HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 19: (left to right) Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) relieves from the mound Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Burrows (50) in the top of the fifth inning during the MLB game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros on April 19, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Houston Astros owner Jim Crane has said time and time again that as long as he’s in charge, the championship window will always be open. It’s a bold statement, and one that carries a lot of weight in a city that has grown accustomed to winning.
But what does that actually mean in 2026?
Is the window open so this team can compete for another title? Or is it open just enough for fans to look out and wonder how things have started to slip?
A Tale of Two Teams
When you look at this Astros team, there’s a clear divide.
Offensively, they’ve been more than good, they’ve been darn near elite. This is a lineup that continues to produce runs at a high level, boasting one of the best batting averages in baseball. They’ve been especially dangerous on the road and have consistently delivered with runners in scoring position. In short, the offense is doing everything you could reasonably ask, and then some.
But then there’s the pitching staff.
A Pitching Staff in Crisis
Coming into the season, general manager Dana Brown and the organization emphasized their depth in starting pitching. It was supposed to be a strength. Instead, just a few weeks into the season, it’s become the team’s biggest liability.
Injuries have piled up. Roles are uncertain. And on a nightly basis, the question looms: who’s going to take the mound next, and can they give this team a chance to win?
That’s a massive problem for a team with legitimate postseason aspirations.
Missed Evaluations and Mounting Pressure
This all circles back to roster construction.
Brown, now in the final year of his contract, is under increasing pressure. Whether or not ownership has limited his ability to make moves, the reality is that the results haven’t been good enough. The pitching staff, a strength just a year ago, has regressed in alarming fashion.
Yes, some players overachieved last season and some are failing miserbly this season. But more importantly, the Astros had a staff in 2025 that could get outs, limit damage, and hold leads, and now it seems the team got a little too flipped constructing the pen and may have taken for granted how difficult a task it can be.
Bullpen Breakdown
The bullpen, has been a recurring issue and a massive disappointment. Bryan Abreu has been almost unusable. With Josh Hader out, this has been the absolute worst case scenario.
Too many walks. Too many pitches thrown. Too many situations where a lead feels anything but safe.
It’s a dangerous combination. The few guys who can get outs are being used far too often, like Bryan King last night. Putting runners on base, especially without forcing hitters to earn it sets the table for tragedy. It’s all a recipe for disaster, and right now it feels like every inning comes with traffic on the bases and chance to fail yet again.
Rotation Questions and Failed Solutions
The problems extend beyond the bullpen, because the starting rotation has been just as bad.
The Astros knew changes were coming to the rotation. They knew they would have to replace key arms and find reliable options. Instead, the solutions they’ve turned to, both domestically and internationally, haven’t delivered.
Tatsuya Imai, for example, has been a major disappointment. Whether it’s injuries, adjustment issues, or a lack of proper evaluation before bringing him in, the result has been the same: he hasn’t helped stabilize the rotation.
Meanwhile, potential external solutions are disappearing. Pitchers like Lucas Giolito, now signed with the San Diego Padres, are no longer options, raising further questions about whether Crane is willing to spend what it takes to fix the problem and IF Dana Brown is the man to get it done.
A Staff Running on Empty
Another concern is the workload being placed on the few reliable arms this team does have.
The pitchers who are performing are being asked to do too much, throw too many pitches, cover too many innings, and compensate for those who can’t carry their share of the load. That’s not sustainable over a full season.
And if those arms start to wear down, things could go from bad to worse in a hurry.
What Comes Next?
This brings us back to the original question: what does an “open window” really mean?
Because right now, this doesn’t look like a team built to contend, it looks like a team with a glaring weakness that hasn’t been addressed.
There’s still time. The trade deadline offers an opportunity. Reinforcements could come in the form of returning arms like Hunter Brown, and perhaps even Christian Javier down the line.
But hope alone isn’t a strategy.
The Bottom Line
This is not the time to wave the white flag or consider moving key pieces. It’s the time to double down, to identify the problem and fix it.
The offense has already proven it can carry its weight. Now it’s up to the front office to give this team the pitching it desperately needs.
If Jim Crane truly believes the window is always open, then the next move is clear:
Boston, MA - April 20: Third base umpire Lance Barksdale makes an out signal following a challenge in the eighth inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park on April 20, 2026. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
When the idea of the Automated Ball-Strike system was introduced, it was impossible to count the number of baseball fans who thought it would be a good idea. Every baseball fan has had to deal with their team getting robbed in a big moment by a bad call. Whether it was a strike well below the zone or one that was called too far to the east or west, umpires are humans; they’re imperfect. When the opportunity arose to give players a chance to point out those imperfections, it was widely regarded as one of the best modern ideas to come to the forefront of the sport.
However, while the ABS system was initially designed (and thought of by the public) as strictly a way to give players in the batter’s box, on the mound, or behind the dish some power in what decisions were being made by officials on the playing field, it has managed to award umpires some fun, maybe-not-so-foreseen power as well.
Arguing balls and strikes has rarely changed the zone of an umpire in the middle of a game, so while it’s easy for players and managers to get frustrated with how an ump is calling a game, there usually isn’t a point unless you’re a manager trying to send a message by being ejected. But even as pointless as those arguments are, they’re even more useless now with the ABS system. Since its introduction this year in Major League Baseball, there have been a handful of instances where the umpire has told players or managers to use a challenge if they truly don’t think the call was a good one. Like this most recent spot with Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz:
Orioles Manager Craig Albernaz was arguing a strike call so the umpire asked him why they didn’t use a challenge pic.twitter.com/H4r2qgSa3C
Another recent one that came against the Yankees was with the Athletics and pitcher Aaron Civale, who was unhappy with a pitch being called a ball, argued his case, but was ultimately told to challenge it if he felt confident the call was wrong:
While some may argue that giving baseball umpires more power is not a good thing, this isn’t necessarily giving them more power. The ABS system is merely giving the umpires an outlet to say “put up or shut up,” which I do believe is a good thing for baseball. Many, many fans want to see umpires receive their comeuppance, with everyone at some point having been burned by a bad call, while the umpire who made said call wasn’t held accountable. On the other end, players and managers whining about calls can sometimes be over-the-top and annoying, especially so now that they have the power to try and change the call if they’re so confident it was wrong. In this way, giving players the power to actually do something about it also gives umpires the chance to tell them to put their money where their mouth is.
