Category: MLB

Roster moves (Bluesky link):

Sunday notes…

• SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE: This is the Cubs’ 123rd series at Los Angeles against the Dodgers. In 41, one third of them, the teams have split the first two of three-game series. The Cubs then won the third game of 20 and lost the third game of 21. They are 16-11 after winning the first game and losing the second, as they have this weekend. The teams also split the first two games of 15 four-game series. The Cubs won six and lost nine of the third games of those series. So in all 56 series in which the first two games were split, the Cubs are 26-30 in third games. The Cubs won two of three each of the last three years. They won, lost and won in 2023; won, won and lost in 2024; and lost, won and won a year ago. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• THE KID CAN FLAT-OUT HIT: Moises Ballesteros is slashing .397/.446/.690, for an OPS of 1.136. In his two-season, 44-game, 131-plate-appearance career, his line is .348/.420/.583, 1.002. His OPS is highest among 116 players who made their MLB debut as a Cub and had at least that many PA in their first 44 games. Ray Grimes is second, at .968, and Mandy Brooks and Bob Speake are tied for third, at .952. Then come Earl Webb, .937; Kyle Schwarber, .928; Matt Murton, .920; Geovany Soto, .906; Dwight Smith, .885 and Mike Fontenot, .881. Ballesteros is second highest is batting average behind Grimes’ .3651 and ahead of Herman Reich’s .336. Ballesteros is third in OBP, too, behind Grimes’ .472 and Kosuke Fukudome’s .420. And Ballesteros is third in SLG, too, behind Mandy Brooks (.600) and Speake (.597). He leads Schwarber (.560) and Earl Webb (.551). (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• SEIYA, HEATING UP: Seiya Suzuki, last 10 games since April 15: .389/.488/.750 (14-for-36) with a double, four home runs, five walks, seven RBI and nine runs scored.
• TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY:Don Zimmer hit a one-out walk-off home run in the 10th inning and the Cubs defeated the Reds 3-2. It happened 65 years ago today, Wednesday, April 26, 1961.

The Cubs lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Cubs lineup.

Dodgers lineup:

Today’s #Dodgers lineup vs. Cubs: pic.twitter.com/ewT4SKlXEb

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 26, 2026

Shōta Imanaga, LHP vs. Justin Wrobleski, LHP

After a somewhat rough first start this year, Shōta Imanaga has been just magnificent over his last four outings: 1.13 ERA, 0.542 WHIP, only two home runs in 24 innings, with just four walks and 25 strikeouts. He went from an 11-K outing vs. the Phillies in Philadelphia to having a game with just one strikeout but 11 ground outs against the same team at Wrigley Field.

Shōta threw four no-hit innings against the Dodgers last year in Tokyo (though with four walks), then got touched up for five runs in five innings (with three home runs allowed) against them at Wrigley Field. He has never pitched at Dodger Stadium.

As always with Shōta, keeping the ball in the yard is key.

Justin Wrobleski is off to a very good start in 2026 in four appearances (three starts), with a 1.88 ERA and 0.875 WHIP and no home runs allowed in 24 innings.

As you can see from the chart below, he doesn’t throw particularly hard, but does have a good pitch mix. He doesn’t strike out a lot of guys (just nine so far this year), though he did last year (mostly as a reliever).

He has never faced the Cubs. Among current Cubs, only Alex Bregman (0-for-3) and Carson Kelly (0-for-2) have ever seen him.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Dodger Stadium.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Dodgers market territories).

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Dodgers site True Blue LA. If you do go there to interact with Dodgers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

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.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

After a wild one yesterday, the Mariners have secured a series win and come into today looking for a sweep. Emerson Hancock takes the mound for Seattle and will look to improve on a slightly shakier performance last time out when he surrendered three homers in a shortened start against the Athletics.

Lineups:

Josh Naylor is out of today’s lineup with a bruised quad, but it’s more of an off-day situation than an actual injury. He’ll be available to pinch-hit off the bench if necessary.

Game information:

Game time: 11:15 AM PT

TV: Mariners.TV, with Aaron Goldsmith and Angie Mentink, and Brad Adam serving as field reporter

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Gary Hill Jr. and Ryan Rowland-Smith

While yesterday’s extra-inning loss was certainly disappointing, it left little doubt in my mind that this is indeed a different Sox team than the moribund group we’ve become accustomed to over the last few years. Noah Schultz dominated, and while the power surges of Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami have slowed down a bit, other mid-level hitters like Miguel Vargas and Chase Meidroth were there to pick up the slack. The White Sox now have hitters that as a fan you actually want at the plate in a big situation. Despite an early deficit, they mounted a comeback and fought until the end. Not super-used to that one!

