British rock supergroup Cream performing at the Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, London, 19th February 1967. Left to right: Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A.J. Russell started for Hickory, striking out three and walking two in two innings while allowing two runs. Moises Morales struck out six in five shutout innings.
Paulino Santana had a hit. Yolfran Castillo had a hit and a stolen base. Hector Osorio had a hit. Josh Spring had a hit.
Frisco’s game was called after five innings due to weather. Frisco starter Dylan MacLean went 4.2 innings, allowing five runs, striking out six and walking two while allowing a home run.
Dylan Dreiling had a hit. Keith Jones II had a hit.
In the first game, Ryan Brasier struck out three and walked one in a scoreless inning.
Cam Cauley was 3 for 4 with a double. Aaron Zavala had a double.
In the second game, Thomas Ireland struck out four and walked one in 2.1 scoreless inning. Josh Sborz allowed a two run homer in an inning of work, walking one and striking out two. Robbie Ahlstrom struck out three in 1.2 scoreless innings. Michel Otanez allowed a run in 1.2 IP, walking four and striking out three.
Justin Foscue had a double and a walk. Michael Helman had a hit.
Apr 22, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) celebrates outside the dugout after` hitting a solo-home run against the Athletics during the third inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
The Mariners drew more fans in April than they have in 20-plus years.
T-Mobile Park has hosted 539,263 fans so far in 2026. That’s the second most in March and April in the history of the park, only bested by 619,771 fans in April 2002. The average attendance over 17 games (31,721 fans) is sixth most, behind all the years 2000-2004.
That said, not that many fans showed up to Opening Day. Well, it was essentially a sell out at 44,938 fans. But that’s actually the fourth fewest in the history of Opening Day at T-Mobile Park (though still a skosh higher than 42,871 on Opening Day last year).
Why? Probably because first pitch was at 7:10 p.m. on a Thursday against the Guardians with the temperature in the 40s.
The best attendance so far actually came on Saturday, April 18, with 45,552 tickets sold. About 10,000 of those fans went home with a Cal Raleigh 70s Night jersey. The others were treated to 70-degree weather while they watched the Mariners snap a four-game losing streak against the Rangers.
I wrote at length about the Mariners attendance at the end of last season. I did some loose math in search of what determines attendance, and found to no surprise that fans mostly like winners. Teams that win see more fans throughout the season, and teams that make the playoffs often get a big boost the following year. I figured there’s a reasonable shot for the Mariners to draw three million fans this year. Attendance is up in April for a reason.
In that post, I pointed out that the April schedule looked like a tough draw. For instance, I thought the Guardians weren’t ideal out the gate in the frigid days of March. That ended up being wrong. Yes, Opening Day attendance was (relatively) low, as stated above, but game two was the fourth highest attended game two in the history of the park. Game three was the second best game three. More than 156,000 fans poured into the stadium on Opening Weekend. Fans were excited to see their new banner.
I also pointed out the timing of the Yankees series was not ideal. This ended up being correct. It was the second series of the season in March on a Monday to Wednesday for the only home series against the Yankees of the year. Fans care very much about who the Mariners play when deciding whether to show up, and the Yankees tend to be one of the five biggest draws in Seattle each year. This year, only an average of 27,832 fans showed up, making it the third lowest attendance for a series against the Yankees in the history of the park.
Still, fans showed up big time for the series against the Rangers and Astros. If attendance were to hold at the level from April, the Mariners would expect to draw 2,569,401 fans in 2026, or just a smidge more fans than 2025. If the team wins, however, attendance should trend up as the weather gets warm. This isn’t a bad start toward three million.
After the road trip, the Mariners will face the Royals for Randy Johnson Number Retirement Weekend. Fans will get a jersey on Friday, they’ll get to see the Big Unit himself on Saturday, and they’ll get a Kingdome pin on Sunday. Then they’ll face the Braves — another potentially big draw — on that pesky Monday through Wednesday slate. Perhaps warmer weather will compel larger turn out. Later in the month is the Vedder Cup, followed by a weekday series with the White Sox. How will the Mariners coax fans to the ballpark to see the South Siders? A well-timed Josh Naylor bobblehead, of course.
As the summer progresses, there will be jersey days and collegiate nights and value games and fireworks and bobbles and Funkos and Blue Jays. The Mariners will also celebrate their 50th season on August 8 against the Rays — the same team and dates of last year’s spectacular Ichiro weekend.
The Mariners finish the year with a six-game homestand — two against the Astros and four against the Angels. Again, if they’re relevant, people will show up for a chance to see the Mariners clinch their first ever back-to-back AL West title.
I find it appropriate to start out by hat tipping the Dodgers offense. They curb stomped Colin Rea and Javier Assad in this one. A further hat tip to four Dodger relievers who combined to allow just two hits and a walk over the final four innings of the game. The Dodgers offense and bullpen were just too much for the Cubs on this night. To say anything else would be revisionist history.
Everything below that first paragraph may be described as coping, I guess. If you’d have asked me about how the Cubs would do with a 13-game stretch, with one day off, It started in Philly, had the lone off day, then went home for seven with the Mets and Phillies, then immediately went west for three with the Dodgers. 13 games, 14 days against three teams who I thought would be playoff teams this year, I’d have said eight wins would be decent, nine good and 10 knocking it out of the park. They have the 10 wins already and still have one more game in hand with a chance for 11.
If you’ve read me before, you’ve probably read me saying “Get greedy.” When you’ve got eight, get nine. After nine, get 10. After 10, get 11. Just because things fall your way and you catch two potentially good teams when they are anything but, you kick them when you are down and then you go try to get more. I’m absolutely disappointed they didn’t get another one. This was a pretty good matchup as things are ever going to go against the Dodgers. As crazy as it is given relative contract as a barometer, Colin Rea is a more accomplished MLB pitcher than Roki Sasaki. If the Cubs were going to win one, I thought this one was their best shot.
I was out, but had the first six innings of the game on (again). I didn’t look, but I had the captioning on for the national broadcast. I didn’t check if there was a second option. Regardless, I sometimes like to hear what the national broadcast has to say. I’m usually the last to call out the national broadcast. I’m sure that’s why I’m less bothered by Boog than many of you are. And yes, I get it about the inane side conversations at weird times. But anyway, my favorite exchange on the national broadcast came in the sixth inning. That was when they decided to suggest that this was the best Sasaki has looked. Granted, he’d shown some swing-and-miss stuff. And if they’d said, there were some positives here for a guy who’s struggled, I think that’s perfect. They were gushing about what a good start it was. Raise your hand if you ever think your pitcher did a good job when he’s allowed four runs, three on homers in the first five innings of a game. The Dodgers offense through five innings? Relentless and overpowering. Sasaki? Fortunate that he didn’t give away a game when the offense was so exceptional.
I realize national broadcasts want to have their guys to shill their stuff. It would be so much better if they just pulled one guy from each team and let them work together on the call. At least then we’d have announcers familiar with the players and their relative performances and perspective for their accomplishments. I know some of the national crews are really good. But in baseball, I find that more the exception than the rule. Different than the NFL, each MLB team does have a dedicated team that calls very nearly every game. It doesn’t have to be this way. And you might get some fun interaction with my team/your team stuff. In a lot of cases, I don’t think it could be worse.
