MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 29: Michael Massey #19 of the Kansas City Royals commits a fielding error on a ball hit by Carlos Correa #4 of the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning at Target Field on April 29, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Royals defeated the Twins 3-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The week ended how it began, with a Kansas City loss. That is also how the entire middle went. Kansas City’s losing streak has extended to seven games and they will go home after an 0-6 road trip.
Cole Ragans’ first inning started BB, HR, BB, K, BB, BB and he still managed to get out of there with only 3 runs given up. That should make it seem like the Royals had a chance, but that 3 run lead felt insurmountable and then progressively got worse. Ben Rice, who cannot make outs, hit another home run in the second inning. Trent Grisham added the third homer in the 5th, a 3-run shot. On the day, Ragans walked 8, to set a new career high. He was charged with 7 earned runs and left his last walk on base for Mason Black to deal with. Black did get out of the inning, but by then it was pretty much over.
Ryan Weathers, on the other hand, dominated Royals hitters. Bobby singled in the first and then they waited all the way to 6th for their second hit when Elias Diaz singled to right. He was then thrown out at home on a Bobby Witt double a few batters later. Weathers ended up going 7 1/3 innings of shutout ball with 8 Ks. The team threatened to score again in the 8th to no avail. The Yankee bullpen held on to the shutout.
Mason Black had his first appearance for the Royals and it went well. No runs over 1 2/3 innings. He did allow 3 hits and a walk though, so the underlying metrics were not great. Both he and Diaz debuting with some success, are about the only bright spots on the day if you throw Bobby in there with them. This was not the least interesting baseball game I have ever watched, but it was a slog for sure.
The team will head back to Kauffman tied with the Mets for the worst record in baseball. Baltimore and the Angels will be in Kansas City for the coming week.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 19: (L-R) Mickey Moniak #22, Troy Johnston #20 and Brenton Doyle #9 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate after Johnston made a diving catch to end the game and secure the 9-6 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on April 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What losing to the Colorado Rockies does to a team.
The Colorado Rockies earned their eighth win of the season last night with a close and hard fought victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers—a feat they didn’t accomplish until August last season.
The Rockies tied their number of 2025 victories against the Dodgers with a strong win on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, earning at minimum a series split and setting them up for a potential series win tomorrow night. It was also the first time in four years the Rockies have notched back-to-back-victories against the Dodgers.
Making things even worse for Los Angeles? Just a few blocks away at Ball Arena, the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Los Angeles Kings in the first game of their Stanley Cup Playoffs.
A solid bounce back for Lorenzen
Veteran righty Michael Lorenzen has had an up-and-down season so far. His last time out he gave up seven runs—though only two were earned—in just 2.2 innings. The Rockies’ biggest name of the off-season needed a bounce back, but that was a potentially tall order against a strong Dodgers lineup.
But Lorenzen delivered.
While he gave up a decent amount of contact with seven hits, he also pounded the strike zone. He gave up just one walk, the fewest since his Rockies debut back at the start of the season. Lorenzen ultimately gave up three earned runs over five innings of work and struck out three batters to set the stage for an unlikely Rockies victory.
Senzatela leads a mostly solid effort from the bullpen
It took six appearances and 12.2 innings for Antonio Senzatela to give up his first earned run of the season. The former starter’s efforts are a stark contrast to his brutal struggles last season. Three singles in the top of the sixth inning plated a run with two outs, but he was able to secure the final out thanks to a good catch deep in left field by Mickey Moniak. After a breather in between innings, Senzatela set down the side in order in the top of the seventh.
Jimmy Herget also struggled somewhat in his inning of work, though without any damage. Herget gave up two singles in the top of the eighth, but navigated a scoreless frame with a strikeout.
Where things got hairy for the pitching staff was in the top of the ninth. The Rockies had plenty of cushion to work with as Victor Vodnik—who earned the save last night—had started warming up with just a two run lead and entered the game with five.
Vodnik struggled to locate his pitches. He gave up a lead-off double to Shohei Ohtani, who advanced on a wild pitch and eventually scored via a Will Smith single. Another single and a walk had the bases loaded with just one out. Rushing cast a sharp grounder to Willi Castro at second base, but Castro was unable to cleanly come up with the ball for what would have been a game-ending double play—only getting the out at first base—and another run scored.
With runners in scoring position, 28-year-old rookie debutant Ryan Ward made contact and sent the ball to right field. Thankfully, a diving catch by Troy Johnston secured the final out and the Rockies’ victory.
