MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 30: Kevin Kelly #49 of the Tampa Bay Rays is congratulated by Nick Fortes #40 after a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on March 30, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Rays opened a three-game series in Milwaukee on Monday winning a close one against the Brewers.
Cedric Mullins was dropped from the starting lineup for the first time this season, which made sense with lefty Kyle Harrison starting for the Brewers. Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson were the only two left-handed hitters in the lineup.
Nick Martinez took the mound to make his first start in a Rays uniform, and looked to flip the script on a horrendous spring (13.2 IP, 14.49 ERA). He threw six solid innings, allowing just two runs on a William Contreras homer. If he can provide that line consistently, he will be a big addition to the rotation.
Yandy Diaz continued his hot start to the season with a leadoff home run, his first bomb of the year. In his next at bat, in vintage Yandy Fashion, he hit a single the other way with a 106 mph exit velocity.
Jonny DeLuca tied the game in the seventh with a 438-foot solo shot to left field (109 mph). If DeLuca can focus on getting out in front like he did tonight, and pulling the ball in the air, he may be able to unlock some more power this season. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think DeLuca had a swing like that in his bag.
Nick Fortes got involved in a big way on both sides of the plate in the ninth inning. His double to right drove in the eventual winning run. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, successfully challenged a pitch that would’ve made it a 3-1 count on Blake Perkins. It was changed to a strike, making it a 2-2 count, and Perkins grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game on the very next pitch. It’s early in the season, but Fortes has been a big contributor early on and played a huge role in tonight’s win.
After using Griffin Jax and Garrett Cleavinger in the seventh and eighth innings respectively, and Bryan Baker having pitched each of the last two days, Ian Seymour got the ball to start the ninth. It was a big vote of confidence from Kevin Cash, even if he didn’t have a better choice. Seymour hit the first batter he faced, but got the next two batters out. Kevin Kelly came in to get the final out, which was pinch hitter Blake Perkins.
The Rays will look to secure their first series victory of the season tomorrow night in Milwaukee, with Shane McClanahan making his first start since August 2023.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill (29) watches an RBI double by Tampa Bay Rays catcher Nick Fortes during the ninth inning of their game Monday, March 30, 2026 American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It was not the Milwaukee Brewers night tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays. It started with the first batter of the game when Yandy Diaz ripped a misplaced changeup from Kyle Harrison over the left field wall for his first homer of the season.
However, Harrison rebounded quite well from that first hitter, striking out eight across five innings of one run ball, scattering just four total hits.
“I thought he threw the ball well. For his first outing with us, he threw the ball really well and responded really well, especially after the first two innings” Pat Murphy said postgame.
The Brewers offense was able to provide some support in the 6th inning when Brice Turang led things off with a double down the line, his fourth double already of the regular season. Then William Contreras followed with an absolute blast to centerfield.
107 MPH off the bat and 415 feet later the Milwaukee Brewers had their first lead of the ballgame on Contreras’ first homer of the year.
But that lead would be short-lived as Aaron Ashby, in his second inning of work of what’s already his third appearance of the season, allowed a leadoff home run to Jonny DeLuca of the Rays to immediately tie the game back up.
The Brewers had a chance to take a lead late in the 8th. Turang walked and then stole second base, Contreras smoked a line drive but right at Junior Caminero. Luis Rengifo drew a walk so there was two on and two out, but pinch-hitter Gary Sanchez struck out swinging and Pat Murphy turned to Trevor Megill in the 9th.
Megill, pitching on back-to-back days, got the first two outs no problem, but then walked DeLuca on a full count and put the game in the hands of catcher Nick Fortes.
“We mound visited, and our message was ‘he’ll ambush fastball up’. That’s what he’s looking for.” Pat Murphy said.
Sure enough, Fortes ripped a fastball up and out of the zone to right-center for an RBI double and the Rays took a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the 9th, Sal Frelick led off with a hit by pitch, but the bottom of the order couldn’t get him over and in with a Mitchell strikeout, Hamilton flyout, and Blake Perkins groundout to end it.
“Two plays that killed us today was the two out walk and then Contreras’ line drive (in the 8th) getting caught. That’s a double and that’s a run” Pat Murphy said.
Brandon Woodruff is on the bump tomorrow for the Brewers as he makes his first start of the season.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: Athletics pitcher Jacob Lopez (57) throws a pitch during the MLB game between the Athletics and the Atlanta Braves on March 30th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA.(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Following a season-opening sweep against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Athletics began their second series against the Atlanta Braves hoping to finally get in the win column this season. Alas, that will have to wait another day as the Braves shut out the A’s 4-0, extending the visitors’ losing streak to four games.
Making his first start of the season, A’s left-hander Jacob Lopez’s command issues were apparent from the jump. In the top of the first, Braves starter Bryce Elder retired the first three A’s batters in order. Then Lopez took the mound and immediately put his team in a hole. He walked three, gave up three hits and three runs. The Braves sent all nine batters to the plate in Lopez’s 41-pitch first inning. Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson’s RBI double and shortstop Mauricio Dubón’s two-run single were both bloops that found grass. So, in a sense, Atlanta got lucky, yet Lopez deserved to get punished for his command struggles that inning.
