BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón struck out eight over 5 1/3 innings in his second minor league rehabilitation outing.
Rodón allowed five hits and walked none, throwing 51 of 75 pitches for strikes with Double-A Somerset against the Portland Sea Dogs, a Boston Red Sox affiliate in the Eastern League.
Miguel Bleis homered leading off the fifth, the only run Rodón permitted in the Patriots’ 9-6 win.
The 33-year-old left-hander opened the season on the 15-day injured list as he recovers from surgery last Oct. 15 to remove loose bodies in his left elbow and shave a bone spur. He had a setback in late March when he felt tightness in his right hamstring while throwing at the Yankees’ complex in Florida.
Rodón tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings for High-A Hudson Valley on April 24, throwing 65 pitches.
He is expected to make at least one more minor league start before rejoining New York’s rotation.
Top prospect George Lombard Jr. played his first game since his promotion from Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Lombard was 1 for 3 with a pair of walks in the RailRiders’ 5-4, 10-inning win over the Buffalo Bisons, a Toronto Blue Jays farm club. He singled, struck out, flied out and was caught stealing after he was picked off first,
The 20-year-old shortstop, who batted leadoff, is a son of former major leaguer George Lombard.
The younger Lombard hit .312 with eight doubles, four homers and 10 RBIs in 20 games with Somerset.
CORAL GABLES - APRIL 26: Miami catcher Alex Sosa (13) runs to first base in the third inning as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Cal Golden Bears on April 26, 2026, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, FL. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Who’s the Pack playing?
Opponent: Miami
Mascot: Embraced Fear | School Location: Dextertown, FL | Conference: ACC
Former Miami pitcher and long-time Hurricanes assistant J.D. Arteaga, now in his third year as the head man of the program, finally seems to be figuring things out. It was a bit of a controversial move firing Gino DiMare, himself another former Hurricanes players and long-time assistant under legendary coach Jim Morris, and handing the reigns to the pitching coach under him. Things certainly didn’t start well, with Miami going from a 42-21 (18-12) record with an RPI of 15 in DiMare’s last season to a 27-30 (11-19) record with an RPI of 81 in Arteaga’s first season. Heck, DiMare won 18+ ACC games in each of his four full seasons at the helm. Arteaga’s going to need a 6-3 finish to the season to reach that mark for the first time.
So, yeah, things haven’t been that great to start with. Last year’s Miami squad got hot in April, but limped to the finish line in May and then was one-and-done in the ACC Tournament. They did make the Hattiesburg Regional and got hot there, eventually making the Louisville Super Regional where they bowed out in a one-run loss in Game 3.
The 2026 Hurricanes started the year on a 10-game winning streak before getting swept at home in a weather-shortened two-game series with Florida. The Canes then lost both of their first two ACC series, vs Boston College and at Duke, putting some heat back on Arteaga. Since the series loss to the Blue Devils, Miami has been on a heater, going 18-6 overall (10-5 in ACC play) and winning all six weekend series.
A combination of a potent offense (.303/.407/.509, 95 2B, 63 HR, 12.7 BB%, 17.9 K%, 52-66 SB) and a pitching staff (32-12, 7 SV, 4.32 ERA, 387.1 IP, 10.0 BB%, 25.9 K%) that features a strong weekend rotation and deep bullpen has allowed for this to be a formidable Hurricanes team. Some late-season injuries are taking their toll, though. Stud JR 3B Daniel Cuvet (.305/.437/.649, 14 2B, 12 HR, 17.4 BB%, 15.8 K%, 3-4 SB), a projected top three round pick in this year’s draft, is out for the remainder of the year with a stress fracture. Friday night starter SR LHP Rob Evans is also dealing with an ankle injury that may cost him his start this weekend, although he should be back for next weekend.
The team did get rSR LF Max Galvin back recently and is expected to return two bullpen arms JR RHP Nick Robert and JR LHP Frank Menendez to regular duty for the closing stretch. That’s going to make this team even stronger in postseason play.
Friday (Game 2): LHP Cooper Consiglio (JR) vs RHP A.J. Ciscar (SO)
Saturday: TBD vs LHP RobEvans (SR)
Key Players:
Offense
RF Derek Williams (rSR) – .386/.474/.752, 14 2B, 14 HR, 11.9 BB%, 17.6 K%, 4-8 SB. Former transfer from Wichita State who spent his first two collegiate seasons in the JUCO ranks. Not entirely sure how he’s still eligible considering he played 43+ games in each of his four previous season, but okay. Big time pop from his righty bat, he has 78 career HR across his 244 career collegiate games.
C AlexSosa (JR) – .323/.447/.646, 14 2B, 11 HR, 16.2 BB%, 16.8 K%, 1-2 SB. Needs no introduction for NC State fans. The Florida native and former Wolfpack backstop has put together a really nice season in his draft-eligible turn. Thrown out 7-of-37 (18.9%) of attempted base stealers this year while allowing just two passed balls, both improvements over his numbers last year with the Pack (9.3% and 6, respectively).
2B Jake Ogden (SR) – .311/.389/.486, 11 2B, 5 HR, 9.9 BB%, 13.2 K%, 9-11 SB. Former UNC-Greensboro transfer who started his college ball at the D2 level with Barry University in Miami Shores. Oddly enough, the only game of his college career that he didn’t start was at Barry. Riding a five-game hitting streak during which he’s 10-for-21. Has multiple hits in six of his last nine games.
1B Brylan West (rSR) – .322/.429/.486, 9 2B, 5 HR, 11.9 BB%, 12.4 K%, 4-4 SB. Huge 6’4, 269 lbs right-hander from Tampa who spent two years in the JUCO ranks before spending the last two at Florida International where he was a 2nd Team All-CUSA pick in 2024 and a 1st Team All-CUSA pick in 2025. Hasn’t tapped into that power as much with Miami as he did with FIU (23 HR over two years), but the potential is clearly there.
LF Max Galvin (rSR) – .224/.274/.254, 2 2B, 0 HR, 6.8 BB%, 11.0 K%, 0-0 SB. Local kid who spent two years at Miami-Dade College in JUCO ball before heading to Oklahoma State in 2024 and redshirting with the Cowboys. Started 59 games last year (.310/.369/.491, 18 2B, 8 HR, 7.5 BB%, 10.6K%, 9-10 SB) but missed a month and a half earlier this year due to injury. Returned in early April and it’s been an uphill battle to get back into form, but the lefty can play.
Pitching
RHP Lazaro Collera (SO) – 3-2, 3.58 ERA, 50.1 IP, 8.0 BB%, 23.6 K%. Big 6’5, 225 pound second-year arm who only saw 17.0 innings last year, but has made a huge jump after pitching in the Cape Cod League last summer. Has touched 97 with his heater before, but the slider is his real weapon. The improvement in control has allowed him to succeed as a starter. Hasn’t allowed more than 3 ER in any of his last five starts, working into or through the 6th inning in four of those starts.
RHP A.J. Ciscar (SO) – 4-3, 3.79 ERA, 59.1 IP, 2.4 BB%, 24.0 K%. A 2025 Freshman All-American, Ciscar has excelled as the Sunday man for Miami this year. Has started all 10 of his appearances this year after making 10 starts last year. Sandwiched around a miserable start at Stanford (2.2 IP, 6 ER) two weeks ago has been a combined 14.2 IP of 1-run ball with 1 BB and 12 K against Wake and Cal. Mid-90’s heat from his 6’4 frame with a two-seam fastball that’s surprisingly tough on lefties. Also has a sweeper and a change, and controls all three pitches exceptionally well.
