Apr 26, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) reacts after striking out against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Phillies are off today and that’s probably best for everyone involved. They won a game Saturday, but they’re still playing pretty badly, so maybe a day off will help them.
That and the schedule, which eases up a bit with the Giants coming into town.
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 26: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox steals second base in the third inning during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
What if I told you that one team at Camden Yards this weekend dropped two out of three games and lost one of them by 16 runs…and it wasn’t the team that fired their manager and half their coaching staff in the middle of the series?
Such is life for the 2026 Orioles. Even when playing against an opponent that’s going through a public self-immolation, the O’s still can’t seem to find a way to win. After briefly getting back to the .500 mark on Friday, the Birds are now two games under .500 heading into their off day, losing back-to-back contests both before and after the Red Sox fired Alex Cora. Tyler Young recapped the Orioles’ 5-3 loss in the rubber game.
The same old problems continue to plague the Orioles. In both of their losses, the defense was sloppy again, committing three errors and turning some possible outs into Red Sox baserunners. Key members of the Orioles lineup continue to struggle, including Pete Alonso — whose 1-for-13 performance in the series dropped him below the Mendoza line to .196 — and Gunnar Henderson, who is hitting for plenty of power but isn’t getting on base (.280 OBP). That duo makes up the heart of the Orioles lineup, so until they get going, the O’s will struggle to score runs consistently.
Also distressing is the underperformance of the Orioles’ starting rotation. Both Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish turned in outings this series that ranged from mediocre (Bradish) to outright disastrous (Rogers). When the front office eschewed acquiring an ace this offseason, much was said about how they already had a pair of #1-type starters on the roster in Rogers and Bradish. That idea is, uh, aging poorly. The two have combined for a 4.48 ERA and each is averaging more than 10 hits per nine innings. Elsewhere in the rotation, Shane Baz hasn’t broken out as the top-flight starter the O’s envisioned, Chris Bassitt is rocking a 6.75 ERA, and Zach Eflin is out for the season after one start. The Orioles’ rotation plan has soured quickly, and it’s not even May.
At times, the Orioles have shown they’re capable of playing quality baseball. The opener of this series, when the O’s bashed six home runs behind a solid Brandon Young start, was evidence of that. But those impressive showings are just too few and far between.
It’s still early, but it’s not that early anymore. It’s time for the Orioles to start playing with a purpose. So far, they just haven’t been able to get any traction.
This would be more encouraging if we hadn’t heard these same sentiments from the Orioles last April. The O’s always think they’re capable of stepping up until they prove they aren’t.
Gunnar Henderson says that Samuel Basallo has “the stupidest juice I’ve ever seen.” And he’s not talking about crab juice.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! The only O’s player in history with an April 27 birthday is 2019 right-hander Aaron Brooks (36). You could also sort of count righty Michael Rucker (32), who pitched in spring training with the Orioles in 2020 as a Rule 5 pick but was sent back to the Cubs near the end of camp.
On this date in 1968, Baltimore-born Orioles righty Tom Phoebus pitched a no-hitter against the Red Sox, the second individual no-no in O’s history. Phoebus walked three and struck out nine in throwing his masterpiece, shutting down a Sox lineup that included Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski. Phoebus even had two hits at the plate (remember, this was the pre-DH era) to help the Orioles compile six runs of support.
And on this day in 2015, the Orioles canceled their scheduled game against the White Sox at Camden Yards due to civil unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray in police custody. The O’s would cancel the next day’s game, too, and play the following game with no fans in attendance.
Random Orioles game of the day
On April 27, 1989, the Orioles lost to the Athletics in Oakland, 9-4. The game was tied 3-3 until the bottom of the seventh, when the A’s erupted for a six-run rally. The Athletics pounded out eight hits in the inning, including five singles, a double, a triple, and a Mark McGwire home run, his second of the game. Orioles reliever Mark Williamson took the brunt of the damage, giving up five runs and seven hits while recording just one out. Mickey Tettleton and Phil Bradley homered for the Birds in the losing effort.
1931 – At Griffith Stadium, a walk to Lyn Lary is followed by a Lou Gehrig home run, a smash which clears the fence, but bounces back into the hands of Senators center fielder Harry Rice. The baserunner Lary thinks the ball has been caught on the fly for the third out and returns to the dugout without crossing home plate; Gehrig, running with his head down, is ruled out for passing a runner in front of him, costing the Yankees a possible victory (they lose by two runs), the 1931 home run crown (he ties Babe Ruth with 46) and two RBI to add to his record-setting 184 for the season.
1941 – Wrigley Field becomes the first ballpark to install an organ to entertain fans, with Roy Nelson manning the keyboard. But Nelson’s successful pregame serenade doesn’t help the Chicago Cubs as they fall to pitcher Max Lanier and the rival St. Louis Cardinals, 6-2.
1957 – Don Bessent‘s quick pitch vs. Roberto Clemente‘s quick wrists? No contest. The Bucs’ 7 – 1 trouncing of Brooklyn knocks the “Bums” out of first place and pulls Pittsburgh out of the cellar while Clemente’s 7th-inning double, which drives the final nail in the coffin, results from Bessent’s ill-advised attempt to quick-pitch the whippet-wristed Roberto, as he will later recall.