The ABS system is an idea that is almost universally viewed as beneficial for the sport. Giving players a chance to have their say if they think a call is wrong (especially in big moments that could change the course of a ballgame) is an excellent addition. Given how much chatter there was constantly about MLB and its umpires, the system is an excellent way to hold umpires accountable and ensure they get it right. However, it also gives umpires a bit of breathing room. They don’t have to sit around and listen to whining and complaining from the batter’s box, mound, or the dugout. Instead, they have the ability to tell the people complaining to stop because there’s an avenue for them to object to the call. If they don’t challenge, they have no reason to complain. And while the system was initially designed for players, it’s a welcome change to see umpires telling players and managers to stop barking for the sake of it.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 17: Ranger Suarez #55 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during the fourth inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers on April 17, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TV: NESN
First Pitch: 6:45 p.m. ET
The Red Sox should believe in Ranger Suárez after a pair of improved starts. Ultimately, that won’t matter unless they can score for him.
The Yankees shut out the Red Sox on Tuesday night for the first time at Fenway Park since 2020. Now, Boston returns to action with Roman Anthony out of the lineup, who will be day-to-day with back tightness.
Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate Wednesday night.
The Yankees send Max Fried to the hill. The talented lefty won 19 games a year ago and sports a 2.37 ERA in his career against Boston. The lefty diced up the Red Sox in the playoff opener last fall before New York’s bullpen relinquished the advantage.
The Mets are getting a huge boost in their lineup on Wednesday night, as superstar Juan Soto returns from the injured list.
Soto hasn’t played since April 3 due to a calf strain, but he’s back in the lineup against the Minnesota Twins, serving as the DH and hitting second.
Soto’s return comes at a time when the Mets desperately need a spark, having lost 12 straight games.
Interestingly enough, Soto told reporters on Wednesday that he didn't reach out to his teammates during the skid, citing the fact that the team has mainly been on the road.
“No, not at all,” Soto said when asked if he had spoken to teammates to try to pick them up during the losing streak. “I mean, they’ve been on the road most of the time, so I haven’t talked to them.”
That being said, Soto did express confidence in the club to be able to rebound from their recent stretch.
“We have a great lineup,” Soto said. “We have guys going through tough times right now…. It’s tough when most of the lineup is going through it. It makes it hard to win games like that.”
“It’s tough to see it,” he added about the losing streak, “and it’s a little uncomfortable to see it from the outside…. It’s a tough time, but we’re going to get out of it.”
While the Mets' lineup has been struggling to score runs lately, Soto had gotten off to a great start prior to his injury, slashing .355/.412/.516 with a home run and 5 RBI.
His presence in the lineup should make a huge difference for the Mets, and Soto is ready to get back between the white lines.
“To be back on the field is always great,” Soto said. “That's what we do this for - to be out there to share a good time with your teammates, to learn, to play the game you love."
“I don’t think there’s going to be any pressure,” he added. “I just need to be myself.”
Christian Scott ready to be back in the bigs
WhenChristian Scott takes the mound on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins, it will have been 642 days since his last big league appearance.
Scott, a fifth-round pick of the Mets in 2021, was called up in May 2024, and right away it looked like he belonged, as he went 6.2 innings of one-run ball against the Tampa Bay Rays in his major league debut.
But after nine starts, Scott’s rookie season came to an early end due to Tommy John surgery.
It’s been a long road back to the majors for Scott, but he’s more than ready for the moment.
“I want it bad. I’m hungry for it,” said the right-hander, who pitched to a 4.56 ERA in his rookie season. “It’s tough to be away from the game for a year. Getting a little taste of it and then obviously getting surgery, but I feel like I belong here and gonna do what I can to stay here and help this team win as many games as I possibly can.”
The Mets are adding Scott to the rotation and having David Peterson pitch out of the bullpen, a move they hope will help them get back on track from what is currently a 12-game losing streak.
“Obviously, we’re in a little bit of a tough stretch right now, but we’ve got a really good ball club,” Scott said, “and if anyone’s going to get out of it, we’re going to get out of it. So, we’re excited for the rest of the season moving forward.”
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 19: Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) dons a team cowboy hat and gets high fives from teammates after hitting a home run in the bottom of the eighth inning during the MLB game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros on April 19, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Houston Astros (10-16) win their first road series of the season.
Yordan Alvarez hit a 2-run homer and Peter Lambert hurled 6 shutout innings as the Astros defeated the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 at Progressive Field, winning their first road series of the season.
Houston got on the board fast against Guardians starter Tanner Bibee. In the top of the first, Carlos Correa led off the game with a double. The next batter was Yordan Alvarez:
The blast was Alvarez’ MLB-leading 11th HR of the season. His now 26 RBI also lead baseball. Yordan would finish the game 3×4, collecting half of the Astros’ 6 hits on the afternoon.
It would be the only runs that an offense that has been one of the high-powered in the league would score today, and it would be enough.
Peter Lambert, making his second start as a Houston Astro, threw 6 shutout innings, allowing just 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 8. Lambert also had 16 called strikes and 16 swings and misses on the afternoon, as he continues to show an uncanny ability to miss bats. He earned his first win of the season t o even his record at 1-1.
A.J. Blubaugh, Steven Okert, and Enyel De Los Santos would complete the final 3 innings without allowing a run. Blubaugh and Okert would record holds and De Los Santos, who got 4 outs for Houston today, would pick up his 3rd Save of the season.
The Astros are off Thursday before coming back home to Daikin Park to begin a 3-game series with the New York Yankees.
With the win, the Astros improve to 10-16 on the season. They are 4GB in the AL West.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 19, 2026: Keyner Martinez #48 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Cincinnati Reds at Scottsdale Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Just three games for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates on Tuesday, as AAA Sacramento once again saw their game postponed due to poor weather. It’s already the fifth time this year that the River Cats have lost a game due to rain, and they’ll try to get it back on Saturday with a scheduled doubleheader. They also pushed back today’s game from a scheduled start time of 12:05 p.m. PT to 6:35.
Nothing can stop the Squirrels, who have responded to their 10-game winning streak being snapped by rattling off 3 straight victories. I’m enjoying this, and I’m sure they are, too!
It was once again the offense that led Richmond to victory, with a powerful attack. The Squirrels only had 9 hits, but were able to turn that into 8 runs thanks to 5 of those knocks going for extra bases.
The biggest contributor in that category was third baseman Sabin Ceballos, who hit 2-4 with a solo home run in the 1st inning, a double, and a strikeout.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 21, 2026
Ceballos, who has a .900 OPS and a 132 wRC+ on the year, is really putting his disappointing 2025 behind him, as the .670 OPS and the 102 wRC+ that he posted in AA last season looks more and more distant with every swing of the bat. It certainly seems that Ceballos has made a concerted effort to be more aggressive in the batter’s box. Last year, his passive approach drew him a lot of walks and kept his strikeout rate delightfully low, but it resulted in a lot of soft contact. As a result, he had just a .232 batting average and a lowly .106 isolated slugging, a disappointing mark after he had showed a lot of power in his debut stint with the organization in 2024, when he came over in the Jorge Soler trade.