LHP RobEvans (SR) – 8-2, 3.05 ERA, 59.0 IP, 8.3 BB%, 28.8 K%. Has been the Friday night starter all year for Miami, but is dealing with an ankle injury so will be pushed back to the final game of the series in hopes of giving him some extra rest. There’s a good chance he doesn’t pitch this weekend. The former Georgia State transfer from Harlem, NY, sits in the low-to-mid-90’s and has a pair of breaking balls. Only pitched 15.1 innings in relief for Miami this year, but is having a standout final campaign. Hasn’t allowed more than 2 ER in any of his last four starts.
RHP Lyndon Glidewell (SR) – 3-0, 2 SV, 3.38 ERA, 26.2 IP, 8.0 BB%, 35.7 K%. Former JUCO player who transferred in this year from Austin Peay. Took over the closer role in early April with Ryan Bilka struggling a bit in that capacity. Was a 2nd Team All-ASUN selection last year as a starter (8-0, 3.36 ERA, 77.2 IP, 10.1 BB%, 18.9 K%). Clearly a good move by the Miami staff to move him into a relief role as it’s allowing his stuff to play up. Over his last 8 appearances: 9.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 17 K, 1 HBP.
RHP Ryan Bilka (SR) – 2-0, 4 SV, 4.50 ERA, 26.0 IP, 15.4 BB%, 26.5 K%. Richmond transfer who spent his first two collegiate seasons at Wagner. Was a menace last year for the Spiders (6-2, 3 SV, 2.18 ERA, 62.0 IP, 5.3 BB%, 23.5 K%). Can throw up to five pitches, including a mid-90’s fastball. Started the season as the team’s closer, but struggled through early March. Control has continued to be an issue that pops up, but 10 of his last 13 outings have been scoreless.
RHP T.J. Coats (JR) – 5-2, 3.75 ERA, 36.0 IP, 8.1 BB%, 19.3 K%. Nebraska transfer who started his college ball in the JUCO ranks. After only tossing 11.1 innings for the Cornhuskers last year, he had a breakout summer in the Cape Cod League (32.2 IP, 11 BB, 40 K) and used that to hit the portal and wind up with the Hurricanes. Solid build at 6’2, 212 lbs with a low-90’s fastball, a solid slider, and a curve and change mixed in.
LHP Jake Dorn (rJR) – 5-0, 3.00 ERA, 24.0 IP, 12.6 BB%, 28.2 K%. Former JUCO transfer who is just now finding his footing after mixed results at the JUCO level, missing all of 2024 with TJS, and only tossing 13.2 IP last year for the Hurricanes. The 6’4, 235 lbs southpaw has a three-pitch mix including an upper 80’s fastball that runs in on lefties and a big loopy 12-6 curve.
Quick! Fun Facts!
Ryan Bilka pitched against NC State back in the opening series of the 2023 season, appearing in the second game (1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HBP). He also faced off against the Wolfpack last season when he was with Richmond, but did not appear in that game.
Jake Ogden played against NC State as a member of UNCG in 2024, going 1-for-5 with a 2B, 2 R, BB, and K in a 18-3 Spartans win.
NC State is just 1-5 in the last six meetings with Miami since the start of the 2023 season.
Alex Sosa leads Miami in WAR with 2.70, while Daniel Cuvet is second at 2.42. Rett Johnson leads NC State with 2.67 WAR, while Ty Head is second at 2.57 and Luke Nixon is a close third at 2.54.
The Key To A Series Win For State
Without Ryan Marohn for a third straight week and facing a Friday doubleheader, the key is simple: get length from starters Heath Andrews and Cooper Consiglio. The Wolfpack can ill-afford for Friday to turn into a pair of bullpen games.
Prediction
The Wolfpack are 21-7 at home this year and coming off a big run-rule win in a midweek home tilt with ECU. This is a tough matchup with a loaded Miami team that is 9-4 on the road this year. Pitching typically wins these types of series, and the Hurricanes have more of that right now.
Start your weekend right with some MLB best bets, based on trading prices available at Polymarket (which allows fans coast-to-coast to participate in baseball action).\
Our expert MLB picks for May 1 have found value in the Jays and Cubbies winning, along with a pitcher's duel taking place in Tampa.
UPDATE: Added best bets for PHI/MIA, NYM/LAA, HOU/BOS
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Blue Jays moneyline
Price: 50¢ (+100) at Polymarket
It might be scary backing a Patrick Corbin start, but the Toronto Blue Jays have already handled Simeon Woods Richardson this year, tagging him for five runs in just 12 outs. The familiarity factor leans toward the hitters in this spot.
Toronto’s lineup is getting healthier and can make up for Corbin, who has actually looked solid, allowing just four runs over his last three starts. If this game is decided late, the edge goes to the visitors — and the league’s best bullpen over the last seven days.
Neil Parker's expert pick: Cubs moneyline
Price: 56¢ (-127) at Polymarket
Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen is being mispriced this afternoon. His 14.2 K% and 24.0% called+swinging strike percentage are both career-low marks, and he’s also served up a career-high 45.8 hard-hit rate. It’s also reflected in his 4.95 xERA — checking in well above his 3.14 ERA.
With the Chicago Cubs on a 12-3 heater, while pacing the majors in wOBA and striking out at the fourth-lowest clip in baseball, I’m anticipating Gallen to run into trouble navigating a deep and potent lineup.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Giants/Rays Under 7.5
Price: 49¢ (+104) at Polymarket
Runs should be tough to come by tonight in Tampa with a lefty vs. lefty pitching matchup featuring two lineups that have struggled against southpaws. The San Francisco Giants have been especially bad, ranking 27th in OPS against left-handed pitching over the last two weeks.
Tampa Bay Rays lefty Shane McClanahan has been sharp at home, while Robbie Ray is back in top form with two earned runs or fewer allowed in five of his six starts.
More ammo for an Under wager: The Giants' bullpen leads MLB in ERA over the last 14 days.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
DUNEDIN, FL - MARCH 02: Boston Red Sox shortstop Franklin Arias (65) walks through the dugout with his helmet and bats during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 2, 2026, at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Franklin Arias went four games without hitting a home run and I was starting to get concerned. That changed in dramatic fashion in the top of the ninth on Thursday night, when Arias tied the Sea Dogs game at 6-6 on a two run bomb to center.
My favorite rating on any FanGraphs page at this moment is Arias’ Game Power:
The 20 is for “present” Game Power, with 45 as “future”. This was Arias’ eighth home run of the season, in 20 games. I’d suggest that Fangraphs update that Present rating ASAP.
Unfortunately, the Patriots (NYY) walked it off in the bottom of the ninth with a three-run homer by Coby Morales off of reliever Cooper Adams. Starter Patrick Halligan struck out six batters, allowing two runs in 2 ⅔ innings.
On the hitting side, Arias and Nate Baez had two hits, and Brooks Brannon knocked in three runs.
Worcester Red Sox 4, Rochester Red Wings 3 (Game 1) – BOX
The Woo Sox got solid pitching from starting pitcher Alec Gamboa, who struck out six over 5 ⅔ innings in game one on Thursday, beating the Red Wings (WAS). Jack Anderson, who may be needed again in Boston once his 15-day minors clock is up, gained his first save to close down the seven-inning affair.
