Apr 2, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Dominic Smith (8) celebrates a home run during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
In what quickly became the most lopsided game of the season, the Braves struck early and often against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Thursday night en route to a 17-2 win.
The Braves are now 5-2 on the young season, It took until game 17 last year to win five games.
Matt Olson and Dom Smith both launched solo homers in the first and third innings, respectively, to make it 2-0 early. Both baseballs traveled 430 feet in cavernous Chase Field. Smith continues to really hit the ball after being thrown into the DH role midway through the spring, while Olson continued to damage baseballs in Phoenix, where his career OPS is above 1.100.
The real magic transpired in the fifth inning, when Atlanta sent TWELVE batters to the plate and scored eight runs.
Ronald Acuña Jr. walked with the bases loaded to make it 3-1. In what ended up being perhaps the play of the game, Drake Baldwin grounded a ball to Nolan Arenado that appeared to be an inning-ending double play. Baldwin flew down the first base line and somehow beat the throw by a step — overturned on instant replay review — to keep the inning alive. Matt Olson then doubled down the right field line, Birthday Boy Austin Riley drove in two more runs with a double of his own, Ozzie Albies doinked one to the outfield, and Michael Harris capped it off with a line drive off the left field wall to make it 10-2 in the blink of an eye.
Reynaldo Lopez was effective over five innings, needing 79 pitches to get through Arizona’s lineup. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk, striking out three. His velocity was solid again with his fastball hovering in the mid-90s, although he only recorded six whiffs.
Tyler Kinley and Osvaldo Bido closed things out as the Braves continued to tack on runs against Arizona’s lifeless bullpen.
The series continues on Apple TV on Friday night with Grant Holmes set to face Eduardo Rodriguez. First pitch is set for 9:45 p.m. ET.
Apr 2, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jordan Lawlar (10) runs into the wall during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
Unfortunately, the Diamondbacks fell victim to an early-season clunker in the series opener, thanks to an explosive eight-run fifth inning from the visiting Atlanta Braves. Getting bitten by the big inning is quickly becoming an unwelcome narrative for this young Arizona club.
In a game that offered few positives, one standout moment provided a bright spot. In the bottom of the third inning, Jordan Lawlar launched his first career MLB home run—a no-doubter that traveled 424 feet into the left-field bleachers. It was another encouraging sign for the 23-year-old, who has gotten off to a tremendous start to the season, batting .333 with a .956 OPS while adapting to a new position in the outfield. His early offensive surge appears tied to improved plate discipline: Lawlar is laying off right-handed spin out of the zone far more effectively, with his chase rate way down. That adjustment is allowing him to see better pitches and drive them with authority.
Adding to the feel-good factor, Lawlar’s first career homer was actually predicted on the pregame show by Mark Grace—a fun, uncanny moment that’s hard not to smile about.
Sadly, even the good news came with a caveat. Lawlar was hit on the wrist by a sinker in the seventh inning and had to exit in the top of the eighth. According to manager Torey Lovullo, X-rays on the wrist were negative, but Lawlar will undergo a CT scan tomorrow for extra caution. Here’s hoping the young outfielder gets a clean bill of health.
On the mound, Ryne Nelson lasted just 4⅔ innings, surrendering seven runs (only two earned, thanks to an error by Nolan Arenado). Nelson looked fairly efficient early on, but he suddenly lost his command in the fifth, and the wheels came off quickly. He walked three Braves in the inning while recording just two outs—including a bases-loaded walk—and the Atlanta hitters seemed to be sitting on his fastball, jumping on it early and squaring it up. Nelson’s slider remained a solid weapon (0-5 with three strikeouts), though that may have been partly because the Braves were geared up for fastballs.
The bullpen fared no better. 2023 postseason hero Kevin Ginkel relieved Nelson in the fourth but struggled with location as well. Despite his velocity sitting back up in the 95-96 mph range, he was hit hard and allowed three runs while recording only one out—not the kind of encouraging sign fans wanted to see from a former high-leverage arm.
Joe Ross also continued to have trouble throwing strikes, walking three batters in his two innings of work. That ineffectiveness prevented him from filling the long-man role he was kept on the roster to handle. With the game well out of hand, Lovullo was forced to burn an inning from Andrew Hoffmann in a mop-up situation he’d rather have avoided.
