Category: MLB

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The Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds face off at Great American Ball Park this afternoon.

Boston took the season opener behind a strong start from Chris Sale, and my Red Sox vs. Reds predictions are betting on the visitors to prevail once more. 

Here are my best free MLB picks for Saturday, March 28.

Red Sox vs Reds predictions

Red Sox vs Reds best bet: Red Sox moneyline (-144)

There isn’t much separating these lineups, both of which need young offensive talent to step up. The Cincinnati Reds have a few more holes, while the Boston Red Sox lack some firepower down the middle.

This game will come down to pitching, and Boston holds the edge. While both starters posted similar numbers last year —Sonny Gray posted a 4.28 ERA, and Brady Singer finished with a 4.27 xERA — Gray’s underlying metrics were extremely impressive, boasting a 3.39 FIP and a .332 BABIP that suggested he was unlucky. 

With the Red Sox also boasting the better bullpen, back them on the moneyline.

COVERS INTEL: Among all qualifying starters last year, Sonny Gray ranked sixth in SIERA (3.29), 12th in strikeout rate (26.7%), and fifth in walk rate (5%).

Red Sox vs Reds same-game parlay (SGP)

The Reds mustered just four hits on Thursday, but three of them came from NL ROTY candidate Sal Stewart. The Red Sox also got a big game from their highly-regarded young slugger Roman Anthony, who also went 3-for-4.

Let's back both future stars to produce again, with Anthony leading his team to victory with 2+ total bases.

Red Sox vs Reds SGP

• Sal Stewart Over 0.5 hits
• Roman Anthony Over 1.5 total bases
• Red Sox moneyline

Red Sox vs Reds home run pick: Wilyer Abreu (+420)

Wilyer Abreu mashed 22 homers in just 115 games last year, with 21 of those dingers against righties like Singer.

Singer's best pitches are breaking balls (slider and sweeper), which he threw 39.5% of the time last season. His sinker made up 40.6% of his arsenal, but he got knocked around on that pitch, with opponents slugging .469.

Abreu sported an impressive .310 batting average against sinkers while slugging .556 against breaking balls in 2025. With his ability to crush Singer’s offerings at a home-run-friendly park, getting Abreu’s HR prop at +420 is a bargain.

Red Sox vs Reds odds

• Moneyline: Red Sox -144 | Reds +122
• Run line: Red Sox -1.5 (+110) | Reds +1.5 (-132)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-115) | Under 7.5 (-105)

Red Sox vs Reds trend

Boston has covered the run line in 42 of its last 73 road games (+10.55 Units / 11% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Reds.

How to watch Red Sox vs Reds and game info

Red Sox vs Reds latest injuries

Red Sox vs Reds weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Jacob deGrom’s 2026 season won’t start as scheduled.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner was scratched from his outing Saturday against the Phillies due to neck stiffness, The Dallas Morning News reported.

The outlet said the Rangers aren’t too concerned and that the right-hander could make a start on the team’s opening road trip.

Jacob Latz will start in deGrom’s stead in the second matchup of a three-game set.

Health, particularly his elbow, had been an issue for deGrom this decade after a run of dominance.

From 2021-24, he averaged just a touch over 49 innings per season, and in 2023, his first after leaving the Mets for the Rangers on a five-year, $185 million deal, he underwent Tommy John surgery.

The surgery limited him to just 41 innings in the first two seasons of his Rangers contract.

But finally, last season, deGrom was healthy again and an All-Star again.

He threw 172 2/3 innings — his most since 2019 — and held a 2.97 ERA to finish eighth in American League Cy Young voting.

After his first start of spring training this year, deGrom set some benchmarks he’d like to hit this year, if health allowed.

“I’d like to throw 200 innings again,” deGrom told reporters in early March. “So, we’ll just see. Last year, I was able to make 30 starts, and I felt like I could have kept going. If we would have made the playoffs, I felt like I was ready to go. So, we’ll build off that and just see how this year is going to go. Hopefully I run out there as many times as I can.”

The Rangers, after their weekend series in Philadelphia, go to Baltimore for a three-game set with the Orioles, which would give deGrom another chance to make his debut on the road.

