Category: MLB

The Nats are going to be tested right out of the gates in their home opening series. There is no bigger challenge than facing the back to back World Series champions. That is what the Nats will do when they square off with the Dodgers. Here are three things I will be watching.

Can the Nats Continue Their Surprising Success Against the Dodgers?

The Nats and Dodgers have been on two different ends of the MLB food chain. While the Dodgers have been the kings of baseball, the Nats have been stuck near the basement of the National League. However, the Nats have had a surprising amount of success against the Dodgers lately, especially at home.

The Nats have won their home series against the Dodgers in each of the last two seasons.It is a weird phenomenon, but the Nats have tended to give the Dodgers a tough time. I have a feeling the mighty Dodgers may have a tough time getting up for an April matchup across the country against a bad team. They know they can coast through the regular season.

Regardless of why it is, the Nats have given the Dodgers a tough time. Last season, James Wood had a huge series against them. He hit a few towering home runs on cold April nights. Seeing the big man get going would be huge for the Nats.

"This kid is going to be a star in the Big Leagues."

MLB Now talks about James Wood following an impressive home run against the Dodgers last night. pic.twitter.com/PTOXoiY7Fa

— MLB Now (@MLBNow) April 8, 2025

Wood has continued his struggles from the second half of last season. The strikeouts are still out of control and his swing just does not look totally right at the moment. However, we know what he is capable of, and this would be quite the time for him to snap out of his slump.

Will Joey Wiemer Keep The Good Times Rolling?

Joey Wiemer has been the story of the first week of the Nats season. The waiver claim came out of the gates like a house on fire. He got on base in each of his first 10 plate appearances. Now he is “only” hitting .588 with a .682 on base percentage. Wiemer has been a joy to watch, not only at the plate, but also in the field and on the bases.

It would be really cool if he could stay hot in front of the home crowd. Wiemer has been DFA’d three times in the last year, but now he seems to have found a home. Eventually, he is likely to cool off and settle in as a lefty killing 4th outfielder. However, the Nats are going to ride the hot hand as long as they can.

Joey Wiemer has been DFA'd three times in the past year and has come out scorching hot to start the season, going 10-for-17 with 2 HR and a 1.741 OPS!@jonmorosi | @Nationalspic.twitter.com/J5L445SeEg

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 2, 2026

Wiemer is only 27 and was a former top 100 prospect. So, there is a chance that something just clicked for him and he can be a late bloomer. That is pretty unlikely, but it is why Paul Toboni has been taking a lot of shots on waiver claims like Wiemer.

Can The Starting Pitching Hold Up?

One big worry I have for this series against the Dodgers is the Nats starting pitching. On paper, the matchup is not great for the Nats. They have Miles Mikolas, Jake Irvin and Foster Griffin lined up. Against a ferocious lineup like the Dodgers, that could be trouble.

WSH – LAD probables for the home opener

Miles Mikolas (R) vs. Emmet Sheehan (R)
Jake Irvin (R) vs. Tyler Glasnow (R)
Foster Griffin (L) vs. Roki Sasaki (R)

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) April 3, 2026

However, Irvin and Griffin looked solid in their first starts of the season. Irvin was particularly impressive, showing much improved stuff. He is still a guy who posted an ERA that was well over five last year.

Mikolas will be taking the ball today, and he looked really shaky in his first start. Granted, his defense did not do him any favors, but Mikolas is not a guy who misses many bats. The Nats defense will have to be on their toes today, and Mikolas will have to avoid mistakes to keep the ball in the yard.

Luckily for the Nats, they are avoiding Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani. They are also missing Blake Snell, who is out with injury. However, the Dodgers have an embarrassment of riches, so they will still be facing good arms. Tyler Glasnow, Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki are all very talented. 

I am interested to see what Sasaki looks like in particular. He has not had the easiest transition since coming over from Japan. However, he still has amazing stuff when he is on. Seeing him matchup with Foster Griffin will be cool. That could have been a matchup NPB fans saw a couple years ago.

Overall, the Nats have a tall task this weekend. However, they have not backed down from the Dodgers in the past. Over the first week, they also showed they can go toe to toe with some of the NL’s best. They competed with the Phillies and Cubs, so why can’t this group take a series from the mighty Dodgers.

After three pretty successful drafts, the Detroit Tigers enter the 2026 edition of the amateur draft picking way down the board for the second straight year. It’s too early to go crazy over their last three first round picks, but so far Bryce Rainer, Jordan Yost, and Michael Oliveto look like one heck of a good group. That’s especially true considering that they’ve held the 11th and 24th overall picks the past two years rather than picking near the top of the draft. Oliveto was 34th overall last year as the Tigers used their biannual competitive balance round A selection on the sweet swinging catcher from Long Island.