This year, he’s bringing the aggression back, and swinging more. The result is that his strikeout rate has jumped (from 17.4% to 25.9%), but so has the average, which has leaped to .271, and the isolated slugging, which is all the way up at .250. After hitting just 6 home runs in 420 plate appearances with Richmond a year ago, Ceballos already has 3 in just 58 plate appearances this season.
All of that said … if you’re ever wondering why hitters who perform well in the Minor Leagues so often struggle in the Major Leagues, well … there are a lot of reasons, and one of them is the defense. It’s very hard to overstate just how bad Minor League defense is relative to what we watch on a daily basis in the big leagues. And as evidence, I present Ceballos’ “double”:
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 21, 2026
The other big star in the game was second baseman Diego Velasquez (No. 31 CPL), who had his best game of the young season, hitting 1-2 with a solo home run, a walk, a sacrifice fly, and a stolen base.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 22, 2026
You’d imagine there’s a little frustration for the switch-hitting Velasquez, who first made it to AA in 2024, and is approaching 800 plate appearances at the level. He certainly hasn’t forced the issue, but you could make the case that his AA assignment is more about roster logistics than his personal development. He had a .677 OPS, a 107 wRC+, and just a 14.3% strikeout rate a year ago, with 19 stolen bases, and that’s someone who you could at least make a compelling argument for being in AAA, were second base not being occupied daily by Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL), whom the Giants certainly prefer at this juncture.
Velasquez’s numbers are quite similar this year to last year, though he has boosted the power a little, and has a .778 OPS and a 109 wRC+, with a 14.9% strikeout rate and 3 stolen bases in as many attempts (it tells you how the Eastern League is playing to start the year that Velasquez has increased his OPS by more than .100 points, but his wRC+ by just 2).
The questions remain for Velasquez — he’s lacking in physicality, lacking in power, and lacking in defensive value — though those are questions that also exist for Furman and Luis Arráez, so that doesn’t seem to be a huge issue for the Giants at the position. That said, it does feel telling that Velasquez wasn’t an NRI, and it seems like the 22-year old will be staying in Virginia for the foreseeable future.
Left fielder Scott Bandura also continued his hot play, hitting 2-5 with a double, a stolen base, and a strikeout, which saw his OPS rise to .905 and his wRC+ to 135. Most notably, Bandura has made a huge cut to his strikeout rate, which has dropped year-over-year from 26.3% in High-A/AA to just 16.2% in AA this year. His swinging strike rate has gone from 10.0% to 7.0%, as he is making more contact and better contact, though, again … Minor League defense, everybody:
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 21, 2026
A pretty uninteresting day on the mound, with RHP Logan Martin (the incoming piece in the Mason Black trade) making his 3rd start for the organization. Martin did some good things, most notably avoiding walking any batters. But on the whole it wasn’t a great showing, as he allowed 4 runs — including a home run — in just 4 innings, with 2 earned runs and 3 strikeouts. Despite the lack of walks, Martin threw just 45 of his 76 pitches for strikes. Martin has done a good job limiting hits this year, with just 9 allowed in 12.1 innings, but he’ll need to increase the strike-throwing. He has a 4.38 ERA and a 4.99 FIP on the season.
RHP Tyler Vogel had another scoreless outing, pitching the 9th inning with 1 hit and 1 walk allowed, plus 1 strikeout. Vogel, who has a very strong case to be made for being in AAA right now, retained his perfect 0.00 ERA, though he has walked 5 batters in just 7 innings. He’s only given up 5 hits though, and no extra-base knocks.
LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) didn’t have the best outing, as he ceded a home run, but he struck out 3 batters in 2.1 innings. It seems the Giants are moving forward with Choate as a reliever this year, and so far the result has been 16 strikeouts in just 10 innings, which is exciting for the funky southpaw.
High-A Eugene (12-4)
Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks) 5-3 Box score
The Ems used a pair of runs in the 8th inning to pull ahead against the Hops, and with that, succeeded in avoiding their first losing streak of the year. Keep that up, I say!
Those 2 runs came off the bat of right fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL), who smacked a go-ahead 2-run home run after Eugene had blown a lead in the bottom of the 7th. Way to save the day, Lisbel!
Diaz, who finished the day 1-4, started the season slow but now has 2 home runs in his last 3 games. That — and a tiny 11.6% strikeout rate — are the lone bright spots on the year for the 20-year old, who has just a .599 OPS and a 55 wRC+ through 10 games, with a .205 batting average and no walks drawn. But on Tuesday he was the hero, and really the only offensive player worth talking about, so here’s to more days worth writing about for the toolsy young outfielder.
The top prospects in Eugene all had a few nice moments, but altogether were uninteresting: center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) hit 2-4 but struck out twice; shortstop Gavin Kilen (No. 7 CPL) hit just 1-5 with a strikeout; designated hitter Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL) hit 1-4 with a walk, a stolen base (his 10th!) and a strikeout; and left fielder Carlos Gutierrez (No. 18 CPL) went 1-4 with a double and a strikeout.
It was a really nice day on the mounding, starting with, well … the starter, LHP Charlie McDaniel. An undrafted free agent who debuted last year, McDaniel really struggled in 7 post-promotion starts with Eugene in 2025, posting a 5.77 ERA and a 4.82 FIP. But so far his 2026 is a case of learning and adapting, and Tuesday was the next data point, as he went 5 strong innings with just 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run allowed, while striking out 4. That was the 1st run that McDaniel had allowed all year (this was his 3rd start), and he needed just 61 pitches to get through 5 innings, throwing 41 of them for strikes.
McDaniel is remarkably consistent when it comes to throwing strikes. In Low-A last year, he walked 2.2 batters per 9 innings, then 2.4 in Eugene, and now 2.5 this year. His strikeouts per 9 innings, over those same 3 periods, went from 8.6 to 8.4 to 8.2. Consistency!
He’s a contact pitcher, and what he’s doing better this year is getting the ball back on the ground. He pitched well in San Jose in his debut season when he had a 46.8% ground ball rate, with just 0.3 home runs per 9 innings allowed. His struggles in Eugene last year included just a 33.3% ground ball rate, and 1.6 dingers per 9. This year? A 54.2% ground ball rate, and no home runs allowed yet.
RHP Ben Peterson closed out the game with a brilliant showing, striking out 2 batters while tossing 2 perfect innings. Like McDaniel, Peterson is an undrafted free agent who debuted last season and, like McDaniel, he wasn’t too sharp upon his Eugene debut following a 2025 promotion. In 27 innings last year, the UNC alum struck out 27 batters, while walking 12. But this year, the 24-year old already has 12 strikeouts in just 8 innings … and with only 1 free pass.
