SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees pitches against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on March 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After opening up the new season on a West Coast road trip, the Yankees are finally headed home this weekend. However before they do, there’s till one more game to finish up, as they’re set to play the Mariners one last time. The Yankees dropped the opener in Seattle on a Cal Raleigh walk-off, but they rebounded last night thanks to another excellent effort from Max Fried. Although they already have a winning road trip guaranteed (5-1 or 4-2), they won’t rest on their laurels, and they will try to take a second-straight series on the new year.
The first time around in the rotation, Fried threw a scoreless outing on Opening Day, and was followed by Cam Schlittler doing the same in San Francisco for Game 2. Today, Schlittler will attempt to repeat that pattern after Fried kept the M’s off the scoreboard on Tuesday night.
Despite facing a righty in George Kirby, the Yankees are giving starts to both Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario, in an otherwise normal lineup. At least in the case of Rosario, that may have something to do with Ryan McMahon looking lost at the plate so far this season. This will be Goldschmidt’s first appearance of the season, as Ben Rice shifts to DH and Giancarlo Stanton takes a seat on the bench. Stanton’s been hotter than just about anyone in baseball, but the Yankees perhaps understandably being cautious with the oft-injured 36-year-old is nothing new.
As mentioned, Kirby will take the mound for the Mariners, coming off a season debut where he held Cleveland to one run in six innings. The M’s will roll out a similar cast of characters to last night in their starting lineup, though they did tag in Dominic Canzone for Rob Refsnyder at DH and Luke Raley for Victor Robles in right field. Offseason trade acquisition Brendan Donovan also returns to the leadoff spot after hitting sixth against Fried.
We hope that you’ll come join us in the game thread for this afternoon’s action, and here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game.
How to Watch
Location: T-Mobile Park — Seattle, WA
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
TV broadcast: YES Network (NYY) | Mariners.TV (SEA)
Mar 31, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham (12) is forced out at second as Seattle Mariners shortstop Leo Rivas (76) throws to complete a double play during the third inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images | John Froschauer-Imagn Images
Lousy Smarch Weather! Hey look at that, no more March baseball, which really shouldn’t even be a thing. Now we’re playing in April, like the good baseball gods intended where it is also cold and rainy. Nevertheless, DAY BASEBALL on a WEDNESDAY! Let’s get into it.
The Mariners had their first true stinker of a game last night in a lifeless 5-0 shin-kicking by the Yankees, but the M’s can bounce back today and stroll off with a series win versus the big baddies of the AL East. Taking the mound for the Mariners is Furious George Kirby versus Cam Schlittler, who has all the letters in his last name for multiple frowned upon words and names. Fun fact: Kirby, who grew up in Rye, New York, has pitched at least 7.0 innings in both of his career starts against the Yankees. Let’s see if he can match or top that in today’s tussle.
Lineups!
And these guys:
I will begrudgingly hand it to them for the cool 80’s Fleer/Topps mash-up style baseball card graphics, though. Big shoutout to friend of the site Dave Sims, too.
First pitch: 1:40 PM PDT TV: Mariners TV, which you can a subscription to online or watch on several cable networks. Kate’s got the details. Radio: 710 KIRO, in Rick Rizzs’s final season
JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Gavin Fien #8 and Eli Willits #2 of the Washington Nationals look on prior to a spring training Spring Breakout game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Nationals minor league rosters are here. We now know where all of the Nats prospects will start the season. Every level has intriguing names, but the Fredericksburg Nationals and Rochester Red Wings look like must watch teams. With a new player development focused regime in place, it will be very interesting to watch the Nats minor league teams this season.
The Fred Nats are the team I am most excited about, so let’s start with them. They have some of the best collection of 18-20 year old talent you will see in the minor leagues. Eight of the Nats top 30 prospects will start the season in Low-A, including four of the top 10. The star of the show is number one overall pick Eli Willits, but there is so much more than just him.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) March 31, 2026
This team is stacked across the board. Gavin Fien, who was the headlining piece of the MacKenzie Gore trade, will also start his season in Low-A. Interestingly, Fien was listed as an infielder/outfielder. Most evaluators thought Fien would be a third baseman in pro ball, but the Nats seem like they will give him reps in the outfield.
