NEW YORK — Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón thinks his tight right hamstring is only a minor setback in his return from elbow surgery last October.
Rodón felt the tightness after throwing 50 pitches of batting practice Sunday at the team’s complex in Tampa, Florida. Rodón got hurt while running and New York called off a planned minor league injury rehabilitation outing at Double-A Somerset.
“Just a little bump in the road,” the 33-year-old left-hander said before the Yankees’ home opener against Miami on Friday.
Rodón hopes to throw about 50 pitches Saturday in a controlled environment, such as batting practice.
“It’s just a matter of when he can run and cover and field his position and things like that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “So he’s able to keep his arm going through this. It’s minor enough that that’s the case.”
Rodón is recovering from surgery on Oct. 15 to remove loose bodies in his left elbow and shave a bone spur.
Boone said shortstop Anthony Volpe started taking at-bats off pitching and could start a rehab assignment in mid-April.
A TWO-FER: The Cubs allowed exactly two runs in each of their last three games, all at home against the Angels. Since 1901, they have had 49 two-run streaks that reached three games, but only one that continued through a fourth game. From Aug. 23-26, 2006, the Cubs lost at home to the Phillies, 2-1; beat them, 11-2; then lost at St. Louis, 2-0 and 2-1, the final game on a ninth-inning, two-out walk-off single. The Cubs had a pair of two-run streaks of three games in 2022, winning two of three in both, and two more such streaks in 2023, going 3-0 in both. The 2022 streaks ended in a win by 4-3 and a loss by 8-5; the 2023 streaks, in a win by 10-1 and a loss by 10-1. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
STEALING BAGS: The Cubs are tied for third in MLB with seven steals. No Cub has been thrown out stealing yet this year.
WALKING THE WALK: The Cubs rank tied for fifth (with the Braves) in MLB with 30 walks. Two of the teams ahead of them (Astros, Angels) have played one more game than the Cubs.
THE NICO FILES: Nico Hoerner enters Friday’s action leading the NL with four doubles (tied with Brice Turang and Matt Olson) and leading MLB with four steals.
Cade Horton picked up where he left off in 2025 with his first 2026 start, a solid outing against the Nationals last Saturday.
Last year against the Guardians, July 3, 2025 at Wrigley Field, Horton threw seven shutout innings, allowing five singles with five strikeouts.
Another one just like that, please.
Joey Cantillo was Horton’s opponent in that game last year. He didn’t give the Cubs any runs, but was lifted after 3.1 innings and 68 pitches. That game was Cantillo’s first MLB start.
In his first start this year, last Saturday at Seattle, he allowed two runs in 3.2 innings, throwing 91 pitches. He walked three. Perhaps the Cubs can be patient like that and get him out of the game early.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after their win against the Chicago White Sox in the Opening Day game on Thursday March 26, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Brewers play in the smallest metropolitan market in baseball, and yet have developed a sustainable model of success that is the envy of other teams. They have reached the playoffs in seven of the last eight years, and haven’t had a losing season since 2016.
This year, the Brewers are off to a great start, having outscored opponents 45-17 to begin the year, by far the best run differential in baseball. But one of those series was beating up on the White Sox, and they won their series against the Rays by scoring six runs in the bottom of the eighth in the rubber match.
Milwaukee Brewers (5-1) vs. Kansas City Royals (3-3) at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Christian Yelich is a career .274/.400/.597 hitter with six home runs in 18 games against the Royals. Brice Turang, who was Bobby Witt Jr.’s teammate on Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, is hitting .409 with four doubles in six games to start the year. Catcher Gary Sánchez is 4-for-8 with two home runs this season. Jake Bauers made just 17 plate appearances against lefties last year. Garrett Mitchell missed most of last year with an oblique strain and shoulder injury after a promising rookies season in 2024, when he hit .255/.342/.469 in 69 games.
Sal Frelick had a 13.5 percent strikeout rate last year, 15th-lowest among qualified hitters. Joey Ortiz had the third-worst wRC+ last year among qualified hitters, but was +13 in Outs Above Average at shortstop. The Brewers are without star outfielder Jackson Chourio and first baseman Andrew Vaughn both out with hand injuries.
*-All numbers from 2025
The Brewers have long been known as a pitching factory, and had the second-best ERA in baseball last year at 3.59. Chad Patrick bounced around before the Brewers acquired him in 2023, and he proved to be a versatile starter for them, earning some Rookie of the Year votes last year. He gave up just a solo home run as the only run in 4.1 innings of work in his season debut against the White Sox. He relies heavily on a cutter and sinker, yet had a high flyball rate last year of 44 percent.
