Apr 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher James McCann (8) throws a pitch in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
If you had told me before the series that James McCann would throw out runners in two of the three games, that would have told you all you needed to know about how it would go for the Diamondbacks.
Arizona’s starting pitching skid continued on Thursday, as the once red-hot Michael Soroka unraveled against Milwaukee’s pesky offense. Soroka allowed eight earned runs in just four innings, and the D-backs dropped the rubber game of the series, 13-1.
Soroka entered the day with a sparkling 2.60 ERA but left with it ballooned to 4.70. His velocity was down nearly a full tick, and his trademark slurve wasn’t generating the usual swing-and-miss. The clunker put the D-backs in a deep hole early — they trailed 6-0 by the third inning. If this team wants to remain competitive, the starting rotation is going to need to make an adjustment, and it has to happen quickly.
Offensively, Arizona couldn’t generate much of anything. Being down by six runs in the third inning is mentally daunting, and it showed. Hitters started pressing, trying to do too much instead of staying within themselves.
The lone bright spot was once again Ildemaro Vargas (sorry, not Bonds), who collected two hits and extended his hitting streak to 26 games dating back to last season. That ties him with Paul Goldschmidt for the second-longest streak in franchise history.
What stung the most in this series was how the D-backs got beat at their own game. When Arizona is at its best, it wins by applying constant pressure on offense, playing airtight defense, and getting solid pitching. Prior to Ryne Nelson’s blow-up start, the rotation had posted a collective 3.40 ERA, and the bullpen had looked better than expected. There were warning signs that the staff might have been slightly overperforming relative to the underlying metrics, but it’s safe to say no D-backs fan saw things unraveling this badly, this fast.
The Diamondbacks now head to Chicago to face the Cubs and their potent offense at the historic confines of Wrigley Field. Given how well Chicago’s lineup has been swinging the bats this season, this upcoming series could get ugly quickly if the starting pitching doesn’t figure things out in a hurry.
Smokies infielder Jefferson Rojas (2) misses the ball during a Knoxville Smokies game against the Trash Pandas at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on April 10, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Arizona Complex League starts on Saturday, so there’s some movement in anticipation of that. The Iowa Cubs also got some (probably) temporary reinforcements.
Right-hander Vince Velazquez has elected free agency.
Right-hander Jace Beck was promoted to Triple-A Iowa from Double-A Knoxville.
Outfielder Jeury Ramirez was promoted from the Dominican Summer League Cubs-Red to Iowa.
Outfielder Freiker Betencourt was promoted from DSL Cubs-Red to Iowa.
Right-hander Jubrayker Salaya moved from DSL Cubs-Red to Iowa.
Right-hander Ben Johnson was demoted to High-A South Bend from Knoxville.
Second baseman Darlyn De Leon was promoted to Low-A Myrtle Beach from the ACL Cubs.
Outfielder Derik Alcantara was sent down to Mesa from Myrtle Beach.
Please note that the Cubs did not fly those players out of the Dominican Republic and send them to Iowa. They were in Arizona to be activated for Saturday’s season opener for Mesa and the Cubs just sent them to Iowa to fill out their roster. Presumably they will soon be sent back down to Mesa. None of those DSL players played for Iowa tonight.
It wasn’t a bad start for Charlie Barnes, but he got the loss as Iowa couldn’t score. Barnes’ final line was three runs on just two hits over five innings. He did walk three and hit one batter while striking out four.
Luke Little, Ethan Roberts and Tyler Beede all threw one inning of relief without allowing a hit or a run. Roberts retired the side in order in the seventh, striking out one. He somehow took 23 pitches to get those three batters out. Fifteen were strikes.
The I-Cubs outhit the Saints 8 to 2, but were outscored 3 to 1. First baseman Jonathon Long singled home third baseman James Triantos in the eighth inning. Both players were 2 for 4.
Long’s RBI single was pretty much it for the highlights for Iowa.
Grant Kipp started game one and took the loss after he allowed one run in the first inning and two more in the second. Kipp’s final line was three runs on four hits over 1.2 innings. Kipp walked three and struck out two.
Knoxville only had two hits in game one. Center fielder Jordan Nwogu was 0 for 1 with two walks and he scored the only Smokies run of the game on an Owen Ayers sac fly in the sixth.
Shortstop Jefferson Rojas was 1 for 3 with a double.
Three pitchers combined on a two-hitter in game two. Starter Dawson Netz pitched four innings and allowed no runs and one hit. Netz struck out seven and walked just one.
Luis Rujano threw the next two innings and got the win because Netz only went four innings. Rujano gave up one run on hit—a double by the first batter he faced in the fifth. Rujano struck out one and walked no one.
Vince Reilly retired the side in order in the seventh. He struck out one.
Third baseman Jefferson Rojas was 2 for 5 with an RBI double.
First baseman Edgar Alvarez went 2 for 4 with one run scored.
Second baseman Ed Howard was 2 for 4 with an RBi single in the second inning. He also scored on the Rojas double.
Center fielder Jordan Nwogu was a perfect 1 for 1 with three walks. He was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for an RBI. Nwogu also scored one run.
Koen Moreno started and got the loss. Moreno surrendered four runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings. Moreno struck out five and walked on.
Leonel Espinoza came into the game when Reginald Preciado left the game after getting hit by a pitch. Espinoza went 2 for 2 with a double and a solo home run in the eighth. It was his second home run this year.
Edwardo Melendez started and went four innings, allowing just one unearned run on one hit. Melendez struck out four and walked just one.
The win went to Victor Zarraga because Melendez didn’t go five. Zarraga relieved Melendez and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits. Zarraga did walk three and struck out six.
Braylon Myers pitched the final 1.2 innings and got his first career save. Myers did not allow a run or a hit, but he did walk two while striking out three.
The Pelicans scored all four runs in the second inning.
Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy went 2 for 4 with a two-run double.
First baseman Michael Carico was 2 for 4 and scored one run.
Left fielder Eli Lovich was 2 for 4 and scored one run.
The night after reader holycow8498 pointed out that right fielder Josiah Hartshorn had a 21-game on-base streak to start his professional career, Hartshorn was 0 for 4, snapping the streak.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 30: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 30, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Twins finally found the solution to their bullpen: just score enough that they can’t ruin it. Byron Buxton did everything he could, and this time, the rest of the lineup was able to deliver the key hits they’ve been lacking these past two weeks.