After barely squeaking out a win 4-3 last night, the Rockies hauled in plenty of runs on their lines this afternoon. The Rockies scored nine runs on a whopping 15 hits against Dodgers pitching. They drove starter Roki Sasaki from the game after 4.2 innings, drove relievers Blake Treinen and Edwin Díaz from the game with neither recording a single out, and overall made the Dodgers use six different bullpen arms with a game left to play tomorrow and their next day off not coming until April 30th.
Edouard Julien, the pride of Québec City, broke out of a short slump and went 3-for-5 this afternoon. He scored once himself but more importantly drove in three runs on a bases loaded single in the eighth inning to bust the game wide open and give the Rockies plenty of cushion — cushion the bullpen ended up needing.
Kyle Karros, Moniak, and Johnston all had two hits off of Dodgers pitching. Karros hit his first home run of the season in a 2-for-3 afternoon with a walk. Moniak had an impactful hit in the seventh inning by launching his team-leading sixth home run for two runs to put the Rockies in a lead they would never relinquish. He also drove in an additional insurance run in the eighth inning.
The Dodgers now cannot win their first series against the Rockies. It will be the first series split or loss against a National League team of the season for them. The Rockies can secure a series win with a victory tomorrow night as they aim to send the folks in Dodger Blue home disappointed for the third straight game. It will be a lefty-on-lefty match-up with Justin Wrobleski slated to start for the Dodgers and José Quintana scheduled for the Rockies. First pitch is at 6:40 PM MDT.
The Yankees swept the Kansas City Royals with Sunday's 7-0 win at Yankee Stadium.
Takeaways
LHPRyan Weathers arguably delivered his best start of the early season. He scattered five hits in 7.1 scoreless IP, striking out five and walking one. Weathers (1-2, 3.18 ERA) threw 66 strikes on 95 pitches and retired 12 straight at one point, including four consecutive strikeouts. After 22 frames without run support until the first inning of Sunday's game at Yankee Stadium, Weathers showed up once more with his best stuff -- and he was repaid.
RFAaron Judge's ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot to center field, ended the aforementioned run-support drought for Weathers and put the Yankees (13-9) in control as a three-run first inning ensued. (Austin Wells later added a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Cody Bellinger and giving Weathers a 3-0 lead into the second inning.) Judge's three strikeouts dampened the captain's 1-for-5 afternoon, but he ultimately changed the game with an early long ball that Weathers needed to settle in and get his first win as a Yankee.
DHBen Rice, whose leadoff walk set the table for Judge's first-inning homer, did his own damage in the second when he launched a one-out blast to right and extended the Yankees' 4-0 lead. Rice's eight home run of the young season puts him one behind Judge in a three-way tie with the Chicago White Sox's Muntaka Murakami and the St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker among the MLB's HR leaders. (The Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez leads with 10.) With 17 combined home runs between them, Judge and Rice are becoming a top duo in the sport.
CF Trent Grisham's three-run homer in the fifth inning polished off the Yankees' 7-0 final and showed what this lineup is capable of beyond Rice and Judge at the top. Grisham's 2-for-4 day included a first-inning walk and sixth-inning single.
Who's the MVP?
Weathers, whose tone-setting start featured the type of swing-and-miss material that could be a game-changing presence in the Yankees' starting rotation.
The Yankees take Monday off before they have their first rivalry series of 2026 with the Boston Red Sox.
This week's three-game series at Fenway Park begins with Tuesday's 6:45 p.m. opener, in which RHP Luis Gil (0-1, 7.00 ERA) is set to start for New York.
Apr 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
All dressed in your Sunday best: Bryan Woo, +.21 WPA
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 19: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers warms up in the bullpen against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on April 19, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored two runs but the Seattle Mariners scored five runs.
A dumb weird little road trip for our dumb weird little baseball team in what is shaping up to be a dumb weird little baseball season.
Brandon Nimmo singled for Texas on the game’s first pitch and then the lineup went until the sixth inning before their next base runner of the game. Can’t complain about the lack of hits with RISP when you don’t even get on base, right? *points to temple with self-satisfied grin*
Meanwhile, Seattle leadoff hitter Rob Refsnyder also had a hit on the first pitch offered to the Mariners, only his went over the fence in what would become a trend today as the Mariners hit three home runs off of Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore, two of which were of the two-run variety.
The Rangers did finally spark a rally in the top of the seventh when they loaded the bases against Seattle starter Bryan Woo. After a Josh Jung sac fly scored a run, and a Evan Carter double that scored another, the rally ended with Texas still trailing by the eventual final score.
And so the Rangers lost the game and series to finish this long West Coast trip at 4-6. Texas went 4-2 during the middle portion of the road trip but bookended their days away from home with two losses each to Los Angeles and Seattle as they return to .500 baseball.