Brandon Sproat was a top 100 prospect in the Mets organization before he was traded to the Brewers in the Freddy Peralta deal. He was teammates with Jac Caglianone at Florida for a year, before becoming a second-round pick. He had a 4.24 ERA in 26 games in Triple-A last year, and throws a hard sinker at 96 mph, along with a cutter, sweeper, curve, and change up.
Kyle Harrison was a former top 100 prospect with the Giants, and was traded to the Red Sox last summer in the Rafael Devers trade before the Brewers acquired him this offseason. A southpaw, Harrison has struggled to retire lefties in his career – they’re batting .269/.333/.473 against him. He gave up just one run – a solo home run – in five innings of work in his season debut, with eight strikeouts.
Michael Wacha was scratched from Friday’s start due to illness and Luinder Avila will be called up to make his first MLB start. Avila made 13 relief appearances with the Royals late last year and is the #9 ranked prospect in the farm system by MLB Pipeline. The game Friday night will air exclusively on Apple TV as part of their Friday Night Baseball package.
*-All numbers from 2025
*-All numbers from 2025
Trevor Megill had a career-high 30 saves in just 50 games last year, the 19th 30-save season in Brewers history. Abner Uribe’s 98.8 mph fastball is one of the fastest in baseball. Aaron Ashby had a 62.5 percent groundball rate last year, fourth-highest in baseball. Right behind him was Angel Zerpa, who the Brewers acquired from the Royals last winter in a trade for Isaac Collins and Nick Mears.
The Brewers got off to an awful start last year – they were pounded by the Yankees – then they went out and won 97 games and reached the National League Championship Series. They are a well-coached, well-prepared team that gets every ounce of talent from their roster. The Royals will have to scratch out runs when they can, as this should be a low-scoring series from two teams that can develop pitching.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 1: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on April 1, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Nationals 6-5. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The numbers, they are ugly.
Trea Turner: 5-for-26, .192 AVG, one extra-base hit
Kyle Schwarber: 4-for-22, .182 AVG, 2 HRs and 1 double
Bryce Harper: 3-for-25, .120 AVG, -0.4 fWAR (199th out of 202 MLB players)
Alec Bohm: 2-for-21, .095 AVG, 1 HR
J.T. Realmuto: 3-for-15, .200 AVG, 1 HR
Yep, it’s fair to say that, one week into the 2026 season, the “run-it-back gang” is misfiring on all cylinders.
It has been frustrating to watch. As a team, the Phils are batting .220 with a .314 on-base percentage and a .360 slugging percentage. Those numbers are… not great. Turner’s swing is currently a disaster, Harper’s bat speed looks like a 40-year-old’s, Schwarber has hit a couple tank shots but little else, Bohm’s Opening Day homer is his lone bright spot, and Realmuto’s solo homer on Wednesday is his only contribution, six games in.
But would you believe the team’s .220 average is 19th in MLB? Would you believe their .314 OBP is 13th? And that their .360 SLG is 18th? Ordinarily, numbers that low would be in the bottom-five of baseball.
So no, those are not good numbers, and certainly expectations for this group of established stars should be much, much higher. But in our ongoing effort to zoom out and make you aware of what is happening around the rest of Major League Baseball, Phils fans should know what I hope will be a comforting fact.
You’re not alone.
Some of baseball’s best players and, best teams, are also struggling.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are hitting .237 as a team. The Yankees and Cubs are hitting .227. The Tigers are at .215. The Red Sox are hitting .208. The Mariners are batting .205. The Padres? A .202 average. And while their pitching staff was expected to be pathetic, the Oakland A’s vaunted offense has the worst average in baseball, at .177.
