more than 80 family members and friends in the seats, and that extra adrenaline certainly helped. But this is the Hicks the Giants have expected for months. President of baseball operations Buster Posey made it clear in the offseason and again at the start of camp that he viewed Hicks as a starter. Posey inherited the right-hander’s four-year contract and could have moved him back to the bullpen, especially with the depth the Giants have, but he felt good about Hicks’ offseason. General manager Zack Minasian and manager Bob Melvin did, too.

The second inning alone validated all those offseason hopes, but Hicks kept it going. He repeatedly hit 99 mph in the sixth as he reached his predetermined pitch count. 

“It’s what he did when he was closing, he’s just doing it for a longer period of time now,” Melvin said. “I think that’s one of the things he’s kind of figuring out now. It’s, go as hard as he can for as long as he can. That’s what he’s been successful doing in the past and it’s just [about making] sure you’re conditioned to pitch deeper into games.”

Hicks spent the offseason working out in San Francisco and packed on 15 pounds from the end of last season. The Giants won’t know for several months if that offseason work truly leads to more longevity for a pitcher who slammed into a wall last summer, but they’re confident that Hicks can give the rotation 150 or so innings this time around.

Hicks started with six that were spectacular, leading the Giants to a third win in four games on this trip. He said he’s right where he hoped to be at the start of the season, and he’s eager to build off Monday’s performance. 

It was a perfect return to his hometown. Well, almost perfect. 

Hicks always imagined himself pitching on this mound, he just thought it would have a different name. For more than two decades, it did. 

“I’ve never even thrown out of the bullpen here, so it was really nice to have all of the family come out and for them to experience it,” he said. “I was more excited when it was still Minute Maid Park, but now they changed to Daikin, so I guess we’ve just got to live with it. But I grew up coming here and it was special to be on the field where I used to watch all the old ball games. It was a pretty special moment.”

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What's a torpedo bat? The history of the Yankees' controversial new baseball bats originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Bronx Bombers now have torpedoes in their arsenal.

The New York Yankees officially launched the “torpedo bat” era over the weekend — with multiple players using a modified baseball bat during the team’s historic offensive onslaught in its opening series of the 2025 season.

The wood of the bat is shifted from the barrel towards the batter’s hands to create a custom sweet spot where contact is most frequently made. The reconfiguration gives the bat the shape of a torpedo — or a bowling pin, which doesn’t sound nearly as menacing or apropos.

Because the Yankees hit bombs with them.

Nine of their MLB record-tying 15 home runs hit in their first three games were used by five players using torpedo bats, including six of a franchise-record nine homers in Saturday’s 20-9 rout over the Milwaukee Brewers. 

“I think the advantage is that you’re more likely to make a reasonable contact,” Dave Savage, a physics teacher in Oregon, told NBC Local. “So…you’ve increased your chances. And then the closer you can get to dead center of that sweet spot where the bat is the largest, most massive, that is going to be your largest exchange of momentum.”

It wasn’t the first time torpedo bats were used in the major leagues, but the Yankees’ offensive outburst helped put the torpedoes on baseball’s radar.

Some social media users and baseball purists — and at least one opposing player – then returned fire, saying the bats should be outlawed.

The bats, however, are legal under MLB’s rules. And more teams are now looking to add torpedo bats to their own arsenal.

What is a torpedo bat?

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

The torpedo bat is a custom-shaped baseball bat with a modified barrel that’s tailored to maximize the contact tendencies of the batter.

Wood is shifted from the end of the barrel to a location closer to the hands, making the bat widest at the spot where the batter most often makes contact with the ball.

That reshaping and relocation of the sweet spot gives the bat the appearance of a torpedo.

Who invented the torpedo bat?

No, it wasn’t the Yankees’ assistant to the traveling secretary, George Costanza.

Much of the recent credit for the implementation of the torpedo bat has gone to Aaron Leanhardt, a former Yankees front-office staffer who is now the Miami Marlins’ field coordinator.

Leanhardt, a former physicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said the idea developed in 2022 while he was working with the Yankees’ minor-league hitting department.

The 48-year-old Leanhardt, who holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in physics from MIT, previously coached baseball in the Atlantic League and at a Montana community college, per The Athletic. He became the Yankees’ major league analyst in 2024, and players within the organization soon began using torpedo bats in regular-season games.  

“Really, it’s just about making the bat as heavy and as fat as possible in the area where you’re trying to do damage on the baseball,” he told The Athletic.

YES Network play-by-play announcer Michael Kay said during Saturday’s broadcast that the Yankees’ analytics department had performed a study on shortstop Anthony Volpe showing he frequently hit the ball on the label of his bat, rather than on the barrel.

