Category: Baseball

Ladies and gentleman, James Wood is all the way back. After a rough second half and a concerning first couple series, the big fella is back to absolutely destroying baseball. I have to say, I’ve got to eat some crow on this. I said the Nats had a James Wood problem, and it turns out the other 29 teams are the ones with a James Wood problem.

Anyone saying the James Wood problem isn't real is lying to themselves

— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) April 4, 2026

In my defense, I was not the only one concerned. After a rough finish to last season, which saw him strike out nearly 40% of the time in the second half, there was reason to be concerned. However, at the end of the day, raw talent usually wins out. Everyone knew the talent level of Wood, it was just frustrating to see him not put it together after his amazing first half.

So what has gotten Wood back on track? The biggest thing I have seen is that Wood is hunting mistakes. For a while, Wood was simply too passive at the plate. He was letting too many meatballs just whiz by him into the strikezone. Right now though, you cannot sneak a heater by this guy.

Wood has clearly been in the lab with Matt Borgschulte working on his approach at the plate. During Blake Butera’s press conferences when Wood was struggling, he kept mentioning how Wood told him his swing was feeling great. That felt odd to me at the time, but now it makes sense. Wood did not have a swing problem, he had an approach problem.

He and Borgschulte have figured out the right balance between patience and aggression. Right now, Wood is just hunting fastballs and spitting on the breaking stuff. He is also hammering balls to center and left center, which is what Wood does when he is at his best.

The Nats have had a lot of great hitters over the years, but I am not sure any of them have quite the same amount of raw horsepower that Wood does. Last night, he hit two balls over 115 MPH. In the first inning, he hit an absolute laser on a line that almost carried out of the deepest part of American Family Field.

james wood 116 mph on a line to the cf wall ?? 😭 pic.twitter.com/PPbDhsSgRa

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 10, 2026

This kind of power is why he was a part of the Home Run Derby last year. Ironically, that event seemed to mess with his swing, so I don’t think he will be going back anytime soon. Wood being slightly hot and cold makes sense given his size and age. He is a massive dude who has plenty of moving parts to his swing.

That makes it frustrating when he is not on his game. However, when all those parts are moving well, it is like watching a beautiful symphony of destruction. Right now, his mishits are going about 100 MPH off the bat.

Seeing Wood when he is locked in makes his struggles even more frustrating. He is such a talented player, who has bat to ball skills when he is on his game. Wood has just three strikeouts compared to four walks in his last five games. This is not a Joey Gallo type that just misses at an insane clip. He works deep counts and can be passive when he is off, which can lead to strikeouts. 

There is some pure hitting ability here though. His quality of contact and line drive approach means his average will never get that low either. Even after his disastrous second half, Wood still had a respectable .256 average. When he is right, Wood is not just a one dimensional slugger.

This heater is insane to watch. The big fella has four straight multi-hit games. He is also the only player with multiple batted balls over 116 mph so far this season. His 24.3% barrel rate and 59.5% hard hit rate are absolutely bonkers.

James Wood has 4 hits tonight.

⚾️ 9 for his last 17 at plate
⚾️ AVG up to .268
⚾️ OPS is up to .930
⚾️ Now has 11 RBI in just 13 games
⚾️ Only player in MLB with two balls hit 116 MPH

People sleep. pic.twitter.com/ee2rNFCncX

— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) April 11, 2026

After his strikeout heavy start to the season, Wood has managed to get his strikeout rate below 30%. That 30% mark feels like a magic number for him. With how big he is, there will always be strikeouts and that is fine. However, he can still be an elite hitter with a k% in the high 20’s. Once it gets to 30%, things start to get dicey for him. Right now, he is not even in the top 10 for number of strikeouts.

It is great to see that number get under control because we all know what Wood does when he makes contact with the ball. I would argue that Wood has the best opposite field power in baseball. He makes ballparks look small and hits balls out at crazy low trajectories. 

For a lot of players, they need to tap into their pull side to hit for power. However, that is not the case for Wood. He is at his best when he is thinking about going the other way. Wood is such a physical freak that he can hit balls out to left field like a right handed pull hitter. His air pull percentage is 2.7%, and do you know what, that is fine by me. 

When you have outlier power like Wood does, just do what makes you comfortable. For Wood to take the next step and become a 50 home run guy like Aaron Judge, he may need to pull it more, but he is 23, there is plenty of time for that.

For now, it is great to see Wood exhibiting a confident approach at the plate. At the end of last year and the beginning of this year, he was constantly on the defensive. Now, he is taking the initiative and putting pitchers on the back foot. When James Wood is doing that, he is one of the best hitters in baseball.

Diamondbacks News

Diamondbacks Mount Four-Run Comeback to Take Game One in Philly
Michael Soroka had his first clunker of the year, but he still managed to limit the damage after a four-run first inning to keep the team in the game. Then, the Diamondbacks went to work on Philadelphia’s bullpen.

Diamondbacks Five-Run Fifth Powers Comeback Victory
Michael Soroka gave up four runs in the first inning while battling control issues. Then, Gabriel Moreno was lifted in the third inning for a mysterious injury. Fans of the team would be forgiven if they decided to tune out and go watch something else. But then, the Diamondbacks shut down Philadelphia for eight innings and threw up a big inning of their own in the fifth.

Diamondbacks Engineer Major Comeback
Entering the game as an injury replacement, McCann’s bat helped power the Diamondbacks to another win.

Diamondbacks Remove Moreno from Game for Back Tightness
Let us all hope that the precautionary move allows Moreno to resume his catching duties sooner rather than later.

Lovullo Eyeing Weekend Return for Carroll
If this holds, we should expect to see Corbin Carroll back in the lineup this afternoon.

What the Mets Series Win Says About the Snakes
Eduardo Rodriguez and Jose Fernandez are making lots of noise and the Snakes are finding ways to win even with an ice-cold Marte and without Corbin Carroll.