Check out these numbers from some of baseball’s biggest stars (AVG/OBP/SLG):
Mookie Betts (Dodgers): .136/.240/.318
Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers): .167/.423/.167
Kyle Tucker (Dodgers): .174/.240/.217
Will Smith (Dodgers): .200/.200/.500
Freddie Freeman (Dodgers): .208/.240/.375
Teoscar Hernandez (Dodgers): .238/.238/.238
Ronald Acuna Jr. (Braves): .167/.323/.208
Bo Bichette (Mets): .129/.159/.161
Marcus Simien (Mets): .130/.250/.174
Francisco Lindor (Mets): .130/.394/.304
Xander Bogaerts (Padres): .167/.200/.208
Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres): .238/.360/.286
Jackson Merrill (Padres): .217/.280/.391
Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals): .273/.292/.273
Aaron Judge (Yankees): .125/.160/.375
Jazz Chisolm Jr. (Yankees): .174/.208/.174
Julio Rodriguez (Mariners): .077/.200/.077
Cal Raleigh (Mariners): .160/.250/.200
James Wood (Nationals): .111/.200/.296
Ketel Marte (Diamondbacks): .154/.267/.269
George Springer (Blue Jays): .154/.241/.423
Jarren Duran (Red Sox): .167/.348/.167
Roman Anthony (Red Sox): .227/.320/.364
Brent Rooker (A’s): .167/.167/.167
Byron Buxton (Twins): .174/.200/.304
The American League MVP (Judge) and runner-up (Raleigh) are in there. So is the NL MVP (Ohtani) and runner-up (Schwarber). That list of ugly slash lines belongs to All Stars and MVP candidates, all of whom have struggled mightily in the first week of the season.
It is true that, for the Phillies, the issues with the offense have existed longer than just one week. They stretch back to last season, and the season before, and the season before that, specifically in the postseason. Despite an outstanding offensive season last year, the perception of this group is an underachieving collection of players who shrink when it matters most.
And hey, that might all prove itself to be true once again this October. But with just one week of big league baseball under our belts, this is most definitely not a time when things matter most. In fact, things couldn’t matter less at this point in the six-month-long season.
I get it. Watching a bad offense flail despite numerous opportunities with runners on base is maddening, and it has the affect of making the team look uninterested and/or lethargic. A .229 average with runners in scoring position is awful, ranking 22nd in baseball. That has to improve.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you not to be worried about the Phillies’ offense. It’s ugly right now. They should be better.
But in our efforts to zoom out every once in a while and take in what the rest of the baseball world is up to, understand that two-thirds of fans around the league are saying the same thing about their struggling superstars with a single week of the season under their belts.
On my latest Hittin’ Season podcast, I broke down the Phils’ comeback win against the Nationals on Sunday and the production of the two rookies who saved the series. Also, check out my conversation with Rob Friedman, the man behind @PitchingNinja, talk about the explosion of pitching in his new book, “Unhittable.”
CHICAGO, IL - JULY 27: General view of the Southside sign as the downtown skyline is visible before an MLB game between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox on July 27, 2025 at Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Jays start their first road trip with an afternoon game in Chicago. And we can see our old friend, Seranthony Dominguez. By we, I mean you. I’m in Maizuru, Japan today, if all goes the way it is supposed to.
I very much enjoyed Chicago when I was there a few years ago. I won’t be going back for a while yet, but I’d like to go back one day. I liked Buddy Guy’s Blues Club. Great music. Buddy is 89 years old now, so I doubt I’ll see him play the next time I’m there.
Also took a book ride on the river. And had deep dish pizza. I do kind of agree with John Stewart that it really isn’t pizza, but I liked it. We also wandered around the White Sox ballpark, looking for a pub. I understand, now, that it wasn’t a great idea, but did find one. It was packed and noisy, but people were very friendly.
The likely highlight of today’s game: the pregame alcohol. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
It’s been more than a year since we’ve seen live baseball on the South Side, and after a one-day Mother Nature day, there will be baseball.
Unfortunately, the baseball being played will involved the lackadaisical, 1-5 White Sox hosting the defending AL champion Blue Jays. And look no further than today’s starter for Toronto to acknowledge how a team that is trying performs vs. one that simply exists.
Indeed, ol’ versing, painting and pack-ripping Dylan Cease is back in town, facing his formative club for the first time wearing the bird on his cap. Meanwhile, the White Sox will attack him with whatever ragtag talent they can shake out of the couch cushions:
Cease didn’t get the win in his season opener, but pitched splendidly. If he whiffed 12 Athletics in 5 ⅓ innings last Saturday, imagine how many Cease is in line for today against a -0.8 WAR White Sox offense that’s averaging 12.2 strikeouts per game so far. Just two of the nine hitters in the White Sox lineup are averaging less than a strikeout per game, and they are hitting at the very bottom of the order. Priorities!
The big surprise on the White Sox end is Grant Taylor moving from fearsome but mediocre bullpen presence to opener. The hope would be two strong frames for the fireballer, but it’s just as likely a couple of walks in the first truncates his time to the first inning only. After that, Sean Burke will come from the bullpen into bulk work, and likely a deficit.