Lopez endured three more innings without allowing any more runs. He only allowed one hard hit ball as four of Atlanta’s five hits had exit velocities of 81 mph or lower. However, failing to record a strikeout while walking five sums up Lopez’s performance.
Meanwhile, the A’s offense continued its early-season slump. Braves’ pitcher Bryce Elder, who had a 5.30 ERA last year and may not not have started this season in his team’s rotation were it not for injuries to his teammates, pitched six scoreless innings, only allowing five hits while striking out five A’s batters.
The A’s had several chances to reduce the Braves’ lead. In the third inning, first baseman Nick Kurtz lined out following right fielder Carlos Cortes’ two-out double. The next inning, the A’s had a rally going as Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker hit back-to-back singles to bring the tying run up to the plate. Unfortunately, Elder got both Jacob Wilson and Lawrence Butler to fly out to center to escape the jam unscathed.
The Athletics had more chances in the later innings. In the seventh inning, third baseman Max Muncy hit a double off Braves’ left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer with one out, only for his teammates to leave him stranded on second base. In the top of the eighth inning, right-hander Robert Suarez got Rooker to ground into a double-play to stop another A’s rally and keep his team’s shutout going.
While the A’s offense continued its futility, the team’s relievers kept the deficit the same, a welcome sight given that group’s poor performance in Toronto this past weekend. Justin Sterner, Elvis Alvarado and Mark Leiter Jr. all pitched scoreless innings out of the bullpen before the Braves scored a fourth run against Michael Kelly Jr.in the bottom of the eighth.
Throughout this game, the A’s had several chances to score runs and mount a comeback, yet failed to record the big hit every time. They hit several hard-hit balls right to Braves’ defenders, finishing the game 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Kurtz and Wilson, who finished first and second in American League Rookie of the Year voting last fall, both went 0-for-4, continuing their miserable performance through the season’s first four games. Whether it is due to their place in the lineup or a harbinger of a sophomore slump, the A’s need these two players to start contributing more given how much of an impact they have on this team’s offense.
The Athletics will try to get their offense rolling and snap this losing streak tomorrow in the second game of the series. Right-hander Aaron Civale will make his A’s debut, while the Braves have left-hander Jose Suarez lined up to start. With the A’s likely to face Braves ace pitcher Chris Sale in Wednesday’s series finale, they face another possibility of a series sweep should they not win the middle game of this inter-league series.
Mar 30, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes (35) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The Mets defeated the Cardinals 4-2 at Busch Stadium in the Mets’ first road game of the year.
Francisco Lindor led off the game against Kyle Leahy and continued his aggressive early season play, legging out a triple to right field. Bo Bichette would drive him in with a ground out to put the Mets on the board early.
Clay Holmes started the day off by walking JJ Wetherholt, who would advance to second on a ground out, third on a balk, and then score on a Alec Burleson single, tying the game at one apiece.
From there, both starters would settle down a bit, but both teams continued to threaten. The Mets put pressure in the second when they had two on and two out before Francisco Alvarez would strike out to end the threat. In the bottom of the third, Holmes gave up a double to Burleson and then walked Masyn Winn, but was able to induce a ground out from Nolan Gorman to end the inning.
The Mets added their second run in the top of the fifth, when Bichette notched his second RBI of the game, driving in Carson Benge to put the Mets up 2-1. They would tack on in the top of the sixth when Jared Young doubled home Brett Baty. That would do it for Leahy, who left the game with no outs in the sixth. Matt Svanson relieved him, and got two quick outs before things fell apart a bit for Svanson. Alvarez walked, Lindor was hit by a pitch, and the bases were loaded for Juan Soto. Soto walked in a run, and the Mets were now up 4-1.
Despite tossing 81 pitches through five, the Mets sent Holmes out there to start the sixth inning, getting two quick outs. However, Gorman drilled a long home run to right center field, putting the Cards within two and sending Holmes to the showers. Tobias Myers was first out of the ‘pen for the Mets, and he continued to look great, facing four batters, striking out three and not allowing a baserunner.
Brooks Raley pitched the bottom of the eighth, allowing an Iván Herrera single in an otherwise perfect appearance. Devin Williams would get the ninth and looked dominant, getting easy contact for the first two outs and then striking out Nathan Church to end the game with a flourish.
Every member of the Mets’ starting nine reached base tonight, with all but Semien collecting a hit. It was interesting to see Benge start in center, as well as see Jared Young get a start at first. The Mets rested Luis Robert Jr. for the first six innings, showing their dedication to keeping Robert healthy. Even with this somewhat wonky lineup, the Mets still delivered and took the first game of their roadtrip.
Tomorrow night, Kodai Senga starts for the Mets against Andrew Pallante.
Mar 30, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Colorado Rockies Troy Johnston (20) hits a home rum against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Seventeen hits. Two homers. Six doubles. Fourteen runs.
Seven-for-18 with runners in scoring position and three stolen bases.
The Colorado Rockies got their first win of the 2026 with an exclamation point of a beatdown over the defending American League Champion Toronto Blue Jays in front of a sold-out Rogers Centre crowd on Monday night.