At this point in the season, the best approach is simple: flush this one and move on. If Nelson had made a couple of key pitches in the fifth and Arenado had converted a play he’s made countless times before, the outcome could have looked very different. Instead, the Braves racked up 17 runs on 16 hits. Time to regroup and come back swinging for the rest of the series.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 09, 2026: Robert Calaz #97 of the Colorado Rockies fields a fly ball during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on March 09, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Two days ago, we asked you which minor league affiliate you were most eager to follow since the big league club is rebuilding. Therefore, most of the exciting future Rockies are in the farm system. The majority of you are excited to watch the High-A Spokane Indians:
However, many of you are also very intrigued to see the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (I know I am).
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Manager Carlos Mendoza #64 takes the ball from pitcher David Peterson #23 taking him out of the game against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the fifth inning at Oracle Park on April 02, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets came into their series against the Giants already scuffling a bit. They had just lost two straight games to the Cardinals, sitting at an even 3-3 record six games into the season. David Peterson was coming off a solid first start of the season against the Pirates, facing off against former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray.
The Mets started the game off with some offense, which had been sorely lacking over the past few games. After a lead off walk by Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto hit into a force out, replacing Lindor at first and being the runner driven in by a Bo Bichette double. The Mets didn’t have any more hits in the inning after that, and the ball was turned over to David Peterson for his first inning of work, which was less than ideal.
David Peterson had a rollercoaster of a first inning. He threw just fifteen pitches, which one would think is efficient at first. But he was incredibly efficient at giving up runs, giving up three in the first inning. With two outs and Heliot Ramos on first, Peterson gave up a triple to Luis Arraez to tie the game, a double to Matt Chapman to put the Giants ahead, and he committed an error on a play at first to allow Chapman to score an insurance run. By the time the inning was over, the Giants had created an ultimately insurmountable two run gap between them and the Mets.
The Mets scratched another run across in the second on a leadoff home run by Mark Vientos, to come within a run of the Giants, but that was the only offense they had in response. Peterson held the Giants scoreless in the bottom of the second, but in the bottom of the third he gave up three straight singles that turned into two more runs scoring on sacrifice flies to put the Mets behind by three runs.
Neither team did much of anything in the fourth inning, but the Giants put up another run in the bottom of the fifth inning. An one-out Jung Hoo Lee walk drove David Peterson from the game in favor of Sean Manaea, who got another out before giving up a walk and a single to drive in another run and give the Giants a four run lead. The sixth was similar, with the Mets going out quietly in the top of the inning and the Giants scoring again in the bottom, their one run coming by way of a Rafael Devers solo home run off Manaea.
The rest of the game was quiet, with both teams trading zeroes for the rest of the game. The most notable part of the last three innings was Blade Tidwell finally making his Giants debut and earning a three inning save against his former team. But the Mets were unable to put any runs on the board after the second inning as their offensive woes continued.
Their pitching woes also continued, with Peterson taking the loss that was earned when the third run crossed the plate in the first inning, the Mets never being able to even match the Giants’ bottom of the first. Manaea finished the final 3.2 innings, but he gave up a run and was still experiencing his velocity issues. The Mets play their second of four games against the Giants tomorrow, with Nolan McLean taking the mound opposite Tyler Mahle. But even a gem from McLean might not be enough to overtake the Mets’ inability to score runs, which is an integral part to the whole “winning games” thing that is a vital part of baseball.
Big Mets winner: Bo Bichette, +6.3% WPA Big Mets loser: David Peterson, -35.2% WPA Mets pitchers: -39.8% WPA Mets hitters: -10.2% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Bo Bichette’s RBI double in the first inning, +11.6% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Luis Arraez’s RBI triple in the first inning, -12.1% WPA
SAN FRANCISCO — The Mets added a new wrinkle to their recent doldrums.
Instead of losing a game because they didn’t hit, they lost one Thursday night because their pitching was just as ineffective as their sputtering lineup.
David Peterson got jumped from the onset, and the Mets managed just five hits in a 7-2 loss to the Giants at Oracle Park that extended their losing streak to three games.