Player of the Game: Um, er, well… Tyler Alexander tossed an inning of scoreless relief. That’s pretty cool.
Up Next: The Rangers get a day off to reacclimate to Texas before starting a series at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates beginning on Tuesday.
The first pitch of the series opener from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and will be broadcast via the Rangers Sports Network.
Dodger Ryan Ward follows through on an RBI single in the first inning against the Rockies Sunday in Denver. It was Ward's first major league hit. (Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)
What do you know? The once-stampeding Dodgers have been caged by the Colorado Rockies.
In a 9-6 loss Sunday at Coors Field, the two-time defending World Series champs lost their second consecutive game to their plucky hosts. The Dodgers again couldn’t hold a lead or keep up offensively at the hitter-friendly park, though they put some pressure on in the ninth inning.
After Shohei Ohtani led off the ninth with a ground-rule double, the Dodgers scored twice to cut the lead to three runs. They had runners on second and third and Ryan Ward at the plate with two out in his first game in the majors. But right fielder Troy Johnston robbed Ward of his chance to chip away at the deficit further, diving to catch his line drive to end the game.
Before that, the Rockies chased starter Roki Sasaki from the game in the fifth inning and then ruffled the Dodgers’ relievers. That included closer Edwin Diaz, who came on in the eighth inning to pitch for the first time in nine days and promptly gave up three singles, a walk and two runs.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
He and Blake Treinen combined to face eight batters without getting an out.
Now, after arriving in Denver without having lost a game to a National League opponent, the Dodgers (15-6) are in danger of losing their four-game series against an NL club that is 9-13 and hasn’t made the postseason since 2018.
It’s well below the bar the Dodgers have set, and it added a bitter note to Ward’s otherwise sweet big league debut.
Ward punched a big league clock for the first time wearing No. 67 and cranked his first big-league hit off Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen in the fourth inning.
Ward lined a changeup to right field for a single that scored Andy Pages, made it 3-0, and got the 20-some members of Ward’s party up, jumping in place, hugging and high-fiving.
He also singled in the sixth, sending Antonio Senzatela’s 96-mph sinker into center field. That advanced Alex Call, who scored to make it 4-3 after Kim’s fielder’s choice and another RBI single by Alex Freeland.
In his first at-bat, Ward flew out to lead off the third inning, when the Dodgers gave Sasaki a 2-0 lead to work with. Freeland drove in Hyeseong Kim and Ohtani doubled in Freeland — while extending his career-best on-base streak to 51 games, moving past Willie Keeler into third place in Dodgers’ history.
But to start the fifth, Sasaki fell behind to Kyle Karros, who hit a 96-mph fastball 448 feet for his first home run this season, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to 3-2. The Rockies tied it two batters later on Edouard Julien’s RBI double.
After that, Sasaki lasted only three more batters, including walking Tyler Freeman to put runners on first and second base with two out before reliever Alex Vesia came in and got TJ Rumfield to line out to second base to preserve the tie for the time being.
Sasaki went 4.2 innings, threw 78 pitches and gave up seven hits, three runs, striking out and walking two. His ERA after his fourth start: 6.11, worst in the Dodgers’ current six-man rotation.
The Dodgers fell behind 6-5 in the seventh when Treinen — who was cleared Friday after he was struck in the head by a batted ball during batting practice — gave up four consecutive hits without getting an out, including a two-run home run to Mickey Moniak.
After Diaz’s disastrous eighth, the Dodgers trailed 9-4 going into their final at-bat.
Still, the result will be a minor detail when Ward tells the story about getting the call after Freddie Freeman was placed on the paternity list, the opportunity of a lifetime.
Just like Miguel Rojas, the Dodgers’ veteran infielder has a vivid recollection of his major league debut at Coors on June 6, 2014: He remembers making an error at shortstop. That the whole thing was wildly nerve-racking. And wonderful.
“You feel really good about being in the big leagues and getting your first shot of accomplishing your dream, what you've been working for your whole life,” said Rojas, standing in the same visitors clubhouse he entered before making his debut, trying not to be starstruck when he spotted his new teammates Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw getting ready to play.
“But then you have to deal with the emotions of being on the big league roster for the side of the Los Angeles Dodgers. That's what I remember the most, the mixed feeling of emotions.”
So the Dodgers’ assignment, Rojas said, was to make the first baseman Ward “feel as comfortable as he can be.”
Then Rojas headed out to take grounders and give pointers at first base alongside Ward, who got the start there instead of his pal Dalton Rushing. The hot-hitting backup catcher might have played first base if manager Dave Roberts hadn’t decided Ward deserved the opportunity — with Rushing’s enthusiastic blessing.