Just my two cents.
Three Positives:
Seiya Suzuki had three hits, one a homer.
Moisés Ballesteros had a homer and a walk. The walk came against a lefty. I saw them say he saw something like 24 pitches in his first three plate appearances. Plays this game like a guy who’s been around for years.
Vince Velasquez threw in really low leverage. But, he faced eight batters and recorded seven outs. The Cubs will have most of their bullpen available to chase another win in this series.
Game 27, April 25: Dodgers 12, Cubs 4 (17-10)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Moisés Ballesteros (.200). 1-3, HR, BB, RBI, R
Hero: Seiya Suzuki (.140). 3-4, HR, RBI, R
Sidekick: Michael Busch (.041). 1-5, RBI
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Colin Rea (-.371). 3.1 IP, 20 BF, 6 H, 4 BB, 6 ER, 4 K (L 3-1)
Goat: Javier Assad (-.245). 2.1 IP, 16 BF, 7 H, 2 BB, 6 ER, 2 K
Kid: Dansby Swanson (-.097). 0-4
WPA Play of the Game: With the Dodgers trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the third, Max Muncy hit a one-out, two-run homer to tie the game. (.186)
*Cubs Play of the Game: With the game tied in the fourth inning, Moisés Ballesteros hit a solo homer. (.133)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 26 Winner: Dansby Swanson received 248 of 302 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Nico Hoerner +7.5
Michael Conforto/Shōta Imanaga +7
Matt Shaw -7
Jacob Webb -9
Pete Crow-Armstrong -13
Current Win Pace: 102
Up Next: With all due respect to Meat Loaf, two out of three here would be terrific. The third and final game of the series at the very reasonable hour of 3:10 central. The Cubs will send Shōta Imanaga (2-1, 2.17, 29 IP) to the mound. He’s been nothing shy of terrific for the Cubs so far this year. He’s allowed two runs on six hits and three walks over his last three starts (19 IP).
Hoffman Estates, IL native (though he attended high school in Georgia) Justin Wrobleski (3-0, 1.88, 24 IP) has arguably been even better for the Dodgers. The 11th-round pick of the Dodgers in 2021 out of Oklahoma State is a rarity in modern baseball. He doesn’t really strike out a ton of hitters (just nine so far). He’s won each of his last three starts, allowing two runs on 12 hits and four walks (20 IP). In the process he won in both Colorado and Toronto, two very different challenges.
This is another tough one. But the Cubs have won some tough matchups lately. Let’s do it again.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 19: Alimber Santa #81 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Miami Marlins and the Houston Astros at Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
Alexander got the start for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 5 runs over 5 innings of work. The offense got on the board in the 3rd on a Dezenzo RBI double. They got 2 more in the 4th on a Salazar 2 run home run. Unfortunately that was it from the offense as Sugar Land fell 5-3.
Hendrickson started for Sugar Land in game two and went 4.1 innings allowing 2 runs. In the bottom of the 6th, Sugar Land tied it up on a Price 2 run home run. The squads exchanged runs in the 8th with Price tying it on a sac fly. In the 9th, the Express got two runs to take the lead and the offense went down quietly as they dropped game two 5-3.
Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Alimber Santa, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
J.P. France, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (10-10) lost 5-2 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board in the 3rd inning thanks to a Garcia 2 run home run. Gillis got the start and was pitching well but ran into trouble in the 4th inning allowing 5 runs. The offense was quiet the rest of the way as the Hooks fell 5-2.
Brett Gillis, RHP: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Ramsey David, RHP: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (5-15) lost 11-5 (BOX SCORE)
Howard got the start for Asheville and allowed 3 runs over 5.2 innings. The offense got on the board in the 5th inning on a Walker RBI single and Schiavone walk. They got 3 more runs in the 7th inning on an error, a Frey sac fly and a run on a wild pitch. The pen struggled though allowing 8 runs as Asheville fell 11-5.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Ricky Vanasco (70) throws against New York Yankees during the fourth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It’s a given year, and a given baseball season, and so the Detroit Tigers’ bullpen is a problem. Despite a nice run of 3-1-1 in their last five series, things still feel too precarious for any comfort. The club has the 19th best ERA and the 23rd best FIP out of their relief corps currently. For a team with ambitions, that isn’t going to get it done. This early in the season, those numbers can change quickly, and a bullpen is a season-long process rather than a set thing, but you only need watch the Tigers to know they need a solution or two to get sorted.
Most obviously the guys who are here to handle the late innings need to do a better job and AJ Hinch needs to revert back to more of a matchup strategy than setting roles. That just isn’t possible when the rest of the bullpen isn’t doing its job either. But with Connor Seabold leaving the game with a possible ankle injury in Saturday’s loss to the Cincinnati Reds, they may also have an open spot available. Seabold did walk off the field indicating that whatever happened, it’s probably minor, so perhaps he’ll avoid the injured list. Either way, in the short term at least, they don’t have any obvious great answers.
Hard-throwing right-hander Troy Melton, who impressed last summer and in the postseason as a rookie, is reportedly throwing bullpens and not far from a rehab assignment, but he may still be two weeks or more from a return. His loss this spring was a blow, and Melton is their best hope to add a dominant relief arm in May. Likewise, Justin Verlander doesn’t seem likely to return until at least mid-May. Even if he begins a rehab assignment soon he’ll need more than one start to stretch back out. So they can’t move Keider Montero to the pen until the veteran is really 100 percent good to go, and early on Montero has been pretty good in the rotation anyway. It’s baseball of course, so that may look different by the time that decision comes around. Jackson Jobe may become an option out of the pen once he returns from Tommy John surgery, but the best case scenario for him is to really be up and running by August.
If Seabold hits the injury list, the Tigers do have some decent options at the Triple-A level, but no one who is necessarily going to do more than eat innings in long relief or pitch when they’re well behind in a game. Until Melton returns, someone in the upper levels of the farm system breaks out, or Jackson Jobe comes back from TJ, there just isn’t an extra hard-throwing, potentially high leverage type of relief option available.
RHP Brenan Hanifee
Hanifee should be familiar as he threw 60 innings for the Tigers last year with a 3.00 ERA/3.25 FIP combination. His sinker keeps the ball in the park, and his strikeout to walk ratios are good, but he really doesn’t whiff many guys and tends to just pound the zone with 95 mph sinkers, refusing to issue walks and getting tons of ground balls. That’s not exactly what the Tigers need right now, but he has a lot more major league experience than Vanasco, and at very least keeps the ball in the park. He’s already on the 40-man as well.
It’s easy to be skeptical of relievers that don’t strike many hitters out, but Hanifee has been quite effective for two straight years. He’s at his best when he’s 96-97 mph with the sinker, and his velocity is down two ticks this spring, but that may just be the April weather conditions talking. For now he appears to be option number one and joined the club’s taxi squad on Sunday as Seabold is evaluated.