Peterson’s clunker followed a string of five straight solid starts from the Mets’ rotation that began with Peterson’s 5 ¹/₃ scoreless innings against the Pirates last Saturday.
Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga and Freddy Peralta followed with strong outings, but the Mets were just 1-3 in that stretch, with hits with runners in scoring position scarce.
On this night the Mets were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position. Over their last four games they are 1-for-32 in that category. Robbie Ray handled the Mets early, before the Giants bullpen sealed it with 3 ²/₃ scoreless innings.
Peterson lasted just 4 ¹/₃ innings and allowed six runs, five earned, on nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts. He was removed after just 68 pitches.
“Early in the game there were pitches I was trying to get down in the zone and I left them up and they took advantage,” Peterson said.
Manager Carlos Mendoza takes the ball from pitcher David Peterson in the bottom of the fifth inning of the Mets’ 7-2 loss to the Giants at Oracle Park on April 2, 2026 in San Francisco. Getty Images
Bo Bichette delivered an RBI double in the first that gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. Francisco Lindor drew a leadoff walk and Juan Soto hit into a fielder’s choice before Bichette’s smash to left field brought Soto sliding across the plate. It was the fourth RBI this season for Bichette, who began the night batting .111.
“We have faced some pretty good pitchers recently, that is part of it,” Bichette said. “But I think for the most part guys are having good at-bats and maybe the contact is just not where we need it.”
Peterson scuffled through the first inning, falling into a 3-1 hole with three hits allowed. Luis Arraez smashed an RBI triple to begin the party before Matt Chapman’s double produced the second run. Peterson could have escaped the inning with a one-run deficit but dropped Mark Vientos’ flip while covering first base on Jung Hoo Lee’s grounder, scoring Chapman.
Mark Vientos’ first homer of the season, a shot into the left-field seats leading off the second, pulled the Mets to within 3-2.
Rafael Devers hits a solo home run in the sixth inning of the Mets’ road loss to the Giants. Getty Images
“Vientos had some really good at-bats,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Especially early in the game we had some base runners. We just couldn’t put a lot together.”
Successive singles by Heliot Ramos, Arraez and Chapman loaded the bases for the Giants to begin the third inning.
Lee and Harrison Bader each hit a sacrifice fly to extend the Giants’ lead to 5-2. Peterson encountered further trouble in the inning, allowing a single to Daniel Susac before Casey Schmitt walked, but struck out Willy Adames to end the threat.
“Petey had a hard time getting inside to righties,” Mendoza said. “It was more up and away to those right-handed hitters and they made him pay.”
Peterson departed after walking Lee in the sixth. Sean Manaea retired Bader for the second out before walking Susac and surrendering an RBI single to Schmitt that gave the Giants a 6-2 lead.
Rafael Devers cleared the fence in left-center leading off the sixth against Manaea to push the Mets into a 7-2 hole. Devers mashed a 90-mph four-seamer that landed just beyond Luis Robert Jr.’s outstretched glove.
Marcus Semien blows a bubble with his chewing gum before batting in the fourth inning of the Mets’ road loss to the Giants. Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Manaea pitched 3 ²/₃ innings and allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks in his second relief appearance. The Mets are attempting to keep him stretched out until the need arises for a sixth starter. Manaea threw 74 pitches. In his Sunday outing he threw only 29.
Marcus Semien snapped an 0-for-20 with an infield single in the seventh inning.
The Mets will unleash McLean on Friday and hope the rookie can help get a team in need of an energy boost on track.
McLean allowed two earned runs over five innings against the Pirates on Sunday — the Mets lost the game in 10 innings to begin this downturn of four losses in five games.
The Mets offense continued to struggle, recording just five hits in a 7-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night.
It's New York's third straight loss as they fell to 3-4 on the season.
Here are the key takeaways…
-- Bo Bichette got the Mets going in the first inning against LHP Robbie Ray, driving in Juan Soto from first base with an RBI double to make it 1-0. It's Bichette's first extra-base hit with New York after having 63 last season with Toronto.
However, the lead didn't last long, as David Peterson had a first inning he'd like to forget. The lefty let up a one-out single to Rafael Devers, a two-out RBI triple to Luis Arraez, and a go-ahead, RBI double to Matt Chapman. Looking to get out of the inning, Peterson forced a grounder to first, but dropped the ball covering the base, allowing Chapman to score from second and push the Giants' lead to 3-1.