The Dodgers’ No. 19 prospect and reigning Pacific Coast League MVP has spent the last seven years in the minors. Last season, he hit 36 home runs and drove in 122 runs with a .937 OPS for triple-A Oklahoma City, and he has a 1.020 OPS and four homers so far this year.
Ward made it a point to improve his chase rate, draw more walks, get on base more frequently, everything the Dodgers asked of him. He also passed the broadest patience test.
“The plate discipline, being a better hitter … he's done all that,” Roberts said. “He's improved his defense. But honestly, for me, just not to let his lack of opportunity in the big leagues deter him. That's easy when you get frustrated and let it affect performance, and he hasn't done that.”
If anything, Ward said, the waiting made him better.
“Honestly, I used it to keep going. ‘Okay, if I’m not there yet, what do I have to do to get there?’” he said. “‘What part of my game do I need to work on to keep getting better?’
“I used it as fire to keep working.”
That will be the Dodgers’ assignment too.
In the finale of the four-game series Monday, the Dodgers are expected to start left-hander Justin Wrobleski (2-0, 2.12) against Colorado left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1, 5.63).
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 17: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates a solo home run with Ozzie Albies #1 in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 17, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Grant Holmes and the Braves are hoping to sweep the leg vs. the Philadelphia Phillies in the series finale on Peacock. First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 pm ET.
Apr 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
For the first time since June 28, 2022, the Dodgers have dropped two consecutive games to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, this time falling to Colorado 9-6 on Sunday.
In his first career start at Coors Field, Roki Sasaki impressed over his first three innings of work, as he held the Rockies silent across just 26 pitches, relying on his defense to bail him out of early inopportune counts.
The Dodgers broke through against Michael Lorenzen in the top of the third, as Hyeseong Kim doubled with one out before Alex Freeland singled him home for the game’s first run. Shohei Ohtani brought his on-base streak to 51 games with an RBI double to drive home Freeland, passing Willie Keeler for the third longest streak in team history and extending the lead to two.
After flying out on the first big league pitch he saw, Ryan Ward got himself on the board against Lorenzen in the top of the fourth, as he drilled a single to right field for his first career hit, plating Andy Pages to increase the Dodger lead to three.
After the first scoreless third inning for Sasaki the year, the Rockies waited until the bottom of the fourth inning to rally against him. Mickey Moniak rocketed a leadoff single before Sasaki plunked Hunter Goodman to bring up the potential tying run with nobody out. Sasaki got Tyler Freeman swinging for his first strikeout of the game, but promptly allowed a single to T.J. Rumfield to put the Rockies on the board. After tossing just 26 pitches in the first three innings, Sasaki’s 20th pitch of the fourth resulted in a walk to Troy Johnston to load the bases. He got ahead of the next hitter Willi Castro early, and his fifth splitter of the at-bat induced a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the jam.
Sasaki’ struggles in the middle innings continued as he fell down 3-0 to Kyle Karros to begin the bottom of the fifth, eventually giving up a 448 foot home run from him that made it a one run game. Both of his now two career home runs have come against the Dodgers.
Jake McCarthy blooped a ball just out of the reach of a diving Pages in shallow right field, hustling into second base for a hustle double. Colorado kept the rally going against Sasaki as Edouard Julien tied the game with a single to center field to score McCarthy. After getting two straight outs, with the latter being a strikeout of Goodman, Sasaki missed inside on a full count splitter to Freeman to put two men on with two out. After a mound visit from Will Smith, Dave Roberts got the ball from Sasaki, who tossed 52 pitches over his final 1 2/3+ innings. Alex Vesia bailed out Sasaki by getting a lineout from Rumfield to get out of the jam.
Four starts into the season, Roki Sasaki has seen subtle improvements, such as his ability to go three scoreless innings against Colorado, but his severely struggles after his first go-around through the starting lineup. While he maintains a scoreless ERA over the first two innings in each start, the right-hander now has a worrisome 11.17 ERA over innings 3 through 5 on the season. Sasaki did allow a season-low two strikeouts, which coincided with a season-low two strikeouts.
The Dodgers quickly got to Antonio Sanzatela as both Alex Call and Ward singled with one out, with Hyeseong Kim avoiding a double play and putting the lead runner at third. Freeland connected for his second RBI single of the day, bringing home Call and retaking the lead.
Will Klein came in for the sixth after taking the loss on Saturday, and worked around a leadoff baserunner to keep the lead intact. Blake Treinen also found himself with a man on base and nobody out in the bottom of the seventh, but this time he allowed a go-ahead two run home run on the first pitch to Moniak as the Rockies took their first lead of the afternoon. Goodman promptly followed the home run with a double, setting the stage for a broken bat bloop single from Freeman to put up a three-spot against Treinen.