Brenan Hanifee has joined the Tigers in Cincinnati. He’s on the taxi squad for the moment while Connor Seabold has his left ankle evaluated.
I keep bringing up the 27-year-old Vanasco because he’s been outstanding for the Triple-A Mud Hens this year. The former Dodgers relief prospect was picked up in 2024, but while he’s always struck out a lot of hitters, his control issues kept him from breaking through to the major leagues. In eight appearances and 12 innings total this spring, Vanasco has punched out 44.7 percent of hitters faced and kept the walks under control.
Beyond control though, his big issue has always been a mediocre fastball shape. He’s averaging 95.1 mph with plus extension to the plate, which helps, and has learned to throw a pretty even mix of fourseamers and sinkers to help avoid barrels, but it’s still a pretty hittable fastball. His moneymaker is a plus power curveball at 83-84 mph that has always missed a ton of bats and is drawing whiffs at a 40 percent rate this year. He has a solid changeup as well and isn’t afraid to throw it. In the majors, Vanasco will need to lean heavily on the curve and changeup, and a month isn’t quite enough to suggest that he’s banished his control issues permanently. He’ll also need a 40-man roster spot, though there are certainly options they could DFA to open a spot.
LHP Enmanuel de Jesus
De Jesus looked pretty great all through spring camp, and pitched really well against tough competition in the World Baseball Classic. His stuff is plenty good enough to be a depth starter in the majors, but only when his command is on point. That command has faltered early on in the regular season, and his meltdown, complete with two mental mistakes fielding his position, against the Brewers last Sunday got him demoted to Triple-A Toledo. De Jesus has generally had good control in his career, so it’s unlikely to remain a problem. Still, he can’t be recalled yet and the Tigers are going to want to see him get sorted out and pitching well before he gets another opportunity.
LHP Drew Sommers
The 25-year-old Sommers made a brief MLB debut last summer. He’s punching out plenty of hitters in Toledo, but his command is still a work in progress. He’s certainly young enough to figure that out, but until he really gets on a consistent run and is commanding his sinker-slider combination, he isn’t an option. Sommers is still a bit of a prospect and has a 40-man roster spot now, but just isn’t ready for prime time.
RHP Grant Holman
Finally we have Grant Holman, who is on the 40-man roster already as well. The Tigers claimed him off waivers from the Dodgers back on April 11, and picking up guys from the Dodgers is generally a sound move as they’re consistently one of the few teams with enough relief depth in the minors to actually have to release someone with real potential. The 25-year-old right-hander has a pretty average mid-90’s fourseam fastball, but his splitter is a good one. He pitched in the major leagues for the Athletics in 2024 and 2025, but only for parts of those seasons as his command still isn’t reliable enough. Standard for non-major league relievers, but like Sommers, he’s young enough that it’s worth giving him time to develop. He debuted with the Mud Hens on Saturday after some rehab work the previous two weeks in Lakeland. He might become an option but he needs to pitch a bit and settle in before the Tigers give him a look, presumably.
Help us Troy Melton
Of all the pitchers mentioned, the Tigers obvious best hope for a good high leverage reliever comes from Melton getting back on the field. His loss this spring was a real blow to the bullpen, and there’s still the possibility that Melton could take over a starting role in the future if his splitter command takes another step. Thankfully, he avoided a major injury this spring when elbow inflammation flared up early in camp. The Tigers shut him down and took their time with him to ensure there would be no recurring trouble. If he comes through this alright the pen will be in a lot better shape overall.
The other options in Toledo not yet mentioned are converting a starter, either Sawyer Gipson-Long or Ty Madden, to a long relief role. Neither is going to dominate, but as starting pitchers both have enough control to translate to the pen. They just don’t have the fastball quality to dominate. Instead both would have to lean into their secondary pitches a lot and spot them to be more than depth in the pen. Of the two, Madden’s slider-cutter combination is the more attractive of the two at the moment. He just hasn’t been able to recapture the 95-96 mph gas he had as a prospect since his shoulder issues last spring.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 03: Brad Lidge acknowledges the crowd before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Game 5 of the 2022 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, November 3, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Brad Lidge is an archaeologist in real life. The following, however, does not take place in real life. It takes place in the year 3026, when the Phillies, and the sport they played, have been forgotten by all. All that is, except for the archaeologists who study the distant, dusty past. Among them is a scholar by the name of Brad Lidge the 35th, who is only now beginning to discover the grand drama of which his ancestor was a part. It is an imaginary story… aren’t they all?
Scene: A conference room at the annual meeting of the Worldwide Society of Archaeologists. The year, 3026. BRAD LIDGE THE 35TH, a young, talented scholar, bright-eyed, eager, is on stage, presenting his research.
LIDGE:
…, the Phillies were thought by our field to be a myth, characters in tales told by the ancient Philadelphians to teach their children valuable lessons in how to persevere through failure. That is, of course, until the discovery of the Complaint Tablet to WIP-Nāsir, which conclusively proved their existence as actual historical figures. Though we know little of the game they played, we are aware that it was called “baseball”, that it took place in various public forums, and that it involved a village elder dressing up as a mysterious creature known as the Phanatic, whose rhythmic dances were possibly part of a Philadelphian fertility ritual.
We also know that the Phillies apparently never won. Our colleagues have identified hundreds of fragments of parchment, uncovered from various sites around the Philadelphia region, each of which reads something like “Braves triumph over Phillies” or “Phillies fall to Cubs”. Like the even-more ancient gladiators of ancient Rome, these Phillies appeared to be tasked with battling both humans and animals. Unlike their Roman counterparts, the Phillies did not appear to taste the glory of victory on any occasion. None of the extant fragments, dating all the way back to April 14, 2026, detail a Phillies win. The standard view, as you all know, is that the Phillies did not really play baseball, but instead took part in a highly choreographed ritual in which they always played the part of the losing team, likely as part of diplomatic tributes to rival societies in Atlanta and New York. That interpretation can explain all of the known evidence.
But it can’t explain this.
Lidge presses a button on his computer, and a photo fills the screen behind him. It depicts a battered parchment, torn in places, reading …“edelphia Inqui… PHI…IES DEF..T MARL..NS…”
A gasp goes through the room.
LIDGE:
This fragmentary parchment was found lining an ancient storage vessel in the Philadelphian settlement once known as Fishtown. Though the text is partially lost, it clearly states that the Phillies won a baseball game over a team most likely known as the Marlins. Perhaps the settlement took its name in celebration of this victory over their aquatic foes—
PROFESSOR METZ, a bitter, sarcastic archaeologist, snorts and removes his glasses in a condescending fashion.
METZ:
Doctor Lidge, you cannot expect us to believe this. We have documentation of ten consecutive losses for the Phillies. It is simply not plausible that a team could lose to that extent if they were actually taking part in genuine competition.
LIDGE:
Then how do you explain this fragment?
METZ:
Perhaps it is like the Sumerian bar joke: we have the words, but not the context to understand them. It had meaning, once, but the meaning is lost to us.
