Category: Sports News

The Mets lost another player to injury in last night’s extra-innings loss to the Angels. While sliding into first base in the sixth inning, Ronny Mauricio appeared to jam his left thumb on the base, fracturing it and being placed on the Injured List. He ran the bases for the rest of the inning but then left the game in the bottom of the inning.

Mauricio has been playing shortstop in Francisco Lindor’s stead, as Lindor hit the Injured List on April 23rd with a left calf strain. The Mets also have Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr, Kodai Senga, and Jared Young currently on the IL.

The Mets are in a bind as for what to do about shortstop until Lindor or Mauricio returns. While Bo Bichette, currently their third baseman, played shortstop for most of his career, his defensive abilities there were never elite, and over time they have eroded further. However, with a lineup that is already struggling to hit, calling up one of the players currently manning shortstop for Triple-A Syracuse for regular playing time—Vidal Bruján or Jackson Cluff—doesn’t inspire much offensive confidence. One of them will most likely join the team as a bench/backup option.

If Bichette is playing short, Brett Baty will likely get most of the third base reps. The Mets’ infield would likely be comprised of Baty at third, Bichette at short, Marcus Semien at second, and Mark Vientos at first. Insert your ‘run prevention’ joke here.

Dodgers fans have received more of the same experience they had last year with Roki Sasaki to begin this season, but there are some signs of growth that are starting to appear.

Sasaki has shown flashes of dominance early in games, as characterized by his 0.75 ERA over the first two innings of his six starts, but the wheels fall completely off once the third inning begins, illustrated by an ugly 9.72 ERA over innings 3 and beyond. It hasn’t helped that he is currently tied for the fifth most home runs allowed by qualified pitchers this year.

Over the last three starts, Sasaki has quietly been more effective on the mound. After walking 10 batters over his first 13 innings on the year, he has walked only five through his last 15 2/3 innings. On Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sasaki showed that he could bounce back after a rough inning by setting down his final 10 hitters in a row, managing six full innings for the first time while tossing a career-high 104 pitches.

Sasaki spoke about his ability to overcome the three-run third and deliver positive results through the middle innings on Saturday, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

“After giving up three runs in the third inning, I was able to just stay focused and attack the zone, especially (the fifth and sixth) innings. So that’s good,” Sasaki said through his interpreter.

“The third and fourth innings, I was kind of struggling. I was trying to find my mechanics. But after that … I was able to make an adjustment. I got better mechanics.”

Dave Roberts spoke about Sasaki’s growth as a major league starter following Saturday’s loss to St. Louis, noting that there are hurdles that have yet to be overcome, per Plunkett.

“Each of his last handful of starts, he’s gotten better,” Roberts said. “But there’s some finishing school that needs to happen, where you’ve got to get the guys out that you need to get out and try to face less hitters.”

Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times notes that Mark Prior has worked with Sasaki on developing a new splitter that’s around six miles per hour faster than his ordinary splitter, and that has been a key reason for his recent effectiveness.

“We’re always supportive of crisper, harder, however you want to define it, assuming that it maintained his throw and maintained everything else,” Prior said of the new splitter… “Lo and behold, the first one was really good,” Prior said. “The second one was really nasty.”

The Dodgers offensively are in the midst of a dormant five-game stretch where they have totaled just 12 runs as a team, and they were nearly shut out on Saturday had it not been for a two-run, two-out rally in the top of the ninth where they had the potential tying and go-ahead runners on base.

Andy Pages— who added to the rally with an RBI single to make it a one-run Dodgers deficit— noted that the rally might have lit a spark within this struggling offense, but the importance is maintaining good at-bats top through bottom, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.

“It was a good offensive sign in the ninth inning,” Andy Pages said through interpreter Juan Dorado. “But I think as a whole, we know we’re going through a bad stretch, and we’re just trying to focus on having really good at-bats, one at a time.”

Facing against an old friend on Sunday in Dustin May, who carries a 5.28 over his first six starts as a Cardinal, Dave Roberts hopes that the Dodgers bats can wake up and salvage the series against a pitcher they’re quite familiar with, per Chen.

“Hopefully,” Roberts said, “we can take that sense of urgency tomorrow against a guy that we’re very familiar with.”