It was January of 2019 when the Cincinnati Reds sent prospect Shed Long and a Competitive Balance pick to the New York Yankees to acquire right-hander Sonny Gray, the former Oakland A’s ace and 2015 All Star. He had struggled mightily since landing in the Bronx, yet Cincinnati pitching guru Derek Johnson – who had coached Gray in college at Vanderbilt – thought there was still a whole lot more left in Gray’s tank.

The move turned out to be prescient, and Gray immediately regained his form with the Reds. He put together 175.1 IP of 6.2 bWAR ball in 2019, earned another All Star appearance, and finished 7th in NL Cy Young Award voting, and he was a key cog in the rotation of the abbreviated 2020 club that actually made their own brief apperance in the playoffs.

Cincinnati, ever cost-conscious and always eyeing their next rebuilding opportunity, shipped Gray off to Minnesota after the 2021 season, landing prospect Chase Petty in the process. Since then, Gray has plied his trade with both the Twins and St. Louis Cardinals, who this past winter shipped Gray over to Boston. On Saturday afternoon, Gray will toe the rubber for the Red Sox in Great American Ball Park, and he’ll face off against the Reds for just the sixth time in his 14-year career.

The Reds who have actually seen Gray before have actually handled him quite well. Elly De La Cruz (5 for 11, HR, BB), Eugenio Suarez (7 for 13, 2 HR), and Spencer Steer (4 for 9, 2 HR) each figure to feature prominently today, especially as Johnson’s scouting report will hopefully tip them off to a bit more detail than other dugouts would have on Sonny.

The Reds, meanwhile, will counter with Brady Singer, a guy they went out and acquired shortly after dealing away Gray to effectively backfill the veteran innings-eater portion of their roster that had been vacated. Singer is working on getting over his own blister issues that dogged him at the end of spring, but seems set to face the Sox at full capacity after working through an exhibition against the Brewers earlier in the week.

First pitch is set for 4:10 PM ET on Saturday. Here’s how the Reds will line up for the day:

Texas Rangers lineup for March 28, 2026 against the Philadelphia Phillies: starting pitchers are Jacob Latz for the Rangers and Aaron Nola for the Phillies.

The Rangers look to win their first game of the year and get to a .500 record on a chilly day in Philadelphia this afternoon. Jacob Latz is filling in for Jacob deGrom, who is dealing with neck stiffness.

The lineup:

Nimmo — RF

Langford — LF

Seager — SS

Burger — 1B

Pederson — DH

Smith — 2B

Jung — 3B

Carter — CF

Jansen — C

3:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +125 underdogs.

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There’s an “anything is possible” vibe to MLB’s Opening Weekend, and Saturday’s slate features several teams looking to derail the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bid for a three-peat.

That group includes the Toronto Blue Jays, and my MLB player props target a strong outing from Dylan Cease, as well as a wager on Fernando Tatis Jr. to kickstart his season.

Check out my MLB picks for March 28.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Dylan Cease	Over 15.5 outs recorded	-128
Fernando Tatis Jr.	Over 1.5 total bases	+100
Matt Olson	Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI	-125

Dylan Cease Over 15.5 outs recorded [-128]

Dylan Cease takes the ball for the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon, and he’s facing an Athletics' offense that managed just three hits last night against Kevin Gausman and the Blue Jays bullpen.

I expect Cease to settle in quickly after pitching five scoreless innings to wrap up his Spring Training prep, and he has strong numbers against the A's top hitters. Shea Langeliers, Brent Rooker, and Tyler Soderstrom are a combined 3-for-20 against the right-hander.

Cease will get some leeway to pitch through jams, and John Schneider would surely like to get six innings out of his newest weapon.

• Time: 3:07 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC Sports California, Sportsnet

Fernando Tatis Jr. Over 1.5 total bases [+100]

Fernando Tatis Jr. has gotten off to a sluggish 1-for-8 start in two disappointing San Diego Padres losses, but facing Detroit Tigers starter Jack Flaherty should ignite his offense tonight.

Tatis Jr. has an eye-catching 7-for-13 career record against Flaherty, including four doubles and two homers, and the Tigers starter could be vulnerable after posting a 4.64 ERA in 2025.

The Padres need a spark from their talisman, and Tatis's speed on the basepaths is a recipe for extra-base hits. I’ll take the even odds for him to deliver.