Another infield prospect who will be getting time in the outfield is Luke Dickerson. The Nats second rounder from 2024 is repeating Low-A after a lackluster first season. However, he has the tools to be a breakout candidate. One guy on this team who has gotten a lot of buzz this spring is Ronny Cruz, who came over in the Michael Soroka deal. He played last season in rookie ball, but was really impressive in my viewings of him and always seems to be on the tip of Paul Toboni’s tongue.
On the pitching side, we saw some aggressive assignments. I figured Landon Harmon and certainly Miguel Sime Jr. would start their seasons in rookie ball. However, they are both with the Fred Nats. That shows the Nats front offices’ belief in these two teenaged arms. Both have massive upside.
Moving on to High-A Wilmington, the Blue Rocks are not as stacked but have some interesting names. They should also be seeing some of the players who are on the Fred Nats right now at some point this season. To start the year, they have a couple solid names though.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) March 31, 2026
Two guys who stick out are Devin Fitz-Gerald and Angel Feliz. Fitz-Gerald has only played 10 games in Low-A and Feliz has only played 31. However, with the amount of infield talent the Nats have at the lower levels, some of those guys had to go to High-A. Picking those guys shows confidence in their skills, as well as their ability to handle adversity.
Ethan Petry is another intriguing name to watch. He has big power upside but will have to keep his swing and miss in check. Former top prospects who have lost their shine, such as Elijah Green and Cristhian Vaquero are also here. Wilmington is a bit light on the pitching side, with Yoel Tejada being the best arm there.
Moving up to Double-A Harrisburg, the Senators roster is filled with a mix of journeymen, bounce back candidates and some top prospects. Seaver King is one guy I will be watching very closely. He has performed in the AFL and in Spring Training, but he needs to do it in the real games.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) March 31, 2026
An under the radar name in Harrisburg is Sam Petersen. He has not been very durable in his pro career, but whenever he has been on the field, he has raked. Caleb Lomavita is another guy who is trying to regain some momentum.
On the pitching side, it is a weird and interesting mix. The top prospect here is Alex Clemmey. Despite being around for what seems like a long time, he is still just 20 years old. That means he is ahead of schedule being in Double-A. I am interested to see how his game evolves this year. Davian Garcia and Eriq Swan are two more arms to watch. Shinnosuke Ogasawara is also down here.
We have already talked a bit about the Rochester Red Wings, but I am going to talk about them some more. It is such a fascinating roster filled with prospects and guys who used to be top prospects. Of course, the biggest name down here is Dylan Crews, who is trying to get his career back on track.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) March 27, 2026
However, Crews is far from the only guy at this level. Harry Ford, Robert Hassell, Abimelec Ortiz and Christian Franklin are a few more big name bats in AAA. All of these guys are hungry to establish or re-establish themselves as big leaguers. Most should get an opportunity at some point this season, but they will have to earn it.
It is not just bats though. There are a number of really intriguing arms. Mitchell Parker was a mainstay in DC the last two years, but he is a Rochester Red Wing now. Luis Perales and Riley Cornelio are two fun prospects in the Red Wings rotation. Andrew Alvarez proved himself last September, but he is back in Rochester.
There are also a number of relievers with MLB experience. We will see a lot of current Red Wings in Nats uniforms this year. This is the most exciting AAA team I think the Nats have ever had.
There is a lot of depth throughout the organization now. That is so exciting and it is a new phenomenon. The biggest names are in Low-A and Triple-A, but every level has guys who fans should be interested in seeing. If you are a Nats fan into minor league baseball, you should have a blast this year.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 31: Spencer Torkelson #20 of the Detroit Tigers warms up on deck during the third inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on March 31, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Detroit Tigers (2-3) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (2-3)
Time/Place: 3:40 p.m., Chase Field SB Nation Site: AZ Snake Pit Media: Detroit Sportsnet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Tarik Skubal (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Zac Gallen (0-1, 9.00 ERA)
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 1: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves runs to second base after hitting a double in the fourth inning during the game against the Athletics at Truist Park on April 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves took on the Athletics today in the series finale as both staff aces took the mound. Both teams have struggled offensively to start the season, which may be shocking to some because both team’s lineups look solid on paper in comparison to the rest of the league.