On the other hand, the heavy emphasis on overslot bonuses to prep pitchers has not gone well at all. Rapidly the Tigers farm system has found itself in the unfamiliar position of being stacked with position player talent, while the upper minors lack any high end pitching prospects. Most of the prep pitchers they’ve taken are still 20 years old or younger, and they certainly have talent, so things could turn drastically in the Tigers favor over the next few years on the pitching side. Still, part of the reason more conservative teams favor college pitching is because the heavily injury prone young pitchers tend to be winnowed out in college ball. We’ll have to wait and see if the high risk, high upside strategy ultimately pays off or not. What has paid off is the emphasis on taking athletic, up the middle position players with demonstrated plate discipine and contact ability, out of the prep ranks. No doub that will continue to be the foundation to their draft strategy with their top picks.

On Wednesday, MLB release the 2026 amateur draft bonus pools. The Pirates will lead the way with $19,130,700 to spend, picking fifth overall. The Chicago White Sox hold the first overall pick and the third biggest bonus pool at $17,592,100.

The top ten picks, with slot values for each pick, are listed below.

1. White Sox: $11,350,600
2. Rays: $10,507,000
3. Twins: $9,740,100
4. Giants: $8,988,400
5. Pirates: $8,336,500
6. Royals: $7,746,100
7. Orioles: $7,327,200
8. Athletics: $6,982,600
9. Braves: $6,675,300
10. Rockies: $6,393,100

The Detroit Tigers will pick 22nd overall, two slots higher than last year. However, this year their competitive balance pick will come in the B round following the normal second round of the draft. They’ll also be working with a bonus pool of just $9,165,100. Last year they had $10,990,800 to work with, mainly as a result of the higher CB round selection.

The slot values for the Tigers first three picks are as follows.

22. $4,082,700

61. $1,523,600

69. $1,254,200

In theory, the Tigers could burn all but $2,304,600 on those first three picks, leaving them with little enough to spread around on prep pitchers the way they have the past three drafts. That’s obviously not how they’ve done business to date, but this is going to be their toughest draft to date. Perhaps this is the year they actually do take a college player with their first pick on an underslot deal in order to be better able to spread money around to multiple prep players they like later on. Mixing in their usual selection of a few college pitchers and cheap, athletic speed players with some contact ability from smaller schools on minimum bonuses would allow them to round things out. John Peck, their 2023 seventh rounder, signed for $222,500, $72,500 over the minimum, as a fairly light hitting college shortstop out of Pepperdine, but has buit himself up to at least average pop to go along with good defensive ability, to cite a prime example of this type of pick.

We’ll get into the latest mock drafts from Baseball America, FanGraphs, and MLB Pipeline in the weeks ahead as the college season turns toward their own stretch drive in late April and the beginning of May.

Thursdays can obviously be light days on the major league schedule, but this one was a particularly short slate. As far as relevance to the Yankees goes, the Blue Jays were set to take on the White Sox in Chicago’s home opener, but it was pushed back due to inclement weather. So, American League action was limited to just one contest, an AL Central battle between the Twins and Royals. Kansas City is a formidable contender in the Junior Circuit, so why not give them the ol’ Rivalry Roundup treatment?

Action resumes on Friday with the Jays and Sox, Boston heads to San Diego, the Tigers match up with the Cardinals, and the Mariners and Astros both face off against other AL West squads.

Minnesota Twins 5 (2-4), Kansas City Royals 1 (3-3)

Good pitching and timely home runs. It may come as a shock, but they lead to wins on the baseball field. While the Twins have had a rough start and are poised for a disappointing 2026 campaign, they put those two together quite well on Thursday in Kansas City.

Taj Bradley was on the bump for the Twins, making his second start of the year, and it was his second straight good one. While the line was a little funky in his first start (4.1 IP, 1 ER, 9 K against Baltimore), he was effective, and he put together a real good one on Thursday. Completing six innings of shutout ball, the right-hander kept the baserunners limited while striking out three, maintaining what was a narrow 1-0 lead for the Twins. All said, Bradley has begun the ‘26 season on the right foot.

Minnesota gained that lead early on, in what can be called non-conventional fashion. With Kody Clemens on second base, Royals catcher Salvador Perez made an errant pickoff that sailed into center field, which allowed the Tigers first baseman to trot home to open scoring.

From the other dugout, Cole Ragans was just as good as Bradley on the mound. The always-fun-to-watch lefty allowed only the unearned run across his six innings of work, striking out eight Twins along the way. Baserunners were limited too, as he gave up just four hits and a walk, though the Twins clearly did what they could with them.

With the score remaining 1-0 for much of this one, both lineups mustered something up in the eighth inning. Both the Twins and the Royals managed sacrifice flies in the innings, coming off the bats of Byron Buxton and Vinnie Pasquantino. Minnesota headed into their half of the ninth looking for some insurance.

They would receive just what the doctor ordered, in a rather explosive fashion. Matt Wallner started the fun with a slicing line drive solo homer over the recently shortened wall in left-center, his second on the season. Two batters later, Clemens played a little copycat with a opposite field homer into the Twins bullpen in left. If the now 4-1 lead wasn’t enough, Josh Bell got in on the action two pitches later, when he turned on a ball and sent it scorching into the opposite ‘pen in right field. Three solo shots certainly counts as a viable insurance plan, and the Twins coasted on that to victory.