• Time: 8:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Detroit SportsNet, Padres TV

Matt Olson Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI [-125]

The Atlanta Braves are off to a winning start after a thumping 6-0 victory last night, and Matt Olson wasted no time padding his stat line. The lefty slugger had two hits and a run in the opener, and he’s poised for a similar impact today.

Olson has a .600 batting average in five at-bats against Kansas City Royals righty Michael Wacha, and he’s in a favorable spot in the Atlanta lineup, with Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies hitting ahead of him and Austin Riley looming behind.

I like this price for Olson to help the Braves keep the scoreboard ticking tonight.

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FOX

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Saturday notes…

• LOSING ISN’T EVERYTHING: Last season, in games following a loss, the Cubs were 46-24, a winning percentage of .657. Following a win, they were 46-45, .505. (There was no game following their season-ending win.) As the home team last year, following a loss, the Cubs were 19-12, .613, with one of the losses coming in Tokyo. On the road, following a loss, they were 27-12, .692. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• AGAINST THE NATS: The Cubs are 317-336 all-time vs. Washington (since 1969, including the franchise’s time in Montreal). That includes going 173-157 at Wrigley Field, including Thursday’s game. The Cubs are 11-5 vs. the Nationals since July 18, 2023, including a seven-game winning streak from July 18, 2023-Sept. 20, 2024.
• ABS: There were two challenges in Thursday’s game, both by the Nats. They won one and lost one.
• ALL-TIME CUBS: 2,281 men have played for the Cubs since 1876. That includes the four new Cubs who played for the first time in the uniform on Opening Day: Alex Bregman, Michael Conforto, Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb.

Cubs lineup:

Nationals lineup:

Cade Horton, RHP vs. Miles Mikolas, RHP

Cade Horton had a magnificent rookie season, especially his last 12 starts, in which he posted a 1.03 ERA and 0.783 WHIP. His only start vs. the Nats last year came before that 12-start run, June 3 in Washington. He still had a good outing, three runs (one earned) in 5.1 innings.

I daresay Horton is better than that now.

Hello, old friend Miles Mikolas!

I was almost certain Mikolas was going to retire after 2025, which would have meant his start Sept. 26 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field would have been it. Three Cubs (Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, Michael Busch) homered off him that day.

But here he is, back for another go-around in MLB, this year with the Nats. Mikolas was also the guy who allowed six of the Cubs’ team-record eight home runs last July 4 at Wrigley, so of the 14 hits the Cubs got off him last year, nine were home runs. The 29 home runs he allowed last year were the fourth-most in the NL (two fewer than Shōta Imanaga).

Perhaps today is the day the Cubs can go deep at Wrigley Field. Plus, y’know… Mikolas makes such a good baseball villain.

The pitch selection charts below are from last year.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

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

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

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

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Jacob deGrom, scheduled to start in this afternoon’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, has been scratched due to neck stiffness, it has been announced. Jacob Latz will start in his place.

Whoever used a monkey paw wish on Latz being in the rotation needs to have their ass beat right now.

deGrom, who turns 38 in June, has had injury issues in the past, but this would at first glance to be the sort of one-off thing that happens occasionally. The beats are saying that this is not thought to be anything serious, and he could potentially start at some point in the six game road trip the team is currently on.

The good news is that Jacob Latz was stretched out this spring as part of his competing for a spot in the starting rotation, and with only three relievers pitching on Thursday and an off day yesterday, the bullpen should be fully rested with everyone available.

LOS ANGELES — Edwin Díaz has been one of the best closers in baseball for several years, and he has perhaps the most distinctive entrance in the sport.

When ‘Narco,’ the song long used by Díaz when he comes into games, played on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, in his first appearance with the Dodgers, the All-Star right-hander was accompanied by a live trumpet player playing along with the song.

“I heard a trumpet sound before I was coming out and said, ‘No way, they got a live trumpet,’” Díaz said after the game, after he worked around a one-out walk with a two-strikeout scoreless ninth inning to preserve the Dodgers’ 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“That was great,” manager Dave Roberts said of the trumpet-infused entrance for Díaz. “I was hoping to get him in there, and it worked out, and he performed.”