Other Baseball News

Tigers’ OF Parker Meadows to IL with Broken Arm, Concussion
It is safe to say that Parker Meadows got the short straw in the horrific head-to-head collision with teammate Riley Greene on Thursday in Minnesota.

Parker Meadows is carted off the field after a nasty collision in the outfield with Riley Greene pic.twitter.com/5DCBp95WK9

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 9, 2026

Ichiro Statue Unveiling Marred by Broken Bat
MLB pitchers should have though of that when trying to keep Ichiro from amassing the most hits ever.

Ohtani Surpasses Ichiro’s On-Base Streak as Streak Extends to 44
Okay, I’m starting to come around to the notion that this Shohei Ohtani guy might actually be okay at baseball.

Top-Five Up-the-Middle Defenses in MLB
With honourable mentions, the list extends to seven teams and yet, somehow Arizona still doesn’t make the cut. Seems a bit suspect to me.

The Mets are calling up veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel, as first reported by The New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Friday that there wasn't a timeline for the right-hander to join the Mets or if he had any opt-outs in his deal, but calling him up was a possibility.

"We continue to believe he can help us this year; he wants to help us," Stearns said. "We have a stable pen so far. We haven’t made a move, but eventually we will. He’s certainly a candidate when we have an opportunity."

The Mets signed the veteran to a minor league deal with an MLB camp invite in late January. He made six appearances during the spring, allowing three runs on four hits (two home runs) over six innings. The 37-year-old issued five walks with five strikeouts.

After breaking camp, Kimbrel pitched a 1-2-3 inning at Single-A St. Lucie with a strikeout on Thursday.

"Craig threw the ball well yesterday. That was very good to see," Stearns said.

This season for Kimbrel will be his 17th season in professional baseball. He appeared in just 14 big league games last year, allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 12 innings pitched, after signing a minor league deal and spending the majority of his time at Triple-A. The right-hander did strike out 17 of the 49 batters he faced with seven walks while pitching for Atlanta (once) and Houston (13 times).

He pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 1.051 WHIP across 39 innings over 42 minor league appearances last season. He tallied 51 strikeouts to 21 walks. 

Kimbrel's last full major league season came in 2024 with Baltimore, and it did not go well for him as he was designated for assignment in late September after losing his spot as the closer. In 57 appearances with the Orioles, he pitched to a 5.33 ERA and 1.357 WHIP over 52.1 innings with 73 strikeouts to 31 walks. He had 23 saves in 29 opportunities.

Walker Buehler has had an uneven start to his tenure with the San Diego Padres. After two starts Buehler had only accumulated 6.2 innings pitched with seven runs allowed on eight hits with five walks and seven strikeouts. With Griffin Canning and Matt Waldron building up in an effort to return to the MLB roster after their respective rehab assignments, Buehler and German Marquez could be playing for respective spots in the San Diego rotation. Buehler pitched that way against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on Friday night.

Buehler had his best performance since he joined the Padres on a minor-league deal in the offseason. He completed six innings and allowed just three hits. He did not allow a run or a walk and recorded four strikeouts. Buehler walked off the mound with a 2-0 lead and was in line for his first win with San Diego, but reliever Adrian Morejon gave up two runs, and the game was tied 2-2 when the Padres came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Gavin Sheets hit a one-out three-run home run that won the game for San Diego and extended their most recent win streak to three games. The start by Buehler was critical in providing the Padres bullpen some respite after the 12-inning game the night before. The home run by Sheets, his second of the night, ensured San Diego did not have to play extra innings on back-to-back nights.

San Diego and Colorado will meet in Game 3 of their series at Petco Park, today at 5:40 p.m.

Padres News:

• Jason Adam made his long-awaited return to the San Diego bullpen and faced just one batter to get the Padres out of the top of the eighth inning with game tied, 2-2. Adam needed just five pitches to get Ezequiel Tovar to ground out to third base. With Adam returning to the roster, San Diego had to make a corresponding move, and the Padres did so by adding Jeremiah Estrada to the 15-day IL with elbow tendonitis.

• It was a busy week on the road for the Padres as they left Petco Park for the hostile crowds of Fenway Park in Boston and PNC Park in Pittsburgh. San Diego showed its resolve, finning four of the six games before returning to Petco Park to host Colorado.

• Padres closer Mason Miller refuses to give up runs, in fact he does not give up hits either. The right-hander struck out all three batters he faced en route to the win over the Rockies on Friday night.

Baseball News:

• Max Muncy hits three home runs to help the Los Angeles Dodgers get past the Texas Rangers.

• Former Padres farmhand Brandon Valenzuela hit his first MLB home run as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

• Four UCLA pitchers combined for 30 strikeouts against Rutgers. The UCLA starter, Logan Reddemann, accounted for 18 of the 30 strikeouts int the contest.

• Detroit Tigers closer Kenley Jansen recorded his 478th career save, moving him into a tie for third on the career saves list.

• Tigers prospect Bryce Rainer crushed a 477-foot home run in a minor league game.

When the Cubs decided to largely run it back with a team that pushed the Brewers to their limits before falling just short of the NLCS, one might have hoped it would have been relatively smooth sailing for this team in 2026. This looked, on paper, to be a top 10 team in baseball. I had them pegged a clear cut below the best teams, but comfortably in the second tier of teams. Nothing has been easy and they have not, in any way, appeared to be a top 10 team.

In reality, this team has looked decidedly middle of the pack. Or perhaps a bit below. Of their six opportunities to date to be .500, they have been .500 five times. On Saturday, they’ll have their seventh opportunity to be at .500. Hopefully, they succeed again. A 50/50 record, in this instance, is better than the alternative.

So far, this team is hit or miss. The team has scored 39 runs in their six wins (6.5 runs/game). They have just 17 runs in their seven losses (2.43 runs/game). This team has already been shut out twice and scored only one run twice (winning one). They were shut out 10 times all of last year and held under two a total of 28 times. The results have been stratified and there has been very little offensive consistency, Hopefully, the return of Seiya Suzuki will give them a boost.