Jack Dreyer extinguished the rally by striking out pinch hitter Ezequiel Tovar and getting Johnston to fly out, with a deke from Kyle Tucker in right field nearly doubling up Freeman at first. He later tried to go for second but was thrown out by Smith to end the inning.
Andy Pages and Hyeseong Kim both singled against Jimmy Herget to put two men on with two outs and the potential tying run at first. Alex Freeland, who already had two RBI earlier in the game, took a 3-1 pitch that landed just outside the outside corner for a called strike two but did not challenge the call. He drove a fly ball to deep center field on the very next pitch, but Brenton Doyle tracked it down at the warning track to keep the Rockies in front.
Edwin Díaz made his first appearance since his blown save against the Rangers nine days prior, and even with the heavy rest he faced early trouble by loading the bases with nobody out. Edouard Julien took advantage with a two-run single to knock Díaz out of the game and make it a four run lead. Mickey Moniak knocked home another run on a groundout to cement the Rockies’ second three-run inning of the game.
The Dodgers’ ninth-inning comeback attempt resulted in just two runs, as Will Smith drove home Ohtani on a single to right field to make it a four-run game. Max Muncy reached on his third single of the game before Victor Vodnik walked Andy Pages to load the bases with one out and bring the potential tying run to the plate. Dalton Rushing pinch hit for Alex Call, and nearly reached on a ground ball bobbled by Castro at second but only resulted in an RBI groundout. Ryan Ward, already in the biggest moment of his young career, served a soft fly ball to right center field, but was robbed of an RBI hit with a diving catch by Troy Johnston to sink the Dodgers into their first losing streak of the season.
The Dodgers look to avoid losing a third straight game as they wrap things up against the Colorado Rockies on Monday (5:30 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA) before flying out to San Francisco for a three-game series against the Giants. Justin Wrobleski makes his third start of the year against left-hander Jose Quintana.
Apr 13, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Grant Holmes (66) throws against the Miami Marlins in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Phillies will try to salvage the final game of their series against the Atlanta Braves. The offense has been largely non-existent in the first two games, as the Phillies have lost by scores of 9-0 and 3-1.
Righthander Andrew Painter will be given the ball in an attempt to avoid a sweep.
Honestly? I thought I was going to be writing another “The Cubs didn’t hit with RISP” recap and that the Cubs would lose this game by not scoring, because they went into the ninth inning 0-for-6 with RISP.
Thank you, Cubs, for proving me wrong. Michael Conforto’s RBI double in the ninth tied the game — and you can imagine how that made the former Met feel! — and Nico Hoerner hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th to give the Cubs their fifth straight win, 2-1 over the Mets. The win gave the Cubs their first series sweep of 2026 and sent the Mets to their 11th loss in row.
To begin at the beginning, Javier Assad threw very well for four innings, allowing just a leadoff single to Brett Baty in the fourth. Baty made it to third, but was stranded.
Then MJ Melendez led off the fifth with a solo homer off Assad. That was it, though — one more hit off the Cubs right-hander was all the Mets could muster, three hits and one run allowed in 5.2 innings was a very good outing for Javier Assad. Here’s more on Assad’s afternoon [VIDEO].
But the Cubs could not do anything with former Brewer Tobias Myers, who threw the first two innings, or David Peterson, who threw 3.2 scoreless frames after that. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the third with a triple to right-center, but was doubled off third after Nico hit a sharp line drive to second [VIDEO].
After that, Alex Bregman and Ian Happ walked to load the bases, but Seiya Suzuki struck out to end the inning.
The Cubs got good relief work from Jacob Webb (1.1 scoreless innings, probably his best outing as a Cub) and their two Martins. Riley Martin threw a scoreless eighth and Corbin Martin, making his Cubs debut, had a scoreless ninth.
So the Cubs trailed 1-0 going to the bottom of the ninth, and as I said above… things did not look good. But Happ led off the inning off Devin Williams with a single. Scott Kingery was sent in to run for Happ. Suzuki struck out, and Craig Counsell sent Conforto up to bat for Matt Shaw.
Conforto thus represented the winning run on second with one out, but Saturday’s hero Carson Kelly struck out, and then PCA also struck out to send the game to extras.
Caleb Thielbar threw the 10th for the Cubs and retired the first two hitters on pop flies, one to second and one to short left. A ground ball that Nico had no play on went for a hit, but the placed runner (Melendez) had to hold at third.
PCA was the placed runner and former Cub Craig Kimbrel relieved for the Mets. Dansby Swanson tried to bunt him to third and popped both attempts foul. But then Kimbrel threw a wild pitch, sending PCA to third and accomplishing what a sac bunt would have. Swanson, though, struck out.
