Expect the bats to do some damage against Rocker, whose results (3.38 ERA) are better than his process (4.11 xFIP, 4.17 SIERA).
COVERS INTEL: A lot of Rocker’s success has stemmed from keeping the ball down, which will be difficult against a Tigers offense that ranks fifth in flyball rate vs. righties at home.
Rangers vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 8.0 (-120)
This game sets up well for the offenses. The Tigers are in a favorable spot and the Rangers have quietly been productive away from home.
Texas ranks third in wOBA and fourth in OPS on the road this season, keeping company with teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.
While the Rangers have a higher strikeout tendency than those teams, they’re still dangerous.
Both teams squeezed only 3.2 innings out of their starting pitchers on Friday, which could make key bullpen arms fatigued or unavailable entirely.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 10-3, +6.18 units
Over/Under bets: 6-7, -1.72 units
Rangers vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Texas (+115) | Detroit (-135)
Run line: Texas +1.5 (-175) | Detroit -1.5 (+150)
Over/Under: Over 8.0 (-120) | Under 8.0 (+100)
Rangers vs Tigers trend
The Detroit Tigers have hit the Moneyline in 10 of their last 13 games at home (+6.40 Units / 35% ROI).Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Tigers.
How to watch Rangers vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Saturday, May 2, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Rangers starting pitcher
Kumar Rocker (1-2, 3.38 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Keider Montero (1-2, 4.00 ERA)
Rangers vs Tigers latest injuries
Rangers vs Tigers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Detroit Tigers broadcaster Jason Benetti had a short reaction to the ABS challenge. TNS
His assessment came after a horrible challenge on a 3-2 pitch in the ninth inning — which was not close to being outside the zone — in the Yankees’ 12-4 win over the Astros on April 24.
“You just gotta laugh, at that point,” Chisholm said. “We were winning, it’s a kid’s game. You got to laugh at some things. Sometimes you just got to laugh at yourself and walk off. Did get fined a thousand dollars, but it’s OK.”
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 09: Wehiwa Aloy, the Baltimore Orioles 2025 3rd pick in the draft, looks on during batting practice prior a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 9, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 6, Nashville (Brewers) 5
The Tides had to go with something of a patchwork pitching staff for this game, as the scheduled starter, Trey Gibson, was moved around to set up potentially joining the MLB team tomorrow. Norfolk jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, helped in part by Creed Willems hitting a two-run homer against rehabbing major leaguer Quinn Priester. This was a good one for the prospects in the Tides lineup, with Willems collecting a pair of hits, Jud Fabian having two hits, two walks, and two stolen bases, and even Peyton Eeles, the short king, picking up three hits and a walk. All of these guys are OPSing over .800 so far.
Substitute starting pitcher Christian Herberholz allowed eight hits across 4.1 innings. The two runs he gave up, both in the bottom of the first, were unearned, following after a missed catch error by Willems at first base. Both teams would have regretted losing this one – Norfolk left 11 men on base and Nashville stranded 10. A fourth inning home run by Christian Encarnacion-Strand – who’s also OPSing over .800 – provided the sixth and ultimately decisive Norfolk run.
Largely a stinker as far as the prospects on this roster are concerned, starting with my honorary hyphenated cousin Juaron Watts-Brown getting blasted for six runs, with three home runs allowed, in only four innings. It’s tough to come back from that and the Baysox did not. This was Watts-Brown’s first start at his proper level after starting his year on an injury rehab assignment.
Chesapeake was efficient in its scoring, collecting its four runs on only four hits. Infielder Griff O’Ferrall hit a two-run homer, his second of the season, to bring things within save range in the ninth inning, but at that point Erie did not change pitchers to give anyone save opportunity.
Syrup heir Brandon Butterworth (note: not actually a syrup heir) took an 0-for out of the leadoff spot. Ethan Anderson was also hitless. My guy Aron Estrada added one hit. So did early strong performer Anderson De Los Santos, still OPSing over 1.000 after 21 games. He is 22 and if he breaks out here at that age, that’s worth taking note.
Did Wehiwa Aloy homer again? He sure did! That’s his fifth for the season. This one expanded the Keys lead in the eighth. Aloy himself drove in the first Keys run with a sixth inning double, and he shortly scored when Victor Figueroa – one of the guys from last year’s Padres deal – also homered again, his seventh in 20 games played here. This Keys lineup has been strong. Nate George was 1-5, and Braylin Tavera added a hit and two walks.
Figueroa is OPSing over 1.100, which is great. The other guys are holding around .750, less exciting but also less depressing than tracking Aberdeen box scores last year.
The starter for Frederick was Twine Palmer. The modest trade return for Ramón Urías last July, Palmer was particularly terrible with his new organization after the deal, and he had a couple of tough games in April of this year. Still, after just one run allowed in 4.1 innings in this one, Palmer has the ERA down to 3.86 and High-A batters are only hitting .164 against him this year. It’s not nothing.
Low-A: Hill City (Guardians) 6, Delmarva Shorebirds 3
Although Delmarva outhit their opponent by an 8-6 margin and the Howlers committed four errors to the Shorebirds zero, the Orioles affiliate was not able to capitalize and turn this into a victory.
One standout effort at the plate came from outfielder Stiven Martinez, an 18-year-old who had three hits out of the leadoff spot to raise his season OPS to .722. As the Shorebirds roster has been for the past several years, it’s a group in search of somebody who might break out into something interesting; the ones who do so, such as George last year, tend not to remain for long.
Norfolk: at Nashville, 7:35. Starter: Cameron Weston
Chesapeake: at Erie, 1:35. Starter: Juan Rojas
Frederick: at Brooklyn, 2:00. Starter: Yeiber Cartaya
Delmarva: vs. Hill City, 7:05. Starter: Kailen Hamson
In addition, today is the beginning of the Florida Complex League Orioles season. We may check in on those players in our weekly recaps but will not be updating those box scores in the daily posts.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 20: Rhett Lowder #25 of the Cincinnati Reds looks to receive the ball against the Tampa Bay Rays during the game at Tropicana Field on April 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Friday night’s series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t have gone much worse for the Cincinnati Reds. First, they sat out a lengthy rain delay in PNC Park and eventually waded into a drubbing at the hands of the Bucs in cool temperatures, their arms and bats looking as soggy as the 9-1 scoreline.
