SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITORS NOTE: A special effects camera filter was used for this image.) Dean Kremer #64 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during the Baltimore Orioles photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Ladies and gentlemen: Dean. Is. Back.
After a two-week banishment to Triple-A Norfolk to start the year, Dean Kremer is back in Baltimore and ready to make his Orioles season debut tonight. It ends one of the more bizarre sagas of the Orioles’ early 2026 season, in which Kremer — who hadn’t pitched in the minors since 2021, aside from rehab assignments — was left out in the cold when the O’s set their Opening Day rotation, then made two starts without being called up even after Zach Eflin’s injury. The Orioles had both Brandon Young and Cade Povich make major league starts before summoning Kremer (although, considering those two each delivered excellent outings, maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea).
But now he’s back. Tonight, Kremer will slide into the rotation in Eflin’s place. And poor Povich, who delivered a gem against the Giants yesterday on his birthday, has been demoted back to Norfolk, just as Young was before him. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there.
Kremer worked 4.2 innings in each of his two starts with the Tides, but his second outing (zero runs) was much improved over his first (three runs). His first major league opponent of the year is not one he’s had success with. He’s faced the Diamondbacks twice, once in 2024 and once in 2025, and gave up 12 runs combined. Ouch. However, no current D’Backs hitter has more than six at-bats against him.
Arizona counters with righty Ryne Nelson, making his second career start against the Orioles. If Pete Alonso is going to continue the momentum of his two-hit day on Sunday, this is the perfect guy to do it against. He has demolished Nelson with four home runs in 11 career at-bats. In other roster news, the O’s placed Ryan Mountcastle on the 60-day IL with a left foot fracture, so the poor guy, who had already had to fight for playing time, is now gone for the next two months at least. The O’s called up utility guy Weston Wilson from Norfolk to take his place.
An Orioles win and a Yankees loss tonight would move the O’s into sole possession of first place in the AL East. That’d be neat! Let’s do it, guys.
Orioles lineup:
SS Gunnar Henderson LF Taylor Ward 1B Pete Alonso C Samuel Basallo DH Dylan Beavers CF Leody Taveras RF Colton Cowser 2B Jeremiah Jackson 3B Blaze Alexander
RHP Dean Kremer
Diamondbacks lineup:
2B Ketel Marte RF Corbin Carroll SS Geraldo Perdomo C Adrian Del Castillo DH José Fernández 1B Ildemaro Vargas 3B Nolan Arenado CF Alek Thomas LF Jorge Barrosa
Mar 26, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the third inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
After a ruff start, the Sox are still a sad 6-9 but are only two games out of first place. Tonight, we ball behind Garrett Crochet to help close that gap in a wide-open AL East (and AL in general). Game’s at 7:40 p.m. and the Sox will face Bailey Ober, who’s had a tuff start to the season himself. Here are the lineups:
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 4: Hunter Barco #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the sixth inning during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates used a unique strategy with their young starting pitchers in 2025.
The team called up top pitching prospects Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler to make highly anticipated debuts — Chandler more than any rookie in the organization last season — but out of the bullpen.
To get acclimated to MLB hitters, Chandler and Ashcraft were used in bulk relief roles before entering the rotation at the back end of the season.
It worked for both pitchers, who are now fixtures in the current Pirates rotation.
The same can’t be said for Hunter Barco. Just because the strategy worked for some doesn’t mean it will work for all.
Prior to Monday night’s series opener against the Washington Nationals, the Pirates demoted Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Left-handed bullpen arm Evan Sisk is joining the club for the first time.
Barco allowed at least one run in three of his four relief appearances. He allowed one in the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday as a part of the Pirates blowing a three-run lead when the ‘pen took over. The Pirates led 5-0 after the second.
Barco allowed one hit, walked two, and struck out one in 1.2 innings in the series finale. In seven total innings, Barco has allowed seven runs (five earned), walked five, and recorded five strikeouts.
He allowed three home runs in four games, totaling a 6.43 ERA and 2.14 WHIP.
Barco, 25, has the stuff to be a viable left-handed starting pitcher in the Major Leagues.
The former second-round pick only allowed three earned runs over 11.2 spring training innings and struck out 15, but also walked eight hitters.
Don Kelly told the media on Monday that the Pirates went to lengthen Barco as a starter. The Pirates are also running thin on innings and need a fresh arm, calling up the fellow lefty Sisk to fill the spot.
Kelly said the Pirates still view Barco as a starter, but he could come back to the MLB team this year in either role. Barco hadn’t pitched since April 4 until Sunday, and wasn’t pitching consistently.
In 27 games (23 starts) between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis in 2025, Barco finished 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA.
He very impressively didn’t allow a run in 25.2 innings over six starts at Double-A. Barco earned a 3.79 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 73.2 innings in Indianapolis.
Sisk, 28, made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals before being acquired in the Bailey Falter trade.
In 14 outings with the Pirates, Sisk allowed six runs over 12.1 innings, walked five, struck out 14, and posted a 1.30 WHIP.
He allowed two runs (one earned) over 7.2 frames with the Indians this year before receiving the call.