So, using Leanhardt’s design, the sweet spot of Volpe’s bat was moved from the barrel to the label.

Who makes the torpedo bat?

The Yankees requested sample models of the torpedo style from some of MLB’s 41 approved bat manufacturers, according to ESPN. The model numbers for the spec bats started with “BP” for bowling pin, a more accurate comp for the bat’s new shape.

“Torpedo sounds kind of cooler,” Leanhardt told ESPN.

Louisville Slugger said four teams have requested torpedo style bats from the company over the past 18 months.

“Teams are analyzing every single at bat by every player, then charting the part of the bat where
each player is making contact with the ball,” the company said Monday in a statement. “Based on the location of the majority of a player’s contact on the barrel, teams are asking us to shift the weight of the barrel and sweet spot to accommodate each hitter.”

What is MLB’s bat rule?

The torpedo bats do not violate MLB’s rules, which state under 3.02: “The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.”

It goes on to state there may be a cupped indentation up to 1 1/4 inches in depth, 2 inches wide and with at least a 1-inch diameter, and experimental models must be approved by MLB.

When was a torpedo bat first used?

Giancarlo Stanton might be remembered as the player who officially launched MLB’s first torpedo.

Multiple players, including Volpe, experimented with the torpedo bat last season. But it was Stanton who used one to hit seven home runs in 14 postseason games during the Yankees’ run to the 2024 World Series, per ESPN.

Following that success, torpedo bat models were made available to members of the Yankees during spring training.

Five members of the Yankees’ lineup adopted torpedo bats during their 2025 opening series, crushing a combined nine home runs: Jazz Chisholm Jr. (three), Volpe (two), Austin Wells (two), Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger (one), who said he experimented with a torpedo bat during batting practice last season.

Their Yankee teammate and reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge hit four home runs over the first three games of the season, but he did so with a traditional bat.

Which teams use torpedo bats?

The Yankees aren’t the only team using torpedo bats.

Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins and the Rays’ Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz used them in Spring Training and during the opening weekend of the regular season, per ESPN. Davis Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays uses one. MLB.com reported that members of the Baltimore Orioles have experimented with them. As did the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs in spring training, according to the New York Times.

And more torpedos are now on a collision course with the league.

Some pitchers, however, might view the use of torpedo bats in the same way batters once viewed the pitching mound being elevated.

“I think it’s terrible,” Brewers closer Trevor Megill told the New York Post after watching his team surrender 15 home runs to the Yankees. “We’ll see what the data says. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I feel like it’s something used in slow-pitch softball.

“It’s genius: Put the mass all in one spot. It might be bush (league). It might not be. But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide.”

What we learned as Hicks, Flores fuel Giants' win over Astros originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

HOUSTON — Giants starter Jordan Hicks had to wait seven seasons, 242 appearances and 29 starts to finally appear in his hometown. He pitched in 29 other ballparks before taking the mound at what is now called Daikin Park. It was worth the wait.

In front of nearly 100 family members and friends, the Houston native had the most dominant start of his MLB career, allowing just one hit over six innings and showing eye-popping velocity as the Giants cruised to a 7-2 win over the Houston Astros on Monday. San Francisco is 3-1 and will try to clinch a winning trip on Tuesday behind ace Logan Webb. 

Straight GAS from Hicks to strike out the side 🔥 pic.twitter.com/qycrECBO0i

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 1, 2025

The only hit Hicks allowed was a single by Christian Walker in the first inning, but he followed that by retiring 14 straight. Hicks was sharp for about two months last season before running out of gas. He put on 15 pounds in the offseason, and the Giants believe a big season is ahead. The early returns couldn’t have been more encouraging. 

Here are three things to know from the Giants’ third win of the 2025 MLB season: 

Lighting It Up

It would be easy to attribute Hicks’ velocity bump to the adrenaline that might have come with pitching in his hometown, but this was what the Giants would have expected Monday in any ballpark. Manager Bob Melvin said before the game that the plan for Hicks this year is to “go after it” instead of pacing himself in starts. The Giants don’t mind if he runs into a wall a bit earlier if the results are there, but on Monday they got the best of both worlds.

Hicks was so economical that he needed just 58 pitches to get through five, and despite walking a batter in the sixth, he strolled off at 72 pitches, 73 percent of which were fastballs. He had some dominant starts last April, but this was easily his best velocity as a Giant. 

Hicks averaged 98 mph with his sinker, nearly a full tick up from last season’s best of 97.1 mph, which also came in his first start of the year. He topped out at 100 mph and hit 99 mph on 13 pitches after doing it just 10 total times all of 2024. 

