The Philadelphia Phillies play host to the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park this evening.
Philly took the series opener 13-7 last night, but my Cubs vs. Phillies predictions are backing the visitors as underdogs on Tuesday.
Here are my best free MLB picks for this NL clash on April 14.
Who will win Cubs vs Phillies today: Cubs moneyline (+120)
Riley Martin will take the mound as the Chicago Cubs opener tonight, with Colin Rea serving as a bulk reliever. Martin has looked sharp as a reliever, while Rea has a 3.18 ERA this year and pitched to a 3.95 ERA in 159 2/3 frames last season.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies are giving the pill to Aaron Nola, who had an ugly 6.01 ERA in 2025. The veteran right-hander gives up too much hard contact and is susceptible to the long ball.
Martin and Rea are both ground-ball pitchers, and that could be the difference, with both teams boasting plenty of pop in their lineups.
COVERS INTEL: Aaron Nola sits in the bottom 40th percentile in hard-hit rate and barrel rate, with opponents slugging .471 against him since the start of last season.
Cubs vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (-110)
Although both of these teams have middling numbers this season, they combined for 20 runs last night. Each club scored at a high level last year and has dangerous lineups on paper, so they should find their groove eventually.
I'm expecting the Cubs’ big bats to get to Nola, which is why I like them as underdogs on the moneyline.
That said, I also don't have much faith in Rea, who finished in the 25th percentile in xERA (4.55), xBA (.261), and barrel rate (10.3%) last year.
Rohit Ponnaiya's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-5, -2.88 units
Over/Under bets: 4-1, +2.75 units
Cubs vs Phillies odds
Moneyline: Cubs +120 | Phillies -140
Run line: Cubs +1.5 (-156) | Phillies -1.5 (+150)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-110) | Under 9.5 (-110)
Cubs vs Phillies trend
The Over is 6-2 in Chicago's last eight games (+4.90 Units / 54% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Phillies.
How to watch Cubs vs Phillies and game info
Location
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
truTV, TBS
Cubs starting pitcher
Riley Martin (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcher
Aaron Nola (1-1, 3.64 ERA)
Cubs vs Phillies latest injuries
Cubs vs Phillies 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.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 02: Starter Reynaldo López #40 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Chase Field on April 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
He’s back!
And just in time, yesterday was not the opener the Atlanta Braves were looking for to start this homestead against the Miami Marlins. The early pulling of Grant Holmes initially raised concerns until Walt Weiss’ reasoning behind his decision was later explained.
Let’s look at these pitching matchups to gear up for game two in what Braves fans hope will be a get-back after yesterday’s outing.
There’s not really a whole bunch to rediscover as we look at Reynaldo López and what he brings to the mound. Coming in this matchup with a 1.15 ERA, López has been looking pretty dominant and in control during his three appearances thus far (Don’t bring Soler into the mix). Even in his last outing against the Los Angeles Angels, he recorded seven strikeouts across his 4.2 innings before getting pulled.
This outing is more of a continuation for López to pick up where he left off last week, but also a chance to set the tone early against the Marlins in hopes of the offense doing the same (obviously).
So, what should we expect on the other side?
Max Meyer (3.68 ERA) is also coming in for his fourth start of the season. Looking at his record from 2024 and 2025, Meyer tends to perform weaker on the road, gaining a 5.88 ERA away last year across five games. This year, however, things could always shift, especially with the quality of his pitches improving, similar to how his appearances reflected in the beginning of last year before his injury at the end.
The Braves’ offense needs to keep an eye out for his filthy changeup and even sneakier slider, which is his signature weapon of choice to get him out of traffic.
Meyer is learning to stabilize the rest of his five-pitch arsenal to complement his go-to and prolong his successful stint as the rest of the season kicks off.
Game two, the Braves need a bounce-back before the finale, as the only MLB team that hasn’t lost a series yet, they’re looking a lot like themselves, with just a few kinks to straighten out in their armor to produce consistency. What I’ve learned from life and the game of baseball is that it’s not how you start, but how you finish that counts.
And for the Marlins, well, they’re hoping to be the team that puts a stop to their opponents’ strong run. If they clinch today’s win, consider it done.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 31: Spencer Torkelson #20 of the Detroit Tigers reacts after a strike out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on March 31, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Tigers 7-5. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals and Tigers were projected by many models to be the top two teams in the division, but both have stumbled out of the game to a sub-.500 record. The Tigers perhaps hit rock bottom after suffering a four-game sweep at the hands of the Twins, but righted the ship last weekend with a sweep of the Marlins.
Kansas City Royals (7-9) vs. Detroit Tigers (7-9) at Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Only two teams have hit fewer home runs than the Tigers, and only one team has stolen fewer bases. Top rookie Kevin McGonigle has been as advertised, with hits in 12 of his 15 starts, with four multi-hit games. Catcher Dillon Dingler came on at the end of last year, hitting .296/.355/.441 in the second half. Colt Keith hit .163/.217/.186 against left-handers last year. Zack McKinstry was an All-Star last year, hitting .323/.397/.594 at home.
Kerry Carpenter is a career .219/.284/.313 in 37 games against the Royals. Spencer Torkelson is 0-for-8 with four strikeouts in his career against Cole Ragans. Gleyber Torres is 0-for-9 with four strikeouts against Kris Bubic.
Framber Valdez was the big off-season signing for the Tigers, and the two-time All-Star has the fifth-most fWAR by a starting pitcher since 2022. He throws a sinker half the time, inducing a groundball rate of 59 percent last year. Bobby Witt Jr. is 2-for-20 in his career against Valdez with five strikeouts.
Jack Flaherty had a terrific 2024 with a 3.17 ERA, but regressed last year, tying for the league-lead in losses with a 4.64 ERA. Only five pitchers in baseball have issued more walks than Flaherty this year. He has a 2.78 ERA in six career starts against the Royals.
Keider Montero has been fantastic filling in for an injured Justin Verlander, tossing six shutout innings in a win over the Marlins his last time out. He had a 3.72 ERA in 12 starts last year, but a 5.51 ERA in eight relief appearances. Opponents hit .308 against his slider last year.
Kenley Jansen has 478 career saves, although he is just two-for-three in save opportunities this year. The 38-year-old finished strong last year with a 1.48 ERA in the second half. Will Vest had a 58 percent groundball rate last year, ninth-highest among relievers. Drew Anderson had a 2.27 ERA as a starter last year in the Korean Baseball Organization. The Tigers re-signed Kyle Finnegan after he posted a 1.50 ERA in 16 games following a trade from the Nationals at the deadline last summer.
Fangraphs still has the Tigers with a 34 percent chance of winning the division, with the Royals at 22 percent, and the Twins (23 percent) and Guardians (19 percent) very much in the conversation. This could be a very competitive division, but to stay in it, the Royal will need to better against the Tigers than last year, when they dropped 9 of 13 in head-to-head matchups.
Ketel Marte hit a walk off RBI double to win a 1-run game on 5 April. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Which teams had the most 1-run games?