Low-A San Jose (12-4)
San Jose Giants beat the Ontario Tower Buzzers (Dodgers) 12-2 Box score
Another offensive explosion for the Baby Giants, who scored in double digits for the whopping 6th time already this season. Perhaps their big brothers in San Francisco could learn to do the same?
Yet despite the gaudy run total (again), the star for San Jose was on the mound, in the form of RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL). We haven’t talked about Martinez all that much this year, but Tuesday’s start was one worth discussing, as the 21-year old was nothing short of dynamic.
Martinez, who was signed in 2023 out of Venezuela and enjoyed a serious breakout season a year ago, mowed down Ontario batters for 5 innings, giving up just 1 hit — a swinging bunt — and walking 1 batter, while striking out 7. That’s how you introduce a new team to the California League (this is the 1st season of affiliated ball for Ontario [California, not Canada], and the 1st game between the the Tower Buzzers and Baby Giants).
#SFGiants #7 prospect Keyner Martinez has his best start of 2026, wrapping up his day with a line of:
It was a tremendous display of strike-throwing prowess for Martinez, who did hit a batter, but threw 45 of 62 pitches for strikes. Martinez had a dominant showing in the ACL a year ago, and backed it up with a very nice run of games in a short stint with San Jose. But his 2025 got off to a slow start, as he allowed 7 runs in 6.2 innings through his 1st 2 starts. But it turns out that the 3rd time is, indeed, the charm. And now he looks much more like himself. And while the overall numbers are still poor — he has a 5.40 ERA and a 5.02 FIP — Martinez has 16 strikeouts against 5 walks in 11.2 innings, and those are exciting numbers.
RHP Jose T. Perez also pitched well, coming out of the bullpen to throw 2 scoreless innings with 1 hit, 1 walk, and 1 hit batter, plus 4 strikeouts. It’s been a fascinating career for the 22-year old Perez, who was signed in 2021 out of the Dominican Republic. He pitched just 3.1 innings that year, then lost the rest of the season to injury … and also all of 2022 ….. and 2023 ….. and 2024. He returned last year, made 1 appearance in the DSL, and then was the rare in-season international promotion, as he jumped up to the ACL. His numbers weren’t great in Arizona, but he still ended the season with a short stint in San Jose, where he begins this year, his 1st year of full-season ball.
Perez is struggling with command, as he’s walked 8 batters in 7.1 innings, but he’s also struck out 10, en route to a 6.14 ERA and a 7.58 FIP through 4 outings. Patience is certainly required, as this was just the 18th game of his young career.
The offense again put on a show, knocking 12 hits and drawing 9 walks. The star was first baseman Hayden Jatczak, an undrafted free agent from Kent State playing in his debut season. The right-handed hitter was an absolute force to be reckoned with, hitting 2-3 with a 3-run home run, drawing 2 walks, knocking in 4 runs, and striking out once. Hell of a day at the office!
Jatczak’s debut season has been a dream thus far, as he’s rocking a 1.019 OPS and a 161 wRC+ with a higher walk rate (22.9%) than strikeout rate (17.1%) through 15 games. The cold water for the UDFA is obvious, however: he’ll turn 25 later this season, and is nearly 3 years older than his average peer at the level. So we’ll need to see him face more advanced pitching before we start to mention him alongside Bo Davidson and Parks Harber as the next great undrafted hitter in the team’s system. But you can only beat up on the pitchers in front of you, and so far Jatczak is doing exactly that.
Also doing that is right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL) whose torrential attack on Cal League pitchers continues. Maldonado had just another brilliant day, hitting 3-4 with a double, a sacrifice fly, and a strikeout, while stealing 2 bases. It really does feel like July’s 7th-round pick found something, and saw it all click together. Following a subpar brief debut last year, look at what Maldonado has done to start his 1st full season:
First 9 games: 6-34, 0 home runs, 0 doubles Next 5 games: 13-21, 6 home runs, 3 doubles
And just like that, the 22-year old has a 1.158 OPS and a 175 wRC+, and is putting himself on the radar.
Nice games for left fielder Damian Bravo and designated hitter Jeremiah Jenkins. Bravo, a 22-year old 15th-round pick in 2025, hit 2-4 with a double and a hit by pitch, raising his OPS to .780 and his wRC+ to 86; Jenkins, a 22-year old 14th-round pick in 2024, went 2-3 with a double, 2 walks, and a strikeout, boosting his OPS to 1.151 and his wRC+ to 182 in his 2nd pass through the level.
Speaking of “level,” it was the rare quiet day for shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) who hit just 1-5, though he didn’t strike out and he had an RBI. Level now has a 10-game hitting streak as he continues to look like a star in the making, even on his quiet days.
Juan Soto | (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Mets have officially reinstated Juan Soto from the injured list, and he’ll serve as designated hitter and bat second tonight as the Mets face Twins left-handed pitcher Connor Prielipp.
In a corresponding move, the Mets optioned catcher Hayden Senger to Triple-A Syracuse. The team had previously been carrying three catchers—Francisco Alvarez, Luis Torrens, and Senger—but will proceed with two.
Since Soto exited early from an April 3 game against San Francisco with a right calf strain, the Mets have gone 4-12, with all dozen losses coming as part of an ongoing 12-game losing streak. Over the course of those twelve games, the Mets have scored just 22 runs, and the team’s 75 runs scored on the season rank last in baseball. In other words, they’re certainly hoping Soto, who was batting .355 with a .928 OPS in eight games before getting hurt, can pick up right where he left off.
Senger, meanwhile, didn’t get any in-game action during his few days on the active roster after being recalled on Saturday. He will join a Syracuse lineup that is currently seeing far better times than the major league squad.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 17: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners looks on against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at T-Mobile Park on April 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There have been several low moments already in this young season but dropping last night’s game – and therefore the series – to the A’s ranks pretty high up there, for me. After taking back some momentum with a series win against Texas, the Mariners have let that slip through their fingers, again struggling to come up with clutch hits and string together offensive threats, leaving the pitching staff, which has not been perfect, little to no room for error. Logan Gilbert has the task of trying to right the ship today, and while he’s historically been good at playing the role of stopper, this year’s version of Logan Gilbert hasn’t quite looked like his 2023 self.
Lineups:
The A’s are sending Aaron Civale to the mound.
Roster News:
The A’s made a roster move prior to today’s game, moving OF Denzel Clarke (Josh Naylor’s cousin!) to the 10-day IL and selecting OF Colby Thomas from Triple-A Las Vegas.