Four Minnesota relievers allowed just the one run in the final three innings of this one, with veteran Justin Topa closing things down on the non-save situation. Despite the tough start, it was a good win for the Twins as the Royals’ loss puts them back to .500 at 3-3.

Good morning, LSB.

There is baseball in Arlington today.

The DMN has everything you need to know if you’re heading to the ballpark.

Shawn McFarland has 5 numbers that highlight the Rangers strong offensive start to the season.

Kevin Sherrington is here to throw cold water on the Rangers’ hot opening week.

Cody Bradford is set for a rehab start.

Jim Callis has a list of where every Rangers top prospect will start the season.

On the home opener front, Jake Oettinger will throw out the first pitch this afternoon. Fresh off a shutout!

Some guy named RJ Coyle has a list of all the Ranger batters’ walkup songs for the start of the season.

And finally Evan Grant and Sarah Blaskovich did their annual Rangers new food menu taste test that culminated in Evan wearing the giant Homer Simpson nacho hat.

That’s all for this morning. First pitch at the GLF is set for 3:05 today with MacKenzie Gore on the mound for Texas.

Happy baseball, and go Rangers!

The Phillies signing of Adolis Garcia this offseason was met with at best a shrug and at worst rightful comparisons to former one year deal outfielders past. Garcia hadn’t been an average or above hitter since 2023 and was non-tendered by the Rangers after a 2025 campaign that saw him hit .227 with a .665 OPS. But the Phillies and Dave Dombrowski elected to sign Garcia to be their starting right fielder, believing that he could rebound into being a productive right fielder at best and a defensive upgrade over Nick Castellanos at worst.

So far in 2026, that bet is looking good. Garcia is 7-22 (.318) with a home run and one walk to five strikeouts. The metrics also back up the eye test, with a 96.8 MPH average exit velocity, .314 xBA, and .460 xSLG all suggesting that Garcia is putting good swings on the ball. He’s routinely hit the ball hard, but some of them have been line drives right into gloves. One of the biggest things the Phillies worked on with Garcia this offseason was a change in his batting stance. That led to Garcia being late on some balls this spring, but it seems he is starting to get his timing down in the season’s early going.

A BOMB FOR EL BOMBI! pic.twitter.com/jBddtj8clw

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) March 31, 2026

The other thing the Phillies worked on with Garcia was plate discipline. He has always been a free swinger, but the Phillies wanted him to cut down on his contact on pitches outside the zone, as he made contact on 58% of the pitches he saw outside the strike zone in 2025. Entering Wednesday’s game, Garcia’s outside the zone contact was down to 46.2% while his contact rate on pitches in the zone was 84.6%. He was still swinging and chasing at his normal levels, but he was also making contact on better pitches to hit at a higher rate.

Garcia hasn’t exactly stood out in a major positive way on defense yet however, as he misplayed a fly ball on Sunday and had an errant throw skip into the dugout on Tuesday. But he did have an impressive sliding grab on Saturday that likely saved at least one run from scoring.

Adolis Garcia with a 4-star grab on this play, just a 30% catch probability.

No 4 or 5-star grabs for the Phils RF in all of 2025, got one in the first series of 2026. This just would have been a routine single last year. pic.twitter.com/RWy4f5I0yY

— The WARmonger (@TheWARmonger_) March 29, 2026

Of course, this is all in a ludicrously small sample size. After all, some of these things could have been said about Max Kepler at this point last season. This could just be an early hot streak for Garcia rather than a harbinger of a good season. So, what are your first impressions of Adolis Garcia?

In 2025, the Orioles were supposed to be contenders to make a run at the AL East and deep into the postseason. Instead, they finished 75-87, in last place, with ineffectiveness a big problem on offense. Baltimore’s hitters batted a collective .235 (tied for 24th in MLB) and posted a .699 OPS (21st). Injuries shredded the pitching staff, but the position players were mostly healthy and still couldn’t hit. The organization knew it had a problem.

So the Orioles did some rebuilding on the offensive side. First-year manager Craig Albernaz brought in an entirely new coaching staff on the hitting side: Dustin Lind as hitting coach, Brady North as assistant hitting coach, and Donnie Ecker in the bench coach role. On the position player side, the team’s biggest move was signing Pete Alonso, the longtime Mets slugger who piled up 264 home runs in Queens and cashed in on a five-year, $155 million deal, to anchor the middle of the order. Dylan Beavers emerged as regular lineup options, and veterans Leody Taveras and Taylor Ward joined to provide steady bats on the corners.

On paper, the offense looked rejuvenated. But of course, following a busy offseason, the million-dollar question is: can they actually hit?

After the first week of the 2026 season, the answer is complicated—although this is at least better than bad.

On the downside, this team is slow. Baltimore is near the bottom of the league in stolen bases, and third to last in foot speed by Statcast measures. This is a little surprising considering the outfield got faster, and Blaze Alexander is, according to Statcast, true to his name.