Frequent 1-Run Games. In games through 8 April, the Rockies and the Diamondbacks were tied for the most 1-run games in the Majors. On 10 April, the changed standings showed the Diamondbacks in the lead with seven 1-run games, the Mariners in second place with six 1-run games, and five(!) teams tied with five 1-run games.
Win-Loss Record. In games through 10 April, looking seven teams with at least five 1-run games, the Diamondbacks had the most(!) wins. Their win-loss record in 1-run games was 4 wins and 3 losses.
Other teams with positive win-loss records were Blue Jays, Phillies, and Rangers (each with 3-2 records).
Characteristic of 1-Run Games. Observations:
In three 1-run games, the Diamondbacks’ opponents never held the lead during the game. The Diamondbacks prevented their opponents from taking the lead. None of these were come-from-behind wins.
In one 1-run game, the Diamondbacks took a 1-run lead in the top of the fifth inning, and after that the opponent was unable to score any runs. After the fifth inning, the Diamondbacks prevented their opponents from taking the lead.
In 3 of the 7 1-run games, in the eighth inning the Diamondbacks opponents either tied the game or took the lead. The Diamondbacks allowed their opponents to get back in the game in the eighth inning.
Addendum: After completing this article about the first 14 games, the next two games were 1-run games.
In game 15 the Diamondbacks lost a 1-run game; thereby increasing their total to eight 1-run games. This loss was unique because the opponents scored the winning runs in the third inning instead of the eighth inning.
In game 16 the Diamondbacks won a 1-run game; thereby increasing their total to nine 1-run games. This win was unique because it was the Diamondbacks’ first come-from-behind win in a 1-run game.
Why did the Diamondbacks have relative success among the three teams with the most 1-run games?
Scrappy Underdogs Fighting to the Last Out. Although my immediate answer was that the Diamondbacks are the scrappy underdogs that keep fighting to the last out. But is that correct? What does the data show? Most innings with runs scored happened early in the game.
The following table shows the average percentage of innings with at least one run (through 10 April). Data from FanGraphs.
The data are inconsistent with fighting just as hard to the last out. Scrappy underdogs fighting was not the reason.
Quality-Start Rotation. Another answer is the rotation. In the preseason, I wrote that if the rotation, despite my expectation of being average, could achieve quality starts in half their games, that would give the Diamondbacks significant chances to reach the playoffs. In the first 14 games, only three were quality starts. In another five games, the starter only allowed one run or less; thereby they kept the Diamondbacks in the game.
The starters fell short of 50% quality starts. A quality-start rotation was not the reason.
Bullpen Shutdowns. Another answer is that the Diamondbacks bullpen makes a difference. Thru 10 April, the Diamondbacks and the Pirates were tied for second best in the Majors with 22 shutdown performances by bullpen pitchers. The Pirates are renown for their excellent pitching, so that is great company.
On the other hand, the Diamondbacks are in a 4-way tie for second most meltdowns (11 meltdowns).
The Diamondbacks ratio of 2.o shutdowns per meltdown is above average. Although I can confidently state bullpen pitchers made an impact, perhaps that impact was positive in only about two thirds of their appearances.
My conclusion is that so far, the bullpen was a more likely reason for the relative success in 1-run games.
Summary.
After 14 games, the Diamondbacks led the Majors with seven 1-run games, the Mariners were in second place with six 1-run games, and five(!) teams were tied with five 1-run games. Addendum: After 16 games, they continued to lead the Majors with nine 1-run games.
Characteristics of 1-run games:
When the Diamondbacks won 1-run games, they prevented their opponenets from taking the lead from the fifth inning forward.
When the Diamondback lost 1-run games, their opponents either tied the game or took the lead in the eighth inning.
The most likely of three reasons for their relative success (4-3) in 1-run games was their 22 shutdown performances by bullpen pitchers. The rejected reasons were quality starts by the rotation, and that the Diamondbacks were scrappy underdogs fighting to the last out.
Although the Diamondbacks experienced relative success in 1-run games compared to other teams with frequent 1-run games, they were not at their best.
Fresno Grizzlies shortstop and top Rockies prospect Ethan Holliday rounds the bases after hitting his first home run of the 2026 season on 4/10/2026. Photo courtesy of the Fresno Grizzlies. | Photo courtesy of the Fresno Grizzlies.
Colorado Rockies top prospect Ethan Holliday (No. 2 PuRP) has started his first full season of professional baseball with the Low-A Fresno Grizzlies.
Currently, the 19-year-old short stop is slashing .200/.360/.560 in 20 at-bats. Granted, it’s early in the season, and we don’t yet have meaningful data. This comes off a 2025 season where after being drafted, Holliday went .239/.357/.380 in 71 games with the Grizzlies.
Still, on Friday night, Holliday his hit first home run off the 2026 season.
Holliday understands that he’s at the start of a long baseball journey, and he’s prepared to accept what’s ahead and learn from it as he told Purple Row in the closing days of spring training.
“It was a good experience to get out there and fail,” Holliday said of his first taste of professional baseball. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I got to go out there and learn a lot about myself, and I made those physical and mental adjustments.”
Like his teammates, Holliday spent the offseason working to improve based on those lessons.
“I’m more advanced than I was then,” he said, “and I’m going to continue to continue to progress every single.”
Plus, between watching the career of his father, Matt, and his older brother, Jackson, Ethan knows that improvement takes time.
“You can’t expect everything at once in this game. There’s a lot of failure,” he said. “It’s just part of the process. And if you’re process based, everything’s a win.”
Given his baseball lineage coupled with being a top-five draft pick, Holliday is surrounded by noise. But he’s not giving it his attention.
“Those opinions don’t matter to me,” he said. “I’m not playing for their approval or anyone but the people in the dugout. I’m trying to win the games, and I couldn’t care less what people say.”
Even though he’s young, Holliday knows criticism goes with the territory.
“I haven’t really taken it too much to my heart,” Holliday said. “It’s what I signed up for. It’s part of the job description. And people can say whatever they want. They’re not with me every single day, and I know they wouldn’t say it to my face. So I’m just focused on my process and trying to get there out every single day and just completely block out those externals that aren’t really gonna be factors in my life.”
Plus, he’s not losing sight of the big picture.
“I’m trying to go out there and have fun and enjoy the game. And I’ve always loved it.”
And he’s positive headed into 2026.
“I’m adjusting and still getting ready for this long season,” Holliday said. “I’m super excited for it.”
Weekly Pebble Report: April 6th-11th
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes (5-1, 8-7 Overall)
It was a strong week for the Isotopes in the win column as they managed to take five of six games on the road against the El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres). It marked just the eighth time Albuquerque has claimed a minimum of five contests in a set since Minor League Baseball began playing six-game series in 2021. The offense was the star of the series as Albuquerque slashed .329/.397/.603 with 16 doubles, three triples, and 14 homers in the series. They scored 58 runs this week, their most in a series since May 2-7, 2023. They capped off the week with a thriller in extra innings on Sunday, putting up 10 runs in the 10th inning.