The key to this game seemed to be if the heart of the Braves’ lineup can come through. Outside of Drake Baldwin, the rest of the top four have struggled to start the season. It looked like they may get the ball rolling in the first inning. The Braves showed patience with Ronald Acuña drawing a walk after an ABS challenge, Drake Baldwin walked, and Austin Riley walked. However, no runs were score and it was partly due to Acuña being picked off. The pickoffs have hurt the Braves multiple times this season already.
4 pickoffs, 1 SB (T-Last) and 3 CS (Most) through 5 games and 1 out. not having fun. https://t.co/Pi3kWGehz3
Olson and Yastrzemski both struck out, resulting in zero runs on three walks in the inning. The Braves kept putting runners on in the second inning to put the pressure on and finally produced some runs. Albies walked, Smith singled, and Acuña walked again. Harris struck out and Dubón popped out along the way, but with the bases loaded this time Drake Baldwin continued his clutch start to the season with a single to score two and put the Braves up 2-0. Olson struck out to end the inning, but it was clear that the Braves had Severino’s number today up to this point.
Severino had his revenge in the third inning by striking out the side, but that did not stop the Braves from continuing to put pressure on him. In the fourth inning Severino struck out Harris, but then gave up back-to-back singles to Smith and Dubón which led Elvis Alvarado relieving him. This strategy did not pay off. Acuña moved Smith over to third on a 103.4 MPH fly out and then Baldwin came through yet again with a two run double to make the score 4-1.
Olson finally got out of his slump and hit a single to knock in Baldwin for another run. Riley flied out, but the damage had been done. The only other offense from the Braves was a single by Riley, but the five runs were enough. The pitching yet again was the main story of the day.
Chris Sale looked to continue his scoreless streak as he just came off a six inning outing where he surrendered zero runs. He looked good today. One could argue that he looked even better than last game even though he gave up a run.
Sale sat down the first eleven hitters he faced picking up two strikeouts along the way until former Braves’ farm hand Shea Langeliers took him deep to left field in the fourth inning to make the score 2-1 Braves. Sale was not shaken and struck out Brent Rooker to end the top of the fourth. Sale ended up pitching six total innings and did not surrender another base runner.
A slightly developing story is that Chris Sale is inducing grounders at a career high rate. In his first game this season Sale induced a ground ball 53.8 percent of the time. His career average is only 42.7 percent. Today alone he induced seven ground balls today. Do we have an evolving Sale? All-in-all Sal had an excellent start.
Saurez, Lee, and Iglesias came in and finished the job allowing a combined two hits, and zero runs while striking out two and giving up zero walks. The bullpen has been lights out for the Braves so far this season.
This 5-1 win was much needed in a game that was important in a sense that it was a game that the Braves were supposed to win. With so many injuries, the Braves must win these types of games if they want to stay in contention.
The key takeaways are that Drake Baldwin continues to rake, pickoffs need to slow down, the offense plate discipline is looking nice with five walks, the bullpen is still lights out, and Chris Sale may be a groundball pitcher now.
Next game is 9:40 PM EDT against the Diamondbacks.
Apr 1, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Leody Taveras (3) gestures to his dugout after driving in two runs with a double during the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored three runs but the Baltimore Orioles scored eight runs.
If you had told me that the first week of the season would end with Texas taking their first two series on the road but with their two losses coming in the starts made by Nathan Eovaldi, I would have said “well, ok, baseball do be like that sometimes” but it certainly wouldn’t have been my first guess.
Near my last guess would have been how hittable Eovaldi has been so far. Like in his outing on Opening Day, Eovaldi ran into two-out troubles with Baltimore scoring their first four runs — two in the 2nd, two in the 3rd — after Eovaldi had retired two hitters.