As a reminder, the Mariners have made a couple of moves this week: first, moving Brendan Donovan to the 10-day IL and calling up INF Will Wilson from Tacoma; and second, calling up RHP Alex Hoppe and DFAing Casey Legumina.
Game Information:
Game time: 1:1o PT
TV: Mariners TV, with Aaron Goldsmith and Ryon Healy, and Angie Mentink as field reporter
Radio: Seattle Sports 710, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 17: Aaron Civale #45 of the Athletics pitches against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park on April 17, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Having won the first two games of this series against the Seattle Mariners, the first-place Athletics enter this afternoon’s matchup at T-Mobile Park seeking to complete the series sweep and extend their road winning streak to eight games. It’s still early, but a road sweep of the defending division champion would signal that Mark Kotsay’s A’s are not to be taken lightly and are ready to contend in the American League West.
Today, right-hander Aaron Civale takes the mound for the A’s. The 30-year-old right hander is 2-1 with a 3.54 ERA through his first four starts with the A’s. He pitched well in his first three starts, all taking place on the road. This past Friday, Civale did not fare as well in his first start at Sutter Health Park. Facing the Chicago White Sox, he allowed 11 hits and five runs over 4 2/3 innings, suffering his first loss of the season. This afternoon presents Civale with a prime opportunity to rebound, as the Seattle Mariners’ offense has struggled and their ballpark is one of the most pitcher-friendly in the league.
Here’s how the A’s lineup behind Civale will look:
Hoping to bring out the brooms, the A’s are running it back with nearly the same lineup as the previous two games. Zack Gelof returns to the bench after making two straight starts in center field. Austin Wynns is behind the plate, while fellow catcher Shea Langeliers serves as the designated hitter as he looks to homer for a third consecutive game. Lawrence Butler shifts to center field after the team placed Denzel Clarke on the injured list this morning. Meanwhile, his replacement, outfielder Colby Thomas, could get some playing time these next few games as he has been swinging a hot bat at Triple-A.
The Athletics lineup faces a tough task today against Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert, who enters his sixth start with a 1-3 record and a 4.03 ERA. Gilbert is a major reason Seattle has one of the best starting rotations in baseball, as hecan be tough to hit when he’s in rhythm. A’s hitters, especially Jacob Wilson and Max Muncy, must be patient at the plate and avoid chasing pitches from Gilbert that are not strikes. The Mariners’ bullpen has not pitched well this series, so the sooner the A’s chase Gilbert, the better their chances are of winning.
Seattle is likewise rolling out a mostly regular lineup for today’s matinee matchup. Civale must be careful when pitching to catcher Cal Raleigh, who has homered in each of the first two games of the series, matching Langeliers. Raleigh is not the only threat, with teammates Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor also poised to do damage at the plate.
Time to leave the Pacific Northwest with a sweep before heading to Texas to take on the Rangers. Let’s go A’s!
Apr 22, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates with Tampa Bay Rays third base coach Brady Williams (4) after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images
The Rays were looking to wrap up their home series against the Reds by avoiding the series sweep. To get there, they had Nick Martinez on the mound up against Brandon Williamson for the Reds. This sets up the delightful situation where we will see Williamson vs Williamson at-bats.
TJ Friedl kicked off the first inning with a leadoff single. With one out, Elly De La Cruz hit into a force out, eliminating Friedl, and then on the next batter, Martinez got out of the inning with no damage done. The Rays went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Martinez had a nice follow-up inning, getting the Reds out in order in the top half of the inning. Ryan Vilade took a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning, then Jonny DeLuca walked right behind him. With two men on, Ben Williamson won the first Williamson vs Williamson challenge, hitting an RBI single to bring Vilade home. Chandler Simpson hit a sac fly, bringing in DeLuca, with a little help from a throwing error by Will Benson. Nick Fortes got a free bag after being hit by a pitch. Taylor Walls then hit into a force out, eliminating Fortes at second but advancing Williamson to third. Yandy Diaz then singled, bringing in the third run of the inning.
The Reds once again went 1-2-3 in the third. Perhaps they shouldn’t have used up so many runs earlier in the series? Not that we’re complaining of course. In the home half, Junior Caminero wasted no time extending the lead, getting a leadoff solo home run.
Ryan Vilade singled, and then appeared to get caught in a double play off the bat of Johnny DeLuca, but the Rays called for a review of the whole play. The out call at second was upheld, but it was clear almost immediately that DeLuca was safe at first, and the out call there was overturned. Unfortunately, Williamson then hit into another double play, and that did end the inning.
Matt McLain started the fourth inning with a single, but it was the only fumble from Martinez in the inning as he got the next three outs in order. Simpson started the bottom of the inning with a single, but the double plays kept coming as Nick Fortes eliminated the baserunner. A third out followed to end the inning with no scoring on either side.
Nathaniel Lowe singled in the fifth, followed quickly by a double from Spencer Steer, putting two men in scoring position and no outs. Will Benson then walked to load the bases and bring the potential tying run to the plate. Not a good place for Martinez and the Rays to be in. P.J. Higgins hit a sac fly to bring in the first Reds’ run of the game. Friedl reached on a fielder’s choice, but the Rays were able to get the runner out at home, and then collect the final out to end the inning. It was a bad situation that could have been much worse, so giving up only one run was a pretty decent way for it to end. Still, not the best inning we’ve seen from Martinez this game.
Yandy Diaz singled to start the home half, and Williamson moved to cover first, but the ball got past him, then Yandy had to do a quick turnaround to get back to first, which he had overrun. He slipped and fell on his butt on the bag. It was pretty delightful. Jonathan Aranda walked. With one out, Vilade singled, bringing Diaz home and getting back the run from the top of the inning. This also chased Williamson from the game, replacing him with Connor Phillips. Phillips faced only one batter, inducing a double play to end the game.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Sal Stewart singled into left. Lots of broken bats in this game, too. Shards of wood everywhere. A piece of Stewart’s bat actually almost hit Eugenio Suarez in the on-deck circle, yikes. Two outs followed the single, sending the Reds back to the bullpen with no runs scored. The Rays didn’t get any further ahead in the bottom of the inning, though Fortes did have a hit that looked like it might go for extra bases, except it was robbed by Friedl in the outfield on a really spectacular catch.
Chandler Simpson returned the favor to Spencer Steer to start the seventh, snagging a fly ball at the wall. Immediately after that, Simpson made another incredible grab. Man, he’s fun to watch out there. A swinging strikeout ended the inning. Walls singled to start the home half of the seventh. Diaz then singled, getting Walls all the way to third. Aranda was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Junior Caminero then grounded out, scoring another runner in Walls and two runners in scoring position. That was it for Phillips, who was replaced by Tony Santillan. A pinch-hitting Richie Palacios reached on a fielder’s choice with Diaz getting tagged out in a rundown between third and home. The Rays ended up having to settle for the one run, but it extended their lead to 6-1.