This one was all the more unfortunate because Shōta Imanaga was lights out. He faced 19 batters and struck out nine of them. He allowed no hits and just a single walk. You might recall that once before Imanaga started a game where the Pirates got no hits against Cubs pitching. I remember that one as I was driving home from a Rays game and listened to the last few outs of that game. It isn’t often that you can go into a game with a split of 0.35 ERA (career against the Pirates) and actually lower that number. It was that kind of day for him.

Unfortunately, the bats let him down and he has nothing to show for it.

Three Positives:

• Arguably Imanaga was so positive that all of the other performances pale in comparison.
• Ian Happ had a pair of singles and drew a walk.
• Carson Kelly had three walks and a single. The Cubs actually had six hits and drew seven walks and were held scoreless.

Honorable mention to Ethan Roberts (4 batters faced, 4 outs recorded) and Riley Martin (3 batters faced, 3 outs). They gave the Cubs every opportunity to come from behind.

Game 13, April 10: Pirates 2, Cubs 0 (6-7)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Shōta Imanaga (.350). 6 IP, 19 BF, 0 H, BB, 9 K
• Hero:  Carson Kelly (.145). 1-1, 3 BB
• Sidekick: Ian Happ (.100). 2-3, BB

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Caleb Thielbar (-.307). 0.2 IP, 5 BF, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 ER, 0 K (L 1-1)
• Goat: Pete Crow-Armstong (-.214). 0-4, DP
• Kid: Matt Shaw (-.185). 0-2

WPA Play of the Game: Bryan Reynolds batted with a runner on first and no outs in the seventh. He homered, breaking a scoreless tie. (.264)

*Cubs Play of the Game: Ian Happ batted with a runner on first and no outs in the sixth. He singled, setting up a golden opportunity. (.075)

Cubs Player of the Game: Imanaga, Kelly, Happ, other

Game 12 winner: Nico Hoerner 105-86 over Colin Rea (219 total votes)

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Edward Cabrera +6
• Nico Hoerner/Ian Happ (+1 today)/Carson Kelly (+2) : +5
• Phil Maton/Pete Crow-Armstrong (-2): -6
• Matt Shaw -7 (-1)
• Alex Bregman -7 (-3)

Up Next: Game two of the three game series. Edward Cabrera (1-0, 0.00, 11.2 IP) gets his third Cub start. He’s been superb so far. 26-year-old right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft (1-1, 2.25, 12 IP) also makes his third start. His two previous starts were at home. In 2025, he was better away (2.45 ERA) than at home (3.00). But he only had a total of 69.2 big league innings last year. In 11 innings across three appearances last year, he allowed four runs (three in one 9/15 outing).

Let’s hope Cabrera is able to continue his dominance and the Cub bats break through.

FYI: I am on vacation for the next week. Heroes and Goats will continue to run, but you can expect me to be a bit more brief and the timing could be a little different. I appreciate your patience with us in advance.

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The Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks meet today, with two starters taking the hill who have been underwhelming so far.

That matchup headlines my favorite MLB picks for today in the "no run first inning" and "yes run first inning" markets.

Here are my best NRFI bets and YRFI bets for Saturday, April 11.

Best NRFI/YRFI bets today

Diamondbacks at Phillies: YRFI (-113)

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies continue their three-game set this afternoon, and we could see lots of runs.

Brandon Pfaadt gets the ball for Arizona, and he’s compiled a 6.75 ERA so far. The righty allowed a run in the first inning in his last start vs. Atlanta, and while the Phillies lost 5-4 on Friday, they scored all four runs in the first. 

As for the D-Backs, they’re up against Taijuan Walker, and he has an ERA over 9.00 so far. He’s given up seven first-inning runs across his first two starts, allowing three to the Rockies and four to the Nationals.

• Time: 1:05 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FS1

Marlins at Tigers: NRFI (-135)

The Miami Marlins send Janson Junk to the mound today, and he’s looked solid so far. The righty has a 3.09 ERA and a perfect 2-0 NRFI record.

Junk has come out and found a rhythm early, and that will be key against a Detroit Tigers team that has scored six times in the first this season. 

As for the Tigers, Casey Mize takes the hill, and he also has a 2-0 NRFI record through two outings. It’s important to note that Miami’s lineup has never faced Mize outside of Otto Lopez, and they’ve only scored once in the first inning in this young 2026 season.

• Time: 1:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Marlins.TV, DSN

White Sox at Royals: NRFI (-120)

We’re looking at two teams who have struggled immensely at the dish in the first.

The Chicago White Sox are hitting just .140 in the opening inning, and they’ve had five NRFI. They’re also up against Michael Wacha, who has a 0.69 ERA so far, and has yet to allow a run in the first. 

As for the Kansas City Royals, they have 14 NRFI this year and are struggling to get it going offensively out of the gates. White Sox starter Erick Fedde also owns a 1-0 NRFI record.

Both of these clubs are towards the bottom of the majors in overall runs scored as well.

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN+, Royals.TV

What is a NRFI bet?

NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) bets add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI bet is a wager that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're betting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.

A YRFI bet is the exact opposite. You're betting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.

NRFI and YRFI bets add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for bettors looking for a quick resolution.

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.

Hey, we saw a mix of Good Bryce Elder and Bad Bryce Elder last night. He was pretty decent outside of the home run through four innings. Then he was unable to muddle through the fifth inning. He left despite only throwing 76 pitches (huh, did we even see that last year).

I’m encouraged by the start of the year. Elder looks much more comfortable on the mound. He’s living up in the zone with fastballs, low with sliders, and pretty well on the corner he has too. I’m intrigued by the cutter, but I think he has more work to do with it.

