Athletics pitcher Aaron Civale will get the start tonight at home against the Chicago White Sox. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Athletics are back at it this evening at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento as they begin a three-game series against the American League Central rivals, the Chicago White Sox. The 6-13 White Sox are currently sitting in last place in the AL Central while the A’s are 10-9 and are tied for first place with the Texas Rangers
Aaron Civale, the 30-year-old righty will get the start for the A’s tonight. He’s currently 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA in his first season with the Athletics. He’ll go up against 29-year-old righty Davis Martin for the White Sox. Martin is 2-1 with a 2.50 ERA in three starts for Chicago, while tossing 15 strikeouts in 18 innings of work.
Martin will go up against this lineup for the homestanding Athletics:
Aug 3, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images | John Froschauer-Imagn Images
Gerrit Cole completed his first rehab start in Friday's Double-A game between the Yankees' Somerset Patriots and the Philadelphia Phillies' Reading Fightin Phils.
New York's ace RHP threw 44 pitches (36 strikes), allowed three runs on as many hits (one home run) while striking out three and walking one in 4.1 IP.
Still working with an overhead windup, Cole (Tommy John surgery recovery) delivered a perfect first inning with a strikeout sandwiched between two groundouts.
A perfect first inning for Gerrit Cole in Somerset!
Cole's plan is to "just recover the next couple days and see when the next turn is," he said.
"Early, it was just fastballs for strikes," Cole said of his approach. "As many, heart of the plate -- as many as we can go, just start repping that out. The second inning, I tried to kind of move it a little more. But I paid the price for that, just not being sharp. And then after that, my fastball location was really high. So, I came through the lineup a second time and tried some off-speed and had a good run of lefties so work some changeups, get some curveballs for Strike 1, curveball for Strike 1 to a right-hander. So, probably the only thing I didn't really accomplish was really kind of moving the four-seam as well as I know I can. But it looked really good from a metrics standpoint, and we were in the zone a lot, which was probably the main goal."
In spring training, Cole made two starts, totaling 2.2 IP, but this was different, he said.
"No, no nerves," Cole said of his first rehab start. "But even in the spring training games, you know can get rolled. So, if you need to get two innings, they'll figure out a way to make you get two innings. And that's not the case when you do this. ... At some point, you've got to collect outs. It's nice to go out there and throw a bunch of fastballs and fill the zone up. But if it doesn't go your way, you've got to figure out how to keep going. So, that is just a little extra level compared to spring training. And that not only presses you in terms of your pitches but in terms of all your other defensive aspects, whether it be picks or backing up or covering, etcetera."
Cole's last non-spring start for the Yankees was Game 5 of the 2024 World Series against the Los Angles Dodgers, but he has not thought about his rehab's finish line.
"It's exciting, yeah, it's exciting," Cole said. "But I'm not looking farther than really what I've got to do the next couple days. Looking too far ahead and thinking about that would kind of take me out what I need to do right now, which is focus on one day at a time -- which, when you're in the thick of it in the big leagues, is what you've got to do. So, in that sense, I'm just trying to get back in the swing of things and do that process and not really focus on where I am in terms of the rehab or how close it is to the end."
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Freddy Fermin #42 of the San Diego Padres walks to the dugout before the game against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park on April 15, 2026 in San Diego, California. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (13-6) at Los Angeles Angels (10-10), April 17, 2026, 6:38 p.m. PST
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Apr 4, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) throws to the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | Brad Mills-Imagn Images
The Dodgers (14-4) open a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies (7-12) starting Friday night at in Denver.
Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.00 ERA, 0.94 WHIP) makes his first career start at Coors Field in the series opener. Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16 ERA, 0.78 WHIP) will counter for Colorado.
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 5: Kyle Leahy #62 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park on April 5, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will continue their strong start to the 2026 season by opening a series in Houston versus the Astros Friday night. Kyle Leahy is scheduled to make the start for the Cardinals. He’s 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA. Peter Lambert will start Friday night for the Astros. 7:15pm central is scheduled to be the first pitch at Daikin Park.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros hits an rbi single scoring Jeremy Peña #3 against the Athletics in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on April 04, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros (8-12) will open a three-game series with their former division rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals (10-8), tonight at Daikin Park.