The trumpet player on Friday night at Dodger Stadium was Tatiana Tate, a musician based in Los Angeles. It’s unclear how often the Dodgers will have a live trumpet player accompanying Díaz’s entrances, but most likely it will be only occasional.

Four seasons ago, the Dodgers saw firsthand how electric the live music could be for one of Díaz’s entrances. Timmy Trumpet, co-writer and performer of ‘Narco,’ played live trumpet at Citi Field in 2022 in a New York Mets win over the Dodgers.

“It was fun, I enjoyed it, and I know the fans enjoyed it too,” Díaz said Friday night after his Dodgers debut.

We are just one game into the regular season, but we’ve already seen the Brewers make one surprise IL placement and promotion with Jackson Chourio and Blake Perkins on Opening Day. Now it appears we’ll have another surprise move just ahead of the second game of the year.

According to Daniel Alvarez of El Extra Base, the Milwaukee Brewers are promoting catching prospect Jeferson Quero.

There was no immediate word on whose roster spot Quero would be taking, but given the position, it’s likely that either William Contreras or Gary Sánchez are dealing with an injury and will be placed on the IL. The Brewers have not yet confirmed the transaction.

The 23-year-old Quero will be making his MLB debut. Quero has been beset by injuries the last few years. He injured his throwing shoulder in his first game at Triple-A in 2024 and that required season-ending surgery. His return in 2025 from that shoulder surgery was delayed by a hamstring issue. Quero’s elite throwing arm was weakened by the shoulder surgery but appeared to be back on track as a big league-caliber arm this spring. Pat Murphy confirmed pop times in the 1.9-second range.

Quero is a career .275/.353/.452 hitter in the minor leagues and has quite a bit of pop. He slugged 16 home runs in 2023 in the pitcher-friendly Southern League. He’s routinely been viewed as a prospect with everyday potential and All-Star upside behind the plate. The bar for success for catchers is pretty low, but Quero has a well-rounded offensive game and approach at the plate.

Last season in Triple-A Nashville, Quero hit .271/.361/.478 with 17 doubles, 11 homers, and 32 walks to 40 strikeouts across 69 games.

The Brewers allowed Danny Jansen to walk in free agency this offseason and it seemed for most of the winter the Brewers might just simply allow Quero to backup Contreras this year. The late signing of Sánchez to a major league deal changed that calculus to allow Quero some more development time in Triple-A and more regular at-bats. Instead, after just one game, Quero is going to get his ABs in the major leagues.

In 2024, Quero played opening day for Nashville and was done for the year. In 2026, Quero played opening day for Nashville and is getting the call to Milwaukee.

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Here are a couple of fearless predictions: The New York Yankees will give up a run at some point this season. And the San Francisco Giants will score one.

When either will happen, we're not entirely sure.

The Giants opened the season getting shut out in back-to-back games for the first time, mustering a total of four hits.

The pitching matchup is in favor of some more scoring on Saturday, but my Yankees vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks have the Yankees winning again.

Yankees vs Giants predictions

Yankees vs Giants best bet: Yankees moneyline (-130)

Everything has come up good for the New York Yankees in the season's first two games. New York pitchers have struck out 19 in 18 shutout innings and allowed one extra-base hit. 

Will Warren, Saturday's starter, has been solid for the Yankees but not on the level of their first two starters. He adjusted his delivery, resulting in a 1.42 ERA spring ERA.  

The San Francisco Giants, meanwhile, are already showing signs of frustration. Losing pitcher Robbie Ray seemed to take issue with former college coach Tony Vitello's rah-rah clubhouse speeches after yesterday's game.

COVERS INTEL:The Giants are 0-7 with runners in scoring position through the first two games of this series with the Yankees. 

Yankees vs Giants same-game parlay (SGP)

After two pitching masterpieces, we could be in store for a slugfest. Warren was two full runs worse on the road last year (5.52 ERA compared to 3.50 at home). His WHIP was .571 higher, and opponents had 157 more points of OPS against him in road games.

Giants starter Tyler Mahle, an offseason acquisition after a strong year with Texas, has a 5.13 career ERA in his new home park, allowing four home runs in five starts. So, the Yankees should also be able to put up plenty of runs.