That isn’t to say Eovaldi was unlucky. He simply wasn’t good today. And even after he got through those two-out run-scoring rallies, he allowed a home run in the fifth and saw another inherited run hit his ledger all while finishing the day with just four innings pitched with six runs allowed on eight hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
You know Eovaldi isn’t on track when he’s walking guys. Eovaldi hasn’t had a season in which his walk rate was a number above 2 since 2019. Mostly though, Eovaldi just hasn’t looked right so far this season in his two starts. For a guy coming off a great season, albeit one that was lousy with various injuries, it certainly a concern but one the Rangers are hoping their veteran bulldog can work through.
Ironically, the Rangers had their own two-out rallies going against Baltimore starter Trevor Rogers, but though they scored two runs off of one in the top of the 4th to cut the lead to 4-2, another died without a run in the previous inning and eventually the Orioles padded their 4-2 lead before Texas could mount a comeback.
Overall, the Rangers had a successful first stint to open the year with two series wins. Now they just have to see how Eovaldi bounces back.
Player of the Game: Old LSB comment section punching bag Leody Taveras had his revenge on the Rangers today as he went 2-for-2 with two walks, two RBI, and a run scored while reaching in each of his plate appearances.
The 6-9 hitters for Baltimore had seven hits, reached three more times via walks, and drove in five runs. You won’t win many games when the opposing bottom of the order does that much damage.
If you’re looking for a positive from the Rangers, Josh Jung had a couple of hits and an RBI after an abysmal first handful of games to start the year.
Up Next: The Rangers will take a day off on Thursday before opening up their home slate with a series against the Cincinnati Reds. The starting pitcher for Texas is still TBD but perhaps it will be RHP Kumar Rocker. The Reds, meanwhile, will expected to opt for RHP Brady Singer.
The Friday afternoon home debut first pitch from The Shed is set for 3:05 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres slides home to score a run ahead of the throw to Patrick Bailey #14 of the San Francisco Giants during the third inning at Petco Park on March 31, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Francisco Giants (2-3) at San Diego Padres (1-4), April 1, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
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Mar 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after scoring a run on a single hit by outfielder Kyle Tucker (not pictured) against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Taking the mound against the Dodgers this Wednesday will be Gavin Williams, a pitcher who, in a way, sort of defied the odds over the last year or so to put up solid numbers despite concerning peripherals. Look no further than the 11.8% walk rate Williams ran last season in order to contemplate that his 3.06 ERA is no model of sustainability. Well, start number one in 2026 didn’t inspire much confidence in his ability to take steps forward in that department—Williams’s final line of two runs allowed in five innings of work against the Mariners represented a strong performance, but how he got there despite walking six batters is quite the surprise.
Although Shohei Ohtani leads the league in walks in this early sample, with six, the Dodgers as a team haven’t been that prone to the free pass. Ultimately, though, unlike in Williams’ case, in which the first sample of 2026 merely follows an established trend in the past, the Dodgers’ ability to be patient is well-known. If they can replicate that against Williams, there might be room for a blowup in here for an offense that hasn’t surpassed five runs in a game since Opening Day.
Early wins have come primarily on the backs of pitching and complementary pieces rising to the occasion. Sure, the stars have had their moments here and there, like that Mookie Betts three-run shot against the Diamondbacks, but we’re waiting for their first massive game. Something else to keep an eye on regarding Williams, a right-hander, is that he had pretty aggressive reverse splits last year, and he’s been better against lefties over the course of his career.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 31: Jose Fernandez #11 of the Arizona Diamondbacks is dunked with gatorade following the MLB game against the Detroit Tigers 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
Today’s Lineups
TIGERS
DIAMONDBACKS
Colt Keith – 1B
Ketel Marte – DH
Kevin McGonigle – 3B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Gleyber Torres – 2B
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Riley Greene – DH
Gabriel Moreno – C
Dillon Dingler – C
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Kerry Carpenter – RF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Matt Vierling – LF
Jose Fernandez – 1B
Parker Meadows – CF
Tim Tawa – LF
Javier Baez – SS
Jordan Lawlar – CF
Tarik Skubal – LHP
Zac Gallen – RHP
Last night’s debut hero, Jose Fernandez, remains in the line-up for this afternoon’s game. However, in an interesting move, he goes across the diamond, taking the place of Carlos Santana at first-base. Fernandez has only 139.1 innings of experience at the position – just sixteen starts. Eight of those were in 2024 with High-A Hillsboro, and the other eight last year at Double-A Amarillo. After last night’s remarkable performance, it feels like Torey Lovullo simply was unable to leave him out of the line-up. Certainly, he did better than Nolan Arenado had done at third; with Santana’s OPS+ being negative 14, the bar is similarly low at first!
