When does the Memphis Shuttle begin transporting Cardinals’ starting pitchers?

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.

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.

Thanks as always!

Yankees vs Astros Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The New York Yankees look for a series sweep when they visit Daikin Park and the Houston Astros.

The New York bats are booming, and my Yankees vs. Astros predictions and MLB picks expect the Yankees to pull off a convincing victory. 

Who will win Yankees vs Astros today: Yankees -1.5 (+120)

Luis Gil doesn't need to be lights out today. He just needs to hold off the Houston Astros long enough for his New York Yankees lineup to do what it's been doing all season.

Ben Rice is barreling at 21.6%, and Aaron Judge at 24.6%, the Yankees are second in the sport with 39 home runs, and they've beaten up on the Astros six of the last ten times out. 

Gil has stymied this Astros lineup in the past, and Houston's bullpen ranks dead last with a 5.94 ERA and 1.85 home runs per nine frames. Let the Yankees prevail!

Covers COVERS INTEL:Spencer Arrighetti has a low ERA, but his xFIP is nearly three runs higher with a 5.08 xERA this season. 

Yankees vs Astros Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (-110)

Spencer Arrighetti has a high hard-hit rate, with an xERA of 5.04 and a walk rate over 15% through two starts.

Gil isn't far behind, with an xERA of 5.20, suggesting the Astros and their fourth-best 119 wRC+ will likely chase him after plating some runs. 

Both starters are due for regression, and totals set at 9.5 have a way of finding the Over when the bill comes due. 

The Over is 7-2-1 across the past 10 H2H meetings, and yesterday's 8-3 final shows this matchup still has teeth. Trust the trend.

Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 4-5, -0.20 units
  • Over/Under bets: 4-4, -0.06 units

Yankees vs Astros odds

  • Moneyline: Yankees -127 | Astros +122
  • Run line: Yankees -1.5 (+102) | Astros +1.5 (-156)
  • Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-108) | Under 9.5 (-104)

Yankees vs Astros trend

The Yankees have covered the run line in 23 of their last 35 away games for +14.05 units and a 37% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Astros.

How to watch Yankees vs Astros and game info

LocationDaikin Park, Houston, TX
DateSunday, April 26, 2026
First pitch2:10 p.m. ET
TVYES, SCHN
Yankees starting pitcherLuis Gil
(1-1, 4.11 ERA)
Astros starting pitcherSpencer Arrighetti
(2-0, 2.45 ERA)

Yankees vs Astros latest injuries

Yankees vs Astros weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Red Sox name WooSox’ Chad Tracy as interim manager

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 15: Worcester Red Sox manager Chad Tracy looks on during a Boston Red Sox workout before a game against the Minnesota Twins at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on March 15, 2024 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Who is he and where did he come from?

He’s Chad Samuel Tracy and he comes from the land of baseball lifers. While he is decidedly not the Chad Tracy who spent the bulk of a mid-sized career with the Diamondbacks in the early part of this century, this Chad Tracy has spent his entire life around the game. Chad’s father Jim played professional baseball for eight years, breaking through to the Majors with the Cubs for 87 games while otherwise bouncing around between places like Pompono Beach, Florida and Yokohama, Japan.

Chad never knew his father as a ballplayer, as he was born one season after his old man finally put his glove away for good. But he always knew his father as a coach. Jim Tracy got his first minor league managerial gig with the Peoria Chiefs when Chad was just two years old and then spent the next 20 years coaching in some capacity, culminating in his 11-year stretch as a big league manager with the Dodgers, Pirates, and Rockies.

Naturally, Chad himself was a ballplayer. He starred as a catcher at Pepperdine University, winning the West Coast Conference Player of the year award in 2005 before being drafted by the Texas Rangers in the third round. Tracy spent the next eight years in the minors, slowly climbing the ladder and eventually playing 390 games at the AAA level but never cracking the majors for so much as a cup of coffee.

After spending two years in the independent Atlantic League, the then-28-year-old Tracy finally gave up the dream and followed his father’s footsteps into the manager’s office, making his debut with the single-A Burlington Bees in the Angels organization the very next year. He would go on to spend seven years with the Angels, the last four as their Minor League Coordinator before being hired to lead the WooSox by Chaim Bloom in 2022.

Is he any good?

I will happily die on the hill known as Mount None of Us Actually Knows Whether a Baseball Manager is Any Good. Baseball is not a sport like basketball or soccer, where coaches develop certain tactical schemes and distinct styles of play. It’s not football, where the head coach is often the final decision-maker on roster moves. Baseball is ultimately a players’ game. Modern managers are tasked with keeping the roster focused and engaged for 162 games while implementing the front office’s player personnel plan.

Having said that, there obviously are managers who are better or worse than others when it comes to creating and maintaining a winning clubhouse culture (Terry Francona on the former hand, Bobby Valentine on the latter). Tracy has a few things going for him to suggest he could be a good fit for this Red Sox team.

First and most importantly, he has a ton of experience coaching a lot of players on this Red Sox roster. Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Connelly Early, Patyon Tolle, Brayan Bello, Connor Wong, and Jarren Duran all spent significant stretches playing under Tracy at Worcester. Notably, all of them arrived at Fenway as developmental successes.

Secondly, he does have a winning track record. Tracy’s WooSox teams went 323-295 during his tenure. Win-loss records in the minor leagues don’t really mean anything, obviously — winning isn’t the point in the minor leagues. But you’d certainly rather have a manager used to winning rather than losing. Tracy won enough and was respected enough that his managerial peers voted him as the International League’s “best managerial prospect” two years in a row in 2023 and 2024.