LIDGE:
The meaning is clear. The Phillies did once win a game. Perhaps even more than once—
METZ:
Sure, sure! What’s next— you’ve uncovered a potsherd with proof that the Phillies roster carried a proper cleanup hitter?
The room erupts into laughter. LIDGE, humiliated, walks off stage, muttering to himself.
LIDGE:
Let them laugh— I’ll prove it to them!
SCENE: Days later, LIDGE, a torch in one hand, slumps against a wall in the dark, dusty ruins of what was once Citizens Bank Park. Though he began his expedition with enthusiasm, regret has begun to set in. Sweat pools on his brow. Fatigue fills his very being.
LIDGE:
Cubs 10, Phillies 4. Braves 9, Phillies 0. Diamondbacks 4, Phillies 3. Days and days spent here, and all I’ve found is records of Phillies losses. Maybe they’re right. Maybe the Phillies never did win a game.
LIDGE leans back against the wall in despair. Suddenly, a single green feather floats down, landing on his face. He picks it up, lifts it, holds it to the light, awestruck.
LIDGE:
My god. This is the genuine article, not part of a costume…The Phanatic was real. What if… what if all of it was real? Not myth, not performance… Could Bedlam at the Bank have been an actual historical event? Could the Ovation of Turner have really happened? Could the god of merriment known only as “Kruk” have been a real man?
A bright light fills the room. LIDGE shields his eyes. When he dares to look, before him stands the ghostly figure of THE PHANATIC.
LIDGE:
It is said in the ancient texts that you appear to Philadelphians true of spirit in their time of greatest need, and also in the seventh inning. I beg you, Phanatic: show me the way.
THE PHANATIC points towards a loose brick in the wall behind LIDGE. LIDGE reaches for the brick, presses it. A rumbling, a cloud of dust. A secret passage opens in the wall opposite. THE PHANATIC nods, then vanishes.LIDGE walks through the passage, finding himself in a room packed with newspapers, pennants, bobbleheads, memorabilia of all kinds.
LIDGE:
This… this can’t be. This says… Phillies National League East Champions, 2025… Phillies National League Champions 2022…
He sees a bobblehead on a pillar at the center of the room. He picks it up. It depicts the Phanatic waving a pennant that reads…
LIDGE:
“Phillies World Champions 2008”! The Phillies won! They won more than a game! They were champions. They were champions!
Suddenly, a rumbling, bigger than before, sets everything in the room shaking. A massive boulder, painted with red lines and stitches, bursts through the wall, crushing everything in its path. LIDGE runs for his life, clinging to the bobblehead. As he sprints, he comes to a chasm. Certain death on one side, safety on the other. With no choice but to dare, he leaps, barely catching the ledge. The boulder drops into the depths below. But the danger is not over. As LIDGE struggles to hoist himself up, he realizes that he cannot do so with one hand. He will have to drop the bobblehead, or die.
LIDGE:
No. No! But there’s no other way…
LIDGE, sorrow filling his features, drops the bobblehead. It falls into the darkness, lost forever. He pulls himself up, catches his breath.
LIDGE:
I was so close. So close!
LIDGE drops to his knees and raises his fists to the heavens. But in a despairing sort of way, not a “just got the last out of the World Series” sort of way.
LIDGE:
I know, Phillies. I know that you won games. But how can I ever prove it?
A scrap of paper drops from above, fluttering gently into his hands, as if directed by an external force. Lidge holds it up, reads the text by the light filtering through a crack in the ceiling.
LIDGE:
“April 25th, 2026: Phillies 8, Braves 5”!
LIDGE pumps his fist triumphantly. The Indiana Jones theme plays, which is fine, because this is 3026 and the copyright has expired. He strides forward, out of the ruins, back into the world of the living, as the sun filters into the ancient ballpark, filling the home of Rollins, Utley, Howard, and yes, Brad Lidge, with daylight…
Sunday Night Baseball returns for another week on Peacock and NBCSN, featuring a clash between two teams with plenty of history as the Los Angeles Angels and Kansas City Royals meet to conclude a three-game series. The Angels aim to salvage what's left of the series after dropping the first two, while the Royals look to complete their first sweep of the season after showing signs of life offensively.
Formerly American League West rivals from 1969 to 1993, the then-California Angels and Royals regularly jockeyed for the division crown, where they combined for nine AL West titles between 1976 and 1986 (Royals 6, Angels 3). Flash forward and the Angels are without a first-place finish since 2014, with the Royals last finishing atop the AL Central in 2015 - the same year they won their first World Series since 1985.
This year, it has been a tale of two different directions. The Angels have endured an up-and-down start amid flashes of brilliance, while the Royals aim to dig their way out of the AL Central cellar after a nine-game losing streak set them back. With veteran superstar Mike Trout leading the Angels into Kansas City and Bobby Witt Jr. spearheading the Royals' young core, Sunday night's bout represents a new chapter between two storied franchises.
See below for top storylines heading into Angels vs. Royals, along with how to watch information for the game on Peacock and NBCSN. You'll also find the schedule for the MLB on NBC and Peacock. There will be 27 prime-time MLB games featured across NBC, Peacock and NBCSN in 2026. NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock.
Jason Benetti will handle play-by-play duties alongside analysts Mark Gubicza (two-time All-Star and 1985 World Series champion) and Eric Hosmer (2015 World Series champion and four-time Gold Glove winner). Ahmed Fareed will be joined by Dexter Fowler (2016 World Series champion and 14-year MLB veteran) for Sunday night's pregame show, while Adam Ottavino (15-year MLB veteran) will once again provide "Inside the Pitch" analysis throughout the game.
Who are the probable pitchers for Angels vs. Royals?
Angels: Reid Detmers (1-2, 4.08 ERA, 31 K)
Royals: Seth Lugo (1-1, 1.15 ERA, 28 K)
Los Angeles Angels preview
Currently fourth in the AL West with a 12-16 record, the Angels find themselves in the middle of another uneven start despite serviceable output from both sides of the ball. Though the Angels have produced MLB's fourth-most home runs (37, tied with Cubs) and are eighth in total runs scored (130, tied with Twins), they've tallied just 25 runs in eight games since exploding for 32 runs in a four-game series split with the Yankees.
Despite their 2-4 record in series losses to the Padres and Blue Jays, the Angels have reasons for optimism. Veteran Mike Trout has enjoyed a resurgent season in his 16th year with a clean bill of health finally back on his side. Though his batting average (.234) is a far cry from his peak years, the three-time AL MVP boasts a .951 OPS (10th in MLB) and .419 OBP (eighth in MLB), with 25 walks (2nd in MLB) to boot.
Elsewhere in the lineup, Jo Adell has delivered encouraging results following his breakout 2025 campaign, though his bat has cooled off amid Los Angeles' recent offensive slump (five hits in his last 32 at-bats).
The Halos' biggest bright spot has, without question, been the emergence of José Soriano, who has been a revelation for Kurt Suzuki's starting rotation. The fourth-year pro has positioned himself as an early favorite for American League Cy Young honors thanks to a truly historic start.