Yankees vs Giants SGP

• Yankees moneyline
• Will Warren over 2.5 earned runs allowed
• Over 8.5 total runs

Yankees vs Giants home run pick: Aaron Judge (+220)

Judge should probably always be the home run pick in a Yankee game, but he's been even better in his hometown park. Friday's blast was his fourth in five games in San Francisco, and his 1.455 OPS at Oracle Park is fifth highest in any stadium—and Coors Field is one of the four where he's hit better.

He's also a streaky home-run hitter. Over the last two seasons, 39 of his 111 home runs have come after he's already homered within the last day. He went deep on Friday.

Yankees vs Giants odds

• Moneyline: New York -125 | San Francisco +113
• Run line: New York -1.5 (+135) | San Francisco +1.5 (-155)
• Over/Under: Over 8 (+100) | Under 8 (-120)

Yankees vs Giants trend

The New York Yankees have hit the Team Total Over in 18 of their last 23 away games. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Giants.

How to watch Yankees vs Giants and game info

Yankees vs Giants latest injuries

Yankees vs Giants weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Mets are assigning Elian Peña to Low-A St. Lucie to start the season, according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy. 

SNY's Joe DeMayo and Jim Duquette mentioned during the recent spring breakout game broadcast that the organization was going to be aggressive with the 18-year-old prospect in his stateside debut. 

He now appears set to jump the Complex League and kick things off with St. Lucie on April 7.

Peña showcased some of his potential during the spring breakout loss to the Rays prospects, playing a few innings at shortstop and reaching twice with a walk and a 102 mph single to right. 

The youngster was also spectacular as he opened his career in the DSL last year, overcoming a dreadful 0-for-26 start to finish with 24 extra base-hits and a .949 OPS over 55 games. 

He also swiped 21 bases in 25 attempts and had as many walks as strikeouts (36).

Peña, the No. 7 prospect on DeMayo's updated Top 30 list, signed for franchise-record $5 million last winter.

As DeMayo recently noted in his Prospect Mailbag, it wouldn't shock anyone to see Peña on top 100 prospect lists and competing to be the No. 1 ranked prospect in the system by the end of the season. 

The Boston Red Sox did not play baseball last night, or even yesterday afternoon. But, never fear! About 60 miles west, in New England’s second biggest city and home of the gravesite of the guy who invented the smiley face, several players with MLB service time and some with some more service time certain to come in 2026, played baseball. My fourth full year covering Minor Lines has arrived, and every year it’s cooler and cooler to see where the players in these box scores end up in their careers.

Last season was very results-oriented, as an exhaustive list of storylines propelled more attention on the farm in the last 12 to 24 months: the dawning of the careers of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and current Pirates outfielder Jhostnyxon Garcia; the unceremonious demotion of Kristian Campbell as well as the Triple-A club trying him all over the diamond; the trade of former Minor Lines subjects Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth; and Connelly Early absolutely dealing. This year is certain to bring some more.

There are still plenty of questions: where exactly Campbell belongs as well as his attitude around it (a disposition our own Tim Crowley had the chance to ask the 23-year-old about); when exactly Payton Tolle will be called back up to Boston and in what capacity; the focus on organizational catchers to supplement Carlos Narvaez’s place on the team; what’s going to happen to former first-round pick Mikey Romero, and so much more. But in the mean time, the WooSox faced off against the Syracuse Mets to open their season, so, for the first time in six months… let’s get into it!

Worcester: L, 1-3 (BOX SCORE)

There’s a lot to like about the Red Sox’s number seven prospect, Jake Bennett, who got the nod on Opening Day for Worcester. The team dealt Luis Perales straight-up for him. While he may not be Roger “The Rocket” Clemens, who was on hand for the game and threw the first pitch to his catcher (and current Red Sox hitting adviser) Rich Gedman, Jake Bennett’s command, size, and fastball has the front office penciling him in for years to come. The 6’6”, 234 pound lefty has velocity in spades, nearly touching 100 with his fastball. He had that on full display against Syracuse, as, although he was capped at 60 pitches, 44 were strikes and he had five strikeouts. He did allow a run, but it was unearned as a result of his fielding error to start the fourth, after which he exited the game and Seth Martinez allowed a home run in what would become the fatal inning for the game.