So are you a Bryce Elder truther? Is he on a collision course with the All-Star Game again? I’ll have more about Bryce next week. But for now, I’ll paraphrase Michael Kelso: I think he is okay. There’s a fine line between like and love. But the line between league-average and 125 ERA-, that’s not fine at all.

Meet the Mets

The Mets were shut out again, losing to the A’s 4-0 in a game which saw the Mets’ scoreless streak extend to 17 innings and their losing streak extend to three games to put them at .500 for the season. Clay Holmes was excellent, but unfortunately was forced to leave the game early due to hamstring tightness with the Mets down 1-0 in the sixth. The Mets’ best chance to score was in the bottom of the sixth when they had first and third and nobody out, but Francisco Lindor ran into an out on the base paths and Luis Robert Jr. grounded into a double play to quash the rally. Tobias Myers relieved Holmes and was also good until the ninth inning, in which yielded three runs of insurance as he ran out of gas, which effectively ended the game, given the Mets’ ineptitude offensively.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, MLB.com, Newsday, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Athletic

Luckily, it doesn’t seem like Holmes’ hamstring issue is serious and there is optimism he will make his next start.

Jeff McNeil, back at Citi Field for the first time since being traded to the A’s, reflected on his Mets tenure and legacy.

Jorge Polanco says his Achilles is feeling a lot better and he won’t need a stint on the injured list after all.

When addressing the media yesterday, David Stearns said that there have been no discussions about sending Carson Benge down to Triple-A, despite his slow start.

He also covered a few other tidbits: Juan Soto won’t be out long with his calf injury, Criag Kimbrel is an option for the bullpen at some point, Sean Manaea is “going to make a bunch of starts for us this year,” and the Mets still have confidence in David Peterson, despite his recent struggles.

A.J. Minter made a rehab appearance for the St. Lucie Mets on Thursday night and pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout. He is still on track for a late April or early May return.

Tommy Pham, who the Mets signed to a minor league deal recently, also played in that game for St. Lucie and should move up to Triple-A Syracuse soon as he ramps up.

It would be nice to see a retractable roof at Citi Field, but the price tag is very steep, writes Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Around the National League East

A six-run sixth inning propelled the Braves—donning their new powder blue City Connects—to an 11-5 victory over the Guardians in which they hit three home runs.

The Phillies put up four runs in the first inning, but yielded five runs in the fifth in a 5-4 loss to the Diamondbacks. Michael Soroka had a shaky start, but ultimately struck out ten Phillies in 5 2/3 innings to earn the victory for the Diamondbacks.

Zack Wheeler will make at least one more rehab outing on Tuesday for Double-A Reading. Depending on how that goes, he may rejoin the Phillies after that.

The Marlins were blanked by the Tigers 2-0, as Keider Montero pitched six shutout innings for Detroit.

Is the Marlins’ hot start sustainable? Mark Feinsand of MLB.com takes a deep dive on the Marlins, as well as the Pirates and Rockies, who are both also off to unexpectedly good starts.

The Nationals piled on the insurance runs late en route to a 7-3 victory over the Brewers in Milwaukee.

Though James Wood is the Nationals’ most obvious extension candidate of their young players, outfielder Daylen Lile, who had a very impressive rookie campaign, may be easier and cheaper to extend. However, “the Nationals have yet to broach Lile with an extension offer,” reports Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic.

Around Major League Baseball

The Denver Broncos owners have purchased a 40% ownership stake in the Colorado Rockies.

ESPN ran down a list of the best and worst free agent signings of all time. Carlos Beltrán’s deal with the Mets graded out as the 12th best.

You may have heard that the White Sox are doing a pope hat promotional item as a tribute to Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and longtime White Sox fan. So great is the anticipation for this giveaway, which has become a viral internet sensation, that the White Sox have expanded the promotion to all fans attending the August 11th game, rather than just fans who purchased specialty theme night tickets.

The Mariners had a, uh, mishap at the Ichiro Suzuki honorary statue unveiling yesterday.

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com took a look at some teams experiencing some early season woes and which of them should be nervous.

Max Muncy launched his third homer of the night to lift the Dodgers to an 8-7 walk-off win against the Rangers, overcoming a blown save by Edwin Díaz. That walk-off blast has elevated Muncy to sixth on the all-time Dodgers home run leaderboard and he has hit the third-most home runs of any Dodger since the team moved to Los Angeles. Also notable from last night’s game in LA: Shohei Ohtani passed Ichiro Suzuki for the longest on-base streak by a Japanese-born player when he reached base in his 44th straight game.

“This is not my standard. Results-wise, yeah, it’s unacceptable for me, and I will be better. I know that. But yeah, it’s not fun,” Pete Alonso, who is 3-for-32 over his past eight games since he took Jacob deGrom deep, said. “I know, for me, if I’m not producing in big spots with guys on base, it’s not good for the team. I will be better. I feel bad. A lot of people believe in me, and I believe in myself, but I’m not delivering results. I will. I just haven’t. But I will.”

Fangraphs published its list of top Athletics prospects.

Jeffrey Paternostro of Baseball Prospectus put the spotlight on Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt and how he has performed in the majors so far compared to his projections as a prospect.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Vasilis Drimalitis previewed this weekend series between the Mets and A’s.

This Date in Mets History

The Mets played their first official National League game on April 11, 1962. They lost, of course.

Good morning Birdland,

The Orioles debut of their new City Connect jerseys on Friday night did not go great, ending in a 6-3 loss to the visiting San Francisco Giants. That scoreline is kind to the Orioles. They were down 6-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth and were only saved by a Gunnar Henderson two-run homer. Make no mistake, it was an ugly game.

The middle of the Orioles lineup is killing them. Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo went a combined 0-for-6 with two strikeouts and two walks. They both have a season OPS that starts with a “5”. It’s a problem without an easy solution. Basallo is young enough that you can move him down in the lineup for a while with little recourse. Alonso, on the other hand, is a proven veteran early into his tenure with the team. Craig Albernaz might need to take his temperature in order to determine the best approach. But something has to change.