Negative about our Chisox? Well, small sample size etc. etc. ad nauseam, but the lineup has just Tristan Peters (.333) hitting better than .263, and three players with better than an .800 OPS. Yes, that is actually an improvement over recent years, and truthfully Toronto isn’t hitting much better. But, well, how do you think this one is going to turn out?
Ballgame begins at 1:10 p.m. CT, with CHSN and WMVP-1000 providing the broadcast coverage. I’ll have your postgame recap, and we’ll be recording a postgame podcast, win or lose, available in The Feed about an hour or two after final out.
We have a slew of early baseball games this Good Friday, so let's make some quick money with some of the earliest bets that cash out: the “run first inning” markets.
My MLB picks are expecting some early scoring in a trio of games today, including a West Coast clash between the Mariners and Angels.
Getting the YRFI at -122 in a game at Coors Field is a bargain, and today's pitching matchup suggests we'll get plenty of runs.
Philadelphia Phillies righty Aaron Nola is coming off his worst season as a pro (6.01 ERA over 17 starts) and allowed five runs in five innings in his first outing this year.
The Colorado Rockies are giving the pill to Michael Lorenzen, who surrendered seven hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings in his season debut. Lorenzon had a 4.64 ERA with the Royals last year, and his subpar ground ball rate and exit velocity suggest he'll struggle at Coors.
Especially against a hard-hitting Phillies lineup that has some big bats at the top of the order.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC Sports Phil | Rockies.TV
Reds at Rangers: YRFI (-102)
The Cincinnati Reds haven't been productive at the plate, but the analytics suggest positive regression. Anchored by rising stars Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart, the Reds lead the majors in exit velocity while ranking fifth in barrel rate.
Today, they take on the Texas Rangers and Mackenzie Gore, who generates strikes but gives up too much hard contact. The lefty was in the 20th percentile in barrel rate and exit velocity last year while posting a 4.33 xERA.
Reds starter Brady Singer had an almost identical 4.27 xERA last, and he allowed three runs in four innings in his 2026 debut. I don't trust him to navigate a Rangers lineup that is sixth in the majors in runs per game (5.33) and third in hard-hit rate.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rangers Sports Network | Reds.TV
Mariners at Angels: YRFI (+114)
The Seattle Mariners mashed away from home last season, posting 5.09 runs per game. Expect the same production as they begin their first road trip this year.
The M's retained Josh Naylor while adding leadoff man Brendan Donovan to a lineup anchored by MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena.
They'll have success against Los Angeles Angels lefty Reid Detmers, who has been shaky as a starter and is better out of the bullpen. Detmers didn't make a single start last year but had a 6.70 ERA in 17 starts in 2024. He started last Saturday and gave up three runs in 4 2/3 frames.
Meanwhile, Seattle will start Bryan Woo, who has been great at pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park but can be inconsistent on the road.
Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel SN West | Mariners.TV
Rohit NRFI bets 2026 Transparency Record
NRFI/YRFI picks: 4-5, -1.25 units
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.
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.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres laughs in the dugout during the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on April 01, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (2-4) at Boston Red Sox (1-5), April 3, 2026, 11:10 p.m. PST
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BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 13: A general view during the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday, September 13, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, welcome (back) to Fenway Park!
The Red Sox look to get their mojo this season as Don Orsillo and Xander Bogaerts return to Boston with the San Diego Padres. Gonna be a cool and cloudy one out there!
⚾️ First Pitch: 2:10pm ET — Fenway Park, Boston, MA
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 16: Cody Delvecchio #25 of the UCLA Bruins throws a pitch during a game against the UC Davis Aggies at Jackie Robinson Stadium on April 16, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, I lied to you. I hope you’ll forgive me. In yesterday’s roundup, I said that Thursday would finally bring the return of multiple-game days days for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates. Turns out I was wrong, as AAA Sacramento had their game rained out and postponed. Actually, it apparently stopped raining, because the official postponement is for “wet grounds.” It will be made up on Saturday, when they play a doubleheader against the Salt Lake Bees, presuming Utah soil has dried by then.
So just one game it was, but it was a good one. Lets jump into it.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Just two small transactions for the affiliates on Thursday. AAA Sacramento lost one of their pitchers, as RHP Blade Tidwell (No. 9 CPL) was called up to San Francisco to replace the injured José Buttó. Tidwell got into Thursday’s game against his former team, the New York Mets, and made his Giants debut by recording a 3-inning save. Gotta love it!