It was a pitcher’s duel early, with both teams only getting two baserunners through the first three innings. I wouldn’t say either Bailey Ober or Toronto starter Kevin Gausman had their best stuff, but the vets were mixing pitches and keeping opposing batters off balance.
I’ll focus the rest of this recap on the lineup, who deserve their flowers, but I want to again give a shoutout to Ober who keeps finding ways to get things done. What he’s doing is completely unprecedented in the modern game, which makes me skeptical he can keep it up, but he keeps delivering solid start after solid start. His average fastball velocity of 88 MPH is the slowest in the game by a healthy margin. The average four seamer from a righty averages 95.1 MPH. His strikeouts are down, his walks are up, but by golly he just keeps posting quality starts. I’ll take whatever we can get at this point.
Despite Ober’s wizardry, Daulton Varsho and the Jays finally struck in the fourth inning with a solo shot off of Ober. But for the first time in weeks, the Twins were ready to respond.
Trevor Larnach got the Twins their first non-Buxton leadoff baserunner. And then future All-Star Ryan Jeffers took command of the game. Jeffers fought off a bunch of tough pitches and finally got a fastball down the heart of the plate on pitch number 8. He gave the Jays’ bullpen a little souvenir for their troubles. 2-1 Twins.
Since we all can see the future, we know the Twins technically didn’t need another run but given the state of literally every single reliever in the organization, no one watching was comfortable with a one run lead. Luckily, we have the aforementioned Buxton, who is quite good at bashing baseballs. Buck’s solo dong in the sixth inning was his eighth of the season, all of which have come in the past two weeks. Safe to say we’re in the midst of another patented Buxton hot streak. Austin Martin plated one more in the frame with a clutch, two-out single.
Just to really cover their bases, Buxton got one final rally going in the 8th. A Buck single and a throwing error (largely caused by Buck’s speed) put two on for Josh Bell, who was able to deliver a clutch, two-run single of his own. Walks to Austin Martin and Kody Clemens left them juiced for Luke Keaschall, who brought in one final insurance run on a sac fly. With a six run lead, the lineup decided that the bullpen could (probably) handle it from there.
Twins win!
STUDS
Byron Buxton: 3-4, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI
Ryan Jeffers: Go-ahead 2 run dong
Bailey Ober: 6 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K
The bullpen!: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB
DUDS
NO DUDS TWINS WIN!!!
Comment of the game goes to Zach for being the real winner tonight.
The Twins close out April at 14-18, but are just two games back of the AL Central. They are also one of just five teams in the American League with a positive run differential, alongside the Tigers, Yankees, Mariners, and Rangers. The bullpen makes it extraordinarily hard to believe, but the Twins are still very much in this race with the first full month of the season in the books.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit a tying double with two outs in the ninth inning, Alec Bohm delivered with his glove and bat in the 10th, and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-5 on Thursday night to sweep their split doubleheader.
Philadelphia trailed in the ninth inning of both games before rallying for two walk-off wins on the same day for the first time since July 24, 1998, a pair of 12-inning victories against the Florida Marlins.
Schwarber homered in the first inning of each game. Trea Turner launched a leadoff shot on Adrian Houser’s first pitch in the nightcap, and Schwarber followed with a 446-foot drive to right-center for his 11th homer this season.
Jung Hoo Lee put the Giants ahead 5-4 in the ninth with a two-out RBI single against José Alvarado, but pinch-hitter Brandon Marsh doubled off Keaton Winn to open the bottom half. Garrett Stubbs walked and Turner grounded into a double play before Schwarber, who was 4 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, doubled to right field on a full-count splitter.
San Francisco had runners at the corners with none out in the 10th when Game 1 winner Chase Shugart (2-0), the seventh pitcher used by the Phillies in a bullpen game, struck out Matt Chapman. Bohm then made a diving grab of Luis Arraez’s line drive to third base, and Casey Schmitt flied out.
In the bottom half, Bryson Stott’s sacrifice bunt moved automatic runner Adolis García from second to third. Bohm, batting .151 this year, won it with a sacrifice fly to center against Matt Gage (2-1).
After sweeping the three-game series, the Phillies (12-19) are 3-0 since interim manager Don Mattingly took over after Rob Thomson was fired Tuesday. Philadelphia won the doubleheader opener 3-2 when Stott’s tying triple keyed a two-run rally in the ninth.
Shugart became the first big league pitcher to win both games of a doubleheader since Minnesota’s Brian Duensing at the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 9, 2013. The previous Phillies pitcher to accomplish the feat was Terry Adams at Cincinnati on Sept. 21, 2002.
Arraez tied it 4-all with a two-run single in the seventh, following a 24-minute rain delay in the sixth.
Up next
Giants LHP Robbie Ray (2-3, 2.70 ERA) pitches Friday at Tampa Bay.
Philadelphia begins a four-game series in Miami, with RHP Zack Wheeler (0-1, 3.60) tentatively scheduled for Friday night.
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) showers infielder Alec Bohm (28) after the game against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Seven straight splitters to Kyle Schwarber before he ripped a two-out, game-tying double that eventually led to another Philly win in 10 innings — the first time an MLB team has walked-off twice in a doubleheader in 22 years.
April 30th was really really so close to being a pretty dang good day. Two ball games, two leads in the 9th. 19 innings packed with some promising Giants baseball that ultimately has to get dumped into the toilet bowl and flushed.
This was so close to being a joyous, insightful recap about a 5-4 win, rather than an incoherent rant about a 6-5 palm-to-the-face loss. I still want to salvage something from the wreckage. Anything, really. Look, see, the offense was kind-a doing their job. 5 total runs scored. They erased a two-run deficit twice to put themselves in position to win in the 9th inning. Luis Arraez and Jung Hoo Lee each came through with clutch 2-out RBIs. The line-up out-hit the Phillies 13 to 9 and walked 5 times. A Giants batter hit with a runner in scoring position in seven of 10 innings. Two sacrifice flies!
All silver linings that as I sit here at my desk really really tired after a day of teaching and an evening of watching gut-punching baseball and a later-evening of writing with another day of teaching looming in the morning, I realize are not silver linings at all — rather instruments of torture.