They’re also sitting in the bottom ten in home runs, with just five through their opening games compared to the Los Angeles Angels’ league-leading ten. For a lineup built around adding a slug­ger and improving the overall quality of at-bats, the early power numbers are conspicuous, though it’s too soon for any real inferences. Moreover, the Orioles are hitting copious doubles (they’re seventh in in two-baggers). That hints at a team making contact and driving the ball into the gaps, even if they haven’t found the elevation yet to turn those into home runs.

Otherwise, the contact looks pretty good. The team batting average sits at .255 (ninth in the league), their on-base percentage is .332 (seventh), and they’ve scored 26 runs (thirteenth). These are not catastrophic numbers; they suggest, instead, a lineup with potential that hasn’t quite unlocked it yet.

As for the individual performances, the early standouts are Taylor Ward, Dylan Beavers, and Pete Alonso. Ward is batting .333 through the opening stretch, offering the consistent contact the club is looking for from the outfield corners. Beavers is hitting .286 with a homer, three RBI, and three runs scored. His three-hit game in Baltimore’s 8-3 win over the Rangers, capped by a solo shot in the sixth inning, was a showy and exciting showing by the rookie.

The player drawing the most scrutiny, Alonso himself, is also looking good in an early-season sample, even if he’s not slugging homers in bunches. He’s already reaching base with abandon, hitting .304 with seven hits and three walks in 23 ABs. Blaze Alexander and Adley Rutschman are also starting the year off hot, too.     

On the cold side of things, Gunnar Henderson, despite an early homer, is 4-for-28, but the foot speed and athleticism are still on display. Coby Mayo, despite a hot spring, is 2-for-20. Tyler O’Neill isn’t rushing out of the gate, either.

This is just illustrative, and not meant to be predictive of anything. This season, the Orioles have the pieces. The new coaches have a philosophy. The new faces are hitting. The early returns are, well, early, but they suggest a lineup that’s more than capable of making noise—even if they’re not mashing taters just not over the fence yet. We’ll have to give them time.

The Mets were aggressive with their placement of Elian Peña this season, elevating him to Low-A to begin the year. 

Peña enjoyed a strong spring after his stellar debut in the Dominican Summer League, and now he’s one of the youngest players at his new level at just 18. 

That proved to be no problem on Thursday, as he started the season on a high note. 

The young slugger was thrown right into the fire, batting leadoff for St. Lucie on Opening Day, and he made the most of the opportunity by reaching base three different times. 

Peña showed off his patience, leading off the game with a four-pitch walk. 

He lined out to left in his second at-bat but was able to do some damage his next time up, lacing a double that short hopped the wall in right for his first hit of the season. 

The young slugger then ended his night with a single in the top of the ninth, giving him two hits and a walk in St. Lucie’s 6-3 season-opening loss. 

The Mets certainly hope this is a sign of things to come from Peña this season. 

As SNY’s Joe DeMayo pointed out in his recent mailbag, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him on top 100 prospects lists and competing for the system’s top spot by the end of the season. 

Peña, the No. 7 prospect on DeMayo's Top 30, had 24 XBH's and a .949 OPS in 55 DSL games last season. 

Elian Peña’s first hit of the season for Low-A St. Lucie is a double that short hopped the wall in right pic.twitter.com/Tg4lCgPL6Y

— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) April 2, 2026

Hickory and Frisco had their first games on Thursday. Hub City kicks off Friday.

Evan Siary, the Rangers’ 8th round pick last year out of Mississippi State, got the start for Hickory, striking out 8 and walking no one in four innings, allowing one run.

Paulino Santana doubled, walked and stole a base. Yolfran Castillo had a single and a double. Marcos Torres had a hit and a walk. Josh Springer had a pair of hits.

Hickory box score

Frisco starter Leandro Lopez struck out six and walked four in 4.2 shutout innings. Ryan Lobus threw two shutout innings, striking out two and walking one. Wilian Bormie struck out one in a shutout inning.

Dylan Dreiling had a hit and a walk. Keith Jones II had a pair of hits.

Frisco box score

Cody Bradford made his return to the mound for Round Rock. In two innings he threw 27 pitches, 17 for strikes, didn’t strike out or walk anyone, and allowed three hits, including two solo homers. He averaged 90.0 mph on his fastball, topping out at 91.5 mph, which is right about where his velocity was in 2024.

Luis Curvelo allowed two runs in an inning, walking one and striking out one. Josh Sborz struck out one in a scoreless inning. Ryan Brasier struck out two in a scoreless inning.

Cam Cauley homered and drew a pair of walks. Alejandro Osuna homered. Justin Foscue had a hit and a walk.

Round Rock box score

Tonight marks the first of thirteen contests this season with the division rival A’s.  Ken Korach, who’s a staple in the A’s booth serving as lead announcer since 2006, joins The Crawfish Boxes for an in-depth series preview: 

Q: What’s the ceiling for Nick Kurtz?  How dominant can he be? 