1992 MLB St. Louis Cardinals Ozzie Smith steals his 500th base.
1997 – Ryne Sandberg breaks the major league record for most home runs by a second baseman. His 267th career home run surpasses the old mark set by Joe Morgan from 1965 to 1984. The first five home runs came as Sandberg was a third baseman.
2016 – The Chicago Cubs who improve to 15-5 with a 4-3 win over the Brewers. For the Cubs, it’s their best start since 1907, when they had begun the season by going 16-4 on their way to a World Series win.
2019 – All eyes are turned on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who makes his major league debut with the Blue Jays against the Athletics. With his illustrious father, Vladimir Guerrero, watching from the stands, he starts the winning rally in the 9th by leading off the inning with a double off Yusmeiro Petit for his first major league hit.
1392 – Korean Confucian scholar and statesman Jeong Mong-ju is assassinated on the Sonjuk Bridge in Gaeseong (now North Korea). A brown spot on the bridge is still said to be his blood.
1859 – US Congressman Daniel E. Sickles is acquitted in the murder of Philip Barton Key on grounds of “temporary insanity,” the first time this defense is used successfully in the US.
1865 – Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrenders remaining forces to Union General William T. Sherman at Bennett Place in Durham, North Carolina, ending the American Civil War.
1905 – Cubs Jack McCarthy becomes only major league player to throw out 3 runners at plate in 1 game, all were ends of a double play.
1954 – Mass trials of Jonas Salk‘s anti-polio vaccine begin; the first shot is delivered in Fairfax County, Virginia; more than 443,000 children receive shots over three months.
1986 – The world’s worst nuclear disaster occurs when the fourth reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the Soviet Union explodes, resulting in 31 deaths and radioactive contamination spreading to much of Western Europe.
2021 – US Census results shows its population growth second slowest in recorded history, population at 331,449,281 with only 7.4% increase on 2010.
Fort Myers, FL - February 11: Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. The Boston Red Sox held their second day of Spring Training at JetBlue Park on February 11, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Long time readers of the MMBB know that I like to divy these articles up into three points discussing three things that caught my attention across the previous week. They could be positive trends, concerning developments, or stuff about the Red Sox that I just find amusing and fun. Either way, I like to give the OTM readers a collection of things to discuss.
But, like, what else am I gonna write about this week?
Am I really gonna sit here and try to dive into the plate approach of guys hitting in the bottom half of the order? Do you really need me to drone on about pitch mixes and why Brayan Bello shouldn’t be throwing his cutter as much anymore? I like doing that analysis, and I hope you folks continue to read it because I enjoy outlining it to you. More typical Brushback articles will be published on a consistent basis in the future.
Alex Cora just got fired, though! That’s the only topic worth diving into today! Normally I’d be looking forward to talking about a series victory after an awful mid-week series, but there are bigger fish to fry here. That’s the only thing I have the bandwidth to talk about right now! Regardless of how you feel about the decision, it’s one that’s so massive that I would hope you’d understand the decision to only focus on that this time around. I’d also hope you’d understand that the rest of the site is going to be flooded with the Cora fallout in the coming days; these things happen when a manager with almost a decade’s worth of experience with a team is cut off in late April after a piss poor start.
As for the specific topic of my musings, though, I do want to focus on President of Baseball Operations Craig Breslow. This is the not the first time the front office has made a decision at this scale, so I think it makes sense to discuss what it could mean for Breslow’s future.
It’s Monday Morning Brushback time, y’all.
Before We Begin…
I want to give a summary of where I think I stand, as I write this early Sunday afternoon before the finale in Baltimore, regarding the Red Sox’s decision to fire manager Alex Cora along with numerous members of his now-former coaching staff. Apologies if these thoughts are a bit scattered, because I’ve got a lot to say before I get into my main point. I wanted to make this a quick snapshot, but if you’ve ever read the MMBB or listened to Pod On Lansdowne before you’d know that brevity is not really in my toolbox.
I was shocked when I heard the news Saturday, and it’s still very surprising now. I thought Cora was made of teflon. I’ve been more of a Cora apologist in years’ past, but perhaps it was time for a change—as our own Bryan Joiner wrote recently.
The 2026 Red Sox have had an unacceptable start as they’ve simply looked unprepared out of the gates. A bad plate approach, some bone-headed decisions, you know how this shit has gone in the first few weeks. And not for nothing: this is not the first time the Sox have had stretches of playing sloppy and—frankly—dumb baseball.
Errors are a funky stat, yes, but Boston has been in the top three in errors per game (so, I guess overall errors too because everyone plays 162 lmao) in each of the previous three seasons; that ain’t a small sample size. I know you’ve noticed how many outs this team has had a tendency of running into in recent years. Entering play Sunday, the Red Sox only had the 17th best OPS with runners in scoring positions (.737; thought it would be worst frankly, though I’d guess that Saturday’s win boosted those stats a bit). They haven’t ranked within the top 10 in MLB in OPS with RISP since 2021. Does that not speak to some approach with the coaching? Have you not lamented the lack of situational hitting from this club in recent times? The platooning within the lineup at times made sense, but didn’t it annoy you to see Wilyer Abreu consistently get benched against lefties prior to this year? A guy who has 30 home run potential, even if he’s cooled off recently? I know my answer to that.