-- Mark Vientos, in the starting lineup for the third straight game, blasted his first home run of the season to lead off the second inning. The solo HR cut San Fran's lead to 3-2 and traveled an estimated 406 feet (108.6 mph exit velocity).
In the bottom of the second, Marcus Semien was unable to make a catch in shallow center field, calling off Luis Robert Jr., giving the Giants two on with no outs. Luckily, Peterson forced a 6-4-3 double play and struck out Devers to prevent further damage. Despite throwing just 24 pitches, Peterson had already faced 11 batters through two frames.
-- Peterson found himself in a bases-loaded jam in the third inning after allowing three straight singles. The Giants capitalized, tacking on two more runs on two sacrifice flies to make it a 5-2 game. The left-hander escaped with runners on second and third base, striking out Willy Adames on his 47th pitch of the night.
He finally had a quick inning in the fourth, sending the Giants down in order with two strikeouts. Peterson got Chapman to ground out in the fifth inning and then walked Jung Hoo Lee, ending his day after 4.1 IP. The LHP allowed five earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and two walks over 68 pitches.
-- Sean Manaea entered in the bottom of the fifth inning with Lee on first base and couldn't keep the score intact. He let up a walk and an RBI single to Casey Schmitt that put SF up 6-2 before striking out Adames to end the frame. Manaea then allowed a solo homer to Devers in the sixth as the Giants went up 7-2.
Manaea got two quick outs to open the seventh inning before back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases. The lefty avoided trouble thanks to an inning-ending groundout. He stayed in to pitch a 1-2-3 eighth inning, ending the night after 74 pitches in 3.2 innings of relief.
-- Ray held New York to just three hits through 5.1 IP. He retired the last five Mets hitters he faced after allowing a Francisco Alvarez single in the third inning.
Semien broke the team's hitless streak in the seventh with a single, but Alvarez grounded into a double play and Tyrone Taylor grounded out to end any scoring chance. New York recorded just one more hit, a Soto single in the eighth, ending the night with five total. They went 0-for-3 with RISP and left four on base.
-- Former Met Blade Tidwell made his Giants debut in the seventh, recording two strikeouts and getting the three-inning save.
GAME MVP
Ray, who was locked in after allowing two runs through two innings. He struck out seven with just three walks over 96 pitches.
Highlights
Bo Bichette's first extra base hit as a Met is a double to drive in Juan Soto for the game's first run! pic.twitter.com/O17d90QVoI
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen was removed from the Royals’ starting lineup for Thursday game with the Minnesota Twins after he overslept.
“I didn’t wake up to my alarm. Slept through it,” Jensen told The Kansas City Star and other outlets. “Don’t really have an excuse — nor should I. It sucks. It happens. I feel like I let teammates down, coaches down. Just learn from it and just know it won’t happen again.”
Jensen eventually arrived, but not early enough to prepare adequately to start the game. He did end up coming in as Kansas City’s catcher in the ninth inning of the Royals’ 5-1 loss.
Salvador Perez, who was expecting to be Kansas City’s designated hitter Thursday, ended up catching the first eight innings.
“First and foremost, I’m glad Carter’s OK,” Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino told reporters. “I mean, that was kind of the initial thought when you’re trying to get a hold of his parents and everything like that — just make sure he’s OK.”
Pasquantino said Jensen, a 22-year-old rookie, needs to learn from this experience.
“There are some things that cannot happen, and that’s one of them,” Pasquantino said. “So he’s going to have to wear it on the chin — same way anybody would have to. It can’t happen, and hopefully it doesn’t happen again. But it’s one of those things that you just can’t afford mistakes like that in this game. Just got to move forward the best that he can. I know he feels really bad.
“I know it was not his favorite drive to the field this morning, but it wasn’t our favorite morning either, trying to figure out what was going on. He’ll learn from it, grow a little bit. We’re here for him, though. It’s not like anybody’s mad at him. Things happen. But you’ve got to learn from mistakes like that — and maybe get another alarm clock or something.”
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale.
Reds lefty Nick Lodolo’s stellar rehab outing came to an abrupt end on Thursday.