There is no sunshine behind clouds. All clouds do is piss rain, postpone games and delay the inevitable. Spring has sprung a leak. Two deficits erased, more like two blown leads, aided by free bases, conviction-less offerings, and 2-out RBIs handed-out by relievers. 18 baserunners, 15 at-bats with a runner in scoring position, and all the offense could manage was two run-scoring hits with two sacrifice flies. All those opportunities lost. Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, and Matt Chapman all struck out twice each. Heliot Ramos followed his 3-hit afternoon with a 4 K evening.
And not to harp on this — but seven splitters in a row? Did we learn nothing from Ryan Walker’s stubbornness? And why was Keaton Winn even pitching to Schwarber in the first place? Schwarber had hit two homers on the day, and San Francisco arms had yet to get him out in the game. Winn had already thrown 1.2 innings and gave up a lead-off double in the 9th. Lefty Matt Gage was up in the bullpen. Instead of going for the left-on-left match-up, manager Tony Vitello stayed put, and the Winn-Bailey battery waffled between wanting to pitch to the slugger or not. The first two pitches were nowhere near the zone, then his splitters started creeping into bashin’ range, keeping Schwarber at the plate — which was the last place the Giants wanted him to be. Would it have been better to put the winning run on base, and face Bryce Harper? Was the thinking that the splitter had the best chance of eliciting chase, or poor contact, or keeping a ball in play on the ground? But there’s a point where an off-speed isn’t off speed anymore, and by the last one Winn threw, Schwarber was well-timed to it, got down on one knee and golfed it into right.
And why didn’t Drew Gilbert score from second on Ramos’s single in the 10th?
The ball ricocheted off Bryson Stott’s glove and rolled into no man’s land in shallow center — Gilbert would’ve scored easily, but third base coach Hector Borg decided to hold him at third. Did Borg lose track of the ball? Did he throw the stop sign up too early? Add ‘em to the list of exasperating questions!
During the postgame wrap, Ron Wotus referred to this as “a broken play” in which the action goes awry and the normal functions of a play get thrown out the window. Though it was possible Borg didn’t see the ball, Wotus — who knows a thing or two about coaching third — figured he threw up the stop sign with an abundance of caution. He had to make a split-second decision. There were no outs, the 2-3-4 hitters were due up. Wonky things happen on wonky plays, why risk getting thrown out at home? Turns out the Giants didn’t have the luxury of those precautions. Chapman struck out on a sinker out over the plate, Luis Arraez lined out…and that was basically the game.
So maybe Borg’s stop sign made some baseball sense — it’s just this team that doesn’t make baseball sense.
With the offense being so hit-or-miss, hot-or-cold, nothing feels guaranteed. Playing it safe doesn’t work. Scrap that philosophy, load up at the buffet, grab what ya can carry off the sale rack, take the money and run. Runners at the corners and nobody out is just as much a crap shoot as two-out and runner on second. Luis Arraez can dump an 0-2 change-up into right, or he can slap a liner right into the outstretched glove of Alec Bohm. Or if it’s Willy Adames at the plate, he can strike out on three pitches or four.
But we should’ve known it was going to end this way. Omens of disappointment announced themselves from the very beginning.
Trea Turner and Schwarber were up front about what was in store for Giants fans with back-to-back homers in the 1st inning off Adrian Houser.
While I’m glad, deep down…somewhere, that the Giants made things a little more interesting, my Thursday evening would’ve certainly been much simpler if that early 2-0 score held. Houser would’ve been the story, and what I wrote before the late-inning meltdown would’ve been much more relevant.
I already had a headline too: “Burning Down the Houser.” Great stuff. This is what I wrote.
Adrian Houser is made of straw and sticks. He’s been structurally unsound up on the hill, blown down by the slightest huff and puff from an opposing offense. The mound is nothing more than shifting sand beneath his feet, ground impossible to put one’s faith in. Houser entered Thursday’s start with a 7.36 ERA over his first five starts of the 2026 season, with a -10 Pitching Run Value. He had given up at least 4 earned runs in all but his first start and was still looking for answers to his 11-hit, 8-run thrashing by the Marlins when he took the mound in Philadelphia. Tipping pitches? Sure, man, maybe…or based on the first pitch solo shot by Trea Turner, it’s less that he’s tipping, and more that he’s just throwing. Throwing the baseball has really just not worked for Houser this past month. It’s time to tear down, to restructure and rebuild — if that fact wasn’t clear beforehand, it became obvious after Kyle Schwarber chased Turner’s solo shot with an absolute tank to deep right center.
Two batters into the game, two runs already in. Burn it all down, and Houser did. Right in the middle of the diamond, he burst into flames, becoming engulfed in a cleansing fire, and was reduced to ashes. Like a phoenix, he reformed in front of our eyes. A new man with gritted teeth, and a hardened, Clint Eastwood visage of determination. Or something like that. Houser didn’t become Dirty Harry, but he started getting hitters out. Batters no longer felt lucky to face him. A front door sinker froze Bryce Harper at the top of the zone. Two groundouts stranded Justin Crawford in the 2nd after his one-out triple that missed another solo home run by a couple of feet. The next Phillies hit off Houser wouldn’t come until two outs in the 5th. After walks to Schwarber and Harper in the 3rd, he got Adolis Garcia to ground into an inning-ending double play, then made a nice recovery play after taking a comebacker off his hip as part of an 8-pitch 4th. He dropped a wicked 0-2 curveball on Garrett Stubbs for the second out in the 5th before Turner punched a single up the middle, chasing Houser from the hill, before coming around to score three batters later.
The 4.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR isn’t quite a .44 magnum of a pitching line, but considering how poorly Houser has pitched, and how poorly his afternoon started, those particular results are a decent step forward. He held the line long enough for the Giants offense to piece themselves back into the game. The third run earned was hardly his fault considering Turner essentially walked around the bases with Ryan Borucki on the hill.
At just 68 pitches, and it being Philadelphia’s first hit since the 2nd, it did seem like a quick trigger by Vitello. Then again, take a moment to think about it, and the decision was pretty understandable. Don’t be swayed by recency bias. Houser pitched well for three innings. Did we truly believe he had been rebuilt, or reborn? Did we want to see him face off against Schwarber for a third time if the homer in the first still hadn’t returned to earth? And with lefty specialist Ryan Borucki, why give Houser more rope to potentially trip himself on? The button was there, rosy red and flashing, and Vitello punched it. Many of us would have.