Yet at the same time, I can’t levy every failure at Cora’s feet. He wasn’t the guy ultimately tasked with buying the groceries, to borrow a platitude from Bill Parcells. Craig Breslow was, and still is, that guy. Those groceries have been pretty shit to start this year. The checks are being signed by the FSG brass, but the decisions he’s made in developing this roster haven’t gone swimmingly in 2026. There’s still a huge question mark regarding the outfield logjam, a conundrum he’s been unable to solve for months at this point. Guys can’t consistently get playing time because of that pickle. The infield defense has improved overall (Contreras has been awesome at first, Durbin has gotten way better at third after a shaky start, while Mayer and IKF have rated out as positive defenders thus far. Just don’t look at Trevor Story’s OAA). But that’s come with big offensive production dips at third base and second base. Breslow made huge decisions to bring on—and also let go—of guys with offensive track records at the hot corner (Devers has been bad to start the year, to be fair, while Bregman is starting to turn things around after his slow start. So, who knows how those deals end up. Whether you liked those decisions or not, the final story on those sagas have yet to be written). The club is currently tied for last place in homers after we (me, you, your friends and family who watch this team regularly, the front office guys themselves!!!!!) identified power as a big thing to address this winter. The pivot in the off-season was to invest in run prevention through sound defense and improved pitching; the Sox’s errors per game has dropped from 0.72 to 0.59 prior to Sunday’s game, sure, but that’s still in the bottom 10 across MLB.
If guys ultimately aren’t performing to the level they should be, I don’t know how much I can blame the manager for that. AC doesn’t go out there and cough up a ton of runs as the starter. AC doesn’t strike out on three pitches with ducks on the pond. How much of those struggles are coaching, and how much of those struggles are stemming from the front office’s philosophies?
Cora’s also seen pretty consistent roster churn over the last few years; the 26-man list has been consistently inconsistent. But on the other other hand, isn’t his job to elevate that roster—regardless of the churn—to be the best that they can be? They’ve under-performed in 2026. They under-performed between 2022 and 2024.
How all of the guys in that clubhouse feel about a clubhouse guy-type of manager being shown the door remains to be seen, though I do know that Trevor Story ain’t happy about it. I also want to make it clear that players learning about this news on social media with the rest of us, per Chris Cotillo of The Mexican Times MassLive, is unacceptable stuff from FSG—especially when you consider that guys like John Henry and Sam Kennedy were physically there in Baltimore when the news broke over the weekend. Jarren Duran didn’t seem to have any thoughts about it (hmm), while Roman Anthony was actually pretty well-spoken for a guy who’s just 21 and was just thrown through an absolute loop along with his teammates.
Trevor Story is not happy with the decisions and says he wants to clear the air with Craig Breslow today. Says “some of the best coaches in the world didn’t get a fair shot.”
All of this is to say that there’s a lot of blame to go around for where we stand right now, well below .500 and with legitimate questions about the future. I don’t think Cora is totally innocent, though I do think he will continue to have a solid career in coaching within this sport. I hate to sound like a fence-sitter here, but this is a complicated situation. It’s a clusterfuck, and it often takes a lot of different people to create a clusterfuck. The team did not look prepared to start 2026 (a coaching issue) while there are legitimate question marks regarding the roster construction (a front office issue). I get why FSG and/or Breslow (they can’t even agree about who made this decision; more on that later) would want to pull the plug now if they didn’t want this soap opera to drag on for months, though I can’t say for sure that this is or is not the right decision right here and right now. Sorry to disappoint.
Is there something to be said about a new perspective in the clubhouse? Maybe; the guys playing still seem to like Cora, but I’ve also heard nothing but good things about Chad Tracy—a guy who has already mentored a lot of young Sox players in Worcester. At least there’s some familiarity there, though who knows if Tracy’s interim title turns into a full-time one. I’ll forever be appreciative of the 2018 Red Sox, and he’s going to land on his feet, but how much leeway do you give to the manager of the 2018 club if that same franchise is currently on pace to have its fourth losing season in five years when he’s been the one constant that entire time? Simultaneously, how much do you blame the guy who has already made transactions—and balked at others—that are going to have ramifications that haven’t even come to pass yet? These aren’t only rhetorical questions, folks; I’m genuinely asking these things out loud, because I just don’t know.
Over 1,600 words to say “I don’t know.” Nice job, Fitz, you fuckin’ stiff.
I know it sounds like a cop out, but that’s just how I feel. There are merits to the “Cora should’ve stayed” camp. There are merits to the “Cora had to go” camp. These are the realities, at least in my book, when you have a complicated clusterfuck like the one that the Red Sox have found themselves in. It’s complicated. There are nuances here. I can’t look at this as a black-and-white thing. I don’t know what else to tell ya…other than the entire novel I just wrote.
Regardless of how you feel about the Cora decision itself, it seems pretty obvious to me that this is the end of a power struggle between manager and CBO. Mr. Breslow himself doesn’t think it’s fair to call the relationship he had with Alex Cora as a power struggle, but come on dude: when your guy Andrew Bailey is the only major coach not given a pink slip this weekend, what do you expect this to look like?