The Pirates host the Nationals for the first of a four-game series at PNC Park, with Paul Skenes on the mound at 6:40 p.m.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 31: An aerial view of Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine on May 31, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images ) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
ORIOLES
Ketel Marte – 2B
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Corbin Carroll – RF
Taylor Ward – LF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Pete Alonso – 1B
Adrian Del Castillo – C
Samuel Basallo – C
Jose Fernandez – DH
Dylan Beavers – DH
Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
Leody Taveras – CF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Colton Cowser – RF
Alek Thomas – CF
Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
Jorge Barrosa – LF
Blaze Alexander – 3B
Ryne Nelson – RHP
Dean Kremer – RHP
The “One Big Inning” has become part of the D-backs’ collective psyche since Opening Day in Los Angeles. There, a pair of four-run frames represented the entire Dodgers offense in an 8-2 loss. Since then, it seems as if we’ve had the movie on repeat. A starter cruises, then the wheels come off. Or they get smacked about before they can settle in. Or a member of the bullpen has a really bad day. It’s not just fan bias. The Diamondbacks have allowed four or more runs in an inning nine times already. That’s most in the majors: the MLB average is only 3.4 OBIs per team. It’s an average of 4.9 runs per inning in those for Arizona, and OBIs represent 63% of all runs allowed by the D-backs. The average elsewhere? 0.2 runs per inning.
But it hasn’t actually hurt the Diamondbacks too much. There have been seven games where a severely crooked number has unfurled – two had more than one, the Opening Day contest and the 17-2 clobbering by Atlanta. But Arizona’s record in those is a reasonable 3-4. That’s a lot better than you would expect. Last year, we went 6-32 in such games, and the overall win percentage in the majors was a similar .154. That’s due to the “O” element this year. As samath noted in the comments on yesterday’s recap, the D-backs have put up a higher percentage of zeroes than anybody else. And in each of those three wins (9-6 and 7-5 vs DET, plus 5-4 vs PHI), Arizona didn’t concede a single run outside the OBI.
It also didn’t hurt that in two of them, the Diamondbacks’ offense had an inning of their own which was even bigger. They put up a six-spot in the 7-5 win over Detroit and, as I’m sure you remember, delivered Phillie cheese-steak tacos in the fifth inning on Friday. Those effectively canceled out the opposition’s productive frame. So far, the D-backs haven’t been quite as good on that side of the equation, posting only four big innings of their own. However, they have made them count, winning all of those games this season to date. Let’s hope we don’t have anything like the infamous Chicago game last year, where Arizona scored ten in one inning, and still lost…
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 14: Nick Gonzales #39 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park on September 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the Washington Nationals this evening at beautiful PNC Park, where they hope to raise the Jolly Roger.
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SARASOTA, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Ryan Mountcastle #6 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts during the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Along with near-daily injuries suffered by the Orioles comes daily roster moves. The team made another flurry of moves to keep a healthy set of players up on the MLB roster ahead of Monday’s game against the Diamondbacks, with two players landing on the 60-day injured list, one getting selected from Norfolk to MLB, and another being acquired from outside the organization and sent to Triple-A.
The full set of moves:
Ryan Mountcastle placed on 60-day injured list
Weston Wilson contract selected from Triple-A Norfolk
Christian Encarnacion-Strand acquired from Reds for cash considerations and optioned to Norfolk
Yaramil Hiraldo transferred to 60-day injured list
Mountcastle going straight to the injured list due to his broken metatarsal shows that the team knows he will be out for quite a while. It’s uncommon even for serious injuries to have a guy go straight onto the 60-day, but in this case the team needed to make room on the 40-man roster just to add any infielder into the mix.
Wilson, 31, has appeared in parts of the last three seasons with the Phillies, playing a variety of infield and outfield positions while batting .242/.328/.428. It’s not a bad overall batting line, though his worst season was last year, the year that he played the most. He made enough of an impression in spring training for the Orioles to give him the chance here. Since he has a bit more defensive flexibility than Mountcastle, he might even play a bit more often. He was not hitting well in Norfolk at the time of this roster move.
Encarnacion-Strand, 26, was in “DFA limbo” after having been cast off by the Reds. He has also appeared in parts of the last three seasons, totaling a .233/.275/.404 batting line. In this instance, the Orioles probably grabbed him just to have a semblance of infield depth in case there’s another freak injury, because with Wilson in Baltimore, there’s basically nobody down there worth bringing up. Not that either Wilson or Encarnacion-Strand are guaranteed to prove to be worth bringing up.
Hiraldo had been on the 15-day injured list since April 5 due to shoulder inflammation. Moving him to the 60-day injured list opens up a spot on the 40-man roster, which they needed to bring in Encarnacion-Strand as infield depth. The 30-year-old righty had a rough first few outings this year before landing on the injured list.
Additionally, earlier on Monday, the Orioles recalled Dean Kremer from Norfolk and optioned Cade Povich to Norfolk. Everyone can stop wondering why Kremer is still in the minors now. Tough luck for Povich, who pitched quite well yesterday. It seems the team is not planning to do a six-man rotation after all.
One player who did not get added to the active roster is catcher Sam Huff, who is around on the taxi squad from Norfolk. It probably does not matter all that much whether Huff or Maverick Handley is the backup catcher for as long as Adley Rutschman is out.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28, 2026: Bo Davidson #91 of the San Francisco Giants takes a lead at first base during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
It’s that time again: the mega roundup to recap Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates. There will be a lot of words, so proceed with caution! Monday is an off day in the Minors, so all four teams will get back in action on Tuesday.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
Only one piece of news: AA Richmond RHP R.J. Dabovich was placed on the 7-Day IL. That’s a big bummer, as injuries have really hurt the career of the 2020 4th-round pick. Dabovich, who is 27, had a healthy 2022, but has pitched just 18.1 innings since.