RHP Peter Lambert (season debut), selected from Triple A today, will make his first regular season appearance for the Astros tonight opposite the Cardinals and starter RHP Kyle Leahy (1-2, 5.14 ERA).
TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP Peter Lambert joined the Astros via free agency this offseason after pitching last year for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the NPB, posting a 3.98 ERA (55ER/124.1IP) with 111 strikeouts in 23 appearances in Japan.
This season, Lambert made his case by getting off to a strong start at Triple A Sugar Land, where he posted a 1.84 ERA (3ER/14.2IP) in three games (two starts), while also impressing at Major League Spring Training as a non-roster invite (1-1, 2.92 ERA, 4ER/12.1IP). A former Rockie, Lambert has 74 career MLB appearances, including 35 starts.
HOME-COOKIN’: Tonight is the fourth game of a six-game homestand for the Astros, in which they’ll host a pair of NL opponents in the Rockies (2-1) and Cardinals. The Astros have been great at home in 2026, going 7-3, including a seven-game winning streak, which was snapped last night.
VS. THE CARDS: This series is a matchup of former division rivals, who spent 19 seasons together in the NL Central from 1994-2012.
Overall, the two teams have played each other 722 times, with the Astros going 336-384.
These teams also have postseason history, with the Astros going 7-6 vs. the Cards in the playoffs. The two clubs faced off in back-to-back NLCS in 2004-05 with St. Louis taking the ‘04 NLCS in seven games and Houston winning the ‘05 NLCS in six games.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVES: The Astros have selected RHP Peter Lambert (#38) to the Major League roster today. He takes the roster spot of RHP Christian Roa, who was optioned to Triple A Sugar Land after last night’s game.
In a corresponding move, the Astros transferred LHP Josh Hader to the 60-day IL.
EXTRA! EXTRA!:2B Jose Altuve recorded his 750th career extra-base hit last night with his 461st career double. He also has 32 triples and 257 home runs, all coming as an Astro. Only Craig Biggio (1,014) and Jeff Bagwell (969) have more extra-base hits than Altuve in franchise history.
GETTING ON :IF Isaac Paredes has an active on-base streak of 13 games, which ties as the longest active streak in the AL. During the run, which dates back to March 28, Paredes has posted a .375 OBP.
ON THE MEND: OF Zach Dezenzo (right elbow sprain) will begin a rehab assignment with Double A Corpus Christi tonight. Additionally, LHP Bennett Sousa (left oblique strain) is scheduled to make another rehab appearance at Corpus Christi tonight.
FAITH & FAMILY NIGHT: Tonight is Faith and Family Night at the ballpark. After the final out, fans are encouraged to stay for special postgame testimonials featuring Spencer Arrighetti, Carlos Correa and Shay Whitcomb.
Friday Night Fireworks presented by ConocoPhillips, will also be part of Faith and Family Night, as they will feature the musical theme Faith and Family.
TONIGHT’S SPECIAL GUESTS:SS Jeremy Peña will host students from Raul C. Martinez Elementary School tonight for Peña’s Pals.
In its fourth year, Pena’s Pals was developed by Jeremy in partnership with the Astros Foundation. The program celebrates kids and their development in academics, character building and making healthy choices.
THIS WEEKEND’S GIVEAWAYS: Tonight, 10,000 fans will receive a Carlos Correa City Connect Jersey, presented by Houston Methodist.
Tomorrow, 10,000 fans will receive an Astros Ice Cream Bucket Hat, presented by Texas Bay Credit Union.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, April 17, 7:10 p.m. CST
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; KTRH 740 AM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Apr 10, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (11) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
The Colorado Rockies (7–12) return home after a rough 1–6 road trip, salvaging the finale in Houston with a gutty, arguably career-best outing from Chase Dollander (5.1 IP, 0 R, 9 K).