A: I think his ceiling is as high as it could be.  There are several reasons.

His 36 home runs came in 117 games and his first was in his 17th game.  So even if he doesn’t keep up that pace, at least 40 this year seems likely.  Now, if you look at the numbers, his walk rate increased significantly after his 4-homer game.  He’s going to get that kind of treatment, but there is plenty of protection in the lineup.  This is as deep a lineup as the A’s have had since their post-season days. 

A couple of other things.  Often young power hitters get jumpy with their stride and swing and become too pull conscious.  Half of his homers last year were to left center and left. He has a very mature approach.

Even though the ballpark in Sacramento is certainly a hitter’s park, his numbers—barrel rate, exit velocity, bat speed—were elite.  He can hit anywhere.  And, he’s a hitter, not just a power hitter.  

Q: Give our readers an idea, who are the leaders in the clubhouse for the A’s and how and what can we expect this weekend with attendance and overall fan support in the stands?    

A; Brent Rooker is the unquestioned leader in the clubhouse.  He has a backstory that enables him to relate to everyone.  Yes, he’s a two-time all-star who’s hit 99 homers in 3 years with the A’s, but after being a high draft choice, he drifted through 3 organizations before joining the A’s and started to wonder if he’d ever make it. He’s a student of the game and not afraid to speak up. 

Regarding fan support, that’s not an easy question to answer since the situation is unique.  Leaving Oakland, now entering the 2nd of 3 years in Sacramento, and much of the focus is on Vegas in 2028.  I think momentum is building in Vegas, especially with the announcements of two more contract extensions (Wilson and Soderstrom) in the off-season, and the stadium being on schedule.  They are starting the process of selling tickets and the response has been good.  

They drew about 9,500 per game in Sacramento last season.  I thought the attendance was fine.  There are around 10,500 permanent seats in the ballpark and another 2,000-2,500 on the lawn areas beyond the outfield fence.  It’s a minor league ballpark. That’s the reality for two more years.  

Q: From the outside looking in, it feels like the pitching has lots of talent and arms that are in between AAA and the Majors. Perkins & Morales come to mind.   What can you tell us about them and maybe some other young players?

A: Yes, Perkins and Morales.  Morales has opened the season in the rotation.  He had a really nice couple of months last year.  Perkins will be in the PCL.  He’s probably going to be either a starting or bullpen option this year.  He did both in the spring.

A couple of guys to keep an eye on:  Gage Jump and Kade Morris.  Wouldn’t surprise me if both were with the A’s this year.  Morris might be considered more of a sleeper, but he’s gaining a lot of traction in the organization.  Has the ceiling to be a legitimate MLB starter.  Everybody knows Jump from his time at LSU, His velocity has increased and he has a chance to make an impact this year.  

Q: Finally, thoughts on facing the Astros this weekend?   

A: I think the Astros will probably be better this year.  The A’s certainly know them well.  Look at the end of last season’s schedule as an indication that the A’s think they can go toe-to-toe with them.  The A’s swept 4 games in Houston in July and took 2 out of 3 in late September in Sac.   One thing to keep an eye on.  The schedule is challenging to say the least.   We started in Toronto, went to Atlanta and after these three games with the Astros, we then turn back around and go to New York for the Yankees and Mets.  Crazy. 12 of 15 on the road to start the season in the east, and all 15 contests against contenders.

Fun fact: Originally, baseball games did not have a set length. The early Knickerbockers matches were “first-to-21,” like pickup basketball. The decision to switch to a set length was made at the 1857 national base ball (two words) convention. The convention initially decided on seven innings, but thanks to the efforts of Gothams/Knickerbockers slugger and convention delegate Lew Wadsworth, seven innings were rejected in favor of nine.

Before this season, I had assumed every Major League Baseball team knew how many innings were in a standard baseball game. However, it’s become clear to me that the White Sox think baseball games are only three innings, and the entire organization is operating under this falsehood. To the best of my knowledge, the standard length for baseball games has never been three innings.

Tuesday’s 9-2 loss to the Marlins proved my point. The Sox went up, 2-0, in the top of the third, thanks to a string of hits from Edgar Quero through Munetaka Murakami. The Marlins were held scoreless in the bottom half of the frame. That’s when the confusion appeared to set in.

Somebody must have informed the White Sox that there were six more innings to play. Despite this clearly being a regular occurrence, CHSN has never aired this as it happens. I can only guess who it always falls on to relay this information. Is it the umpiring crew? A bat boy? Maybe Murakami has already had to bring it up this year, sheepishly, as his new teammates grab their bats and gloves and turn to walk toward the showers (my research has shown that Japanese baseball is also nine innings.)

Our poor White Sox, for whatever reason, are always taken aback by this. Maybe it’s coaching; as best I can tell, Will Venable has not confirmed on the record that he knows a baseball game lasts nine innings. Or perhaps everybody on the Sox has that “Momento” disease.