Matt Thaiss homered for Worcester, and Kristian Campbell was 1-for-2 with a walk, a run, and an RBI.
Worcester Red Sox 7, Rochester Red Wings 3 (Game 2) – BOX
The Woo Sox completed the sweep in game two, thanks to home runs from Vinny Capra and Braiden Ward, accounting for the first two runs of the ballgame off of Red Wings starter Riley “The Great” Cornelio. Anthony Seigler knocked in two runs and was on base all four times in this one.
It was more of a bullpen game for Worcester, with Devin Sweet, Angel Bastardo, and Wyatt Olds splitting the work. Bastardo picked up his second win, now throwing five shutout innings on the season.
Hub City Spartanburgers 6, Greenville Drive 2 (BOX)
First round pick a year ago Kyson Witherspoon continued to struggle in his start on Thursday against Hub City (TEX). He walked five batters and hit another in 2 ⅔ innings of work, allowing four runs as his ERA jumped to 7.13 on the season. He struck out six batters but threw just 32 strikes on 66 pitches.
The Drive had five hits on the day, with two of those coming from Justin Gonzales who was on base all five times he stepped to the plate, walking once, and being hit by two pitches. Yoeilin Cespedes continued his heater with two more hits, as well.
Salem trailed the Warbirds (MIL) 5 to 1 after six innings before the game flipped in a hurry. Two home runs from Starlyn Nunez, another from Ty Hodge, and a fourth from Luke Heyman accounted for nine unanswered runs to close the game. Nunez, Heyman, and Hodge all had three RBI on the day. Here’s the second of two bombs from Nunez:
Starlyn Nunez two-run home run.
The Boston Red Sox prospect is 3-for-4 with two homers (3) and three RBI (12) in Single-A tonight. pic.twitter.com/ZyRiRL8hoE
All three runs that starter Madinson Frias allowed were unearned, and Ethan Walker went 5 ⅓ strong innings in relief to get the win, striking out nine.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 23: Cade Cavalli #24 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on April 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For much of his professional career, Cade Cavalli was somewhat of a myth to Nationals fans. A 2020 1st round pick with loads of upside, blazing his way through the minor leagues with electrifying stuff. He got a taste of the bigs in 2022, but an elbow injury during 2023 Spring Training kept him out of the spotlight and the field for the following 2+ seasons.
He fought his way back to Washington at the back end of 2025, posting decent statistics, but looking far from the prospect he once was. Many labeled him as a potential breakout candidate in 2026, but he struggled with putting hitters away in his first few outings.
However, at long last, Nats fans’ once-promised frontline starter may be knocking on the door.
Definite conclusions can’t be fully drawn from a 2-game sample, but Cavalli seems to have unlocked something. In appearances against the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, the righty threw a combined 11.0 innings, allowed just 4 total runs, and struck out 10 hitters in back-to-back starts, something that has only been done by 4 other arms in Nationals’ history.
Back-to-back 10-strikeout games in Nats history: Max Scherzer (20 instances) Stephen Strasburg (6 instances) Patrick Corbin Gio Gonzalez Cade Cavalli
The stuff is ticking up, and Cavalli has simply looked in complete control of the game for much of the time. His strikeout rate has climbed from 18% in 2025 to to 27% in 2026, his HardHit% has dropped from 41% to 36%, and his Expected Batting Average Against has been lowered from .259 to .246.
Digging even deeper, his 3.82 ERA, which already registers as a decent mark, may also be discrediting just how effective Cavalli has become. To say that he’s gotten unlucky so far would be an understatement. His FIP is all the way down to a 2.82, an entire run below his ERA, and his BABIP has climbed to over .400, a clear sign that positive regression is on the horizon.
Most of the issues that plagued the beginning of his 2026 campaign stemmed from not being able to miss bats and put away hitters. In the same fashion as just about every other one of his metrics, that has changed for the better, including during his latest start against the Mets, where he generated 18 whiffs, finishing 2nd among MLB starting pitchers in that regard on April 29th.
His 5-pitch mix has found a blend of timing, movement, and command that has given opposing lineups major struggles recently. If the underlying data doesn’t do it for you, just turn on his next start, because he certainly passes the eye test. Putting it bluntly, Cavalli looks like the future of the Nationals’ rotation.
With CJ Abrams and James Wood playing like the true backbone of their offense for the foreseeable future, it’s about time that the pitching staff produced a star of their own. For all intents and purposes, Nats fans, Cade Cavalli is your guy, and it’s time to embrace him.
Apr 17, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) enters the field before a game against the San Diego Padres at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
The New York Mets (10-21) travel across the continent to face the Los Angeles Angels (12-20) for the start of (another) western swing. At this very moment, the Mets are having one of the three worst starts to a season in franchise history, being even more inept at baseball than the famously inept 1962 Mets, the owners (until very recently) of the worst record in baseball history. The big difference between 1962 and 2026, vibes wise, is that the ‘62 Mets weren’t expected to do much as an expansion club, and had a ‘lovable losers’ vibe that people accepted and embraced. The 2026 Mets are not that; this team was supposed to be a playoff contender. This fanbase was told not to worry as cornerstone players were sent elsewhere or spurned by lack of a offer. This team was supposed to be the first true vision of a still new front office.
Well, that’s not what we got. What we have is a collection of players that look less like a baseball team and more like a quartet of toddlers standing on each other’s shoulders trying to pass off as a baseball player. Whatever can be going wrong seems to be.
Before I go any father, I want to acknowledge that things feel pretty terrible right now, and so that makes even the slightest issue seem magnified to epic proportions. For instance, the same crowd that was laughing at the signing of Carl Edwards Jr. in the offseason was lamenting his being designated for assignment yesterday. If the key to this season’s success was Carl Edwards Jr., then we’ve all been guilty of atrocious miscalculations.
But there are real issues at play here for this team. While Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes have been quite good and Freddy Peralta more or less pitching to his career norms, the other two spots in the rotation have been atrocious. With Kodai Senga on the Injured List and David Peterson having a truly dreadful start in his first start in weeks, the Mets need to figure out the band end of their rotation. Help is on the way in the form of Christian Scott, who will start the first game of the series, but his first outing of the season saw him walk five batters in one and a third innings. Scott is better than that, and has been quite good in Triple-A this season, so perhaps he will stabilize one of those open spots.
But then there’s the bullpen. Aside from Brooks Raely, Huascar Brazobán, and Tobias Myers, everyone has been a mess. Sean Manaea and Craig Kimbrel are shells of their former selves, and both Luke Weaver and Devin Williams have looked shaky at best since coming over from the Yankees. Austin Warren has been very good in limited time, and hopefully he can stick with the club this time.
But the biggest issue remains the offense. It’s nice that MJ Melendez had a big day on Thursday, but that can’t be the strategy going forward. Players like Bo Bichette and Francisco Alvarez need to be consistently driving the ball, and that simply hasn’t happened yet. Brett Baty and/or Mark Vientos need to start producing on either side of the ball. Without Lindor, without Robert, and without Polanco, the lineup is thin already, but when everyone not named Soto is struggling, it is decimated.