Lodolo, who started this MLB season on the 15-day injured list because of a blister, exited his start with the Single-A Daytona Tortugas after throwing 40 pitches because of another sore on his index finger.
The 28-year-old retired the first eight batters in order with four strikeouts, but then called for a trainer in the middle of an at-bat during the third inning despite being expected to throw 60-65 pitches.
Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo deliver a pitch against the Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Reds confirmed Lodolo’s blister to the Cincinnati Enquirer, though it is still unclear if the issue will delay the lefty’s return to the major league club.
Lodolo, who has dealt with blister injuries throughout his MLB career, suffered the initial injury during his final spring training start on March 22.
Cincinnati skipper Terry Francona said Monday that Lodolo was slated to make his season debut for the Reds during the team’s series against the Marlins (April 6-9) in Miami, barring any setback.
“We didn’t want to have him go somewhere and not pitch,” Francona told the Enquirer. “So we thought this was the best way to do it.”
Reds pitcher Nick Lodolo delivers in the second inning during a spring training baseball game against the White Sox on Feb. 25, 2026, in Phoenix. AP
Lodolo is coming off perhaps his best MLB season in his four-year career so far, where he posted a 3.33 ERA with 156 strikeouts and two complete games through a career-high 156⅔ innings.
This also comes as the Reds are without their ace, Hunter Greene, who is recovering from arthroscopic surgery that he underwent on March 11 to remove bone chips from his throwing elbow.
“I’d been dealing with discomfort for a while,” Greene told reporters following his surgery, according to MLB.com. “Over the course of a season and feeling certain things in an area, especially as an elbow … as a pitcher you think that it’s just, ‘Maybe I’m feeling a little inflammation or discomfort,’ and it’s to be expected because we’re pitchers. Obviously, it’s a lot on the body.
“The bone spurs came up as chronic so there’s no timestamp as to when it formed, but it’s been there. It’s still early [after the surgery], so I still feel it and it’s still uncomfortable and swollen. There’s already a lot of freedom in the elbow.”
Greene is expected to make his Reds return in July.
MESA, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 01: Cole Mathis #16 of the Mesa Solar Sox at bat during an Arizona Fall League game against the Glendale Desert Dogs at Sloan Park on November 1, 2025 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We now have two teams in the system who have started their season as Myrtle Beach joins Iowa. Knoxville and South Bend take the field tomorrow.
It was not a good start for Javier Assad, who got pounded for three runs in the second inning, one more in the third and four in the fourth. The final line on Assad was eight runs on eleven hits over four innings. One of the eight runs was unearned. Assad walked three and struck two. He also gave up two home runs as the wind was howling out to right at Louisville Slugger Park.
As much trouble as Assad had with the conditions, Louisville pitchers had even more as Iowa hit five home runs tonight. The first one came with two men on in the top of the first by center fielder Chas McCormick.
Chas McCormick puts the I-Cubs on the board with a three-run homer in the 1st!🚀 pic.twitter.com/0Lch8zt6Zn
Bethancourt went 2 for 5 with the two home runs and five RBI.
Charlie Barnes took over for Assad in the fifth inning and got the win. His final line was one run on three hits over 3.1 innings. Barnes walked three, hit one batter and struck out three.
Gavin Hollowell was summoned from the pen to get the final two outs of the bottom of the eighth. He did that after walking two. When Hollowell came out to pitch the ninth, he walked the first batter of the inning. Then Edwin Arroyo tripled him home to reduce the Iowa lead to 11-10 with a runner on third and no outs in the ninth. But Hollowell then buckled down and struck out the next three batters to record the save.
The final line on Hollowell was one run on one hit and three walks over 1.2 innings. He struck out five.
Shortstop Ben Cowles was also 0 for 1 with four walks and one run scored.
Cubs’ 2025 third-round pick Dominick Reid made his professional debut tonight and looked good. He pitched four scoreless innings and gave up just two hits. He struck out five and walked just one.
Jackson Brockett threw the next three innings in his professional debut and got the win because Reid didn’t go five innings. Brockett gave up three hits. He walked two and struck out two.
Myrtle Beach got a run before they even put a ball in play as after shortstop Ty Southisene was hit by the first pitch of the season, the next three batters walked. In the end, the Pelicans scored 14 runs on 11 hits and 15 walks.