Based on my research, this was the Cubs’ 999th walk-off win in regular-season games since 1876, first year of the National League.
It was their 901st since 1901, first year of the Modern Era, and their 796th at Wrigley Field.
Of all 999, 957 have come at home.
This was Hoerner’s fourth. He is among 420 Cubs who have done it.
(In case you are wondering how a team could have a walk-off win on the road, in baseball’s early days, teams could choose to bat first at home. In cases like that, the visiting team could have a walk-off win. In practice that hasn’t been done in more than 100 years, but the home team officially batting last wasn’t codified in the rules until 1950.)
It wasn’t pretty, but wins are wins, as you surely know, and when a team comes into Wrigley Field in as much disarray as the Mets appear to be in, it’s good to take advantage, and the Cubs did in multiple ways. Sunday, it was solid pitching and timely hitting.
An annoying little rainshower hit the area around Wrigley not long after the game started and lasted maybe 15-20 minute before passing out of the area. The sun came out, making it a reasonably pleasant afternoon after that, and forecasts are for dry conditions for the rest of the homestand.
The Cubs will open a four-game series against the Phillies Monday evening at Wrigley, hoping to extend the five-game winning streak that began last Tuesday against the Phillies in Philadelphia. It’ll be a pitching rematch of that game, with Colin Rea going against Aaron Nola. (Yes, I know Riley Martin started that game, but it was basically Rea vs. Nola. Let’s hope for a similar result, as the Cubs won that game 10-4.) Game time Monday is 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 15: Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees looks on from the on-deck circle during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! This week, we focus not just on the present, but also on the legacy of the past, as we celebrated Jackie Robinson Day this Wednesday. How did the Yankees acknowledge this important day — as well as the other goings-on of the early season — this week? Let’s find out!
Jackie Robinson Day
As you could probably guess from the top image, the article heading, and the intro, we begin this week with Major League Baseball’s annual celebration of Jackie Robinson, whose story — as timely as ever — needs no introduction.
Because the Yankees had a matinee on Saturday, they had some rare free time at night, so after helping beat the Royals on Friday night with six innings of three-hit, one-run ball, Cam Schlittler was among the many celebrities at Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks’ playoff opener. He got a very nice hand from the crowd, who got to see the Knicks take down the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1, 113-102.
The Yankees continued to upload episodes of their YouTube series, Behind the NY.
Welcome back, Paulie!
Over the first couple of weeks of the regular season, the YES broadcast rotated David Cone and Joe Girardi alongside Michael Kay. But you know who was conspicuously missing? That’s right — the Warrior himself, Paul O’Neill. Well, at long last, the former Yankees right fielder made his season debut at the ballpark.
The Yankees invited the players from the new Women’s Professional Baseball League to take batting practice at Yankee Stadium last weekend, a show of support for the new league, which launches this summer.
Of course, the Trop did give us our first “opposing mascot attempts to troll with Meredith Marakovitz during the pregame show.” As the YES Network account said, she truly is a mascot whisperer, and handles their shenanigans like a champ.
The Savannah Bananas will be playing at Yankee Stadium next weekend, as the Bombers are on the road. One of their players posted to Instagram to express his excitement over fulfilling his childhood dream of playing at Yankee Stadiuim.
CHICAGO — Nico Hoerner hit a sacrifice fly off Craig Kimbrel in the 10th inning, and the Chicago Cubs sent the New York Mets to their 11th consecutive loss by rallying for a 2-1 victory Sunday.
Pinch-hitter Michael Conforto tied it for Chicago in the ninth with an RBI double off closer Devin Williams.
Pete Crow-Armstrong opened the 10th on second as the Cubs’ automatic runner. Dansby Swanson fouled off two bunt attempts before Kimbrel (0-1) threw a wild pitch, moving Crow-Armstrong to third.
After Swanson struck out swinging, Hoerner lofted a flyball to right and Crow-Armstrong scored easily.
Caleb Thielbar (1-1) worked a scoreless 10th for Chicago, which posted its season-high fifth straight win.
MJ Melendez homered for New York, which finished with six hits. David Peterson pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings of bulk relief after manager Carlos Mendoza decided to go with Tobias Myers as an opener.
It’s the longest losing streak for the Mets since they also dropped 11 in a row from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 in 2004. They have been outscored 62-19 during the slide, and they are averaging just 2.9 runs over 17 games in April.
The Cubs rallied in the ninth against Williams. Ian Happ hit a leadoff single and pinch-runner Scott Kingery scored from first on Conforto’s one-out double into the right-field corner against his former team, tying it at 1. Conforto was stranded when Williams struck out Carson Kelly and Crow-Armstrong, both swinging.