No matter the cause, the effects are obvious: The news of a fourth inning clearly disoriented both Luisangel Acuña and Tristian Peters, as they collectively forgot how to call for a fly ball. Erick Fedde, having just learned minutes earlier that he did not throw a complete game, was unable to get back into a competitive mindset. White Sox strikers were held hitless for the last six innings while being outscored, 9-0. 

This has been a consistent problem already in 2026. Here are their hitting splits so far:

Innings 1-3: .302/.371/.571
Innings 4-6: .173/.267/.327
Innings 7-9: .125/.208/.208

… and their pitching splits:

Innings 1-3: 4.80 ERA
Innings 4-6: 9.00 ERA
Innings 7-9: 12.27 ERA

It’s the bullpen that confuses me the most. Before the fourth inning, why do relievers think they’re there? Do they ever ask one another why the team needs 13 arms when the team is liable to play, at most, 21 innings per week? It must be terrifying to warm up for an innings you previously didn’t know existed, by a bullpen coach who is just as surprised and frightened.

Worse yet, this is an issue that dates back at least a year. Conventional wisdom holds that the more often you see a pitcher, the better you’ll perform. Here is the league average last season for each time a starting pitcher goes through the batting order:

First time: .241/.307/.400
Second time: .249/.311/.416
Third time: .258/.324/.432

And here are the ’25 White Sox:

First time: .246/.305/.419
Second time: .231/.299/.371
Third time: .238/.295/.369

The evidence is clear: The White Sox offense only prepares for one at-bat per game. So, if you or someone you know could please relay the standard length of a baseball game to the White Sox clubhouse before their next game, things just might turn around yet! 

Entering the 2026 season, the Dodgers offense on paper consisted of an overwhelming juggernaut of former (and current) MVPs and All Stars, announcing themselves as one of the best lineups in baseball. Six games into the regular season, it has been anything but that.

The Dodgers were nearly shut out twice at home against the Cleveland Guardians after sweeping Arizona to begin the year. They are tied for 20th among all teams in runs scored and at 14th in team OPS. The treacherous trio at the top of the lineup all have batting averages under .200, which features the reigning two-time NL MVP, the Dodgers brand new $60 million right fielder and a four-time World Series champion.

While the focus has been on the struggling offense as a whole, Andy Pages, on the other hand, is having quite a remarkable start to the year. He currently leads the Dodgers in batting average at .429 and leads the team in OPS among all players with at least 10 plate appearances. Although the Dodgers slumped against Cleveland, Pages had multi-hit games in all three contests, including a 3-3 performance in Wednesday’s loss.

Freddie Freeman, though not as drastically as the top three hitters has mired in an early slump, noted that Pages has been hitting well since the beginning of spring training and that the rest of the offense will look forward to picking up the pace during the team’s first road trip, per Doug Padilla of the Orange County Register.

“Andy’s been great since spring training,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said after Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. “He’s one of the ones that carried it from spring training into the season. Andy looks good, both sides of the ball. Really happy for him. So hopefully the rest of us can join him on Friday.”

Links

Jim Callis of MLB.com writes about which Dodgers prospects to focus on throughout the 2026 season. Callis named outfielder James Tibbs III as a can’t miss prospect that has the potential to crack the big league roster later in the year.

Tibbs in his first sample size of Triple-A ball has been a force at the plate, as he’s currently tied for second in the Pacific Coast League in batting average while slashing .500/.552/1.192 with four home runs, four doubles, 10 RBI and 11 runs scored over his first six games.

In half of the Dodgers’ first six games, fans have had the privilege of one of the most electric entrances for any pitcher in the game. Flashing strobe lights emerge, the blaring of trumpets engulf the crowd, and new star closer Edwin Díaz becomes the center of attention towards the end of the game.

Both Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández gave their input on Díaz’s signature entrance, per Katie Woo of The Athletic.

Per Hernández: “Everybody was waiting for that moment,” Hernández said. “I wanted to watch everything: Him coming out of the bullpen and getting all the way to the mound. I’m happy that he’s here now.”

Per Freeman: “When Edwin comes in the game, that means something good’s happening for the Dodgers,” Freddie Freeman said. “So I’m a fan.”

The Guardians had a day off and will open Progressive Field for 2026 against the Cubs at 4:10PM ET today.

You can read about today’s festivities here. Hockey Gold Medalist Milano Cortina will throw out the first pitch.

Brian Hemminger recapped the minor league slate from yesterday which saw all four full-season affiliates play for the first time this season.

Zack Meisel has a great piece out today on Kyle Manzardo’s mom. Justin Lada of Next Year in Cleveland and Locked on Guardians has a great one on his own late dad’s relationship with him and the game. Terry Pluto had a great article sharing fan memories of Opening Day.

Deborah (Nicole) and Quincy did a Disgusting Baseball podcast featuring some hot take predictions for the upcoming season.

Today is the day: Baseball is back in Denver.

Despite losing 119 games last season, when the Home Opener comes to the Mile High City, hope springs eternal.

After starting the season on a six-game road trip in Miami and Toronto, the Rockies (2-4) are hosting the Philadelphia Phillies (3-3) today at 2:10 p.m.