And finally, it’s often said that great players make poor coaches, the theory being that baseball came so easily to them that they struggle to communicate how to play the game to players of lesser talents. If there’s any truth to that, then perhaps the inverse is also true. Tracy spent eight years grinding in the minors and came tantalizingly close to reaching his dreams, only to, like Moonlight Graham, watch them pass him by like strangers in a crowd. Perhaps his particular background makes him a better baseball communicator than most.

What’s he doing in his picture up there?

He appears to be praying, only with a baseball subbed in for the rosary. And that’s the perfectly romantic image of a minor league lifer, isn’t it?

What’s his role on the 2026 Red Sox?

That’s the big question. Right now he has the interim tag attached to his job title and we haven’t yet heard whether Craig Breslow will attempt to find a full-time manager during the season. Tracy may end up being a mere placeholder.

But Tracy is someone who was almost certainly going to become a big league manager one day. And as he prepares to make his debut this afternoon, he’s well-positioned to succeed, managing a roster he’s familiar with that should be performing a lot better than it has so far. If the Sox are able to get things in gear over the coming weeks and months, then maybe Breslow won’t need to post an opening on the Red Sox LinkedIn page after all.

Braves look to continue series win streak with Chris Sale on the mound

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 06: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 06, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images) | Getty Images

You win some, you lose some. However, the Atlanta Braves have yet to lose a series this season and are the only MLB team to achieve this feat. Although they can’t repeat getting a sweep against the Philadelphia Phillies, they have an opportunity to bounce back from yesterday’s rainy day loss.

Chris Sale, boasting a 2.79 ERA and 4-1 record this season, has been impressive from the start. The last outing for the slider master was last Saturday (4/18) against the Phillies, in which he went through seven innings, only giving up one run and seven total strikeouts.

There’s no need to hammer down what must be done to return in top shape for today’s matchup to secure the win. Sale is set to hold it down on the defensive end. Will the offense be ready to reflect that and get some runs on the board early?

Though yesterday didn’t turn out in the Braves’ favor, the Phillies could sleep well at night with satisfaction that they had a game to go their way, finally breaking their 10-game losing streak.

Aaron Nola (5.06 ERA) will be facing the Braves for the first time this season, but his opponents won’t be walking into unfamiliar territory, as at least five of the Braves have over a 1.000 OPS batting against him in the past.

Nola, with the second-best ERA on the Philies’ starting pitching staff, takes every experience head-on. He mentioned earlier this year, while paying for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic, that it’s fun for him and many other starting pitchers when they can take their experiences and come up with ways to get multiple guys out in different ways over a course of time.

The pitch that the Braves should look out for is not just his leading four-seamer, but the filthy knuckle-curve that he uses just as much in his arsenal.

The task is clear…the skies, not so much. Another rainy day for the ballgame, but the show must go on. Will the Braves continue their series win streak, or will the Phillies find a way to take advantage of yesterday’s win and pick up where they left off?

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, April 26, 1:35 p.m. ET

Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA

TV: BravesVision

Streaming: MLBTV

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

Dodgers notes: Roki Sasaki, Rick Monday, Shohei Ohtani

Los Angeles, CA - April 25: Starting pitcher Roki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to the plate against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning of a baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 25, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images

Bringing a team on the verge of 11 consecutive victories to a screeching halt was the seemingly impossible task for a struggling Roki Sasaki on Saturday. On his first ever bobblehead day, Sasaki did what he could to allow the Dodgers to pounce on Chicago Cubs starter Colin Rea, and it resulted in his first win of the season.

Sasaki managed to pitch into the sixth inning of a 12-4 Dodger victory and while he allowed four runs over that span— including three solo home runs— he tallied a season-high five strikeouts with the biggest improvement being only one walk allowed. The biggest difference compared to his first four starts was an increase in both usage and velocity on his splitter, which he threw 48 times while generating a first pitch strike rate of 90 percent.

There is still more to be desired for the still unfinished project, as noted by Sonja Chen of MLB.com, but Sasaki is hoping to not worry about the length of his starts and instead lean more on the efficacy of what he can do on the mound.

“The first couple games, I couldn’t go deeper. It was kind of frustrating,” Sasaki said through interpreter Kensuke Okubo. “But right now, I’m just focused on what I can do, and then at the end of the season, I just want to be who I want to be.”

Links

In our early season predictions post, I mentioned that I planned on attending Saturday’s game against the Cubs, and it’s always nice to see a Dodger win and get a Roki Sasaki bobblehead. But it was the 50-year anniversary and commemoration of Rick Monday’s iconic American flag rescue that stole the show, and it became even more emblematic when during the seventh inning stretch, “God Bless America” was the prelude to the usual ballpark anthem.

While his two former teams competed, Monday later admitted during the game’s broadcast that he had no idea that the Dodgers would be honoring him and felt “very humbled,” per Beth Harris of the Associated Press.

“I had no idea they were going to be here or present me with an honor. Very humbled,” Monday said later on the radio broadcast of the game.

Shohei Ohtani has been on a recent offensive slump since the Dodgers road series in San Francisco, as he is now 2 for 19 over his last five games, striking out eight times and recording zero extra-base hits. While having the everyday leadoff hitter slumping in this manner is worrisome, Dave Roberts has faith that Ohtani will manage to quickly turn a new page at the plate, per Michael Huntley of the Orange County Register.

“He’s a very smart player,” Roberts said. “He certainly deserves more leash and more opportunity than essentially anyone.”

Munetaka Murakami is must-watch baseball

Apr 23, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox third baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) hits a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Munetaka Murakami brings the power and the presence. And he’s just getting started. | (Rick Scuteri/Imagn Images)

Some players are fun. Then there are the ones who make you drop whatever you’re doing. Munetaka Murakami is that guy. Right now, White Sox fans are getting the rare treat of watching something special, and yes, it’s happening in real time right in front of us.