⬆️ Stock Up:Carrigg-ing the Offense
The Isotopes got plenty of offense from Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) over the series. In five games, Carrigg slashed .346/.393/.615 with two doubles, a triple, a home run, seven RBI, four stolen bases, and seven runs scored. In Sunday’s finale, he came up a double shy of the cycle after he went 3-for-5 with that three-run triple and his first Triple-A home run, while swiping two bases. The speedy outfielder, with spells at shortstop, is starting to settle in a bit more at the top of the Isotopes order and continues to build promise for the Rockies.
The Rockies need their pitching prospects to learn to succeed in Triple-A and left-hander Sean Sullivan (No. 8 PuRP) rose to the task this week. Making two starts in the series, Sullivan posted a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings, with seven strikeouts against four walks. In his first outing, he gave up one run on four hits in just four innings, but battled his command, issuing four walks. His next outing went six innings, giving up five runs on seven hits. However, only two counted as earned runs, and his command was on point by striking out four and walking none. Sullivan is another prospect with the potential of making his debut this year and there is a lot to like from the crafty lefty.
Upcoming
The Isotopes head home to welcome the Oklahoma City Comets (Los Angeles Dodgers) on Tuesday.
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats (2-4, 4-5 Overall)
It was a tough week for the Yard Goats as they dropped four of six in their second series of the season to the Reading Fightin’ Phils (Philadelphia Phillies). The Yard Goats took the series opener, but a combination of failing to launch on offense—something the Rockies are quite familiar with—and pitching woes saw them drop the next three games as well.
⬆️ Stock Up:Babbling About Brooks
Former Rockies prospect Bradley Blalock is doing well with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp after a change of scenery and we’re definitely happy for him. However, his trade seems to have brought the Rockies quite a parting gift. Also featured last week, right-handed pitcher Jake Brooks had yet another fantastic start. Brooks gave up just one earned run via a solo home run in six innings of work and gave up just four total hits. He struck out a career-high 11 batters without issuing a single walk, and now has 20 strikeouts and just one walk on the season.
Second baseman Roc Riggio (no. 14 PuRP) was obtained last season from the New York Yankees in exchange for pitcher Jake Bird and turned in a strong overall performance over the final 26 games of the season with Hartford. Now on a repeat assignment, Riggio is struggling immensely out of the gate. Riggio has just two hits to start the young season through his first eight games. Against the Fightin’ Phils he went just 1-for-16 at the plate with a double and struck out eight times, though he did draw five walks.
Upcoming
The Yard Goats are headed back home to Dunkin’ Park for a six-game set against the Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants).
High-A: Spokane Indians (2-4, 4-5 Overall)
The Spokane Indians had an up-and-down first full series of the season. They went 2-4 against the Hillsboro Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks), and were only outscored 32-29. They won the first game, but then lost three in a row before salvaging the fifth game behind a strong performance by Jordy Vargas (more on that below).
⬆️ Stock Up:Jordy Var-goes!
Jordy Vargas (No. 21 PuRP) had a stellar outing against the Hillsboro Hops on Saturday, pitching five innings and allowing just one run — a solo homer in the first inning — on one hit with two walks and six strikeouts. It was the right-hander’s longest outing since 2023, having undergone Tommy John surgery in July of that year.
⬆️ Stock Up:Humphrey’s Peak
Outfielder Jacob Humphrey has been off to a torrid start in Spokane so far this season. The 2025 undrafted free agent from Vanderbilt has played in eight games and is slashing .394/.487/.697 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and six RBI. He also has five walks to nine strikeouts and five stolen bases in six tries. Against the Hops he went 8-for-18 with a double, a triple, and a home run while collecting all five of his stolen bases.
⬇️ Stock Down:Wrecht
Brody Brecht (No. 3 PuRP) made his High-A debut this week, and struggled. The 2024 38th-overall pick lasted just 2.2 innings and gave up three runs on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Brecht overall struggled with his command. He threw 49 pitches, only 27 of which were strikes, and he induced just five swinging strikes.
Upcoming
The Indians return home for a five-game set against the Vancouver Canadians (Toronto Blue Jays).
Low-A: Fresno Grizzlies (4-2, 6-3 Overall)
The Fresno Grizzlies enjoyed a successful first homestand of the season with a 4-2 series victory over the visiting Stockton Ports (Sacramento Athletics). The Grizzlies scored eight or more runs in all four of their wins, with their most commanding victory coming in the series finale as they won 11-1.
⬆️ Stock Up:The Representative From California Has the Floor
After having just one hit in the Grizzlies’ opening series, Ethan Holliday found his footing this last week with a strong showing against the Ports. Holliday played in five of the six games during the series and had at least one hit in four of those games. Overall he went a solid 6-for-19 with four RBIs and only struck out five times. He also connected on his first home run of the season.
After missing essentially the entire 2025 season due to injury, left-handed pitcher Austin Emener is back with the Fresno Grizzlies and getting the job done. Emener pitched the eighth and ninth innings in both of his appearances against Stockton without giving up any runs. He allowed just one hit and two walks while tallying eight total strikeouts—four each—over his two appearances and four innings.
Upcoming
The Grizzlies have a six-game set in store as they head to Ontario, California for their first-ever match-up against the newly formed Ontario Tower Buzzers (Los Angeles Dodgers).
Most MLB teams, including the Cubs, have gone to all-digital ticketing. You can get a paper Cubs ticket… sometimes… depending on the circumstances.
This began after the pandemic shut ballparks to fans in 2020. The last year the Cubs issued paper season tickets to fans was 2019, and Wrigley Field — plus most other MLB parks — went cashless in 2021 when parks re-opened to fans.
This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Cashless was better for teams, who didn’t have to handle cash (and anecdotally, I heard reports that some rogue employees were stealing cash), and for fans, as long as you have your phone, you can’t forget your ticket.
There have been some glitches. Last September, as I reported here, the MLB Ballpark app got hacked and quite a number of fans, including Cubs fans, lost tickets as a result. Most, though not all, of those tickets were recovered, but as I suggested in that September 2025 article, MLB revamped the Ballpark app and began 2-factor authentication. That’s a must when you have apps with payment information and potentially thousands of dollars worth of tickets stored (as a season ticket holder would).
But here’s the thing. A game ticket isn’t just something that admits you to a stadium. It’s a tangible souvenir of your visit to the ballpark. I have literally thousands of game ticket stubs (and beginning in 2005, when the Cubs put barcodes on the tickets, full tickets) which create memories. Many Cubs season tickets over the years had really nice artistic designs, such as these from the Wrigley Field centennial year in 2014. Those are art, and well worth keeping.