Brady Singer got rocked, again. Zach Maxwell was rudely welcomed back to the big league mound. The 2 through 5 spots in the Reds lineup combined to go 0 for 16 with nary a walk, with the entire Reds lineup mustering only a lone walk and trio of hits on the night.
It was perhaps the ugliest loss of the year, especially given the company.
Cincinnati will look to bounce back on Saturday, however, and will do so with rookie Rhett Lowder on the bump to start. Pittsburgh will counter with righty Carmen Mlodzinski, against whom previous Reds lineups have struggled mightily.
In 8 career starts against Mlodzinski, Cincinnati batters have posted a combined .214/.267/.321 line with nary a homer. Lucky for these Reds, though, they’ve now got both Sal Stewart and Nate Lowe anchoring the middle of their lineup.
The Reds will also welcome back bullpen anchor Graham Ashcraft, who was activated off the bereavement list prior to the start of this one. Maxwell was optioned back to AAA Louisville on the other side of that ledger, with the Reds noting that he’ll now be teammates with Nick Lodolo as the latter takes his rehab tour up to the AAA level.
The Mets and backup catcher Luis Torrens have agreed to a two-year, $11.5 million contract extension that covers the 2027 and 2028 seasons, per Will Sammon of The Athletic. If he hadn’t agreed to a deal, the 30-year-old was slated to hit free agency following the 2026 season.
Torrens joined the Mets on May 31, 2024, when the team purchased him from the Yankees for a tiny sum by the standards of Major League Baseball. He’s been one of the best under-the-radar finds of the David Stearns era, as he’s been an excellent defender behind the plate while being a serviceable if unspectacular hitter.
Since joining the Mets, Torrens is the best catcher in the game at throwing out baserunners who attempt to steal bases against him. Statcast has rated him as +20 in catcher’s caught stealing above average. And while he doesn’t top the framing leaderboard over the same span, he still rates pretty well.
Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Torrens hit .227/.286/.354 with 8 home runs and an 82 wRC+ in 413 plate appearances. Like most of his teammates, he’s struggled mightily at the plate to start this season, as he has a .200/.200/.267 line and a 27 wRC+ in 31 plate appearances.
With starting catcher Francisco Alvarez under team control through the 2029 season, the Mets would appear to have locked in their catching situation for the foreseeable future.
STREAKING AT HOME: The Cubs are trying today for a 10th consecutive victory at home. They have had 18 such double-digit streaks during the Modern Era, the last 14 at Wrigley Field, their home since 1916. Their most recent was 14 in a row, May 18-June 22, 2008. A 13-game streak in 2001 and a 10-game streak in 1998 are their only others of the kind since 1970. Their record is 18 straight, Sept. 4-22, 1935, during a surge that lifted them to the pennant. The 2008 streak was one of five of 14 games. The 2001 streak was the only one of 13. They also had a lone streak of 12, in 1927, and of 11, in 1910. Eight of the streaks ended after 10 games. Ten were snapped after nine wins. The first seven were in 1908-33. Then there was one in 1957 and two in back-to-back years, 2016 and 2017. The most recent streak ended with a 5-1 loss to the Braves in which the Cubs managed only five hits: two each by Ian Happ and Ben Zobrist, and one by Jason Heyward. One of Happ’s was a homer. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THREE OF A KIND: The Cubs’ pair of three-run innings yesterday were their 11th and 12th of the season with a trio. They have scored five runs in three innings, four runs in seven and two runs in 22, for a total of 44 crooked-number innings, out of 95 total innings in which they have scored. They have allowed multiple runs in 35 of 74 innings in which they gave up runs. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
DANSBY: Dansby Swanson, last 17 games since April 12: .273/.391/.600 (15-for-55) with a double, a triple, five home runs, 11 walks, 16 runs scored and 18 RBI.
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: The Cubs homered four times (Sammy Sosa, Gary Matthews Jr., Bill Mueller and Eric Young Sr.) and defeated the Padres 8-3 at Wrigley Field. It happened 25 years ago today, Wednesday, May 2, 2001.
Shōta Imanaga was a little off his game Sunday against the Dodgers, allowing five runs in 5.1 innings. One positive: He did not allow a home run and this year he’s given up just three long balls in 34.1 innings, a vast improvement over last year.
Overall, though, after a bit of a rough outing his first time out this year against the Nationals, Imanaga posted a 2.45 ERA and 0.750 WHIP in 29.1 innings in five April starts. Can’t really argue with that sort of production.
Last year, he threw seven innings of three-hit, one-run ball against the D-backs March 29, 2025 at Chase Field. Do that again, Shōta.
Ryne Nelson had a pretty good year for the D-backs in 2025 (33 games, 23 starts, 3.39 ERA, 1.071 WHIP, 3.4 bWAR), but this year has been a disaster. He’s had two decent starts but the other four have been awful, and especially the last two: 15 hits, 14 earned runs in 5.1 innings (that’s a 23.83 ERA). He’s allowed six home runs in 25.2 innings this year.
Last year he made two relief appearances against the Cubs and they absolutely pounded him: 10 hits, nine runs in 2.1 innings.
Please visit our SB Nation Diamondbacks site AZ Snakepit. If you do go there to interact with D-backs 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.
The Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees clash this afternoon in the Bronx.
That matchup headlines my favorite MLB picks for today in the "no run first inning" and "yes run first inning" markets.
Here are my best free NRFI and YRFI bets for Saturday, May 2.
Best NRFI/YRFI bets today
Pick
Odds
/ - NRFI
-108
/ - NRFI
-117
/ - NRFI
-108
Orioles at Yankees: NRFI (-108)
The Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees continue their three-game set today. Kyle Bradish takes the hill for the visitors, and he has a perfect 6-0 NRFI record this season. While his 4.80 ERA isn’t great, Bradish rarely gets into trouble in the first inning.
The Yankees are hitting just .220 in the first, and they’ve scored in the first inning just twice in their last six games. As for the O’s, they’re in the midst of a three-game NRFI streak, and Ryan Weathers has allowed no runs in the first in two of his previous four appearances.
Time: 1:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, YES
Blue Jays at Twins: NRFI (-117)
This one is a no-brainer. We’re looking at two teams who rarely produce offense out of the gates. The Toronto Blue Jays have a 23-9 NRFI/YRFI record, while the Minnesota Twins are 25-8 in that category.