The only good news for the Mets this weekend is that the Angels are a bad ball club. Losers of six straight and ten of their last 11, the Angels continue to be an even more extreme ‘little brother’ team to the Dodgers than the Mets are to the Yankees or White Sox to the Cubs. The Mets are also missing José Soriano, their best pitcher, and so that is a minor blessing as well.
For the Mets fans, this is also an opportunity to watch Mike Trout, undeniably one of the best players of his generation, and one whose talents have been wasted on a less than spotlighted team.
Friday, May 1: Christian Scott vs. Walbert Ureña, 9:38pm on PIX11
Scott’s first 2026 Mets start was ugly: he faced ten batters and walked five of them. But there are reasons to see that as an isolated incident, the primary one being that it was his first start after Tommy John surgery on a big league mound. But in Triple-A, his strikeouts are there and his walk rate is nice and low. Without the first start nerves, far away from home, perhaps Scott will be able to settle in more tonight.
It is rare that you see a pitcher give up six unearned runs, let alone in one inning, but that is exactly what Ureña did against the Astros in late March. Since then, he’s started two games and given up six earned runs total across the two, including a three and two-thirds innings start against the Royals where he walked five and gave up six hits.
Saturday, May 2: Nolan McLean vs Reid Detmers, 9:38pm on SNY
Things are progressing nicely for McLean, even if the results have been a little more of a mixed bag than the Mets would like. Part of that is lack of run support; aside from the one start they won, the Mets have been outscored 21-9, and only nine of those runs were earned against McLean. But he’s doing the things he’s supposed to be doing as a young starter, and he hasn’t shown any regression or real issues just yet.
Detmers had two great starts against the Mariners on April 3 where he tossed six and two-thirds scoreless innings and against Yankees on April 14 where he went seven innings, striking out nine and giving up just one run. Aside from that, it’s been a struggle for Detmers, who has given up at least three earned runs in every other start.
Sunday, May 3: Clay Holmes vs Jack Kochanowicz, 4:07pm on SNY
Raise your hand if you thought Clay Holmes would be the most effective Mets’ starter and bWAR leader through April? If any of you have your hands up, you’re liars. But Holmes has been excellent so far this season, even if he’s never quite the most exciting or dominant pitcher to watch work.
The second best starter on the club, Jack Kochanowicz is walking too many folks but otherwise looking good for the Halos. After a rough first start, he’s only allowed more than two earned runs once, and has been consistently working into the sixth and seventh innings.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred announces Jordan Yost as the twenty-fourth overall pick by the Detroit Tigers during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Another week, another Baseball America staff draft to cover. Why not? I love the draft, probably because it was the only chance for hope for much of the Al Avila years; even now, with the Detroit Tigers in first place, I can’t shake the habit. So here we are yet again.
A ‘Staff Draft’ is like a mock draft, but without any real information connecting specific players to specific teams, the analysts and writers at Baseball America just guess based on what organizations have tended to do in recent drafts, and who they like that fits the bill. For the Tigers, that typically means investing early draft picks in high schoolers up the middle, underscouted college pitchers, and maybe an additional underslot college option to balance the books. Look at 2023, when the Tigers selected Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle, Max Anderson, and Jaden Hamm with their first four picks. Or 2024, when they went Bryce Rainer, Owen Hall, Ethan Schiefelbein, and… well, you get the picture. If you’re an athletic up the middle defender or a raw pitcher to build up, look for Detroit to call your name.
With this most recent staff draft, BA covered Detroit’s first 3 picks: 22, 61, and 69. Their first and second picks are standard, while that third one comes in Competitive Balance Round B for being a smaller market team. For the whole draft, they have $9,165,100 in bonus pool money to spend and can exceed that total by 5% without any penalties besides a small financial tax. In addition, the Tigers will not receive any extra picks for Qualifying Offer compensation, so their bonus pool is relatively low. With those out of the way, let’s move onto the real selections.
22. Coleman Borthwick, HS RHP
Firstly, the staff mentioned Coleman Borthwick, an oversized pitcher out of South Walton High School in Florida’s panhandle. Borthwick is a bit of a throwback pick as a massive, hard-throwing righty listed at 6’5, 255 lbs; he certainly would fit right into a typical Dave Dombrowski draft. Beyond the measurables, Borthwick is pretty much what you’d expect. He throws up to 98 on his fastball, has a sharp slider he can usually locate on the corner, and generally bullies high schoolers in the zone. Right now, he’s repeating his delivery enough to track as a starter, but he would need to develop a changeup to really pop. Good thing the Tigers are typically good at finding some sort of changeup; speculatively, I’d assume the 6’5 guy would have hands big enough to create a solid splitter.
Borthwick has drawn some buzz for his offensive skills, too – he’s a big, strong power hitting corner guy – but his pitching seems to have taken off in 2026. Reports indicate teams are much more attracted to his arm than his bat. As with any 18 year old pick, there’s a lot of work to be done, but the goal would be to get him away from his Auburn commitment and onto a pro mound full time. The big frame, high velocity, and solid slider make for a strong foundation to build up from.
Wes Mendes, FSU LHP
Next we have Wes Mendes, a lefty from Florida State University. Mendes is a third year pitcher, having previously transferred from Ole Miss’ bullpen to FSU’s rotation for 2025 and 2026. Mendes is a lefty who sits around 91 with an uphill fastball that plays up in the zone and a plus changeup in the high 70s. His initial attempt at starting went very poorly as he built up to a full time workload, but this year he has posted a 2.43 ERA in a very hitter-friendly college league.
The continued positive development – from bullpen to bad starter to good starter – in only three years is a big arrow up for a lot of organizations. Seeing the aptitude for improvement early can often be a sign of further improvements or adaptations later down the road. FSU is in the ACC too, so this isn’t a product of jumping to a small school with poor competition, either; he’s facing real college hitters as the Friday-night starter for a D1 program. Whatever team grabs Mendes will be banking on three simple things: getting the fastball from the low to mid 90s, developing a breaking ball, and getting him ready for 150+ innings.
Luke Williams, HS SS/CF
Finally we have my favorite of the three names mentioned, Luke Williams. Williams is a hyper-athletic HS SS/CF from Pennsylvania. This sounds highly Tiger-ish. BA specifically mentions his 70-grade speed and 70-grade throwing arm as indicators he’ll be fine at either CF or SS, but doesn’t say much about his right handed stick. He’s listed at a fairly typical 6’0, 180 lbs, and likely has a bit of room to add some strength but nothing crazy. He reportedly has plus bat speed but missed time in 2025 with a serious ankle injury, so scouts have had a fairly limited timeframe to check out the hit tool. That’s especially notable because Pennsylvania isn’t known as a baseball hotspot and there’s no indication he played for any of the international teams that put someone like McGonigle on the map.
All that being said, when you get into the 60s of any draft, this is the type of bat I think you should be targeting. You’ve got a plus or double plus defender up the middle with strong hands, a quick bat, and room to grow into power. Unless he shows terrible plate discipline or no feel for the barrel when you see him in person, this feels like a risk worth taking. The Tigers are doing pretty well developing this type of player these days. Nobody mentions that in their April scouting reports, so for now I’m inclined to guess he’s about average for the level there and doesn’t stand out in either direction. That’s enough to start from.
If you’re reading this, you know as well as I do it’s April. Mock drafts the day before the draft get information wrong all the time, so don’t take anything written this early as gospel. Players will pop or bust, teams will do in-person negotiations, money will come into play, all that. For now, it’s better to view these names as representative of the options the team might be considering. Or might not. It’s April, after all.
Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) celebrates with second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) after a walk-off two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Braves went 10-3 since we last checked in. No team did better; the Yankees and Cubs matched this pace from April 16 through the end of the month. That’s a 125-win pace over a full season, which is absurd… but that’s what the Braves managed. The division lead increased from three games over the Marlins to 6.5 games (still over the Marlins).
Though the Braves were very successful, they didn’t exactly blow everyone out of the water on paper. Over this 13-game stretch, they finished tenth in MLB in position player value, including ninth in hitting value and inputs, eighth in defensive value, and 19th in pitching value. The defense remained a key aspect of their run prevention, as their pitching line in this span was 86/106/102 (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-). Basically, they didn’t pitch that well, and they actually got a bit stung by HR/FB these two-ish weeks, but the run prevention ended up being on point anyway.
Going game-by-game and looking at pre-game odds, the Braves “should have” gone something like 7-6. They obviously overperformed that by a ton. Their most incredible win was the Matt Olson walkoff-aided victory in a JR Ritchie-Tarik Skubal matchup. They only had three losses, but they were actually pre-game favored in two of them, including the 11-4 walloping they suffered in Washington that snapped a six-game winning streak. Still, they’ve largely been streaking positively — the team now has four different win streaks of three or more games, while it’s had just one period where it lost consecutive games at all (a three-game losing streak at one point).
Over this two-week span, the Braves raised their estimated win total to 93, up by about three wins. Their playoff odds gained ten percentage points and now sit around 95 percent. Only the Cubs, Reds, Rockies, White Sox, and Yankees added more of the former, while only the Yankees, Cubs, Reds, and Athletics added more of the latter.
How are the Braves doing for the season?
Well, they now have MLB’s best record at 22-10. They’re up two in the win column over the next-closest contender, and one in the loss column. They now project to have baseball’s second-best record, have the second-highest odds of winning their division, and the third-highest odds of making the playoffs and winning the championship. Things are going well, basically. It hasn’t been a particularly tough schedule yet, but the Braves are still 22-10 when a game-by-game expectation would be 18-14, so they’re still doing better than probably anyone expected. They have the second-best expected record by both run differential and BaseRuns — and unlike earlier in the month, they’re no longer substantially underplaying both, now just -1 relative to run differential and even with their expected BaseRuns record.
They’re third in position player value and 12th in pitching value; their WAR-wins total through 32 games is 19, so that’s at least one sense in which they’re outplaying their production. But as you’ve borne witness to, this isn’t a lucky team rocketing to the top of the standings, but a team that’s producing and getting largely-commensurate rewards, with a bit of luck thrown in to compensate for the past two years of misfortune and/or misery. In terms of overall rankings:
The Braves are fourth in both wRC+ and xwOBA, and eighth in defensive value. The defense slipped a bit, the hitting didn’t.
They’re 12th in pitching value, but second in ERA- (barely, at that), while being 15th in xFIP-. As noted above, the pitching was notably worse later in April, and, at least right now, this is a team that is going to rely on its position players to both hit and catch the ball.
How are the hitters doing?
I’m continuing the irresponsibility of the grayshaded, per-600 PA column. Hitter-wise, the second half of April was driven by Michael Harris II’s insane, beyond-video-game-numbers line, along with legitimately good performance from Ozzie Albies (along with overperforming said performance by an insane amount), along with Olson and Drake Baldwin. No one else really helped all that much. The struggles of Austin Riley and Mike Yastrzemski were actively detrimental to the cause.
For the season as a whole, it’s that same quartet driving the proverbial bus, though Mauricio Dubon and Dominic Smith continue to maintain good lines largely based on what they did earlier in April. Matt Olson has played like an MVP from basically MVP-on; in addition to his actual production, he was fourth in MLB in WPA in April’s second half, and is fourth again for the month as a whole. The timing of Olson’s contributions might overshadow Drake Baldwin’s similar production for some, but not for us, right? That said, Olson is pretty clearly the Braves’ MVP for April — he had a huge game nearly half the time, and if the season ended today, he might very well be the NL MVP, as his 1.7 fWAR is the league’s highest (and fourth in MLB, with two other guys just fractions ahead of him and behind Yordan Alvarez’ 2.2).
The following chart is just for the second half of April. It was a month of justice in this regard. Harris’ insane two weeks made this chart stupid. More broadly — do you find this chart useful? I won’t include it if it doesn’t help relative to the table above.
Here’s the same chart, but for the month as a whole.
The only thing I’ll add to this is that Riley struggling is kinda brutal in and of itself, but when you combine that with his uncanny ability to draw the WPA vortex upon himself, well… not much has gone wrong for the Braves, but that definitely has. Mauricio Dubon is also having a WPA vortex-y month, where he’s come up what feels like an inordinate amount in key spots. He was getting lucky with bloops and such earlier, but his WPA has taken a beating over the last few weeks as they haven’t fallen in those same big spots.
How are the pitchers doing?
The pitching situation continues to be fluid, so sample sizes wreak havoc on the ability to say much of use here every two weeks.
Bryce Elder’s topline looks great because he’s not getting killed by HR/FB. That said, this was not a great two weeks of actual pitching for him, and unless you think he’s suddenly immune to getting blasted into a higher HR/FB again, you should prepare for his numbers to take a tumble. Chris Sale had a much more Sale-like two weeks compared to early April. Grant Holmes did not have a fun time in late April. He probably needs to improve fairly quickly in May before the Braves go in a different direction in the rotation and he fixes the team’s “we have no one we like to pitch longer-stint middle relief” issue that Didier Fuentes has been conscripted into managing for some reason.
I’m loathe to talk about even smaller-sample performances among relievers, but for April as a whole…
Reynaldo Lopez was removed from the rotation after not pitching well. We’ll see what he does with a different role. Jose Suarez is an enigma with a great FIP-, an okay xFIP-, and a horrid WPA. This will probably work itself out, by which I mean, “he will be removed from the roster.” I can see why the Braves were so interested in keeping him around, but I am guessing their patience will run out before he manages to get the consistency to not blow up the game with a spate of walks each time out, even if he’s striking out the side while doing so. Dylan Lee is f’n awesome and is barely outside the top five in reliever fWAR right now. I don’t know if this is in the cards, but with how much the Braves like to spend on relievers, maybe they could give him a modest extension rather than just dumping the same resources into someone else in a later offseason. Tyler Kinley continues to pitch in a weird way that warrants its own post, but it hasn’t hurt the team so far. He’s another thing that could have gone terribly and really ruined this excellent month for the team, but things have worked out for the best so far. Robert Suarez has not been an expensive reliever contract that’s blown up in their faces — he’s basically done what they were hoping for when giving him all that moola. And then there’s Aaron Bummer, who is really delivering on “May you get what you wish for” this year. He’s being used in high leverage! Unfortunately, he’s a complete mess in the early going. Maybe he’s just aged out of effectiveness. Maybe it’s related to him missing time with arm issues last year. Either way, it’s a cruel twist of fate.
See you in two weeks! Again, if you have stuff you do want to see in these, or stuff you don’t, let me know and I’ll think about it.
Who will win Royals vs Mariners today: Mariners moneyline (-147)
The Seattle Mariners just took two out of three from the Minnesota Twins, winning back-to-back games to close out the series. While Bryan Woo is coming off a difficult start where he allowed seven earned runs, the righty has been dominant at home.