Nick Martinez was still in heading into the eighth, and he’d really course-corrected nicely from the one bad inning. He was obviously still feeling good, because he got the side out in order. Brock Burke and his 60-grade baseball name was the next reliever out of the pen for the Reds and he got the Rays out in order.
Martinez’s day was over in the ninth, his final line for the day was 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K on 95 pitches. Aside from that one rough inning, it was a spectacular outing for Martinez against his former team. Kevin Kelly came out of the pen to replace him, hoping to get the final 3 outs of the inning cleanly. And he did just that, getting the Reds out in order to wrap things up and keep the sweep at bay.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Atlanta Braves bats against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves defeated the Phillies 4-2. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While a lot of the regulars for the Braves have started to really get going at the plate, there are still a smal handful of players who are scuffling about while looking to finally get a foothold on this current season of baseball. One of those regulars is Mike Yastrzemski, who has gotten off to a slow start as an outfielder for the Braves so far.
That won’t stop Walt Weiss from providing him opportunities to get going, as the manager has Yaz in there in the lineup as the starting left fielder and batting eighth against right-hander Zack Littell and the Washington Nationals.
Additionally, Mauricio Dubón continues to start at shortstop after starting on Tuesday and getting a day off on Monday against the right-hander Jake Irvin. Jonah Heim is playing catcher for another day as well while Drake Baldwin continues to get ABs as the DH. Right now, the pattern appears to be that if Baldwin catches, Dominic Smith will be the designated hitter and if Baldwin DHs then Jonah Heim will be the starter. We’ll see if that continues once Murphy eventually makes his return in lieu of Heim.
This’ll be Yaz’s first time facing off against Littell and hopefully this’ll be what he needs to start getting into a groove. Meanwhile, Austin Riley and Ronald Acuña Jr. have both homered off of Littell in the past, so hopefully we’ll see a bit more of that later this evening.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 19: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox hits a two-run home run against the Athletics in the top of the fifth inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on April 19, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Picture this. A player with unfathomable power who obliterates every ball he makes contact with and a decent understanding of the strike zone. Picture that player also with a very steep bat path that creates a massive hole in his swing that makes them extremely prone for in-zone whiffs, to the point where they can go stretches where making contact would be an accomplishment.
Who am I describing? Maybe, for older fans, Rob Deer comes to mind. Perhaps Adam Dunn or Mark Reynolds, the real three-true-outcome pioneers. Maybe it’s Joey Gallo, whose tenure in New York is still a fresh wound to some. Hell, it can describe late-career Giancarlo Stanton to an extent.
Some of the more prospect-minded of you probably thought of Spencer Jones and, if we’re being honest, that’s pretty reasonable, but the player I’m specifically describing has nothing to do with the Yankees at the moment: Munetaka Murakami. Just look at that Baseball Savant page!
The former NPB star signed a surprisingly cheap two-year deal with the Chicago White Sox in the offseason after his once-nine-figure value fell apart after injuries and startlingly bad contact numbers slowed down the hype train in Japan. There were real concerns that he just wouldn’t be able to make enough contact against major league pitching for his undeniable, generational power to take hold. That also sounds familiar, no?
In reality, the prospect Jones and Murakami are extremely similar hitters. I’d say Murakami has better plate discipline, as he’s had a very impressive start in terms of chase rate, but Jones makes up for it with his startling raw power. Both have big holes in their swings in terms of in-zone contact (Jones 60.2%, Murakami 68.5%) that rank towards the bottom of professional baseball, but both run solid walk rates. As pure baseball players, you could argue Jones has a higher floor with his plus-speed and defense at a more premium position than first base, where Murakami has been OK after a disastrous time at third base in the NPB, but that isn’t what we’re focusing on.
With all the similarities between them, what Murakami does should be watched by not only Yankees fans, but the Yankees’ organization. If he flounders with prolonged slumps against the pure nastiness of MLB pitching, that could prove to be a concerning sign for Jones. On other hand, success from Murakami in spite of his flaws could provide a roadmap for Jones, who is 15 months younger and on the doorstep of the major leagues.
The overall range of Murakami’s damage thus far has been centered on absolutely demolishing bad pitches. He enters Tuesday with an average exit velocity of 99.6 mph on pitches in the heart of the plate with a .571 xwOBA, elite numbers on pitches that are meant to be crushed.
One of the most damning stats on Murakami in NPB was his struggles against high velocity, but even though most pitchers in MLB nowadays are capable of throwing 95, there are still softer throwers that Murakami has been able to feast on. Of his eight home runs to this point, just one of them was hit off a fastball over 94.5 mph, which was a 98.3 mph heater from Elvis Alvarado over the weekend.
So far, he has just two hits all season on pitches above 95 mph and a whiff rate above 30 percent, but he’s still managed to put good swings on the ball and is actually underperforming the expected stats. As you might expect with a tremendously high strikeout rate and a low chase rate, that means a whole lot of whiffs in the zone:
If we compare these to Jones, the Yankees’ prospect is doing even more damage on pitches over the heart of the plate (.602 xwOBA, 102.3 avg EV) but is whiffing more (31.3 percent) in Triple-A. Against 95+, Jones is running an untenable 53.6 Whiff%, but is obliterating the ball when he makes contact. That’s been the story of both of their seasons, which is what makes them theoretically such similar players.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Jones would be on the major-league roster of maybe 10 teams across the majors with his tremendous upside, but he finds himself blocked in the Yankees’ system, which has three big-money starting outfielders, but a spot could open up soon, whether that’s next year, or midseason. If someone gets hurt, there’s a chance he’s first up instead of his fellow prospect-in-limbo Jasson Domínguez after being added to the 40-man roster in the offseason.
If there’s any player across the league that we should keep a close eye on, it’s Murakami. There’s no better comp for Jones as he gets closer and closer to making his MLB debut, and what Murakami does over the course of his first major league season could give us a major clue regarding Jones’ chances of making it in the bigs.
The San Diego Padres have signed veteran right-hander Lucas Giolito, bolstering the surging club’s injury-plagued rotation with the top starter left on the free agent market.
The Padres announced a one-year deal for Giolito with a mutual option for 2027. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.
The 31-year-old Giolito is a Southern California native who went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts last year for the Boston Red Sox, bouncing back solidly after missing the entire 2024 season because his right ulnar collateral ligament was repaired with an internal brace that March.
Giolito has played parts of nine seasons in the majors for Washington, the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland, going 71-66, with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.