AAA Sacramento (9-4)
Friday: Sacramento River Cats beat the Las Vegas Aviators 11-0 [box score]
When all was said and done, Sacramento ended up playing just 1 game this “weekend,” and no games during the actual weekend. The storm that blew threw Northern California postponed Saturday’s game to Sunday, and then cancelled that doubleheader altogether. So it goes.
The River Cats made the most of their solo game, though, earning their 2nd consecutive shutout — a very impressive thing anywhere, but especially in the Pacific Coast League. That gave them a sweep in their truncated series against the A’s affiliate, and ran their winning streak to 6 games. Good times on the feeder team!
It was a boisterous day with the bats, as the River Cats bashed 16 hits and drew 7 walks. All eyes in Sacramento are on designated hitter Bryce Eldridge (No. 1 CPL), and I’m pleased to report that he had the best day of them all. Eldridge has started to catch fire, and that certainly was on display on Friday, when he went 4-5 with a double and a strikeout.
The contact was extremely loud for Eldridge, as his hits were, in order, a 99.2-mph single, a 109.4-mph single, a 101.9-mph double, and a 103.6-mph single. Goodness gracious!
Eldridge had a little bit of a slow start to the season, but in his last 3 games, he’s hitting 9-14 with 3 extra-base hits, which has pumped his OPS up to 1.012, and his wRC+ to 182. Will that be enough for the Giants to bring him up to help an offense that is on life support? I still think the answer is likely “no,” especially since Casey Schmitt is hitting so well while DH’ing in San Francisco. Ultimately, the Giants likely want to see Eldridge’s contact improve a little before he comes back to the Majors: he has a 30.2% strikeout rate, a 16th-percentile whiff rate, and a 19th-percentile in-zone contact rate.
Speaking of giving a boost to the Major League offense, the Giants sure are struggling to find hits from their outfielders. It seems unlikely that a roster move is going to be the fix there, since the team isn’t going to bench Harrison Bader, Jung Hoo Lee, or Heliot Ramos anytime soon, but right fielder Will Brennan just keeps hitting in Sacramento. On Friday he hit 3-5 with a double and a strikeout, which boosted his OPS to .938 and his wRC+ to 148. Brennan is certainly staying ready in AAA and is on the 40-man roster, though he is a 28-year old with a large MLB sample of being a below-average hitter, so I’m guessing the Giants are proceeding with caution there.
Second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) and first baseman Jake Holton both had 3-hit days, with the former bopping a double and the latter drawing a walk. Each player is off to a tremendous start to the year in their debut AAA seasons: Furman has a .996 OPS and a 182 wRC+, while Holton is sporting a .929 OPS and a 177 wRC+.
But the biggest swing of the bat belonged to veteran catcher Eric Haase, who only hit 1-5 with 3 strikeouts, but drew a walk and smashed a 3-run home run.
Suffice to say, the Giants are not going to be looking to replace Daniel Susac (No. 20 CPL) with a more veteran option anytime soon, but the next team that only uses 2 catchers in a season will probably be the 1st, so Haase is great depth.
Another rough day for center fielder Grant McCray, who shockingly doesn’t have a hit since April 1, though he did draw 2 walks and steal a base in this game, while going 0-4 with 2 strikeouts. Since that April 1 game, the lefty is 0-20 with 9 strikeouts, though he’s drawn 8 walks.
It was a great pitching game, as the score would suggest, and it was entirely handled by players who are either on the 40-man roster, or were in play to make the Opening Day roster. Kicking things off was RHP Carson Seymour, who had a tremendous showing, tossing 4.2 shutout innings while allowing just 2 hits and 1 walk, and striking out 2. Seymour needed just 63 pitches to get his 14 outs, and threw 43 of those for strikes.
The typical strikeout stuff hasn’t really shown up for Seymour this year in his 1st 3 starts, as he’s K’d just 7 batters in 10.2 innings. But more importantly, he’s only allowed 6 baserunners (3 hits and 3 walks) during that time, and is still rocking a pristine 0.00 ERA. Given the Giants noted hatred of issuing walks, it’s fair to wonder if Seymour has temporarily surpassed LHP Carson Whisenhunt (No. 8 CPL) on the 6th starter depth chart, as Whiz has walked 9 batters in 11.2 innings.
Then it was RHP Spencer Bivens, who had a dynamic bullpen outing, throwing 2.1 scoreless innings with 2 hits, 0 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Bivens has just a 3.52 ERA and a 6.23 FIP through 5 appearances, but this was his 2nd straight excellent game, so perhaps he’s finding the stuff that landed him on the MLB roster for the entirety of the 2025 season. Notably — and very impressively — Bivens threw 25 of 31 pitches for strikes.
Finishing out the game was the duo of LHP prospect Juan Sánchez (No. 41 CPL) and veteran RHP Michael Fulmer. Each tossed a scoreless inning with a strikeout.
Like their big brothers in Sacramento, the Squirrels entered Friday’s game with a 5-game winning streak, scored 11 runs, and pushed that winning streak to 6. Unlike their big brothers, they played again on Saturday and Sunday … and extended the streak to 8 games (the poor Pirates’ affiliate, on the other hand, fell to 0-9 on the year).
It was not without drama, though, as Richmond ceded 2 runs in the top of the 10th inning on Saturday, before mounting a rally in the bottom half of the inning, which ended in a walk-off Dayson Croes fielder’s choice. Anything for the win!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 12, 2026
The weekend was well-balanced for Richmond, with almost all their players contributing in some form or fashion, and nobody really having a star weekend. There was a star game, however, which came from the top prospect suiting up for the squirrels: center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL).