Replacing Tidwell on Sacramento’s roster is RHP Will Bednar (No. 24 CPL). Bednar was an NRI at Spring Training this year, but curiously opened the year on the Development List. Now he’s off it, and will prepare to make his season debut.
Low-A San Jose (1-0)
San Jose Giants beat the Stockton Ports (A’s) 12-8 Box score
The Baby Giants kicked off their title defense on Thursday night by heading up the road to Stockton. And what a glorious start to the season it was, as San Jose found all the offense they were looking for (and then some), while also featuring a stellar pitching performance from an exciting arm.
One of the fun things about Low-A in this era of Minor League Baseball is that when the season starts, so do the debuts. So many young players get drafted (or sign as undrafted free agents) and don’t debut until the next year, and so this game featured a whopping 5 San Jose players who were playing in a professional baseball game for the first time in their life. A day to remember!
It’s quite fitting, then, that the 2 position players who were making their debuts were the ones who carried the offense. First baseman Hayden Jatczak and catcher Junior Barajas would have remembered Thursday for their debuts alone, but now they’ll really remember the game, because they had star showings.
Jatczak positively carried the offense, with a nearly perfect day: he hit 3-4 with a 3-run home run in the 8th inning, plus a triple, a walk, 4 RBIs, and a strikeout. It’s hard to do much better than that, especially since the home run was positively majestic and towering.
HAVE A NIGHT HAYDEN! A three-run bomb in the eighth gives the Giants a 10-6 lead. pic.twitter.com/0U2vKFKkE2
The Giants have had some remarkable success with undrafted free agents in recent years, both in the form of their own signings (Bo Davidson and Trent Harris) and players they traded for (Parks Harber). Jatczak, a 24-year old out of Kent State, will try to be the next in that line of overlooked talent.
As for Barajas, he wasn’t far behind. He also homered, as part of a 2-5 day that also included a double, 3 RBIs, and a strikeout. The son of Rod Barajas (the younger Barajas is technically Rod Barajas Jr., but goes by the eternally-cool “Junior” moniker), the lefty catcher was an 11th-round pick in July’s draft, but it’s been clear from the buzz around him that the team has been highly impressed with his bat. While not undrafted like Davidson, he may have been overlooked for one of the same reasons: a collegiate career spent at a junior college, rather than an NCAA school.
The Giants don’t have a lot of intriguing backstop bats in the system, so it will be very exciting if Barajas can hit as well as they hope — and perhaps think — he will.
While Jatczak and Barajas were the stars of the day on offense, the star of the team is shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL), and he followed up his breakout 2025 with a solid day at the top of San Jose’s lineup, as he hit 3-5 and stole a base, while striking out twice. It will be interesting to see how San Jose handles infield reps for Level and Lorenzo Meola (No. 23 CPL), last year’s 4th-round pick, who is a dynamic defensive player. In this game, Level played short while Meola (who hit 1-4 with a double and a sacrifice fly) handled second base, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they switch off assignments.
Jhonny Level with his first RBI of the year! Giants take a 2-0 lead in the 3rd. pic.twitter.com/gU4f0DNLBL
Level, who dominated the Complex League last year before holding his own for a month in San Jose, will be hoping to rid himself of that tandem by playing his way up to High-A Eugene by the summer, though a similar predicament will await him there, as last year’s 1st-round pick, Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) will be handling shortstop for the Emeralds. Good problems to have, especially since Level just turned 19 earlier this week.
Center fielder Andy Polanco, who was an 11th-round pick in 2024, also had an intriguing day, hitting 1-4 with a hit by pitch and stealing 2 bases, though he also had 2 strikeouts.
On the whole, the pitching wasn’t good, but only because the Giants used the bullpen. The game started brilliantly thanks to another debuting player who has been building a lot of buzz: RHP Cody Delvecchio, the organization’s 12th-round pick in July’s draft.
Delvecchio, a recently-turned 22-year old who played at UCLA, earned quite a bit of hype in his first pro camp, and even got into a Spring Training game, where he impressed with 2 strikeouts in a scoreless inning. Opening Day assignments are symbolic, even in the Minor Leagues, so it’s telling that Delvecchio got the nod on Day 1 in a rotation that also features RHPs Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL) and Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL). Don’t take that to mean that the Giants think Delvecchio is a better prospect than Martinez and Cayama, but it might mean that they think he’s their best pitcher right now (he’s a bit older than those two fast-rising prospects).