Murakami didn’t show up to fireworks and a parade. No big-league circus. He wasn’t Shohei Ohtani. But if you paid attention to his work in Japan, you knew exactly what the South Siders were getting. In the NPB, Murakami wasn’t just good; he was a MONSTER. In 2022, he put up a .318/.458/.710 slash line, mashed 56 homers, drove in 134, won the Triple Crown, and set the home run record for a Japanese-born player. The guy was a wrecking ball, and he was only 22 years old.

But the real story isn’t just the numbers. It’s how he plays.

In early 2026, Murakami is already flashing that superstar ceiling. The numbers are catching up to the hype. He’s hitting .242/.381/.589, .970 OPS, 11 bombs (tied for the MLB lead), 1.3 fWAR, and a fat 183 OPS+. He’s also near the top in walks with 22. Same plate discipline, same menace. The results are loud, but the way he gets there is even louder.

The power is legit. Not just fence-clearing, but no-doubt, see-ya-later stuff. His approach? Advanced, disciplined, but never passive. When he connects, you brace for the fireworks. Even when he’s not going deep, he’s making pitchers sweat, working counts, drawing walks, and forcing adjustments.

Forget the stat line for a second. There’s an energy to his game. Confidence. Quiet swagger. And FUN. It’s catching on fast.

He has the kind of presence that flips a lineup on its head, and we’ve been so desperate on the South Side for this kind of player.

The White Sox are busy trying to figure out who they are. Murakami is more than numbers. He’s the bridge from what was to what’s next. He’s the anchor now and the hope for later. Most of all, he’s the guy fans can actually get behind. Every team needs THAT player — the one who turns a sleepy Tuesday into appointment viewing.

So why wait to talk about it?

If the White Sox believe their own eyes, the time to act is right now. Not in the winter. Not after another half-season of ‘let’s wait and see.’ NOW.

Players like Murakami don’t get cheaper. They don’t get easier to sign once the rest of the league wakes up. Every moonshot, every walk, every time he makes pitchers nibble just makes his case stronger. And his price tag bigger.

Locking him up early isn’t just smart baseball. It’s a statement. It says the White Sox know a star when they see one and aren’t afraid to put money where it matters. It tells the clubhouse, the rest of the league, and most importantly, us fans that the Sox are finally serious about building something that lasts.

It’s time to be real. Excitement matters.

Baseball is best when it gives you a reason to dream. Murakami does that. Maybe it’s a ball launched into orbit. Maybe it’s a tense, grind-it-out walk. Either way, he brings the type of buzz you can’t fake.

The South Side has had its share of stars. But every once in a while, someone shows up who just feels different. Not just a contributor, but a guy who changes how you watch the game.

Munetaka Murakami is him.

Orioles minor league recap 4/26: Povich goes six for Norfolk

BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 12: Cade Povich #37 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 12, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Triple-A: Memphis Redbirds (STL) 8, Norfolk Tides 7

The Tides were leading by two runs going into the eighth inning before the Redbirds put up a five-run eighth inning to take the lead. Norfolk scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth but left the tying run stranded at second when Silas Ardoin struck out looking on a pitch that was challenged by the Redbirds and overturned to become strike three.

Cade Povich started for the Tides and went six innings. He allowed one run in each of the first three innings, two on solo home runs. He got stronger after that, though. Over his final three innings, Povich did not allow a hit.

The offense scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and then broke the tie with a two-run seventh before falling behind for good in the eighth. Christian Encarnacion-Strand had a single and triple and picked up three RBI. Willy Vasquez had a three hit night, and Ardoin reached base three times with a single and two walks. Jud Fabian singled and walked.

Box Score

Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 3, Akron RubberDucks 2 – F/12

The Baysox managed to win this game despite being no-hit for the first 6.1 innings of the game. They scored one run in the third inning when Griff O’Ferrall walked, stole second, and came around to score on two wild pitches. That tied the game at 1-1, a score that held until the 11th inning. It took until the bottom of the 12th, but an RBI single by Maverick Handley secured the walk-off.

It was a big game for Handley, who had two of the team’s four hits. He broke up the no-hitter in the seventh, got the winning hit in the 12th, and also had a walk for good measure. Ethan Anderson had one hit as leadoff batter, while Aron Estrada’s miserable start to the season continued. He went 0-for-4 and his OPS is just .490 through 18 games.

It was a bullpen game for the Baysox. Christian Herberholz started and struck out four in 2.1 innings. Six Baysox pitchers combined to strike out 15.

Box Score

High-A: Frederick Keys 4, Wilmington Blue Rocks (WAS) 1

The Keys scored all the runs they needed in a two-run first inning, but they added two more in the sixth for good measure. In the first, they loaded the bases on an infield single by Ike Irish and walks from Nate George and Wehiwa Aloy. After a strikeout, Braylin Tavera hit a ground ball to shortstop. Instead of it being an inning-ending double play, the Blue Rocks made a throwing error that resulted in two runs scored. Their third run also scored on an error, but Irish had a proper RBI double to knock in the final run.

Irish was the only batter with two hits. George was hitless but walked twice. Aloy reached just once with the first inning walk.

Hans Crouse was the opener and pitched a scoreless first before Twine Palmer took over in the second. Palmer pitched five innings with two hits and one walk. He struck out six. His only run allowed was unearned and scored when Tavera made an error in center field to put a runner on third. Palmer then threw a wild pitch to bring in the run.

Box Score

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 4, Wilson Warbirds (MIL) 1

The Shorebirds won this game with two two-run home runs. Edwin Amparo went deep in the second inning with Joshua Liranzo on base. In the seventh inning, it was Liranzo’s turn. His homer knocked in Stiven Martinez. Liranzo and Martinez both had two-hit games, while Amparo reached three times with the homer and two walks. DJ Layton singled and walked, while Jordan Sanchez went hitless with three strikeouts.