Instead, your digital ticket disappears from the app after the game, so all you have is a record within the Ballpark app that you attended the game. True, you can put photos in the app for each game, but to me at least, a digital record isn’t quite the same as having an actual piece of paper, issued by the team, that you can keep in a scrapbook (people still do those, right?) or elsewhere. I actually had someone suggest that I “print a screenshot” of my digital ticket and… well, no, that’s not the same thing at all.
I bring all this up because of this article on this topic in The Athletic today. The article cites Montreal Expos fan Josée Tellier, who has kept binders of tickets from Expos games she attended, many from decades ago. One of them is from her first game, signed by Andre Dawson:
“Today, when people go to shows or games or whatever, they use their phones to take pictures and to get a memory of that moment, but at the time, who is going to the stadium with that camera? It wasn’t something we were doing at the time,” Tellier said. “So the ticket was the proof that you were there, that you felt the moment, that you saw that magic play.”
That 1986 ticket is her most cherished — not because it was from a championship or record-breaking game, but because it was her first. In 2022, she met Dawson, who signed the card.
“At the time, we didn’t have any money, and this ticket was proof that we were there,” Tellier said. “This little booklet with the ticket inside and my mom’s picture is my most prized possession.”
That’s exactly what I am talking about. These aren’t just pieces of paper that get you into a game, they create memories that can last a lifetime.
The Cubs will sell you a commemorative paper “ticket” for any game you want for $9, which is not unreasonable. I bought one for the combined no-hitter thrown by Shōta Imanaga, Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge in 2024. Here’s what that looks like:
It’s a tangible souvenir, but not quite the same thing as if I had an actual paper ticket that I had used to get into the game.
I was also fortunate enough to get a printed ticket at the Tokyo Dome last year. This one is for the exhibition game the Cubs played against the Yomiuri Giants. (There are two times listed — one is for the gates opening, the other for the start of the game.) This is a great souvenir of my trip to Japan last year.
Teams are getting really stingy about printing souvenir tickets for games now. I did manage to get one in Milwaukee for Game 5 of the Division Series last year — the Brewers will do it for $10.
Errol Segal, who’s been a Dodger fan for 50 years, said he received a notice before the season began that he can no longer get printed tickets.
Segal, 81, owns a recycling center in South LA and said he’ll likely be spending more time there now that the Dodgers have gone fully digital.
“I enjoy working,” Segal said. “I don’t feel my age.”
He said he went to Dodger Stadium Thursday and was able to buy paper tickets, but the team won’t let him get them for the entire season.
“If I had the tickets one year, five years, 10 years, that’s another story,” Segal said. “50 years I’ve had these tickets. They threw me under the bus.”
Segal doesn’t use a smartphone, and I would think you wouldn’t have to buy a smartphone just to go to a sporting event. Apparently the Dodgers disagree.
I get why teams want to do this. Saves printing costs. Makes it easy to have tickets in one place. Oh, and by putting them in the Ballpark app, where you have to log in, teams now know exactly who is using every ticket to every game — data that is useful to them when (for example) setting dynamic pricing.
Incidentally, there is one way for you to create memories for yourself within the Ballpark app, if you don’t mind those memories being digital. The app has a database of games going back to 1901. To find this, click on “Profile” at the bottom of the app, it should show “My History,” all the games you have checked into via the app. Click on the arrow at the right, it will take you to a page showing all your games. Hit the + and you’ll see a screen where you can “Add Past Games.” It took me a while, but I got all my past games in there. Fun and interesting… but still not quite the same as having a paper ticket.
As for Josée Tellier?
In Montreal, with no Expos tickets, print or digital, Tellier goes to Montreal Canadiens games, QR code in hand.
“I really wish we would go back to paper tickets,” she said. Tellier recalled how once, she asked a stadium for the printed version.
They gave her an 8 x 11 printed sheet of paper of her digital ticket.
Like I said… that’s not quite the same. How do you feel about all-electronic ticketing?
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 13: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox looks on against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Target Field on April 13, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet is the true definition of an ace: dependable, dominant, and downright terrifying to step into the box against.
So… what the hell is going on?
Crochet has been unusually shaky to kickstart the season, allowing nearly as many runs (18) as strikeouts recorded (22) — with those aggressively poor numbers being fueled by an all-time poor outing against the Minnesota Twins on Monday.
Crochet got absolutely rocked by one of the least intimidating yet surprisingly productive lineups in baseball, allowing 11 runs in only 1 2/3 innings pitched at Target Field. The Red Sox — who have been around for as long as crayons, airplanes, cellophane, and Australia — have never had someone give up as many runs in so few innings.
It’s not like he’s going to ever be this bad again, but check out his pitching summaries on the season:
March 26 @ CIN 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 R, 8 K April 1 @ HOU 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 R, 7 K April 7 vs. MIL 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 R, 7 K April 13 @ MIN 1.2 IP, 9 H, 10 ER, 11 R, 0 K
Good. Eh. Good. Nuked.
So… back to our original question. What the hell is going on?
I’ve decided to look at this start through two lenses, which will hopefully tell us whether or not we should be freaking out.
“It’s just a bad start, man. Paul Skenes biffed one a couple of weeks ago!”
Paul Skenes did, indeed, biff one a couple of weeks back, allowing five earned runs in 2/3 inning back on Opening Day against the New York Mets. Randy Johnson gave up 11 in 2 1/3 back in 1994. Greg Maddux allowed eight in the same amount of time in 1988. Roger Clemens allowed eight in 1 1/3 in 1995.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora came out after the game and shut down the idea that his ace was injured:
“He’s healthy, and that’s the most important thing,” he said, as seen on NESN.
Crochet backed that statement up:
“I don’t think there’s anything to fret over,” he said.
It’s just something that happens, even to the best of us.
“I don’t care what you say! I just bought a panic button and intend on using it in four days!”
If you take a closer look at the stuff, you would know that everything was down… across the board.
Crochet threw one of the slowest four-seam fastballs of his career (92.7 MPH) and gave up some of the hardest exit velocities of his career (108.9 MPH, 106.5 MPH, 106.0 MPH) — with those three hits coming in the form of two home runs and a terrifying single. Crochet couldn’t even pinpoint exactly why this particular start went so poorly, as he gave away more free passes (four) than whiffs induced (three).
“It’s tough to say,” Crochet said. “I mean, command as a whole has been spotty. I’d gotten away with it a little this early in the year, but tonight they made me pay. It was weak contact, hard contact, walks, hit by pitch, a little bit of everything.”
If he can’t see what went wrong, how is he going to fix it?
We have never seen him pitch this poorly, and with two of his last four starts being among the four worst he has ever had…
Conclusion:
It’s probably fine.
The Red Sox have seen something like this before, with one very important statistic coming from our pal Jake Roy: Crochet threw 102 pitches in his second start of 2025, leading to his average velocity dipping 1.5 mph in his third start. It’s the same thing here, as the velocity drop came after his 107 pitch performance against the Milwaukee Brewers.
If he can’t get the velocity back to normal on regular rest, there’s no reason to think the results won’t follow.
The New York Yankees (9-7) host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (8-9) in Game 2 of their series tonight in the Bronx.