Having not pitched in six days, Borucki was well-rested and well-rusted. He was holding the baseball but didn’t seem to be in control against Philadelphia’s power lefties. With count leverage, Schwarber flipped a hustle double to left field. Harper then walked on four pitches to bring up the right-hander Adolis Garcia, who sawed a 3-2 slider into left for a 2-run single to regain the lead.
Soon after a passing spring shower relieved itself over south Philly postponing the game for half-an-hour. Some Giants fans may have preferred it if the grounds crew had just kept the tarp on the field and called the game then.
Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto (7) prepares for the at bat of Minnesota Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall (15) in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Blue Jays 1 Twins 7
That was awful in a lot of ways.
The offense was sad, just six hits, only one an extra base hit, Daulton Varsho’s fourth of the season. It was good to see, because he’s looked lost at the plate. George Springer had two singles. Vlad, Clement, and Valenzuela had one single each. And we had only three walks.
Kevin Gausman wasn’t the Kevin Gausman we’ve seen up until now this year. 5.2 innings, 4 earned, 2 home runs against, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. I don’t know if it was the cool weather, or that it was just his turn not to be great.
They made two errors in the eighth inning (when it was 4-1 and you could squint and say they still had a chance:
With a runner on first (Byron Buxton) and one out, Ryan Jeffers popped one up to the third base side of the mound. Vlad called it, he shouldn’t have. Being fair, it was likely on the first base side of the mound when he called it, but Kazuma should have called him off when he saw it was much closer to him. Anyway, Vlad stumbled on the mound and the ball fell. Okamoto picked it up and threw to second, where they could have got the force on Buxton, but rushed and threw wide. It ended up with runners on second and third.
Then Josh Bell singled and Davis Schneider threw it in, Andres Gimenez cut it off and threw it…..somewhere, well towards second but it went by Clements at second and two runs scored.
I guess the bullpen was pretty good:
Tommy Nancy got four outs, three strikeouts.
Mason Fluharty was the one the unlucky one to be on the mound when we forgot how to play defense. But he did give up two walks and two hits (one of them was that popup that I think I could have caught, but the one after that hit near the top of the wall in left. He only got one out.
Joe Mantiply got the last two outs.
No Jays of the Day.
Other Award: Gausman (-.17) and Jesus Sanchez (-.09) and lets give one to Vlad, Okamoto and Gimenez for their “defense”, though their offense was bad too.
Tomorrow we have game two. Hopefully the Jays will actually play. It is an 8:00 start time. Patrick Corbin (0-0, 3.72 ERA) starts for the Jays. Simeon Woods Richardson (0-4, 6.30) starts for the Twins.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 21: Chase Dollander #32 of the Colorado Rockies walks off the field in the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on April 21, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The time to close the opening chapter of 2026 is finally upon us.
It’s safe to say that April was much kinder to the Colorado Rockies this year than in the previous couple of seasons. Dating back to 2017, here’s how the Rockies’ record fared in April:
2017: 16-10
2018: 14-13
2019: 11-15
2021: 9-17
2022: 12-9 [Season started April 8 due to lockout]
2023: 7-20
2024: 6-19
2025: 4-22
As we can see, a 13-14 record is a staggering improvement over the previous three seasons in which the Rockies lost 100 or more games. If they can hover around this sort of result per month throughout the season, getting under 100 losses is well within reach. Either way, the Rockies are off to a much better start than in years past.
A major reason for that is that multiple players have come out of the gate strong, almost surprisingly so, while others have struggled to find their footing. As games progress into May, we’re likely to see some players start to cool off a little bit or start to heat up. Still, the performances of players like Chase Dollander and Tomoyuki Sugano on the pitching side of things, or Mickey Moniak and Troy Johnston on the offensive side, have made this a fun team to root for so far.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 23: Atlanta Braves groundsman Ed Mangan clad in a tuxedo hoses down the infield prior to the start of the Braves game 23 September against the Montreal Expos at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Mangan and his fellow grounds crew and stadium ushers wore tuxedos to commemorate the final regular season game to be held at Fulton County Stadium. The stadium will be torn down as the Braves move to the Olympic Stadium next year. AFP PHOTO Doug COLLIER (Photo credit should read DOUG COLLIER/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
During Thursday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, the Atlanta Braves shared the news that Ed Mangan, Vice President of Field Operations, was retiring after more than 35 years with the organization.
While the news might seem innocuous to those whose fandom of the Braves began after his tenure started in Atlanta, his immediate impact to the literal on-the-field product played a significant role in Atlanta resurgence in the early 1990s.
After more than 35 years of dedication to the game, the Atlanta Braves proudly celebrate the retirement of Vice President of Field Operations Ed Mangan. Since joining the organization in 1990, Ed has set the standard for excellence in field operations, playing a vital role in… pic.twitter.com/3t7AQ8l1zy
When John Schuerholtz joined the Atlanta Braves as General Manager in 1990, replacing Bobby Cox who shifted to the managerial role after leading a re-build of the organization’s farm system, one of Schuerholtz’s first moves was bringing in Mangan as groundskeeper from the Kansas City Royals to improve the playing surface at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
Prior to Mangan’s arrival, Atlanta’s home stadium was notorious for its poor playing condition – something made worse each August as it was also home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons until 1992.
To help the team’s young starting pitchers, Schuerholz brought in middle infielder Rafael Belliard, first baseman Sid Bream and third baseman Terry Pendelton to improve the team’s infield defense. But, it was Mangan’s ability to drastically improve the playing surface that helped him gain acclaim and notoriety as the Braves road their worst-to-first 1991 season all the way to Game 7 of the World Series.
The Atlanta Braves proudly honor Vice President of Field Operations Ed Mangan on his retirement after 35 years of dedicated service.
Since joining the organization in 1990, Ed has set the standard for excellence in field operations, contributing to countless games, unforgettable… pic.twitter.com/3eOaw4P4qV
Since Mangan took over duties caring for the Braves home field, the team has call three different stadiums home, including Atlanta’s current home of Truist Park. Although there were a few times when the team had a few minor challenging stadium field conditions – early 2016 being one example – the Braves benefited from having one of the better playing surfaces in baseball for most of the last four decades.