Of course, this afternoon, he’s only having to face the back-to-back Cy Young winner, in Tariq Skubal. Now, being the reigning champion there doesn’t preclude you getting knocked around. Just ask Paul Skenes, who didn’t even make it out of the first inning on Opening Day. But that fate certainly did not befall Skubal in his inaugural appearance, who tossed six innings on three hits, allowing only an unearned run, with no walks and six strikeouts. It’s definitely nice for the D-backs to have secured the series win already: a victory here would therefore fall into the “house money” category.
We will certainly need Zac Gallen to pitch a damn sight better than he did. After more or less cruising through four innings, the wheels came off in the fifth, where Gallen was charged with four runs, without recording an out. I also note Alek Thomas getting a day off, with Jordan Lawlar moving over to centre, and Tim Tawa getting the start in left. Ketel Marte moves to DH, with Ildemaro Vargas playing second in his utility role. I’m under no illusions that this is going to be other than a tough game for Arizona, going up against one of the best pitches in baseball. They’ll need to play clean, and take advantage of whatever opportunities they can find, if they are to complete the sweep and get back to .500.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 31: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros reacts after hitting a home run in the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Daikin Park on March 31, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros (4-2) look to sweep the Boston Red Sox (1-4) in an afternoon series finale at Daikin Park.
RHP Mike Burrows, who grew up a Red Sox fan from Waterford, CT, will get the start for the Astros today opposite LHP Garrett Crochet and the Red Sox.
APRIL FOOLS!: The Astros and Red Sox will play an April Fools Day matchup today with the Astros going for a sweep in what is the finale of their seven-game homestand.
ABOUT BURROWS: RHP Mike Burrows was acquired from the Pirates this offseason as part of a three-team, six-player trade in which the Astros sent OF Jacob Melton and minor leaguer RHP Anderson Brito to the Rays, while the Rays sent IF Brandon Lowe, OF Jake Mangum and LHP Mason Montgomery to the Pirates.
Burrows impressed this Spring, making five starts and posting a 1.50 ERA (3ER/18IP) while allowing a .200 opponent batting average with 17 strikeouts.
ASTROS VS. CROCHET: The Astros are seeing LHP Garrett Crochet today for the first time since they worked him for five runs on seven hits in 4.0 innings on 86 pitches in an Astros 7-6 win on Aug. 11, 2025 at Daikin Park. That start was Crochet’s shortest start, in terms of innings, of the 2025 season.
GOIN’ STREAKING: The Astros have won four straight games and are going for a five-game winning streak today, which would match their season high from 2025 (reached twice last June). Only the Astros and Rangers have four-game winning streaks this season, with both streaks active going into play today.
OUT OF THE BLOCKS: The Astros are off to a 4-2 start, their best start since also going 4-2 in their first six games of 2022. Should the Astros win today, it would be their best seven-game start since they went 6-1 to open the 2021 season.
CRAZY EIGHTS: The Astros have scored eight-plus runs in four straight games for the first time since July 26-30, 2021. The offense has scored 37 runs in their last four games, while hitting .319 (44×138) with 14 doubles and six homers in that span. The Astros franchise record is five straight games with eight-plus runs, accomplished just once, from Aug. 29-Sept. 3, 2004.
LEAGUE LEADERS: The Astros lead the Majors in runs (39), doubles (17) and total bases (93), while ranking tied for first in hits (55) and second in walks (20), OBP (.371), SLG (.458) and OPS (.829).
Individually, 2B Jose Altuve leads the Majors in runs scored (7), LF Yordan Alvarez leads the Majors in total bases (19) and 1B Christian Walker leads the Majors in doubles (5).