His 0.24 ERA through six starts is the lowest (minimum 30 innings pitched) since 1913, when earned runs became an official statistic. The 27-year-old became the first pitcher since 1900 to allow one or fewer runs through his first six starts, passing the likes of legends Fernando Valenzuela (1981) and Walter Johnson (1913), both of whom reached five games allowing one or fewer runs. Soriano's historic production has electrified baseball, with league-best numbers in several categories, including ERA (0.24), wins (5, tied with Aaron Ashby), and WAR (2.6).
Beyond Soriano, Angels' pitchers rank 18th in team ERA (4.31), with 246.1 combined innings pitched the fifth-most in all of baseball. While Los Angeles pitchers have collectively struck out 248 batters (sixth-best mark in MLB), they've also issued the second-most walks (135) in the majors.
Kansas City Royals preview
Mired in a stretch that has seen them go 3-9 in their last 12 games, the Royals (10-17) enter Sunday night with sights set on a series sweep. Though they've taken the first two against the Angels, not much has gone right for Matt Quatraro's squad after flirting with a .500 record to begin the season.
Quatraro surely hopes the Royals' 18 runs in two games vs. the Angels are a sign of things to come, as Kansas City simply hasn't been able to generate much offense this season. The team's 106 total runs scored tied for the fourth-fewest in baseball, and despite boasting a lineup that features Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Salvador Perez, the Royals rank bottom-10 in hits (209 - 20th in MLB), home runs (23 - 23rd in MLB), RBIs (99 - 27th in MLB), and OPS (.687 - 23rd in MLB). Entering Sunday, the Royals' OPS (.594) with runners in scoring position ranked last in MLB.
Witt Jr. and Garcia have performed to their usual standards, but the lineup has suffered from slow starts out of Pasquantino (.155 BA, 3 HR) and Perez (.165 BA, 3 HR). Rookie catcher Carter Jensen has followed up his encouraging 2025 stint to emerge as the Royals' most consistent offensive force, leading the team in home runs (6), RBI (16), and OBP (.367).
Seth Lugo, who is set to take the mound Sunday night, has continued to deliver as one of MLB's true veteran aces. Equipped with a nine-pitch arsenal, the 36-year-old is the owner of baseball's second-lowest ERA (1.15), behind the Angels' rising star, Jose Soriano. Lugo has held the Angels to the lowest OPS (.493) of any team he has faced through his 11-year career.
Elsewhere for Kansas City, 34-year-old Michael Wacha has turned back the clock to the tune of a 2.51 ERA, while Cole Ragans got back on track with his first win of the season in Saturday's 12-1 win after striking out 11 through six innings of one-run ball. The Royals' bullpen is a major culprit for the team's struggles, ranking 29th in MLB in ERA (5.89) with six blown saves.
Following its debut on March 29 with Guardians vs. Mariners, you can find the full Sunday Night Baseball schedule here. The 18-game MLB Sunday Leadoff schedule will begin May 3, with the defending AL champion Toronto Blue Jays visiting the Twins in Minnesota. On Sunday, July 5, all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock and NBC as part of a special all-day “Star-Spangled Sunday” showcase.
NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.
From an MLB Opening Day doubleheader on March 26 to the Wild Card round of the playoffs, NBC Sports’ 2026 schedule delivers wall-to-wall coverage.
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ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 24: Atlanta Braves legends Dale Murphy, Tim Hudson,Terry Pendleton and Leo Mazzone are inducted into the Atlanta Braves hall of fame during the MLB game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves on August 24, 2024 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The rain ahead of Saturday’s contest between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies may have forced Brian Snitker’s Braves Hall of Fame induction ceremony indoors but it certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of anybody who was in the house for Snit’s big day.
That included Braves Hall-of-Famers Tim Hudson and Terry Pendleton, who were two of many former stars, legends and luminaries who showed up to be there for Snit’s time in the sun (well, the rain but I think you know what I’m getting at, here).
Both legends took questions in the Braves dugout right as the tarp was being rolled onto the field and both of them made it very clear just how impactful Brian Snitker was on them — not just as ballplayers but as human beings as well.
“When you start thinking about hall of famers and thinking accomplishments: Who’s been in an organization 50 years? Who’s been a manager who’s won a World Championship and continue to help kids and adults get better Also off the field, too,” stated Terry Pendleton when he was asked about how his feelings on Snit getting inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame.
“We’re all looking at baseball on the field — do you know how encouraging it is for a youngster out there trying to accomplish something? Not just baseball but life or work and trying to be the best they can be and grow and do something special. Snit has shown everybody how to do that, how to endure and continue on.”
Pendleton also revealed that the baseball-lifer Snitker was actually a bit nervous and wondered if he belonged in the same category as those who have been inducted before he was. Pendleton let us know that he made it clear that Snit belonged. “I told him down in Florida, he was like ‘I saw these names and I’m not worthy of this’ and I said ‘Hey, if anybody’s worthy of this, you are.”
Pendleton also spoke about how while the two of them didn’t really cross paths that much during Pendleton’s time as a big-leaguer, he took home some valuable lessons and inspiration from the man once Pendleton became a coach, himself.“
“Well, it took a while. It took some years. I didn’t really get to hang around him when I was in the big leagues since he was in the minor leagues down working,” explained Pendleton. “It didn’t really happen until we came together as coaches in the big leagues and I really got to learn who the man was and I love the man. Don’t get me wrong: I love his coaching, I love his managing but I love the man because I know what the man stands for and I know who he is.”
Once Terry Pendleton got done talking about Snitker, it was Tim Hudson’s turn. The Alabama native whose entire time as a starting pitcher for the Braves coincided with Brian Snitker’s tenure as a third base coach also spoke kindly about the time and experience he got to share with Snitker in the clubhouse and on the field. Huddy even talked about a time when h got to experience something that pitcher’s don’t usually get to do (and they certainly don’t get to do in today’s game).
“I remember there was a game in Washington where I was on first base and there was a double hit to the gap,” explained Hudson. “I thought I was kind of an athlete back then so I’m running hard and nine-times-out-of-ten or almost 100 percent f the time, the third base coach is going to stop you right at third base since you don’t want to hurt the pitcher.”
“Well I’m running and all of a sudden, I get close to third base and I see Snit and he’s giving me the [signal to round third and come home], he’s willing me around third base. I say, ‘Oh yeah, I’m scoring’. We never scored from first base, being pitchers and it was a play at the plate. It was like a bang-bang play. I felt like an athlete. I felt like a baseball player.”
Hudson did admit that the decision from Snitker to wave him around third wasn’t exactly smiled upon but Hudson appreciated it. “I’m sure people’s hearts skipped a few beats when that happened but it was just the kind of guy he was. He loves baseball, he loved working with the pitchers that could handle the bat a little bit and could run the bases and I appreciated that as a player.”