Small Ball

The Giants stole three bases without being caught, repeatedly taking advantage of the fact that Astros starter Ronel Blanco wasn’t holding runners at first. They had just five three-steal games all of last season, but through four games they’re definitely showing that they might finally be willing to force the issue a bit. They’re a perfect 5-for-5 so far on the bases.

It wasn’t just the steals that stood out. In the fifth, Mike Yastrzemski singled, stole second, went to third on Tyler Fitzgerald’s perfect bunt down the third base line, and scored on a sacrifice fly by LaMonte Wade Jr. It was an aggressive send by Matt Williams, but Yastrzemski got in safely with an athletic slide. 

All The Way Back

Wilmer Flores had four homers all of last season, which was cut short by knee discomfort that hampered him all year. He’s healthy once again, and he looks exactly like the player who led the lineup in 2023. 

Flores jumped on an elevated slider from Luis Contreras in the sixth and broke the game open with a soaring three-run shot into the Crawford Boxes in left. He’s tied for the league lead with eight RBI and is tied for second in the NL with three homers.

WILMER FLORES HAS DONE IT AGAIN ‼ pic.twitter.com/JLPW4cCmTx

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 1, 2025

The San Francisco-era franchise record for homers over the first four games is five (by Barry Bonds, of course), and Willie Mays twice had four in his first four games. Flores joined Evan Longoria, Brandon Belt and Kevin Mitchell, all of whom had a season with three homers in their first four games. 

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Dominic Smith is back with the Bombers.

The Yankees announced on Monday afternoon that they have re-signed the first baseman/outfielder to a minor league contract.

Smith, originally a first-round pick by the Mets, played with the Yankees this spring, putting up strong numbers in Grapefruit League action. In 13 games, Smith slashed .297/.289/.568 with three home runs and 12 RBI.

While it seemed like Smith may have a chance to make the team, he ended up exercising the opt out in his contract, hoping another club would sign him to a major league contract.

But Smith is now back with the Yankees organization, and he could be an option to be called up if the Yankees need another left-handed hitting option on the 26-man roster.

In 693 career big league games, Smith has 64 home runs and 259 RBI, posting an OPS of .716.

Braves' Jurickson Profar gets 80-game ban for PED violation originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar has been suspended for 80 games without pay for performance-enhancing drug use.

Major League Baseball announced Monday that Profar tested positive for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) in violation of the league’s joint drug prevention and treatment program.

The suspension of Profar is effective immediately. Barring postponed games, Profar would be eligible to return June 29 against Philadelphia and would lose $5,806,440 of his $12 million salary. He is also ineligible for the postseason.

Profar called it the “most difficult day of my baseball career” and said he would never knowingly cheat.

“This is especially painful for me because anyone who knows me and has seen me play knows I am deeply passionate about the game,” he said in a statement. “There is nothing I love more than competing with my teammates and being a fan favorite. I want to apologize to the entire Braves organization, my teammates and the fans.

“It is because of my deep love and respect for this game that I would never knowingly do anything to cheat it. I have been tested my entire career, including eight times last season alone, and have never tested positive. I would never willingly take a banned substance, but I take full responsibility and accept MLB’s decision.”

The 32-year-old Profar was an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger last season when he batted .280 and set career highs with 24 homers and 85 RBIs for San Diego. He then signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Braves in the offseason.

Profar is the fourth player who has been suspended this year for violating the performance-enhancing substance policy, with the others coming under the minor league program and the program for minor leaguers assigned outside the United States and Canada.

Two players were suspended last year under the major league drug program.

Noelvi Marté, a 22-year-old infielder who was considered Cincinnati’s top prospect, missed the first 80 games following a positive test for boldenone.

Toronto infielder Orelvis Martínez was suspended for 80 games on June 23 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene, an announcement made two days after his major league debut.

Phillies explode for 3 late homers to send 45,000 home happy in Game 1 at The Bank originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It took two hours from first pitch, but with the weather cooperating and with just under 45,000 fans on hand for the home opener, the Phillies did not disappoint.

They trailed by a run entering the bottom of the seventh inning but again exploded vs. the opponent’s bullpen, scoring four in the seventh and two in the eighth of a 6-1 win.

Rockies starter German Marquez gained strength and confidence as the game progressed but departed after six scoreless innings with three lefties due up in the span of four batters in the seventh. Just like Opening Day, the Phillies quickly made the opposing bullpen pay.