Davidson had an utterly dynamic Friday, hitting a solo home run in the 7th inning, and following it up with a 3-run blast just 1 inning later. Talk about a big day!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 11, 2026
BO DID IT AGAIN!!!
THE FIRST TWO FLYING SQUIRRELS HOME RUNS AT CARMAX PARK BELONG TO BO DAVIDSON 💣 pic.twitter.com/CZHbwYPcnz
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 11, 2026
The undrafted lefty didn’t do too much over the weekend other than those big flies, as he went 4-12 with a sacrifice fly, an outfield assist, and 2 strikeouts … but that’s still a mighty fine weekend, and one that gives him an .854 OPS and a 113 wRC+ through 6 games this year. So far he’s picking up where he left off last year, and that’s a tremendous sign … doesn’t hurt that he can play defense pretty well, too!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 12, 2026
Davidson wasn’t the only player to have a multi-XBH day, as his fellow outfielder Scott Bandura carried the team to victory on Sunday, hitting 2-3 with 2 doubles, a sacrifice fly, and a strikeout, while accounting for 50% of their hits, 100% of their extra-base hits, and 100% of their runs batted in.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 12, 2026
Bandura, a 7th-round pick in 2023 out of Princeton, has been fairly tied at the hip to Davidson in terms of where they’re playing, as they were promoted at the same time last year. Their performance is mirroring each other, as well: after a 5-9 weekend that also included a stolen base, the 24-year old has an .804 OPS and a 120 wRC+. Will we see that pair handling the Sacramento grass at some point this season?
Speaking of outfielders, Turner Hill had yet another nice game, as the speedster attempts to play his way into the Major League depth chart in a Jared Oliva-esque role. The just-turned 27-year old UDFA, who played both corners this weekend but also can handle center well, hit 4-7 with 3 walks, a hit by pitch, a stolen base, and a strikeout.
It does feel like Hill, a lefty, will get a cup of coffee at some point, though he has to be a little frustrated that he’s still grinding away in AA. He posted a 107 wRC+ in 222 plate appearances at the level back in 2024, and then raised it to a 114 wRC+ in 314 plate appearances last year, with more walks than strikeouts. He’s back in Richmond for a 3rd stint and, for now at least, would seem to be the next man up if the River Cats need another outfielder.
One other note on Richmond’s hitters: Aeverson Arteaga started at third base twice, in addition to a game at shortstop. Once considered the best defensive shortstop in the system, Arteaga is now ceding much of the time at the position to Maui Ahuna (No. 33 CPL). That’s because Arteaga had a miserable 2025 and Ahuna is now just a better prospect, but it’s also worth noting that Arteaga took some steps backwards defensively a year ago.
Thankfully, Arteaga’s having a bounce-back year so far, as he went 3-9 with 2 hit by pitches and 2 strikeouts over the weekend, bringing his batting average to .286, his OPS to .730, and his wRC+ to 124. Great numbers? No. But after having a .189 average, a .508 OPS, and a 49 wRC+ a year ago, certainly a welcome sight. Arteaga’s story is far from being complete: he only just turned 23 (he’s a full year younger than Ahuna), so there’s plenty of time for him to recover from his miserable 2025.
On the pitching front, it was all about Sunday’s starter, RHP Darien Smith. A 26-year old undrafted free agent in just his 2nd pro season, Smith was utterly dynamic in his 2nd Richmond appearance, throwing 4.1 no-hit innings, while striking out 9 batters.
It was a case of being effectively wild for Smith, as he largely lived outside of the zone, with just 38 of 60 pitches going for strikes. Yet despite that, he only issued 1 walk … though that walk scored when LHP Cesar Perdomo gave up a rally after coming into the game, so Smith was left with the unfortunate 0-hit, 1-run outing.
Smith took a little bit of time to get his feet wet last year in Low-A, but really exploded in High-A, where he had a 2.59 ERA and a 3.12 FIP in 7 games, with 9.6 strikeouts and just 1.9 walks per 9 innings. The Giants have used him in a hybrid role throughout his brief tenure, and it doesn’t seem outside of the realm of possibilities that he could make the Majors in a year or two as a long reliever, especially if he can keep suppressing walks so gracefully.
The other starters had fairly uninteresting days. On Friday it was LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL), who gave up just 5 hits, 1 walk, and 2 runs in 5 innings of work, with 5 strikeouts. Pretty solid all around, though 3 of the 5 hits went for extra bases, including a home run. Still, that’s an encouraging outing for Whitman, who threw 44 of 65 pitches for strikes, as the 69th overall pick in the 2023 draft looks to pitch his way out of AA, after spending all of 2025 there. Through 2 starts, the 24-year old has just a 6.23 ERA, but a 3.24 FIP …. that’s not unusual for Whitman, who last year had a 5.29 ERA and a 3.61 FIP.
As was the case a year ago, Whitman’s issue is with giving up too many hits: he has 12 strikeouts against just 2 walks in 8.2 innings this year, which is phenomenal. But he’s allowed 9 hits, 4 of which have gone for extra bases.
On Saturday it was RHP Trystan Vrieling, who allowed just 2 hits in 5 innings, but walked 4 batters and gave up 2 runs, with 4 strikeouts. That set the stage for a funny day for the Squirrels pitchers, who only gave up 5 hits in the 10-inning game, but issued a dozen walks.