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 5, Nashville Sounds (MIL) 2

With most of their starting pitchers in New York this weekend to pitch for the Orioles, the Tides went with a bullpen game. They did a pretty good job! Cameron Weston started and allowed a solo home run in 2/3 of an inning. That was the only run Nashville scored until they got a single run in the ninth. Yaqui Rivera pitched 3.1 innings, the longest of any of the relievers.

After falling behind in the first inning, the Tides scored two in the second and never looked back. With Creed Willems and Ryan Noda on third and second base in the second inning, Willy Vazquez singled them both in. Christian Encarnacion-Strand added to the lead with his sixth home run of the year, then Sam Huff and Bryan Ramos had RBI hits of their own.

It was a big night for the bottom half of the lineup as Ryan Noda, Huff, and Willy Vasquez each had two-hit games. Number nine hitter Ramos singled and walked.

Box Score

Double-A: Erie SeaWolves (DET) 5, Chesapeake Baysox 4

It was a bullpen game for the Baysox and their bullpen let them down. Juan Rojas started and pitched one inning, in which he technically struck out the side but also walked four and threw a wild pitch. No hits, one run. Overall, they used six pitchers with Micah Ashman taking the loss with two runs allowed in two innings pitched.

The offense scored three runs in the third inning, in which Griff O’Farrell and Tavian Josenberger doubled. Carter Young also singled in the inning. One run scored on a squeeze bunt by Alfredo Velásquez. After their big second inning, the team had just three singles in innings three through eight. They added a fourth run in the ninth on a homer from Frederick Bencosme.

Brandon Butterworth and Ethan Anderson were hitless at the top of the order. Aron Estrada did not start but pinch-hit in the ninth. He struck out on a pitch clock violation.

Box Score

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 2, Frederick Keys 0

You will not win many games with just one hit. For the Keys last night, a second-inning single by Braylin Tavera was the only hit of the night.

Starting pitcher Yeiber Cartaya deserved better. He pitched five shutout innings with two hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. He threw 75 pitches and has allowed just two earned runs in 21.2 innings this season.

The only two runs of this game scored in the sixth inning with the appropriately named Brandon Downer on the mound. Downer allowed three hits and walked four in just 1.1 innings.

Box Score

Low-A: Hill City Howlers (CLE) 13, Delmarva Shorebirds 4

Starting pitcher Kailen Hamson was lucky to pitch four shutout innings, considering he also walked four batters. He did only allow two hits. Things got out of hand late in the game when J.D. Hennen and Luis Beltrán combined to allow eight runs in the eighth inning.

The Shorebirds led this game, 2-0, at one point thanks to an RBI single from Junior Aybar and a sac fly by Félix Amparo. They added on two more runs in the eighth inning. DJ Layton doubled, then came in to score on a triple by Raylin Ramos. Ramos then scored on a balk.

The Shorebirds made five errors in the game, two by Félix Amparo. One of those errors could have been an inning-ending double play had Amparn not thrown it into center field to let three runs score.

Box Score

Today’s Schedule

• Triple-A: Norfolk @ Nashville, 2:05. Starter: TBD
• Double-A: Chesapeake @ Erie, 1:35. Starter: Evan Yates
• High-A: Frederick @ Brooklyn, 2:00. Starter: Kiefer Lord
• Low-A: Delmarva vs Hill City, 2:05. Starter: Denton Biller

Good morning, baseball fans!

We are in the middle of a new feature for May that I’m calling the “12 Days of Mays-mas” because I won’t be around for the next week or so, and I want to leave you guys with some fun things to watch while I’m gone.

For the third day of Mays-mas, I think you can guess where we’re headed given the last two. That’s right, we are off to Game 7 of the 2014 World Series!

This is absolutely the most iconic of the three championships. It’s the one that everyone remembers the details of because it was the most exciting, and also the most terrifying. My father “watched” the last couple of innings through closed eyes and covered ears because he couldn’t take the stress.

But of course, we all know how things played out, with folk hero Madison Bumgarner taking the mound in relief to continue his mission to nearly single-handedly win a World Series Championship.

So get your coffee, settle in, and enjoy!

What time do the Giants play today?

The San Francisco Giants wrap up this three-game road series against the Tampa Bay Rays this morning at 10:10 a.m. PT.

The Colorado Rockies started the week by sweeping a double-header against the New York Mets, but sadly managed just one more win through the rest of it.