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, April 1, 1:10 p.m. CST
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels close out their series after splitting the first two games. Yusei Kikuchi takes the mound for the Angels against Matthew Boyd. The Cubs are favored with a moneyline of -165.
How to Watch Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago Cubs
Date: Wednesday, April 1
Time: 2:20 p.m. ET / 11:20 a.m. PT
Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago
TV Channels: Marquee Sports Network, FanDuel Sports Network West
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 26: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates as he walks back to the dugout during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Pitching for the Rays is former Brewer and 2025 All-Star Drew Rasmussen, who has been consistently effective for Tampa Bay since they acquired him as part of the return for Willy Adames. The hard-throwing righty has had an ERA under 3 in each of the last five seasons, although he missed large chunks of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to injury. Misiorowski and Rasmussen both went five innings and allowed a single earned run in their respective first starts of the season.
As usual, Brice Turang will lead off today, followed by William Contreras and Christian Yelich. Hitting cleanup and playing first base is Jake Bauers, who went 2-for-4 with a homer last night. Center fielder Garrett Mitchell, right fielder Sal Frelick, and left fielder Blake Perkins will hit fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively. David Hamilton, back in the lineup at third base, and Joey Ortiz round out the bottom of the order.
First pitch for today’s game is slated for 12:40 p.m. You can watch the game on Brewers.TV or catch the radio broadcast on WTMJ 620 and the Brewers Radio Network.
CINCINNATI, OH - MARCH 26: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox walks back to the dugout after pitching during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeffrey Dean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Red Sox play their sixth game of the season this afternoon. They have just one win and 11 total runs to show for it. By the way, the Red Sox are now just 4-11 in March over the last four years and 2-8 over the last two years.
But March is over! Now, Garrett Crochet, who struck out eight in his Opening Day victory, takes the mound to save Boston from a sweep in Houston. The Astros made him human last August when they chased the Cy Young runner-up after four innings and five earned runs.
It’s not exactly a juggernaut to support him in Alex Cora’s lineup, especially with Roman Anthony out of the lineup. Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate in the series finale. Connor Wong also gets the start after a late mystery scratch for Carlos Narvaez.
UPDATED: Duran LF Story SS Yoshida DH Contreras 1B Abreu RF Durbin 3B Rafaela CF Kiner-Falefa 2B Wong C Crochet P
On the other side, the Astros hung up 17 runs in the first two games. Here’s Houston’s lineup for the finale with Mike Burrows on the mound at Daikin Park.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Buddy Kennedy #41 of the San Francisco Giants bats during the eighth inning of the spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Scottsdale Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants still have just one Minor League Baseball team in action, but that’s changing oh-so soon. Low-A San Jose begins their season on Thursday, while High-A Eugene and AA Richmond kick off the 2026 campaign on Friday. Until then, it’s just AAA Sacramento, so not a ton to talk about. But let’s get to it nonetheless!
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
The Giants made some transactions on Monday that impacted the Minor Leagues. They sent cash to old friend Scott Harris in exchange for right-handed reliever Dylan Smith, whom the Detroit Tigers had designated for assignment a few days prior. Smith, who was a 3rd-round pick in the 2021 draft and has a pair of option years remaining, was immediately optioned to AAA Sacramento. He had a 3.65 ERA and a 2.69 FIP with Detroit’s AAA affiliate last year, with 22 strikeouts in just 12.1 innings, but also 7 walks.
San Francisco had to clear space on the 40-man roster to make room for Smith, and so they designated for assignment utility player Tyler Fitzgerald. It’s sad to see Fitzgerald go, but there was really no path to him getting Major League playing time anytime soon — the Giants have everyday players at every position, and Fitzgerald was well behind Christian Koss and Casey Schmitt on the infield depth chart, and behind Grant McCray, Will Brennan, and Drew Gilbert on the outfield depth chart. He still has an option year remaining, so he’ll almost certainly get claimed off waivers.
AAA Sacramento (2-2)
Sacramento River Cats lost to the Salt Lake Bees (Angels) 13-5 Box score
Despite the lopsided score, the River Cats were in this game for most of it. In fact, they held a 5-3 lead at stretch time, but then gave up 10 runs between the 7th and 8th innings.