DH Cole Mathis hit the first home run of the year with two men on in the second inning. Mathis went 2 for 3 with three walks. He drove in four runs total (one of the walks came with the bases loaded) and he scored twice.
Southisene went 0 for 2 with three walks and the hit by pitch. He scored three times.
Right fielder Josiah Hartshorn was 1 for 2 with four walks in his pro debut. Hartshorn scored once and drove in one with a single.
Catcher Logan Poteet went 2 for 5 with a walk. He scored three times and had two RBI.
First baseman Michael Carico was 3 for 6 with a double and one run scored.
Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy finished at 1 for 4 with a two-run double and two walks. He scored twice and had three overall runs batted in.
Here are some Reid highlights.
Cubs 2025 3rd-round pick Dominick Reid made his professional debut tonight.
Final line: 4.0 IP | 2 H | 1 BB | 5 K | 0 R
His fastball showed good life, and his secondaries looked solid, led by a 60-grade changeup. pic.twitter.com/pAPlo87uag
One of Major League Baseball's most iconic uniform sets is getting a refresh.
The Los Angeles Dodgers unveiled a new look on Thursday, adding a blue alternate jersey to their regular road rotation. While the Dodgers have worn blue in the regular season before, most notably in their first City Connect uniforms from 2021-23 and for six games during "Think Blue Week" in 1999, this marks the first time in club history that blue will be a mainstay option on the road.
Dodger Blue.
For the first time in history, the Dodgers will be wearing a blue jersey as part of their regular uniform rotation on the road. pic.twitter.com/ce3EVFVJTd
The announcement comes after much speculation among the fanbase; rumors spread over the last few months as images circulated on social media from retailers reportedly receiving the new alternates. They were also listed on both the Fanatics website and in the "MLB The Show 26" video game.
It's a clean look that resembles the Dodgers' spring training tops and features the traditional "Los Angeles" script that was first worn in 1959 (they used that until they switched to "Dodgers" as their away wordmark in 1970, before re-introducing "Los Angeles" in 1999). A script Dodgers logo appears on one of the sleeves, a break from all their other uniforms that carry the LA logo. The uniform is finished off with gray piping on the sleeves and a gray outline on the traditional red front numbers to match their gray pants.
With the new addition to their closet, the Dodgers now have three uniforms for the road. These will be the team's third option behind both of their grays — one that reads "Dodgers" across the front and the other with "Los Angeles."
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 5: Fans grab ballpark food before heading to their seat at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado on April 5, 2024. The Colorado Rockies took on the Tampa Bay Rays during the 2024 season home opener for the Colorado Rockies. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Tomorrow, the Colorado Rockies will host the Philadelphia Phillies for their Mile-High Home Opener, and you know that that means: New food items have been added to the menu, and now dining choices are available at Coors Field.
Because we here at Purple Row are committed to provide you with the latest news (and the best food reviews), here’s what fans can expect in 2026.
The 9-9-9 challenge
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is this:
Drink nine flight-sized beers
Eat nine mini hot dogs
Finish before the ninth inning ends.
The 9-9-9 is, as MLB.com puts it, “a task not for the faint of heart.” Each challenge comes with customized team packaging.
Originally limited to Citizens Bank Park, this option has expended to five more MLB ballparks this summer, so do not throw away this opportunity.
Where is it? Fanfare, Section 139 — and be sure to bring your valid ID.
Taco Momalona
The Taco Momalona has brisket, chihuahua cheese, shredded cabbage, pork belly, gold BBQ sauce, hot Cheetos, fresh avocado, and avocado crema.
Pro tip: It should be eaten like a taco salad, and while it’s big enough for two, it’s tasty!
Pizza Donuts
Remember, this is a savory item, not a sweet one.
The Pizza Donut is a plain donut with garlic butter, parmesan, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and marinara sauce, served with pesto sauce and Italian seasoning.
Where are they? Section 109
The Colorado Rockies will have donut pizzas at Coors Field this season 😋
These donuts are covered in garlic butter, grated parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, marinara sauce, pesto sauce and Italian seasoning 😮 pic.twitter.com/cTOjUDzaA7
If you want a dessert, try the Dubai Cinnamon Roll. It’s a cinnamon roll topped with chocolate, vanilla ice cream, pistachios, caramel puff cereal, and kataifi.