Call it “Ricky’s Boys Don’t Quit: Will’s Version,” and they still have a chance to make it three series wins in a row if they can pull out this rubber match against Washington. Sean Burke will go to the mound as the Sox primary pitcher today, with Bryan Hudson — who has been an excellent and unheralded addition to a bullpen that’s been starved for good lefty options — serving as the opener against Washington’s lefty-heavy lineup, which looks like this today:

Righthander Foster Griffin has made a strong return Stateside after a three-year hiatus in Japan, where he ran a 2.57 ERA over three seasons in the dead-ball NPB. He’s won three of his first five starts with Washington without taking a loss, working to a 3.38 ERA over 26 2/3 innings. Here’s the lineup that Will Venable counters with:

Even by the standards of the post-2021 White Sox, that’s a getaway day lineup if I’ve ever seen one. Perhaps they spent too much time out on the town with C.J. Abrams last night. Either way, first pitch is scheduled for at 1:15 p.m. CT, live from Rate Field in Armour Square. If you want to join us, broadcasts are available on CHSN (TV) and WMVP AM 1000 (radio) like always!

The St. Louis Cardinals will try to salvage a game in the short homestand series versus the Mariners on Sunday as Michael McGreevy gets the start for St. Louis while Emerson Hancock will pitch for Seattle. First pitch scheduled for 1:15pm Sunday at Busch Stadium.

Milwaukee has now dropped four straight after last night’s extra-inning loss. The Crew will look to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates in this afternoon’s series finale.

Kyle Harrison is on the mound for the Brewers. Acquired from Boston in February, the left-hander has been a steady presence early on. He hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any of his four starts and brings a 3.05 ERA into today’s matchup.

Pitching for the Pirates is righty Carmen Mlodzinski, who owns a 3.28 ERA through five appearances. Mlodzinski has completed five innings just twice this season, which could put added strain on a Pittsburgh bullpen that covered five innings yesterday. If Milwaukee can get to him early, there’s an opportunity to do some damage.

No major surprises in today’s lineup. The top of the order — Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Jake Bauers — remains unchanged from last night’s contest. Gary Sánchez, tied with Bauers for the team lead in home runs (with five) hits cleanup.

Garrett Mitchell is in center field and batting fifth. He’s followed by Sal Frelick, who recorded a pair of sacrifice flies last night. Rounding out the bottom of the order are Luis Rengifo, David Hamilton (at shortstop today), and Brandon Lockridge.

As usual, you can catch the game on Brewers.TV, WTMJ 620, and the Brewers Radio Network. First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m.

Series finale

📺: https://t.co/eycfmE2vgm
📻: WTMJ

→ https://t.co/mvGXoRMTFSpic.twitter.com/CawG8SEZuM

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) April 26, 2026

28/162.

📺 @SNPittsburgh
📻 @937theFanpic.twitter.com/VvDINahjKv

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 26, 2026

The Nats showed grit and clutch hitting in their extra inning win yesterday. That evened up the series and set up a rubber match this afternoon. This is a series both teams are going to really want to grab, so this will be a hotly contested game.

For the second time this series, the White Sox have a lefty opener, which made Blake Butera alter his lineup. Curtis Mead will be in the 2 spot at first base, while Luis Garcia Jr. is lower in the order, in the 7 spot. CJ Abrams will be back in the lineup after a day off yesterday. Drew Millas will be back behind the dish. He will be catching Foster Griffin, who has had a very good start to his Nats career.

southside finale

→ https://t.co/iUBDqlACVspic.twitter.com/7u5SWB5VE9

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 26, 2026

With a lefty on the mound, we will see some new faces for the White Sox. Tanner Murray, Derek Hill and Drew Romo will make their first starts of the series. Luisangel Acuna will also be back in the lineup. Chase Meidroth will be all the way up in the leadoff spot. For the second time in this series, lefty Bryan Hudson will be the opener. Righty Sean Burke will follow him.

Sunday Showdown pic.twitter.com/2Rr9dY2LJC

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 26, 2026

Game Info:

Stadium: Rate Field

Time: 2:10 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

This has been a very evenly matched series, with the Sox taking game one by a single run and the Nats winning game two in extra innings. That should set up for a fun series finale. Follow along down below and let’s go Nats.

It’s been a good week. The Yankees swept Boston and likely played a non-insignificant role in that org’s excising the majority of its MLB coaching staff (including skipper Alex Cora), and then New York came down to Houston and have taken the first two games against their hated Astros. Last night’s win was driven by the club’s patience, as Houston hurlers allowed ten walks in nine innings, spotting the Yankees a ton of traffic. The Yanks have won eight games in a row and seek their first nine-game winning streak since 2022.