Across two outings in Seattle, Woo sports a 2.77 ERA, holding opponents to a .178 average. He owns a 3.86 ERA overall, and he’s coming up against a Kansas City Royals team that has been underwhelming offensively, averaging just 4.1 runs per game.
On the other side, Cole Ragans allowed seven earned runs in his last road start, and the lefty owns a 5.00 ERA overall. His road ERA balloons to 8.40, despite being dominant at home with an ERA under one. He’s held the M’s to a .194 average, but it’s a very small sample size.
COVERS INTEL: Cole Ragans has a 6.06 FIP so far, the worst of his big league career.
Royals vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Over 7 runs (-110)
While both of these teams rank 20th or worse in runs scored, Seattle, in particular, is producing more lately, scoring 12 runs across this two-game winning streak. Two of the last three meetings have also cashed the Over, and the M’s score more at home, averaging 4.67 runs.
The matchup clearly plays in their favor, too. Ragans has struggled immensely to find any consistency on the road, and Seattle is in a rhythm. Although Woo is wonderful at home, he has been a bit shaky lately, so I could see KC tagging him for a couple of runs as well.
Also, the Royals’ bullpen owns an atrocious 5.33 ERA. Seattle will win, and they will do the majority of the scoring.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets:9-9, -4.45 units
Over/Under bets:10-8, 0.48 units
Royals vs Mariners odds
Moneyline: Kansas City +124 | Seattle -137
Run line: Kansas City +1.5 (-167) | Seattle -1.5 (+140)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+114) | Under 7.5 (-137)
Royals vs Mariners trend
The Seattle Mariners have hit the Moneyline in 34 of their last 50 games at home (+11.90 Units / 14% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Mariners.
How to watch Royals vs Mariners and game info
Location
T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
Date
Friday, May 1, 2026
First pitch
9:45 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV
Royals starting pitcher
Cole Ragans (1-4, 5.00 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcher
Bryan Woo (1-2, 3.86 ERA)
Royals vs Mariners latest injuries
Royals vs Mariners weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Although the New York Yankees couldn’t sweep the Houston Astros on the road, they remain one of the hottest teams in baseball.
With the Baltimore Orioles entering tonight's matchup facing plenty of pitching questions, we don’t expect that to change. Read all about it in my Orioles vs. Yankees predictions and MLB picks for Friday, May 1.
Who will win Orioles vs Yankees today: Yankees moneyline (-175)
This is a tough spot for the Baltimore Orioles, sending Triple-A call-up Cade Povich to face one of the hottest lineups in baseball with a depleted bullpen behind him.
The New York Yankees present Povich with the same problem they’ve posed to so many starters this season: a chase-reliant arm facing the team with the lowest chase rate in baseball.
That will force Povich to rely on competitive pitches like the heater, and that introduces a whole host of issues as New York enters this game ranking first in both barrel rate and hard-hit rate against the fastball over the last month.
I’ve projected the Yankees at -200, so while we are laying some juice, it’s worth it considering the Baltimore pitching situation.
COVERS INTEL: Cade Povich's chase percentage grades in the 89th percentile, but the Yankees swing out of the zone just 25% of the time.
Orioles vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-115)
Will Warren continues to overachieve, sporting an expected ERA that’s a full run higher than his actual one, with his expected FIP telling the same story.
While I expect the Yankees to prevail, Warren will run into issues with his bottom-30th percentile hard-hit rate, and the Orioles should do their part to help plate a couple of runs in the Bronx tonight.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 11-9, +1.62 units
Over/Under bets: 12-9, +2.72 units
Orioles vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Orioles +150 | Yankees -175
Run line: Orioles +1.5 (-155) | Yankees -1.5 (+125)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)
Orioles vs Yankees trend
New York has cashed the moneyline in 34 of its last 50 games (+7.90 Units / 9% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Orioles vs. Yankees.
How to watch Orioles vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Friday, May 1, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
MASN, YES
Orioles starting pitcher
Cade Povich (1-0, 2.19 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Will Warren (3-0, 2.59 ERA)
Orioles vs Yankees latest injuries
Orioles vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It's a busy Friday in Major League Baseball with 15 games on tap, and a litany of MLB player props to choose from.
We'll kick things off in the Mile High city, where Ozzie Albies looks to stay red-hot against a pitcher he's lit up regularly.
Read below for the rest of my favorite MLB picks for Friday, May 1.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Ozzie Albies
3+ total bases
+140
Jacob Misiorowksi
7+ strikeouts
-136
Andy Pages
1+ doubles
+250
Ozzie Albies 3+ total bases (+140)
Ozzie Albies has been tearing it up for the MLB-best Braves, with hits in 12 straight games, including picking up at least three total bases in five of his last seven games.
He has absolutely owned Rockies starter Jose Quintana, going 9-for-19. That's a .474 average, and a slugging percentage of 1.053, as he's homered off him three times, adding two doubles and four RBI.
There's not a better situation for him to keep raking.
Time: 8:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: BravesVision, Rockies.TV
Jacob Misiorowksi 7+ strikeouts (-136)
You can chase some better juice, like +128 odds for 8+ strikeouts, but Jacob Misiorowski is facing the Nationals for the first time in his career, and that's always a factor to consider.
This still feels like a decent number and odds, considering the Brewers' righty has recorded at least seven strikeouts in five of his six starts on the season.
Washington isn't exactly looking for great pitches. As a team, they're tied for 19th in team strikeouts per game at 8.72.
Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Brewers.TV, Nationals.TV
Andy Pages 1+ doubles (+250)
Andy Pages continues to hit well after a forgettable postseason run, 12th in the majors with a .321 average, as the Dodgers open a set with St. Louis on Friday.
He has hits in five of his last six games, including three games with at least a double. Pages has picked up at least a hit in two straight vs. the Cards, including a two-double game.
It's a nice time to take a flier on a double, especially with those nice +250 odds.
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNLA, Cardinals.TV
Eric Rosales' 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 5-12, -1.37 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 30: Vinnie Pasquantino #9 of the Kansas City Royals bats against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on April 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
April offered an early snapshot of who the Royals are – for better and worse. Mostly worse. The Royals ended the month tied for the fourth-worst record in baseball. While they’re not an expensive flaming dumpster fire like the Mets, Phillies, or Red Sox, the start is a huge disappointment for a team that had designs on making a run to the post-season.
How did the Royals get here? Here are the numbers that defined their April.
73
That was the Royals wRC+ with runners in scoring position (RISP), dead last in baseball. Overall, they hit .221/.316/.306 and had a 43.9 percent flyball rate, second-highest out of any team with RISP. Just 12.8 percent of Royals baserunners end up scoring, the sixth-lowest total in baseball. The bulk of the issues have come from the middle of the lineup, with expected run producers Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino among the worst in baseball in clutch situations. Both players had over 100 RBI last year, but Salvy is hitting just .135 with RISP this year, while Vinnie is hitting just .097.
This isn’t a new problem either, the Royals struggled to hit with runners on in the first half of last year. They improved significantly in the second half, but another slow start has fans wondering if the team needs to change their approach or even make a change in the hitting coach department.