Where is it? Section 115
The Glizzilla
The pictures you saw on the internet do not do this one justice. Glizzilla is HUGE.
It’s a one-pound, 23-inch all-beef hot dog on a 19-in sub roll.
It’s a year of Rockies rebuilding, which, hopefully means some celebrating, and this year you can celebrate and eat ice cream. Boozy Ice Cream brings together two baseball staples, and it comes in a cool Rockies baseball helmet (see bottom right photo below).
Where is it? Section 306 — and be sure to bring your valid ID.
If you’re heading to the ballpark, come hungry.@AramarkSports is debuting new eats and fan experiences across eight MLB stadiums.
This is Aramark’s first proprietary cheesesteak brand, featuring a variety of sandwiches with premium ribeye, caramelized onions, and melted cheese served on a fresh roll.
It’s pretty daring, making a cheesesteak this side of the Mississippi, but Aramark has taken on the challenge.
Where is it? Section 134
Mac on Deck
Say you’re a series fan of macaroni and cheese. This year, you can get your favorite comfort food at the ballpark. Check out these options:
Loaded Mac — bacon bits, cheddar jack, blue cheese crumbles, green onion, and sour creme
Vegan Mac — vegan mozzarella cheese and green onion
Buffalo Mac — buffalo sauce, chicken, bacon bits, blue cheese crumbles, and green onion
Ballpark Mac — traditional mac, hot dogs, green onion, and shredded cheddar jack cheese
Classic Mac — just like Mom used to make!
Where is it? Section 115
Birdcall
If you’re a fan of chicken tenders, this one’s for you. Birdcall is a Denver-born craft chicken brand that will be serving chicken sandwiches, tenders, nuggets, and tots.
Where is it? Section 204 at the “Birdcall Deck.”
1913
This one’s a little trickier to describe.
If you were at Rockies Fest, Walker Monfort was asked if he knew any secrets about Coors Field, and he mentioned that there’s a speakeasy hidden in Coors Field.
Well, Reader, I’m here to tell you that it’s real, and I’ve seen it, and it’s pretty cool — like, hidden behind a bookcase and the whole thing. (And, apparently, the Old Fashioned is involved.)
I’m not entirely clear on how it all works, but it involves having a membership, and if you want more information, call 303-Rockies.
(Truly, I’m not trying to be coy. I’m still trying to figure this one out, but I also wanted to share what I’d learned.)
Sep 2, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals pinch hitter Carter Jensen (22) walks back to the dugout after striking out to end the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
Ever oversleep and miss something important? It has happened to the best of us. And today, it happened to Royals rookie Carter Jensen.
The 22-year-old catcher was supposed to be in the starting lineup for the series finale Thursday afternoon against the Twins. With Salvador Perez catching in wet conditions last night, typically teams like to switch catchers for the day game after a night game. But reporters and fans were puzzled when Jensen was a late scratch, particularly when he was later seen warming up.
It turns out Jensen had overslept. He later entered the game in the ninth inning after Salvy was replaced by a pinch runner. To his credit, he faced reporters after the game and took responsibility.
“No running from it. Just didn’t wake up to my alarm, slept through it. Don’t really have an excuse, nor should I. You know, it sucks and it happens. I felt let my teammates down, coaches down. I’ll just learn from it and know it won’t happen again.”
“There’s a lot to learn from, and I think it’s just, you know, making sure if I don’t set one alarm, maybe set three or four, as many as possible. So moving forward, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to set a million alarms to make sure I’m up.”
#Royals catcher Carter Jensen in the clubhouse after the Twins game earlier today. Jensen plans to set a few alarms in the future. @KSHB41pic.twitter.com/wy2nDvgsaU
Veteran Vinnie Pasquantino revealed the team had tried to contact Carter’s parents in an effort to find him.
“You got a 36-year-old catcher who’s preparing to DH today, then his world gets a little rocked that an hour and a half before the game, he’s not going to be DHing. Credit to Salvy today for being ready.