Following that, the WooSox got caught trying to cut the deficit when Braiden Ward was caught trying to steal his second base of the inning, Hayden Senger cutting him off on third with a throw to old friend Christian Arroyo, which abruptly ended the fifth. Syracuse went up by one more run off of Noah Song, who allowed four hits in his five outs, and all the WooSox could muster was a sacrifice grounder by World Baseball Classic participant Tsung-Che Cheng to score Mickey Gasper. Too little too late. The WooSox would not get another runner in scoring position and would lose the game, 3-1.

But this is an interesting team this year, as a whole. Mickey Gasper is back and in the organization in the infield, the depth pieces like Brendan Rodgers will be useful in becoming a backbone for the likes of Romero, and establishing and analyzing some more pitching depth from a team that claims to have a lot of it. We get the chance to see another guy the organization holds in high regard this afternoon as Tyler Uberstine gets the ball for Game 2. Have a happy Saturday!

The Rochester Red Wings played their first game of the season last night, and it was a thrilling 8-7 victory. The Nats Triple-A affiliate is full of exciting talent, and they showed what they could do last night. They will be a fascinating team to watch this year, especially early on.

Their roster is absolutely stacked with prospects or young players with big league experience. The Red Wings feature the likes of Dylan Crews, Harry Ford, Robert Hassell, Luis Perales, Mitchell Parker and many more interesting players. We are going to see a lot of these guys in the MLB at some point, so following them while they are in the minors will be important.

Last night, the Red Wings offense was firing on all cylinders. Everyone in the lineup got on base at least once. There was production from up and down the lineup, with a lot of important pieces for the Nats future showing their stuff. If you have time to head up to Rochester, you should do it.

The most important player on this roster is definitely Dylan Crews. After a rough spring, the Nats new regime made the gutsy decision to send the former number two overall pick back to AAA. In his first game back down there, Crews was solid. He was not incredible, but his at bats looked better. Crews got on base twice, once with a single and once on a 9 pitch walk. He also only struck out once in his five at bats, which is encouraging.

The Red Wings faced solid competition to start this one as well. Robby Snelling is a top 100 prospect for the Marlins. The Red Wings only managed one run against him across four innings, but they made him work and put the pressure on. After Snelling left, they punished the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp’s bullpen.

The Jumbo Shrimp relievers were wild and the Red Wings took advantage. They walked 10 times last night. Abimelec Ortiz had three of those walks, and he was the best player on the field last night. He got on base in all five of his AB’s last night, with two hits and three walks.

Ortiz came over in the MacKenzie Gore trade as one of the secondary pieces. The squatty first baseman has a track record of hitting, but does not have value in the field or on the bases. He was in the mix to make the team, but he did not have a great spring. However, if he performs in Rochester, he will get his opportunity before too long.

Another hitter who was in the mix to make the team was Christian Franklin. Like Ortiz, the Nats got him via trade. He was part of the Michael Soroka package in July. The 26 year old projects as a solid fourth outfield type who can really do damage against left handed pitching. Franklin did hit a 111 MPH double off of a righty last night though.

The Red Wings are going to be such a fascinating team. It is not just the offense either. Andrew Alvarez, who looked great in September and in Spring Training for the Nats was the starter. It was not his best outing, but we know what he can do. Julian Fernandez, Orlando Ribalta and Jackson Rutledge all got in the game out of the bullpen as well.

Today, the Red Wings have Mitchell Parker on the mound, who has made 59 big league starts in the last two seasons. It is rare for an AAA rotation to have that kind of recent big league experience in it. All of these guys are hungry and are not just content to be in AAA. They are on the hunt for big league spots.

That showed itself in the field as well. The Red Wings made a couple of web gems last night. Yohandy Morales made a diving play going into the netting and Robert Hassell made an outstanding over the shoulder catch. These guys are competing and many have gotten a taste of the big leagues.

They are ticked off to be in Triple-A and will be competing every day to show the new regime they belong in the big leagues. I love that and think this competition will be great for the Red Wings and the Nats. Over the last few years, the AAA roster has been pretty barren at times. However, that will not be the case this year. All of these guys will be ready to roll if guys at the big league level struggle.