During the week, the month of April drew to a close. Their 13-14 record for the month was the best April the Rockies have managed since 2022—where they went 12-9—which was the last time they managed double-digit wins. In 2025, the Rockies were just 4-26 in April.

Unfortunately, the Rockies hit the month of May like a brick wall when the red-hot Atlanta Braves came to town. A bullpen meltdown on Friday saw the Rockies blow what was at one point a 6-0 lead while a rare dud from Chase Dollander and a failure to launch on offense saw the Rockies get blown out on Saturday.

But hey, after this, things can only get better.

Right?

With that being said, here’s what our staff here at Purple Row had to say this week:

To Read: Rockpiles

• Monday:The Rockies use real-world lessons to structure their Cultural Education & Development Program | Sam Bradfield
• Tuesday:Rockies reliever RJ Petit discusses coming back from Tommy John surgery | Renee Dechert
• Wednesday:Chase Dollander’s confidence on the mound reflected in his fastball | Skyler Timmins
• Thursday:For Ezequiel Tovar, plate appearances might as well start 0-1 | Cory Cohen
• Friday:This April wasn’t the cruelest month for the Rockies | Joelle Milholm
• Saturday:In Albuquerque, production is not proof for Rockies prospects | James Riggenbach

To Read: News

• Rockies news: Edouard Julien emerging as quality leadoff hitter for the Rockies | Joelle Milholm
• Weekly Pebble Report:Antoine Jean relished in the opportunity to play in the World Baseball Classic and represent the Rockies in Spring Breakout | Sam Bradfield, Skyler Timmins, and Evan Lang

Weekend Discussion Topics

Saturday’s ballgame saw the opener gambit for Chase Dollander backfire. Brennan Bernardino recorded just two outs and allowed two runs to score before Dollander got the call to come in. However, Dollander also struggled and gave up six more runs against a potent Braves offense. Would you continue to use an opener with Dollander operating largely in a bulk role—which has been fairly successful so far—or would you officially move Dollander back to the rotation?

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Today’s Reflection

The fact that the Chicago Cubs have kept a run a going with all the obstacles in their way (like the Dodgers) is quite the blessing!

What the heck is going on? The Cubs won 10 in a row, then they showed that they were human in Los Angeles. Then they pull off four more wins in a row against the Padres and Diamondbacks — by big scores, or with stellar pitching.

What the heck is going on? NICO HOERNER is hurt! Hopefully just for one game. But that is an example of the productive offense without the usual big bats or without major injuries (Pounds fist on wood!). The Cubs are led in home runs by ….. Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson? They are led in RBI by …… Hoerner? It doesn’t matter — production is production, right? Right? And just depend on the pitching staff——

What the heck is going on? The starting pitching is led by ….. the guy that nearly everyone regretted took the qualifying offer, Shōta? He’s improved across the board, but how many of his pitches are really consistently effective? And what the he — no, the wreck of the bullpen was expected, just a shuffling of the deckchairs on a group of boats in a number of harbors.

And all that, plus a pair of Reds losses by the combined score of 26-8, put the Cubs in first place of the N.L. Central by the end of the day on Saturday? Keep up the great work, the Chicago Cubs hitting/Iowa Cubs pitching!

• Paul Magno (ChiCitySports): Chicago Cubs President confirms need for trades amid rash of pitching injuries. “The usually poker-faced Cubs front office is starting to show at least a bit of alarm in their acknowledgment that they will definitely have to dive into the trade market to find some quality pitching plug-ins.” “Rumored Cubs trade targets have ranged from Sandy Alcantara and Joe Ryan to Kodai Senga and Luis Severino.”
• Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib) Cubs prospect Pedro Ramirez continues to hit new heights in his breakout campaign. “The young infielder is knocking on the door after a strong start to the season.”