I then asked Tim Hudson if there was anything he he could take away from his experience with Brian Snitker and not just as a baseball player but as a human being, oto.“
“Probably after he’s retired and after I retired, I probably have a lot more respect for him now than I did when he was a manager or a coach because we’ve gotten to be a lot closer now as a family since he’s retired and since I’ve retired than we were [in the clubhouse]. Ronnie, his wife and my wife are really good friends. He always supported anything that we’ve had going on with our charity work and he always comes to Auburn and hangs out and does things. He’s a real person and he’s very approachable. If you can take away from this game four-or-five people that you can really call friends, you’re pretty lucky. He’s one of those guys.”
These were just two collections of stories from two of the truly countless amount of players that Brian Snitker got to either play with, coach or manage during his now-50 years with the Braves — remember, he’s still employed as a special consultant. Whether you consider that a ceremonial job or not, he’s still sticking around the organization. Either way, Brian Snitker has truly been an important part of this organization for quite some time and it’s good to see that everybody who he impacted made an effort to give him his flowers on his Braves Hall of Fame induction day.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 25: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres roads the bases after hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning during a 2026 Mexico City Series game between the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu on Saturday, April 25, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Diego Padres put together another late inning rally to overcome a four-run deficit and beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City. The Padres had to overcome a rough second inning for starter German Marquez who allowed four runs with two outs in the inning. To his credit, Marquez made an adjustment and was able to complete six innings to avoid overworking the bullpen. San Diego was not able to get much if any offense in the early part of the contest, but after Zac Gallen left the game following being struck by a Freddy Fermin line drive. Brandon Pfaadt came on in the fourth and was affective until the Padres were able to knock him out in the top of the seventh. The Padres added four runs to their 4-1 deficit which put them in the lead for good. Ty France hit two homers in the effort and was the star of the game for San Diego on the offensive side. The Padres will finish their series with the Diamondbacks on Sunday at 3:05 p.m.
Padres News:
The San Diego farm system continues to function as normal despite all the naysayers. Is it the top system in the game? No, but it does not have to be for the Padres to benefit and for the system to make headlines.
With the Padres and Diamondbacks kicking off the Mexico City Series 2026, Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball took a trip down memory lane and pointed out some of the highlights of past trips for the Padres in Mexico.
Utility infielder Sung-Mun Song was called up from Tiple-A El Paso as the extra player for the Mexico City series.
Mason Miller has been more than what the Friar Faithful could have expected as the closer of the Padres and he now stands alone as the franchise leader with 34.2 innings pitched without allowing a run. San Diego general manager A.J. Preller took some criticism for the trade, but it seems to be paying off for him and the Padres.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 25: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with teammate Jake Burger #21 following the team's win over the Athletics at Globe Life Field on April 25, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rangers 4, A’s 3
The Rangers beat a lefty starter! Woo hoo!
MacKenzie Gore had what I’m starting to think of as a rather MacKenzie Gore start. He struck out the side in the first on 14 pitches, making you feel like he was locked in. The broadcast was marveling at how his fastball was playing, how the A’s hitters weren’t catching up to it.
Then in the second, Tyler Soderstrom had a well struck fly out, Jacob Wilson smoked a double, and Darell Hernaiz had a hard hit single to drive him in for a 1-0 A’s lead. Corey Seager booted a two out grounder, which made things more worrisome, but Gore got Zack Gelof to fly out to end the inning.
In the third, it looked like Gore was in danger of having a really short outing. A line drive single by She Langeliers, a walk to Nick Kurtz, and a line drive single by Colby Thomas brought a run in. A ground out advanced the runners, Jacob Wilson had a sac fly, and then a seven pitch walk to Max Muncy followed by a six pitch walk to Hernaiz loaded the bases with Gore at 32 pitches in the inning.
Gore got out of it, though, getting Austin Wynns to fly out. And after that he was fine, allowing a single in the fourth and another in the fifth but not allowing either runner past first.
Gore’s final line was three runs in five innings, six hits, three walks, seven Ks. He generated 14 whiffs on 106 pitches, 10 of which came on his fastball and another two on his sinker. His offspeed pitches weren’t getting it done.
The bullpen, on the other hand, did get it done. An inning apiece from Cole Winn, Jalen Beeks, Jakob Junis and Jacob Latz, with just one A’s hitter reaching base over the final four innings.
As for the offense, they didn’t get on base much, but when they did, they made it count. A pair of two spots, one in the third and one in the sixth.
In the third they loaded the bases with no one out on a Danny Jansen HBP, an Evan Carter full count walk, and a Sam Haggerty bunt single. Brandon Nimmo brought home one run with a sacrifice fly, and a Corey Seager two out flare single brought home the second.
Josh Jung was responsible for the second two run inning, as he went the opposite way for a home run after Seager had lead off the inning with a single.
If you’re keeping track, Jung is now slashing .299/.354/.540 on the season. Not bad.
Every other inning was a 1-2-3 inning for the Rangers, except for the fourth, when Jansen had a two out single.
MacKenzie Gore hit 97.6 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.9 mph. Cole Winn touched 96.3 mph with his fastball. Jalen Beeks reached 95.3 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis’s fastball topped out at 92.9 mph. Jacob Latz hit 97.1 mph with his fastball.
Brandon Nimmo had a 102.9 mph groundout. Josh Jung’s home run was 100.6 mph. Jake Burger had a 100.4 mph fly out.
Can the Rangers win the finale on Sunday and take the series? Tune in and find out…
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 21: Austin Warren #44 of the New York Mets reacts after throwing three straight strikeouts in the ninth inning during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Yesterday’s game between the Mets and Rockies at Citi Field was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader today with first pitch of Game 1 scheduled for 1:40pm ET. Nolan McLean will pitch the first game and Kodai Senga, yesterday’s scheduled starter, will pitch Game 2.
Reliever Austin Warren will be serving as the Mets’ 27th man for today’s doubleheader.
Given the Mets’ starting pitching depth, the leash can’t be that long for Kodai Senga, writes Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post.
Around the National League East
The Phillies rallied to beat the Braves 8-5 in ten innings to snap a ten-game losing streak. Zack Wheeler made his return from surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome for Philadelphia and the results were encouraging for the Phillies; he allowed two runs on three hits, striking out six in five innings of work. The Braves took a one-run lead in the sixth, but Philadelphia tied it in the eighth and put up a four-run tenth against the Braves’ bullpen, who wasted a strong effort from Bryce Elder. Bryce Harper’s go-ahead single was the decisive hit for the Phillies.
Former manager Brian Snitker was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame prior to the game against the Phillies at Truist Park. He was surprised by his son—Mets hitting coach Troy Snitker—who was able to catch a flight to Atlanta to make the ceremony after the Mets’ game was postponed.
The Nationals beat the White Sox 6-3 also in extras thanks to a four-run tenth. Two Nationals pitchers also combined for the rare four-strikeout inning.
The Marlins fell to the Giants 6-2, as Eury Pérez took the loss for allowing four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Around Major League Baseball
After a disappointing 10-17 start, the Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora and five members of his coaching staff yesterday in a massive, stunning shakeup.