The stars showed out last night in an 11-10 Yankees’ series-opening win. The teams combined for 26 hits in the game. Mike Trout homered twice as did Aaron Judge as did Trent Grisham. New York jumped out to a 4-0 lead through four innings, but the Angels answered with four of their own in the third inning. Trout’s second homer of the night put the Angels up, 10-8, in the eighth, but Grisham’s second four-bagger with a man on tied it and the winning run scored on a wild pitch by Jordan Romano. The Yankees’ sixth pitcher on the night, Paul Blackburn, picked up the win. There were runs scored in every inning except the third in the game.
The win kept the Yankees in first in the American League East. The Angels remain in third in the American League West following the loss.
Tonight, Ryan Weathers (0-1, 2.81 ERA) takes the ball for the Yankees. He will be opposed by the Halos’ Reid Detmers (0-1, 4.60 ERA).
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Angels
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Angels (+153), Yankees (-186)
Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+113), Angels +1.5 (-136)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: Angels vs. Yankees
Pitching matchup for April 14:
Yankees: Ryan Weathers Season Totals: 16.0 IP, 0-1, 2.81 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 18K, 5 BB
Giancarlo Stanton picked up 2 hits last night and is now 3-17 over his last 6 games
Jazz Chisholm Jr. has at least one hit in 3 straight games (3-14)
Cody Bellinger has at least one hit in 3 straight games (3-14)
Ben Rice has hit in 5 straight games (6-14)
Jo Adell has hit in 3 straight (5-13) and in 8 of his last 9 games (14-30)
Mike Trout is 5 for his last 12 and in the process has raised his average from .174-.224.
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees vs. Angels
The Yankees are 8-8 on the Run Line this season
The Angels are 9-8 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 11 times in the Angels’ 17 games this season (11-6)
The OVER has cashed 7 times in Yankees’ 16 games (7-7-2)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Angels
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Yankees and the Angels:
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Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
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Daulton Varsho is finding a rhythm at the plate, and with a hard-throwing right-hander taking the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers tonight, this is a great matchup for the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder to stay hot.
Read on to see why Varsho is the featured player in my Blue Jays vs. Brewers predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, April 14.
Blue Jays vs Brewers predictions
Blue Jays vs Brewers best bet: Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits (-125)
Despite the early-season struggles, the Toronto Blue Jays have fared well against the fastball and should match up well against the youngster.
Daulton Varsho leads the Blue Jays in hits against the four-seamer with a .365 average and a 60% hard-hit rate.
Varsho has recorded a knock in four straight games while batting .412 over that span.
COVERS INTEL: Jacob Misiorowski gives up a lot of big contact, ranking in the 36th percentile for hard-hit rate against.
Blue Jays vs Brewers same-game parlay (SGP)
Kevin Gausman has had a lot of success against this lineup throughout his career, with the Brewers hitting just .177 with a .505 OPS against him. The last time the right-hander saw Milwaukee, he went seven complete innings, allowing just four hits.
William Contreras is 0-for-6 against Gausman with five strikeouts. The Brewers catcher also has a 40% K-rate against the splitter over the last two seasons.
Blue Jays vs Brewers SGP
Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits
Kevin Gausman Under 4.5 hits
William Contreras Over 0.5 strikeouts
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Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.
Blue Jays vs Brewers home run pick: Daulton Varsho (+425)
Varsho has handled fastballs extremely well to begin the season, and Misiorowski has shown a tendency to give up hard contact when he utilizes the heater.
That could set up the Jays outfielder for his third home run in four games.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 4-10, -3.25 units
SGPs: 2-12, -4.50 units
HR picks: 2-12, -1.80 units
Blue Jays vs Brewers odds
Moneyline: Toronto +110 | Milwaukee -130
Run line: Toronto +1.5 (-210) | Milwaukee -1.5 (+170)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-110) | Under 7 (-110)
Blue Jays vs Brewers trend
Toronto has hit the F5 team total Under in 12 of its last 15 games (+8.75 Units / 46% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Brewers.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Brewers and game info
Location
American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV, SNO
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Kevin Gausman 0-1, 2.08 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher
Jacob Misiorowski (1-1, 3.31 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Brewers latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Brewers weather
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 10: A picture of Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers and the new City Connect jersey worn for first time against the Washington Nationals at American Family Field on April 10, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The hits just keep coming for the Brewers, and not in a good way. Christian Yelich, who left Sunday’s game early with a hamstring issue, has landed on the injured list, which was not unexpected after manager Pat Murphy’s comments after the game. He’s been diagnosed with an adductor strain. Outfielder Greg Jones, who has been playing for Triple-A Nashville, has been added to the active roster. To make room on the 40-man roster for Jones, reliever Rob Zastryzny, who had a setback in his recovery last week, has been moved to the 60-day injured list.
It’s a blow for Yelich, a productive-when-healthy hitter whose ability to stay on the field is one of the major uncertainties around the modern iterations of the Brewers. The good news is that it’s not his back, which has been the issue that has been giving Yelich so much trouble over the past few seasons. Murphy has been quoted as saying he expects him to be out “for a while.” A little bit of research on past adductor strains suggests that in mild cases, a player can miss as little as two weeks, but in more serious cases, it’s a 4–6-week injury. Given Yelich’s age and relative frailty, the early juncture of the season, and Murphy’s comments, I would expect Yelich to be out closer to the long end of that estimate.
Jones, 28, has appeared briefly in the big leagues with the Rockies and White Sox in the past two years. He was a 2019 first-round pick of the Orioles and even worked his way into the back end of MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospects prior to the 2022 season, but he has struggled offensively since then and hasn’t been able to catch on in a big-league role. In 13 games with Triple-A Nashville this year, Jones is hitting .317/.462/.390. Jones has the outline of a player who the Brewers like — he is athletic, speedy (he stole 46 bases in just 89 games for Colorado’s Triple-A team in 2024), and a reliable defensive outfielder — but he’s struck out way too much in his minor league career, and I have my doubts that he’ll be able to hit major league pitching.
This probably isn’t the move that Brewers fans were clamoring for. Milwaukee is in a deep offensive funk and are now without three of their best hitters. A move with more upside would certainly have been more popular — Jett Williams, Luis Lara (who doesn’t profile as a plus hitter but has been very good to start the season), even Eddys Leonard, who is right-handed (unlike Yelich) but offers more upside offensively. This is especially unfortunate timing for Tyler Black, who would’ve been the most interesting and sensible move here. But Black, like Chourio and Vaughn, fractured a bone in his hand in late March.
It’s possible that Williams (who has not exactly been lighting it up with Nashville) is still in the Brewers’ short-term plans, but that the team wants to get past the service-time deadline in which they’d secure an extra year before promoting him. We don’t know exactly when that would be, but it would probably come sometime in the last week or so of April.