Is this the same team that got swept by the Miami Marlins over the weekend?
Troy Johnston hit a two-run homer to put the Rockies up 4-1 in the sixth inning — one where the Rockies put up a seven-spot and eventually took a 13-1 lead. Despite a late rally from the Blue Jays, the Rockies hung on for the victory.
Seven-Run Sixth
After not being able to string together consecutive hits and have that big inning against Miami in the opening series, the Rockies did it in style on Monday. After Ezequiel Tovar, who had three hits and three RBI, struck out to start the sixth, T.J. Rumfield singled to set the stage for Johnston’s homer.
Up 4-1, Jordan Beck walked and Kyle Karros struck out. With two outs, pinch hitter Braxton Fulford hit an RBI single, which was made possible after Beck stole second. Another pinch hitter, this time Brenton Doyle, hit a single and Hunter Goodman followed with a walk. Willi Castro was then able to capitalize with a two-run double down the right field line to make it 7-1.
It was the most productive offensive inning on the road since May 7, 2023, when the Rockies scored seven runs in one frame against the New York Mets.
The Rockies added a pair of back-to-back doubles in the eighth inning to make it 13-1. Tovar and Rumfield led the Rockies with three hits each, while Johnston, Goodman and Doyle all put up two-hit nights. Fulford pinned on a solo homer in the ninth to make it two touchdowns.
Tomo Rocks Debut, Dollander Collects Win
Tomoyuki Sugano was impressive in his Rockies debut, even if it was shorter than hoped. Against a high-powered offense, he held the Blue Jays to two hits, including one solo homer to George Springer, while walking two and striking out four in 4 2/3 innings.
In the second inning, Sugano got back-to-back strikeouts when he sent both Daulton Varsho and Kazuma Okamoto down swinging.
His one blemish came in the third when Springer sent his second homer of the year 416 feet to center field. Sugano tallied another back-to-back strikeout series when he got Vladimir Guerrero Jr. swinging and Addison Barger looking in the fourth inning.
With a runner on second in the fifth inning and Springer coming to the plate, manager Warren Schaeffer opted to have Jaden Hill take over. It worked out perfectly as Springer grounded out on Hill’s first pitch, ending the threat and leaving one of three Blue Jays on base.
Chase Dollander made his 2026 debut and his first appearance out of the bullpen since the one and only time he did it when he was a sophomore at the University of Tennessee. Backed by a solid defense and recording two strikeouts, Dollander put up goose eggs in the sixth and seventh innings.
He struggled to close it out, but luckily had a large cushion to work with. Dollander surrendered four runs, including three homers, on five hits with two walks, but also posted five strikeouts to notch the first win for a Rockies pitcher this season.
The third inning was straight up weird, and made me very grateful I wasn’t the official scorekeeper for this one. It started normally enough with Karros earning a walk, which, I admit, is pretty rare for the Rockies as it was only the sixth one of the season (the Rockies did draw four walks in the game to increase their season total to nine). Then, Edouard Julien struck out on a wild pitch that allowed Karros to advance to second.
Toronto’s starting pitcher Cody Ponce, who spent the last four seasons playing in Japan and Korea, then tripped and fell off the mound, resulting in a balk that moved Karros to third. Ponce seemed fine and was smiling. Next, Jake McCarthy hit a soft grounder between Ponce and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Ponce tried to grab it and appeared to suffer a painful lower right leg injury. He was forced to leave the game on a golf cart. Harshly, he also earned an error on the play, which allowed Karros to score and put the Rockies up 1-0.
The injury forced the Toronto bullpen to throw a lot as the Rockies saw six different Blue Jays pitchers, including two innings from backup catcher Tyler Heineman. The game could impact the Blue Jays bullpen depth in the remaining two games of the series, while the Rockies bullpen got a break with Saguno (4 2/3 innings) and Dollander (4 innings) eating innings and Hill contributing one pitch for one out.
The Rockies still struggled with strikeouts, going down at the plate 10 times, but Colorado’s pitchers also fanned nine Blue Jays.
Coming Up Next
The Rockies will continue their series in Toronto with game two on Tuesday at 5:07 p.m. MDT when Ryan Feltner will make his 2026 debut. The Blue Jays will send veteran two-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star Max Scherzer, 41, to the mound.
May 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (8) hits a single during the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
It’s Monday here at BCB After Dark: the coolest club for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and join us. There’s always room for one more. The dress code is casual. We have a few tables still available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last week, I asked you for your pick on how many wins the Cubs will have in 2026. Fifty-four percent of you think the Cubs will win between 90 and 94 games, or the same that they did last year. Another 23 percent said between 95 and 99 games. I like that “100 or more” got eight votes and “under 80” only got 1.
Here’s the part with the music and the movie stuff. You’re always free to skip that.
Tonight we have the Robert Glasper Trio playing “59 South” live in 2010.
Alibi Ike (1935) always gets mentioned among the best early baseball movies, but I had never seen it before last week. It’s a slight but amusing comedy starring Joe E. Brown, William Frawley and in her film debut, Olivia De Havilland.