Four Delmarva pitchers held the Warbirds to just three hits, but they walked a whopping nine. Starter Kailen Hamson didn’t allow a hit in 3.2 innings, however he did walk five.

Box Score

Today’s Schedule

  • Triple-A: Norfolk vs Memphis, 1:05. Starter: TBD
  • Double-A: Chesapeake vs Akron, 1:05. Starter: Trace Bright
  • High-A: Frederick vs Wilmington, 3:00. Starter: Carson Dorsey
  • Low-A: Delmarva vs Wilson, 2:05. Starter: Kiefer Lord

Rainer notches three hits, MacDonald finishes a single shy of cycle

Toledo Mud Hens 2, Omaha Storm Chasers 0 (box)

Toledo and Omaha each had five hits on Saturday, but the Mud Hens were the only team to score in a 2-0 win over the Storm Chasers.

Sawyer Gipson-Long outdueled Mitch Spence in a battle of minor-league veterans. Both went five innings, but Gipson-Long was better, allowing just two hits and no walks while striking out three. The only time Omaha threatened to score off SGL was in the fourth, when Tyler Tolbert got to third base with one out. Gage Workman made a nice play to home to get the tag out and preserve the shutout.

His changeup was his best pitch, drawing four whiffs on five swings, but his fastball played well to contact with just one hard hit and an average exit velocity of 78.1 mph in seven batted ball events.

The Mud Hens scored two off Spence in the third. Luke Ritter led off with a double to right field, Ben Malgeri walked with one out and Workman doubled both in. Workman had the only other hit off Spence, a two-out single in the first.

Toledo threatened in the fifth, loading the bases — Ritter walked, Max Clark reached on an error and Spence intentionally walked Workman to set up the force out — but Corey Julks flied out to strand all three runners.

Enmanuel De Jesus was good (I know, shocking), allowing just two baserunners over two innings in relief of Gipson-Long. He struck out a pair and retired his first four batters before giving up a single and a walk. Grant Holman got the eighth and struggled out of the gate. He worked around a leadoff walk and a single to strand both runners.

Ricky Vanasco gave up a two-out double in the ninth, but he got the final out of the game on three pitches right after.

Clark: 1-4

Workman: 2-3, 2B (9), 2 RBI, BB, K

Gipson-Long(W, 1-2): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Mud Hens go for win No. 5 in a row on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. ET in Toledo.

Erie SeaWolves — POSTPONED

Coming Up Next: Erie and Binghamton will play a straight doubleheader on Sunday, starting at noon ET.

Lake County Captains 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (box)(F/10)

West Michigan and Lake County battled to a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation, but the Captains outscored the Whitecaps in extra innings to win on Saturday, 3-2.

Neither team scored until the seventh inning, when Lake County took a 1-0 lead on a leadoff home run from Jace LaViolette. The 2025 first-round pick out of Texas A&M had two of the Captains’ seven hits, including a leadoff double in the first.

West Michigan’s pitching was sound for the most part. Gabriel Reyes threw 4 1/3 shutout innings, giving up just three hits. Walks were a bit of a problem, but he worked around all four of them — two in the third and two in the fourth. On the brighter side, Reyes drew a game-high 11 swing-and-misses.

Ryan Harvey replaced Reyes in the fifth with one out. It started out rough with a walk and a hit batter, but he retired the next five batters in a row. Logan Berrier took over in the seventh and gave up the homer to LaViolette. He stranded men on the corners after allowing a single, throwing a wild pitch and walking a batter. Berrier went 1-2-3 in the eighth.

Zack Lee retired the side in order in the ninth, holding the game at 1-0. That’s when West Michigan manufactured a run to extend the game.

Cristian Santana singled to open the ninth. He moved to second on a Juan Hernandez groundout and got to third on a wild pitch from Michael Kennedy. Junior Tillien grounded out to short, allowing Santana to cross the plate.

Duque Hebbert relieved Lee in the 10th, but he gave up a two-run homer to Nolan Schubart, which ultimately decided the game thanks to the runner placed on base at the start of the inning. Hebbert gave up a double after the homer, but he retired the side without allowing any more damage.

Bryce Rainer added a run for the Whitecaps in the bottom of the 10th, but that’s all they got. Rainer put together his first multi-hit game at High-A. He had three singles: two infield base hits to third in the third and 10th, and a grounder through the left side in the sixth.

Rainer: 3-5, RBI, K

Santana: 2-4, R, 2 K

Reyes: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps have a chance to tie the series on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 6, Tampa Tarpons 1 (box)

The Flying Tigers scored as many runs as the other three teams in the organization that played on Saturday. The result was a convincing 6-1 win against the Tampa Tarpons to take a 3-2 series lead.

Lakeland took an early 2-1 lead in the second when Edian Espinal singled in Jude Warwick and Carson Rucker. Warwick reached first on a one-out single, and Rucker walked before both were moved into scoring position by Anibal Salas’ groundout to the right side.

Zach MacDonald made it a 5-0 game in the fifth with a three-run homer. MacDonald was a single shy of the cycle today, hitting a ground-rule double in the third and a triple in the seventh. It’s always a little funny when they can’t do the easy one, but what a showing from the 2024 15th-rounder, who has a 1.078 OPS on the year. MacDonald’s home run brought in Jordan Yost (single) and Thayron Liranzo (ground-rule double).

The Flying Tigers’ only other hit on the day was a solo home run for Carson Rucker in the eighth. The game was all but wrapped up by that point, with Tampa trailing 6-1 heading into the ninth.

Left-hander Caleb Leys made his third start of the season, and he was solid through four innings once again. He went four innings, giving up one run on three hits and three walks while striking out two. While effective, those strikeout and walk numbers need to be a little better. Last week he sat down five batters and gave up just one free pass. Still, Leys has a 1.33 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over his last two starts.