Bryson Stott hit a lefty-on-lefty double off of Scott Alexander with two outs to bring up Brandon Marsh and manager Rob Thomson pinch-hit with Trea Turner. Turner was out of the lineup for a third straight game after feeling his back lock up pregame Saturday but he took grounders Monday afternoon and should return to the lineup Wednesday.

Though he didn’t start the home opener, Turner’s one plate appearance was extremely important, prolonging the seventh inning for Edmundo Sosa to hit a go-ahead two-run double and Kyle Schwarber to hit an absolute bomb off the ivy wall past center field.

In the eighth, Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos went back-to-back.

“It shows the depth of the lineup,” Schwarber said. “We always preach that it’s not gonna be one person, two people, three people. It takes a village to go where we need to go.”

The Phillies have hit .386 with 12 extra-base hits in 57 at-bats against relievers compared to .224 with five extra-base hits in 85 at-bats vs. starters.

“Going into my fourth year here, if we don’t score runs and we get into that bullpen, you feel like you’re one swing away,” Schwarber said.

Thomson’s enjoyed the late offense but quipped that he’d “like to get to a starter here pretty quick, getting a little anxious coming down to the end.”

Schwarber and Sosa are both off to scalding starts. Schwarber is 6-for-17 with three homers and six RBI. Sosa is 6-for-11 with three doubles and has multiple hits in each game he’s played. It certainly wasn’t ideal for Turner to miss a couple games so early, but it also afforded Sosa more at-bats than he would have otherwise received and a chance to find a groove at the plate.

“You saw it last year, too, when Trea went down,” Thomson said. “When Sosa gets a chance to get some consistent at-bats, he shows what he can do.

“He’s extremely important. You’re gonna have injuries over the course of the year and he can fill in almost anywhere. When he gets a chance to play, he plays well.”

Castellanos is also seeing the ball well. He singled and homered Monday after walking four times over the weekend in D.C., his most walks in any series as a Phillie.

The home opener was a pitchers’ duel for five innings with both Cristopher Sanchez and Marquez throwing up zeroes. The run Sanchez allowed came on a solo homer by catcher Hunter Goodman in the top of the sixth. One of Sanchez’ strengths is avoiding homers; the first he allowed last season came vs. the 111th hitter he faced.

Sanchez pitched well aside from that one at-bat and only added to the offseason hype by averaging 96.5 mph with his fastball, two full mph faster than last year. It probably won’t be a one-day fluke, either. He averaged 96.5 in the spring too after adding 20 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-6 frame. It took him a few innings Monday to find his bread-and-butter changeup but he had it working from the third inning-on, striking out five of six batters at one point.

Jose Alvarado, who also had an electric spring, struck out the side in the eighth after the Phillies took their three-run lead. Alvarado threw 16 sinkers and they averaged 100.0 mph on the dot.

Jordan Romano pitched a scoreless ninth to rebound from a two-run outing on Opening Day.

The Phillies pick back up on Wednesday against the Rockies, who they’ve beaten in 11 of the last 12 meetings at Citizens Bank Park. Zack Wheeler will be on the mound for that one. Good luck to Bud Black’s bats.

The Yankees’ torpedo bats have been the talk of Major League Baseball over the first weekend of the season, and for good reason.

The Yankees slugged an all-time record-tying 15 home runs in their three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, with players like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt all going yard while using the newly designed lumber.

But with the Yankees’ early success in using these bats have come detractors, including Brewers’ reliever Trevor Megill, who called the bats “something used in slow-pitch softball.”

On Monday morning, Chisholm, who homered three times in the first three games, fired back via social media.

“Okay explanation the barrel is bigger and within mlb regulation!,” Chisholm posted on X. “For the idiots that say it’s moved to the label you’re an idiot! Nobody is trying to get jammed you just move the wood from the parts you don’t use to the parts you do! You’re welcome no more stress for y’all !”

Like many hitters in the Yankees’ lineup, Chisholm is off to a tremendous start, slashing .417/.500/1.167 through three games with three home runs and six RBI, all while using a torpedo-style bat.

The torpedo bats, designed by Aaron Leanhardt, a former member of the Yankees analytics department who now works for the Miami Marlins, take wood away from parts of the bat, like the handle, to create and elongated barrel with more mass.

The bats came into the national spotlight on Saturday, when the Yankees blasted nine home runs and put 20 runs on the board in a win over the Brewers.

As Chisholm said, the bats have been deemed legal by MLB officials, and we’ve already seen other players around the league, like Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, using them as well.

And with all of the early success the Bombers have had at the dish, it’s fair to expect that a large number of players around baseball will at least test out using these new bats. In fact, Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reports that "several" Baltimore Orioles players are using them, though none of the bats look "quite as jarring" as the ones Chisholm is using.