Based on a story by Ring Lardner, Brown plays Francis Farrell, a terrific pitcher with a tendency to make up excuses for everything. That earns him the nickname “Alibi Ike” from his teammates on the Cubs. (Yes! This is a movie about the Cubs. More on that in a bit.) De Havilland plays Dolly, the sister-in-law of the Cubs’ manager (Frawley) who immediately falls in love with Francis from the stands.
Francis can’t stand the kidding from his teammates, so he’ll make up some lie to deny that he and Dolly are an item. Of course, that eventually will get him in trouble with Dolly. He frustrates his manager because he’ll do dumb stuff and then make up a ridiculous excuse for it. He also falls in with some gangsters who want him to throw games and it’s pretty much his own fault because he won’t be honest with anyone. But Francis is as honest as the day is long, so obviously he’s going to get into trouble with the gamblers as well.
One thing that I found amusing about this film is that while “Ike” pitches for the Chicago Cubs in 1935, they play the World Series at Wrigley Field at night. I don’t have to tell you that lights at Wrigley are over 50 years away. Not only that, but lights at any major league park are still three years in the future. But Wrigley Field Los Angeles, home of the Pacific Coast League Los Angeles Angels, had lights as early as 1930. That’s where they shot the baseball scenes, naturally. It just strikes me how much Hollywood of the thirties just didn’t care about verisimilitude.
This film is clearly a vehicle for Brown, who was one the top comedians of the era. He was also a huge baseball fan and made several baseball-themed pictures, of which Alibi Ike is generally considered the best. You probably at least know Brown as Osgood Fielding III in Some Like it Hot, if you don’t know him from anything else. So if you find Brown’s stammering, mugging and slapstick funny, you’ll find the film funny. I thought he was funny enough to make watching the film worth my while.
If we ever do a baseball movie tournament in the off-season, Alibi Ike should be included. It’s certainly an old-fashioned comedy and the baseball is pretty incidental to the plot of a man who can’t ever be honest with anyone and it gets him into trouble. But Brown was a pretty talented comedian. Nothing in here will get as big a laugh as Brown got at the end of Some Like it Hot (perhaps the greatest laugh line of all-time in “Nobody’s perfect.”), he gets enough chuckles and laughs to make watching it worth while. That the Cubs win the World Series makes it all that much better.
Here’s the trailer for Alibi Ike
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.
Tonight’s a simple question. Who is your choice to lead the Cubs in home runs this year.
Happ already has a lead with three home runs and he should have had a fourth if the wind wasn’t howling in on Opening Day. Bregman showed on Sunday that he can take advantage of the short power alleys at Wrigley. And we know that Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch can hit 30 a year.
Also, Seiya Suzuki can hit thirty in a season as well. EXCEPT I FORGOT TO PUT SUZUKI IN THE POLL AND IT’S TOO LATE TO CHANGE IT NOW. So if you think Seiya is going to get back healthy quickly enough to hit enough hoe runs to lead the Cubs, vote for “other.” I’m going to assume that most of the votes for “other” are for Suzuki.
Again, vote “other” if you want to vote for Seiya Suzuki. I’m sorry I messed that up.
Thanks for stopping by tonight. I hope you’ve had a good time. Don’t be a stranger. Tell your friends about us. Get home safely. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow for more BCB After Dark.
In front of his hometown fans, Miguel Vargas drove in six (including a grand slam) to power the White Sox to their first win of the season. | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
The White Sox scored early and often against the Marlins, getting their first win of 2026 and second grand slam of the season so far. And for the record, there have only been four grand slams in all the major leagues thus far.
Before the bigger fireworks, Everson Pereira doubled to kick off the third inning. With two outs, Miguel Vargas knocked Pereira in with a single to left field, putting the Good Guys on the board first.
Munetaka Murakami kept the inning alive, slapping a single, which set the table for Austin Hays to hit his first homer of the season to break the inning wide open, 4-0.
Tristan Peters singled to start the fourth, and Pereira continued with another single. After an Edgar Quero sac bunt to advance runners, Luisangel Acuña was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That set the table for Chicago’s second grand slam of the young season, as Vargas crushed a ball that left the bat at 105.5 mph. The first baseman got to show off in his hometown of Miami, and the White Sox led, 8-0.
Chicago starter Davis Martin lost his focus a bit too much with the big cushion, giving up another walk and looking rushed at the mound in the Marlins half of the fourth. With the second Marlins hit of the ball game, Liam Hicks hit a two-run blast to actually put the Fish on the board.
The Marlins started to give Martin more trouble in the fifth when Griffin Conine doubled, and Jakob Marsee singled to send him home, making it 8-3.
Acuña picked up a walk in the top half of the sixth, and promptly stole second and third. Vargas knocked him in with a sac fly to put the Sox up 9-3. It was Vargas’ sixth RBI on the night.
With Martin in position for the win having gotten through five innings, Sean Newcomb trying to support him for three frames — and almost did. However, Miami rallied with a triple and two singles sandwiching two Ks for the southpaw. After Newcomb walked Owen Cassie to load the bases with two outs in the eighth, Will Venable made a frightening call to the pen: Jordan Hicks.