He was a bit too in the zone with his slider today, with a 70% zone rate. All three batted balls were hard hit, but he still drew a 46% whiff rate on them. His fastball isn’t fooling anybody, but it’s not drawing hard contact either. The only run Tampa scored came off Leys in the first. Engelth Urena hit a triple with one out and scored on a groundout.

The bullpen was elite for Lakeland today. Luke Hoskins took over in the fifth and gave the Flying Tigers two innings of one-hit ball. Donye Evans worked around a two-out error for a hitless seventh, and Jan Caraballo closed things out without allowing a baserunner.

Caraballo was the most impressive of the bunch, striking out four of the six batters he faced. Six of his 10 sliders thrown were strikes, including four whiffs on five swings.

Yost: 1-4, R, K

Liranzo: 1-3, 2B (1), R, BB

MacDonald: 3-4, 2B (4), 3B (2), HR (7), R, 3 RBI

Leys: 4.0 IP, 3 H, R, ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: Lakeland goes for the series win on Sunday at noon ET.

What were Giants fans’ favorite highlights of the week?

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 22: Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants pours Powerade on Patrick Bailey #14 of the San Francisco Giants after they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park on April 22, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good morning, baseball fans!

Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball is coming to a close today, which means it’s time for us to share our favorite highlights of the week!

I think this week’s winner is pretty obvious. Patrick Bailey, hitter of walk-off grand slams against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025, got the hit of the week this week with a three-run home run in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over the Dodgers. Man was a one-man offense in that game, so we couldn’t NOT give him a weekend shout out!

What were your favorite highlights of the week?

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants wrap up this weekend series against the Miami Marlins this afternoon at 1:05 p.m. PT.

Is that what the Braves have to do to lose a game?

Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) tags out Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Well, that was annoying. The Phillies were who the Braves thought they were, and they let them off the hook. The Braves took a game to extras and lost, but it required:

  • One single evading Mike Yazstremski for a run scoring triple
  • Yet another needless pickoff
  • One double evading Ronald Acuña for a triple
  • One single evading Eli White for a triple to set up a late tying run
  • Playing the back half of the game in a rain storm with multiple lighting strikes near the stadium
  • Placing Jose Suarez in a high leverage situation

When you step away from it, you are encouraged and appalled. The good news is that this stretch resembles their 26-4 run in mid-2023. They had to really do something dumb on the bases, have brutal BABIP, or make a poor bullpen decision to lose a game. The bad news is the losing-side of the bullpen and the back end of the bench are pretty dreadful. We already knew early that parts of the bullpen weren’t great, but injuries make the bench look very thin right now.

The good side of the bullpen is impressive: Raisel Iglesias (when available), Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee and Tyler Kinley. Somewhere in the middle is Aaron Bummer. Outside of that is Carlos Carrasco, Joel Payamps, swingmen Jose Suarez and Martin Perez (perhaps Reynaldo Lopez as well?), and a host of unattractive options at Gwinnett.

The Braves’ left fielders are a combined .206/.294/.299 with a 70 wRC+. That’s ninth worst in MLB, and Mauricio Dubon’s 11 plate appearances are keeping it from being much lower. The Braves can jettison Eli White for his latest brain fart. But that would leave them with three outfielders (glares at Jurickson Profar) and Dubon, and the best of the Gwinnett lot is probably Ben Gamel with his career 1.9 WAR and no starts in CF since 2021. Once Sean Murphy and Ha-seong Kim return, the bench will start to look better, but right now it’s not great.

Things are great. The offense is crushing it and no game feels out of reach. The starting rotation is way better than it deserves to be coming out of Spring Training. So I’m gonna forget about Saturday for now and going to try to ignore the back third of the roster for now.

This Week in Purple: The difference a year makes

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 24: Jake McCarthy #31, Brenton Doyle #9 and Troy Johnston #20 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate the win over the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 24, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The Colorado Rockies defeated the New York Mets 4-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Any week that starts with a win against the Los Angeles Dodgers should generally be a pretty good one, and that’s just what the Colorado Rockies had.

The Rockies won three of their six games played against three different teams. They could have even won a fourth, which was in their sights on Thursday against the San Diego Padres before a ninth inning meltdown saddled them with a loss.

Even though that loss was frustrating—and probably gave some readers flashbacks to last year—it is still important to note just how much better the 2026 Colorado Rockies are compared to last season. With a record of 11-16 the Rockies are already over a full month ahead of their beleaguered counterparts from 2025, who didn’t win their tenth game until June 2nd and had already lost 50 games by that point.

The Rockies were also able to rebound quickly with a victory against the New York Mets on Friday to round out the week. Saturday’s game was rained out in Queens, but Sunday will feature a traditional double-header.

The Rockies are still not a great team. The offense has a lot of question marks when it comes to their “swing first and ask questions later” approach to hitting and inconsistent ability to win close games. However, most of the games are still close, the pitching has been shockingly solid—dare I say even good—and they’re keeping fans engaged. Our comments sections are proof positive of that!

With that being said, here’s what our staff here at Purple Row had to say this week:

To Read: Rockpiles

To Read: News

To Listen or Watch

Evan Lang had a chance to sit down with Rockies top prospect Cole Carrigg (no. 4 PuRP) to discuss his development, goals, and playing with your hair on fire! Check it out below.

Weekend Discussion Topics

The Rockies may still lose a lot of games, but a pleasant surprise is how many players are standing out with high quality performances so far this season. Antonio Senzatela appears to have revitalized his career, Tomoyuki Sugano has been pitching with consistent quality, and both Mickey Moniak and Hunter Goodman are clobbering the baseball. Who do you think is standing out the most? Who do you think quietly deserves more recognition? Let us know in the comments!