Man think it’s “unfair” to characterize the thing walking and quacking like a duck as a duck https://t.co/nT1gcuIXAM
I do find it funny that FSG’s failure to communicate doesn’t even stop at their communications with their players and their fans; no, it leaks into their own understanding of franchise-altering decisions. Breslow and Kennedy couldn’t even seem to find…………….alignment……….on where the onus of this decision fell.
Pretty weird to see Craig Breslow paint the decision to fire Alex Cora as a joint decision, before Sam Kennedy makes it very clear this move was led by Breslow. pic.twitter.com/BhvwjLsZax
Regardless of who actually pulled the lever here, this is now Craig Breslow’s show whether you like it or not (again: not sure if I’m all the way in on that myself, but this is the nature of the situation we’re living in). This team is primed to be shaped in his vision.
The question then becomes: how much time did Craig Breslow just buy himself with this decision?
If he’s being given the keys to the car, does FSG ride this out until at least the end of 2026? Barring a 2027 lockout (oh God I don’t even want to think about that in this equation, just assume we’ve got a season next year), does he also get the lion’s share of that year to see out another season of the contracts he provided and traded for? Does he get to go through his own managerial search in the coming months? If he’s canned within the next year and a new full-time manager had already been appointed, does that hinder the team from finding the best CBO candidate considering that they won’t have their choice of a manager—just like the hand that Breslow was dealt following Chaim Bloom’s departure? Does Breslow even make it to the end of 2026? Does he even make it to fumble one last trade deadline this summer, for ol’ times sake?
Are we talking years here? Months? Weeks?! Say this team has really and truly taken a nosedive and the season is dead by Memorial Day; how does the guy who took enormous swings such as the Devers trade last year, the Bregman balk this winter, and the firing of Alex Cora survive a nightmare opening third of the 2026 campaign? His DNA would be all over the body of a dead team. If John Henry and the rest of Fortress Fenway really wanted to turn the page, that would have to be final straw, no?
Point is: Breslow better be reeeeeeeeeeally fuckin’ sure, for our sake as fans and for his own sake as a professional within the sport, that this gambit pays off. He showed the door to a respectable manager within the baseball world (look at just about any national writer’s take within the last 48 hours; regardless of how you feel about Cora, that’s the perception he has nationally); he better be certain that this is the right call for the team we all love.
Maybe Breslow thinks he bought himself at least another year or so of time in charge here. Hell, maybe he’s right. He could also be dead wrong and he could be sent packing sooner than he expects. Mr. Henry’s been present at games more often. For all of his faults (I don’t have another 2,000+ words in me this weekend; perhaps another time) and for all the criticism he’s been hit with for seemingly being tuned out of the baseball team he owns, Henry’s now currently watching. The excuses for Breslow are gone, right, wrong, or indifferent.
Jake T. O’Donnell (great Twitter follow, by the way) had a great point while referencing the greatest TV show ever, ironically while the team was playing in Baltimore.
I made this analogy when Dombrowski fired Farrell. I’ll make it again.
There’s a scene in The Wire S1 when Maury Levy tells Orlando after he got busted: “You wanted to be in the game, right? Now you’re in the game.”
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 26: Red Sox Interim Manager Chad Tracy speaks to the media prior to the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hello and happy Monday, folks. Anything big happen over the weekend?
What a whirlwind we’ve gone through in the last few days. Managers being fired, CBOs being pinned for drastic organization changes, questions about which players would be saying what in the clubhouse after Alex Cora’s departure, the works.
But as a way to start moving forward, I pose to you: do you have any initial feelings about interim manager Chad Tracy at this point in time? Hard to judge a guy after exactly one (1) MLB game under his belt as the skipper—tied for the best winning percentage in league history as things stand, by the way—but I’ve heard some great things from those who have played or worked with him.
Not just saying this because I now am covering him: I have never heard a single thing but unbelievable praise for Chad Tracy.
A quick reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2026.
That out of the way, here’s a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy roster this season.
1. Colt Emerson, SS, Seattle Mariners
2026 stats: 21 G, .250/.360/.461, 3 HR, 6 SB, 11 BB, 24 SO at Triple-A Tacoma.
Emerson missed a handful of games while dealing with some wrist soreness, but he returned over the weekend. After going hitless in his first contest back, he went 2-for-5 with a homer against Oklahoma City on Saturday, and then doubled and drew a pair of walks during Sunday’s contest. Brendan Donovan is currently on the injured list with a hip issue, and the team called up Will Wilson to fill the void with Emerson not available. The numbers aren’t overtly impressive, but the talent is, and Emerson should be helping fantasy players before the end of the summer, if not sooner.
2. Max Clark, OF, Detroit Tigers
2026 stats: 24 G, .305/.382/.453, 1 HR, 8 SB, 13 BB, 14 SO at Triple-A Toledo.
After a spectacular start to the season, the hits have stopped falling for Clark over the last week. The 21-year-old has picked up knocks in his last two contests, but prior to that, he was in a 2-for-23 funk with three games featuring multiple strikeouts. It’s hard to be too concerned about a five-game sample, and Clark’s numbers are still excellent. He’s going to need to get back to hitting everything in his sights like he was in the earlier portion of April, but he’s way too talented to keep off this list. There’s significant upside in his bat for not just the long-term, but it’s not hard to see him helping a fantasy team this year, too.
3. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, San Francisco Giants
2026 stats: 25 G, .305/.411/.463, 3 HR, 0 SB, 14 BB, 33 SO at Triple-A Sacramento.
We all knew -- or we all should have known, anyway -- that Eldridge was going to see his average drop as we got deeper into the season; there’s just too much swing and miss in his profile to hit for a high mark for too long. We also knew the power was going to start showing up, and Clark hit his third homer of the season while going 3-for-5 in Sunday’s showdown with Albuquerque. The 21-year-old has as much raw power as any prospect in baseball, and the 6-foot-7 (literal and figurative) giant could someday be among the league leaders in roundtrippers. Eldridge isn’t going to usurp Rafael Devers and his contract and Casey Schmitt has been one of the few quality hitters for San Francisco in 2026, but it still seems more likely than not that Eldridge gets a chance to shine for the Giants this summer.
4. Charlie Condon, 1B/OF, Colorado Rockies
2026 stats: 20 G, .276/.406/.474, 4 HR, 3 SB, 16 BB, 13 SO at Triple-A Albuquerque.
I thought about moving Condon to the second spot behind Emerson, but like pretty much every prospect on this list, he struggled. Struggled is a bit of an understatement. Since going 3-for-5 on April 17 to improve his slash to .339/.456/.589, he’s gone 2-for-20 with just one extra-base hit. These things happen, and Condon is still someone who shows the ability to hit for average, power and maybe even steal a bag or two at the highest level. He just hasn’t shown it lately, but one positive to take is that he’s drawn at least one walk in eight of his last nine games. It’s always nice to see the process even when the results aren’t there.
5. Thomas White, LHP, Miami Marlins
2026 stats: 4 G, 14 IP, 1.93 ERA, 0 HR, 9 BB, 24 SO at Triple-A Worcester.
This was Payton Tolle’s spot last week, but Tolle is up with Boston, and it’s always nice to have a pitcher on the list, whether you like it or not. I also considered White’s teammate Robby Snelling, but there’s a little more upside in White’s arm. He’s a southpaw who can miss bats with three pitches, and his command continues to get better; even if it is a bit of a work in progress. Miami has arms like Janson Junk and Chris Paddack in the back of their rotation, and with all due respect to them, no. White will be well worth roster consideration if/when Miami decides to give him the nod.
Also considered: Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins; JR Ritchie, RHP, Atlanta; Robby Snelling, LHP, Miami Marlins; Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Around the minors
Several pitchers from the 2026 class have looked fantastic to begin the season; particularly Kade Anderson, Tyler Bremner and Seth Hernandez. One arm who has not produced over this first month at that level, however, is Liam Doyle. Doyle allowed four runs over four innings against Double-A Midland, and now has a 9.26 ERA over his 11 2/3 innings for Springfield. The fifth-overall pick of last year’s draft, Doyle has a double-plus fastball (70 on the 20-80 scouting scale) and shows a swing-and-miss splitter, but his command of those pitches and an average cutter/slider needs work. Doyle has significant upside and it’s hard to be too concerned about his first four professional starts, but there’s some work to be done here.
The Blue Jays made Sean Keys the 125th pick of the 2024 draft, and he put together a pedestrian .773 slash in High-A Vancouver in his first full professional season. What he’s done to open the 2026 would not be described as pedestrian. Keys has already homered nine times in 17 games with a slash of .338/.449/.800 for Double-A New Hampshire, including a two-homer contest against Double-A Reading on Thursday. The 22-year-old has easy plus power in his left-handed bat, and while the length in his swing makes hitting for average unlikely, his excellent approach makes him a threat to draw plenty of walks to go with the potential for 30-plus homer campaigns. Keys was someone that the analytic crowd adored coming out of his class, and he’s someone who should be monitored in dynasty/keeper formats.
A prospect who just missed the “also considered” section was Joshua Báez, and after a slow start to his 2026 campaign, he’s starting to see the hits drop in. He went 3-for-6 Sunday with a triple, and his .236/.333/.506 slash looks a lot better when you consider it was .213/.294/.410 a little over a week ago. The biggest concern with Báez has been contact as he’s struck out a whopping 33 times in his 89 at-bats, but the ball jumps off his bat, and there’s considerable power in his profile. He’s also a solid defender in the outfield, and while he doesn’t have elite speed, he has the potential for 20-plus steal seasons because of his ability to read pitchers and quick first step. Báez offers a ton of volatility, but the high risk comes with a substantial amount of potential reward, too.
We mentioned Bremner earlier, but he deserves more recognition based on how he’s pitched in 2026. He allowed one run over five innings while striking out five against one walk, and you could argue it was his worst outing so far as a professional. The second-overall pick shows two 70-grade pitches in his fastball and change, and he throws those pitches as well as an average slider for strikes. The question mark with Bremner is whether he can show that same stuff on a consistent basis -- he didn’t in college, which is why it was a surprise he went second overall ahead of players like Anderson, Hernandez and Doyle -- and if that average breaking-ball will keep him from reaching his ceiling. There’s significant upside in his right arm, but there’s a little more volatility in his right arm than the typical college hurler.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Jasson Dominguez #24 of the New York Yankees poses for a photo during New York Yankees Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 17, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everyone! A longer, original version of this post was lost due to some technical difficulties, so apologies on being at least somewhat brief with the question today.