Dylan Cease has allowed a run in the first in just two of his six starts this year, while Connor Prielipp is 1-1. The Jays are hitting just .253 in the first innings, and although the Twins are 10th in the big leagues in runs, they’re batting under .200 in the first.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Twins.TV, SN1
Phillies at Giants: NRFI (-108)
The Philadelphia Phillies send Andrew Painter to the mound tonight against the Miami Marlins. While he’s posted a dismal 5.25 ERA, Painter hasn’t allowed a run in the first inning yet this season. The Fish have also scored in the first just once across their last six appearances, and that was on Friday.
As for the Phils, their offensive struggles are well known, and they’ve only scored in the first in 66% of their games so far. Max Meyer has also shoved early in games, not surrendering a single run in the first inning in five straight starts.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSP, Marlins.TV
What is a NRFI bet?
NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) bets add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI bet is a wager that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're betting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.
A YRFI bet is the exact opposite. You're betting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.
NRFI and YRFI bets add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for bettors looking for a quick resolution.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Mets catcher Luis Torrens (13) tags out Washington Nationals second baseman Nasim Nunez (26) trying to score on a fielder's choice by Nationals center fielder Jacob Young (not pictured) during the ninth inning at Citi Field.
Torrens, 30, is set to receive $11.5 million ($5.75 million each year) as part of the new deal, with $2 million up front. He can also get $2 million in incentives.
Mets catcher Luis Torrens (13) tags out Nationals second baseman Nasim Nunez (26) trying to score on a fielder’s choice by Nationals center fielder Jacob Young (not pictured) during the ninth inning at Citi Field. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
He was set to become a free agent at season’s end, after two-plus years with the Mets.
Torrens, who got the contract on his 30th birthday, has hit .200 this season in 13 games, with four RBIs.
Behind the plate, he’s leading MLB with a 57.1 caught-stealing percentage after finishing at the top of baseball last year (40.8 percent).
The extension will see Torrens continue to serve as the Mets’ backup catcher behind Francisco Alvarez, who has hit four home runs this season.
Torrens was traded to the Mets from the Yankees (who he had signed a minor league contract with) in May 2024, and he’s gone on to play 152 games for the franchise.
Prior to joining the Mets, Torrens had major league stops with the Padres, Mariners and Cubs.
He saw action in two games this week as the Mets fell to the Nationals on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Mets beat the Angels 4-3 on Friday to move to 11-21 on the year.
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 17: Andrés Giménez #0 and Anthony Molina #35 of team Venezuela celebrates in the locker room after wining the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game presented by Capital One between Team Venezuela and Team USA at loanDepot Park on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The NL East leading Atlanta Braves, who have a 7.5 game lead and refuse to lose a series, have made a roster move before tonight’s game with the Colorado Rockies.
The #Braves today selected RHP Carlos Carrasco to the major league roster after optioning RHP Anthony Molina to Triple-A Gwinnett following last night’s game.
Anthony Molina was helpful in last night’s come-from-behind win for the never-say-die, put-them-in-a-Walt-Weiss-sleeper-hold Braves. He pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh inning with a walk and no strikeouts as Atlanta staged their comeback. And hahahaha just as I was writing something to highlight Anthony Molina, he’s been sent to Gwinnett. I will do it anyway but still annoying. He has my attention. With a 96-97 MPH fastball and a 85 MPH curveball, he is more equipped than the average fringe reliever. But with a career 15% K rate and 110 xFIP-, he still needs to cook in Gwinnett.
Speaking of Cook(ie), Carlos Carrasco is back with Atlanta tonight. Carlos was designated for assignment on Wednesday, chose free agency on Friday, and will be in the Braves bullpen tonight. With Chris Sale on the mound tonight, they may not need him. But Denver has made a fool of many pitchers.
Crumpet and Lobo love walks. Unfortunately, so do opposing batters and my dogs only wish they could get walked at the rate A’s pitchers are offering. It’s been an issue all season and not only does it continue to be a major barrier to success, it is a widespread phenomenon across all types and levels of pitchers.
Last night the A’s issued 8 more free passes, 5 from starter JT Ginn in just 4.1 IP. Today’s starting pitcher, Jacob Lopez, is trying to bring down a walk rate that started at over a batter an inning and currently sits at 21 BB in 24.1 IP. “Ace” Luis Severino has put together two excellent starts in a row, but has still walked 23 in his 38.1 IP for the season.
Team wide, strangely the A’s have issued the 3rd most walks in all of MLB yet also only the 3rd most walks in the division. More generous than A’s pitchers are only those who toil for the Angels and Astros. But for contrast, the A’s have now walked 147 batters in 32 games (4.6 per game) while despite playing one more game the Mariners staff has walked only 82 (2.48 per game).
What is typical this season, with the ABS challenge system shrinking the strike zone a bit as umpires can’t “Verlander” the opposing hitters? 3.5 BB/game is the median, meaning the A’s staff is a whopping 31.4% above the league average so far in 2026.
Here’s the ominous part. The issue is far from limited to the big league club. Currently the A’s have an organizational problem with throwing enough strikes, including their very best pitching prospects.
Gage Jump? Scouts continue to be excited about his potential and his ceiling and cite him as not being far from ready to pitch in the big leagues. Yet one stat stands out as still needing work and attention: so far this season at AAA, Jump has thrown 18.1 IP and walked 10.
Luis Morales was envisioned to be a breakout candidate pitching his way to the front of the A’s big league rotation but he has been wild at 3 levels in the span of a month. In spring training Morales threw 19 sad innings in which he walked 14 and was tagged for 16 ER. Then he lasted only 7.1 IP in the big leagues as he walked 8 and was soon shipped back to AAA for more seasoning. At AAA he has completed just 12.1 IP in 3 starts, walking 9. So that’s, in aggregate, 38.2 IP, 31 BB.
Mason Barnett continues to struggle greatly to throw enough strikes, with an MLB mark of 13 BB in 24.1 IP. At AAA he has not made strides, with 12 BB in 19.2 IP.
Even Kade Morris, a “pitch to contact” sinker baller with low K rates but strong “pitchability,” has walked 16 in his 31.1 IP.
Dipping down to AA, Jamie Arnold is, like Jump, viewed as a “fast mover” with upside and in fairness to Arnold starting his pro career at AA is an aggressive assignment. Arnold came with some concerns around his control and so far, indeed control has been his main vice. In 21.1 IP he has walked 10.