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Chicago Cubs news and notes — Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, Edward Cabrera

Today’s Reflections

When Rick Monday woke up 50 years ago yesterday, I’m guessing he would never have expected to become an American hero. Neither had I as my dad sat me down to watch a delayed TV clip when I was 11. I was still trying to figure out what a bicentennial was, why girls aren’t as fun as the guys, and was barely aware why my parents had shielded me from the war that had recently ended. My dad didn’t talk much. He said, “Watch this.” He explained a bit to a young kid what had been going on, then pointed at the TV and said, “That is an American hero.” Looking back, I’m sure he didn’t mean hero in the way death and severe injuries mean Hero. He meant that a regular guy, every one of us, can go out there and act based on what was in his (or her) heart for this country. April 25, 1976 was the day Rick Monday became one of my heroes.


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Food For Thought:

John O’Leary (1944–2024) was a pioneering British blues harmonica player, recognized as a founder member of the Savoy Brown Blues Band in 1965 and a prominent figure in the UK blues scene for over five decades. Influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson and Little Walter, he played with numerous artists and led his own band, Sugarkane.(Blues Video)

Humanoid robot chases wild boar herd in Poland (Video)

Top 100 Places To Visit In The USA (Video)


Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

Fired already? MLB's best managers know 'unfairness comes with the job'

Brian Snitker stepped into his office after the final game of the 2017 season, drove home and wondered if he’d ever be back, waiting for the phone to ring with some somber news.

He was going to be fired as Atlanta’s manager.

He knew it. The players knew it. And Atlanta GM John Coppolella certainly knew it, privately already making the decision.

Snitker was out, and Ron Washington would be his replacement, after finishing with a 72-90 record, their fourth consecutive losing season.

“Honestly, I was pretty sure I was going to be gone," Snitker tells USA TODAY Sports. “I remember coming in from Atlanta, going home, and thinking I wouldn’t be around anymore.

“My contract was up. We had a bad season. And if things had stayed the course, I guarantee I would have been gone."

Instead, it was Coppolella who was gone.

Coppolella was fired a day after the season when an MLB investigation discovered that he blatantly violated international prospect signing rules. He received a lifetime ban from baseball one month later, which was rescinded in 2023.

Now, given a brief reprieve, Snitker still had to sit around for five weeks awaiting his fate when Alex Anthopoulos was hired Nov. 13, 2017, to be Atlanta’s new GM.

Alex Cora and Brian Snitker in 2023. Cora was fired by the Red Sox 27 games into the 2026 season.

The first time Snitker ever met Anthopoulos was at his press conference. He had no idea whether Anthopoulos would keep him.

Anthopoulos reached out to several GMs, in particular Hall of Fame executive Pat Gillick, asking their advice. Should he let everyone go coming into a new organization and bring in his own people? Or does he wait, giving him time to make his own evaluations?

“Pat is someone I looked up to a lot and when he changed clubs," Anthopoulos said, “you never saw him make wholesale changes and bring in a lot of new people. You saw him bring in a scout or two, but you never saw him get rid of everybody.

“So I was predisposed to not making changes unless there were real obvious reasons. I wanted to give Snit more time. Besides, everybody had good things to say about Snit.”

Snitker stayed. Atlanta won the NL East in 2018. Then again in 2019. And again and again and again and again. Atlanta won six consecutive division titles, reached the postseason seven consecutive times, and was the World Series champion in 2021.

Six months after retiring as Atlanta’s manager, Snitker received the organization’s highest honor Saturday when he was inducted into its Hall of Fame.

Oh, what a little patience can do for a legacy.

“It was a pre-arranged marriage," Anthopoulos said. “You have no idea how it’s going to go. But I was so grateful that when I walked into the Braves organization, I had him. It wasn’t a coincidence that Hank Aaron hired him, and Bobby Cox channeled him to manage. He’s a steward of the Braves.

“We don’t do any of this without Snit as our manager. He made me better. He made all of us better. In terms of trust, character and integrity, you’re not going to find anyone better. Even our first year together, when he’s on the last year of his deal, he never once even hinted about his job security. He never ran from anything. He dealt with a lot of adversity, injuries, and everything else, and he always stayed the course.

“Snit was always Snit. I love this man."

Snitker, 70, never had to wonder about his job security ever again. When the 2022 season ended, Anthopoulos quietly gave him an eight-year contract extension. It would include three years as a manager and five years as a senior advisor.

And Saturday night, with 150 friends, relatives and even high-school teammates on hand to celebrate Snitker, he looks back and wonders how life would be so different if Anthopoulos didn’t have patience to see if he was the right man for the job.

This is why Snitker is perturbed, with Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora being fired after their 10-17 start, with four others on the hot seat, and worries for his friends.

Carlos Mendoza of the New York Mets, Rob Thomson of the Philadelphia Phillies, Joe Espada of the Houston Astros and Matt Quataro of the Kansas City Royals already are hearing rumors and speculation that their jobs could be in serious jeopardy.

Snitker can’t believe it.

It’s April.

The season is three weeks old.

Teams still have 135 games remaining.

And you want them fired now?

“I just hate hearing it, really, for everybody involved,” said Snitker, who heard the same rumors about himself during the World Series year in 2021 when the team was stull under .500 in early June. “It’s such a long season. I look at the Mets. I look at Phillies. I know things aren’t clicking for them. But when you can weather storms like that, something is good on other side.”

There’s no need to look any further back than 2019 when the Washington Nationals were 19-31, and manager Davey Martinez was expected to be fired at any moment, paying the price for the struggles of a team that had World Series aspirations.

It didn’t matter that All-Stars Juan Soto, Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon were on the IL. Or that Cy Young winner Max Scherzer was struggling with a 3.72 ERA. Or the bullpen was in shambles.