And Delvecchio certainly rewarded that decision with a dynamic game against the Ports, pitching 4 scoreless innings while allowing just 1 hit (a single), 1 walk, and 1 hit batter. The righty lived in the strike zone, with 42 of 64 pitches going for strikes, and he struck out 6 Stockton hitters. That’s a pretty phenomenal debut, and one that will have us excited to see what he does with his next start.
Cody Delvecchio with a strong professional debut, hurling four shutout innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while punching out six batters.
He lived at the top of the zone with his flat VAA heater, mixing in his cutter, slider, and changeup from time to time. pic.twitter.com/Au43QfOuJy
— Giant Prospective (@giantprospectiv) April 3, 2026
Unfortunately, the bullpen was awful through and through. LHP Ricardo Estrada and RHP Cooper McGrath (last year’s 18th-round pick, who was debuting) each walked 4 batters, with Estrada only recording 4 outs and McGrath only recording 1. RHPs Dylan Carter and Garrett Langrell (the final debuting player, and last year’s 16th-round pick) each gave up a trio of hits and a free pass (a walk for Carter; a hit batter for Langrell), with the former ceding 3 runs in 1.1 innings, and the latter 2 runs in as many innings. Better days ahead for all of them!
Sacramento: 5:35 p.m. PT at Salt Lake (SP: Carson Seymour) Richmond: 3:05 p.m. PT at Erie (SP: Greg Farone) Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Hillsboro (SP: Niko Mazza) San Jose: 7:05 p.m. PT at Stockton (SP: Jordan Gottesman)
Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 09: Will Warren #98 of the New York Yankees in action against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on September 09, 2025 in New York City. The Tigers defeated the Yankees 12-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a highly successful 5-1 road trip to open the season, the Yankees return home to Yankee Stadium for the first time in 177 days to open a three-game set with the Miami Marlins on a rare Friday matinee. The Marlins come into this one on a roll to start the season, taking advantage of hosting the Rockies and White Sox on their season-opening homestand to match the Yankees and Brewers’ league-best starts.
Will Warren will look to keep the rotation dominance going in his second start of the season after a solid opening effort in San Francisco. The 26-year-old threw some of the fastest pitches of his career in the first inning, but lost considerable velocity as the game went on and was removed after 4.1 innings of one-run ball. It’ll be interesting to see if the adrenaline has him throwing 97 to start again, or if he’ll look to maintain normal velocity throughout.
Eury Pérez gets the start for the Marlins after throwing seven strong innings against the Rockies last week. After missing all of 2024 and the start of 2025 with Tommy John recovery, he’s healthy to start 2026 and will be looking to power through this Yankee lineup. Pérez, who turns 23 later this month, doesn’t even have 200 MLB innings under his belt, but has the potential to be one of the game’s best pitchers.
Pérez leans heavily on his high-octane four-seamer, which has consistently sat at 98 mph even after elbow surgery. He utilizes five other pitches, but throws none of them more than 20 percent of the time. Look out for curveballs and changeups to lefties, sweepers and cutters to lefties, and sliders as his primary secondary pitch. The big weakness that has bedeviled Pérez is that, when hitters do make contact, it’s usually very loud and in the air, which makes for an interesting matchup against an offense like this at Yankee Stadium (compared to last August in the Marlins’ more spacious home).
It’s a usual lineup for the Yankees, featuring the same nine players that it has for four of the six games this season. They do mix up the bottom third, however, moving Austin Wells up to seventh and putting the struggling Ryan McMahon in the 9-hole.
Jakob Marsee—who had a spectacular debut series against the Yankees when Miami swept them after the 2025 Trade Deadline—leads off for the Fish, followed by Xavier Edwards and former Baby Bomber Agustin Ramírez. Liam Hicks, Otto Lopez, and Owen Caissie (acquired from the Cubs for starter Edward Cabrera) are all off to great starts this year and will be the heart of the order, as Connor Norby, Griffin Conine, and Graham Pauley bring up the rear. That’s five lefties and a switch-hitter against Warren, who needs to be better against lefties.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: John Gil #93 of the Atlanta Braves throws the ball to first base to retire George Lombard Jr. of the New York Yankees during the second inning of a Spring Breakout game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Today is the day where Columbus and Augusta get their seasons underway, meaning all four levels of the Atlanta Braves system are now underway. With that in mind I decided to make this guide for following where our Top 30 prospects, and honorable mentions, will open the season.