He has been durable and dependable for most of his career while earning an All-Star selection in 2019 and throwing a no-hitter in 2020. Despite missing a season because of injury, he ranks in the top five among AL pitchers from 2018-25 in innings pitched (1,092), strikeouts (1,153), wins (68) and complete games (5).
But Giolito remained on the free agent market nearly one month into the regular season before landing with the Padres, who are pitching superbly this season despite major upheaval and injury problems in their rotation.
Opening day starter Nick Pivetta went on the injured list with a right elbow flexor strain that could keep him out for months, while Joe Musgrove has yet to make his season debut after a slower-than-expected return from Tommy John surgery. Yu Darvish already is out for the season with an elbow injury, and Dylan Cease left last fall for a $210 million free-agent deal with Toronto.
Yet the Padres’ team ERA is the second lowest in the majors at 3.22 after they beat Colorado 1-0 for their 11th victory in 12 games. San Diego (16-7) is even with the back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the majors.
General manager A.J. Preller figured out a way to fit Giolito under his budget even while his team is in ownership transition. The family of late Padres owner Peter Seidler is nearing a sale of the team to billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones.
Giolito will slot immediately into a rotation that currently includes Michael King, Randy Vásquez, Germán Márquez and former Dodgers star Walker Buehler. Right-hander Matt Waldron took a start last week after Pivetta’s injury but struggled in a loss to the Angels.
Giolito agreed to a two-year, $38.5 million contract with Boston in January 2024. He will attempt to build on his strong work with the Red Sox in 2025, when he went 9-1 with a 2.26 ERA in 15 starts from June 10 to Aug. 31 after a slower start to the season. Opponents hit .194 (25 for 129) against his changeup and .200 (3 for 15) against his curveball.
He was left off Boston’s postseason roster after experiencing some elbow discomfort in mid-September, but there was no structural damage — something he said was “a small relief in a very unfortunate situation.”
“As it was described to me in layman’s terms, my flexor is very irritated and at this point it’s hard for me to describe,” Giolito said after Game 1 of Boston’s AL Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees. “It’s like weird stuff going on with my bone. It’s one of those things I was told you got to stop throwing and let it calm down.”
Giolito hasn’t pitched in the postseason since 2021, when he made his second career playoff appearance for the White Sox.
San Diego transferred right-hander Bryan Hoeing to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Giolito on the 40-man roster.
Apr 22, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrera (48) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins during the ninth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Game Summary
The Marlins jump Leahy for an early 2-0 with death by a thousand cuts singles with too many walks sprinkled in. The Cardinals come out swinging against Junk (literally and figuratively), but muster only a weak single against him. Leahy labors through 5 innings, giving up 8 hits, 3 walks, 1 HBP and 4 runs. Not his best day. The getaway Cardinal lineup musters but 4 hits and it took a ninth solo HR by Herrera avoids a shutout. The getaway lineup was not particularly sharp defensively, either. On the bright side, the Cardinal bullpen navigated 3 IP without giving up a run or a walk. That was pretty much the bright spot of the day.
Line-up (and roster) machinations
An early start today, noon Eastern.
A getaway day line-up today, if there ever was one. For both sides.
Leahy takes the mound for the Cardinals. Ironically, Junk takes the mound for the Marlins. Queue the jokes.
Burleson gets a day. Gorman into the three hole and playing third.
Urias is the back-up first baseman, it turns out. Hitting clean-up.
Winn gets a day, too. Saggese in at short.
Walker gets a day, too. Church in right, Fermin in left.
No Pozo? I missed the news that he is redshirting this year.
The Game Details
T1 – Wetherholt F7 on the first pitch. Herrera F8. Gorman lines out L8. Quick inning.
B1 – 1-3. 3u. 4-3. Leahy gets through a quick inning.
T2 – Urias reaches on E5. Fermin promptly GIDP. Church K’s. Guess they can’t hit Junk.
B2 – Single. Single. FC at third. RBI single. HBP. As efficient as the first inning was, this has been the opposite. P2. Bases loaded walk after 0-2 count plates another run. 4-3 closes out the inning. Marlins up 2-0.
T3 – Sags 5-3. Pages singles to break the no-no by Junk. Scott II forces Pages at second. Lots of swings today, typical of getaway day. It’s funny how plate discipline wanes on these days. Wetherholt F8.
B3 – K. L8. Walk. What is with these walks? It is an epidemic. All four balls were “waste” pitches. Totally non-competitive. F9.
T4 – Herrera F8. Gorman F7. Urias 6-3. A seven-pitch inning. Junk at 36 pitches through four innings. Cardinals trying to get him a complete game.
B4 – 1-3. Another walk. He is missing by a lot! Most of his pitches are non-competitive. Not much on the borderline. Single. An RBI single, but Church does get the backside runner going to third for the second out. 9-5 is the scoring. Stolen base. Urias makes a nice play 3-1 to end the inning. Marlins now up 3-0.
T5 – Pages F8. Saggese K. Church earns a walk. Fermin hits into hard luck out 5-3.
B5 – Single. 4-3 advances a runner who was on the move with the pitch. An RBI single, followed by another single signals that Leahy is really laboring. A caught stealing and a K re-direct the inning to a more positive end. Leahy is assuredly done. His line through 5 innings – 8 hits, 3 walks, 1 HBP and 4 runs. 89 pitches, only 50 for strikes.
T6 – Nardi in for Junk. He pitched 5 shutout IP, 1 hit, 1 BB. Scott K. Wetherholt K. Herrera 4-3. Ho-hum.
B6 – Graceffo in. Single. Single. F8 and GIDP allow GG to make a good recovery. Still Marlins up 4-0.
T7 – Gorman doubles. Bender in for Nardi. Urias F8. Fermin backwards K. Saggese’s struggles continue 6-3.
B7 – Svanson in for Graceffo. K. F7. 6-3. Good inning for a guy that needed one.
T8 – Petersen in for Bender. Pages backwards K. Scott swinging K. Wetherholt backwards K. Been that kind of day.
B8 – Fernandez in for Svanson. K. E-3. Single loads the bases. P6. K. Ends the uprising.
T9 – Bachar in for Petersen. Herrera with a lead-off solo HR. Gorman walks. Urias P6. Fairbanks in for the save. Fermin F7. Church K to end the game after an 8-pitch PA. 4-1 Marlins in your final.
Post-Game Notes
Check out Today on the Farm – Wednesday 4/22 for updates on MiLB action. Two teams play day games today.
After the game today, a flight home followed by an apparently well-timed off day. Seattle comes into town for a weekend tilt, which will be a very brief 3-game homestand.