Melendez began the fifth with a drive to right-center on a full-count fastball from Javier Assad. It was his first homer since he was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday.
Chicago had at least one baserunner in each of the first seven innings.
Crow-Armstrong hit a leadoff triple in the third, but Peterson retired Swanson on a grounder to third before Hoerner lined to second for an inning-ending double play.
Up next
Mets: Following an off day, RHP Nolan McLean (1-1, 2.28 ERA) starts Tuesday night against Minnesota in the opener of a nine-game homestand. RHP Mick Abel (1-2, 3.98) goes for the Twins.
Cubs: RHP Colin Rea (2-0, 3.63 ERA) starts Monday night in the opener of a four-game series against Philadelphia.
The New York Mets' losing streak is only growing more extreme, more historic, even more soul-crushing.
The beleaguered squad carried a one-run lead into the bottom of the ninth inning at Wrigley Field, but a funky hop off a side wall, a failed effort to score a courtesy runner and continued offensive futility fueled a 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, April 19.
It was the Mets' 11th consecutive loss. They haven't lost that many in a row since 2004.
They're now 7-15 – already three games behind the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals, who have payrolls a fraction of theirs – in the NL East.
And on a chilly day at Wrigley Field, they managed only one run – a fifth-inning home run from M.J. Melendez, a scrap heap acquisition who suddenly is the most effective offensive player on a club with a $358 million payroll.
"When you’re playing one-run games, you have to be perfect. It’s hard to play like that," says manager Carlos Mendoza. "We are not impacting the baseball at all, as a team."
Yet, it was a defensive misplay that will sting the most.
How the Mets lost their 11th game in a row
They carried a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth, though closer Devin Williams yielded a leadoff single to Ian Happ, certainly a harbinger of bad things. Williams rallied to strike out Seiya Suzuki, but pinch hitter Michael Conforto yanked a line drive down the right field line.
Tyrone Taylor positioned himself to play the carom off Wrigley's side wall, but his mental protractor was way off – the ball angled away from him and dribbled into the corner. Pinch runner Scott Kingery easily scored.
The misplay only stung even more when Williams rallied to retire Carson Kelly and Pete Crow-Armstrong, sending the game into an inevitably grim extra inning for the Mets.
An infield single advanced the courtesy runner to third, but a Luis Torrens strikeout stranded him. In the bottom half, reliever Craig Kimbrel's wild pitch – Torrens probably should have blocked it – gifted the Cubs 90 feet. A sacrifice fly easily scored Crow-Armstrong.
And an 0-6 road trip was mercifully over. Not that Citi Field has been any kinder.
Mets' losing streak statistics
It has been top-to-bottom offensive futility for the Mets in this streak:
They are batting .200 in these 11 games.
They are averaging 1.7 runs per game.
They've managed 17 extra-base hits - barely more than one per game.
And they're even more futile with runners in scoring position, batting .145 in those situations.
What's next for Mets?
They return home for a nine-game homestand, ostensibly against gentler competition: the Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies and Nationals. Yet, let's put it in perspective: At 7-15, the Mets have the worst record in baseball.
Is Mets manager Carlos Mendoza's job safe?
It's a virtually daily question in the manager's postgame briefings, and likely will continue until the Mets win another game. Managerial firings are rare in April, but Mendoza is not under contract for 2027, which will only accelerate speculation as the hole gets deeper.
"Eleven losses – that’s a lot,' says Mendoza. "Whether it’s April or any point in the season. But nobody’s going to feel sorry for us."
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor defended the third-year manager, who has worked in New York the past seven seasons - four as Yankees bench coach.
"He’s done a fantastic job. This is not on him," says Lindor, batting .205 with one homer and one RBI in 88 at-bats. "We have the information. It comes down to us. Mendy’s our guy. He’s our leader, he’s in control, he’s done a tremendous job.
"The people paddling – we’ve got to paddle and execute."
Fair or not, performance can serve as a referendum on a manager, which the Mets know all too well. And returning home amid such a freefall might not be the panacea.
"It’s going to get very loud. And everyone here knows it," says Lindor. "We’ve just got to stick together."
Mark Vientos contemplates his team’s form during their series against the Cubs. Photograph: Erin Hooley/AP
The New York Mets are finding that money doesn’t necessarily bring happiness. The second-most expensive team in MLB – with a payroll of $381m – lost their 11th game in a row on Sunday as they were swept for a third straight series, this time by the Chicago Cubs.
“Eleven losses, that’s a lot, whether it’s in April or at any point in the season,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. “Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. We’ve got to find a way.”