Below you will find the players in order of their rankings in the Battery Power Top 30 Braves prospects, followed by where they will open the season as well as the positions you can expect them to play. At the bottom you can find a guide on which prospects are a part of which team.
Cam Caminiti – A+ Rome, LH Starting Pitcher
JR Ritchie – AAA Gwinnett, RH Starting Pitcher
Didier Fuentes – AAA Gwinnett, RH Starting Pitcher. Note Fuentes also was a part of the Atlanta Opening Day roster, but was sent down to stretch out as a starter
Owen Murphy – AA Columbus, RH Starting Pitcher
Diego Tornes – Extended spring training. Tornes will likely open with the FCL club next month playing mostly center field.
Tate Southisene – A Augusta, SS/2B/3B/CF
Briggs McKenzie – Extended spring training. McKenzie will likely open as a starting pitcher with the FCL team when that season begins.
Luke Sinnard – Extended spring training. Sinnard wasn’t included on any of the rosters, meaning he will start in Florida. He will likely move to Columbus, or possibly Rome, once he is ready.
John Gil – A+ Rome, SS/3B/2B
Alex Lodise – A Augusta, SS/2B/3B
Jhancarlos Lara – AA Columbus, RH Reliever
Garrett Baumann – AA Columbus, RH Starting Pitcher
Luis Guanipa – A Augusta, CF/RF
Conor Essenburg, A Augusta, RF/LF/1B
Isaiah Drake – A+ Rome, CF/RF/LF
Cody Miller – A+ Rome, SS/2B/3B
Owen Carey – A+ Rome, CF/LF/RF
Blake Burkhalter – Extended spring training. Burkhalter will likely move to Gwinnett shortly after his return and pitch in relief.
Lucas Braun – AAA Gwinnett, RH Starting Pitcher
Herick Hernandez – AA Columbus, LH Starting Pitcher
Jose Perdomo – A Augusta, SS/3B/2B
Rayven Antonio – TBD. Antonio is on the roster for Augusta on the website, where he spent all of last year. However he wasn’t named in any of the roster tweets for the four affiliates.
Raudy Reyes – N/A. Reyes is out with Tommy John surgery according to his social media.
Eric Hartman – A+ Rome, CF/LF/2B
Ethan Bagwell – A Augusta, RH Starting Pitcher
Dixon Williams – A+ Rome, 2B/3B
Cade Kuehler – A+ Rome, RH Starting Pitcher
Hayden Harris – AAA Gwinnett, LH Reliever
Carter Holton – A Augusta, LH Starting Pitcher
Drue Hackenberg – AA Columbus, RH Starting Pitcher
Honorable Mentions
Jeremy Reyes – A+ Rome, RH Starting Pitcher
Brett Sears – AA Columbus, RH Starting Pitcher
Juan Mateo – A Augusta, SS/3B/2B. Will open on the injured list
David McCabe – AA Columbus, 1B/3B/DH
Landon Beidelschies – A Augusta, LH Starting Pitcher
By Team
Triple-A Gwinnett
2.JR Ritchie
3.Didier Fuentes
19.Lucas Braun
28.Hayden Harris
Other Prospects of Note: Rolddy Munoz, Jim Jarvis
Double-A Columbus
4.Owen Murphy
11.Jhancarlos Lara
12.Garrett Baumann
20.Herick Hernandez
30.Drue Hackenberg
HM.Brett Sears
HM.David McCabe
Other Prospects of Note: Elison Joseph, Ambioris Tavarez, Patrick Clohisy
High-A Rome
1.Cam Caminiti
9.John Gil
15.Isaiah Drake
16.Cody Miller
17.Owen Carey
24.Eric Hartman
26.Dixon Williams
27.Cade Kuehler
HM.Jeremy Reyes
Other Prospects of Note: Cedric De Grandpre, Ian Mejia, Logan Braunschweig
Low-A Augusta
6.Tate Southisene
10.Alex Lodise
13.Luis Guanipa
14.Conor Essenburg
21.Jose Perdomo
25.Ethan Bagwell
29.Carter Holton
HM.Juan Mateo (IL)
HM.Landon Beidelschies
Other Prospects of Note: Cristobal Abreu, Luis Arestigueta, Davis Polo, Zach Royse, Nick Montgomery, Junior Garcia
DENVER, CO - JULY 4: A detail of the purple row of seats as the Colorado Rockies participate in Major League Baseball Summer Workouts at Coors Field on July 4, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Home Opener, everyone!