Mangan’s career also including working dozens of Super Bowls in addition to his duties with the Braves.
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
A bullpen game. A rain delay. A rainbow stretching over the ballpark, and two walk-offs in the same day. This was a weird one, and ultimately a happy one. All is well that ends well, and, like today’s first affair, this ended well.
Tim Mayza got the ball first for the Phillies, walking one, but putting the other three Giants away. Adrian Houser, starting for San Francisco, would have a bit of a rockier start. The first pitch he threw, a sinker to Trea Turner, ended up in the middle of the plate, and then over the fence. His next three pitches, offered to Kyle Schwarber, fared a bit better, in that they did not join their fallen brethren in the Valhalla of the cheap seats. But the one after— a slider that caught too much of the plate— ended up over the fence, too.
Nolan Hoffman took over for Mayza in the top of the third, quickly accruing two outs, then loading the bases on a pair of singles and a walk. He slipped past the danger by inducing a fly out.
Alec Bohm had a rough frame in the top of the fourth, though not through error or carelessness; just the bad fortune to be where a pair of Giants were, despite their team’s name, playing small ball. Eric Haase singled on a ball that pulled Bohm just far enough that a play couldn’t be made in time, and Logan Gilbert hit a chopper that a charging Bohm couldn’t pull in, putting runners at the corners. The San Franciscans plated their first run on a Heliot Ramos sacrifice fly. One inning later, now facing Jonathan Bowlan, they plated their second, also via sac fly, set up by a Casey Schmitt triple that bounced off the wall and got away from Justin Crawford. A mighty throw from Schwarber almost put Schmitt out; the sort of play that impresses, even as it exists only in the memory and not the box score.
The Phillies chased Houser in the bottom of the fifth, as Turner singled with two outs. His replacement, Ryan Borucki, then had the unenviable task of facing Schwarber and Bryce Harper with a runner on. The former doubled, the latter walked, and the bases were loaded for Adolis García. He worked a 3-1 count, then made the mistake of failing to challenge a miscalled pitch that would’ve been the fourth ball. But some mistakes work out: because he didn’t take the free pass, he remained at the plate to smack a slider to left, scoring two.
But the ABS gods, insulted by García’s refusal of their kind offering, wept, their tears taking the form of a chill rain drenching the Bank. Bowlan, struggling to control the wet ball, walked Jung Hoo Lee to open the sixth on five pitches; a rain delay ensued soon after. After the rain dried up, a rainbow appeared over Philadelphia. Those who kept their eyes on the skies were treated to a much happier sight than those who kept their eyes on the field. Trevor Richards took over after the break, getting two outs but also loading the bases via double and walk. That brought Luis Arraez to the plate. He is not precisely who you hope to see when a single base hit separates you from a lost lead. Arraez did what he does, singling to right to tie the game.
Richards did not break under the pressure, staying in the game and pitching a 1-2-3 seventh. He allowed a one-out single to Drew Gilbert in the eighth, and was replaced with Brad Keller, who ensured that Gilbert remained exactly where he was. García worked a walk to open the Phillies’ half of the eighth, and was advanced to second by a sacrifice bunt from Bryson Stott, then to third by a little chopper from Bohm. He was stranded there when Justin Crawford flew out to left.
Keller returned for the ninth, starting things off with the rare achievement of striking out Arraez. He plunked Schmitt with a pitch, and was pulled for José Alvarado. Alvarado gave up a single to Rafael Devers, putting runners on the corners. He struck out Willy Adames, but gave up a single up the middle to Jung Hoo Lee, giving the Giants the lead. A walk issued to Patrick Bailey loaded the bases, but Alvarado exited the frame without further damage.
The Phillies thus entered the bottom of the ninth hoping to get their second walk-off of the day. Brandon Marsh was called in as a pinch hitter and made Mattingly’s move pay off, smacking a fastball to center-left for a leadoff double. Garrett Stubbs joined him on the basepaths via the free pass. The good start turned sour quickly as Turner grounded into a double play, putting Marsh 90 feet from tying the game and the Phillies one out away from losing it. The Giants could’ve granted Schwarber an intentional walk; they decided to test him. He decided to double to right and tie it. The San Franciscans, thus suitably chastened, quietly granted Harper first base, then let García take his turn. He took a ball deep, and as it sailed through the Philadelphia night it seemed every bit as beautiful as the rainbow that traced the same arc just hours earlier. But the rainbow ended in a Giant glove (regulation-sized) , and we went to extras.
Chase Shugart took to the mound, allowing a leadoff single that glanced off Stott and into center. He struck out Matt Chapman, then allowed a hard liner to Luis Arraez. But a perfect dive from Bohm turned the would-be go ahead single into an out, and a flyout kept the game tied, as the Phillies once more hoped to go two for two on walk-offs.
Matt Gage was tasked with stifling those hopes. Stott bunted García to third, and Bohm stepped into the box as the would-be hero. Few children play-act a walk-off sacrifice fly in their backyards. But adults can take joy in a job well done, even when it’s a humble one. Bohm hit the ball to center, not deep, but deep enough to send García, and all the fans, home.
The Phillies are 12-19. They return to action tomorrow against the Marlins in Miami.
Scott's first big league start since Tommy John surgery did not go well, with the 26-year-old right-hander lasting just 1.1 innings due to a lack of command.
During his outing, Scott gave up one run while issuing five walks and hitting one batter, but didn't allow a hit.
He was sent down to Triple-A Syracuse the day after the start, but the Mets were able to call him back up without having him spend the required 10 days in the minors since he replaced an injured player (Kodai Senga). With Senga on the IL and David Peterson's future in the rotation up in the air, the expectation is that Scott will get a serious look.
Scott's stuff looked great in spring training, and he walked only two batters in 13.2 innings for Syracuse before being promoted the first time. So it is fair to believe his bout of wildness during his first start had more to do with nerves than anything.
He'll get his second shot in Friday's series-opener.
Bounce back is in quotations above because McLean allowed just two runs (one earned) in five innings during his start against the Rockies last week.
It wasn't the results that were different, though, but the way McLean looked in the fourth inning after cruising.