At least Adley Rutschman had yet another impressive day at the plate. The catcher went 3-for-5 with two doubles. He is now batting .294 with an .856 OPS. Is he all the way back to his old self? It sure looks like it.

Shane Baz was…OK. Yet again, the starter made it through five innings, but he also allowed three runs on nine hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. He gave up a decent amount of hard contact too. His season ERA increased from 4.09 to 4.50. We are all waiting for the flamethrower to have a signature, dominant outing. It didn’t come on Friday night.

But that might have been alright if reliever Nick Raquet had been better in his Orioles debut. The 30-year-old allowed three runs on two hits, a walk, and a home run. Yennier Cano and Albert Suárez combined for three shutout innings in the other frames that the bullpen had to cover.

The O’s are back on national television tonight. This time it’s on Fox, a channel that everyone should be able to access. Maybe Chris Bassitt can finally have a major league-caliber outing in an Orioles uniform? They could use it. First pitch is 7:15.

Links

Frustrated by slow start to O’s career, Alonso vows to be better soon | MLB.com
While there is more than one hole in the Orioles offense, it does feel like Alonso is THE guy that they really need more from. The top of the order is getting on base at a fine rate. They need the guys in the middle to drive them in, and right now Alonso is not getting it done.

Beavers and Blaze getting their chances in Orioles lineup | Roch Kubatko
Albernaz has to find offense where he can get it. Right now that means playing Dylan Beavers, Blaze Alexander, and Leody Tavares when it makes sense.

Grading the glizzies: How each hot dog at Camden Yards measures up | The Baltimore Banner
Perhaps the most important article of the day. Ballpark food costs way too much for you to waste it on sub-par grub. The Banner is doing the hard work to keep you informed. Seriously!

O’s players react to new City Connect uniforms: ‘They rock’ | MLB.com
Although not universal, it does seem like most outlets think that the Orioles’ new City Connects are the best of the new bunch. I have to say that I like certain elements. My biggest grip is with the “BMORE” script. I would have preferred “Charm City,” and maybe a different font. I also think the bird perched on the “R” doesn’t really fit the rest of the outfit. But it’s a solid effort overall.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• Alejandro De Aza turns 42 today. He was a late-season addition to the 2014 O’s, and stuck around for a bit in 2015 as well. In total he played in only 50 regular season games for Baltimore between the two seasons.
• Steve Scarsone is 60 years old. The infielder played in 11 games for the 1992 Orioles.
• The late Willie Royster (b. 1954, d. 2015) was born on this day. His only big league experience came on the 1981 O’s, playing in four games.
• A posthumous celebration for Art Quirk (b. 1937, d. 2014), who was born on this day. The southpaw tossed 27.1 innings for the Orioles in 1962.

This day in O’s history

1961 – The Los Angeles Angels play their first game in franchise history, which happens to be a 7-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

2002 – The Orioles set a pair of single-inning team records, scoring 12 runs and collecting 11 hits in the sixth inning of a 15-6 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

2023 – Ryan Mountcastle ties an Orioles team record with nine RBI in a 12-8 win against the Athletics. Mountcastle ties Jim Gentile (1961) and Eddie Murray (1985) with his performance. 

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We have a busy Saturday across the majors, and that means lots of opportunities for long balls.

My MLB player props and home run analysis will highlight Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Shea Langeliers.

Read more in my MLB picks for April 11.

Best MLB home run props today

Pete Crow-Armstrong (+980)

Pete Crow-Armstrong is such a versatile weapon for the Chicago Cubs, and he showed last season that he has serious pop in his bat for a small guy, going deep 31 times. 

Although he’s only clubbed one homer so far this season, it’s only a matter of time until he gets going, and today’s matchup could be the perfect matchup for him to find a rhythm. 

The Cubbies take on the rival Pirates, who hand Braxton Ashcroft the baseball. Crow-Armstrong has swung it well against him, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles. 

• Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNP, MARQ

Shea Langeliers (+430)

Shea Langeliers has been one of the top power hitters in the big leagues so far. 

The Athletics slugger has clubbed five home runs. While he’s failed to go deep in his last six games, there’s reason to believe No. 6 of the campaign could be coming today. 

The 28-year-old has three hits across his last two games, and more importantly, he’s had a bit of success against New York Mets starter Kodai Senga. 

In five at-bats, Langeliers has smacked one bomb. Also, the A’s are on the road, and all of his homers have been away from home. 

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSCA, SNY

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.

Editor’s note: We just wrote about Teixeira a couple months ago as part of our “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series. Seeing no need to reinvent the wheel and with no better Yankees candidates for April 11th (apologies to Pete Kozma and Wally Whitehurst), this is an oh-so-slightly edited rerun.

The 2009 season marked a transitional year for the Yankees, coming off the final season in the original Yankee Stadium and the team’s first season without a postseason appearance since 1995. The team’s aging core was still producing, but veteran slugger Jason Giambi’s contract expired after the season, leaving a hole at the cold corner.

Thankfully, there was a marquee first baseman available on the market: Mark Teixeira. The switch-hitting slugger and Gold Glover was coming off an MVP-caliber season — he had been traded from the Braves to the Angels at the trade deadline, which wiped out his vote share because of the change in leagues. Several teams attempted to woo Teixeira, but the Yankees were ultimately successful, inking him to an eight-year pact. Tex would be one of the most important contributors to the 2009 team which baptized the new Yankee Stadium with the franchise’s 27th championship. While he struggled with injuries on the back half of the deal, he was a fearsome presence in the heart of the Yankee lineup for most of those eight years.