But on the second pitch of Connor Norby’s at-bat, Hicks jammed him up and in with a sinker and got the inning-ender on a flare to second base. Hicks stayed on for the ninth, earning his first White Sox save as well as the club’s first save of the season. The undefeated Marlins fell, and the White Sox got in the left-hand column for the first time all season.
The Mets recorded 10 hits and the bullpen tossed 4.1 scoreless innings to beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2, on Monday night.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Francisco Lindor tripled for the second straight day to leadoff the game against Kyle Leahy, coming up just short of his first home run of the season with a blast off of the right-center field wall. Following some drama Sunday, Lindor opted to not run home on Juan Soto's hard grounder to short, but scored on Bo Bichette's ground ball to second to go up 1-0 as JJ Wetherholt couldn't get the ball out in time and had to turn to first base.
Lindor tied Jose Reyes in Mets franchise history with two triples through four games. It's also the first time he's tripled in back-to-back games as he's already doubled his 2025 total (zero).
-- Bichette stepped up again and gave the Mets a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning, ripping a two-out single to right field that scored Carson Benge from third.
Bichette also looked more comfortable at third base on Monday night. He made a nice backhand stop and a perfect throw in the first-inning to get Iván Herrera out at first base. The former SS nearly did it again in the second inning, but Jordan Walker reached first safely.
-- Clay Holmes was solid in his first outing of the 2026 campaign, allowing two runs on four hits over 5.2 IP (90 pitches) with five strikeouts and three walks. The righty forced eight groundouts, including a double play, and two flyouts.
He issued a leadoff walk to Wetherholt in the first inning, as the rookie advanced to second on a ground out and reached third on a balk. The right-hander then let up an RBI-single to Alec Burleson that tied the game up at 1-1.
Holmes got back-to-back strikeouts to end the first inning and after getting his pitch count up, settled in after the third inning for the rest of the game. He retired seven straight Cardinals into the sixth inning before allowing a two-out home run to Brendan Gorman, ending his night with the Mets up 4-2.
-- Starting for the first time, Jared Young made it a 3-1 game in the sixth inning with an RBI double to the right-center gap, scoring Brett Baty (single) from first base. Defensively, Young had no issues at first base, including a clean flip on a slow-roller to Holmes covering first to end the third inning. He finished the day 1-for-4 with the RBI and a run scored.
After Lindor got hit in the foot by Matt Svanson to load the bases in the sixth inning, Juan Soto picked up an RBI on a walk, extending New York's lead to 4-1.
-- Benge got his first start in CF and went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases. Carlos Mendoza decided to put Luis Robert Jr. in as a pinch-runner for Young in the seventh inning, moving Benge to right for Robert in the bottom half with Baty sliding to first base. DH-ing Monday night, Jorge Polanco went 2-for-5 with a ground-rule double.
-- Tobias Myers replaced Holmes and got a flyout to end the sixth inning. He then struck out the side in the seventh on 12 pitches. Brooks Raley pitched a scoreless eighth inning, topping out at 91.4 mph and allowing just a single. Devin Williams shut things down with a 1-2-3 ninth, earning his first save as a Met.
Game MVP: Bo Bichette
Bichette bounced back from a tough opening series, finishing the game 1-for-5 with two RBI.
Mar 30, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays Brendon Little (54) reacts after giving up a hit during the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
The big story tonight was Cody Ponce’s injury. He had to leave on the cart, and while we can hope it isn’t serious he had the look of a guy who’s resigning himself to something terrible as he rode off. It was a devastating turn for a guy who’s more than paid his dues to make it back to the major leagues.
Otherwise, it was all bad. Bad pitching, no offence, and some uncharacteristic errors. Just a grim evening all around.
Ponce’s MLB return started well before quickly turning into a disaster. He at the Rockies down in order in the first with the help of a nice running grab by Addison Barger in the right field alley. He gave up a double in the second when TJ Rumfield went down and got a fastball on the outside corner and lined it to left, but got out of it without conceding a score. He walked the lead-off hitter in the third, then bounced back with a strikeout of Edouard Julien. He fell delivering a pitch to Jake McCarthy. It looked like his cleat slipped coming down the mound. That was a balk, advancing the runner to third. McCarthy hit a dribbler up the first base line that Ponce tried to field but bobbled, allowing McCarthy to reach and the runner to score. A couple steps after missing the ball, Ponce landed awkwardly and appeared to twist his right knee before going down in a heap. He was clearly in a lot of pain, and ultimately had to be carted off. Louis Varland took over, striking out the next two batters.
The offence couldn’t figue Tomoyuki Sugano out. Jesus Sanchez lined a single in the bottom of the first, but that was all the Jays could manage. They went down in order in the second, including a swinging K by Sugano’s long time teammate Kazuma Okamoto. Finally, with two out in the third, George Springer got into one, firing a laser to left-centre to tie the game at one.
Varland came back for the fourth. He gave up a line single to Ezequiel Tovar, who stole second. Varland got the next two, but then Ernie Clement booted a very routine grounder. It was the kind of error he usually just doesn’t make, but it allowed Tovar to score and extended the inning. Kyle Karros followed with an infield single, pushing Varland to 30 pitches and forcing John Schneider to make a change earlier than he would have hoped. Spencer Miles punched out the next batter to end the inning, limiting the damage at least.