13
Royals baserunners have made 13 Outs on the Bases so far this season, fourth-most in baseball. They’ve also been picked off six times, one shy of the league lead. Their success rate on steals is just 70 percent, the sixth-worst in baseball. Overall they’re in the middle of the league in Baserunning Runs, so I won’t go as far as to say they’re a terrible baserunning club. They have some speed, and they like to be aggressive, and when a team is struggling, you can understand trying to make something happen with your legs.
But for a team that struggles to score runs, they can ill-afford to give up baserunners. You can excuse some aggressiveness, but some of the gaffes seem to be the result of poor focus or preparation.
2.6
The Royals moved in the fences at the K this year to make it a more neutral park, and the team has responded by being a solid offensive team at home. They’re hitting .275/.364/.445 in the friendly confines of the K, for a 121 wRC+ that ranks as the fifth-best in baseball, and scoring a healthy 5.4 runs per game.
Road games have been an entirely different matter. The Royals are averaging just 2.6 runs-per-game on road trips, by far the worst in baseball. Salvy is hitting .161 on road trips. Isaac Collins must really miss Kansas City BBQ – he’s 1-for-32 on the road with a 41 percent strikeout rate.
It’s not like the Royals aren’t hitting home runs on the road. Instead, their poor hitting is due to hitting just .202 on the road, the worst in baseball. Maybe John Sherman is coddling them?
5.33
The Royals were the only team in baseball last year that did not lose a game they led going into the ninth inning. That streak ended in the second game of this year when closer Carlos Estévez coughed six runs in the ninth in a loss to the Braves. He was immediately shelved to investigate his velocity drop, and the bullpen has struggled ever since. The once-dominant Lucas Erceg has been inconsistent, and the back of the bullpen has been a bit of a mess. Adding injury to insult, the pitching depth has begun to be deplted with Stephen Kolek and Bailey Falter joining Estévez on the Injured List and Ryan Bergert out for the rest of the season following Tommy John surgery.
Daniel Lynch IV has been a bright spot, and Nick Mears and Matt Strahm have looked good at times, so there is hope the bullpen can find its footing. But the team is 1-5 in one-run games so far, and the offense does not leave the bullpen much room for error.
3.5
Despite stumbling to a poor start, the Royals end the month just 3.5 games back of first place in a mediocre division. No team in the AL Central has a winning record. After a series in Seattle this weekend, the Royals will have a stretch of ten consecutive games against divisional foes, and a hot stretch could get them right back in the mix. Baseball is a marathon and there is still plenty of season left to be played. The Royals have been a very flawed team, but they still have one of the best players in baseball and some talented players that can turn things around. But they’ll need their May numbers to bloom far more than their April showers.
No team ever wants to be in the same sentence with the 1962 Mets, especially one with a top-two payroll that entered the season as one of the top-five favorites to win the World Series.
In fact, the Mets are off to an even worse start than their 1962 counterparts, a team that was in its first year of existence.
It has taken a confluence of unfortunate events for them to arrive at this point.
There have been crippling injuries (first to Juan Soto, then to Francisco Lindor), underperformance from nearly every key player on the roster, less than ideal weather for most of the games they've played, and an absurd schedule that has resulted in New York having flown to the West Coast three times already.
But good teams overcome obstacles. And the Mets, to this point, are a bad team.
As they went through a 12-game losing streak before eventually snapping it at home -- only to go on to have a 3-6 homestand against the Twins, Rockies, and Nationals -- most of the noise surrounded manager Carlos Mendoza.
Mendoza, who also presided over the slow collapse that resulted in the 2025 Mets going from the best team in baseball in June to out of the playoffs, is in the last guaranteed year of his contract. When it comes to his future, there are two big things to ponder.
First, it's reasonable to wonder whether Mendoza is putting the Mets in the best position to succeed. Specifically, their constant mental and physical mistakes are alarming, and something (fairly or not) to lay at the feet of the manager. As is the comfort Mark Vientos had running through a stop sign before getting nailed at the plate, and then being defiant about it afterwards.
New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) watches from the dugout during the third inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
Second is whether or not a manager change at this juncture would impact anything for the Mets, with most of the players simply not performing. It has worked so far for the Red Sox and Phillies (whether their recent successes are a coincidence, a byproduct, or a bit of both).
A third, smaller thing to consider is what the point of a baseball manager is at all if they aren't going to get blame or credit. To put it in simper terms: if the Mets think Mendoza is helping them, he should stay. If they think he's hindering them, he should not.
But to go any further on the topic of Mendoza would be to ignore the main reason the Mets are in this position. And on Friday afternoon, president of baseball operations David Stearns rendered any discussion about the manager's immediate future moot, noting the team did not intend to move on from him.
Mendoza is managing a roster that was given to him by Stearns and the front office, following an offseason where the core of the team was gutted and replaced.
But this isn't about breaking up the core (which was understandable given how the 2025 season ended) or how those players are faring with their new teams (Pete Alonso has an 87 OPS+, Edwin Diaz is hurt, Brandon Nimmo started hot and is regressing but still has an OPS above .800, and Jeff McNeil has been about average).
In any event, this is about the players Stearns chose to replace that core with, not the fact that he dismantled it.
In fairness, there were many people (myself included) who got on board with what Stearns did after the shock of his initial teardown wore off. Late in the offseason, Stearns pounced while reshaping the Mets into a team most thought would be a serious World Series contender.
But while the ceiling was unmistakably high, the floor was dangerously low.
Apr 5, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Jorge Polanco (11) stands in the on deck during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. / D. Ross Cameron - Imagn Images
That things have gone wrong to this degree is shocking, but it was possible to see a lot of it coming.
When you add injury-prone players such as Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco, the likeliest outcome is that those players will deal with injuries.
Turning to Polanco at first base has not worked (because of injuries, not defense), and has resulted in lots of playing time there for Mark Vientos, whose regular presence in the lineup is hard to justify (as was noted here in December) given how he performed in 2025.
The offensive struggles of Bo Bichette shouldn't be a ding on Stearns. But, as is the case with every other big player who was brought in this offseason, Bichette had no experience playing in the New York market (or, like Devin Williams, recent trouble in it). The ability to perform in New York is valuable, and not every player has it.
Of all the moves, the most polarizing one was trading Nimmo for Marcus Semien. And while Semien wasn't Nimmo's replacement (that's actually Carson Benge), it's understandable that Semien and Nimmo continue to be linked.
I reject the notion that the Mets "salary-dumped" Nimmo. Instead, I viewed it then and now as a decision to get out of what Stearns felt would be the final years of a contract that is expected to age poorly. And while Nimmo's offense is still above average, his defense is well below average and regressing at a rapid rate.
Again, this is about who the Mets brought in, not who they shipped out. And in the case of Semien, they added a player whose offense was already regressing mainly because they felt his defense would be worth the tradeoff. So far, it hasn't been.
Another big issue is the amount of bounce backs the Mets were relying on, especially in the starting rotation.
New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Now, a month and change into the season, Senga pitched his way out of the rotation before landing on the IL, Manaea has been relegated to low-leverage relief innings, and David Peterson (one of the other aforementioned question marks) is also out of the rotation.
The struggles of some of the Mets' rotation members also led the Mets to carry three and sometimes four long relievers for a decent stretch of games, something that hamstrung the bullpen.
The worst-case scenario playing out for pretty much every big acquisition the Mets made this past offseason and every bounce back candidate they had is mind boggling. But it's a failure Stearns is going to have to own if things don't turn around.