• Casey McAleer (Da Windy City): Nico Hoerner injury update shows how much Cubs rely on their offensive engine. “Chicago may have avoided a worst case scenario, but his absence still carries weight …… Hoerner’s absence immediately impacts the Cubs’ ability to produce, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Hoerner hasn’t just been important in theory, he’s been one of the most consistent pieces in real time.”
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times {$}): Cubs’ challenge starts with real-deal Reds in formidable NL Central. “The Reds’ own 20-12 start should be turning heads around the league considering their top two SPs — flame-throwing ace Hunter Greene and lefty Nick Lodolo — have yet to appear in a game.”
• Tom Domol (Cubs Insider) Craig Counsell’s Managerial Masterclass Has Cubs Clicking. “Counsell has had to squeeze every last pitch out of a litany of relievers, many of whom have been added to the roster as emergency replacements. The usage of surprise contributors like Ryan Rolison, Corbin Martin, and Riley Martin has shifted the tide of this campaign exponentially.
• Paul Magno (ChiCitySports): Daniel Palencia kills it in rehab outing, topping out at 102 mph. “Palencia came into the game in the fifth and pitched a scoreless two-thirds of an inning. In the outing, he struck out one, allowed one hit, and threw 14 of 19 pitches for strikes. His velocity ranged from 100-102 mph in the appearance.”

• Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery): Chicago Cubs Got First-Hand Proof How They Dodged Bullet in Free Agency. “On Friday, the Cubs got first-hand proof that despite being desperate for arms, they dodged a bullet by not signing Zac Gallen in Free Agency.
• Casey McAller (Da Windy City): Cubs have clear path to series win against Diamondbacks at home. “Chicago’s offense and home field advantage create opportunity against inconsistent Arizona club ….. This is a series the Cubs should control at Wrigley.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Busch returning to form with productive at-bats as calendar turns to May. “The Cubs have been waiting for Michael Busch to really find his rhythm in the batter’s box this season.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Why Kyle Hendricks joined the Tigers, not the Cubs, as a special assistant. “Kyle Hendricks returning to the Chicago Cubs in a different capacity seemed like a natural next step ….. With a young family, financial security and a Dartmouth degree, the extent to which Hendricks wanted to stay involved in the game was unclear.”

“Every page these days has some form of advertising. {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.“

Food For Thought:

John Lee Hooker was born August 17, 1917, in Coahoma County near Clarksdale, Mississippi. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues that he developed in Detroit. Hooker often incorporated other elements, including talking blues and early North Mississippi hill country blues. He developed his own driving-rhythm boogie style, distinct from the 1930s–1940s piano-derived boogie-woogie.

Beginning in 1962, Hooker gained greater exposure when he toured Europe in the annual American Folk Blues Festival. Hooker began to perform and record with rock musicians. In 1970, he recorded the joint album Hooker ‘n Heat, with the American blues and boogie rock group Canned Heat, whose repertoire included adaptations of Hooker songs. It became the first of Hooker’s albums to reach the Billboard charts, peaking at number 78 on the Billboard 200. Other collaboration albums soon followed, including Endless Boogie (1971) and Never Get Out of These Blues Alive (1972), which included Steve Miller, Elvin Bishop, Van Morrison, and others. Hooker owned five houses in his later life, including ones in the California cities of Los Altos, Redwood City, and Long Beach. On June 21, 2001, Hooker died in his sleep at home in Los Altos.

San Diego Zoo launches Elephant Valley live camera

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is giving the entire Internet the chance to visit its new elephant habitat with a live camera on its website. The zoo announced pachyderm patrons around the world can now meet the eight elephants in its herd thanks to a live camera feed from the newly-opened Denny Sanford Elephant Valley.

“Elephant Valley serves as a bridge between the vital science happening in San Diego and the collaborative elephant conservation initiatives supported by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance across the African savanna.” (Video)

Top 10 Places To Visit in 2026 (Year of Travel) (Video)

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

Pinstripe Alley readers are well accustomed to our traditional end-of-month check-ins around the other five divisions. With that in mind, we’ve decided to take this opportunity in early May to cover one specific aspect that stands out about the journeys of the Yankees’ adversaries in the AL East. It’s been a weird start to the season, with the Rays currently standing out as the second force in this division and a couple other storylines that few people saw coming: manager Alex Cora getting the axe in Boston, and the Blue Jays failing to capitalize on last postseason’s momentum.

Tampa Bay Rays: A different kind of rotation—one that still figures out a way to succeed

The Rays couldn’t make Shane Baz and Taj Bradley work last year, and to be frank, they couldn’t make those two work throughout their whole tenure with the club. Shane McClanahan is back, but he doesn’t have the same zip on the fastball as he once did, although it is still effective. In the end, almost independently of who they throw out there, the Rays seem capable of securing good numbers as a staff, which is the primary reason for this 20-12 record to open the year.