For now, the Brewers will have to make do with what they have, which increasingly seems like not much. Chourio remains the player nearest to a comeback, but is probably, at minimum, two weeks away. Vaughn is likely out until mid-May, and we’ll wait on an update for Yelich but I’d expect that mid-May would be an optimistic scenario for him.
Update: Yelich’s timeline is mid-to-late May, right in line with the 4-6 weeks outlined above. Jackson Chourio’s expected return has also been pushed back to early May.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 6: Kade Anderson #13 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium on March 6, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Afforded the third overall pick in last year’s draft, the Seattle Mariners entered draft day with long odds of selecting Kade Anderson. The player many considered the best of the 2025 talent pool, Anderson was undoubtedly the best pitcher in college baseball last year and dominated opposing hitters all season long. In one of the more shocking draft day happenings of recent memory, both the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels passed on Anderson in favor of money saving options, sliding the left hander down to the number three spot for the Mariners to capitalize and secure a premium talent. A series of incredibly unlikely events needed to occur in order for Anderson to end up in the PNW, but fortunately for Mariners fans, that improbability became reality.
Almost a year ago, Kade Anderson was opening the season with LSU as an intriguing draft prospect.
Now he's striking out some of baseball's biggest stars.
Anderson possesses a level of polish most 21 year olds will never have on the mound, defining his success as a pitcher through deception, pitchability, and tunneling. His fastball, typically sitting around 93-94 mph, gets solid carry through the zone and is a perfectly fine offering, though its primary utility is to set up his excellent secondary offerings. His changeup kills velocity well and gets good fade to his arm side, serving as a weapon he can deploy against righties to get swing and miss. His slider, a sweeping breaker that’s in the mid to upper 80’s, is hellish on lefties and is probably his best overall pitch considering its raw metrics. Finally, Anderson has a curveball at his disposal, a pitch he can both bury for whiffs or sneak in early to steal a strike. The velocity isn’t going to jump off the page, but it’s enticing stuff nonetheless.
Raw “stuff plus” models anyone can seemingly screenshot and share are probably not going to like Anderson very much, but these numbers lack full context of what makes a pitcher good, and punishing a player that’s done nothing but dominate because of that would be foolish. How an arsenal works together, how deceptively it’s deployed, and where these offerings are located are just a few of the many factors that raw “stuff” models don’t account for, and they’re a big part of why Anderson is so dominant on the mound. Models can be helpful tools, but it doesn’t make them gospel.
Plus command with above average stuff from the left side is always going to play, and he’s proven that thus far in his brief introduction to professional baseball. Over his first two games for Double-A Arkansas, Anderson has pitched to a line of 9 IP/ 5 H/ 0 ER/ 17 K/ 3 BB, a truly ridiculous start to a career at a level where he’s ~3.5 years younger than the average player. Having already been the best pitcher in the SEC for a full season and now mowing through the Texas League, perhaps the likelihood we see a 2026 major league debut for Mr. Anderson is far more likely than it was six months ago. The organization doesn’t have to (nor should they) rush him to the majors, but if he forces their hand, Anderson would provide the team yet another home grown arm that could contribute to this team’s success for years to come.
Baseball, Professional - President And Mrs. Taft; General Clarence Edwards, 1910. Artist Harris & Ewing. (Photo by Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images) | Heritage Images via Getty Images
On April 14, 1910, William Howard Taft, the 27th President of the United States, made history, as he became the first US President to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. While attending Opening Day alongside his wife, Nellie, and Vice President James S. Sherman, the President threw the ball from the stands to Washington Senators starter Walter Johnson, officially opening the 1910 season. While this was an important moment in the history of baseball, affirming the importance of baseball to American culture and unofficially christening the game as America’s pastime, the attention that this act draws covers up the fact that Opening Day in 1910 was a weird and wacky day of baseball.
And so, 116 years later, let us dive deep into the New York Times and Baseball Reference archives and showcase what has been long been hidden by the Presidential first pitch.
Washington Senators 3, Philadelphia Athletics 0
Entering his age-22 season, Washington Senators ace Walter Johnson took the mound for his first of 14 Opening Day starts, and to say that his performance was worth the price of admission all by itself would be an understatement. The future Hall of Famer tossed nine scoreless innings, striking out nine, walking three, and allowing just one hit. According to most discussions of the game, albeit unreported in the Times recap from the next day, that one hit occurred when a fan fell onto the field in the seventh, causing right fielder Doc Gessler to trip.
I’m going to be honest, as a historian, this is where the Baseball Reference archives can be a tad frustrating, as they don’t do a great job citing their sources on their “This Day in History” pages. From what I can gather, pretty much every single reference to this event cites this page directly, as they tend to use the same verbiage — “Doc Gessler tripping over a fan who had spilled out of overflow seating,” but since the site does not cite its sources here, I can’t go any further back. Unfortunately, the New York Times appeared more focused on President Taft’s reactions during the game than it did on this one now-infamous event.
Fortunately, this is a prime example of why it’s important to collaborate in your research. While the primary sources I have access to did not discuss this event — my school libraries have access only to NYC-based newspapers — Andrew sent me the Washington Post article from that day, which not only confirmed the historicity of the event, but got us a quote from a disappointed Gessler: “Walter, I’m awfully sorry I could not get that fly, for I wanted you to let them down without a hit, but I couldn’t make it because I fell.”
For his part, “The Big Train” took it in stride, satisfied with the win; though it would take another decade for him to get his no-no.
Chicago White Sox 3, St. Louis Browns 0
Walter Johnson was not the only starter to flirt with an Opening Day no-no. At South Side Park in Chicago—in its final half-season before the yard that would be named Comiskey Park opened its doors—Frank Smith of the White Sox spun a complete-game shutout of his own. He struck out five, walked two, and allowed a singular, solitary hit: a leadoff single in the third off the bat of Ray Demmitt.
How did the White Sox score those three runs, you might ask? Well, the first came in the bottom of the fifth, courtesy of a Fred Payne single thorugh the left side of the infield. The second, meanwhile, was the result of a bases loaded hit batter, a situation which presented itself after a walk, single, and an E1 on a sac bunt attempt loaded the bases with nobody out. And the last, in the ninth, when Patsy Dougherty laced a two-out double to right and Billy Purtell drove a single up the middle.
Cincinnati Reds 1, Chicago Cubs 0 (10 innings)
Fred Beebe of the Reds and Orval Overall of the Cubs traded zeroes for 10 innings at the Palace of the Fans in Cincy, as the two pitchers combined for eight hits, eight strikeouts, and three walks. Frank Schulte was the only Chicago batter worth anything, as he recorded all three of his team’s hits; the rest of the lineup combined for just two walks.
The game, mercifully, came to an end in the 10th, as Mike Mitchell singled to center, reached second on an E5, advanced to third on a fly ball to right field, and scored on a Tom Downey single to left.