What makes the 2026 season to this point so demoralizing for the fan base is the fact that the thrill of the 2024 run to the NLCS paved the way for a 2025 at Citi Field where the vibes were off the charts, even as the team slowly collapsed. The ballpark was packed, the chanting was spontaneous, and the decibel level of the crowd was high.
Part of that had to do with a connection the fans had to certain players who are now on other teams, but most of it had to do with winning. Winning cures all. It could even cure the 2026 Mets. But if that winning never comes, Stearns' 2025-26 offseason will be a cautionary tale.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his two run home run with Max Muncy #13, to take a 7-4 lead over the Texas Rangers, during the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium on April 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are now in May, and we already looked at pitching highlights of April, so let’s shift the focus to the offense.
Andy Pages got off to a scorching start, won National League player of the week, and during the month hit .321/.366/.518 with a 145 wRC+. He leads the team in hits (36) and RBI (25) while manning center field.
Max Muncy leads the team with nine home runs, while hitting .287/.374/.594 with a 166 wRC+.
A down month for Shohei Ohtani at the plate still saw him hit .273/.406/.491 with six home runs, four stolen bases, and a 144 wRC+.
Dalton Rushing is second on the team with seven home runs despite only 52 plate appearances to date, while hitting .348/.423/.848 with a 244 wRC+.
Today’s question is who was your Dodgers position player of March/April?
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: Denzel Clarke #1 of the Athletics runs the bases against the Chicago White Sox in the bottom of the seventh inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on April 18, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics are out to a better-than-expected start as they sit atop the division with a 17-14 record and a one-and-a-half game lead over the Seattle Mariners. It’s only the first month of the season but April went about as good as you could hope for the A’s as they have the third-best record in baseball so far. They had a rough schedule that saw them on the road lots during the first month but on the bright side that just means more home games the rest of the way. That’ll be helpful down the line when the A’s are tired and don’t want to hit the road.
The calendar has now turned to May though and things will only get harder from here. The target is now on our backs and teams in the division know they can’t arrive to Sacramento and expect to automatically get two or three wins. This group of A’s has a lot more heart and is much more scrappy than the versions we saw over the past two years. That doesn’t mean there aren’t things to consider or watch moving forward. Things like…
1. How long is Jacob Lopez’s leash?
Lopez entered camp this year seemingly with nothing to prove but health after a solid rookie season that saw him post a 4.07 ERA across 21 games (17 starts). He helped to solidify the middle of an Athletics rotation that needed arms and really saved the starting staff with his out-of-nowhere season. Considered a throw-in in the trade that also brought Jeffrey Springs to the A’s, Lopez looked like a steal, and an under control one at that.
But so far this year things have not gone according to plan. Lopez’s spot in the starting rotation was not as secure as fans thought entering spring, with only the veterans Severino, Springs and Civale assured of starting roles to begin the year. Fellow starter Luis Morales was ahead of Lopez on the depth chart but he only made two starts for the big league squad before the team had seen enough and demoted him to Triple-A, replacing him in the rotation with J.T. Ginn, who has been a steady presence at the backend of the rotation since joining.
Severino’s contract makes it certain that he has a long leash. Springs has been the team’s best pitcher in the first month, and Civale is looking like a steal of a bargain for what he’s doing right now. Ginn is holding his own as well, and that means all signs point towards Lopez being the odd man out when the A’s want to get a look at a different young arm.
Lopez hasn’t done a whole lot to inspire confidence that he’s about to turn a corner. The 28-year-old has a rough 5.84 ERA this season and more walks (21) than strikeouts (18). He ended last year on the IL with a flexor strain in his pitching elbow, a worrying injury that made him a slight question mark all offseason long. It’s possible he’s not as healed as he thinks and is making bad adjustments to compensate, and with Mason Barnett looking good in Las Vegas Lopez’s time in the rotation could be short. He’s scheduled to get the ball on Saturday against Cleveland and he desperately needs a quality outing to ensure his spot in the starting staff.
2. What’s the plan when Denzel Clarke is healthy?
The gifted center fielder can certainly play his position as well as anyone in the game and a Gold Glove feels like a given if he gets enough playing time. It feels like the young outfielder is taking away hits and robbing home runs on a nightly basis, and that’s only barely hyperbole. He’s one of the best to play the position for the Athletics in a long, long time.
But the 26-year-old is hitting just .170 with a 24/4 K/BB ratio during the first month of the 2026 season. Those are even worse stats than last year when he was 26% worse than league average. This year? The 25-year-old is 84%(!) worse than league average. That’s… not good. At all. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise either though as Clarke struggles both during Spring Training and during Team Canada’s time in the World Baseball Classic.
While A’s fans had high hopes that Clarke could at least be serviceable in the batting order, he’s instead become a black hole, an automatic out that has cost the team plenty of times already. Clarke had shown promise in the upper minors and the A’s were ready to push the envelope with him just to get his glove to the big leagues faster. He was never going to be a speedster or a power threat, but the way he looks in the batter’s box makes one think he should not only be in the minors, but perhaps even back in Double-A.
Clarke needs to completely readjust his approach at the plate, but that’s hard to do in the middle of the season. This injury that he suffered shouldn’t prevent him from getting back out onto the field for too much longer, but it might behoove the A’s to let Clarke find himself with his bat down in Triple-A until he figures things out. That’s not what the Athletics were planning for when they essentially handed him the center field job to begin the year, but that’s where we are now. Will he be reinstated and immediately retake his spot in center upon his return?
3. Will the A’s have a closer?
Right-handed Joel Kuhnel has gotten the bulk of save opportunities since his promotion on April 7th. He’s 4-for-4 in that regard while allowing only three earned runs in that time, and his 2.70 ERA is looking mighty nice in the early going.
This has been an out-of-nowhere development for the bullpen. Kuhnel was brought aboard this offseason on a minor league deal after spending the past six seasons bouncing around the league. Before this season he hadn’t had much in the way of chances in the big leagues other than a 53 appearance season way back in 2022, when he posted a 6.36 ERA for the Reds. There wasn’t much thought then at the time other than “nice depth”, but Kuhnel is making the most of his opportunity right now.
But Kuhnel ran into some problems in the second game of the Royals series, allowing a run and giving the Royals a chance to have a late-game comeback. Thankfully Mark Kotsay came out to get his right-hander before things got more out of hand, giving Mark Leiter Jr. the chance to nail down his third save of the season. So what’s going to happen over the next month? Is Kuhnel our guy until he inevitably blows a save, and then it’s back up for grabs from that point on? Is his time as the closer already over? The A’s had another save opportunity yesterday and Kotsay went with Jack Perkins to finish off KC.
The hope is that the journeyman righty can continue to solidify the backend of the A’s bullpen. It worked out for the A’s at times last year but having a closer-by-committee isn’t a long-term way to use the relief unit. Everyone having their set roles and knowing when or where they might be used is beneficial to all those arms that are asked to come into games and lock down the win. It’s a highly stressful job, being a reliever in the big leagues, and asking guys to be ready at a moment’s notice for the entirety of a baseball game is just another added stress. Maybe Kotsay can press all the right buttons for six whole months (and hopefully playoffs), but there’s a reason a team like the Padres shelled out big time to acquire Mason Miller last year. Here’s to hoping we can lock someone into the closer’s role sooner rather than later.
COVERS INTEL: Cole 
Ozzie Albies
Jacob Misiorowksi
Andy Pages