The big news in Yankeeland is that Jasson Domínguez is reportedly on his way back to the Yankees to join his AL East-leading teammates. The erstwhile top prospect started 2026 with a hot bat, and with Giancarlo Statnton seemingly heading to the IL with a calf injury that curtailed his showing in Houston, an opening emerged for Jasson to get a look. The thing is, Domínguez probably would’ve already been on the big-league roster for almost all the other teams, but when your outfield alignment has Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Trent Grisham with Stanton at DH, there isn’t much flexibility.
So what do you think about the Martian, entering his fourth career season? Are you looking for him to just continue improvements that he began last year? And where are your expectations? Are you keeping them in check? Do you think he’ll only play a little bit and then go back to Triple-A very soon with Anthony Volpe soon to return, too? Or with Stanton potentially out for awhile, will Jasson get a longer look?
Today on the site, Estevão will preview this early-week series further north in Texas and Madison will have the Rivalry Roundup, which features the Rangers losing a home series to the A’s with a 2-1 defeat on Sunday. Bummer. Also keep an eye out for Jonathan taking the occasion of what would be Enos Slaughter’s 110th birthday to write a Yankees Birthdays series entry about the Hall of Famer better known for his time in St. Louis.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 24: Konnor Griffin #6 of the Pittsburgh Pirates gestures as he crosses home plate after hitting his first major league home run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie superstar, Konnor Griffin, made meaningful strides in the team’s series against Milwaukee as he continues to find his footing in the Major Leagues.
Griffin has played in just 22 Major League games, but has been one of the most talked about players since his promotion. His debut of course made waves, as he had an RBI double in his first big league at-bat. From there though there was a lot of hit and miss from the Mississippi native. While he never looked completely lost at the plate, there have been stretches where Griffin clearly stood out as a teenager. In particular, he seemed to struggle against fast balls.
Against the San Diego Padres, Griffin would record his first multi-hit game and would repeat that feat twice against the Washington Nationals. Heading into the series against the Brewers Griffin was hitless in three straight games against the Texas Rangers.
On April 24, Griffin turned 20-years-old and was batting eighth against the NL Central rival Milwaukee Brewers. This contest might as well have been Griffin’s coming out party. In game one against the Brewers, Griffin recored his first career homer in the third inning, with a towering opposite field shot. He wasn’t done there though, as he had a single and a steal in the fifth, before adding to his day with a two-run RBI single in the ninth. Griffin became just the third player in Pirates’ history to hit a home run on their birthday as he recorded his first ever three hit game.
In the second game against the Brewers, Griffin picked up where he left off, as he recorded two more hits. He would exit Sunday’s contest with zero hits in two at bats, and struck out twice. The rookie shortstop finished the series with five hits in ten plate appearances, with four of those hits coming off fastballs.
Griffin acknowledged the learning curve that comes with adjust to Major League pitchers and their velocity.
“Yeah, every time I step into the box, there’s going to be a good plan against me and the velo’s a little higher, the velo’s consistently higher than what I saw in the minors,” Griffin said. “So just trying to adjust to that and continue to be myself and continue to trust my work and my preparation and when I get in the box, just try to be a tough out.”
The Milwaukee series was a big stepping stone for Griffin. He has been plagued with inconsistent play at the plate to start his big league career, but he is only 22 games into that career. It’s not unusual for a rookie to struggle at the plate early in their career, especially when they debut as a teenager. With that being said, Griffin has certainly been making strides in the right direction. The home run he hit registered at 104.4 mph off the bat and soared 386 feet into right field, so he’s definitely finding his pop at the plate. Not to mention his vision has been decent, with a .286 OBP to show for it. He also has six steals on the season and has not been caught stealing once. Overall, we know Griffin is a five-tool player, and we’re starting to see each of those tools on display more with each contest he plays in.
Although Griffin only has a .224 batting average on the season, it does not tell the whole story. His .316 slugging percentage is encouraging and his .602 OPS is continuing to climb as well. If Griffin can continue to take these meaningful steps with each series, the Pirates will have a bonafide star in due time.
Chuckle at the New York Mets, if that's your thing. Gawk at the five-car pileup that is the Boston Red Sox organization, which decided to kneecap its paragon of stability.
Yet if you're looking for the messiest big-market failure as April draws to a close, the Philadelphia Phillies might fill the bill.
They didn't lose a dozen games in a row, like the Mets, just 10. Yet a one-night reprieve gave way to perhaps their most discouraging setback yet - a 6-2 loss to the front-running Atlanta Braves in which starter Aaron Nola was very bad and the lineup utterly powerless to counteract lefty Chris Sale.