“I never considered it at all,”Rizzo said from his Florida home, when asked if Martinez was nearly fired. “Now, I don’t know if anyone above me considered it, but I sure didn’t. There were plenty of reasons for our slow start, but I never thought Dave was the issue at all.

“I still remember coming back from New York. We just lost all four games against the Mets, three with late leads, it’s 3 in the morning, and I’m on my rooftop drinking bourbon and smoking a cigar. I’m fired up and leave Davey a long Knute Rockne text message, letting him know that we’ll get out of it.

“The next day, I sat down with Davey and the coaching staff and said, ‘We are all in this together. And we are all going to get fired unless we get this thing going. And when we leave this room, everything will be rosy.’”

The Nationals went out and won the next three games, nine of the next 11, climbed over .500 on June 28, went 46-27 the second half, won the final eight games of the regular season to capture a wild-card berth, and on Oct. 30 were in Houston celebrating their first World Series title.

“It became us against the world," Rizzo said, “and we did it."

It was similar to the St. Louis Cardinals’ comeback in 2011 when they were 10 ½ games behind Atlanta on Aug. 25, and Tony La Russa had privately decided that he was going to retire after the season. The Cardinals went 23-9 in September, clinched a playoff berth on the final day, and won the World Series in dramatic comeback fashion over the Texas Rangers.

So, is it really fair to fire Mendoza when his team was overhauled in the winter, when their premier power hitter (Pete Alonso) and All-Star closer (Edwin Diaz) weren’t brought back, playing without Juan Soto for 15 days when they lost 12 in a row and averaged 1.8 runs a game, and are now without All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor for perhaps two months?

Can you really dump Thomson who has a severely flawed lineup after Bo Bichette left them at the free-agent altar? This is a team that has no true cleanup hitter, a predominantly left-handed lineup that’s 0-9 with a paltry .561 OPS against left-handed starters, a pitching staff that has a league-worst 5.68 ERA for its starting rotation, and, oh yeah, a 10-game losing streak entering Saturday.

Should Espada be gone and replaced by bench coach Omar Lopez when saddled with a Houston pitching staff that has the worst ERA in baseball (5.99) with a major-league leading 16 players on the IL, including five starters and All-Star closer Josh Hader?

How can you justify firing Quatraro with an offense that’s even worse than the Red Sox, with slugger Vinnie Pasquantino hitting .160 with three home runs, no home runs from superstar shortstop Bobby Witt, Jr., and the worst bullpen in baseball?

Remember, it was just a year ago at this time when Blue Jays manager John Schneider was  on the hot seat too. His team was still under .500 in late May, and already eight games behind the New York Yankees, and wound up being just two outs away from winning the World Series.

“If you want things to be fair," said La Russa, the Hall of Fame manager watching his White Sox this week in Phoenix, “you got to find something else to do for a living. There are going to be times when it’s not fair. And if that bothers you, you can’t do this job. I feel like unfairness comes with the job. You just got to be grateful that you’ve got the opportunity.

“A lot of it comes down to having the owner and the general manager believing in you. They either believe in you or don’t. They also have to have the understanding that sometimes you get off to a slow start, but you’ve got to play it out. Whether you’re a manager, a coach or a player, the beauty of 162 is it gives you time to show who you are. You just can’t give in."

Snitker is a living, breathing testament to patience, and he hopes that the same men who he fiercely competed against, survive the turmoil, and are given the chance to recover from all of the adversity.

“There’s only 30 of us in the world so everybody is appreciative and sympathetic when you see guys going through this,’’ Snitker said. “I remember going to the St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York on an off-day last year, look up, and see Carlos [Mendoza] with his three sons. I said, ‘I see you’re here lighting candles too.’

“I told him, “Well, when you’re lighting them, I’m coming right behind you and blowing them out.’

“I just feel bad seeing what these guys are going through. They’re good baseball guys. They are. Good people. I just hate it for everybody involved.”

Well, it’s not Snitker’s worry anymore. He just attended the Masters for the first time. He sat in the stands a week ago at Truist Park with his grandsons, staying to watch the fireworks show. He’ll make sandwiches and snacks for their entire Little League teams. He’s going to Hawaii for a two-week vacation with his wife, Ronnie. And, after spending 50 years with the same franchise, he’s got speeches to prepare and alumni events to attend.

“I don’t think we will ever see me again," Snitker said. “Look at trends. I don’t think you will ever see a guy 50 years in an organization again, not with all of the recycles."

Snitker, who says he’ll forever be indebted to Cox for his guidance, teaching him patience and constantly reminding him how difficult it is to play this game, took a piece of La Russa’s advice before Saturday’s Hall of Fame induction.

“I got a call from Tony on the morning of our World Series parade," Snitker said. “He said, 'When you’re at the parade today, take a good look at all of the faces and see the joy that you brought all of those fans. You should take great pride in that.'"

Snitker was able to do just that Saturday evening at Truist Park, receiving the organization’s highest honor, and a reminder what can happen when managers are shown a little patience.

Around the basepaths

- The Chicago White Sox remain uncertain who they will draft with the No. 1 pick in July, and insist they have not committed to taking UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, the consensus top player in the draft. It’s also unclear, several executives say, whether the White Sox are Cholowsky’s top preference.

One GM, whose team drafts in the top five, believes there’s still a chance Cholowsky falls to them.

San Diego Padres starter Nick Pivetta, on the injured list with a right elbow flexor strain, needs to return by Aug. 22 this season to prevent the Padres from voiding the remaining two years of his contract.

Pivetta, who signed a four-year, $55 million contract, has a clause that allows the Padres to end the contract after two years if he’s sidelined for 130 consecutive days with an elbow injury. He is scheduled to earn $32 million the final two years of his backloaded contract.

The Padres also have the option to pick up a $14 million club option if he’s on the IL for that length of time. If Pivetta returns before Aug. 22, he has the option to become a free agent after the season, or exercise his $14 million contract in 2027 along with an $18 million player option in 2028.

The Padres also have a $5 million club option in 2029 if Pivetta is sidelined for more than 130 consecutive days any time from July 1, 2026through 2028.

– The Philadelphia Phillies are paying $34.2 million to players no longer on the roster with outfielder Nick Castellanos and starter Taijuan Walker, who was released this past week. Walker, who was in the final year of a four-year, $72 million contract, wound up with a 5.12 ERA with the Phillies, including a 9.13 mark this season.

– How impressive was the Chicago Cubs’ 10-game winning streak entering Saturday?

There were six teams entering Saturday with 10 or fewer victories all season.

– Kudos to Arizona Diamondbacks scout Chris Carminucci, the man who discovered Ildemaro Vargas playing for the Bridgeport Bluefish independent league in 2015.

Vargas entered Saturday with an 18-game hitting streak for the Diamondbacks, .357/.375/.671 with five homers and 16 RBI. He’s just one homer shy from matching his career high for homers.

– It’s humorous to the Dodgers that seven years later, only now are folks complaining now about the Shohei Ohtani rule, permitting the Dodgers to carry 14 pitchers instead of 13 since Ohtani is a two-way player. The rule went into effect in 2019, allowing players to earn a two-way designation if the player pitches at least 20 innings and has started in at least 20 games as a position player or designated hitter.

So, if the Angels had decided to accept Ohtani’s request for heavily deferred 10-year, $700 million contact, would there be a single person complaining since he would be an Angel and not a Dodger?

“It’s not a Dodger rule," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts reminded reporters Friday. “I mean, this was implemented when he was with the Angels.”

Said Cubs manager Craig Counsell: “This is not a Dodger thing. It’s not an Ohtani thing. It’s a bad rule.”

– Is there a more disappointing player in the game than San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers?

The Giants continue to say they’re not worried about Devers, but he has been a shell of himself since being traded from Boston last June, with the Giants assuming about $255 million in his 10-year, $313.5 million deal.

Devers is hitting .213 with two homers, nine RBIs and a .544 OPS. If you factor in his defensive struggles and lack of speed, he has a negative 1 WAR

Since joining the Giants, he’s slashing .230/.325/.420. The Giants are wondering what happened to the guy who slashed .279/.340/.510 in nine seasons with the Red Sox?

– Major League Baseball could have three new ballparks built within three years of one another in Las Vegas, Kansas City and Tampa.

The Athletics’ new ballpark on the Vegas strip will be ready by mid-summer next year and they’ll officially make the move in 2028.

The Tampa Bay Rays unveiled plans for a new $2.3 billion stadium in Tampa.

And the Kansas City Royals are hoping their new $1.9 billion downtown ballpark could be ready by 2030.

It puts all three teams in line for the All-Star Game in the next decade.

The Rays have never hosted the All-Star Game.

The Athletics last hosted the All-Star Game in 1987.

And the Royals last hosted in 2012.

– The ABS challenge system has resulted in one side effect that has MLB officials cringing.

The time of games are 2 hours, 42 minutes, the longest since 2022, the last year before the implementation of the pitch clock, with 21% of games lasting more than 3 hours, according to Codify Baseball.

– The Padres have already won two games this season in which they’ve trailed by three or more runs in the ninth inning. No other team has done it once.

The Padres also have five comebacks this year trailing by at least four runs in a game.

– The Mets have not provided a timetable for Francisco Lindor’s calf strain, but are privately expecting him to be out until weeks into June.

– It’s only April, but the White Sox’s signing of Munetaka Murakami to a cheap two-year, $34 million deal could be the greatest free-agent signing of the winter.

Murakami entered the weekend tied with Houston Astros’ slugger Yordan Alvarez with 11 homers.

The last White Sox player to lead the league in homers?

Dick Allen, back in 1972.

– Just how impressive is Tigers rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle’s start?

He entered the weekend with 30 hits, 10 doubles and just 14 strikeouts in his first 25 games, the first 21-year-old to produce those numbers since Joe DiMaggio in 1936.

– Padres closer Mason Miller, who has not allowed a run since Aug. 5, spanning 33.2 innings, had one streak end this week.

He failed to record a strikeout for the first time in 24 appearances against the Colorado Rockies, with 56 of his previous 77 outs courtesy of the strikeout.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB managers on the hot seat but 'unfairness comes with the job'

Phillies news: Alex Cora, team defense, Munetaka Murakami

Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) hits an RBI triple against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Listen, I would honestly be shocked if the Phillies actually did what many of you want them to do with the managerial position. Not just with getting rid of Rob Thomson, but also in bringing aboard Alex Cora to replace him.

Shocked, I say.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

Mets Daily Prospect Report, 4/26/26: Rain and losses

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 11: Starting pitcher Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets warms up during a rain delay against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 11, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (13-12)

WORCESTER 9, SYRACUSE 2 (BOX)

Don’t walk 13 batters in a game if you want to have a chance of winning. Also, maybe have more than four hits. Just a couple thoughts.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (7-11)

POSTPONED (RAIN)

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (4-14)

POSTPONED (RAIN)

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (9-11)

PALM BEACH 8, ST. LUCIE 7 (BOX)

This one was going swimmingly (for the most part) until the ninth. Then Tyler McLoughlin managed to cough up a run and two other baserunners without recording an out in the ninth. Both baserunners were allowed to score by Ryan Dollar, with the tying run scoring on a wild pitch. Three pitches later, Ryan Weingartner drove in the go-ahead run for the Cardinals. A walk and an error put the tying run in scoring position for the Mets in the bottom half with two outs, but Chase Meggers couldn’t get the job done. Rough way to lose. Elian Peña still looks quite good though!

Rookie: FCL Mets (0-0)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

None

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Tyler McLoughlin