Like Whitman, Vrieling — the 100th pick in 2022 by the Yankees — is trying to work his way out of AA after spending (virtually) all of 2025 there. Not a great start to his 1st full year in the organization, though, as he has a 6.75 ERA and a 5.20 FIP through 2 starts.
Really nice relief appearances by a pair of older arms that the Giants signed out of indy ball: RHP Dylan Hecht, signed last season, threw 2 perfect innings with 2 strikeouts, while RHP Mitch White, who was signed this past offseason, gave up 1 walk in a shutout inning, with 2 strikeouts.
High-A Eugene (7-2)
Friday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians 6-5 (10 innings) [box score] Saturday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians 3-2 [box score] Sunday: Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians 8-5 [box score]
The Emeralds won 2 of their 3 weekend games, though it was fairly mild-mannered. The team was lacking in standout days and didn’t hit a home run … blame that cold Northwest air!
There was a really strong performance on the mound, thanks to Saturday’s starter, RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL). The 22-year old, whom the Giants acquired last year in the Mike Yastrzemski trade, made his 2nd High-A appearance and it went swimmingly, as he tossed 4.2 no-hit innings with 5 strikeouts. Marte was fairly wild, which has been a little bit of an issue for him in his short career: he walked 2 batters and also hit someone, while throwing just 46 of 74 pitches for strikes. That, combined with an error by his defense, put an unearned run on his ledger.
That certainly points to an area where the Giants will want and need Marte to improve, but it’s also abundantly clear that his fastball/slider combo plays very well. He’s not the most touted prospect that the Giants grabbed at last year’s deadline, but he sure was a nice addition who could end up being a really intriguing arm.
The other starters really struggled. LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL) is hitting some bumps in the road as the 2025 breakout arm adjusts to a higher level. He pitched on Sunday and couldn’t find the strike zone, with just 33 of 64 pitches being strikes, while issuing 3 walks in as many innings. Still, LDLT showed off some of what makes him one of the top arms in the system, as he only allowed 2 hits (both singles) while striking out 4 batters in his 3 innings, though he gave up 2 earned runs.
Continuing the theme — or starting the theme, given that he pitched on Friday — RHP Hunter Dryden threw just 33 of 59 pitches for strikes, while allowing 3 walks and a hit batter in just 2 innings of work, though he only allowed 1 hit and 1 run, and struck out 3. Needless to say, there are some adjustments to make for the pitchers trying to tackle High-A for the 1st time!
A few relievers had nice games: RHP Trey Dillard, a 27-year old Minor League free agent, threw 3 no-hit innings with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts, while RHP Cade Vernon, a 10th-round pick in 2024, struck out 2 batters in 2.2 no-hit, no-walk innings, though 3 baserunners reached while he was on the mound, all via errors. RHP Austin Strickland pitched a perfect inning with 2 strikeouts, as the Giants hope he can blossom into a quality reliever so that they have something to show from the Joey Bart era. Unfortunately, RHP Liam Simon once again struggled to find the strike zone, as he gave up 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 hit batter, and 2 runs in an inning of work. Through 3 outings this year, Simon has allowed 7 walks, 2 hit batters, 10 runs, and 7 earned runs, while recording just 6 outs. He just can’t find his command following a string of injuries.
In the batter’s box, the stars were a pair of fairly unheralded infielders with 80-grade names: shortstop/second baseman Zane Zielinski, and second baseman Zander Darby. Zielinski, a 9th-round pick in 2024 who is repeating High-A after spending his entire debut season there, hit 5-10 with 1 double, 2 walks, 1 sac fly, 2 strikeouts, and 2 errors. After having a .642 OPS and an 89 wRC+ with Eugene last season, the 24-year old is sporting an 1.101 OPS and a 199 wRC+ through 7 games this year.
As for Darby, a 23-year old who was taken in the 12th round in 2024, he went 3-10 with 2 doubles, though he struck out 4 times. The left-handed hitter spent most of 2025 with Low-A San Jose, and struggled mightily during his month with the Emeralds. That’s not the case this year, however, as he’s rocking a 1.033 OPS and a 175 wRC+ through 7 games.
Quiet weekends for the top hitting prospects at the level, and they each got a day off. Shortstop/designated hitter Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) hit 3-9 with a double, a sacrifice fly, and 2 strikeouts, and now has an 1.101 OPS and a 183 wRC+; center fielder/designated hitter Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) went 0-8 with 2 walks and 1 strikeout, dropping his OPS to .628 and his wRC+ to 81; and center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) hit 2-8 with 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and 1 stolen base, moving his OPS to .797 and his wRC+ to 105.
Low-A San Jose (7-2)
Friday: San Jose Giants beat the Visalia Rawhide 5-2 [box score] Sunday Game 1: San Jose Giants beat the Visalia Rawhide 3-2 (7 innings) [box score] Sunday Game 2: San Jose Giants beat the Visalia Rawhide 4-2 (7 innings) [box score]
Like Sacramento, San Jose had their Saturday game rained out … but unlike Sacramento, they were actually able to play the Sunday doubleheader.
Still, it was a relatively mild weekend, as the 7-inning doubleheader deprived us of 4 additional innings and, most notably, shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) didn’t play at all. No word on what’s going on with Level though, thankfully, Roger Munter makes it sound like there’s likely nothing at all to worry about.
In Level’s absence, the standout offensive weekend belonged to first baseman/designated hitter Jeremiah Jenkins, who had one hell of a run over the 3 games, hitting 3-8 with a home run, a double, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts.