So excited to see YOU at Coors tomorrow 💜 pic.twitter.com/gNQk4LwFKo

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 2, 2026

As always, LoDo will be hopping with a baseball buzz. Whether you’re going or will be watching on a screen, here’s all you need to know about the Hope Opener.

Pregame Schedule

The festivities begin in earnest over five hours before the Rockies take the field against the Phillies. Here’s a glimpse of the official schedule:

7 a.m. — Gates open at McGregor Square

9 a.m. — Coors Field parking lots open; Opening Day games and activities for all ages begin at McGregor Square, including restaurants and bars opening

10:30 a.m. — Live DJ duo begins at McGregor Square

11:15 a.m. — Rockies batting practice

12 p.m. — Coors Field gates open.

12:20 p.m. — Phillies batting practice

1:15 p.m. — Pregame ceremonies begin, including three different ceremonial first pitches, team introductions, the presentation of the flag and the national anthem, flyover by F-16 Fighting Falcons and a presentation of Hunter Goodman’s 2025 Silver Slugger Award

2:08 p.m. — Rockies take the field, accompanied by fireworks

Getting to the Game

With traffic and a sold-out crowd expected, the Rockies recommend fans arrive at Coors Field at least one hour early and plan to be in their seats by 1:15 p.m. in order to take in all of the pregame ceremonies. There will be a heavy demand for parking downtown, whether it’s in Rockies lots or around LoDo. Be sure to plan and arrive early if you plan to watch from a seat at Coors Field or a bar stool. One perk of going early is that there are $3 beer specials on the Rooftop all the way up to first pitch.

In anticipation of high demand, RTD is increasing capacity to its D, E and W light rail lines through the weekend to support the Coors Field crowds, along with other events downtown (the Nuggets play at 1 p.m. on Saturday and the Avalanche play at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday).

All fans will receive a Rockies 2026 magnet upon entry. As a reminder, only single-pocket, medical and diaper bags that are no larger than 16”x16”x8” can be brought into the ballpark. For more on the policies, check out the Rockies website.

Going Downtown

Various Opening Day celebrations are on tap around downtown. There is an Opening Day Block Party at Union Station with games, stilt walkers, face painting, live music and more from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Larimer Square will be hosting its own Opening Day celebration with DJ sets, street art and family-friendly fun from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Dairy Block is offering Game Day on the Block festivities that include music, Rockies-themed food, including speciality cocktails and purple croissants, and even live music after the game. The Maven will be hosting Ember and Stitch, where fans can brand purple bandanas and baseball gloves. For more events, check out the Downtown Denver Partnership.

Sunny Weather

Earlier this week, the forecasts included the possibility of snow — just like the Rockies had on the Home Opener last year — but chances of moisture have since evaporated. It could still be chilly, especially with the big wind gusts, but the sun should be shining.

Another check of the Rockies home opener forecast tomorrow: jackets/hoodies needed, but dry!

Wind (20-40 mph gusts) the main impact, especially before the game.#COwxpic.twitter.com/GSXXjBboPZ

— Chris Bianchi (@BianchiWeather) April 2, 2026

Last Year and All-Time

In the home opener last year, the Rockies lost a heartbreaker, falling 6-3 to the Athletics in 11 innings. Despite snow, a temperature of 37 degrees at first pitch and a 13-mph wind coming in from right field, 48,015 were on hand for the 3-hour, 21-minute game. Trailing 3-2 after seven innings, the Rockies evened it up when Jordan Beck hit an RBI single to send the game to extra innings. Seth Halvorsen threw a scoreless 10th before the A’s took advantage of a leadoff walk from Angel Chivilli when Jacob Wilson singled and Gio Urshela followed with a two-out double in a three-run frame.

All-time, the Rockies are 17-16 during their Home Openers. Colorado had won two Home Openers in a row and three out of their last four before falling to the A’s in 2025.

What’s New at Coors Field?

Always an exciting unveiling, the Rockies will have new menu items around Coors Field, including the Glizzilla, Birdcall, a pizza donut, the award-winning Key Lime Pie in the Sky beer at the Sandlot Brewery, and more. For all the details, check out Purple Row’s rundown from Renee Dechert.

This weekend, the field will look pretty slick with artistic lawnmowing feats on display.

Is this the greatest lawn mowing job on planet 🌎 pic.twitter.com/9kFCVOBYBm

— Spencer Smith (@BDSpenc) April 2, 2026

Closing Thoughts

The Rockies made massive changes to the front office, coaching staff and roster this offseason. The 2026 climb at altitude starts today and comes on the heels of the Rockies winning a series 2-1 over the defending American League Champion Blue Jays on the road. While the turnaround might be slow and have its share of ups and downs, considering it took the Rockies over two months to win a series in 2025, the Rockies are making progress.

Are you going to the Home Opener? What’s your favorite part of this annual celebration? Any predictions for the game? Let us know in the comments.