Drew Rasmussen has proven himself a terrific, All-Star-caliber starter when healthy, and he headlines this rotation, but seeing two veteran innings eaters in Nick Martínez and Steven Matz feels almost too traditional for Tampa. The skepticism about just how much we can expect from these pitchers is part of why there isn’t a large concern about the Rays’ record, particularly with the news that Ryan Pepiot is out for the year. Still, they’re probably going to be a feisty bunch, as the Yankees saw themselves in the first series between these two in 2026.

Toronto Blue Jays: Missing Bo Bichette and likewise on the other side

The Blue Jays got about as close as a team could get to winning the whole thing without actually doing it, and right in the middle of it all was free agent-to-be Bo Bichette. It’s difficult to blame the Jays for not matching the Mets’ offer for Bo Bichette, but it’s also undeniable that both parties are missing each other early on in 2026. Bo is off to a lousy start, having moved to third base for a New York Mets team with a shuffled infield and a last-place record. The Jays haven’t had a single impact bat outside of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Sure, newcomer Kazuma Okamoto has flashed here and there, but this is an offense that clearly lacks depth. With Dylan Cease in tow, the rotation seemed at least somewhat better equipped to withstand the early absence of Trey Yesavage, who has now returned.

Ernie Clement is doing his best to provide some stable production out of the second base spot as Andrés Giménez takes his defensive prowess to short, but particularly with George Springer yet to get going in 2026, Vladdy is close to a one-man show—not the ideal scenario for a team with such lofty expectations.

Baltimore Orioles: “Thank goodness we traded for Taylor Ward.”

Once upon a time, not very long ago, Grayson Rodriguez was touted as one of the next big things in the American League, the ace who was supposed to lead this young Orioles team. Well, a plethora of injuries and inconsistencies along the way prevented Rodriguez from fulfilling the promise, and already with his value severely diminished this offseason, the O’s opted to move him to the Angels for Taylor Ward—it was a rare one-for-one trade of established big leaguers.

As things currently stand, the Orioles are a team with league-average production offensively and on the mound. A primary reason the former is true rather than something far worse is Ward’s value, who’s been far and away the best Orioles hitter in 2026, particularly with Gunnar Henderson off to a meandering start.

The Orioles, more than most teams, have suffered in recent years with underwhelming production from potentially valuable players. Samuel Basallo, Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg, Coby Mayo, and Dylan Beavers come to mind as hitters who could become terrific big leaguers but have yet to truly cement their place as reliable contributors—whether due to injury issues, inconsistencies, or even lack of opportunities. With Ward, the Orioles knew what they were getting, and considering Rodriguez has yet to throw a pitch in 2026, one could say Baltimore made out well—even if Ward naturally takes a step back from the AL-leading 13 doubles he’s provided so far in what could be the pending free agent’s only season in the Charm City.

Boston Red Sox: Reevaluating front office decisions

Things are not always in your control. Something may happen to a team, and they’re just not in a position to do anything about it … but it’s possible to respond to setbacks in a positive way. Working under the assumption that the Red Sox simply had to move Devers—and that’s very much up to what you think about owner John Henry—they managed to do it in a way that netted them nothing other than the financial room to reinvest* the money he was making.

*It certainly wasn’t reinvested in his replacement Alex Bregman, who opted out after 2025 and walked in free agency.

The issue right now isn’t so much the absence of Devers, who has scuffled to a 55 OPS+ start in San Francisco this year. James Tibbs III and Kyle Harrison are the two players involved in the Devers deal whose value has skyrocketed since then. It’s just unfortunate for Boston that this happened after the Red Sox flipped both them to the Brewers and Dodgers in deals that haven’t panned out.

Caleb Durbin was acquired from the Brewers for Harrison alongside other players, and he’s been the main third baseman for Boston in 2026 with terrible results. At his best, Durbin can deliver the league-average line he did for Milwaukee in 2025, but even those numbers might not be worth the Harrison loss if the southpaw can capitalize on the early-season form he has shown since moving to Milwaukee. Tibbs III is raking in the Dodgers Triple-A team after Boston flipped him for Dustin May in last year’s deadline, a free-agent-to-be who was terrible for them.

It’s the Year of the Rookie, the Year of the Underdog, and the Year of the Underperforming.

Who could have envisioned that Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson would be unemployed before May?

Who could have imagined, in their wildest dreams, that that the Colorado Rockies would have a better record than the Mets, Phillies and San Francisco Giants?