A 14th-round pick in 2024, Jenkins — who turns 23 next month — struggled in San Jose last year, though he did a great job limiting his strikeouts. He’s off to a red-hot start this year, and has really been showing off his power, with 4 extra-base hits in 6 games.
Center fielder Andy Polanco had a nice weekend, continuing his strong start to the season. The soon-to-turn 21-year old, who was an 11th-round selection in 2024, hit 4-7 with a stolen base and 2 strikeouts, and now has a .924 OPS and a 145 wRC+ through 7 games. That’s quite a nice start given that he only had an 85 wRC+ in the Complex League last year in his debut. Critically, Polanco plays strong defense (though he committed an error on Friday), and has 4 stolen bases on the year.
Andy Polanco drives in a pair with a single up the middle, and the Giants take a 3-1 lead! pic.twitter.com/4dbPjulsVQ
But the star performance came on the mound, where RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL) had his best performance since a late promotion to San Jose last year. Cayama took the mound on Friday and showed why the organization — and people outside of it — are so high on him, as he tossed 4 innings with 4 hits, 0 walks, 1 run, and a whopping 8 strikeouts. It was a tremendous display of strike-throwing, as Cayama threw 44 of his 55 pitches for strikes.
Cayama broke out in the Complex League last year with a brilliant 10.3 strikeouts and just 3.4 walks per 9 innings, numbers that took a huge hit upon his promotion to the Baby Giants. But this year? Through 2 starts he has 12 strikeouts in 7.2 innings …. and 0 walks. He did get hit hard in his 1st outing of the year, but that will happen occasionally. The Giants have to be thrilled with this start to the season for the hot prospect.
Argenis Cayama struck out 8 over four innings of work to pace San Jose to victory over Visalia on Friday.
But while Cayama’s performance was the most exciting long-term, the most meaningful in the short term came on Sunday, when Major League LHP Sam Hentges kicked off a rehab appearance. You can’t really learn anything about someone rehabbing in Low-A, but it’s always better to be … well … better, and Hentges did that, retiring all 3 batters he faced, needing just 10 pitches, and recording a strikeout. San Francisco’s bullpen will look better when he’s in it, that’s for sure.
Finishing off the weekend was RHP Alix Hernandez, who had another fantastic game, striking out 4 batters in 2.1 no-hit innings, while issuing 1 walk. Hernandez, a 21-year old who was signed in 2022 out of Venezuela, has some mesmerizing stuff, but has struggled with both command and health. He’s off to a great start this year, with 8 strikeouts against 1 walk in 5.1 innings, and a clean 0.00 ERA through 3 outings.
Home run tracker
2 — Bo Davidson x2 — [AA] 2 — Jeremiah Jenkins — [Low-A] 1 — Eric Haase — [AAA]
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 07: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez (61) walks to the dugout after being pulled from the game during a MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants on April 07, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
SCORING BY INNING: The Cubs scored in five innings yesterday, their second-highest count of the season. They scored in six at Tampa last Tuesday. They scored twice in two innings yesterday, raising their total to 24 innings with a pair of runs. They have tallied more than two in 13 innings, but in only one of their last 88, five runs in the fifth inning at Tampa last Wednesday. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
RUN DIFFERENTIAL: The Cubs’ run differential is +10 going into tonight’s action. Believe it or not, only five other teams currently have better run differentials (Braves, +46; Dodgers, +35; Yankees, +21; Brewers, +16; Padres, +14). The Cubs are tied with the Tigers at +10.
THE NICO FILES: Nico Hoerner has a 14-game on-base streak in which he is batting .340/.446/.528 (18-for-53) with seven doubles, a home run, 10 RBI and nine walks. Thus he has reached base in every game this year except for Opening Day.
WHAT A RELIEF: Cubs relievers did not allow an earned run in the last two games against the Pirates (one unearned run in extra innings Saturday), totaling nine innings over those two contests, with five hits and four walks allowed (1.000 WHIP) and 11 strikeouts.
Javier Assad stepped up when Cade Horton hit the injured list, and his first start, last Tuesday against the Rays, was outstanding: 5.2 shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks.
Assad has been remarkably consistent through his 79 games (55 starts) as a Cub. No season ERA lower than 3.03, none higher than 3.73. FIP figures a bit higher, but also consistent. He will keep the team in the game and give innings.
His last start against the Phillies, Sept. 25, 2024 in Philadelphia, wasn’t very good. Don’t click on that boxscore link. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I suspect we’ll get a better one tonight.
Cristopher Sánchez had a breakout season in 2025, posting 8.0 bWAR and finishing second in NL Cy Young voting. He’s continued that so far this year in three starts, with a 1.65 ERA, 23 strikeouts in 16.1 innings with just four walks and no home runs allowed.
He has not faced the Cubs since that same 2024 game where Assad got hit pretty hard. He allowed three runs (one earned) in 4.2 innings that night. Nico Hoerner homered off him, for whatever that’s worth.
Cubs hitters will have a tough assignment tonight.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 7: Starter Mike Burrows #50 of the Houston Astros pitches in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 7, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros (6-10) will look stop a seven-game losing streak this afternoon as they look to salvage the series finale in the final game of a 10-game road trip against the Seattle Mariners (7-9).
RHP Mike Burrows (1-2, 5.63 ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros, opposite RHP George Kirby (1-2, 3.60 ERA) and the Mariners.
TODAY’S ASTROS STARTER: RHP Mike Burrows is set to make his fourth start of the season. In his last start on Tuesday, April 7 at COL, he allowed three runs on eight hits and one walk with three strikeouts in 5.1 innings.