New York Highlanders 4, Boston Red Sox 4 (14 innings)
Twenty-five thousand people descended upon Washington Heights in what the Times described as “the largest and noisiest crowd that ever set aside all earthly cares to attend a ball game at American League Park.” And boy, was that crowd in for a treat. The Red Sox got the scoring going early, as Tris Speaker doubled in Amby McConnell, who had reached on an E5, in the top of the first, then tacked on two more in the third courtesy of a Harry Lord triple and a Speaker fielder’s choice. But down 4-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Highlanders put together a rally that drove Eddie Cicotte from the game and tied things up at four apiece.
And there the score would stay, forever. Boston reliever Smoky Joe Wood and Highlander starter Hippo Vaughn—who wound up pitching all 14 innings for the not-yet-Yankees traded zeroes—with the Red Sox in fact managing to get just one run into scoring position in total after the fifth inning. Eventually, when “it was so dark that a ball sent into the air could hardly be seen, then Mr. Connolly, he’s the umpire, turned to the crowd and called the game on account of darkness.”
And so the game sits in the Baseball Reference archive, forever a tie. According to the BR Bullpen, this game saw the Red Sox wear “laced collars,” becoming the final team in baseball history to wear a collared uniform on a normal, not-throwback basis. It would also not be Vaughn’s last memorable extra-inning pitching performance, as his most famous game came in 1917 with the Cubs, when he and Cincinnati’s Fred Toney had dueling no-hitters through nine.
New York Giants 3, Boston Doves 2 (11)
The future Rivalry was not the only the matchup between New York and Boston that day. Up in Beantown, the Giants took on the Doves (the future Braves), in a game that went 11 innings. Giants starter Red Ames allowed just two baserunners — a hit-by-pitch in the first and a walk in the third, both of which put leadoff hitter Herbie Moran on first, and which was immediately followed up with Moran stealing second — until Bill Sweeney led off the bottom of the eight with a single. The Giants rapidly tied the game at two apiece, first by plating Sweeney when Fred Liese grounded into an E6-turned double play in the eighth, then stringing together a walk and two singles in the ninth. Dave Shean, however, stopped that rally in its tracks, by trying, and failing, to steal home.
The game then went into extras, with Herbie Moran working a walk to lead off the bottom of the 11th, then being advanced to second on a Peaches Graham bunt, to third on a Fred Beck groundout, and finally scoring on a Dave Shean single, as the he made up for his boneheaded attempt to steal home in his previous at bat.
Rather interestingly, the New York Times article on this game was written by Fred Tenney, identified as the “First Baseman of the Giants.” That was, technically speaking, true, as Tenney was with the team at the time, and had been the Giants’ first baseman the previous two seasons. However, he would never take the field with the team, wound up released in early May, and spent the majority of the season as the player-manager of the Lowell Tigers. According to SABR’s biograpy of Tenney, the first baseman was an avid writer, regularly penning articles for Baseball Magazine, the Sunday Post, and the Times.
There you have it! April 14, 1910: three extra-inning games, three shutouts, two one-hitters, a failed attempt at a walk-off steal of home, laced collars, and, assuming we believe the stories, a fan falling into the stands. Talk about a crazy day of baseball!
DENVER, CO - APRIL 6: Cam Smith #11 of the Houston Astros prepares to bat in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The latest news on the Houston Astros and from around MLB:
Carlos Correa is not making excuses for a 1-9 road trip:
Carlos Correa doesn’t want injuries to bean an excuse.
Ten games, nine losses, five injuries (Pena, Imai, Brown, Javier, Meyers) – it’s been rough
Eleven days, 10 games, nine losses and five injuries after it began, one of the most hellacious road trips in Houston Astros history is over – https://t.co/Z17hvuZ4o4
Despite the losing streak, Cam Smith has shown tremendous growth thus far:
While the Astros' road trip has been rough team-wise, Cam Smith has had some big moments that highlight his growth in his second big-league season. https://t.co/W7sjY1HfcI
Angels-Yankees gave us something not seen in 70 years:
Aaron Judge and Mike Trout hit 2 HRs apiece in Yankees' 11-10 victory over the Angels. The only other time two 3-time MVP winners homered twice in same game? Stan Musial and Roy Campanella in Brooklyn's 9-8 victory on Campanella's 3-run walk-off HR, June 21, 1956, per @OptaSTATS
This is an ugly situation, and the worst part of it is that he has to sue his own parents:
News: Alec Bohm’s legal team has requested a preliminary injunction amid his legal battle vs. his parents, seeking return of $500K+ to a brokerage account.
Also, Bohm has fired agent Scott Boras and re-hired Nick Chanock of The Team.
How a three-minute voice memo from Kiké Hernández to Andrew Friedman and a prompt Zoom call during MLB's winter meetings helped spark the Dodgers' pursuit of Edwin Díaz. This story is unlocked and free to read:https://t.co/1TegTXaSpQ
CINCINNATI, OHIO - APRIL 11: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds steals second base during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Great American Ball Park on April 11, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants have finally run into a team they’re hitting better than here through the season’s first couple of weeks. If you ignore the Yankees series, the Giants are actually around a league average offense (96 wRC+) in their last 13 games. Meanwhile, the Reds are the worst in the National League (76 wRC+). According to FanGraphs’ measure of WAR, they’ve been exactly replacement level (0.0) over their last 14 games. Does this mean the Giants have a great shot in this 3-game series at the Great American Ball Park?
Sure. Anything’s possible.
They’ve also been a medicore pitching team, with a 4.10 ERA and 5.09 xERA. That’s because they have been walking hitters like crazy, to the tune of 5.04 per 9 innings over their last 125 innings. That’s the worst in the NL and fourth-worst in MLB. And yet, they’re 9-7 overall, with 5 of those wins coming on the road in Texas and Miami. They have a -16 run differential compared to the Giants -21. The Giants staff has walked hitters at too-high a rate as well, with a 4.18 BB/9 over their last 114 innings. That’s 21st in MLB and 10th in the NL.
On the full season — so, if we go back and include the Yankees series — the Reds have only outscored the Giants by 3 runs (54 to 51). They’re hitting as a team just .205/.298/.325 compared to the Giants’ .243/.288/.357. Their offensive leaders have been Elly De La Cruz (152 wRC+) and rookie Sal Stewart (178 wRC+). The only other player who comes close to league average (100 wRC+) is platoon bat Nathaniel Lowe (92 wRC+ in 23 PA).It’s a rough lineup here in the early going. The Giants counter that with Casey Schmitt (186 wRC+), Willy Adames (127), Matt Chapman (118), and Luis Arraez (106).
Rather than silo him in the players to watch section, I’ll talk about the Reds’ dynamic Elly De La Cruz right here, because he’s just 24 years old and is once again playing like an MVP-caliber player. He has 5 stolen based in his first 16 games of the season, an 11.1% walk rate and 27.8 strikeout rate. It’s doubtful he’ll sustain those rates through the season, but they’d both be career bests (his career averages: 9.5 BB% and 29.7 K%). He was projected to be a 4-to-5-WAR player and has already been worth 1.0 fWAR through the first 16 games of the season. That’s a 10-WAR pace. Also probably not sustainable, but worth mentioning here because he’s white hot right now.