Sugano continued to roll in the fourth, striking out Vladimir Guerrero jr. and Addison Barger. Alejandro Kirk walked on a pitch clock violation, but they couldn’t capitalize.
Mile came back for the fifth. He got a pair of fly outs and had a soft line single erased when Kirk gunned down Hunter Goodman stealing second. Okamoto worked a leadoff walk in the bottom half. Sugano go the next two batters, but was then pulled for Jaden Hill rather than seeing the top of the order a third time. Hill got Springer to ground out to end the inning.
The wheels came completely off for the Jays in the sixth. Miles returned and struck out Tovar, but then he gave up a line single to Rumfield, then a homer to Troy Johnston that extended Colorado’s lead to 4-1. The next batter walked, and that was it for Miles. Brendon Little got his first batter swinging, but then a pair of singles, a walk, and a pop up down the first base line that Addison Barger misplayed into a double resulted in two more runs. Tovar followed with a real double to clear the runners and make it 9-1.
At that point it was pretty much over. Tyler Rogers handled the seventh, while Tyler Heineman was called on to mop up. He gave up four in the eighth and one more in the ninth. His 22.5 ERA is less than half Brendon Little’s.
The Jays at least gave the crowd a bit of a show in the eighth. Andres Gimenez hit a solo homer and, following a Jesus Sanchez single, pinch hitter Davis Scheider went yard as well. Okamoto chipped in a solo shot of his own in the ninth.
Jays of the Day: Nobody
Less so: Miles (-0.11) and Little (-0.12) qualify, and Little especially deserves it, but this one was a team effort.
We’ll be back tomorrow at 7:07pm ET. Ryan Feltner goes for the Rockies, while Max Scherzer makes his 2026 debut for the Jays. And hey, it almost has to go better!
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 30: Washington Nationals second baseman Luis García Jr. #2 hits the ball during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals on March 30th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was a beatdown at Citizens Bank Park, but for the first time in a while, the Nats were the ones delivering the beating. They destroyed the Phillies in a 13-2 blowout. The good guys had 17 hits and had the Phillies by the neck from the jump. It has been a while since the Nats have delivered a beating like that.
With this 13 run performance, the Nats have their second double digit run game. That offense that we were worried about this spring just flipped the switch and has looked awesome in the regular season. The bats have been hunting in packs so far this season.
This year’s #Nationals team has now passed 2018 with their ninth-inning explosion.
Meanwhile, Washington now faces a position player on the mound while winning for just the third time since the 2021 trade deadline really opened the rebuild.@TheNatsReporthttps://t.co/hVg6JC7Yh0
This win has the Nats up to 3-1, making this the team’s best start in a long time. We know this balloon can pop at any time, but I am having so much fun watching the Nats to start the season. They are playing a fun and energetic style of baseball with a ton of hustling and great at bats. Some of the defensive miscues still need to be cleaned up, but this group’s effort cannot be questioned.
Once again, the Nats offense was led by cult hero Joey Wiemer. While Wiemer finally got out today, he still had a really nice day at the plate. His season averages may have dropped, but Wiemer still went 2/4 with a walk. He also tied Carlos Delgado for the most consecutive plate appearances to start a season without getting out. This was an all time heater from Wiemer and it was truly amazing to watch.
Joey Wiemer ties Carlos Delgado's record for most consecutive plate appearances to reach base safely to start a season at 10! pic.twitter.com/tiXwIPyoZZ
It was not just him though, there were contributions up and down the lineup. Every Nat got at least one hit and seven had multi-hit games. It is tough to pick out an offensive star because everyone was getting knocks. If I had to pick one, I would probably choose Jose Tena, who had the only three hit game for the Nats.
The Nats weren’t doing this with the long ball either. This was just a steady barrage of base hits that came from stringing together quality at bats. I have not seen anything like it from this group in a while. So many times in the past, the Nats would have a big first inning and then pull their punches. Today, they kept their foot on the gas and made it so bad the Phillies had to bring in a position player to lob in pitches at the end.
On the mound, Foster Griffin made his Nats debut and he was solid. He threw five innings of two run ball. The southpaw faded a bit in the fifth inning, but did a nice job limiting the damage and finishing the inning. He did enough to get his first Nats win. I like Griffin’s deep pitch mix and command. He could be a guy who has a lot of success.
Foster Griffin last pitched in a Major League game on September 22, 2022.
Overall, this was an exhilarating night for Nats fans. For so many years, the Nats were on the other end of these kinds of beat downs. It feels nice to be the ones delivering the punishment for once. This team may not end up being good, but they will be much more fun.
Chase DeLauter is on pace for 162 home runs! Sal Stewart is batting a very sustainable .700! Surely, they are locks to take home the American League and National League Rookie of the Year honors this fall.
Slow your roll. As impressive as they are, there's a chance that we're jumping the gun here.
Below, I identify how the MLB Rookie of the Year odds markets have overreacted to these performances — and make some MLB Rookie of the Year predictions for guys offering real value in the respective ROY markets.