This may be a key to the game today, as Astros’ starter Spencer Arrighetti has had walk problems in his first two MLB seasons, and has walked 15 percent (!) of the batters he’s faced across his first two starts. He’s benefitted from some sequencing and some luck, as he hasn’t allowed a home run in 11 innings, and just three runs overall. However, he’s faced Cleveland and Colorado, not exactly offenses known for hitting the ball out of the park. Nobody in baseball walks more than the Yankees do, and only the Dodgers have hit more home runs. Arrighetti might just look like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs today.

Meanwhile, the Yankees send Luis Gil to the bump, his fourth start in 2026 and he hasn’t exactly impressed with his results. He’s issuing virtually a walk for every strikeout, and has just a .143 BABIP against so far this year. He increasingly looks like a player that shouldn’t be in an MLB rotation, and we could see some very real fireworks today with these two pitchers squaring off — then again, just saying that makes a 2-1 nailbiter all the more likely.

On the offensive side, it’s another day without the recovering Giancarlo Stanton. Ben Rice will get half a day off as he slides into the DH role and Paul Goldschmidt takes over the cold corner and bats sixth. J.C. Escarra spells Austin Wells after a night game and will be your catcher.

How to Watch:

Location: Daikin Park — Houston, TX

First Pitch: 2:10 pm EDT

TV broadcast: YES / Space City Home Network

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280

Online stream: MLB.tv

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Series Finale on the way. #RepBXpic.twitter.com/VTospgandd

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 26, 2026

Sunday starters.

⚾️: 1:10pm
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN | @peacock HOU Blackout
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 102.9 HD2#ChaseTheFight x @reliantenergypic.twitter.com/u7iWsNTQNK

— Houston Astros (@astros) April 26, 2026

Northern Hemisphere Athletics @ Texas Rangers

Sunday, April 26, 2026, 1:35 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

The Shed

RHP J.T. Ginn vs. RHP Kumar Rocker

Go Rangers!

Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday. 

Imai, who has been on the injured list due to right arm fatigue since April 12, threw a bullpen at Daikin Park Sunday morning before the Astros series finale against the New York Yankees. Manager Joe Espada said Imai will start against the Frisco Roughriders if he comes out of that bullpen feeling good.

“He could go four innings, five innings, just depending how efficient he is,” Espada said. “He’s fully stretched out.”

Espada didn’t say how many rehab starts Imai would need being reinstated from the IL.

Imai signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the Astros from the NPB’s Seibu Lions, that included opt outs after the first two seasons. He posted a 7.27 ERA in his first three Major League starts and was unable to finish the first inning in his last start on April 10 against the Seattle Mariners.

After he was placed on the IL, Imai revealed that the transition to the United States had been tougher than he expected, but Espada said Sunday he believes things are getting better for the 27-year old.

“We continue to talk with him and encourage him to be open with us,” Espada said. “I know he’s got his strength coach finally here. He feels like he’s more complete when it comes to his progression and his process that he has leading into his next start, into his bullpen, so he’s in a much better place mentally.”

Game two of this series. Another win would be nice.

And it would also be nice if Yohendrick Pinango does so well that the Jays can’t bring themselves to send him back to the minors.

The lineup is interesting.

Go Jays Go.

The Houston Astros (10-18) will try to salvage a victory in the finale this three-game series opposite the rival New York Yankees (18-9) today at Daikin Park.

RHP Spencer Arrighetti, who’s 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his two starts this season, will put his perfect record up against RHP Luis Gil (1-1, 4.11 ERA) and the Yankees.

SPENCER’S GIFTS: RHP Spencer Arrighetti has impressed in his two Major League starts, striking out 13 in 11.0 innings, while posting a .195 opponent average.

This continues his run of success, as he opened his year at Triple A Sugar Land where he had three strong starts, posting a 1.26 ERA (2ER/14.1IP) with 20 strikeouts, a 0.77 WHIP and a .111 opponent average.

Arrighetti has spent the majority of the last two years in Houston, making 38 apps. (36 starts) for the Astros, posting a 4.56 ERA (97ER/191.1IP) with 215 strikeouts in 191.1 innings.

RIVALRY RENEWED: The Astros went 3-3 against the Yankees in 2025, but have had their struggles vs. the Yankees since the start of the 2023 season, going 6-16 in their regular season games.