The Great American Ball Park has been less a house of horrors here in the 2020s than it was in the 2010s when the Giants went 12-21. They’re 11-6 here in the 2020s and, as you’ll recall, the Giants got off to such a scintillating start last season because of the opening series in Cincinnati. A year later and the team feels considerably less surprising and brimming with possibilities, but who knows? Maybe another series win here will kick off a nice run of success. This series is a battle of old (the Giants) versus young (the Reds), with the Giants’ older lineup (28.9 on average) battling the Reds’ younger pitching staff (28.4) while the Reds’ young hitters (27.8) take on the Giants’ more veteran (30.2) staff.
Series overview
Who: San Francisco Giants (6-10) at Cincinnati Reds (9-7) Where: Great American Ball Park| Cincinnati, Ohio When: Monday & Tuesday at 3:40pm PT, Wednesday at 9:40am PT National broadcasts: None.
Sal Stewart: The 22-year old first baseman ended last season as the #3 prospect in the Reds’ system, according to MLB Pipeline. Indeed, the top three prospects from their system at the end of 2025 will be featured in this series, with Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder both scheduled to pitch.
He was a high school bat drafted in 2022 and, per Pipeline’s writeup:
Stewart’s advanced approach has been apparent from day one of his pro career. He carried a miniscule 15.7 percent career strikeout rate into the 2025 season and he’s walked as often as he’s struck out (138 BB vs. 139 Ks). He makes a lot of hard contact and can send line drives to all fields consistently against all kinds of pitching. Just 21 for all of this season [2025], he’s still learning to tap into his considerable raw power, with confidence it will come without him losing any of his hitability.
He hit 5 home runs in an 18-game cup of coffee last season (58) and slashed .255/.293/.545. He’s hitting .309/.435/.600 in the first 16 games and 69 plate appearances of this season. That includes 4 home runs, 4 doubles, and 13 walks against 10 strikeouts. No wonder Eno Sarris giddily selected his future over Bryce Eldridge’s when asked about it during the offseason.
Rhett Lowder: A sinker-slider-changeup guy whose fastball velocity (he does have a four-seamer, too) that sits in the 92-94 range. I’m thinking the right-handed Cade Povich, if you want a recent comparison to a Giants’ opponent. I’m interested to see how his 6.1 K/9 (though 3.74 FIP) plays against this Giants lineup. He missed all of 2025 with some elbow issues, but in 2024, he had a 1.17 ERA (3.10 FIP) in 6 starts (30.2 IP).
Eugenio Suarez: The veteran has yet to get it going in the early season with a .642 OPS through his first 16 games. He was a Red from 2015-2021 and since 2021 he’s his 163 home runs for 3 teams in 774 games. He has a career line of .244/.331/.516 with 15 home runs in 59 games and 245 PA against the Giants.
Giants
Jung Hoo Lee: Lee, like a lot of the Giants, got off to a fast start in Cincinnati last season, with a 3-for-10, a double, a stolen base, and a pair of walks in that season-opening series. He’s had a dismal start to 2026 (.185/.246/.315) and could really use a good series. Three right-handed starters in a park that favors hitters is a nice pairing of ingredients for a hitter.
Tyler Mahle: He was drafted by the Reds in the 7th round of the 2013 draft and spent his first 5 1/2 seasons with them, posting a 4.34 ERA in 117 starts. This will be the first time he’s ever faced his former team?! That seems impossible, so maybe I’m reading his Baseball Reference page wrong. Anyway, he has a career 5.02 ERA in 285.1 IP at the Great American Ball Park.
Patrick Bailey: Speaking of performance at GABP, the Giants catcher is just 1-for-27 in his career. That’s just 9 games, but it’s another strike against a backstop who certainly racks up strikes whenever he steps to the plate. There’s probably not a starting catcher controversy just yet, but we almost certainly figure to see Daniel Susac more often should Bailey’s bat maintain its sub zero temperature.
Tony Vitello watch
He’ll be going up against the legend Terry Francona, which might be interesting if the Giants are able to keep games close late. It’s not that the Great American Ball Park is Coors Field, but bullpen decisions will be important. Also, I wonder how much time Vitello has spent in Ohio. The Volunteers played Cincinnati, so maybe he’ll have a couple of old college stories to share during the media scrum.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 10: Manager Tony Vitello #23 and Drew Gilbert #0 of the San Francisco Giants watches practice during Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium on February 10, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants have, somewhat unconventionally, only used 27 players this year, which means they’ve only made one move involving the Major League roster. That move was forced on them, after reliever José Buttó was placed on the Injured List, and replaced by Blade Tidwell.
It’s the time of the year where teams start to tinker with their rosters. Like the Giants, the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers have also used just one additional player; but the Colorado Rockies have used three, and the Arizona Diamondbacks four.
The Giants will likely make another pitching move before long, as relievers Sam Hentges (a lefty) and Joel Peguero (a righty) have both started rehab assignments after beginning the year on the IL. But where they really could use a move is on the offensive front. The Giants are, somewhat surprisingly, ninth in the Majors in batting average, but that’s where the good times end. San Francisco is 28th in on-base percentage, 24th in slugging percentage, dead last in walk rate, dead last in home runs, dead last in stolen bases, 29th in runs, 27th in OPS, and 27th in wRC+.
But the issue, of course, is that the Giants don’t have any quick fixes. The obvious solution to boost the offense would be to promote their top prospect, Bryce Eldridge, but even if the Giants thought he were ready (which I doubt they do), it still doesn’t really help things. Their best hitter this year has been Casey Schmitt, who has primarily been used as the DH, which is where Eldridge would need to slot in. Schmitt’s not going to displace Matt Chapman or Rafael Devers for obvious reasons, and Luis Arráez has been one of the team’s only good hitters this year, so he’s not getting displaced, either. Which means there’s no place for Eldridge.
Jesús Rodríguez is the other bat who could help the team, but similar concerns arise. The contact-heavy utility player is not going to take starts from Patrick Bailey or Arráez, and replacing Daniel “greatest hitter of all time” Susac isn’t something that needs doing.
The outfield is where the Giants really need some help, but it probably needs to come from Heliot Ramos, Jung Hoo Lee, and Harrison Bader remembering how to hit. The reinforcements there don’t seem likely to do much better: AAA Sacramento’s outfield is Grant McCray (who is in an awful slump), Will Brennan (a veteran with a large track record of being a below-average hitter in the Majors), Drew Gilbert (who isn’t lighting up the box scores and has been a very bad hitter in the Majors) and Victor Bericoto (who is still adjusting to the level).
So while most people are likely hoping for a move to come soon, it’s probably still a ways away for the Giants. But that won’t stop me from asking for your prediction of when it will occur, and who it will be.
COVERS INTEL: Aaron Nola sits in the bottom 40th percentile in hard-hit rate and barrel rate, with opponents slugging .471 against him since the start of last season.