How in the world of economics can four of the top six highest-paid teams have losing records: the Mets, Phillies, Blue Jays and Red Sox?

It’s been a strange but certainly entertaining start to the season, so why not hand out awards to some of the best, worst and funkiest events of April.

Alex Cora’s termination ended the short-lived tenure of the painfully awful hit celebration that the Red Sox began the 2026 season with. No matter what else comes out of the managerial and coaching changes, I’m truly appreciative of the ripple effect they had on this weirdly weak and unoriginal celebration. As I wrote earlier, the team had put me in the thoroughly uncomfortable position of rooting for a prolonged losing streak, simply in order for it to go away.

One prolonged losing streak, six terminations, and one reassignment later, here we are.

On hearing the Cora news last week, one of my immediate thoughts was the fate of the hit celebration. Earlier in the day, during the 17-1 blowout against the Orioles, the pelvic thrust was still very much alive. The 2026 broadcast had started cutting away from Sox players once they reached base, but Andruw Monasterio and Connor Wong, at least, were observed celebrating hits with pelvic thrusts. It was the only part of the Sox performance that could be called a “Dud” in the game recap. Not all players were using it by this point, though. Caleb Durbin had pivoted to tapping his helmet then doing a sort of standing abdominal crunch, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa pounded a fist several times on his helmet. Guys, thank you.

During Sunday’s game, the first of the Chad Tracy era, Ceddanne Rafaela celebrated both of his hits with a forward lunge. Monasterio, a thruster on Saturday, changed things up by pounding the top of his bare head twice, then striking the Most Muscular bodybuilding pose—and then lunging as well. A true convert!

When Wilyer Abreu singled, he sent a kiss skyward, then did a pelvic thrust…but then seemed to interrupt himself with a laugh, a lunge, and a Most Muscular pose. It read like a self-deprecating acknowledgment of having let muscle memory take over.

Marcelo Mayer singled, then gave one quick side lunge. Since he promoted the original celebration, I thought Red Sox Nation could likely consider pelvic thrusting dead and gone.

By Monday’s game against the Blue Jays, I was positive it was defunct when Mayer celebrated a single with a helmet tap and a side lunge.

Normally, this is when it would be appropriate to say Rest in Peace. I won’t say that, but I’m glad the Red Sox players gave it a rest.

The Phillies got Harry Doyle’d yesterday in Miami, but hey, they get two more cracks at winning the series down there. Maybe they were just taking that day as a rest day.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Garrett Stubbs, somehow, had found a way to stay on the Phillies’ roster ($).
• With Stubbs back on the roster, Dylan Moore now has to go find a new job, being designated for assignment.

MLB news:

• The Tigers have some injuries already, but now have to add Will Vest to the list.
• Anthony Volpe saw his rehab assignment extended while Jose Caballero continue to play well ($).
• The Reds tied an MLB record by walking seven consecutive batters yesterday.

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Fifteen games are on the MLB schedule today, and I’ve got you covered with my favorite moneyline picks for each matchup, highlighted by the Detroit Tigers edging out the Texas Rangers on Sunday Night Baseball.

Read on as I break down all of my top MLB picks for Sunday, May 3.

MLB moneyline picks for May 3

Matchup	Pick
Blue Jays vs Twins	+100
Reds vs Pirates	+108
Astros vs Red Sox	+122
Brewers vs Nationals	-122
Orioles vs Yankees	-203
Phillies vs Marlins	-127
Giants vs Rays	-113
Dodgers vs Cardinals	-138
Dodgers vs Cardinals	-150
Braves vs Rockies	-170
Guardians vs Athletics	-113
Mets vs Angels	+113
White Sox vs Padres	-170
Royals vs Mariners	-122
Rangers vs Tigers	-122

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 5-3.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for May 3

Blue Jays vs Twins: Twins (+100)

Twins win probability: 50%

Although Trey Yesavage looked solid in his 2026 debut, Joe Ryan has had the Blue Jays' number over the years, limiting Toronto hitters to a .708 lifetime OPS.

Expect the Twins to take the series finale at home.

Reds vs Pirates: Reds (+108)

Reds win probability: 48%

Cincinnati has quietly been crushing it away from the confines of Great American Ballpark, sporting a 10-5 SU mark on the road. 