In the postseason, the Astros and Yankees have played 18 games against each other since 2015, the most playoff games between any two teams in that span, with the Astros going 13-5 in those games with wins in all four postseason series (2015 WC; 2017 ALCS; 2019 ALCS; 2022 ALCS).

GUN ‘EM DOWN:C Christian Vázquez threw out SS José Caballero attempting to steal third base in the 3rd and 7th innings last night.

Vázquez has thrown out seven baserunners attempting to steal (in 14 attempts), ranking tied for second in the AL.

THE ORDER: The Astros have used 28 different batting orders in their 28 games so far this season.

Only LF Yordan Alvarez has started every game in the same spot in the lineup (second).

ON THE LEADERBOARD: Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid start to this season, currently leading the Majors in total bases (77), OBP (.464), and OPS (1.219), ranking tied for first in hits (36), extra-base hits (19), batting average (.353) and in homers (11), and second in RBI (26) and SLG (.755).

STALKING THE PUMA: LF Yordan Alvarez has matched the Astros franchise record with 11 home runs in the club’s first 28 games of a season, a feat he also accomplished in the 2022 season.

The only other Astro with 11 homers with the club’s first 28 games was OF Lance Berkman, who did so in both 2002 and 2006.

Should Alvarez homer today, he would be the first player in franchise history to hit 12 homers within the club’s first 29 games.

WE’RE GOING STREAKING!: LF Yordan Alvarez is on an active 11-game hitting streak in which he’s hit .391 (18×46) with four doubles, five homers, 12 RBI and a 1.233 OPS.

The streak is the second-longest of his career, trailing only a 13-game streak, which was posted from May 2-16, 2023. Lastly, Alvarez’s streak is the longest active streak in the AL and the longest by an Astro this season.

OUT ON REHAB: LF Zach Dezenzo played in his third rehab game for Triple A Sugar Land last night, going 1×2 with a double and two walks. Dezenzo has been sidelined this entire season while recovering from a right elbow sprain.

MINOR LEAGUE REPORT: RHP Brandon McPherson, an undrafted free agent signing last season, tossed 4.0 scoreless innings with six strikeouts in a start for Double A Corpus Christi last night, lowering his season ERA to 3.24 through four starts.

TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1998 – The Astros shellac the Expos 15-0 in what ties as the largest margin of victory in a shutout game in franchise history.

Two Astros have four-hit games in 3B Sean Berry and CF Richard Hidalgo, who both go 4×5. LF Moises Alou drives in five. RHP Sean Bergman (6IP) picks up the win, while LHP Trever Miller earns a 3.0-inning save.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, April 126, 1:10 p.m. CST

Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX

TV: Space City Home Network

Streaming: SCHN+

Radio: KTRH 740 AM & 99.1 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

Astros vs. Yankees RHP Gil: pic.twitter.com/4ZgAk9UnOQ

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) April 26, 2026

Series Finale on the way. #RepBXpic.twitter.com/VTospgandd

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 26, 2026

Detroit Tigers (14-14) vs. Cincinnati Reds (18-9)

Time/Place: 1:40 p.m., Great American Ball Park
SB Nation Site: Red Reporter
Media: Detroit Sportsnet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (1-2, 3.68 ERA) vs. RHP Rhett Lowder (3-1, 3.10 ERA)

Player	G	IP	K%	BB%	GB%	FIP	fWAR
Montero	4	22.0	21.2	3.5	36.5	1.92	1.0
Lowder	5	29.0	15.3	7.6	40.7	3.28	0.7

Go Rays!

Rhett Lowder’s best outing of the 2026 season came back on April 4th against the Texas Rangers. The Cincinnati Reds righty fired 6.0 IP of scoreless, 3 hit ball that day, and he did so pitching to catcher Jose Trevino for the first (and, so far, only) time this year.

That’s largely because Trevino hit the shelf immediately after that game with pain in his back. But after three weeks on the shelf, Trevino is back with the Reds and immediately in action today in the series finale against the Detroit Tigers.

And, he’ll have Lowder chucking baseballs his way as the Reds starter for the day.

Cincinnati goes for the series sweep over the Tigers on Sunday in Great American Ball Park, with Lowder hurling the first pitch of the day at 1:40 PM ET.

Here’s how both teams will line up as the Reds look to tie a bow on an already electric Hall of Fame induction weekend:

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers, April 26, 2026, 2:10 p.m. ET

Location: American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet

Pitching Matchup: Carmen Mlodzinski (1-1, 3.28 ERA) vs. Kyle Harrison (1-1, 3.06 ERA)

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The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the Milwaukee Brewers looking to grab a win.

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