The Yankees netted yet another nice victory on Friday, taking down the Giants 3-0 thanks to homers from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Although the season is young and the true important games elsewhere are yet to be determined, there is plenty of other action around the American League. From excellent starts to the season on the bump to red hot bats, here’s a look at what went down.

Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) 3, Athletics (0-1) 2

The Blue Jays made the most of a dominant season debut from their ace and a couple of big hits from their shortstop on Friday.

An Opening Day matchup of Luis Severino and Kevin Gausman turned into an excellent duel to open the season for both of these teams, though the Toronto right-hander finished with the upper hand. Neither team scored through the first three innings, as the righties were feeling it early on, though the A’s struck first when the powerful Shea Langeliers swatted his first homer of the year in the fourth.

Despite allowing the first run, it was all Gausman on Friday. The veteran made a statement to open his age-34 season, as he worked for six innings, allowing just one hit while striking out 11 Athletics. After a year that had its up and down moments, this was surely a welcome start to 2026 for Gausman and the Jays.

On the offensive side, Andrés Giménez was the hero in the opener for the Jays. In the fifth inning, his timely triple turned Toronto’s 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead. Langeliers would have his say once again, however, as the backstop pummeled a second home run in the top of the ninth to tie things up at two.

In the ninth, Giménez would come through again, this time with a walk-off single into right field. Each of his two big hits scored Ernie Clement, who had a pair of doubles in this one.

Los Angeles Angels (2-0) 6, Houston Astros (0-2) 2

The Angels continued their hot start to the season with a second consecutive win over the Astros. The Los Angeles bats were fired up early, and they never really looked back.

Both teams manufactured a run in the first, but the big blow came an inning later when the Angels’ Josh Lowe belted a deep three-run homer to put his squad up 4-1. The Halos would get back it in the fifth inning, this time with Mike Trout teeing off on his second homer in as many games, part of a three-hit performance by the future Hall-of-Famer.

Although Yordan Alvarez matched with a solo homer of his own in the fifth, the Astros were only able to muster two runs on their eight hits, which helped push the Angels to their second win of the season, along with 4.2 scoreless innings from the bullpen to finish the game up. The three homers from Lowe, Trout, and Zach Neto didn’t hurt either.

Friday’s win marks a pleasant start for the Angels, and perhaps foreshadows tougher days ahead for Houston. Los Angeles will aim for the sweep on Saturday.

Detroit Tigers (2-0) 5, San Diego Padres (0-2) 2

The Tigers also cruised to a 2-0 start to the season with a comeback victory against San Diego. Veterans Michael King and Framber Valdez turned in a solid pitcher’s duel in this one as well, as the decisive scoring wouldn’t happen until late.

The Padres’ righty tossed five innings allowing just one (unearned) run on one hit, while striking out six. On the other end, Valdez was just as good. The Tigers’ new lefty grinded his way through six innings, allowing just one earned run despite plenty of baserunners.

The Padres struck first with an RBI knock from Miguel Andujar in the fourth, before both squads plated a run in the sixth thanks to timely hits. Down 2-1 all the way into the eighth, the Tigers were in need of a big hit, and they got a few of them. Riley Greene tied the game up with a bases loaded infield knock, before singles from Kevin McGonigle and Dillon Dingler plated three more, and suddenly had Detroit in business.

Kenley Jansen was called upon to lock down the save for the Tigers, his first opportunity with the club, and the right-hander would do just that. The Tigers will look to continue their winless start to the season on Saturday.

Seattle Mariners (1-1) 5, Cleveland Guardians (1-1) 1

Despite going down early on Friday, excellent pitching and timely hitting helped the Mariners net their first win Friday over the Guardians.

The game began with the red-hot Chase DeLauter belting his third home run of the young season, as the rookie continues to make huge impressions out of the gate.

Despite the early blow, Mariners’ starter George Kirby turned in a great start, as he tossed six innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits and striking out six. The Seattle bats had his back too, as they woke up during the middle innings.

In the fourth a three-run homer from Cole Young turned the game around, and an inning later, Luke Raley’s second blast of the young season, a two-run bomb, had the M’s suddenly up 5-1.

The Mariners bullpen made this a largely stress-free finish, as they closed this game with three spotless innings. On both sides of the ball, Seattle held the upper hand, and as a result, they got their first win of the season on Friday.