It was a trio of rough performances that doomed the bullpen, starting with RHP Trent Harris (No. 29 CPL). Harris was tasked with opening the 7th inning, and it started off well. He retired the first batter and third batters that he faced, with a single sandwiched between them. But then the wheels fell off, against an Angels’ affiliate that admittedly has a fair amount of ex-MLB talent on it.
The results were bad, but the talent doing it was good. That first single came off the bat of Christian Moore, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 draft (after a very nice career with Tony Vitello at Tennessee). A 2-out single by Trey Mancini, a 7-year MLB veteran, scored a run. But the big hit came from Denzer Guzman, one of LA’s top prospects, who made his MLB debut last year. In a 2-2 count, Harris tried a slider, but Guzman fouled it off. Harris tried it again, and Guzman fouled it off again. Unrelenting, Harris tried it a 3rd time, and this time Guzman put it over the fence for a 2-run home run.
Then Matthew Lugo, who also debuted in the Majors last year, singled. And Niko Kavadas, who spent time in the Majors in each of the last 2 years, walked. And Jose Siri, who has more than 1,000 MLB plate appearances to his name, singled home a 4th run, ending Harris’ night.
Harris remains one of the top relief prospects in the organization, but the question of “can you get advanced hitters out” stymies a lot of pitchers, and he is very much one of them. The undrafted curveball artist, who recently turned 27, dominated the lower and mid-Minors, which was emphasized by a showing with AA Richmond last year in which he posted a 1.69 ERA, a 1.73 FIP, and 14.1 strikeouts per 9 innings. But advanced hitters have gotten the best of him: Harris made 30 appearances for Sacramento last year, but the ERA rose to 5.44, the FIP leaped to 4.69, and the strikeouts per 9 plummeted to 8.7. Still, he very deservedly was given an invite to Major League camp this year, and while he showed some impressive things, the same concerns persisted: in 4 Cactus League games, he had a 9.64 ERA and an 8.80 FIP, with 7.7 strikeouts per 9 innings.
So far, that’s carrying into the 2026 season. Harris only gave up 1 baserunner in his season debut, though it was a home run, and now this outing has left him with an ERA (16.88) that will require many outings to get back into respectable territory.
Siri’s RBI single ended Harris’ night, and brought in a slightly less-heralded, but still very intriguing arm: LHP Nick Zwack. The southpaw was part of the J.D. Davis/Darin Ruf swap of … /gestures vaguely at some year in the past … as was Carson Seymour. Injuries have slowed him down — he lost the entirety of the 2024 season — but he’s back, healthy, and certainly has some serious life in his arm. He also appears to be a reliever at long last, after working as a starter to this point in his career.
Zwack had a strong return from injury a year ago, posting a 2.53 ERA and a 2.92 FIP in 7 AA starts, while having 9.0 strikeouts against just 2.5 walks per 9 innings. Like Harris, though, he struggled in his (admittedly brief) introduction to AAA late last year. And unfortunately, those struggles have carried over into the 2026 season. Zwack got off to a very rough start to the year on Sunday, in which he gave up 4 baserunners and 2 runs, while recording just 1 out. Sadly, Tuesday’s outing was fairly similar.
He did get out of the pickle that Harris created, ending the inning as soon as he entered the game. But things went very poorly in the 8th, as Zwack just couldn’t find the zone. He walked 3 batters in the frame, while also allowing 2 hits. That, combined with a catcher’s interference, 1 of 2 errors on the day by Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL), tagged Zwack for 6 runs in the inning, 5 of which were earned. If Harris thinks he has work to salvage his ERA, it’s nothing compared to Zwack’s unsightly 47.25 mark.
Like Harris, Zwack left the game with just 2 outs in the inning, and his ERA would have looked a lot better were it not for a 3rd miserable bullpen outing, this time from LHP Juan Sánchez (No. 41 CPL). Sánchez is still trying to find his command after losing the 2025 season to Tommy John surgery and, well … he didn’t find it in this game, that’s for sure.