On Sunday, the Mets found new and interesting ways to torment their fanbase. They led 1-0 going into the ninth inning before their former outfielder, Michael Conforto, drove in the tying run for the Cubs. Another former Mets outfielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong, then scored Chicago’s winning run in the 10th inning off Nico Hoerner’s sacrifice fly.
“This feeling sucks,” said shortstop Francisco Lindor after the game. “It’s not a good feeling.”
The Mets’ losing streak matches the team’s longest since 2002, and they have scored just 19 runs in their 11 consecutive losses. The Mets’ woes come after a terrible 2025 season in which they collapsed from having the best record in baseball early in the season to missing the playoffs entirely.
The Mets have a small sliver of hope with their best player, Juan Soto, due back from injury in the coming week. But Lindor said Soto should not be expected to work miracles.
“Even when he comes, we’ve still got to get it done,” said Lindor. “It would be unfair to just throw everything on him.”
General manager David Stearns shipped out many of the team’s veterans and much of the coaching staff in the wake of last season’s disappointment, but the new version of the Mets appears to be even worse this time around. After Sunday’s loss they fell to 7-15, the worst record in the major leagues.
Apr 18, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) look to the video boards in the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
For eight innings on Sunday, the Cincinnati Reds looked mostly miserable in the cold confines of Target Field. Minnesota Twins starter Bailey Ober had their number (6.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 BB, 10 K) each and every time a Red actually reached a base, with the Reds – at one point – sitting 0 for 11 with runners on-base for the game.
Then, though, the Reds got an idea. An awful idea. The Reds got a wonderful, awful idea!
The Reds – believe it or not – decided the floodgates deserved opening!
Rookie righty Andrew Morris got out of a jam in the Top of the 9th, but the starter-turned-reliever was brought back out for the 9th inning by Twins manager Derek Shelton as a confidence boost, I can only assume. Cincinnati wasted little time in getting right to him, as Spencer Steer singled, Tyler Stephenson singled behind him, Dane Myers coaxed a walk, and Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game TJ Friedl smashed his first extra-base hit into the gap in right-center to clear the bases and give the Reds a 4-3 lead.
The Twins got out of the inning, though, and managed to get a leadoff runner on, over, and in off Reds closer Emilio Pagan to send the game disappointingly into extras. Disappointing for us, I should clarify, as the Cincinnati offense had only just begun to warm up, apparently.
Elly De La Cruz was the Manfred Man at 2B to begin the inning, and the fortuitous way that worked out meant he was set to wreak havoc on the bases immediately. That happened with 1-out as Eugenio Suarez topped a grounder between short and 3B that was booted by the Twins infield, and Elly motored initially to 3B. However, the Minnesota LF bobbled the ball, and Elly reversed reversing course to sprint home and give the Reds a lead they wouldn’t relinquish this time. After the Twins intentionally walked Will Benson to set up force outs, Rece Hinds cleared the bases again with a clutch double into the LF corner, and that put Cincinnati up 7-4.
Graham Ashcraft, who had literally never saved a game before in his life, came on to pitch the Bottom of the 10th, and he wrapped the game up in short order.
That’s a sweep for the 14-8 Cincinnati Reds, who sit alone atop the NL Central leaderboard.
Other Notes
Each of Cincinnati’s three hardest-hit balls of the day resulted in outs. Elly smashed a grounder at 109.3 mph that went for an out, while Sal Stewart blasted a bal 108.8 mph that went for a lineout.
There were no homers socked by either team this entire series in the cold weather up north.
Friedl went 2 for 3, and after his clutch double his slugging percentage (.167) is now higher than his average for the year (.154).
Ke’Bryan Hayes, meanwhile, went 0 for 2 before being subbed. He’s down to .058/.125/.058 on the year.
Brady Singer battled early and admirably kept the Reds in the game (6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K on 104 pitches). He still doesn’t look ‘right’ and his peripherals remain ugly, but that’s a serviceable outing any way you look at it.
The four fastest pitches of the game were all thrown by Connor Phillips (up to 99.3 mph). He’s got all the makings of Cincinnati’s closer of the future, as well as (perhaps) the present.
PJ Higgins ended up catching in extra innings after Will Benson came on to pinch-run for (and score for) Tyler Stephenson in the crucial 9th inning rally. He’s a master of the strike zone, and the game actually ended on his challenge of a ball call on a pitch by Ashcraft that was, in fact, actually a strike.
The Reds will get warm, dry, and cozy on the next stop of their road trip as they head to Tampa and their rebuilt dome. First pitch on Monday is set for 6:40 PM ET, and Rhett Lowder will toe the rubber for the Reds. The Rays have yet to announce their starter at the time of publishing.