ROAD TRIP: Today is the final game of a 10-game road trip for the Astros. The Astros are 1-8 so far on this road trip. Houston went 41-40 on the road last season.
AGAINST THE MARINERS: The Astros and Mariners face each other today for the fourth of 13 scheduled matchups in 2026.
The Astros went 5-8 against the Mariners in 2025, including 2-4 record at T-Mobile Park. Houston owns a 132-100 all-time regular season record against Seattle.
The Mariners will travel to Daikin Park for the first of two road trips to Houston from May 11-14 for a four-game series.
BOLTON INJURY: Astros RHP Cody Bolton left yesterday’s game at Seattle due to mid-back tightness.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVES: The Houston Astros have made the following roster moves: placed IF Jeremy Peña on the 10-day IL due to a grade one hamstring strain (retro 4/12) and placed RHP Tatsuya Imai on the 15-day IL due to right arm fatigue (retro 4/12).
The Astros also optioned RHP Jayden Murray to Triple A Sugar Land following yesterday’s game. To take their places on the active roster, the Astros have recalled RHP J.P. France, LHP Colton Gordon and IF Shay Whitcomb from Triple A Sugar Land.
TUVE VS. THE MARINERS: 2B Jose Altuve has hit .313 (246×787) with 49 doubles, 21 homers, 96 RBI and a .832 OPS in 193 career games against the Mariners. He already ranks third all-time in hits vs. SEA, trailing only Cal Ripken Jr. (261) and Michael Young (259), and ranks eighth all-time in games played vs. the Mariners.
AIR YORDAN: This season, LF Yordan Alvarez is batting .340 (18×53) with 12 runs, four doubles, six home runs, 14 RBI, 15 walks, and a 1.255 OPS (.500 OBP/.755 SLG).
In the Majors, he ranks tied for first in OBP, tied for first in walks, second in OPS, second in SLG, second in home runs and tied for fifth in RBI.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Monday, April 13, 3:10 p.m. CST
Location: T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Oh, how different a week can make you feel. The Yankees’ fast start climbing to the top of the league with a 7-1 record has flipped on its head just as quick, as a five-game losing streak has torpedoed them down towards the rest of the pack in a hurry. While the team certainly was flawed during their winning streak, their flaws have been their outright downfall as they’ve lost one-run game after one-run game. The lineup at large has been dormant, and the few moments that a spark has sprung have been quickly put down by a bullpen that is struggling to match the success of their starting counterparts.
Drastic measures are hardly the right call three weeks into a 162-game season, but some adjustments are clearly necessary. The Yankees may not want to mess up the development of Jasson Domínguez, but they’ve yet to get a single hit from Randal Grichuk and the team is floundering from the lack of production from the supporting cast as a whole. Should they cut bait with the journeyman backup and promote Domínguez? Can the bullpen turn it around or will they need to remodel again? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.
Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of April 16th will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 10: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves hits a single during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a win-win for Michael Harris as he was on paternity leave to be with his family, and the Atlanta Braves were able to score a large number of runs while he was out. The Braves’ offense now averages 5.62 runs per game behind only three other teams after the massive 13-1 blowout yesterday.
With the announcement of Harris coming back we could assume already that he would be back in the lineup, which means that Mauricio Dubón’s stint at CF is done for the moment. The Dubón trade may go down as the best offseason addition by Alex Anthopoulos in a landslide not only for the offensive upgrade, but the versatility he has already brought this team.
The 5.62 runs per game has been impressive, especially considering the Braves are down Sean Murphy, and Ha-Seong Kim, plus Ronald Acuña and Austin Riley have had slow starts.
Today the offense will be facing Eury Pérez who is a righty, and Weiss has been pretty consistent in his lineups when facing them, at least in terms of who is drawing the start. No Braves player has faced Pérez in more than six at-bats, but Dominic Smith, who typically only starts against righties is one of two players to do so with Matt Olson being the other. Smith has been successful in those at-bats with an .833 OPS.
Drake Baldwin has two HRs in only four at-bats against Pérez, and Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña both have a HR against him as well. Considering the Braves are second behind only the mighty Dodgers in HRs this season, we may be in store for a HR happy evening.
In his return, Harris will be batting eighth. Maybe with his time out, his luck has flipped. His BABIP has been terrible at .256 and his xwOBA is on the top 9.0 of MLB. He has a wOBA of .287, yet his xwOBA is .401. He has arguably been the unluckiest hitter in the sport. Dubón will no be back at SS, and batting ninth.
The Miami Marlins only have five players who have faced Grant Holmes before, and three have struggled in limited action. Xavier Edwards has a .393 OPS in seven at-bats, while Connor Norby and Agustín Ramírez are both hitless so far in four and three at-bats respectively. Otto Lopez and Liam Hicks both have a hit in their two at-bats.
Surprisingly, the Marlins offense is scoring 4.38 runs per game which is in the top half of MLB. Grant Holmes is not going to have a walk in the park so to speak as some may assume.
LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 12: Cade Winquest #80 of the New York Yankees pitches during the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 12, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 4-3. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Completing his strange trek from St. Louis to New York and back, Cade Winquest has been returned to the Cardinals after the Yankees designated him for assignment last week. The Yankees selected Winquest in the Rule 5 Draft last December, but the right-hander ultimately never made an appearance for the team.