Nola has a $172 million guaranteed deal and they can't simply make his 6.03 ERA go away like they did Taijuan Walker. And in a season of league-wide parity, they now own the biggest deficit in the major leagues - 10 ½ games behind the Braves - and dropped another 10 spots in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 24: Jasson Domínguez #24 of the New York Yankees high fives teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago Cubs during a spring training game at Sloan Park on March 24, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB Trade Rumors | Mark Polishuk: Jasson Domínguez is being called up to the big-league roster from Triple-A ahead of the upcoming series against the Rangers. He fills the spot opened by Luis Gil’s demotion to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and could factor into the DH and outfield pictures with Giancarlo Stanton sidelined with a calf injury. After getting optioned to the minors out of spring camp, Domínguez has performed well to open the season, slashing .306/.404/.471 with three home runs, 13 RBIs, eight stolen bases, a 135 wRC+, and almost as many walks as strikeouts in 22 games. His defense will not come under as much scrutiny with the 23-year-old slated to mostly DH, and he’ll look to improve upon his 103 wRC+ in 122 games last season. The Yankees will face three righties in this upcoming series against the Rangers, allowing the switch-hitting Domínguez to contribute from his superior side.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty ($): Gil’s demotion to Triple-A opened the spot on the roster for Domínguez’s call-up. He got shelled for six runs in four innings in the series finale against Houston and always looked like the first name to be called with Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole nearing their returns to the rotation from injury. Until Rodón is ready to return, the Yankees will likely use Ryan Yarbrough in a spot start, though they are also weighing calling up one of their top prospects including Carlos Lagrange or Elmer Rodríguez (they are at least able to skip his next start due to the Thursday offday).
Aaron Boone and Matt Blake said they hope Gil can work on finding a consistent release point and better command in the minors. His path back to the majors is uncertain with Will Warren and Ryan Weathers ahead of him in the rotation pecking order. In four starts, Gil is 1-2 with a 6.05 ERA, 8.43 FIP, more walks than strikeouts, and -0.4 fWAR across 19.1 innings.
MLB.com | Steve Schaeffer: Domínguez’s promotion coincides with lingering uncertainty over the severity of Giancarlo Stanton’s calf injury. He was removed from Saturday’s game in Houston with right calf tightness after feeling discomfort running the bases and missed the final two games of the series. The team said they will make a final decision on Monday as to whether he will go on IL. In 24 games, Stanton is hitting .256/.302/.422 with three home runs, 14 RBIs, and a 101 wRC+.
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: The Yankees have made several ill-advised ABS challenges over the last few weeks and have had to institute a fining system for particularly egregious decisions. To hold each other accountable for wasting challenges, players are fining themselves $500 for a challenge on a pitch that is fully inside of the strike zone, Jazz Chisholm Jr. even fining himself $1,000 for challenging a strike right down the middle against the Astros on Saturday. The Yankees have made the second-most challenges in baseball but own the ninth-worst success rate (43-percent). Boone has even indicated that some players might have their ABS challenge privileges revoked if they don’t follow the guidelines laid out by the team at the start of the year, Boone notably calling José Caballero into his office for a “stern” one-on-one meeting about wasting challenges.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Red Sox front office made waves when they fired manager Alex Cora and much of his staff on Saturday, Triple-A skipper Chad Tracy replacing him yesterday in a win over Baltimore. Cora had been at the helm of the team for eight years and won the 2018 World Series, but with the Red Sox in last place, Cora had to go. Also getting the axe is former Yankees hitting coach Dillon Lawson — his second midseason firing in just a few years — and Jason Varitek, who had been serving as the club’s game planning and run prevention coach (the longtime catcher was reassigned within the organization). Boone is close friends with Cora from their time working together on ESPN broadcasts, and revealed he reached out with words of support for his now-former rival manager.
It seems like watching Rays baseball is all sunshine and rainbows when Tampa Bay isn’t playing an NL Central opponent, right?
The Rays are 11-1 against teams not hailing from the Senior Circuit, and are 5-10 against teams that do. In fact, the Rays went 1-2 against the Reds, Cubs, Pirates, Cardinals, and Brewers.
Now, on to the fun stuff.
Griffin Jax opened today, going 2.1 IP while striking out two and walking one. He allowed one hit.
Jesse Scholtens collected the win, with Cole Sulser grabbing a hold and save, respectively.
On the offensive front, Yandy Diaz continued his torrid April with another homer, Chandler Simpson swiped his ninth bag of the season, and Jake Fraley and Taylor walls both had doubles.
Jonathan Aranda also had a two-RBI single.
We do it again on Monday from the corner of Carnegie and Ontario (shoutout Guardians radio and Ford C. Frick award winner Tom Hamilton) where the Rays begin a quick three game road trip against Cleveland, with southpaws Steven Matz and Parker Messick toeing the slab.
Even with things looking bleak for the Mets after dropping both games of Sunday's doubleheader and getting swept by the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field, the team is still fighting for one another and will continue to do so until the very end.
Make no mistake, it's not good for New York who dropped to 10 games below .500 and whose offense continues to reel. However, instead of pointing fingers the players on the team say they're all on the same page and are pulling on the same rope while acknowledging they must be better.
"It’s not great. We gotta be better," said Brett Baty who went 0-for-7 on the day, including three strikeouts in Game 1. "We’re putting in the work, all the guys are working really hard. Personally, I’ve been taking a bunch of swings and trying to get going. At the end of the day we just gotta be better."
Everyone from the manager to the batboy knows the Mets have to be better. How they plan on doing that and turning their season around before things truly get out of hand is the real question.