Yesterday marked the 50-year anniversary of the day two protestors attempted to burn an American flag on the field at Dodger Stadium. Rick Monday, then an outfielder for the Cubs, grabbed the flag from them. The flag, which Monday still owns, will be on loan to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown this summer as part of America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Reds DH Eugenio Suárez was placed on the injured list yesterday with an oblique strain.
The Padres beat the Diamondbacks 6-4 to open the Mexico City Series. With a scoreless inning to close things out, Mason Miller set the record for longest scoreless streak in Padres history.
The Dodgers walloped the Cubs 12-4 to snap Chicago’s MLB-best 10-game winning streak.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
On a new episode of Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World Series, Brian Salvatore and Chris McShane breathe a sigh of relief that the Mets managed to win a couple of games, but remain concerned about the state of the team, especially with the injury to Francisco Lindor.
This Date in Mets History
Two iconic Mets—Keith Hernandez and Mike Piazza—reached career milestones on April 26: 1,000 RBIs for Keith in 1988 and 400 home runs for Piazza.
In the third, Miguel Amaya led off and was hit by a pitch. He took off for second on a wild pitch that bounced in front of the plate and was safe on a close play. One out later, Amaya scored on a single by Michael Busch [VIDEO].
Then the wheels fell off. Rea, who had thrown 73 pitches over the first three innings, allowed a one-out single and then a game-tying RBI double to Alex Freeland. Shohei Ohtani walked and then Freddie Freeman singled in Freeland to give the Dodgers the lead. About Rea’s evening, from BCB’s JohnW53:
Colin Rea gave up six hits and walked four. He was the first Cubs starter in eight games to allow double-digit runners and just the fourth this season. Edward Cabrera allowed 11 vs. the Pirates on April 11 and 10 vs. the Mets on April 17. Javier Assad surrendered 13 at Philadelphia on April 13.
Maybe Craig Counsell should have just lifted Rea after three innings and brought in Javier Assad to start a clean inning in the fourth. As it was, Assad walked the first hitter he faced, loading the bases. He got Kyle Tucker to pop up for the second out, but then the Dodgers smacked three straight singles off Assad, scoring four runs in all (two of which were charged to Rea). If you’ve lost count here, that’s a six-run inning and a five-run Dodgers lead.
The Cubs did have a chance to get back in this game in the sixth. Ian Happ led off with a walk. Then Suzuki singled and Sasaki was lifted for left-hander Jack Dreyer. Counsell left Ballesteros in to face the lefty and Moisés walked, loading the bases with nobody out.
But Dreyer struck out Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong and got Amaya to ground out, so the Cubs turned that opportunity into no runs at all, and then the Dodgers pushed four more runs across the plate. Assad started the sixth and, as was the case for Rea, maybe Counsell should have taken him out and started the inning with Vince Velasquez, who eventually entered after Assad had allowed the first four Dodgers to reach base, followed by two outs, the first of which scored a run. Eventually the Dodgers made it a four-run inning, the last of the runs scoring on a wild pitch by Velasquez.
And that, as they say, was that. The Cubs had just one baserunner after the seventh, Suzuki with a leadoff single in the eighth, but he was erased when Swanson hit into a double play. Props to Suzuki, who had three hits including his home run and is now batting .327/.439/.564 (18-for-55) in 15 games played since his return from the knee injury suffered in the World Baseball Classic.
This is just the third of the Cubs’ 27 games in which they have allowed at least eight runs. The first two were Opening Day, when they lost at home to the Nationals, 10-4, and the 13-7 shellacking on April 13 at Philadelphia. They had given up 100 runs in 26 games before this one — 3.85 per game.
Also, remarkably:
The 12 runs scored by the Dodgers tied for the most they have scored against the Cubs since moving to Los Angeles in 1958. This was the 368th game there between the teams. The Dodgers had scored 12 in four previous games at L.A., beating the Cubs by 12-6 in 1960, 12-5 in 1947, 12-3 in 1991 and 12-4 on April 24, 1998.
They scored more than 12 runs against the Cubs at Brooklyn in 10 games between 1901 and 1953. Their high was in a 16-1 win in 1922.
The Cubs still have a chance for a series win in the finale Sunday afternoon, and hopefully begin another winning streak. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and Justin Wrobleski will go for the Dodgers, a battle of left-handers. Game time is 3:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and MLB Network outside the Cubs and Dodgers market territories).
Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) walks off the field against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The team’s Ace returned to the mound last night in Atlanta and had a solid season debut. Wheeler was coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery and what to expect of him was something of a mystery. His velocity vacillated between good and concerning during his rehab starts, but on Saturday, he mostly maintained it in the 94-96 area.
Overall, what was the most encouraging thing you saw out of Wheeler? His control wasn’t pinpoint on the evening, but it was good enough. His secondary stuff was mostly good but with a few holes. It was a promising start to his season.
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 24: Andrew Miller #33 of the North Carolina Tar Heels pitches against the Oregon State Beavers during game one of the NCAA College World Series Baseball Championship at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 24, 2006 in Omaha, Nebraska. The Tar Heels defeated the Beavers 4-3. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are now far enough into the college baseball season that we’re not that far away from starting to seriously start thinking about seeds and hosting for the NCAA Tournament. North Carolina is in pretty good position on that front, especially having won a series last weekend over Georgia Tech, with both teams ranked #2 and #3 by several polls. There’s still some season left and baseball can be a fairly random sport, but the Tar Heels look to be in position to be a national championship contender this year.
UNC baseball have yet to actually take home a national title, but they have come agonizingly close. Thinking about the chances of this year’s teams inevitably takes one back to past great Carolina baseball teams. After all, baseball in general is an excuse and an exercise in “remembering some guys.”
With that in mind, for today’s question of the day, I thought I’d simply ask: who is your favorite UNC baseball player of all time?
My personal answer is former Tar Heel pitcher Andrew Miller for a couple of reasons. One is that he was excellent playing at UNC. He was a member of one of those teams that came agonizingly close to a national title, as an important part of the 2006 Tar Heels. They made it all the way to the finals before losing to Oregon State in the championship series. That year, he was also one of the best individual players in the country, winning a host of awards, including Baseball America’s College Player of the Year.
That season and his career in Chapel Hill led to Miller getting drafted sixth overall in the 2006 MLB Draft, and it was his professional career that leads the other reason why I hold him so dear. From 2015-16, Miller played for my favorite MLB team: the New York Yankees. Over those two seasons, he was an absolutely lights out reliever for the team and also always seemed like a good guy in addition to a good pitcher.
As far as recent Tar Heels go, Vance Honeycutt was an electric player to watch when he was at Carolina. As of now, I would find it a little hard to root for him at the MLB level, as he would be a division rival of my Yankees with the Baltimore Orioles. I wish him personal success, just maybe not his team.
That’s my answer, but what about you? Who is your favorite ever UNC baseball player?
ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 17: Members of the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff walk to the dugout prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ali Overstreet/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Like the rest of the NL Central, the St. Louis Cardinals have been at or above .500 for the majority of the season, but despite outperforming expectations, they find themselves in the middle of the way-too-early division race. Thanks to Jordan Walker, rookie JJ Wetherholt, and a new hero each win, the Cardinals have been able to hide the weakness on the field. Through the first 25 games of the year, St. Louis starting pitchers are checking in at 29th in the league by measure of fWAR and the underlying metrics show the alarming truth that they might actually be outperforming expectations so far in 2026.