McLean retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced, including six via the strikeout. But in the fourth inning, he was jumped, giving up back-to-back hard-hit singles and a walk to load the bases with none out, and then surrendering a run-scoring single. He escaped the jam with a strikeout and double play, but it was the kind of inning McLean hadn't had all season.
In his fifth and final inning, McLean retired the side in order.
Overall this season, McLean has been dominant, with a 2.55 ERA (2.24 FIP) and 0.849 WHIP to go along with 45 strikeouts in 35.1 innings -- a strikeout rate of 11.5 per nine.
Soto has reached base 17 times in 34 plate appearances since returning from the IL.
In his first at-bat against the Nationals on Thursday afternoon, Soto was robbed of a home run by James Wood, who leapt and snatched a ball that would've otherwise cleared the wall easily. Soto ripped a single his second time up. In his third plate appearance, Soto was pitched around and walked. His fourth time up, Soto smoked a ball off the center field wall for a double.
Mar 31, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) hits a single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. / Jeff Curry - Imagn Images
It will be interesting to see how the Angels pitch to Soto since Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. are all on the IL, while the rest of the Mets' lineup has struggled.
If they give him pitches to hit, he'll probably punish them. If not, he'll take his walks and it'll be left to the rest of the lineup to come through.
The rejuvenated Mike Trout
After being limited to just 111 combined games in 2023 and 2024 due to injury, Trout was able to play 130 games in 2025. And he was solid, posting a .797 OPS and popping 26 homers.
So far this season, he looks like vintage Mike Trout.
Trout carried a .999 OPS and 10 homers into play on Thursday. Meanwhile, he was leading the AL with 29 runs scored and leading all of baseball in walks (32).
The Angels' offense as a whole has been fearsome, with just six teams having scored more than their 150 runs entering play on Thursday.
Mets will avoid Jose Soriano
Soriano has been the best pitcher in baseball this season, posting video game numbers in 42.2 innings over his first seven starts.
He is leading the league with a 0.84 ERA and has a ridiculous 509 ERA+. Soriano has allowed just 24 hits and struck out 49.
So the Mets are lucky they won't have to face him during this series.
Against New York, the Angels will send out Walbert Urena (4.76 ERA, 2.21 WHIP), Reid Detmers (4.28 ERA, 1.10 WHIP), and Jack Kochanowicz (3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP).
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Juan Soto
Soto has been locked in since returning.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Nolan McLean
This will be the first look the Angels get at McLean.
Which Angels player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Oswald Peraza
Peraza is off to a strong start, looking to cement himself as an everyday player after being acquired from the Yankees
Mets prospect A.J. Ewing continued his hot start to his Triple-A career with a pair of multi-hit games during Thursday's doubleheader.
In Syracuse's first game against the IronPigs, Ewing went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. He stole his first bag with Syracuse and made a pair of impressive defensive plays in the outfield.
Ewing's hot hitting continued in Game 2 as he added two more hits to his ledger and finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Since getting the promotion to Triple-A, Ewing's hot bat has carried over. He's now 7-for-12 (.583) in his first three games with the Syracuse Mets. If you combine his Double-A numbers, Ewing has been one of the Mets' best hitters in the minors.
In 21 games this season between the two levels, Ewing is slashing .387/.500/.613 with an OPS of 1.113 to go along with two home runs, seven doubles, nine RBI and 13 stolen bases.
A.J. Ewing is 2-for-2 to start game one of the doubleheader
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 26: Ildemaro Vargas #6 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning of the MLB Mexico City Series game between San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú on April 26, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
April results
Ah, the joy of Opening Day, hope springing eternal and all that. Except, this poll came after the first series against Los Angeles was already in the books, and that acted as a stiff reality check. For the Diamondbacks were swept in the three-game series. There were positives: two of the games were lost by a single run, and had things gone just a little differently, Arizona could have come out of there with a series win. But hypothetical and moral wins are for suckers, so 0-3 it was. They then turned around and swept the Tigers in turn, another team with credible playoff aspirations. So did all that impact fan confidence from the mark at the beginning of spring training?
It may be a case of “What have you done for me lately?” to quote the great philosopher Janet Jackson. I suspect the results would not have been quite as good had they come after the Dodgers sweep, rather than after the Tigers one. The biggest change, in both literal and relative terms, came in the ‘8’ category, which tripled from five percent in March, to fifteen percent in April. ‘7’ also kicked up a bit, with the 5-6 range fueling most of the positive sentiment above them. All told, confidence improved by just over one-quarter of a point, increasing from 6.12 to 6.39 at the start of April.
Below, you can see the breakdown for the past 12 polls’ results, followed by the line graph showing the trends over this and previous seasons.
May poll
April is in the books. The D-backs made it through with a 16-14 record. I think we’d all have settled for that at the beginning of the month. But while impressive on the surface, there are obvious issues – notably a pitching staff, who end April with a collective ERA north of five (5.09 if my math is correct), and ranked 28th in the majors. That’s the highest figure through 30 games since the hell which was 2020. Of course, there are positives as well. The amazing performance of Ildemaro Vargas, the unexpected rookie production from Jose Fernandez and veteran Nolan Arenado, and Corbin Carroll continuing to be Corbin Carroll. But what is your overall take on the team as we enter May?
That’s what the poll below would be for. You can explain your decision in the comments, especially if your vote has changed from last time. Link for mobile.
While the rest of his teammates got the day off after a nine-game, three-city road trip, Jasson Domínguez spent Thursday getting a CT scan on his left elbow.
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As the Yankees awaited the results for a more definitive diagnosis after Domínguez was hit by a pitch in Wednesday’s loss to the Rangers and X-rays were “inconclusive,” they were forced to consider how they might fill the void if the young DH/outfielder has to miss time.
In the short term, they could activate Anthony Volpe from the injured list Friday to take Domínguez’s roster spot (as opposed to Max Schuemann if Domínguez does not need the IL).
But that would still leave an opening at designated hitter as long as Giancarlo Stanton remains on the injured list with a low-grade right calf strain.
Jasson Domínguez reacts after getting hit by a pitch during the Yankees’ April 29 game. AP
The most likely scenario would involve Aaron Boone rotating Aaron Judge, Ben Rice or even Amed Rosario at DH, with Rice moving there against left-handers, allowing Paul Goldschmidt to start at first base.