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On the Farm

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 3, Reno Aces 1

Vimael Machín hit a two-run double in the eighth inning to help the Isotopes win their second game of the season. Zac Veen also added an RBI double for Albuquerque (2-4). Tanner Gordon put up a very impressive start, holding the Aces to one run on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks in six innings. Luis Peralta, Collin Baumgartner and Seth Halvorsen each contributed a scoreless inning in the victory.

Double-A:Chesapeake Baysox 7, Hartford Yard Goats 4

The Baysox scored four runs in the top of the eighth to break up a 3-3 tie and spoil Hartford’s opening day on Thursday night. The Yard Goats struck first when Benny Montgomery hit an RBI single in the fourth. Jake Brooks gave Hartford a fighting chance by throwing five scoreless innings with nine strikeouts to start the game. After Chesapeake went up 3-1, Zach Kokoska hit a two-run homer to tie it up in the seventh. Braylen Wimmer hit a sac fly in the ninth, but Hartford’s last-ditch comeback fell short.

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Rockies place José Quintana on IL, make other roster moves | Purple Row

The Rockies made some changes leading up to today’s game, including a shift to the starting rotation and an opening for when Mickey Moniak comes off the IL today.

Rockies’ top 10 home openers: From Kyle Freeland’s gems to Dante Bichette’s walk-off | Denver Post ($)

Patrick Saunders highlights the great annual vibes of the Home Opener, along with his top moments on the field. The list is a great trip down memory lane, and it’s especially fun to remember the good pitching performances.

Renck: Rockies’ Larry Walker, past greats, optimistic changes will bring fresh start. ‘There is always hope’ | The Denver Post ($)

Troy Renck talked with Rockies greats Larry Walker, Aaron Cook and Jason Jennings about the pain of watching the Rockies struggles and the excitement of the new vibe of 2026.

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Triple-A: Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) 6, Norfolk Tides 2  

Trey Gibson was not particularly sharp over four innings last night. Gibson allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits, including a home run, a walk and three strikeouts. Baltimore’s second ranked pitching prospect (MLB Pipeline) allowed a leadoff homer in the second before relinquishing two more on a walk, a pair of singles and a double. José Barrero allowed a base runner to reach on a throwing error in the fourth inning, and the runner eventually came into score on a sacrifice fly.

Chayce McDermott put together 1.2 scoreless innings but did issue a pair of walks. Alex Pham ran into some trouble in the seventh when Jordan—the Cardinals’ 26th ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline—ripped his second homer of the evening.

Creed Willems drove in Norfolk’s first run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. Jhonkensy Noel delivered an RBI double later in the frame.

The game was delayed for rain in the bottom of the seventh inning. Neither team scored when play resumed.

Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 7, Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) 4

Chesapeake took control of this one with a pair of crooked numbers. The Baysox trailed 1-0 after five innings before a three-run sixth. Ethan Anderson and Griff O’Ferrall both took one-out walks before Thomas Sosa slapped a go-ahead triple to left field. Carter Young followed with a run-scoring single that provided Chesapeake a two-run lead.

Hartford battled back to even the score at three, but the Baysox exploded for four runs in the eighth. O’Ferrall worked another walk before Sosa launched his first home run of the season. Young managed another base hit and came around to score when Aron Estrada walked with the bases loaded. Douglas Hodo III scored the team’s seventh run on a wild pitch.

Trace Bright looked the part of an Opening Day starter with 5.1 innings of one-run ball. Bright limited Hartford to one run on three hits. He did walk four batters, but he struck out nine during an impressive performance. Yaqui Rivera allowed the Yard Goats to tie things up on a two-run homer by Zach Kokoska.

Tyson Neighbors made things more interesting than it needed to be with three walks and one earned run in the ninth inning.

Anderson De Los Santos exited after being hit by a pitch. Young came off the bench for a 2-for-3 day.

Low-A: Salem RidgeYaks (Red Sox) 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 4

Delmarva battled back after falling behind by five, but the rally came up just short. Maikol Hernández trimmed the deficit to one with a two-out single in the ninth, but Félix Amparo lined out to end the game. Hernández finished 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

Cobb Hightower delivered a pair of RBI-singles during a 3-for-4 night. Hightower and Amparo combined for five of Delmarva’s eight hits. Right fielder Junior Aybar delivered Delmarva’s only extra-base hit with a double in the ninth.

Shorebirds starter Kiefer Lord allowed four runs over 4.1 frames. Salem jumped ahead early with a run in the first, but the majority of the damage came during a three-run third. Kailen Hamson allowed an unearned run in the fifth that ultimately proved to be the difference.

Friday’s Scheduled Games

Norfolk: at Memphis, 2:05 p.m. Starter: Dean Kremer (season debut)

Chesapeake: at Hartford (Rockies), 7:10 p.m. Starter: Christian Herberholz (season debut)

Frederick: at Hub City (Rangers), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Joseph Dzierwa (season debut)

Delmarva: at Salem (Red Sox), 6:35 p.m. Starter: Denton Biller (season debut)