Mark Charles Teixeira
Born: April 11, 1980 (Annapolis, MD)
Yankees Tenure: 2009-16

Teixeira was born 46 years ago today in Annapolis and attended Mount St. Joseph High School in Baltimore. He excelled enough there for the Red Sox to take a flyer on him with a ninth-round pick in the 1998 Draft, but he chose to honor his commitment to Georgia Tech, where he became one of the top college hitters in the country.

Now a consensus first-round talent, Teixeira was selected fifth overall in 2001 by the rebuilding Texas Rangers. It wouldn’t take long for him to blossom in the bigs. He made the Rangers’ roster out of spring training in 2003 and from that point forward was a lock to slug at least 25 home runs a season. By 2005, he had already exceeded 100 career homers, reached the All-Star Game, and taken home a pair of Silver Sluggers as well as a Gold Glove. But he wouldn’t reach the postseason until 2008, at which point Teixeira had been traded at the deadline twice in as many seasons; first from the Rangers to the Braves for a king’s ransom, then from Atlanta to the Angels.

That offseason, Teixeira entered free agency as the best hitter on the market. The Angels were interested in bringing him back, but several other teams made big offers. The Red Sox, who had drafted him back in high school, were in the mix — though Teixeira had vocally criticized Boston in the past for their pre-draft negotiations with him. The Nationals and Orioles both tried for the Marylander who grew up close to both Baltimore and DC.

Eventually, the Angels and Red Sox got cold feet, providing an opening for the Yankees. Teixeira, who idolized Don Mattingly growing up, ultimately chose the Bronx as the place to continue his career. The eight-year, $180 million agreement, announced right before the holidays, was made official on January 6th. Teixeira joined starting pitchers CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett as part of a gargantuan free agent haul as the team awaited the grand opening of the brand new Yankee Stadium.

Teixeira proved a perfect fit in the Bronx, providing a strong baseline of production at the plate with sterling first-base defense, but also capable of entering incendiary stretches in which he was impossible to pitch to. Like the rest of the team, Teixiera took a bit to get going in April, but was the AL’s best hitter in May, smashing 13 home runs with a .330/.391/.748 slash line. He made the All-Star Game and then was an even better hitter in the second half, finishing the year with 39 homers and 122 RBI. He finished second in MVP voting behind Minnesota’s Joe Mauer.

Mauer and the Twins, of course, would meet Teixeira and the Bombers in the ALDS. The Yankees took Game 1, but Game 2 would be a battle requiring extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, Teixeira smashed a line drive down the left field line and over the wall for a walk-off home run to put New York in the driver’s seat.

Teixeira struggled in the playoffs despite the early highlight, but the Yankees took down his former team, the Angels, in the ALCS, and hosted the Phillies in the World Series. After Philadelphia snatched the series lead in Game 1, a homer from Teixeira off Pedro Martinez tied Game 2 and lit the spark for an eventual Yankee win. Finally in Game 6, Tex provided an RBI single in the fifth to help bring the Commissioner’s Trophy back to the Bronx.

The Yankees would not return to the Fall Classic again during Teixeira’s tenure, but his presence at the heart of the order helped extend a window which appeared to be closing before his arrival. In 2010, he registered another strong season, with an .856 OPS, 33 home runs, and his second Gold Glove in as many seasons at first base. Unfortunately, Teixeira struggled again in the playoffs before a hamstring injury put him on the shelf. The Rangers, the franchise which had drafted him nine years before and was now a powerhouse, kicked the Yankees out in the ALCS in six games.

In 2012, Teixeira began to struggle with injuries. He suffered from a persistent cough that plagued him throughout the early part of the season, then endured a pair of DL stints for calf injuries late in the season. He returned in time for the postseason and hit well, but with no home runs, and the Yankees were swept by the Tigers in a demoralizing ALCS.

That marked the final postseason run of Teixeira’s career. The Yankees entered a somnambulant period after 2012, overloaded with veterans who couldn’t stay on the field. Teixeira was one of them, only playing 15 games in 2013 after injuring his wrist during the World Baseball Classic. In 2014, Teixeira’s production dropped as he again dealt with hamstring and wrist injuries. New York missed the postseason both years.

Entering the 2015 season, it appeared Tex’s halcyon days had come to an end. But in his age-35 campaign, the embattled first baseman authored a terrific comeback campaign, returning to the All-Star Game for the first time since ‘09. He finished the year with 31 home runs, a total which would have been even higher had it not been for August 17th. That night, with the Twins in town, Teixeira fouled a ball off his leg and staggered out of the box. He left the game and was diagnosed with a bone bruise, but after several weeks of tests and negative X-rays, was finally found to have suffered a shin fracture. That would spell the end of what had been a stirring resurgence.

Then, at last, came 2016, the final year of Teixeira’s deal. His final ride was an unproductive slog, in which his average hovered around .200 and his formerly prodigious power wilted, even as he slugged his 400th career homer on July 4th in San Diego. In August, he announced in a press conference that he would retire at the end of the season. But he did have one last magical moment in him: a walk-off grand slam against the Red Sox in one of the final games of his career.

The main objective for Teixeira in coming to New York was to win. He did, right away, playing an instrumental role on a championship team. Despite failing to return to the mountaintop in his successive years in the Bronx, Teixeira provided high-quality play on offense and defense for as long as his body would allow him to do so. He retired as an accomplished and dedicated 14-year major leaguer with nothing left to prove.

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See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

St. Paul Saints 4, Toledo Mud Hens 3 (box)

The Hens lost an early lead in the middle innings, and a late push fell short on Friday night.

After a quiet start to this one, Ben Malgeri singled with one out in the bottom of the third, and Max Clark followed by drawing a walk. Hao-Yu Lee banged a single up the middle to plate Malgeri, and Jace Jung smoked a drive to the wall in right field for an RBI double, scoring Clark. 2-0 Hens.

Unfortunately, that lead didn’t hold up in the middle innings as starter RHP Dylan File and RHP Cole Waites each allowed a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings. It could have been worse for Waites, but Max Clark cut down Alan Roden at home plate to save that run and get the second out before Waites escaped the inning.