First and foremost, we are glad that Carter is OK, right? I mean, that was kind of the initial thought, when you are trying to get ahold of his parents and everything like that just to make sure he is OK. But once you find out he’s OK, it’s like, ‘Alright, it’s a growing moment.‘
He’s really young, there are some things that cannot happen, and that’s one of them. So he’s going to have to wear it on the chin, the same way anyone would have to. So it can’t happen. And hopefully it doesn’t happen again.
You just can’t afford mistakes like that in this game. You just gotta move forward the best oyu can. I know he feels really bad. I know its not his favorite drive to the field this morning, but it wasn’t our favorite morning either trying to figure what was going on. He’ll learn from it, grow up a little bit. We’re here for him though, its not like anybody’s mad at him. Things happen. You gotta learn from mistakes like that and maybe get another alarm clock or something.”
#Royals: Carter Jensen overslept and was scratched from today's lineup. Here's what Vinnie Pasquantino had to say about the situation after the game. @KSHB41pic.twitter.com/BHHt6k1G6n
Thankfully, he wasn’t scratched due to an injury – or worse. Hopefully the rookie gets a hefty fine in kangaroo court, learns from his mistake, and moves on. With a better alarm clock!
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the New York Yankees at Oracle Park on March 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants welcome the New York Mets to Oracle Park tonight to begin a four-game series.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be left-hander Robbie Ray, who finished the 2025 season with a 3.65 ERA, 3.93 FIP, with 186 strikeouts to 73 walks in 182.1 innings pitched. His first start this season was in the Giants’ 3-0 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday, in which he allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts in five and a third innings.
He’ll be facing off against the Mets left-hander David Peterson, who finished the 2025 season with a 4.22 ERA, 3.48 FIP, with 150 strikeouts to 65 walks in 168.2 innings pitched. His first start this season was in the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, in which he allowed six hits with three strikeouts and two walks in five and a third innings pitched.
The Royals will call up Luinder Avila from Omaha to start Friday’s game against the Brewers, according to MLB.com reporter Anne Rogers. Michael Wacha was originally scheduled to start on Friday, but will be pushed back due to illness. Avila was scheduled to start Omaha’s game tonight, but was scratched and replaced by Ethan Bosacker. The team has yet to announce the move, but Steven Cruz seems like a good bet to be sent down after he pitched on back-to-back days and gave up three home runs in an inning of work in a 5-1 loss on Thursday.
Update: Luinder Avila will start tomorrow and Michael Wacha will be pushed back due to an illness. Rest of the weekend (Lugo, Bubic) is unchanged. Roster move will be announced tomorrow. #Royalshttps://t.co/38QCp74Mlq
Luinder Avila appeared in 13 games with the Royals last year, giving up just two runs with 16 strikeouts in 14 innings for an ERA of 1.29. The Royals sent him to the minors to keep him stretched out as a starter. He started the first game for Omaha, and he gave up two runs in three innings with three strikeouts.
Avila is ranked as the #9 prospect in the Royals’ farm system by MLB Pipeline. He throws from a high angle, and tends to induce a lot of groundballs. His curveball had a 48 percent whiff rate in limited big league action. He was also impressive in the World Baseball Classic, throwing 4.1 innings and allowing just one unearned run for Team Venezuela.
The Royals list Seth Lugo to start the Saturday game with Kris Bubic to start on Sunday. The Royals begin a three-game series in Cleveland on Monday.
The “boys in blue” will take on a literal meaning this year.
On Thursday, the Dodgers announced they are introducing a new blue uniform into their regular road rotation.
The new jerseys follow the team’s traditional template, featuring their iconic red numbers on the front and a cursive “Los Angeles” script across the chest.
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani on deck in the fourth against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It marks the first time in team history they will wear blue uniforms on the road.
Blue uniforms have been used at home in the past, but not since the team’s original “Los Dodgers” city connect jerseys were replaced by their new moon-colored iteration.
Previously, the Dodgers had rotated between two gray uniforms on the road — one that said “Los Angeles” and another that said “Dodgers.”
The new edition will be accented in gray, used for the sleeve piping and an outline on the numbers.
Dodger Blue.
For the first time in history, the Dodgers will be wearing a blue jersey as part of their regular uniform rotation on the road. pic.twitter.com/ce3EVFVJTd