The southpaw, who should figure into the MLB bullpen plans this year if he can find his command, entered with 2 outs and the bases loaded. He walked a run home, then walked a 2nd run home, and then walked a 3rd run home. Finally, after 3 straight walks (the 1st of which was on 5 pitches, and the 2nd on 4), and after falling behind a 4th batter 3-0, Sánchez found the strike zone and recovered to strike out Nelson Rada. Technically it was a performance that held Sánchez’s ERA at 0.00, since the 3 runs scored while he was on the mound were charged to Zwack. But needless to say, the ERA very much does not tell the story here.
All of that ruined a really nice start from LHP Seth Lonsway, who, it turns out, is in Sacramento’s rotation. Lonsway only pitched 3 innings as he gets stretched out to start the year, but he gave up just a single and a walk in those 3 frames, with no runs (though he also didn’t have any strikeouts). For now, at least, it appears that Lonsway — who made 19 starts for Richmond last year, and another 9 for Sacramento — will join a rotation headlined by Seymour, Carson Whisenhunt (No. 8 CPL), Blade Tidwell (No. 9 CPL), and Trevor McDonald (No. 12 CPL). Quite a nice opportunity for him.
Unfortunately, the bullpen foibles didn’t begin with Harris, as RHP Spencer Bivens — perhaps the most surprising omission from San Francisco’s Opening Day roster — had a rough go of it in the 4th inning, ceding back-to-back 2-out solo home runs to Kavadas and Siri. He’ll surely be back on the big league roster at some point this year, but he’ll have to show some stuff in Sacramento first.
On offense, it was a quiet day for most of the players, as the River Cats are still looking for their 1st home run of the season. Third baseman Buddy Kennedy continued his torrid start to the year, hitting a perfect 4-4 with a double and a walk. The bats have yet to wake up for Sacramento, but Kennedy hasn’t gotten that message.
It seems that Kennedy, who was an offseason Minor League signing with an invite to camp, is more emergency depth than anything else. The Giants have everyday players across the infield in San Francisco, with a pair of backups that they feel strongly about. But Kennedy is certainly a quality emergency depth piece to have: he has MLB experience, and is hitting 6-12 with 3 doubles, 2 walks, and just 1 strikeout to start the AAA season.
The other nice hitting day belonged to second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL), who singled in his only official at-bat, while also drawing 2 walks and hitting a sacrifice fly. The on-base percentage and the contact skills to succeed in a situational appearance are why the Giants are so high on Furman, who was an NRI this spring, and who came over in the Alex Cobb trade. But there are questions remaining, including on defense, where Furman committed his 1st error of the season on Tuesday.
First baseman Bryce Eldridge (No. 1 CPL) hasn’t been forcing the issue since getting optioned, and that was again the case on Tuesday, as he went 0-4 with a strikeout, though he reached base by getting hit by a pitch. His contact wasn’t especially hard in this game, either.
Center fielder Grant McCray came back to earth a little bit after a nice start to the year, as he went 1-5 with 3 strikeouts. The other 40-man hitters didn’t do too well, either, as Rodríguez and left fielder Will Brennan also went 1-5, with the latter striking out twice.
With Fitzgerald DFA’d, the River Cats have a hole at shortstop. For now, AAA repairman Thomas Gavello is tasked with that duty. Gavello, a 2022 13th-round pick who filled in in Sacramento last year and impressed the coaching staff enough that he stuck around, was drafted as a catcher, but didn’t play the position in 2025, instead primarily focusing on second base, third base, and left field, with a few starts at shortstop. It will be interesting to see if the Giants let Gavello, who hit 0-4 with 3 strikeouts, stay at shortstop until Osleivis Basabe is healthy, or if they bring up someone like Aeverson Arteaga to fill in for a while.
Upcoming schedule
The River Cats continue their series against the Bees tonight at 5:35 p.m. PT, while the Low-A San Jose Giants join them tomorrow. High-A Eugene and AA Richmond kick off the season on Friday.
The Houston Astros (4-2) will play host to the Boston Red Sox (1-4) in the final game of their series. Garrett Crochet starts for Boston, while Mike Burrows takes the mound for Houston.