The good news is New York does still have time.
Thanks to their abysmal stretch coming at the beginning of the season as opposed to the middle or the end of the season, the Mets have all summer to right the ship. They may never, but they're at least afforded the chance to try.
"I was just raised like you gotta put your head down and keep working hard," Baty said. "A lot of ball left to play. Our goal remains the same so put our head down and keep working hard."
It won't always be pretty, but the hope for New York is the players on the roster eventually play up to their capabilities -- some even up to their potential.
Sooner or later, perhaps when the weather gets warmer as its been an unseasonably cold spring in Queens, results will come.
"They’re good hitters," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "They’ve done it for a long time."
As for if the Mets, who saw a few long-time players leave town during the offseason, need a new voice in the clubhouse for guidance or leadership, Baty doesn't think so and believes the team has everything it needs to be successful right here already.
"I think we all have each other’s backs here and I think we all understand that we’re gonna keep working hard and we’re gonna have each other’s backs til the last day," he said.
Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) reacts on the mound after giving up a home run in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
In a separate post, they captioned a graphic after their 3-0 win in the second game against the Mets, “Sweep State of Mind” in a play on words of “New York State of Mind.”
The Rockies defeated the Mets in the first game of the day, 3-1, before shutting them out in the second game to complete the sweep.
Colorado also defeated the Mets on Friday night in a 4-3 win that quickly ended the good times in Queens after the Mets had snapped a 12-game losing streak with back-to-back wins over the Twins.
Marcus Semien (10) reacts after striking out during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Minnesota had also used social media to poke fun at the struggling Mets earlier in the week, as did MLS club Charlotte FC after they defeated New York City FC, which uses Citi Field as a part-time home, earlier this month.
The Mets have Monday off before they begin a three-game set with the Nationals at Citi Field, looking to find any sort of positive momentum they can find while the team sits 10.5 games back of the top spot in the National League East.
Slater, 33, owned a .460 OPS in 11 games with the Marlins this season before his release.
Pham, 38, was 0-for-13 at the plate in a part-time role after arriving on a minor league deal.
As the starting left fielder in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader, he went 0-for-2 and did not appear in the nightcap. The Mets lost 3-1 and 3-0 to the Rockies.
Nolan McLean was “pretty happy” with his start Sunday, but it was hardly his cleanest outing of the season.
The Mets rookie worked into the sixth inning in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader but never recorded an out before he was removed with the bases loaded in the team’s 3-1 loss to the Rockies.
The Rockies also produced traffic in the fourth, driving up McLean’s pitch count. Overall, he allowed two runs, one unearned, on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. He threw 91 pitches.
Tommy Pham returns to the dugout after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Chicago. AP
“I thought my stuff was in a good spot,” McLean said. “I am pretty happy with the outing. There was some traffic there in a couple of innings, but I felt I did a good job.”
It was the team’s fourth straight loss in a game started by McLean, who has yet to surrender more than three earned runs in an outing this season. The right-hander owns a 2.55 ERA in his six starts.
Is there added pressure knowing the room for error might be minuscule given this struggling lineup?
“The way we see it in the clubhouse, it’s just any minute now,” McLean said. “We look at the lineup going out there each day and we know how hard they are working. It’s just a matter of time. We know how good these players are.”
Jorge Polanco has begun running and hitting off a tee in his rehab from a right wrist contusion. Polanco is also dealing with right Achilles bursitis that has been an ongoing issue since the opening weekend of the season. Polanco is under evaluation on a week-to-week basis, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With runners on second and third, Lane Thomas delivered a three-run homer in the 10th inning to lift the Kansas City Royals over the Los Angeles Angels 11-9 and sweep the series.
It was Thomas’ first home run of the season and the first walk-off RBI of his career.
Joey Lucchesi (0-1) took the loss, facing four batters in the final frame. Lucas Erceg (2-1) earned the win.
The Angels held a 7-4 lead when the game was delayed in the bottom of the seventh for severe weather. The Royals had two on and no outs with Bobby Witt Jr. at bat. It resumed after one hour and 29 minutes, and the Royals tacked on one run with a sacrifice fly to center by Vinnie Pasquantino.
Salvador Perez pushed another run across in the top of the ninth, and Jac Caglianone, who entered the game as a reserve in the eighth inning, tied the score with a two-out, two-run homer that landed just inside the right-field foul pole.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto led off the game with a single and scored on a two-run homer by Mike Trout. The home run moved Trout into first place in franchise history with his 797th career extra-base hit.
Neto struck again in the second with an RBI double, and Adam Frazier added another in the four-run inning.
The Royals got on the board in the fifth with an RBI single from Isaac Collins and Witt’s two-run homer in the sixth. Angels starter Reid Detmers was replaced after walking the next batter. He allowed five hits and three runs in five-plus innings.
Royals starter Seth Lugo allowed 14 hits and seven runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Up next
The Angels head to Chicago, where RHP José Soriano (5-0, 0.24 ERA) will face RHP Davis Martin (3-1, 2.01) of the White Sox on Tuesday.
The Royals open a three-game series in Sacramento, where LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 4.08) will face RHP Aaron Civale (2-1, 3.86) on Tuesday.