Perhaps most puzzling is Wei-En Lin who, at 19 years old last season, established himself as a strike throwing machine. Lin issued only 22 free passes in 87 IP as a teenager (while striking out 117), walking just 2.28/9 IP at AA. But Lin walked 4 batters in his 3.1 IP in spring training and hasn’t been nearly as efficient at Midland so far this season with 9 BB in 21 IP (3.86/9 IP). It’s as if everyone in the A’s system has caught the walkies bug.
To what can we attribute what is becoming a serious issue impeding the A’s quest for success on the mound? There are myriad potential explanations, most of which are probably entirely inaccurate. They include:
1. Lack of talent. If the group of MLB pitchers and top MiLB prospects just doesn’t measure up to the industry norm then you’re going to see it reflected in performance. Certainly pre-season projections did not favor the big league staff as a whole, but few organizations would not want to have Jump, Morales, Arnold, and Lin among their top pitching prospects.
2. Mechanical issues not solved. Control problems often arise when a pitcher loses that “repeatability” or something gets off with their mechanics, they can’t get right in real time and coaches are unable to help them right the ship.
3. Approach not geared to limit walks. If pitchers are nibbling, throwing breaking pitches in fastball counts, trying to miss bats with chase pitches instead of challenging, etc., the cost is going to be higher walk totals along the way.
4. Drafting/Acquiring philosophy. Certainly, from Joe Boyle to Elvis Alvarado to Braden Nett to the selection of Arnold, the A’s have not shied away recently from pitchers with plus stuff whose biggest red flag on the mound is their control. Perhaps the organization is paying the price of a “be careful what you wish for” approach.
5. Home field disadvantage. Both in Sacramento and Las Vegas/PCL, A’s pitchers face a hostile pitching environment that discourages being aggressive in the strike zone and tempts hurlers to be extra careful. This could inflate walk totals as well as embedding bad habits even when in the comfort of a “pitcher’s park”.
What do you think is at the root of the A’s system wide breakdown in throwing enough strikes in 2026? It’s having a significant impact on the big league team’s success and on the development of the A’s top prospects, so it would be prudent for the A’s to identify and solve the issue. Walks are great for doggies and terrible for ERAs.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gestures during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but with the season’s final month upon us, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
Out in the West, it already looks like a two-horse race will pull many lengths ahead of the rest of the pack. The Dodgers got off to a scorching start and have never relinquished their grasp on the NL West lead. However, a recent slip up and consistent strong play from the Padres have the Friars breathing down the necks of their division rivals.
First Place: Los Angeles Dodgers (20-11)
Top Position Player: Max Muncy (1.4 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Shohei Ohtani (1.3 fWAR)
Shohei Ohtani looks like he’s on a mission to secure one of the few pieces of hardware that has eluded him thus far in his career. He has four MVPs and a pair of rings, next up on the mantel might be the NL Cy Young. He leads all NL pitchers with a 1.97 FIP and 1.3 fWAR, his 0.60 ERA in five starts the second-lowest of any starts after the Angels’ José Soriano and has yet to give up a home run in 30 innings. His hitting has suffered a touch as he sacrificed some DH days to focus on pitching, but even then he still has six home runs and a 143 wRC+. He leads a team that boasts the best offense by wRC+ (123) and second-best pitching staff by ERA (3.19) in baseball.
Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts are once again experiencing slow starts to their campaigns, both right around league-average at the plate and not much more valuable than replacement level. Kyle Tucker has also had a slow start to his Dodgers career with a 100 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR. Fortunately for LA, Max Muncy as well as a pair of their youngsters have been carrying the weight at the dish, Andy Pages looking like a legitimate perennial All-Star caliber center fielder while rookie catcher Dalton Rushing has been worth a win while trying his hardest to be the league’s biggest villain.
Ohtani is joined by three other excellent starters in the rotation, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Wrobleski all sporting sub-3.00 ERAs. The bullpen will be without big money closer Edwin Díaz until at least the All-Star break after he underwent elbow surgery, but a resurgent Tanner Scott has helped ease that blow. Top to bottom the Dodgers once again look like a deep, scary team, which underlines why they are still the overwhelming favorites to make it a three-peat.
Second Place: San Diego Padres (19-11)
Top Position Player: Luis Campusano (0.9 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Mason Miller (0.9 fWAR)
The Padres have had to play their best baseball to keep pace with the Dodgers, but a recent 5-7 stretch by LA has the Dads within a half-game. It’s not often that you see a relief pitcher being a team’s most valuable pitcher, but Mason Miller is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible from a pitcher. He recently had his scoreless streak ended, but a -0.06 FIP from striking out over half the batters he has faced is the stuff of video games. His efforts have gone a long way toward carrying an offense and pitching staff that has been middle of the pack in terms of wRC+ (97) and ERA (4.23).
Their offense lacks any standout performers. Case in point: the usually light hitting Luis Campusano leads the way with 0.9 fWAR, propped up a lot by his defense behind the plate and an unsustainably high .400 BABIP. Fernando Tatis Jr. has been one of the unluckiest hitters so far and still has yet to hit his first home run of the year while Jackson Merrill has been a serious disappointment — neither has a wRC+ above Tatis’ 76. Xander Bogaerts is riding a hot start while Manny Machado has been league average so far.
Two of the pitchers from the Juan Soto trade to the Yankees lead the way in the rotation, both Michael King and Randy Vásquez sporting sub-3.00 ERAs. However, there is a chance they could lose Nick Pivetta for the season after an MRI revealed a forearm flexor strain — often a harbinger of Tommy John surgery. Griffin Canning and Lucas Giolito could be close to reinforcing the rotation once they return from injury.
Third Place: Arizona Diamondbacks (16-15)
Top Position Player: Ildemaro Vargas (1.5 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Michael Soroka (0.6 fWAR)
Last year, the Diamondbacks mounted a late surge led by a three-headed monster of Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, and Geraldo Perdomo. Carroll is the only one to have picked up where he led off with a 165 wRC+ and 1.3 fWAR. Perdomo is at a 107 wRC+ while Marte is at 89 after both were at or above 138 in 2025. Instead, it’s the most improbable candidate leading the way, 34-year-old journeyman first baseman Ildemaro Vargas posting MLB’s fourth highest wRC+ at 199 (which is almost certain to normalize given his 3.2-percent walk rate and almost 100 point gap between wOBA and xwOBA).