Eric Wagaman hits an RBI single to center but Max Clark throws Alan Roden out at home. It’s Clark’s 5th outfield assist of the season. pic.twitter.com/0ZCaQnaCrk

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) April 11, 2026

RHP Tanner Rainey and LHP Konnor Pilkington each gave the Hens two good innings of work to set up a comeback. They got runners on base in the sixth, but Malgeri flew out to end the inning. In the seventh, the Loons bid to prevent Max Clark from getting a hit failed as he led off with a single. Lee took a called strike three, but Clark stole second for his sixth steal of the season. Unfortunately, Jung popped out and Eduardo Valencia struck out.

Max Clark now 6-for-6 on stolen base attempts this year. pic.twitter.com/MPFwxpErBj

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) April 11, 2026

The Loons got the first two outs of the ninth, but Clark got a 1-0 curveball down and smoked it to right center field for a triple. The relay went awry, and Clark scored on the play to make it 4-3, but Lee flew out to end it.

Max Clark rips a triple into the right-center gap and then comes home on the errant throw to pull the Mud Hens within one run with 2 outs in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/zCnUUyjU1d

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) April 11, 2026

Clark: 2-4, 2 R, 3B, BB, K, SB

Lee: 2-5, RBI, K

Malgeri: 1-4, BB, K, SB

File: 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 5:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday with the series tied 2-2.

Chesapeake Baysox 11, Erie SeaWolves 6 (box)

Kenny Serwa took another beating in this one, and the bats were pretty quiet as the Baysox took a 3-1 lead in the series.

Serwa gave up a leadoff homer in the second, and that led into a five run inning for Chesapeake against the knuckleballer.

Joe Campagna walked to lead off the third, and he would eventually score on a John Peck groundout to make it 5-1 early in this one, but Serwa allowed another run in the third before finishing his outing with a clean fourth.

In the fifth, Campagna doubled and eventually scored on a Seth Stephenson grounder that went from an error as they desperately tried to rush to get the lightning fast outfielder at first.

In the sixth, Andrew Jenkins and Izaac Pacheco walked before scoring on a Justice Bigbie double to make it 6-4 Baysox.

John Stankiewicz took over in the seventh, but he got in trouble with a wild pitch and a Peck error before giving up a three-run blast in a four-run inning for the Baysox that made it 10-4.

Tanner Kohlhepp allowed a run in the eighth. In the ninth, Campagna hit a two-run shot to make the score a little more respectable. The 29-year-old shortstop bounced around Indy ball for years, occasionally playing in the minor leagues before the Tigers signed him for some depth this offseason.

Congratulations to Joe Campagna on his first home run in affiliated ball. It’s a 2-run shot that pulls Erie back within five. pic.twitter.com/0EIg0Gifnb

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) April 11, 2026

Campagna: 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, BB, K, SB

Bigbie: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B

Serwa (L, 0-2): 4.o IP, 6 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 0 K

Rodriguez: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Saturday, with the Baysox leading the series 3-1.

Great Lakes Loons 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (box)

Lucas Ellisalt wasn’t particularly sharp on Friday night, and the Whitecaps bats were very quiet as the Loons took a 3-1 series lead.

Both offenses were quiet out of the gate, but in the third, a one-out single from the Loons’ Jose Izarra got them started. Elissalt got a fly out, but four straight singles made it 3-0 before he got out of the inning.

Woody Hadeen got a run back in the bottom half as he walked with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jackson Strong struck out, but Garrett Pennington walked as well, and Richardo Hurtado singled in Hadeen to make it 3-1.

Elissalt spun a 1-2-3 fourth, and Patrick Lee immediately crushed a solo shot to dead center to make it 3-2. Patrick Lee has 70 speed, a 70 arm, and at least 60 power. Please, oh baseball gods, let this man hit. Unlikely, as Lee had to find a path through Indy Ball just to reach the minor leagues, but it would sure be fun.

Lefty Ethan Sloan, along with Carlos Lequerica and Logan Berrier, shut down the Tortugas offense entirely the rest of the way, but the Whitecaps weren’t not swinging a hot bat either. They never threatened again.

Lee: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, K

Hadeen: 1-3, R, BB, K

Elissalt (L, 0-1): 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps and Loons play at 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. No respect for the Masters at all, smdh.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 2, Daytona Tortugas 1 (box)

The Flying Tigers cannot be contained right now. They moved to 7-0 on the young season behind another strong outing from 2025 second rounder, Malachi Witherspoon, and the longest home run I can ever remember a Tigers prospect hitting off the bat of shortstop Bryce Rainer.

Witherspoon have come right out throwing gas as hoped, and he was an easy 96 mph in the first inning, carving up two Tortugas swinging with some good cutters in the mix. He was up over 97 mph in a quick 1-2-3 second inning. In the third, he got the first out but walked Ichiro Cano and hit Drew Davies to push a runner into scoring position. He got a one-hopper back to himself and recorded the second out, but a single followed for a 1-0 Daytona lead. That was the only blemish on Witherspoon’s card as he breezed through the fourth and the Tigers called it a day as they slowly build up his pitch count.

Here’s a little Zach MacDonald highlight along the way.

Zach MacDonald with a great catch in centerfield as @LkdFlyingTigers moves to 7-0. pic.twitter.com/ylrKqPTPsm

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) April 11, 2026

After Witherspoon departed, the Tigers third ranked prospect, Bryce Rainer stepped in looking for his first home run of the young season. Rainer has been fine, but after missing the best part of a year to shoulder surgery, he’s been working his way back into things slowly and drawing a ton of walks. He didn’t walk this time, destroying a 96.7 mph fastball and hitting it 477 feet beyond the center field wall. That ball left the bat at 116.2 mph, which few even in the majors can match. With the Artemis II crew splashing down off the coast of Florida at around the same time, the jokes wrote themselves.