Considering we have an equal pitching matchup that pits Chase Burns against Braxton Ashcraft, I'll roll with the Reds at plus value. 

Astros vs Red Sox: Astros (+122)

Astros win probability: 45%

There aren’t many teams more unwatchable than the 2026 iteration of the Boston Red Sox, and our very own Josh Inglis does a great job breaking down why their offense may have spiraled this season.

For all of Houston's pitching issues, the Stros can still score with the best of them — and it likely won’t take much to get past this Red Sox club.

Brewers vs Nationals: Brewers (-122)

Brewers win probability: 55%

Zack Littell enters Sunday winless through four starts, carrying an ugly 7.85 ERA that includes a 16:11 K:BB ratio.

Both offenses have been red-hot down the stretch, but Littell’s struggles loom large in D.C.

Orioles vs Yankees: Yankees (-203)

Yankees win probability: 67%

Shane Baz hasn’t been able to reinvent himself in Baltimore, showing the same inconsistency he flashed in Tampa with a 4.50 ERA, and the Yankees will have a major leg up when they send Max Fried to the mound in the Bronx.

This one won't be close. 

Phillies vs Marlins: Phillies (-127)

Phillies win probability: 56%

Can Donnie Baseball save the Phillies? Their new skipper is 4-1 and will be back at his old stomping grounds in Miami this afternoon.

Philly should keep the momentum rolling against Chris Paddack, who’s been rocked to the tune of a 6.11 ERA and 1.50 WHIP through 28 innings of work.

Giants vs Rays: Rays (-113)

Rays win probability: 53%

San Francisco is in the midst of a massively disappointing season for the second consecutive year, and the Giants are sitting in the basement when it comes to team home runs.

The Rays will grind you down with small ball and heads-up baserunning at the Trop, and I expect that to show up against a scuffling Tyler Mahle .

Dodgers vs Cardinals: Dodgers (-138)

Dodgers win probability: 58%

Justin Wrobleski is 4-0 as a Dodgers reliever-turned-starter, and with the struggling Dustin May on the mound for the opposing side, this play becomes an easy choice.

Diamondbacks vs Cubs: Cubs (-150)

Cubs win probability: 60%

Merrill Kelly rates among the bottom 10 of qualified pitchers in proStuff+, and he’ll be in trouble against a Cubs offense that has averaged six runs per game over their last five contests.

Braves vs Rockies: Braves (-170)

Braves win probability: 63%

Spencer Strider is set to make his first start of the season, though his notable dip in velocity over the years could give the Rockies a chance to pounce.

Meanwhile, Kyle Freeland will have his hands full against an Atlanta Braves lineup that ranks in the Top 5 in batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS.

The real bet is on the Over, but it's hard to go against Atlanta right now. 

Guardians vs Athletics: Guardians (-113)

Guardians win probability: 53%

Parker Messick is looking like an early AL Cy Young candidate, rolling into Sunday undefeated with a 1.73 ERA and a chase rate that sits in the 96th percentile at Baseball Savant.

As long as Messick keeps dealing, there's no reason not to bet on Cleveland when he takes the bump. 

Mets vs Angels: Angels (+113)

Angels win probability: 47%

Not only do the Mets possess the worst record in baseball, but Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. have all landed on the IL.

It’s been a season from hell for Frank the Tank and the rest of Mets Nation, but let's profit off of it, shall we?

White Sox vs Padres: Padres (-170)

Padres win probability: 63%

Did San Diego win the Juan Soto trade with New York?

Randy Vasquez has really stepped up as a key cog in the Padres rotation, and the home team will have no trouble getting to White Sox lefty Anthony Kay (6.12 ERA), who’s on his third team in as many MLB seasons.

Royals vs Mariners: Mariners (-122)

Mariners win probability: 55%

Luis Castillo has been a shell of his former self, but the Mariners right-hander should bounce back against a putrid Royals offense that is hitting just .205 off of him.

Side with Seattle on Sunday afternoon. 

Rangers vs Tigers: Tigers (-122)

Tigers win probability: 55%

My preseason pick to win the World Series has been treading water through much of March and April, but a Sunday night matchup at Comerica will see the Tigers take on a Rangers team struggling to plate runs, sitting bottom-10 in runs per game and OPS.

Add in injuries to Brandon Nimmo and Wyatt Langford, and the home team should pull away in primetime.

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.