It’s quite remarkable that they are above .500 considering they are one of only three teams with a staff ERA north of 5.00. Four of their six starters in Eduardo Rodriguez, Ryne Nelson, Brandon Pfaadt, and Merrill Kelly have been replacement level or worse. The bullpen has been a smidge better, led by Juan Morillo and his 1.84 ERA.
Fourth Place: Colorado Rockies (14-18)
Top Position Player: Mickey Moniak (0.9 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Antonio Senzatela (0.7 fWAR)
I’m not sure anyone would have believed that the team that lost 119 games in 2025 would not be in last place at the end of April. Mickey Moniak might finally be fulfilling the pedigree of being the first overall pick in 2016, leading the way with his 162 wRC+ and 0.9 fWAR along with eight home runs. He’s joined by fellow slugger Hunter Goodman and his nine home runs, 129 wRC+, and 0.8 fWAR. Otherwise, their offense is a bottom-five unit in the game.
Instead, it’s Colorado’s completely remade pitching department that leads the way. After finishing dead last in ERA and FIP in each of the last three seasons, they modernized their analytics department, leading to a pitching staff that is middle of the pack now in those aforementioned stats. They brought in starters Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano, and Jose Quintana to bring some experience to the room, but it’s actually the bullpen that has shown up. Led by converted starter Antonio Senzatela and his 0.46 ERA, the Rockies are just not surrendering leads with the same ferocity with which we are accustomed.
Last Place: San Francisco Giants (13-19)
Top Position Player: Luis Arraez (0.9 fWAR) Top Pitcher: Landen Roupp (0.9 fWAR)
The Giants are adrift in the wilderness, led by a college manager with zero MLB experience in Tony Vitello who could find his seat growing quite hot given the way heads are rolling early this year. Despite investing over a half-billion dollars into Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, and Matt Chapman, San Francisco are rolling out a bottom-three offense by wRC+ (84) and fWAR (0.8).
Devers is the second-worst qualified hitter in baseball with a 48 wRC+ and -0.8 fWAR as his ability to hit the fastball has seemingly disappeared. Adames isn’t much better at a 64 wRC+ and -0.5 fWAR, that pair two of the ten worst hitters in the sport. As a team, they’ve hit an MLB-worst 19 home runs, so it is fitting that their top position player is noted singles hitter Luis Arraez at a 97 wRC+ and 0.9 fWAR.
Their pitching staff is in the top-third of the league in ERA (3.96), but there is only so much you can do to make up for an absent offense. Landen Roupp has displaced a surprisingly underperforming Logan Webb from the top spot among their pitchers — the third-year righty sports a 2.55 ERA and has yet to give up a barrel in 84 batted ball events. Robbie Ray is having another nice start to the campaign, but winter signings Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser have been worse than replacement level. Their bullpen is the lone bright spot, second in the majors at a 3.19 ERA led by Erik Miller (3.18 ERA, 1.72 FIP, and Keaton Winn (2.84 ERA, 2.26 FIP).
The New York Yankees took care of business on Friday night against the Baltimore Orioles, and showed no signs of slowing down.
With the Orioles sending a vulnerable pitcher to the mound, my Orioles vs. Yankees predictions expect today to be a repeat of yesterday as the Yankees win in a high-scoring affair.
Read all about it in my MLB picks for Saturday, May 2.
Who will win Orioles vs Yankees today: Yankees moneyline (-163)
Kyle Bradish's arsenal is a problem against this New York Yankees lineup.
His fastball, breaking ball, and overall pitching run value all grade in the Bottom 15th percentile, and his walk rate sits in the 24th percentile, meaning he is going to put runners on base. That's a problem against such a potent offense.
New York’s league-leading barrel rate is a prevailing story in this matchup. Bradish is a true groundball pitcher, and that should help him in some aspects of this matchup, particularly against the bottom of the lineup. But he’s not elite enough in that category.
His 50% groundball rate is in the 80th percentile of baseball, and that’s likely due for some regression given his historical numbers.
I simply don’t think that’s good enough to overcome a Yankees team that is rolling like they are for the moment, especially when you have a Bottom 30th percentile hard-hit rate and barrel rate. I’d play this to -170.
COVERS INTEL: This matchup features two teams ranking in the Top 3 of baseball in hard-hit rate against two pitchers with hard-hit rates in the Bottom 30% of the sport.
Orioles vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-115)
Rinse and repeat from yesterday, with a lot of the same reasons. Both pitchers have real vulnerabilities, and the Yankees should score a good amount of runs, meaning the Baltimore Orioles won’t have to do much.
Moving on from Bradish, it’s past time for Ryan Weathers to come down to earth. His xERA of 4.63 is nearly a full run and a half over his actual.
What’s pushing that expected number the most is a poor hard-hit rate and barrel rate that both rank in the Bottom 25 percentile of the sport. This Orioles lineup isn’t overwhelming with power, but the likes of Pete Alonso, Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman should still be enough to punish here.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 12-9, +2.62 units
Over/Under bets: 13-9, +3.72 units
Orioles vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Orioles +149 | Yankees -162
Run line: Orioles +1.5 | Yankees -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Orioles vs Yankees trend
The Yankees have hit the F5 Moneyline in 17 of their last 25 games at home (+7.20 Units / 14% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Yankees.
How to watch Orioles vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Saturday, May 2, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
MASN, YES
Orioles starting pitcher
Kyle Bradish (1-3, 4.20 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Ryan Weathers (1-2, 3.21 ERA)
Orioles vs Yankees latest injuries
Orioles vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Dylan Cease has been electric this season for the Toronto Blue Jays. He’s compiled a 2.87 ERA while striking out 49 in 31.1 innings of work. In fact, the right-hander is second in the American League in Ks.
Cease has cashed the Over in strikeouts in two of his last four outings, and in his last start on the road, the veteran had 12 punchouts against the Los Angeles Angels. He’ll face the Minnesota Twins tonight, and Cease has 27 Ks in 63 at-bats against their lineup. Minny is also 20th in team strikeouts.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Twins.TV, SN1
Ozzie Albies to record a run (-135)
Ozzie Albies is having a wonderful season so far. He’s hitting .320, and he’s come across the plate 24 times. Albies has cashed the Over in runs in four straight contests, and during that span, the infielder has five runs. He’s a spark plug in this Atlanta Braves lineup.
It also helps that everyone around him is producing. The Braves are one of the best ball clubs around with RISP, hitting .271. Albies also has a .369 OBP, and he’s also in the midst of a 13-game hitting streak. He’ll stay hot, and come across the dish again versus the lowly Colorado Rockies.
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: BravesVision, Rockies.TV
Chris Sale Over 7.5 strikeouts (+108)
Chris Sale has always had strikeout stuff, and 2026 has been no different. He’s punched out 38 hitters in 35 innings of work. The southpaw has only cashed the Over in Ks once this season, but it was in his last outing, sitting down nine Philadelphia Phillies via the strikeout.
Tonight’s matchup heavily plays in his favor, though. The Rockies are one of the worst teams in the Majors as usual, and Sale has 15 Ks in 35 at-bats against their lineup. Colorado is also 28th in the bigs in team strikeouts with 9.36 per contest. Sale should breeze through them, and miss his fair share of bats along the way.
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: BravesVision, Rockies.TV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 9-19, -2.54 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Peoria, AZ - February 19: Griffin Canning #17 of the San Diego Padres throws a bullpen session during a spring training practice on February 19, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres starting rotation will receive a boost to start next week when right-handed starter Griffin Canning will make his long-awaited Padres debut.
With his rehab window coming to a close on Sunday, Canning will most likely make his last start with El Paso on that date and then join the team Monday. After pitching Sunday, his first start would not come before Friday.
Up until this weekend, Canning has been on a six-day schedule with the Chihuahuas. When he makes his start on Sunday it will be his first time starting on four days rest.
Adjusting the rotation
The Padres will also have a log jam with their pitching staff when Canning joins the team. None of the current starters can be sent to the minor leagues and it is unlikely the team wants to risk trying to sneak any of them through waivers.
On first look it would seem that Matt Waldron would be the odd man, but the organization has invested a lot of time and work into developing Waldron into an effective starter. He has shown improvement with each of his starts this season. Letting a pitcher who can get through five innings with three or fewer runs walk away is unwise for any team. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla has shown a lot of faith in what Waldron can eventually become, it is unlikely that will change.
Is a six-man rotation possible?
Can the bullpen be reconfigured to allow an opener/long man other than Ron Marinaccio or Kyle Hart?
The possibilities could include sending a bullpen arm to the minors and keeping six starters, allowing for a six-man rotation in the short-term and an opener or piggy-back situation for a few weeks. These problems usually work themselves out in baseball. The solution should be interesting to follow.
Difficult stretch ahead
The Padres have a 10 games in 10 days stretch starting Friday through Sunday, May 10. They also have 19 games in 20 days over the next three weeks. A six-man rotation would not be out of the question for that marathon.
Canning coming off best season
Canning has not pitched in MLB since he ruptured his Achilles tendon on June 26, 2025, while pitching for the New York Mets. Before his injury he was having the best season of his career.
The 29-year-old had a 7-3 record and a 3.77 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 70.1 innings pitched before the injury. The Mission Viejo native signed a free agent contract with the Mets after playing the first years of his career with the Angels.
Drafted in 2017, the Angels brought him up in 2019 and he pitched five seasons with the team. He missed 2022 with a back injury.
After signing with the Mets, Canning showed his most ground-ball heavy season yet. Always having a tendency to keep the ball on the ground, Canning had a 51.6% ground ball rate that ranked in the 87th percentile among all pitchers. Up until 2025, he had a 36.1% to 42.4% rate through his previous seasons.
Canning features six pitches in his mix with a fastball that he threw 35% of the time in 2025 and has an average velocity of 94 mph. He threw his slider 31% of the time and it averages 87.7 mph. He also mixes in a changeup, knuckle curve, cutter and sweeper.
The pitch mix used while with El Paso will be different than what he will likely employ in less dry conditions. The Pacific Coast League is a notorious hitters’ league and few pitchers do really well there.
Before the injury, Canning also pitched to a 21% K-rate, a 25.5% whiff rate and a 45.7% hard-hit rate in 2025. Those were all better than the MLB average.
Build up complete
In his fifth start with El Paso on Tuesday, Canning threw five innings with four strikeouts and one earned run allowed. He was removed from his previous start in the second inning after a 35-pitch effort and 46 pitches overall. With this start he had 68 pitches through those five innings. The goal is likely to get his pitch count up a bit more before he joins the Friars.
Over those five starts, Canning has 15 innings pitched and a 3.60 ERA with two homers allowed 12 walks and 18 strikeouts.
1970's: Pitcher Wayne Twitchell #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies poses for a circa 1970's action portrait. Twitchell played for the Phillies from 1971-77. (Photo by Louis Requena/MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
In honor of the Philadelphia Phillies playing host to the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, we here at The Good Phight are launching a yearlong series that focuses on the history of the Phillies and the All-Star Game.Check back regularly for posts about the Phillies participation (or lack thereof) in the Midsummer Classic over its history.
It’s that time again. That’s right, it’s time to look back at two obscure Phillies all-stars from yesteryear, this time from the groovy decade of the seventies. If you missed the rest of our series on one and done all-stars, you can catch up with the 1960s, the 1950s, the 1940s part 1 + part 2, and the 1930s.
Joe Hoerner, 1970
The story of Joe Hoerner is one of heart, both literally and figuratively. The son of an Iowan farmer-turned-deputy sheriff, Hoerner grew up in a family full of athletes. Both brothers flirted with a baseball career, with the older Bob playing in the Cubs organization and the younger Jim (who was Joe’s catcher in high school) declining to pursue a career in the White Sox organization. Two of his cousins were football stars, Dick Hoerner being an All-Pro running back for the Los Angeles Rams and Mike Reilly being a linebacker that played in Super Bowl IV against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Joe Hoerner originally played outfield for his high school team, but his coach soon began to slowly have him pitch more. His team won a state championship in 1954 where he earned the win out of the bullpen in the quarterfinal and pitched a one-hitter in the semifinal. This was all after he was nearly killed in a car accident where Hoerner fell asleep at the wheel and smashed into a tree, suffering a separated shoulder and broken ribs.
Hoerner elected to forgo college and play semi-professional baseball while working at a Sears Roebuck. The White Sox offered Hoerner a contract after watching him play against one of their minor league affiliates, he accepted, and he was assigned to Duluth-Superior in the Northern League. Hoerner, despite being just 20 in his first professional season, dazzled with a 16-5 record and a 2.58 ERA in 28 games including 23 starts, throwing a no-hitter on May 12th for good measure.
1958 started off pretty well for Hoerner, as he was assigned to big league camp with the White Sox as a non-roster player just a week after marrying his longtime girlfriend, Darlene. Hoerner was assigned to Class-B Davenport, allowing him to go home to Iowa to see his new wife. One night with his wife watching, Hoerner felt his heart racing after delivering a pitch and soon collapsed on the field. He was taken to a hospital where he remained unconscious for the next two to three hours, even receiving the Last Rites of the Catholic Church. Hoerner eventually woke up and his symptoms disappeared. The local newspaper called the event a “minor heart attack”, but Hoerner was back on the field a few days later.
Unfortunately, Hoerner continued to be plagued by what he described as “blackout spells”, but only while he was on the mound and pitching. Multiple tests found nothing, and Hoerner spent his 1959 split between Class-A Charlston and local medical centers, pitching only 32 total innings on the year. Finally, doctors concluded that the muscles around Hoerner’s heart were weak, possibly as a previously undetected effect from his car accident. Some medical professionals tried to talk him into retirement, but Hoerner refused. Instead, he altered his delivery from an overhand motion to one that was more sidearm on the advice that his previous motion may have been putting stress on an artery.
Hoerner remained in the White Sox farm system through 1961 but never appeared in the majors, thus exposing him to the minor league draft where he was selected by the Houston Colt .45s. He made his MLB debut on September 27th, 1963, against the New York Mets in a game where Houston deliberately fielded an all-rookie lineup, including a 17-year-old starting pitcher. Hoerner entered in the top of the fourth with the score 8-0 New York and threw three scoreless innings while allowing two hits and collecting two strikeouts.
The 27-year-old Hoerner started 1964 with Houston but was demoted after just seven appearances. He would then bounce around the minor leagues for the next two years. By his wife’s count, the Hoerners and their young family had 35 residences, and their daughter attended 11 schools before Joe became a regular in the majors. Hoerner contemplated retirement but was talked out of it by his older brother.
His luck began to change when playing winter ball in Puerto Rico in late 1965. That’s when a scout from the St. Louis Cardinals was puzzled why Hoerner wasn’t in the majors and was able to convince the team to select him in the Rule 5 Draft. Hoerner made the team in 1966 despite manager Red Schoendienst’s reservations and impressed, as he finished the season with a 1.57 ERA across 57 appearances and 76 innings, all in relief. He would remain with St. Louis through 1969, winning a World Series in 1967 and accumulating a 2.10 ERA across a total of 244.1 IP.
In November of 1969, Hoerner was included in a massive seven player trade with the Phillies that included Dick Allen heading to the Cardinals. Hoerner along with Tim McCarver, Byron Browne, and Curt Flood went to Philadelphia while Allen, Cookie Rojas, and Jerry Johnson went to St. Louis. Flood never played for the Phillies though, as he refused to report to the Phillies and instead sued for free agency, ultimately losing his legal battle and retiring but setting the standard for the players and their union to fight for and win free agency.
Hoerner meanwhile did embark on his new career with the Phillies, but an old problem surfaced once again on June 28th, 1970. Hoerner was in the midst of an appearance against his old team in St. Louis when he once again felt a sharp pain in his chest. After picking up a strikeout of Carl Taylor and walking Dick Allen, Hoerner was removed from the game by Phillies manager Frank Lucchesi. He was then examined by the Cardinals team physician with whom he was familiar and diagnosed with a minor heart spasm. Hoerner was then carted off and sent to the hospital. But once again just like his first episode in 1958, all tests at the hospital were negative and he returned to the team a day later.
It didn’t seem to stop Hoerner’s momentum though, as he went on to pitch to a 2.86 ERA through 34.2 innings by the time Mets manager Gil Hodges selected Hoerner for the 1970 NL All-Star team for the game to be held in Cincinnati. However, despite the game being a 12-inning thriller that ended with Pete Rose barreling over Ray Fosse to score the winning run, Hoerner did not appear in the game. His brother claimed though that Hoerner was warming in the bullpen to pitch the 13th inning were it not for Rose’s infamous play that ended the game. In any case, Hoerner would go on to finish 1970 with a 2.65 ERA across 57.2 IP.
The 34-year-old Hoerner improved in 1971, ending his year with a 1.97 ERA in 73 innings, but his efforts were wasted on a 95-loss Phillies team. He continued to pitch well in 1972, but the Phillies were on their way to another losing season. That’s why the Phillies traded Hoerner to the Braves in June of 1972. Hoerner himself had even recommended them doing so, telling the Inquirer “If they don’t trade me, they’re crazy. My value isn’t going to get any higher.” In return, the Phillies got what Bill Conlin of the Inquirer called “two of the most expendable members of a staff that can’t get anybody out” in Jim Nash and Gary Neibauer who were in their final and penultimate year in the majors, respectively.
Hoerner then spent the rest of his career bouncing around the majors, including landing back in Philadelphia for 1975. His career ended in 1977 where, despite being 40 years old, the Reds called him up to the big-league club as they were desperate for any pitching. Hoerner faced the Phillies in his first MLB appearance of the year on June 22nd, and he promptly allowed a grand slam to Larry Bowa. His final game of his career came on August 5th, where he entered in mop up duty in a blowout and punched Pirates shortstop Frank Tavares in the face after the latter rushed the mound following a hit by pitch. Both were ejected from the game, but Hoerner would never again appear in a major league game.
Wayne Twitchell, 1973
The one thing that may be more interesting than just looking back at history is looking back and thinking what could have been. That’s even more true with baseball, and it’s very true in the case of Wayne Twitchell. Twitchell excelled in sports at his local high school in Portland, Oregon, being an All-State winner for baseball and football. The tall lanky Twitchell preferred playing football, where he played quarterback, over baseball. But his father Ralph, a former running back for Oregon State, tried to steer Wayne away from the gridiron where he suffered a career-ending knee injury by warning his son that such injuries ran in the family.
The Houston Astros stepped in to make the choice easier when they selected Twitchell with the third overall pick in the 1966 amateur draft, one selection after Reggie Jackson. Labeled a “pitching phenom” by the Houston Post, Twitchell stood a staggering 6’6 and weighed in at 220 pounds despite being only 18 years old at the time he was drafted. Twitchell impressed enough in his first season in A-ball that he was promoted all the way to Triple-A for three (unsuccessful) starts.
But by 1969, Twitchell was still in the minor leagues, and the Astros were growing impatient. He finished 1969 with a 4.76 ERA across 68 innings and 13 starts in Triple-A, which wasn’t deemed good enough for the Astros. Houston sold Twitchell’s contract to the Seattle Pilots, giving him dreams of pitching close to home, but the Pilots franchise was moved to Milwaukee a few months later after being purchased by a group headed by Bud Selig.
Luckily for Twitchell, he was still able to go back home as the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate was coincidentally in Portland. He made 26 starts there in 1970 before earning a call to the majors on September 7th. The 22-year-old Twitchell entered in the fifth inning against the Twins and struck out the side, including reigning MVP Harmon Killebrew, to work around an error and a walk. Unfortunately, his effort went to waste as the Brewers ultimately lost 7-6. Twitchell made another appearance three days later but didn’t have nearly the same amount of success, as he lasted only two-thirds of an inning and allowed two runs on three hits.
Despite the promise Twitchell showed, the Brewers decided to trade him to the Phillies in exchange for outfielder Pat Skrable prior to 1971. Twitchell later remarked that the reasoning behind the trade was that he didn’t “fit in” with the Brewers and that their ideas for his pitching style differed from his own, saying “I was a fastball pitcher and they were trying to make me into a spot pitcher.” The Phillies sent him to their Triple-A affiliate in Eugene, Oregon, once again close to his hometown of Portland. Twitchell credited Eugene manager Andy Seminick for allowing him to be himself and inadvertently convincing him not to retire in doing so.
Twitchell made his Phillies debut not long after in 1971. Despite being used almost exclusively as a reliever in Eugene, Twitchell made his first MLB start against the Mets on September 4th at Veterans Stadium. He lasted four innings and surrendered three unearned runs on five hits including a home run while walking two and striking out one in a 6-5 Phillies loss. However, he made five more appearances in relief and did not allow an earned run while racking up 14 strikeouts in 12 innings with just three hits. Twitchell earned his first big league win on September 23rd after throwing 2.1 hitless innings against the Montreal Expos in a 6-4 Phillies win.
The retirement of Jim Bunning allowed Twitchell to keep his spot on the Phillies for 1972. That was the year in which the Phillies won only 59 games, but Steve Carlton won 27 of them. Twitchell meanwhile had a good showing in his first full season as a major leaguer. The 24-year-old Twitchell posted a respectable 4.09 ERA in 139.2 innings with 112 strikeouts to just 56 walks across 49 games and 15 starts. His best start came against his old team the Astros on August 19th when Twitchell pitched a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts to no walks and only five hits.
After the 1972 season, Twitchell sought out Bunning for advice on developing a slider at the behest of pitching coach Ray Ripplemeyer. The new pitch proved to be a boon for Twitchell, as he started 1973 in the bullpen but earned a spot in the rotation by May 7th. Twitchell excelled in both roles, with a 2.29 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 137.2 innings pitched by the All-Star break. That first start on May 7th against the Reds where Twitchell went 7.1 IP and allowed 2 runs stuck in the mind of Cincinnati manager Sparky Anderson, who just so happened to be managing the NL All-Star team and put Twitchell on the team over Steve Carlton who was presumed by some to be in line to be the Phillies lone representative.
Anderson was impressed enough to actually use Twitchell in the game too, albeit the big right hander entered in the sixth inning of what was a 7-1 NL lead. Twitchell allowed a double to John Mayberry before striking out the man taken one pick before him in the draft in Reggie Jackson, getting Dave May to pop out, and Bobby Mercer to groundout to end the inning. The score would remain the same as the NL bested the AL, with Bobby Bonds taking home MVP honors with two hits including a two-run homer off of the Angels’ Bill Singer.
As for Twitchell, he returned to the Phillies and continued to look like he was finally realizing his phenom potential at age 25. But that all changed on September 18th at Wrigley Field. Twitchell was working in the sixth inning of a 2-0 game when Billy Williams hit a ball on the ground in the infield. Twitchell ran over to cover first base, but Willams attempted to slide headfirst into the base, and he connected with Twitchell’s right knee. Twitchell immediately left the game with what was first called a strain to his MCL. The saddest irony of the whole event was that it was totally unnecessary, as the ball Williams hit had been ruled foul.
Twitchell underwent four hours of surgery to repair damage to his ligaments, cartilage, and capsule in his right knee. He was ruled out for the rest of the 1973 season. His doctor told Twitchell that if he followed orders, he would be able to pitch again. But the doctor also warned Twitchell that if he didn’t listen, he wouldn’t be able to walk normally again. The Phillies even sent their team trainer to Portland to help Twitchell in his recovery.
Despite the injury, Phillies general manager Paul Owens claimed he turned down numerous trade offers for Twitchell before 1974, as Owens and the Phillies believed he was on the verge of becoming a star. But Twitchell was extremely ineffective when he finally returned to action in May, finishing the 1974 season with a 5.21 ERA in 112.1 innings. He then lost his spot in the rotation in August of 1975 and by 1976 was pitching almost entirely out of the bullpen. Twitchell started 1977 with a 4.53 ERA in 45.2 IP before being traded to the Expos along with catcher Tim Blackwell in exchange for Barry Foote and Dan Warthen. Twitchell made 22 starts with the Expos after the trade, posting a 4.21 ERA in 139 innings. At the same time the Phillies were shipping out Twitchell, they unsuccessfully tried to trade for Tom Seaver, with the Mets preferring the Reds offer instead of the package of Larry Christenson, Jerry Martin, Jay Johnstone, and two minor leaguers presented by Owens.
Twitchell meanwhile would go on to play two more years in the majors. He was released by the Expos following the 1978 season and signed on with the Mets for 1979, but he was later sold to the Mariners who ultimately released him after the season. Despite playing six more seasons after his devastating knee injury, he never again reached the potential he seemed to be realizing, making his father’s premonition from when Twitchell was a teenager come true.
COVERS INTEL: A lot of Rocker’s success has stemmed from keeping the ball down, which will be difficult against a Tigers offense that ranks fifth in flyball rate vs. righties at home.
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Ozzie Albies