As we all know, the point of this season was to serve as a fact-finding mission for most every piece on the major league roster. That involved bringing back everyone’s favorite 2025 term “runway” when talking about Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker on the offensive side, as well as including Kyle Leahy and Andre Pallante in the rotation. So far, the Cardinals are batting .333 when looking at the early success of these four players. (I am classifying Leahy as an in-progress plate appearance since he is the one with the least amount of track record heading into the season as a starter). All four of them had the right to the first crack at playing time, especially factoring in that Chaim Bloom did not want to get into any 40-man funny business before the regular season got started.
Unfortunately, we have seen the Andre Pallante we saw for the majority of last season, a pitcher with a below-average fastball and inconsistent breaking stuff, which ends up with starts showing lack of command, lack of efficiency, or some combination of both. Positively, Pallante has already won more games than he won the entire second half last year, but he has yet to pitch more than five innings or allow less than six baserunners in any of his four starts. Leahy, on the other hand, has been more effective than Pallante when it comes to strikeouts and walks, but not by much, which is a bummer for a pitcher who had a mediocre 22% K-rate last year so he did not have much wiggle room for regression there, while also losing close to 2mph on his average fastball. The move to the rotation has also impacted his command, as the former reliever is walking hitters more often and allowing more hits and homers than he did out of the bullpen. In a season of fact-finding, the early returns are not pointing to positive data in the Cardinals rotation, potentially forcing more moves than anticipated for a rotation that seemed to be a point of solid, if unspectacular performances.
The Cardinals should utilize the Memphis Shuttle for more than just relievers
The Opening Day rotation featured Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy, Dustin May, Andre Pallante, and Kyle Leahy, which again simply seemed “fine” for this iteration of Cardinals baseball. However, the early struggles of Pallante and Leahy did not help when surrounded by a couple May blowups (the pitcher not the month), and McGreevy getting hit like the pitch-to-contact hurler he is. Staff number one Matthew Liberatore has also been simply okay thus far, but he is showing concerning command issues and losing his normal strikeout stuff and was hit hard in his start against the Mariners.. For those keeping score at home, that is closer to 0-for-5 than any of us were hoping for, especially with the Cardinals still managing to win ballgames.
The problem with this current rotation alignment is that each of these players should start games as long as they are healthy or unplayable, which is quite the standard to hit in a season where winning is not priority 1, 2, or 3. I truly hope none of the five incumbents get there, but I am also hoping that the need to find answers extends beyond the major league roster and trickles into Memphis for some of the arms that are close to St. Louis. Typically, we see the shuttle bus reserved for struggling or overused relievers, but I would be open to gassing that baby up to transport guys who can pitch more than an inning at a time and still give the team a chance to win. Of course, a difficulty of that is having MLB-ready talent sitting in Triple-A who also match up to schedule and rotation needs, which the Cardinals have not worried about yet thanks to having every Thursday off in April.
One such pitcher who, at times, looked to be the next man up when the rotation was ready was Richard Fitts, who flashed high-90s velocity during Spring and was the face of the revamp we were promised in the minors. However, the minor league injury bug struck yet again in Memphis and Fitts has since undergone season-ending shoulder surgery with the expectation of a full recovery in 2027. Now, Fitts joins a growing list of Cardinals’ prospects who have missed extended time due to injury despite the major league arms seemingly immune to health issues.
Add Packy Naughton and Richard Fitts to the list of minor league injuries. Is anyone worried about this becoming a trend after the #STLCards new shift towards power stuff? https://t.co/a594uvn1rm
A name left off the list but currently rehabbing is other offseason acquisition in Hunter Dobbins, who the Red Sox gave up in order to gain the services of Willson Contreras. Dobbins came to St. Louis already recovering from ACL surgery, but his inability to yet field his position in games limited his exposure to big league hitters during camp. Now, he is back on the mound on what the Cardinals are calling a rehab assignment, meaning the team will have to make a decision on his roster standing when the allotted rehab time is up. The latest news around the organization is that a six-man rotation could be an option to help the Cardinals work through a long stretch of games, and the expectation is that Dobbins will fill that role. The remaining question, then, is if this is just a short three-game audition, or if he is actually going to be up and competing to stick around at the end of the grueling 17-game run.
The current rotation has an interesting setup, with really only Matthew Liberatore and probably Michael McGreevy having the longest leash for the entire season, as Dustin May is likely to be traded after bouncing back well since a rough start, and Pallante and Leahy have to prove their value to stick. The only change for the latter would likely be a move to the bullpen, if anything, as Leahy is 29 years old with an established ability to fill the middle innings. Pallante would be an interesting discussion if any changes were to happen in his role. He broke in and proved himself as a reliever before saving the rotation after stretching out in 2024, but he has never shown dominance as a starter or out of the bullpen. He has an option remaining and becomes arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, so if the Cardinals find a couple things he needs to work on, a move to Memphis could help. But, if he is closer to a finished product than a work in progress, keeping him in the bigs might be the only option in hopes he can build his value enough to be shipped at the Trade Deadline with May.
If a demotion, role change, or trade were to happen anywhere in the rotation, someone from Memphis will have to be ready. Assuming Dobbins gets first dibs at any vacancy, it is a wide-open competition for who would be the next man up. Former Pitcher of the Year Quinn Mathews has battled adversity since that 2024 season, regressing from a Top-100 prospect to a solid future as a rotation arm, but has been working through command issues. Those struggles continued in the start of the 2026 season, and even with his strikeout stuff getting back on track, these issues could prevent a promotion, even if an injury strikes.
The 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year for the Cardinals, Brycen Mautz, also looked to be a candidate for a big-league spot, but he has simply been just “fine” outside of a 1.2 inning start where he allowed four homers and four walks in that shortened outing. He is on the 40-man roster and does not have the prospect pedigree of Mathews, so that could actually work in his favor if the Cardinals decide to “rush” Mautz to the bigs for a cameo or two.
Interestingly, and unfortunately, Memphis’ best starter so far has been 31-year-old journeyman Bruce Zimmerman who is putting up the best strikeout numbers of his career while with his fourth organization. Unlike the other lefties, he is not on the 40-man roster, so any move up to the St. Louis for Zimmerman would mean someone losing their spot on the 40-man, as well as on the big league roster. Then, if the Cardinals wanted to send Zimmerman back to the Redbirds, he would have to clear waivers due to being out of options.
I would be surprised if Bloom and Co decide to cycle through the roster outside of Dobbins (or whoever they choose) during the six-man rotation stint. I personally think that any roster changes would happen only due to injury or trade, as we all know that winning is not on the top of mind for the executives this season.
Would you like to see any changes in the current setup? Remember, demoting or trading someone means that someone else has to take their spot, so a simple “DFA Svanson” comment that is usually left for Twitter would not make sense here.
D.J. Short