Paid attendance for this game was less than 7,600. Actual attendance well less than that. These teams drew better in Spring Training at RDS.
On this day 86 years ago, Vallie Eaves set a club record that still stands, with 12 walks — and left the game in line for the win!
1900 After a loss debuting in the American League on April 21, the White Sox split the weekend and got in the winning column with a 5-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in front of a Sunday crowd of 15,000 fans at South Side Park.
The deciding run came in the seventh inning, snapping a 3-3 tie, when left fielder Dan Lally singled home right fielder Herm McFarland on a hit-and-run. Lally, McFarland and shortstop Frank Shugart all collected two hits apiece in Chicago’s 11-hit attack. Starter Roger Denzer got the complete game victory.
1940 In his season debut, sixth career game and fourth career start, Vallie Eaves set a White Sox record that still stands, with 12 walks over 7 2/3 innings in a 6-5 loss vs. Detroit. The rookie fell behind in the second inning after four walks, a wild pitch, a double and triple — but escaped the inning down just 2-0! Another three walks and a wild pitch saw Eaves get the hook in the eighth inning — amazingly, the righty left the game with a 5-3 lead and ended up with an adequate game score of 46, given his seven strikeouts. He walked in two of Detroit’s three runs on his watch, but it was Clint Brown out of the White Sox bullpen who blew the game, and Eaves’ shot at his first White Sox win.
Just 13 pitchers have ever thrown more than 12 walks in a single game, with two of them coming against the White Sox — including a 14-walk game, tied for fourth-most ever.
1955 It was the first time the White Sox ever played in Kansas City, and outfielder Jim Rivera would make it a memorable night by scoring what would be stand up as the deciding run in the 5-4 victory. Chico Carrasquel had the biggest night for the victors, going 4-for-5 with a double and a home run. Chicago improved to 5-2 on the season.
And stay tuned to Today in White Sox History, because the very next day packed an even bigger wallop.
1959 In one of the most bizarre innings in baseball history, the White Sox got 11 runs in the seventh inning of a 20-6 win at Kansas City.
The uniqueness of it was that fact that those 11 runs scored on only one hit! It took 45 minutes to play the half-inning, with Johnny Callison getting the only Sox hit. Jim Landis made two of the three outs, both on comebackers to the pitcher.
Through six innings, the White Sox trailed Kansas City, 6-1. Here is the play-by-play of the historic proceedings from there:
GORMAN REPLACED WARD (PITCHING)
Ray Boone reached on an error by DeMaestri [Booneto first]
Al Smith reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt by Smith [Boone to second]
Johnny Callison singled to right [Boone scored (unearned) (error by Maris), Smithscored (unearned) (error by Maris), Callison to third]
Luis Aparicio walked [Aparicio stole second]
Bob Shaw walked
EARL TORGESON BATTED FOR SAMMY ESPOSITO
FREEMAN REPLACED GORMAN (PITCHING)
Torgeson walked (walk was charged to Gorman) [Callison scored, Aparicioto third, Shaw to second]
Nellie Fox walked [Aparicioscored, Shaw to third, Torgeson to second]
Jim Landis forced Shaw(pitcher to catcher) [Torgeson to third, Fox to second]
Sherm Lollar walked [Torgeson scored (unearned), Fox to third, Landis to second]
BRUNET REPLACED FREEMAN (PITCHING)
Boone walked [Foxscored (unearned), Landis to third, Lollar to second]
Smith walked [Landis scored (unearned), Lollarto third, Boone to second]
Callisonwas hit by a pitch [Lollar scored (unearned), Boone to third, Smith to second]
LOU SKIZAS RAN FOR CALLISON
Apariciowalked [Boonescored (unearned), Smith to third, Skizas to second]
Shaw struck out
BUBBA PHILLIPS BATTED FOR TORGESON
Phillipswalked [Smith scored (unearned), Skizas to third, Aparicio to second]
Fox walked [Skizas scored (unearned), Aparicioto third, Phillips to second]
Landis grounded out (pitcher to first)
If you made it to the end, all told that’s 11 runs, one hit, three errors, three left on base, 10 walks and one hit-by-pitch.
The 11 runs in the seventh inning are the most the Sox have ever scored in that frame. The 20 runs scored is tied for fifth-most in franchise history.
Ironically, this game came almost exactly four years after the White Sox scored their most-runs ever in a game, 29, on April 22, 1955 — against these same Kansas City Athletics!
1972 In the first game of a doubleheader against the Royals at Comiskey Park, White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood reached on a fielder’s choice and scored the only run of the game thanks to an error, in the 1-0 win. Wood went the distance, allowing seven hits in a game that lasted less than two hours.
The Sox also won the second game, 3-2, thanks to a home run from Carlos May in the eighth inning.
1991 Frank Thomas hit the first White Sox home run in new Comiskey Park, a two-run blast in the fifth inning, off of Ben McDonald. It was also the first-ever night game played at the park and the first save earned by a White Sox pitcher there (Bobby Thigpen). The White Sox defeated Baltimore, 8-7.
1998 Ray Durham tied a major league record by reaching base safely three times via error in a 14-7 win over a sloppy Cleveland club that committed five errors overall. Durham reached base six times in the game, getting three additional hits, as well as scoring four runs and knocking in two.
Amazingly, Durham also advanced bases on the two other errors in the game, once advancing to third due to a wild throw on a steal of second base, and also getting all the way home when his triple forced another error.
Four of the five errors were committed by future White Sox: Kenny Lofton, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Jim Thome (two).
2000 The White Sox and Tigers had a brawl that reminded many longtime fans of the fights from the 1950s with the Yankees. This one lasted for almost 30 minutes and saw eight players from both sides get kicked out, along with Sox manager Jerry Manuel. A record number of 16 players would be fined and subsequently suspended.
The brawl started after Detroit pitcher Jeff Weaver hit Paul Konerko in the fourth inning, and Carlos Lee in the sixth. Sox pitcher Jim Parque then drilled Detroit’s Dean Palmer leading off the seventh, and the fight was on.
One of the lingering memories was relief pitcher Keith Foulke suffering a gash on his face courtesy of a sucker punch thrown by either Karim Garcia or Bobby Higginson; Foulke needed five stiches to close the wound. Tigers catcher Robert Fick was seen taunting White Sox fans in the bleacher seats in right field, and got deluged with beer over it.
The Sox won the game, 14-6, and used it as a rallying point for the rest of the season, as they went on to win 95 games en route to a division championship.
2024 The nightmare White Sox season continued, as they were shut out in Minnesota, 7-0, dropping their record to an unbelievable 3-19. It was the eighth time in the first 22 games the team was held without a run, which had never happened before in baseball history.