Rookie of the Year overreactions and early picks for 2026
Overreaction
Early pick
Chase DeLauter +350
Samuel Basallo +2000
Sal Stewart +450
Owen Caissie +1300
Early American League Rookie of the Year pick + overreaction
AL Rookie of the Year overreaction: Crown Chase DeLauter already!
Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter hit two home runs on Opening Day against the Mariners and finished the four-game set by going 6-for-17 with four long balls.
It was a historic debut for the 24-year-old, who became just the third player in MLB history to homer in each of his first three games (funnily enough, fellow AL ROY contender Munetaka Murakami became the fourth shortly after).
DeLauter is not without pedigree, either, as the 24-year-old entered the season as Cleveland's No. 2 prospect and was ranked 44th overall by MLB Pipeline. Chances are, he'd have been even higher were it not for a history of injury concerns throughout his minor-league career.
In February, DeLauter was +2000 to win AL ROY. That number shrank to +1200 ahead of Opening Day. He's on a real upward trajectory, so hopefully you got in on the ground floor.
DeLauter odds to win ROY: +350 at FanDuel
AL Rookie of the Year pick: Don't forget about Samuel Basallo
As part of the "what have you done for me lately" crowd, Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo seems like a forgotten man after baseball's first weekend. It's easy to see why, as he has just two hits (both singles) in 10 at-bats, but this is the perfect time to pump the brakes.
Basallo has prodigious power, as evidenced by the 23 home runs he hit in 76 games at Triple-A in 2025. The Orioles have also shown that they are not going to mess around with his playing time. Even when Adley Rutschman has been behind the plate, Basallo has served as designated hitter and first baseman.
The 21-year-old slugger was +1100 on Opening Day, so this movement is offering a ton of value.
Basallo odds to win ROY: +2000 at FanDuel
Current AL Rookie of the Year odds & favorites
Player
Odds
Kevin McGonigle
+300
Chase DeLauter
+350
Munetaka Murakami
+650
Kazuma Okamoto
+700
Carter Jensen
+1600
Early National League Rookie of the Year pick + overreaction
NL Rookie of the Year overreaction: Sal Stewart is a hitter's name
Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart has seen his odds halved from +900 entering Opening Day to +450 after just three games.
Stewart went 7-for-10 with a home run, three doubles, and three walks while not striking out once while terrorizing Red Sox pitching over the weekend. Obviously, he won't hit .700 all season, but he showed why his bat has been so highly touted. And while he will certainly strike out eventually, he might not exhibit a ton of swing and miss, either, as he hovered around a 15% strikeout rate throughout his minor-league career.
Add in the fact that he plays his home games at hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, and Stewart will become a Cincinnati folk hero by July, with an NL Rookie of the Year award soon following based on this pace.
Stewart odds to win ROY: +450 at FanDuel
NL Rookie of the Year pick: Owen Caissie isn't a platoon bat
I wanted sportsbooks to overreact to Konnor Griffin starting the season in Triple-A while his peers lit up the MLB scoreboard, but so far, that hasn't materialized, as he's still a robust +700.
While I'm tempted to go with a pitcher that has yet to debut in either Bubba Chandler or Andrew Painter (both of whom I highlighted in our MLB Rookie of the Year odds), I want to single out Miami Marlins outfielder Owen Caissie, whose odds have only slightly shortened from +1800 to +1300 after an impressive weekend.
Caissie wasn't initially in Miami's Opening Day lineup against the Rockies because left-hander Kyle Freeland was on the mound, but was a late add due to a Christopher Morel scratch. He hit a double off Freeland.
The lefty slugger followed that up by going 3-for-4 on Saturday, before being relegated to bench duties on Sunday (again with a lefty on the mound), but entered as a pinch-hitter, ultimately walking off the Rockies with a mammoth home run.
Caissie got his first taste of the majors last summer, and it didn't go so well, but it looks like the jitters are all the way gone, and this line won't last much longer either.
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.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Time/Place: 10:10 p.m., Chase Field SB Nation Site: AZ Snake Pit Media: Detroit Sportsnet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Justin Verlander (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Soroka (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
* Note: Stats in the table below are Fangraphs’ 2026 projections
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 27: Roki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes the field during the 2025 Back-to-Back World Champions Ring Ceremony prior to the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Friday, March 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dodgers are back after Sunday’s off day as they open up a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians at home on Monday. Roki Sasaki makes his season debut against left-hander Parker Messick.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 27: Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians walks on the field before a game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 27, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners won 5-1. (Photo by Maddy Grassy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here is the Guardians’ lineup:
Guardians 3/30
S. Kwan LF C. DeLauter DH J. Ramírez 3B K. Manzardo 1B D. Schneemann CF B. Rocchio 2B G. Arias SS A. Hedges C A. Martínez RF
Mar 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder James Wood (29) slides safely into home ahead of tag by Philadelphia Phillies catcher Rafael Marchán (13) during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
The Nationals’ starting pitcher tonight, Foster Griffin, recently returned stateside from his years with the Yomiuri Giants of Tokyo. By taking that journey, Griffin followed in the footsteps of Lafcadio Hearn, a resident of New Orleans who moved to Japan and became the author of the collection of ghost stories and tall tales known as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things. This subtitle could also apply to the events of tonight’s game.