It was a surprise to see the Yankees take Winquest in the Rule 5, the club’s first Rule 5 selection in over a decade. By rule, Rule 5 draftees must be added to the active roster and stay there for an entire season or else be exposed to waivers, indicating the Yankees saw at least some potential for Winquest to upgrade their bullpen.
But the fit proved awkward from the start. The Yankees saw potential, but they don’t have the luxury of letting long-term projects develop on the active roster while trying to win a pennant. Brian Cashman said as much when asked of Winquest’s DFA, telling reporters “It would have been nice to be able to find room to get him into games to develop, but it’s hard when you’re trying to compete to develop at the same time.”
The Cardinals assigned Winquest to their Triple-A affiliate, where he’ll continue to work in an effort to actually make his major league debut. It was a tough draw for Winquest in New York, getting warm a couple times in comfortable wins at the start of the season, only to not make it into the game. Hopefully, the call comes soon enough for him in St. Louis.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 12: Luke Raley #20 of the Seattle Mariners hoists the trident after beating the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on April 12, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mops are on the table, I repeat, mops are ON the table. The Seattle Mariners have won their first series of 2026, and have the mopportunity to send the reeling Houston Astros on their way in an ambulance. This is sadly literally true as much as figurative, as Houston is falling apart physically as much as performance-wise. Today launched another flurry of injury news for the browbeaten Texans.
On the bump today are a newcomer and and oldcomer to the AL West – RHP Mike Burrows for the Astros takes his first crack at the Mariners since coming over from the Pittsburgh Pirates this winter, while George Kirby will look to build on a trio of solid outings that showcased his trademark efficiency. Additionally, we got a little injury update from Dan Wilson on Bryce Miller:
Lineups
Sorry this is truly the least aesthetically pleasing but I am a-hustling. It’s a Mitch Garver day behind the plate, while Houston’s lineup continues to thin.
Game Info
First Pitch: 1:10 p.m. PDT TV: Mariners TV Radio: Old Reliable
Sep 20, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Byron Buxton (25) celebrates a single against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of game two of a double header at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
After taking two-of-three from the St. Louis Cardinals, the Red Sox are 6-9, just two games out of first place in the AL East. Ditto a Wild Card spot. Their run differential is zero. The offense has scored 62 runs, third in the division after Tampa Bay (70) and New York (65). The pitching is also third in the division in runs allowed behind the Yankees (44) and Orioles (59).
After facing the National League so far this season it’s time to play in the AL. First up, the Minnesota Twins.
The Twins are off to a very solid start at 9-7, just half a game behind the Cleveland Guardians. After the selloff at 2025 trade deadline, getting off to a +.500 record is music to their fans’ ears. FanGraphs still projects the team at a tick under .500 for the year, but with the Tigers coming out of the gate a little weaker who knows what the AL Central could look like.
As Boston looks to turn a two-game winning streak into three, Garrett Crochet takes the ball. Coming off a win against the Brewers where he was brilliant for about six innings and then a little gassed as his pitch count topped 100, the lefty looks to pitch not as the stopper but the continuer. He’s opposed by Bailey Ober, a tall righty who missed much of 2025. He’s back this season and things have been…ok. Over three starts he’s totaled 13.2 innings with 8 hits, 7 strikeouts, and 4 walks. In the early going this season his strikeout percentage has dropped from a career average of 23.7% of batters to 11.9% and his 6.8% walk rate is the highest of his career with a 5.3% average rate across his time in the majors. With a fastball sitting in the high 80s vs the mid-90s is he crafty enough to get by? Will the velocity return?
Tuesday we get anther start from Sonny Gray, who is coming off back-to-back strong outings against the Padres and Brewers. After a lackluster start to open the season in Cincinnati, Gray excelled in Fenway Park. Now he’s taking the show back on the road, hopefully with those bugs worked out. Mick Abel is a 24-year-old righty who came to Minnesota from the Philles in exchange for Jhoan Duran. It’s his second season in the majors and he’s sitting on a career 6.19 ERA / 3.87 FIP). So far this year he’s walking (14.9%) almost the same percentage of batters he’s striking out (19.4%) which isn’t going to end well. Luckily for him last year he only walked 9.2%. and he’s only 52.1 innings into his major league career.
The series finale is an afternoon start. Connelly Early has had trouble getting deep into games. He’s thrown 96, 88, and 86 pitches and lasted 5.1, 4.0, and 4.1 innings before needing to be removed for a reliever. He’s looked good at times but also a little lost. The team clearly believes in him. He’s opposed by Simeon Woods Richardson. Another righty, he’s coming off a bad start after two good outings to begin the season. On the year he’s tossed 15.2 innings allowing 16 runs (8 earned), 8 hits, struck out 8, and walked 4. He give up about 34% ground balls so there’s a chance to force the defense to make plays.
Royce Lewis is on the IL, as his career remains frustrating in that regard.
Byron Buxton is off to a slow start: .182/.258/.273
Josh Bell has been a tremendous asset so far: .286/.390/.551 with 3 homers. This is well ahead of his career averages but he’s sure on a hot streak at the moment.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Monday, April 13: Garrett Crochet (3.12 ERA / 2.54 FIP) vs. Bailey Ober (5.27 ERA / 3.92 FIP)
Tuesday, April 14: Sonny Gray (2.76 ERA / 6.19 FIP) vs. Mick Abel (6.08 ERA / 3.87 FIP)
Wednesday, April 15: Connelly Early (2.63 ERA / 2.90 FIP) vs. Simeon Woods Richardson (5.35 ERA / 4.29 FIP)