If Judge slots in at DH, the Yankees could occasionally use José Caballero in a corner outfield spot.
The move that would send a buzz through the fanbase is calling up Spencer Jones, though that would only seem likely to happen if the Yankees found out that both Domínguez and Stanton were going to miss significant time.
Jones, added to the 40-man roster over the offseason, began Thursday batting .242 with a .902 OPS, seven home runs and 37 strikeouts in 110 plate appearances with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
Aaron Boone reacts during the Yankees’ loss to the Rangers on April 29, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. Imagn Images
That 33.6 percent strikeout rate was down slightly from the last two years, but still not ideal.
Stanton, meanwhile, was hoping to get a better gauge for how long he might miss once he started moving around more during this upcoming homestand.
Carlos Rodón was scheduled to make a second rehab start Thursday night with Double-A Somerset, where he was expected to build his pitch count into the 70s.
He ended up allowing just one run in 5⅓ innings on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts in 75 pitches (51 strikes).
The left-hander, coming back from October surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow and shave down a bone spur, will likely need at least one more rehab start after Thursday before he could rejoin the Yankees.
That should give Elmer Rodríguez a chance to make one or two more starts in the big leagues following his mixed-bag debut Wednesday against the Rangers.
Carlos Rodon made his second rehab start, this time with Somerset, on Thursday night and was dominant.
The Yankees southpaw struck out four batters in his first two innings, including the side in the second. Portland's Nelly Taylor ambushed Rodon to lead off the third, lining a single to right field. Rodon bounced back, getting the next three batters out in order with his fifth strikeout included.
Portland would get a one-out hit off of Rodon in the fourth, and that runner would reach second on a passed ball. But Rodon left them stranded, and pushing his scoreless innings to four. But that wouldn't last long, as Miguel Bleis homered to lead off the fifth and end Rodon's shutout. Rodon shrugged it off to get through the inning, but seemingly ran out of gas in the sixth. After three straight balls, Franklin Arias lined a single to lead off the sixth. Marvin Alcantara followed with a single. Rodon got Nate Baez to fly out before he was replaced after 75 pitches (51 strikes). The runners he left did not score, putting an end to Rodon's night.
Rodon allowed one run on five hits while striking out eight batters across 5.1 innings.
Rodon is close to returning to the Yankees rotation after two successful rehab starts. However, manager Aaron Boone is pumping the brakes on any thought Rodon could make a start with the big league club as early as May 5.
The Yankees will take their time with Rodon since they have enough depth to withstand it, and will hope to continue to build their southpaw up.
Rodon threw 65 pitches (43 strikes), allowed one hit while striking out four in 4.1 scoreless innings in his first rehab start with High-A Hudson Valley last Friday.
New York was hoping to stretch Rodon out to around 75 and they got their wish. It's likely Rodon will have at least one more rehab appearance, but the Yankees will see how Rodon feels coming off this start before determining next steps.
Carlos Rodon pitched into the sixth inning and struck out 8️⃣ batters in his second MLB rehab start.
Apr 11, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop Nasim Nunez (26) scores from first base against the Milwaukee Brewers in the ninth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are back on the road, as they’ll face their first repeat opponent of the season in the Washington Nationals. Three weekends ago, the Brewers were swept by the Nationals at home, as they stretched their losing streak to five after being outscored 18-10 over the three-game set. They’ll look to avoid a repeat of that series this weekend in Washington, D.C.
Since that sweep a few weeks ago, the Brewers have gone 8-7, with series wins over the Blue Jays, Marlins, and D-backs but series losses to the Tigers and Pirates. They sit at 16-14 on the season. On the other side, Washington has gone 8-9, with series wins over the White Sox and Mets, series losses to the Braves and Giants, and a four-game split with the Pirates. They sit at 15-17 on the season.
Since that last series, the Brewers have lost a few more key players to injury. Christian Yelich went down in the series finale against Washington, and he’s still shelved with a groin strain. Pitchers Angel Zerpa and Brandon Woodruff both went down this week, as Zerpa is reportedly expected to miss a big chunk of time with forearm tightness, and Woodruff exited his start early with diminished velocity — it’s unknown at this time if there’s an injury, but regardless, there’s cause for concern. Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn are both on rehab assignments with Triple-A Nashville, and the Brewers expect them to return to the team on Monday in St. Louis. Quinn Priester, Rob Zastryzny, and Jared Koenig are also out, with Priester the closest to returning as he’s also on a rehab assignment.
Washington’s IL is filled with pitchers, as they’re without Clayton Beeter, Josiah Gray, DJ Herz, Cole Henry, Trevor Williams, Ken Waldichuk, Travis Sykora, and Jarlin Susana. All of those players are out for extended periods, with Beeter likely the first one back. He went on the IL earlier this week as he deals with forearm soreness, but MRI results revealed no structural damage, and the team expects a mid- to late-May return.
While the Brewers still haven’t found a true power stroke over the last couple of weeks, the team found a way to score 13 runs on both Tuesday and Thursday in wins over Arizona. Brice Turang leads the offense with a .291/.422/.505 line, with four homers, eight doubles, 20 RBIs, 26 runs, and seven steals. Gary Sánchez, Jake Bauers, William Contreras, Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, and the recently recalled Tyler Black have also been key contributors of late. David Hamilton and Luis Rengifo have both shown flashes of potential in the last week, and Greg Jones, Brandon Lockridge, Joey Ortiz, and Blake Perkins round out the active roster. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .241/.338/.364 (.702 OPS ranks 20th), with 22 homers (28th), 160 runs (sixth), and 36 steals (tied for first).
The young Nationals lineup is paced by CJ Abrams and James Wood. Wood leads the team with 10 homers and seven doubles this year, while Abrams leads in most other categories, as he’s hitting .296/.405/.556 with eight homers, four doubles, 26 RBIs, 16 runs, and five steals. Brady House, Keibert Ruiz, Curtis Mead, Daylen Lile, Jacob Young, Luis García, and Nasim Nuñez round out the regulars for Washington, with Joey Wiemer, Jorbit Vivas, José Tena, and Drew Millas providing depth. Of note: Wiemer is still hitting .327/.413/.582 over 23 games, partially maintaining his numbers after that red-hot start. As a team, the Nats are hitting .243/.325/.393 (.718 OPS ranks 12th), with 37 homers (tied for 10th), 175 runs (second), and 32 steals (tied for fourth).