The Rockies had a lot of turnover this offseason and we needed to get to know the new coaching staff. As it turns out, Purple Row also had some turnover with Mac Wilcox headed off to do other projects, but we’re also pleased to welcome Cory Cohen, Zeke Perez Jr., and James Riggenbach to the staff!
So in the spirit of introductions, we wanted to introduce ourselves to you — or reintroduce in some cases since we recognize (and appreciate!) that some of the Purple Row community have had a long-term commitment to the site.
And in addition, we’d like to invite you to introduce yourselves, too, by copying and pasting the questions below and answering them in the comments:
Name:
Location:
On Twitter or BlueSky, I am:
How I became a Rockies fan:
Favorite Current Rockies:
Favorite All-Time Rockie:
Favorite Non-Rockie:
Favorite Rockies Prospect:
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond:
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit:
Favorite Baseball Movie:
What was the best thing about your past year:
When Not Rowing, I:
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact:
Walkup Music:
Name: Sam Bradfield
Location: Phoenix, AZ
On Twitter or BlueSky, I am: @sammieb27.bsky.social
How I became a Rockies fan: Rocktober was during my freshman year of high school, so I became glued to every inning during that magical run! When I went off to college in Arizona a few years later, I took my love of the team with me (wearing Rockies gear is always a conversation starter). I took a few years off to watch other sports, and some life happened, but when I discovered the Arizona Fall League in 2016, it reignited my passion for baseball and the Rockies were the obvious choice to root for as my hometown team. And then I applied for Purple Row a year later and the rest, as they say, is history!
Favorite Current Rockie: I have a lot of guys I really like, but I think my favorite right now is Ryan Feltner. He’s been through a lot, and he and I always have good conversations about baseball and art.
Favorite All-Time Rockie: Troy Tulowitzki — he was my first favorite Rockie in the World Series run and I haven’t let go of that since. I’m so bummed that his career didn’t pan out the way folks thought it would.
Favorite Non-Rockie: Ryan McMahon — I know he’s a former Rockie, but he and I “debuted” right around the same time (him in Aug. 2017 and me in Dec. 2017) so he has a special place in my heart. He was the first Rockies prospect I started following after meeting him in the AFL, and was also my first Purple Row interview in 2018. If we’re talking about guys who never played on the team, I really like David Peralta. He always seemed like such a stand-up guy as well as a good baseball player, and I loved watching him play for the Diamondbacks.
Favorite Rockies Prospect: I’m really excited for Charlie Condon. I think he has a ton of potential to do some damage and be good in this league for a long time.
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Probably one of the corner outfield spots — I’m more of an introverted extrovert, so I’m happy to both be part of the action and also let others have their moments.
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: I’ve heard excellent things about PNC Park, so I’m excited to check it out!
Favorite Baseball Movie:A League of Their Own, hands down
What was the best thing about your past year: Moving back to the Phoenix area from LA — sure, I grew up in Colorado and still love the state, but Phoenix is really where I call home (plus I’m happy to be out of Dodgers country!).
When Not Rowing, I: Work as an Academic Advisor for first-year students studying English and Communications, and previously advised for students studying Theatre. In my free time, I hang out with my cat Simon, play piano in my living room, and love watching TV shows (I’m currently watching Shrinking, the Scrubs revival, The Americans and The Pitt) and the Phoenix Suns.
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: Usually writing for Purple Row is my “fun fact” but I guess in this case, I was a music major in college and never played a sport beyond eighth grade rec league volleyball. Most of my sports knowledge is self-taught because I was in marching band and wanted to know what was happening on the field/court.
Walkup Music: Ok, I’m going to be weird and say Test Drive from How to Train Your Dragon. I know it doesn’t have words or anything, but this score just pumps me up:
Mar 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals begin their first road series of the season as they take on the Detroit Tigers for their home opener in Comerica Park. According to MLB.com, Michael McGreevy will make his second start for the Cardinals after his epic effort against the Tampa Bay Rays where he held them hitless through 6 innings. Framber Valdez is expected to the Friday’s starter for the Tigers. Game time is set for 12:10pm. Note that Masyn Winn is in the lineup today after the car accident after Wednesday’s walk-off victory.
Apr 1, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Fans gather at the main entrance in a snow flurry before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians on Opening Day at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (2-4) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (4-2)
Time/Place: 1:10 p.m., Comerica Park SB Nation Site: Viva El Birdos Media: Detroit Sportsnet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (0-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. RHP Michael McGreevy (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
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