The start was inauspicious, and then unpleasant, and then outright ugly. Taijuan Walker walked James Wood, and a light hit up the third base line gave Luis García Jr a double that was gentle on the ball, and less so on Phillies’ fans stomachs. A subsequent ball to Edmundo Sosa at second became an RBI when he threw it home in a thwarted attempt to stop a sliding Wood, and a ball hit through the left-side gap by CJ Abrams scored the second run.
The fact that many of the hits were on light contact was cold comfort. Drew Millas gently blooped one to shallow center, loading the bases. The next batter, José Vivas, hit it to about the same spot, but a little harder, and was rewarded with an RBI. A sac fly put the fourth run on the board in a sour inning.
Then the sour became the absurd. A grounder from Joey Wiemer seemed to end the inning when Walker raced to the bag to get the out. Realizing that the call was close, the Phillies made sure to tag Millas on the way from third to home, just in case. The subsequent challenge of the call at first resulted in Wiemer being ruled safe, and Millas being sent back to third. Thomson came out to voice his objection to the Millas call, and was then ejected. Don Mattingly took over. A punchout of Wood finally ended the dreary top of the first.
The Phillies bats took their first hacks against Foster Griffin. As Griffin wandered through Japan, he perhaps learned of the Tale of the Heike, a centuries-old narrative of a battle between the Taira and Minamoto clans. The opening line of said tale notes that the ringing of monastery bells evokes “the impermanence of all things”. Also impermanent were the Phillies, as they went down in order.
Kwaidan is full of stories about hauntings and curses. A haunting or curse perhaps explains all of the shallow bloops and seeing-eye singles that the Phillies surrendered in a silly second. It is rumored that Bryce Harper recently neglected to leave out an offering of cucumber for the river goblins known as kappa, and perhaps this is why he bobbled a ball at first, as a fielder’s choice allowed the Nationals to score their fifth run. It is also rumored that Trea Turner provided the wrong answer when the deadly spirit known as the Kuchisake-onna asked him if she was pretty. The folktale states that answering either yes or no will result in horrible maiming (the only way to escape is to be noncommital). In this case, however, she scarred only his pride, as he mishandled a ball in the top of the third. A series of fielders choices resulted in the Nationals taking a 7-0 lead.
Meanwhile, the Phillies offense remained quiet, posting just a pair of singles through four. Walker allowed a double in the fifth and was then replaced with Jonathan Bowlan. His final tally was 7 runs (6 earned) on 10 hits.
By the time the Phillies came to bat in the bottom of the fifth, the mood of the fans could be best described as disgruntled. But there are a few things that can help to restore the pluck of a phractured phanbase, among them being home runs and a big play from an unexpected source. The Phillies got both when Rafael Marchán hit a homer to left to score two and give the Phillies their first runs of the night. Turner doubled to left, Griffin plunked Kyle Schwarber, and Harper came to the plate, smashing a high arcing ball to right. For a moment, before the ball swung foul, it seemed like the mood might shift. Harper would end up grounding out. The moment was disappointing, but in a more mundane way than the oddity that had defined the earlier innings.
Strangeness, however, ended up reasserting itself. In the top sixth, Otto Kemp dove for a fly ball, seemingly catching it in an excellent play. The ball was hard to see as Kemp’s glove slid towards the wall, but replay confirmed the ball slipped out as he hit the ground. The final result was a double. An error from Sosa put the next runner on. An unusual 5-3 double play gave the Phillies some additional juice, but the Nationals singled to score their eighth, and then again to put runners on the corners. Both runners made to steal at the next at-bat, and while the final out of the inning was made between second and first, the Washingtons succeeded in putting another run across before the out was secured. This sort of trickery is usually reserved for yokai spirits, whom the Nationals may have hired as special, spectral assistants.
The Phillies finally got a lucky break of their own in the bottom eighth, as Brady House dropped an easy pop fly to allow Alec Bohm to reach second to lead off the inning. But the next three Phils made outs, and the Fightins entered the ninth in the unenviable position of down seven.
José Alvarado took the mound, and loaded the bases with a pair of singles and a walk. He walked another as the Nationals hit double digit runs, and another single allowed them to reach a dozen.
The Phillies then settled for the ignominy of a position player pitching, in the form of Dylan Moore. His eephuses (eephi?) wrapped up the inning with one more run scored, for a baker’s dozen (if Dusty Baker was still their manager, this would’ve been a clever bit of wordplay; alas). The bottom of the ninth saw the Phillies put a pair of baserunners on, but they ended the game with their pair of runs, and the grumblings of an unhappy Monday night crowd.
The Phillies are 1-3. The series against the Nationals continues tomorrow at 6:40, with Andrew Painter scheduled to make his MLB debut.
Chase DeLauter
Samuel Basallo
Sal Stewart
Owen Caissie
Kevin McGonigle
Munetaka Murakami
Kazuma Okamoto
Carter Jensen
JJ Wetherholt
Nolan McLean
Konnor Griffin