Look at this thing.

477-FOOT BLAST off the bat of Bryce Rainer 💥

The @RoadtoDetroit No. 3 prospect smokes his first homer of the year at 116.2 mph for the Low-A @LkdFlyingTigers.

(🎥@tigersMLreport) pic.twitter.com/AILKSZSQHp

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) April 10, 2026

Tyler Owens took over from Witherspoon to continue his rehab work, and he collected the next five outs, allowing just one hit. Eliseo Mota did better, spinning 2 1/3 perfect innings with four strikeouts.

The score was knotted at 1-1 until the bottom of the 8th, when Nolan McCarthy drew a walk. He promptly stole second base and took third as the throw sailed into center field. Anibal Salas struck out, and Jack Goodman waked and stole second as Rainer was called out on strikes. The run was then balked in anyway to give Lakeland a 2-1 lead.

Xiomer Guacache, what a great name btw, came on in the top of the ninth and quickly racked up three outs, the last a swinging strike three, to end it and earn his first save of the season.

Rainer: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 SO

McCarthy: 0-1, R, 2 BB, SB

Witherspoon: 4.0 IPO, ER, H, BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:00 p.m. ET start in Lakeland on Saturday as the Flying Tigers look to make it 8-0.

En route to a 4-0 loss to the City-less Athletics, Mets’ starter Clay Holmes left the game in the sixth inning with ‘left hamstring tightness.’ Holmes expressed optimism after the game that he could make his next scheduled start, calling the injury “nothing major.” Manager Carlos Mendoza said that how Holmes feels today will determine their course of action going forward.

Even with last night’s abbreviated start, Holmes has looked quite good in his second year as a starer. Over 18 innings thrown, he’s allowed just three earned runs on 12 hits striking out 12 and walking eight. While his 3.87 FIP is showing that his 1.50 ERA might be a bit of a fluke, Holmes has been the third most effective Mets’ starter thus far after Nolan McLean and Kodai Senga.

The only blemish against Holmes in last night’s start was a Shea Langeliers RBI single in the third inning. Holmes was pulled in the top of the sixth with one out after 81 pitches.

The Mets have been bit by the injury bug already this season, with Juan Soto currently on the Injured List with a calf injury and Jorge Polanco missing time with a hamstring injury.

If Holmes does go on the IL, the Mets will have an interesting decision to make. With Sean Manaea and last night’s goat Tobias Myers both acting as long men right now, one of them would likely be called upon to start. However, Manaea’s diminished velocity and walk rate are huge red flags, and the Mets may not want to put him in that role. Christian Scott and Jonah Tong are both available from Triple-A, but the Mets likely wouldn’t want to disrupt their progress for a spot start or two. Hopefully, this is a moot point and Holmes makes his next scheduled start.

Senga takes the hill for the Mets this afternoon against Jacob Lopez for the A’s.

Davey Lopes, the Dodgers infield fixture who spent over 50 years in baseball, died on Wednesday at age 80. Here are a few more remembrances of his life and career.

Lopes’ former teammates and fellow members of The Infield that played together for 8 1/2 seasons Ron Cey and Steve Garvey talked with Jack Harris at the California Post: “He controlled the game at times with his base-stealing capabilities,” Cey said. “He wreaked havoc on defenses … His contributions were immense.”

From former Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, who hired Lopes to coach first base in Los Angeles: “Davey was a winner in life & on the field. After an outstanding playing career, he became a coach – the best 1st base coach I ever saw: secondary leads, pitch tips, cutting your steps 1st to 3rd…he looked and taught players to look for every advantage. 1 of 1.”

From former Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner: “Such a straight shooter and a great baseball mind. I’ll never forget being on 1st base for 3 or 4 pitches and him looking right at me and saying, ‘What the hell are you waiting for? Go!’”

From former Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp: “Thank you Davey for being one of the best mentors ever. I can still hear him saying ‘If you don’t steal this base right now, I’m gonna kick your ass!!’ Rest easy.”

From Tim Kurkjian’s article on baserunning at ESPN: “[Johnny] Bench said the best baserunner he ever saw was ex-Dodger Davey Lopes, who was adept at getting a good lead and reading the pitcher.”

Of the 82 major league players born in Rhode Island, Lopes has the fourth-highest Baseball Reference WAR (42.4), behind only Hall of Famers Nap Lajoie, Gabby Hartnett, and Hugh Duffy. Stephen Rosa for the Boston Globe wrote, “For many of us, Davey Lopes was more than a great athlete. He was an example. He was an inspiration. And for a lot of us, he was one of the first people who made success feel real.”

Former Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. called Lopes “the best base stealing coach we’ve ever had.”

Ethan Witte at The Good Phight expanded on Lopes’ tenure as a Phillies coach from 2007-10, one of the most successful stretched in franchise history:

When it comes to Lopes, his impact on the team’s running game was undeniable. During his tenure with the team, the Phillies were the best baserunning team in baseball. It showed up in the traditional stats like stolen bases, where Lopes’ expertise in analyzing the opposing pitchers made them the most efficient team around (84% success rate). It also showed up in the other things that make baserunners good. Fangraphs tracks different advanced baserunning stats with their publicly available information. The Phillies of 2007-2010 were the best in several of these categories, including wSB (stolen bases and caught stealing runs above average – 43.8), speed score (5.3) and baserunning runs (77.5).

More Lopes obituaries

• From Bill Plunkett at the Orange County Register
• From Beth Harris at the Associated Press
• From Steve Henson at the Los Angeles Times
• From Gabe Lacques at USA Today
• From Houston Mitchell at the Los Angeles Times
• From Melissa Lockard and Matt Gelb at The Athletic
• From Matt Breen at the Philadelphia Inquirer
• From JR Radcliffe at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• From Matt Young at the Houston Chronicle
• From Manny Randhawa at MLB.com
• A video from MLB Network: