PORTLAND, ME - JULY 05: Mikey Romero #2 of the Portland Sea Dogs walks to the dugout before the game between the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field on Saturday, July 5, 2025 in Portland, Maine. (Photo by Tyler Rodriguez/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
WORCESTER, Mass. – The Red Sox drafted a plethora of blue chip prospects over a four-year stretch, with Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel among others. But you may forget that Anthony wasn’t the first selection for Boston back in 2022. That would be Mikey Romero.
The rise of the “Big Three” kept the spotlight away from the former first-rounder, though his bat brought back some intrigue about his game in recent years.
Romero smacked the first home run of the season for Triple-A Worcester olast weekend against the Syracuse Mets. The infielder left the yard with an exit velocity over 100 MPH on an encouraging swing.
#RedSox No. 13 prospect Mikey Romero launched his first homer of the season in Saturday's win over Syracuse. pic.twitter.com/heb930Q3tE
The WooSox saw Romero play 45 games in Triple-A last season with a .745 OPS. With a return to a now-familiar environment in spring training and now in Worcester, Romero has a base under him to take off.
“I think it was good,” Romero told OverTheMonster.com on Media Day. “Came up, obviously a young guy, didn’t really know what to expect. Obviously struggled at the start. Being in a new clubhouse, being around guys who had show time, kind of everything, playing against better competition. I think just getting up here, getting my feet wet, it made the transition coming into this year super easy, just because I’m pretty comfortable. I know what to expect. I know all these guys, I was in camp with them, which I wasn’t in last year. And I think just the success I had last year is gonna help me kind of go into this year. I know that I’m more than good enough to compete at this level, and I’m excited to get going.”
The Red Sox added veteran infielders in a remake around the diamond this offseason, including Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Romero leaned on him for his defensive development this spring.
“In spring training, I was next to Kiner-Falefa, and me and him talked a bunch about playing second base, just because I kind of came up as a shortstop, played third for the majority of last year, so I’m at second base,” Romero explained. “But at this camp, I played only second base. And it was new in the sense of learning how to turn double plays a little quicker, make sure I’m in the right spot at the right time. And he’s been a big help.”
Nick Sogard, who blasted two homers Tuesday night, shows Romero a constant reminder of the opportunities that versatility provides. The Red Sox kept him on the playoff roster in New York last October where his hustle helped Boston scratch across extra scoring chances.
“I talk to him plenty about third base, second base,” Romero explained. “Just kind of everything like I lean on him a lot. I like the way he plays the game and it’s good to just have guys around that I can bounce ideas off of.”
The same can be said for Romero and Mayer, who joined the Red Sox system a year apart. Mayer won the second base job for the big league club. Romero looks to him as another brain to pick in the same age bracket.
“I grew up with Marcelo,” Romero said. “Him and I are obviously great friends. So like I know that he’s always in my corner. I can always talk to him about defense, offense, whatever it may be. His story, you know, he’s been another guy that’s been really open to, you know, just always talking to me, answering my texts, you know, sitting and having breakfast at the field. He’s a really good guy to talk to. He’s been playing the game, obviously, for a while. He does a lot of baseball left and he’s done that at a high level.”
Years of offensive progressions and productive defensive conversations with teammates equipped Romero well entering 2026. Now, it’s up to him to translate all that information into his game. Particularly at the plate, he identified room to grow and attack early.
“The big focus was really just getting the chase down a little bit,” Romero shared. “… But in spring training, I did a really good job. Like I chased at a really low rate. I think it was around 20 to 25 percent, which is a big improvement from last year. I know I’m going to slug. I know I’m going to hit home runs. I know I’m going to hit doubles, get RBIs. I think the biggest thing is just having good at-bats, making sure I’m getting the right pitches to hit. Because when I’m getting pitchers in the zone, I usually do damage. So I think it’s just about maturing in that way for me is like being okay with maybe taking a couple of pitches that are strikes but aren’t in the heart of the zone and capitalizing on the mistake that the pitcher will make eventually.”
Romero entered 2026 as Boston’s No. 13 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. There’s no reason he can’t play his way into infield reps at some point when inevitable injuries arise and Boston needs reinforcements. It’s a crowded group of veterans and young players, but there’s a lane for Romero to play his way to Fenway Park with an offensive surge.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 03: Members of the Baltimore Orioles meet on the mound in the second inning during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday, April 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles have not exactly started the year on fire. They lost 5-4 on Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh. That makes them losers of three out of their last four, alone in third place of the AL East. Across the board, they just haven’t been good enough.
The starting pitching, outside of Trevor Rogers, isn’t firing on all cylinders yet. Kyle Bradish battled on Friday. He explained after the game that his stuff looks and feels good. He just needs to execute. That could take some time.
Things aren’t much better in the bullpen, although there are hot and cold spots. Dietrich Enns walked three and gave up a run in his lone inning. That came just after the Orioles had clawed back two runs the previous frame and really could have used a stop. At least Tyler Wells delivered two shutout innings, and Rico Garcia continued to look like a weapon.
The defense has been, as expected, a problem. That wasn’t really part of the loss on Friday. In fact, Blaze Alexander made an amazing stop at third base that resulted in an out. But questions still linger, particularly in the outfield, where most of the miscues have occurred early.
The one area of the team that does feel like it’s on the upswing is the offense. The 30 runs they have scored are tied for 17th in MLB. Not great. But they are eighth in batting average (.257), seventh in on-base (.336), and 11th in slugging (.391). They need to be hitting more home runs, and they will. There is just too much talent and power for them to be near the bottom of the league in long balls. Once that happens, scoring will go up, which will buy the pitching staff a little more wiggle room.
At least, that is what the Orioles must be telling themselves right now. Scoring more runs is the only viable avenue they really have at this point. The pitching staff was always going to be a work in progress that they hoped would eventually figure it out. The offense, on the other hand, should have been ready to go out of the box. It’s showing signs of life, but they need more. Maybe that happens today.
We will get our second look at Shane Baz this afternoon. Perhaps there is added motivation for him to face the organization that originally drafted him, but then dealt him away. Or maybe that is irrelevant. Either way, first pitch is at 4:05.
Links
Eflin going to get second opinion on injured right elbow | MLB.com Typically, players don’t get second opinions unless they don’t like the first one. And since this is an elbow injury to a big league pitcher, odds are that the first opinion was that Zach Eflin needs Tommy John surgery. Players want to avoid surgery whenever possible, especially one that can came with an 18-month recovery process. It could be even worse for Eflin, who is fresh off of a back injury that ruined his 2025 campaign. Losing another season (or two) might cost him his career entirely.
Orioles waiting for better days from rotation (and other notes) | Roch Kubatko It seems like the mantra for the entire team right now is “just wait.” They will hit more home runs. They will play better defense. They will get better starts from their rotation. There is logic in that. Early-season outcomes can be wonky. But the Orioles aren’t projected to be some juggernaut. They will need to fight for a potential playoff spot. So games now matter quite a bit for them. They need to get the most out of them.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Conner Greene turns 31 today. The righty was an obsession of the Orioles’ front office for a bit. They acquired him three different times between 2020 and 2022. Ultimately, he would toss a total of just 23.1 innings with a 7.71 ERA for the O’s in 2021.
Renato Núñez is 32 years old. The slugging infielder spent parts of three seasons in Baltimore from 2018 through ‘21. He was a solid hitter, posting a 107 OPS+ during his time with the O’s.
Odrisamer Despaigne turns 39. During the 2016 season he appeared in 16 games out of the Orioles bullpen.
Jim Dedrick is 58. All six games of his big league career came with the 1995 Orioles.
Brad Komminsk celebrates his 65th birthday. The outfielder had a 46-game stint with the Orioles in 1990.
Mike Epstein turns 83. His decade in the big leagues began with a short stay in Baltimore. Between 1966 and ‘67, he played in 15 games for the Orioles before he was dealt to Washington, where he got more of an opportunity.
The late Tom Fisher (b. 1942, d. 2016) was born on this day. He pitched in two games for the 1967 Orioles.
Eddie Watt is 85 today. The righty was a crucial member of the Orioles bullpen during the franchise’s best years. From 1966 through ‘73, he had a 2.74 ERA over 363 total appearances and won two World Series titles with the team. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2000.
This day in O’s history
2001 – Making his Red Sox debut at Camden Yards, Hideo Nomo no-hits the Orioles in a 3-0 win for the visitors.
2005 – As the season opens, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro officially become the first pair of teammates to have at least 500 career home runs each. They bat right next to one another (fourth and fifth in the lineup, respectively) in an Orioles lineup that tops the Athletics 4-0 on Opening Day.
2011 – The Orioles improve to 4-0 on the young season with a 5-1 win over the Tigers. Earl Weaver throws out the first pitch, Jake Arrieta tosses six innings, and Brian Roberts hits a three-run homer.
Hens pitching was on point again against a good offense, and the Bats lit up Mets’ pitching again to take a 3-1 lead in the best of six series on Friday.
Max Clark continues to rake in his first look at the Triple-A level. He still has just two strikeouts through seven games, and he got the Hens started by dumping a one out single into left field and tearing around first to second base. An MJ Melendez throw went wide, and Clark ended up on third and then scored on a balk.
Right-hander Ty Madden got the start for Toledo, but he was greeted immediately by a Melendez solo shot. He gave up a pair of one out singles and then popped up Jose Rojas. At that point he left the game because he was already near 30 pitches in the inning, and Konnor Pilkington cleaned up the final out of the first. The at-bats were long, and Madden is sitting around 92 mph right now, so there’s still a long way to go to get back to the 95-97 mph heat he had prior to the shoulder injury last year.
Right-hander Christian Scott did not have a good time facing the Hens, and back-to-back solo shots from Eduardo Valencia and Gage Workman opened the top of the second. He bounced back with a pair of strikeouts and wrapped up the inning but it was 3-1 Hens.
Eduardo Valencia smashes a solo homer to the opposite field to put Toledo up 2-1. It’s his first of the year. pic.twitter.com/c1DyWmDWMh
Pilkington tossed a clean bottom half, and Wenceel Pérez and Clark opened the third with singles. A Trei Cruz single off first baseman Jose Rojas scored Pérez but Clark was stranded. 4-1 Hens.
In the top of the fourth. Tomas Nido and Ben Malgeri doubled back-to-back and Max Burt was clipped by an errant pitch. Pérez stepped back in and sprayed an opposite field drive for a double that scored Malgeri. The Mets went back to the pen, but Clark was there again with a sac fly to bring in Burt for a 7-1 lead.
The rest of the game saw Matt Seelinger, Burch Smith, and Ricky Vanasco rack up strikeouts, pitching through modest traffic. Sean Guenther closed it out.
Perez: 2-5, R, RBI, 2B
Clark: 2-3, R, RBI, 2B, BB
Pilkington (W, 1-0): 2.1 IP, 0 R, 3 H, BB, 0 K
Smith: 2.0 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday in Syracuse.
The SeaWolves stormed back from an early deficit and then held off a furious comeback attempt from the Squirrels to win their home, and season, opener on Friday evening.
Brett Callahan, one of my favorite sleeper prospects in the Tigers’ system for his power, fly ball hitting tendencies, and quality defense and arm, opened the scoring with a one out 423 foot solo shot in the bottom of the first.
Lefty Joe Miller’s velocity is suddenly way up this spring, and that’s pretty surprising from a 27-year-old journeyman starter. It didn’t help him much in the top of the second, as the Squirrels dragged him through a long inning and scored three runs.
Miller settled in after that, but Trevin Michael took over with two outs in the top of the fourth to clean up that inning. John Peck hammered a doubled in the bottom half, but Callahan, Izaac Pacheco, and Justice Bigbie all struck out as starter Greg Farone gave them trouble all night.
Peyton Graham singled through the box with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, and that finally knocked Farone out of the game. Dylan Hecht came on to clean up the inning for the Squirrels. Eric Silva pitched the top of the sixth for Erie, issuing a walk but no more. Moises Rodriguez and the sinker of doom handled the seventh without issue, and then the SeaWolves finally broke loose at the plate.
Dylan Carmouche came on for Richmond, and Bigbie and Chris Meyers greeted him with single. A wild pitch advanced the runners and Andrew Jenkins torched an impressive line drive homer to straightaway center field that gave Erie a sudden 4-3 lead.
Andrew Jenkins with a line-drive 3-run homer to dead center to put Erie up 4-3. It’s his first at the Double-A level. pic.twitter.com/Y2QuN5UVKs
Graham strafed a triple the opposite way into the right field corner and Bennett Lee was hit by a pitch. Seth Stephenson doubled off the wall in left center, scoring Graham, but Lee was thrown out at the plate. Richmond went back to their pen, and Mitch White immediately plunked Callahan. Peck struck out, but Stephenson and Callaham pulled off a double steal and Pacheco walked to load the bases. A Bigbie single up the middle plated two more runs and made it 7-3.
Moises Rodriguez and the sinker of doom were wild in the eighth after watching a big lead pile up. He issued two walks and then a double that scored two. Suddenly it was 7-5, and Tanner Kohlhepp took over. He gave up a double that made it 7-6, but got a pair of fly outs to end the inning.
Kohlhepp came back out in the ninth and collected the first save of the year.
Graham: 2-3, R, 3B, BB, K
Callahan: 1-2, 2 R, RBI, HR, K, HBP
Peck: 1-4, 2B, K
Miller: 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:35 p.m. ET start in Erie on Saturday.
West Michigan Whitecaps 6, Lake County Captains 4 (box)
The ‘Caps made it two in a row with a furious late inning rally and add-on runs in the eighth and ninth to run their record to 2-0 for first year manager Rene Rivera.
RHP Lucas Elissalt was the opening day starter in this one, and he was solid for two innings before digging himself a hole with a pair of walks to start the third. There was much hard contact, but he gave up a pair of runs and the long inning ended his night.
Overall, the Whitecaps’ offense really struggled through six innings. In the seventh, Cristian Santana was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and with one out, Hunter Dobbins walked. An infield single from Clayton Campbell loaded the bases, and Patrick Lee came up with a rocket of a single to the center fielder to plate two runs and tie the game. A Woody Hadeen sac fly scored Campbell to take the lead, and after Lake County went to the pen, Roberto Campos singled in Lee before the inning came to an end.
Patrick Lee rips a 2-run single to right center to tie the game for West Michigan. pic.twitter.com/TTwq5YCLlJ
Carlos Marcano, another sleeper prospect on my list, handled the sixth with a 1-2-3 inning. Offseason minor league signing RHP Ryan Harvey took over in the seventh, and he promptly hit a batter and got into trouble, allowing two runs that tied the game before getting out of jam.
In the eighth, Junior Tilien walked with one out and Dobbins reached on an infield single. Campbell smoked a line drive single to center field to load the bases, and Lee came through again with a sac fly that recaptured the lead at 5-4. Garrett Pennington launched a solo shot in the top of the ninth to open a little margin for Nicaraguan right-hander Duque Hebbert. Hebbert got into trouble due to a one-out double from Jaison Chourio and a walk, but a strikeout and a ground out to second wrapped it up and earned him the save.
Garrett Pennington slashes a solo homer to the opposite field to give West Michigan a little more cushion. pic.twitter.com/KNuYCYwPqZ
The Flying Tigers opened their 2026 campaign in Tampa, rallying back from an early deficit and pouring it on in the middle innings for a comfortable victory.
The Flying Tigers got right to work, as Jesus Pinto led off the game with a single. Bryce Rainer ripped a ground ball to second, but beat out the attempted double play. A rehabbing Hao-Yu Lee flew out, but Carson Rucker drilled a double to left to plate Rainer, and Jack Goodman singled to make it 2-0.
Sawyer Gipson-Long made his first rehab appearance, working back from a left hip labrum repair, and he punched out the first two hitters he saw and got a flyout in a snappy first. However, he gave up a double to start the bottom of the second, and a pair of errors by catcher Sergio Tapia didn’t help, as a pair of runs scored to tie the game. RHP Donye Evans took over with two outs, but gave up an two-run single before getting out of the inning.
So, it was 4-2 Tampa entering the third. Rainer led off with a walk, and after Hao-Yu Lee and Rucker struck out, Goodman walked and a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. First baseman Beau Ankeney, the Tigers’ 14th rounder last summer out of Loyola, proceeded to absolutely hammer a line drive single at a whopping 114.4 mph off the bat to score both runners and tie the game 4-4.
The inning kept on going from there. Zach MacDonald doubled to left to score Ankeney, sending the Tarpons back to the pen. New reliever Justin West walked Tapia, Nolan McCarthy, Jesus Pinto, and Rainer in order, and it was 7-4. Ah…Single-A ball. Hao-Yu Lee completed the scoring with an infield single to plate McCarthy and make it 8-4.
At this point, we got our first look at last year’s third rounder out of Arizona State, LHP Ben Jacobs. We like Jacobs as our scouting report attests. It’s just a question of how much upside he has left in his stuff. He was a little shaky in his pro debut, walking the leadoff hitter and giving up a stolen base and then an RBI single that made it 8-5, but the southpaw got a flyout and then punched out the next two hitters, showing a good 93-95 mph fourseamer and a pretty advanced changeup as well.
The walk parade from Tampa pitching handed the Flygers two more runs in the fourth. Yankees prospect Greysen Carter was very wild, but finally composed himself enough to blow Rainer away with a 99.6 mph heater to end a pretty ugly inning. 10-5 Lakeland.
Jacobs looked good in the fourth, collecting another pair of strikeouts, though he did allow a walk in the inning.
Benjamin Arias took over from Carter in the fifth and issued a one-out walk to Rucker, who promptly stole second. Goodman walked as well, and Ankeney singled in Rucker on another pretty hard hit ball. Goodman scored when Tapia grounded to shortstop and it was misplayed. 12-5 Lakeland.
Jacobs was really feeling it as he settled in, and probably isn’t long for Single-A. He struck out the side in fifth and then allowed just a single in the sixth, facing the minimum as the Tarpons’ Hans Montero singled but was just down by McCarthy from left field. Jacobs showed advanced control of all three pitches and racked up 14 whiffs, averaging 94 mph with his fourseamer. He topped out at 95.9 and the life on the fourseamer was pretty explosive. He looks already tuned up to where I hoped the Tigers could get him in a year or two. Really impressive.
Pedro Garcia leaked a pair of runs in the seventh, while RHP Jorger Petri came on with two outs in the eight and closed this one out without issue.
Beyond Ankeney’s scorcher, Jesus Pinto hit a ball 108.7 mph and Goodman posted a 107.6 mph exit velo as well. Tough first game back for Rainer, who struck out three times, though he did walk twice.
Ankeney: 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, 2 K
Rucker: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB, 2 K, SB
MacDonald: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B, 2 BB, SB, CS
Gipson-Long: 1.2 IP, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 K
Jacobs: 4.0 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:30 p.m. ET start at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday.
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 31: Kyle Karros #12 of the Colorado Rockies plays a ball against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on March 31, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s only been a week, which means most of what we’re working with is built on quick impressions and small samples. There isn’t enough here yet for real trends — just a collection of games shaping the early feel of the season.
And the early feel? It’s different.
They’re running the bases more aggressively, getting contributions from new faces, playing solid defense, and — maybe most importantly — actually staying in games. Late innings have mattered. One-run swings have shown up. There’s just enough chaos to keep things interesting.
And yet… the record doesn’t really show it.
For a team that looks more competitive and energetic, the results feel familiar. Rockies fans know this tension — the pull to believe something might be different, while waiting for it to fall back into place.
That push and pull isn’t just anecdotal, either. The current “hope-o-meter” reflects a fanbase that’s a little more optimistic than before — but still hesitant to fully buy in.
Which raises the obvious question: If they’re improving, why aren’t they winning more?
The early answer starts with how they’re playing.
They’ve turned more games into coin flips. Instead of fading early, they’re keeping things within reach. Four of their first seven games have been decided by one run, and two others were still one-run games through five innings. Most have come down to a late swing or a single mistake — something that marks a meaningful shift.
But living there comes with a tradeoff.
When games are close, the margin for error disappears — and the Rockies’ familiar issues tend to show up in those moments. A strikeout with runners on. A starter who can’t quite get through another inning. A mistake pitch that turns into a home run.
The most obvious issue is the strikeouts.
They haven’t gone away, and in close games they’re often the difference between pressure and nothing. A walk and a single can vanish quickly with a couple of empty swings. It’s not just theoretical — the Rockies have struck out 32 times over their last two games, a reminder of how quickly things can unravel.
Then there’s the rotation.
Starters haven’t provided much length, which shifts pressure to the bullpen. To their credit, relievers have been excellent — but asking them to carry that load every night isn’t sustainable.
And so far, the early returns suggest that trend may stick for a while, even as the group shows signs of steadiness.
Offensively, inconsistency has mattered, too.
There’s been one breakout performance, but otherwise scoring has been a grind. They’ve created opportunities, but not always converted them. In one-run games, that gap matters.
And early numbers are still volatile.
Take away one big inning in Toronto, and the offense looks thinner. Remove a rough first inning in the home opener, and the pitching looks cleaner. A week in, a single inning can still shape the story.
When mistakes happen, they’ve been loud.
Home runs — more about timing than volume — have flipped close games or erased slim leads.
Put it all together, and the picture is clearer.
The Rockies look more competitive. More watchable. There are real signs of improvement — enough to make you want to buy in a little. Maybe?
Instead of getting blown out, they’re losing in the margins. And until they cut down strikeouts in key spots, get more length from starters, and limit mistake pitches, those margins will keep working against them.
That doesn’t mean this start is meaningless.
If anything, it shows where the progress is actually happening — and where it still needs to catch up. Being in games more consistently matters. Playing cleaner, more competitive baseball matters. Those are the steps that come first.
The climb up the standings will come later — if it comes at all.
For now, the real question isn’t how many games they’re winning. It’s whether this version of the Rockies can show up like this every night.
Tough night for Albuquerque (2-5) against Reno (4-3). The Isotopes gave up 18 hits while managing just four of their own, with four different players accounting for the only offense. Six pitchers cycled through the game, with Welinton Herrera taking the loss after allowing three runs in just two-thirds of an inning.
Hartford (1-1) cruises to even series against Chesapeake (1-1). Braylen Wimmer had a four-hit night and Bryant Betancourt drew four walks to set the tone as the Yard Goats racked up 12 hits and 11 walks, consistently exploiting Baysox command issues. Konner Eaton handled the rest on the mound by tossing six shutout innings.
It played out as a well-rounded effort as Spokane (1-0) topped the Aquasox (0-1) in Friday night’s season opener. Robert Calaz went 1-3 with an RBI and stolen base, while Max Belyeu went deep and added a walk to lead the offense. On the mound, Yujanyer Herrera and Bryson Hammer each delivered three shutout innings, with Hammer earning the win.
Fresno (0-1) drops season opener to Visalia (1-0). Marcos Herrera allowed all six runs in 3.2 innings, and the lineup couldn’t keep pace, with Roldy Brito and Ethan Holliday combining for five strikeouts in a 2-for-9 night. Wilder Dalis stood out, going 2-for-3 with a walk to start his season.
This Denver Post article covers how Gov. Jared Polis — an accomplished Congressional Baseball Game participant — is all in on a Rockies turnaround. The projections, meanwhile, give Colorado almost no shot. It’s early, but the gap between belief and reality is already hard to ignore.
This MLB.com article lays out where the Rockies’ top prospects are starting the 2026 season — and what that says about the organization’s timeline. From Single-A to Triple-A, the next wave is still developing into something real. It’s a reminder that while progress is underway, the bigger picture is still coming together.
This Purple Row article highlights how Charlie Condon is taking the next step in his development after a strong spring showing. The Rockies’ top prospect didn’t break camp with the team, but early Triple-A results suggest he’s not far off.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates after hitting a double against the San Diego Padres during the eighth inning at Petco Park on March 31, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
We’ve officially had our first full week of San Francisco Giants baseball this season, so it’s time to pick our Player of the Week!
I think it will come as no surprise that my pick for this week is none other than Willy Adames! Sure, the majority of his numbers for the week came from one game, but it was a heck of a performance! Four hits (including a leadoff home run), two runs, and two RBI? Yeah, that’s gonna get you Player of the Week.
Who is your pick for this week’s Player of the Week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue their series against the New York Mets tonight at 6:05 p.m. PT.
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Apr 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (22) reacts after scoring a run on an RBI double hit by infielder Bo Bichette (19) against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
After losing three straight games due to some fairly inept offensive performances, the Mets finally broke through with ten runs against the Giants last night, with Marcus Semien hitting his first homer for his new team and Francisco Alvarez adding a pair of his own. Nolan McLean, meanwhile, did not allow a baserunner through the first five innings of the game, and while he faltered slightly in the sixth, he still only gave up one run in 5.1 innings of work. The Mets did get a major scare early in the game when Juan Soto left after just half an inning due to right calf tightness which will require imaging today. It was a sour note on what would otherwise have been a fairly stress-free 10-3 victory in San Francisco.
After going through the first eight innings without either team scoring any runs, the Braves broke through in the ninth with solo homers from Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson to give them a 2-0 win over the Diamondbacks.
Eury Pérez was lighting up the radar gun but couldn’t control the strike zone, as he walked six in four innings of work and took the loss in the Marlins’ 8-2 defeat against the Yankees.
Miles Mikolas had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day yesterday, as the veteran starter gave up 11 runs in 4.1 innings to doom the Nationals to a 13-6 loss in their home opener.
The Detroit Tigers were victorious in their 2026 home opener on Friday, snapping a four-game losing streak with a 4-0 win over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. They look to secure their second series win of the season on Saturday in another early duel starting at 1:10 p.m. ET.
Next up in the rotation is Jack Flaherty, who hit a rough patch in his debut against the San Diego Padres. The right-hander started strong, seeing just seven batters through the first two innings, but became flustered in the third when the Padres plated a pair. His teammates did him no favors, failing to score in the 3-0 loss.
Starting opposite him is fellow righty Dustin May, who comes into the matchup with an ERA that is 11.10 runs higher than his FIP. More fun with early-season sample sizes!
So how do the two match up? Take a look below at a preview of what both pitchers have to offer — assuming the game is played on Saturday.
Detroit Tigers (3-4) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (4-3)
Time (ET): 1:10 p.m. ET Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Viva El Birdos Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 7: RHP Jack Flaherty (0-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. RHP Dustin May (0-1, 13.50 ERA)
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: JJ Wetherholt #77 talks to Oliver Marmol #37 of the St. Louis Cardinals after beingn hit by a pitch during the third inning of a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 11, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2.8 Inches
JJ Wetherholt’s Opening Day home run could end up being the signature moment of the 2026 season for the Cardinals. All the expectations coming into the game combined with the excitement of Opening Day, and JJ delivered. Here it is one more time.
First MLB hit ✅ First MLB home run ✅ First MLB curtain call ✅
Watching it live, I thought there was no way it would go out simply because of how far off the plate it was, 2.8 inches, to be exact.
Here it is in our gameday snapshot.
That is just absurd. I certainly don’t remember seeing a Cardinals batter take a pitch that far off the plate for a bomb. I checked the logs and sure enough, the Cardinals had exactly zero home runs in 2025 from left-handed batters on pitches off the outside corner. The furthest outside pitch a lefty hit all year was from Lars Nootbaar against the Phillies on May 14th.
Not only is this feat rare for the Cardinals, it is quite rare across baseball. Only 30 pitches off the plate outside were hit for home runs by lefties in 2025. Of those 30 home runs, only three were further outside than JJ’s blast. These three were hit by Oneil Cruz, Jason Heyward, and Riley Greene, all standing at 6’2” or above. The fact that Wetherholt, standing at 5’9” and listed at 190 pounds, was able to drive this type of pitch illustrates his plus bat control and opposite field power.
95.2 MPH
The Cardinals staff has not yet started generating the strikeouts that they have long chased, but you can see signs of the improved stuff in the average fastball velocity. The staff as a whole is averaging 95.2 MPH on four-seam fastballs, which is up from 94.3 MPH last season. For context, that moves them from 18th in baseball last year to 7th so far this season. Most of this increase is coming from the starting rotation, but the average bullpen fastball is up 0.5 MPH as well. Outside of suppressing home runs, the pitching has been pretty bad so far, but the increased velo is a nice silver lining.
.327 xwOBA
While the pitching looks a little lucky so far, the hitters have underperformed their expected production based on batted ball data. The Cardinals rank 21st in team wRC+ through 225 plate appearances, but their xwOBA of .327 is tied for seventh. This is still an extremely small sample size, but after facing some great pitchers in the first two series, it is hard not to be encouraged by the offense thus far.
25% Chase Rate
Jordan Walker has certainly looked different to start the season. His 25% chase rate is a big reason why he has kept the strikeouts in check thus far. He has also done a better job elevating the ball with an increased average launch angle and launch angle sweet-spot %. It is certainly too early to start jumping to any conclusions, but Walker looks more comfortable at the plate than at any time in my memory of him.
27,409 Average Attendance
Average attendance through the first homestand has been almost identical to the 2025 season through the first six games (27,975). I will be interested to check in on this periodically to get a sense of the broader fan sentiment. With all the (relative) optimism at VEB, this will be a good sanity check on the perception of the team from the general public. I think the Cardinals have to be happy with the numbers thus far given the winter selloff.
10-1 Minor League Record
Wins and losses at the minor league level don’t matter… But, for a team focused on restocking the system, it is comforting to see the excellent start down on the farm. Memphis has played the most games, starting off 7-0. The offense has been driven by scalding hot starts from Jimmy Crooks, Blaze Jordan, and Cesar Prieto all posting OPS north of 1.300. Leo Bernal and Joshua Baez have held their own in the early going but are still looking for the power to take off.
Springfield opened the season Friday night with a win behind 5 ⅔ scoreless innings from Jurrangelo Cijntje in his Cardinals debut. He struck out seven and walked two while allowing only one hit.
The Peoria Chiefs stole the show in their opener on Friday winning behind Ryan Franklin’s nine strikeouts in just 3 ⅔ innings. Franklin touched 100 MPH and sat in the mid-to-upper 90s. He generated gobs of swings and misses with all of his offerings. Rainiel Rodriguez and Tai Peete hit home runs to start their campaigns off on the right foot.
Palm Beach split their first two games of the season without any major fireworks to report.
Gabe wrote an excellent guide to the minor leagues earlier this week, so check that out to get fully hyped for the baby birds now that all the full season affiliates are underway.
FanGraphs has a unique process of ranking farm systems in which they tie a specific dollar value to each prospect based on grade and position (pitcher vs. batter). I was curious how the talent distribution looks across levels now that all of the minor league rosters are set. In the table below, you can see the aggregate amount of prospect value and total prospects by level.
The top four levels are remarkably balanced driven by a good distribution of the top prospects. While the Palm Beach Cardinals (A) and short-season leagues don’t grade out as highly according to FanGraphs, there are still plenty of high upside guys at the lower levels who should improve their stock as the year goes on.
Apr 3, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Members of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrate defeating the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
It seems that Zack Wheeler got roughed up a bit last night in his rehab start with Lehigh Valley.
It’s probably mostly important to remember that he had major surgery and we aren’t sure what version of Wheeler will be returning soon. It’s also important to remember that this is his spring training, so peaks/valleys in his velocity are to be expected. Best not to make too much of it.
Aug 12, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Victor Mederos (58) reacts in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
On Friday afternoon, the Atlanta Braves announced that they had acquired right-hander Victor Mederos from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for international bonus pool money. He was immediately optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, and to make room on the roster, fellow righty AJ Smith-Shawver was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
The #Braves today acquired RHP Víctor Mederos from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for international bonus pool money, and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club transferred RHP AJ Smith-Shawver to the 60-day injured list.
Mederos only has 12 big league games under his belt, each with the Angels. In those 12 games, he’s given up 24 runs, issued 21 walks, and struck out 22. Though not a blockbuster move for Atlanta, Mederos can provide some depth, should the pitching staff continue to be riddled with injury.
As for Smith-Shawver, the move was expected as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in June 2025.
More Braves News: Grant Holmes turned in a spectacular start Friday night as the Braves defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0.
Spencer Strider got some action in a bullpen session on Friday, but there is still no timetable for his return.
John Gil launched a homer in his debut with the Rome Emperors on Thursday. More in the minor league recap.
The Automated Ball-Strike System truly is a game changer, and here’s why.
The Boston Red Sox placed righty John Oviedo on the 15-day injured list with an elbow strain. Tyler Urberstine has been recalled to make his major league debut.
Three North American AT-6 Texan aircraft fly over Angel Stadium during the singing of the national anthem before the Angels' home opener Friday. The Angels lost 3-1 in 10 innings to the Seattle Mariners. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
The Angels celebrated their 2026 home opener on Friday, and the fans booed the ceremonial first pitch.
Magic Johnson, the Dodgers’ co-owner and the foremost winner in Los Angeles sports history, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Dodgers’ opener. Jeff Kent, just elected to the Hall of Fame, did the honors for the San Francisco Giants.
In Anaheim, John Carpino tossed the first pitch, even with popular alumni such as Torii Hunter and Tim Salmon in the house. Carpino is the Angels’ president, retiring Monday after 16 years in that role and 23 years in all as a loyal executive under Angels owner Arte Moreno.
Moreno thought it would be lovely for Carpino to throw out the first pitch and, under different circumstances, it would have been.
So Carpino, as a proxy for Moreno, was booed loudly. Then a few modest choruses of “sell the team” broke out.
Behind the Angels' dugout, Dave and Chris Bloye of Upland wore red T-shirts. His shirt listed five priorities, in order: Affordability, good experience, safety, peanuts, fan surveys. Her shirt listed five priorities too, starting with “sell the team.” The Bloyes said they have had season tickets for more than 20 years.
“We’ve never had a survey,” Chris Bloye said.
Moreno is competitive, a hardcore fan who regularly attends even spring training games. Perhaps he did not mean his words to come out the way they did.
Moreno declined an interview request from The Times at the owners’ meetings in February. A team spokesman said last week that Moreno would pass on an opportunity to clarify his remarks about fan priorities.
But, if those were indeed the priorities, they would have been reflected by the fans that showed up more than six hours before game time for the free fan festival the Angels throw before the home opener every year.
Surely, the man in the jersey that read “FAN SINCE 81” and the Angels tattoo on his left leg would be here win or lose.
Angels fans stand in front of the stadium before the team's home opener against the Seattle Mariners on Friday night. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
Yes, Jose Bocanegra of Chino said, he would be. But for Moreno to say winning was not a top fan priority?
“That’s crazy,” Bocanegra said. “If you’re not in it to win it, then what are we doing?”
How about the fan in the Nolan Ryan jersey? He held his 7-year-old daughter atop his shoulders. She wore a Mike Trout jersey, smiled broadly, and clutched a cup of ice cream.
His name was Nate Ryan, from Hemet. He and his daughter attend Dodgers and Angels games, but they particularly like visits to Angel Stadium. His daughter loves the rally monkey and the free games in the Pac-Man arcade, and he appreciates Moreno’s focus on affordability.
“The Angels are more economical,” Ryan said. “We have a good time.”
Jarod Venegas of Corona dressed in a white wrap, wearing a red cap topped by a gold halo. He was about to spend nine innings as — you guessed it — an angel in the outfield.
“I believe we have a team that can be the best,” he said.
What exactly do you mean by best?
“I mean World Series champions,” he said.
Venegas had something to say about fan priorities.
“Winning is our No. 2 priority,” he said. “No. 1 is getting a new owner.”
Johnny Estrada of Corona wore a T-shirt with eight lines on the back. All eight lines read the same: “Sell the team.”
He said he loves the team, supports the players, and does not believe Moreno chose his words poorly.
“I don’t necessarily feel it came out wrong,” Estrada said. “I feel he hasn’t cared for a while.”
Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken, who remains irked by Moreno branding the team with a Los Angeles name, has been a season-ticket holder far longer than she has been mayor. She’ll give Moreno a pass on his comments.
“I think it was a misstep,” Aitken said. “I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He knows that winning, for a true fan, is one of the most important things. Winning is a priority for our players. Winning is a priority to the loyal fan base.”
Even more so, perhaps, to the casual fans, the ones that determine whether the Angels sell three million tickets in any given year.
The Angels sold 2.6 million tickets last year, a testament to the strength of the market amid a second consecutive last-place finish.
The "Big A" sign outside Angel Stadium on Friday during the team's home opener. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
However, attendance has fallen 20% over the past 20 years, a span that includes one postseason series victory and the current streaks of 10 seasons with losing records and 11 seasons without a playoff appearance.
Friday’s home opener was sold out. However, as of Friday afternoon, resale markets listed tickets for as little as $7 for Saturday’s game and $4 for Sunday’s game.
This is a great fan base, to me much more frustrated than angry, waiting to erupt in joy. The fan festival was dominated by fans wearing “sell” jerseys but a variety of Trout jerseys — home white, road gray, alternate red, City Connect, All-Star, World Baseball Classic, even one from the Salt Lake Bees.
Trout’s loyalty has been reciprocated by the fans. Moreno could feel that love too, with a renewed commitment to the excellence the Angels he displayed in his first decade as owner.
In Anaheim, the thunder sticks were glorious. Moreno does not want to sell at the moment, so best to demonstrate a dedication to returning October to the Angels’ schedule, lest their fans take home their giveaway calendars from the home opener and start the countdown to “wait ‘til next year.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: Aaron Judge #99 celebrates a home run with Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees during the first inning of the home opener against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium on April 03, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When you’re going good, you’re going good. The Yankees got more great pitching and a home run from their captain in an easy win in the home opener, running their record to 6-1 on this young season. The season is oh-so-long, and the nature of baseball will ensure that the Yankees will have to take their lumps eventually, perhaps even soon. But for now, bask in the pleasure that is good, clean, winning baseball every day, and hope that the run continues tonight, as the Yankees play a rare Saturday night game at the Stadium.
On the site today, John praises Ben Rice’s defense in the early going, and Matt remembers Cameron Maybin’s wonderful 2019 campaign on the occasion of the former outfielder’s birthday. We’ll also get the day’s Rivalry Roundup from Andrew, and Kento performs a dangerous experiment.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Miami Marlins
Time: 7:15 p.m. EST
Video: YES Network, Marlins.tv
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Questions/Prompts:
1. Does Ryan Weathers keep up this streak of great starting pitching today?
2. It’s only been seven games of course, but are you feeling a little more optimistic about the underbelly of the Yankees’ bullpen after seeing some quality performances from the likes of Jake Bird, Fernando Cruz, and Brent Headrick?
Christian Scott got rocked by the Mud Hens in his three and a third innings of work, giving up runs in almost every way you can imagine: a balk, home runs, poor defense, doubles, and a sac fly. If there’s some good news from the pitching side of things, it is that the bullpen of Joe Jacques, Tanner Witt, and Nick Burdi threw five and two-thirds hitless ball, striking out six an walking two.
MJ Melendez was the lone bright spot, offensively, for the Mets, hitting a solo home run for their only sliver of offense.
The Rumble Ponies won their inaugural game of the season, wringing every ounce of offense out of their starting nine, with all but Jose Ramos contributing a hit, a run, a walk, or an RBI. Will Watson and Saul Garcia were the main offenders on the pitching side, each surrendering three earned runs in their appearances.
The Ponies won in that most classic of ways, by a fielder’s choice leading to a run scoring. How can you not be romantic about baseball? Also very normal was Chris Suero’s 1-5 with two runs scored and FIVE RBI performance. A grand slam and a sac fly will do that for you.
John Bay homered and singled for Brooklyn, but otherwise the team could muster just two hits against the Renegades. Noah Hall went the deepest of any Mets’ minor league starters, tossing four and a third innings. The eight walks as a staff is not great.
St. Lucie took a three run lead in the top of the first and never looked back. Eddison Paulino hit RBI triple in the fifth to put the Mets up by three. Joel Lara walked three in his season debut, including walking in two runs.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees hits a single in the eighth inning during the home opener at Yankee Stadium on April 03, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The New York Yankees defeated the Miami Marlins 8-2. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
ESPN | Jorge Castillo: On Thursday night, with the Yankees’ home 0pener looming, the team’s players received a missive from their captain. The message was simple: suits tomorrow. Aaron Judge followed up on his sartorial directive with a booming two-run homer in the first, setting the tone for an eventual 8-2 victory. “That’s what he does best,” first baseman Ben Rice said after the game. “Coming out, swinging out the gate like that for us is huge. It’s just so contagious and got everybody going.” Most importantly, the team dodged a bullet when Judge was hit by a pitch on the forearm in his next at-bat, a type of HBP which once caused the right fielder to break his wrist, and walked away unscathed.
SNY | Garrett Stepien: Another highlight in Friday’s victory was an improbable, juggling grab by Cody Bellinger in the ninth inning to help close the door. After the ball hit off his wrist, the left fielder somehow managed to reach down and grab it before it hit the ground. “I definitely got lucky. I threw my glove out there,” said Bellinger, who was visibly surprised with the recovery. The veteran excelled in left last year in his debut with the Yankees, tying for tops in the AL with five Outs Above Average at the position.
SNY | Ben Krimmel: Yesterday morning, manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts on a few key Yankees topics. After reports that Carlos Rodón suffered a hamstring issue as he works his way back from elbow surgery, Boone expressed confidence the setback would be minor. “He’s able to keep his arm going through this,” the skipper noted, adding that the hamstring issue “is minor enough that that’s the case, so it’s a good thing.” Gerrit Cole is also continuing his progression back from Tommy John, with Boone indicating that his recovery is “going well, he looks great, every bullpen, every live, every game that I’ve seen from him has been really, really encouraging.” The last update on the IL front is that shortstop Anthony Volpe is expected to begin a minor-league rehab start around mid-April if he avoids any setbacks in his recovery.
Boone also sang the praises of Giancarlo Stanton, who started the year a scorching hot 10-for-20. “He’s just kinda been on everything,” Boone said of his DH. “Recognizing pitches well. He’s really good at devising a game plan that he wants to use against a particular pitcher and staying disciplined to that.” He also noted Stanton’s contributions to the clubhouse, calling the veteran “such a stud in our room.”