For Milwaukee, Aaron Ashby, Grant Anderson, Abner Uribe, DL Hall, and Trevor Megill are part of the “winning” bullpen, with Anderson leading the team in appearances and Ashby and Hall leading in ERA. Ashby also leads the bullpen with 30 strikeouts, which ranks tied for second on the team (along with Kyle Harrison) behind only Jacob Misiorowski. After the Zerpa injury, the rest of the Brewer bullpen features Jake Woodford and youngsters Shane Drohan and Brian Fitzpatrick (who I just learned I share a birthday with). As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.74 team ERA (sixth), including a 3.70 starter ERA (seventh) and a 3.78 bullpen ERA (10th). They’ve struck out 281 batters (tied for seventh) over 267 1/3 innings.
PJ Poulin leads the Nationals with 16 appearances this season, though that includes four “starts,” as he has a 4.11 ERA over 15 1/3 innings. Washington doesn’t have a conventional closer, as Gus Varland leads the team with three saves, but Beeter has a pair of saves, and Paxton Schultz and Orlando Ribalta also have a save apiece. Longtime Oriole Cionel Pérez has struggled with the Nats, pitching to a 7.07 ERA over 14 innings. Brad Lord, Schultz, and Richard Lovelady have been solid, but Mitchell Parker (4.76 ERA) and Andre Granillo (8.53 ERA) have struggled. As a staff, the Nationals have a 5.08 team ERA (29th), including a 5.33 starter ERA (28th) and a 4.90 bullpen ERA (23rd). They’ve struck out 249 batters (tied for 21st) over 289 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, May 1 @ 5:45 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (1-2, 3.31 ERA, 3.24 FIP) vs. RHP Jake Irvin (1-3, 4.85 ERA, 4.10 FIP)
Misiorowski has now made six starts this season, and he still has a mixed bag. He leads the NL with 51 strikeouts over his 32 2/3 innings, but he’s also walked 13 and leads the majors with five hit batters. He looked pretty good but not great last Saturday against the Pirates, as he allowed three runs on six hits, a walk, and two hit batters over six innings, striking out nine in a no-decision as the Brewers would ultimately lose in extras. This will mark Miz’s first career appearance against Washington.
In his fourth season with the Nationals, Irvin, 29, still hasn’t found much major league success. After leading the NL in losses in 2024, he led the majors in earned runs and homers allowed last season, turning in -0.4 bWAR over 33 starts. He’s been a bit better this season, with a 4.85 ERA and 4.10 FIP over 29 2/3 innings, allowing just four homers while striking out 34. Irvin’s last appearance came over the weekend, when he went 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the White Sox, striking out nine as he allowed just four hits and a hit batter. Now a familiar opponent for the Brewers, Irvin went five innings with three runs allowed and five strikeouts against Milwaukee on April 10. In seven career starts against Milwaukee, he’s 0-5 with a 6.42 ERA and 27 strikeouts over 33 2/3 innings.
Saturday, May 2 @ 3:05 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (2-1, 2.28 ERA, 3.08 FIP) vs. LHP Foster Griffin (3-0, 2.67 ERA, 4.34 FIP)
Harrison, who looked shaky in Detroit last week, bounced back last weekend in his best start as a Brewer and maybe the best start of his MLB career. Over six scoreless innings, he allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out 12, lowering his ERA to 2.28 through five starts. Harrison started against the Nationals back on April 11, taking the loss after being hit in the knee by a throw to first on the game’s first play. He went 4 1/3 innings in that one, allowing two runs and striking out one. For his career, he’s 0-2 with a 4.26 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 19 innings against the Nats.
Griffin, 30, is in his first season back in the majors after spending the last three years in Japan. He’s quietly found success with Washington this year, with a 2.67 ERA, 4.34 FIP, and 30 strikeouts over 33 2/3 innings pitched across six starts. Griffin’s last outing was also a good one, as he went seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against the White Sox, allowing just two hits, two walks, and a hit batter. The former first-round pick made his first and only appearance against the Brewers back on April 11, when he went 5 1/3 scoreless innings with one strikeout in a winning performance.
Sunday, May 3 @ 12:35 p.m.: RHP Chad Patrick (2-1, 2.57 ERA, 4.30 FIP) vs. RHP Zack Littell (0-4, 7.85 ERA, 9.05 FIP)
Patrick has become a consistent piece of Milwaukee’s rotation over the last season-plus, as he’s made six appearances (four starts) this season, with a 2.57 ERA and 4.30 FIP over 28 innings. While he’s only struck out 16 and allowed 22 hits and 13 walks, he’s done a pretty solid job keeping opposing teams off the scoreboard. He picked up the win (while reportedly dealing with vomiting and some vision issues) against Arizona earlier this week in a blowout, as he went five innings, allowing two runs on one hit and five walks with a season-high five strikeouts. Patrick took the bulk role in Milwaukee’s April 10 game against Washington, pitching three innings in relief after Ashby opened the game. He went three scoreless, allowing just three hits and a walk with no strikeouts. That was his first and only appearance against the Nats.
Littell, who has become a dependable major league starter over the last few seasons with the Rays and Reds, has not had a great start with the Nationals. Through six appearances (five starts), he has a 7.85 ERA, 9.05 FIP, and just 16 strikeouts over 28 2/3 innings. He also leads the league in homers allowed at 13. His last appearance came on Tuesday against the Mets, when he got beat up for eight runs (just four earned) on five hits (two homers) and three walks, striking out one over 3 2/3 innings in his third consecutive loss. In those three appearances, he’s allowed eight runs in each (24 runs total, 18 earned), pushing his ERA from 4.20 to near 8.00. He pitched five solid innings against Milwaukee in their series finale on April 12, allowing three runs on six hits (three homers), striking out three over five frames. For his career, he’s 0-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 21 strikeouts across 30 2/3 innings against the Brewers.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, May 1: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, May 2: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, May 3: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
Last time the Brewers faced the Nats, I predicted a series win because “the Brewers… have the advantage in just about every facet.” Instead, Milwaukee was swept as they struggled throughout the weekend. I’ll double down on my original prediction, though, and pick the Brewers to win two of three this time around.