They now return to Coors Field after stops in San Diego and Houston — only to be greeted by a much different environment. Frigid temperatures are expected at first pitch after snow moved through the area earlier in the day, adding another variable to tonight’s game.
It’s been a familiar early-season formula for the Rox:
A rotation that’s struggled to provide length (and is dealing with injuries)
A bullpen that’s been excellent — but is starting to feel the workload
An offense that shows flashes, but hasn’t found consistency
Now comes the real test.
We know what the Los Angeles Dodgers are. A behemoth — the behemoth.
The early-season numbers just confirm what everyone expected. It was never really a question of whether this team would be great — it’s a question of how great. 116 wins? Another title? Something even more absurd? It’s not out of the realm.
They arrive at 14–4 with the best record in baseball, leading MLB in AVG/OBP/SLG and producing runs at one of the highest rates in the league. Their pitching staff has been just as strong, with a top-five rotation and a top-10 bullpen ERA.
And, as usual, expect plenty of Dodger Blue in the stands.
Taking the mound for Colorado is Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16 ERA, 12 K/16.2 IP). Sugano has been one of the early bright spots in the rotation, posting strong surface results while leaning on his trademark command and deep pitch mix. A true control artist to start the year, he attacks hitters with a mix of fastballs, cutters, splitters, and breaking stuff — keeping batters off balance rather than overpowering them.
His start was pushed back a day, which could help a taxed staff, but tonight’s matchup presents a real challenge. Sugano has done well limiting damage so far, but with a contact-oriented profile and a Dodgers lineup that punishes mistakes top to bottom, his margin for error at Coors Field is thin.
The Los Angeles Dodgers will counter with Tyler Glasnow (1–0, 4.00 ERA, 22 K in 18 IP). Glasnow pairs elite swing-and-miss stuff (31% strikeout rate) with solid command, featuring a devastating mix of upper-90s fastballs and a heavy curveball. When he’s on, he can dominate any lineup.
Cold weather can affect a pitcher’s feel on the ball — making grip a little less reliable and slightly muting pitch movement, especially on breaking balls — but even with those variables, Glasnow still can miss bats at a level few pitchers can match. If the Rockies are going to have success, they’ll need to stay disciplined, work counts, and capitalize on the few mistakes he might make.
For Colorado, the path to staying competitive is pretty clear:
Sugano needs to provide real length to protect a taxed bullpen
The offense has to be pesky — work counts, take pitches, avoid chasing
And Coors Field needs to play like an advantage
Because if this turns into a depth game, the Dodgers have the obvious edge.
San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano and closer Mason Miller after defeating the Seattle Mariners 5-2 at Petco Park on April 16, 2026, in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres’ offense has been very potent to begin the 2026 season. One of the early contributors has been Luis Campusano. He is off to a hot start because Campusano finally feels free from the pressure of fulfilling others’ expectations
It has allowed him to play carefree baseball.
Stammen’s belief never wavered
Padres skipper Craig Stammen put trust in his game. It began in Spring Training, when the manager proclaimed that Campy was the team’s backup catcher, despite the pleas for a more reliable option. The support for the one-time top minor league prospect came as a surprise.
It was not too long ago when the front office thought Campy was a defensive liability. They felt he regressed in framing pitches, blocking balls in the dirt, and throwing out would-be base-stealers. When Campusano started, he lasted five or six innings before a defensive replacement was put into the game.
It was obvious there was no trust that he could navigate a pitching staff to a victory. Unfortunately, the organization never took into consideration that the position was too encompassing for a young player. The demands overwhelmed Campy, but those days are over.
Campusano turning a new leaf
So far, you have to give Campusano high marks in fulfilling his catching duties. He has become more attentive in having pitchers execute the game plan. Stammen has given him some latitude to call certain parts of the game from what he has observed behind the plate. Finally, Campy has effectively utilized the ABS system, turning it into an advantage for getting ahead in counts.
In the batter’s box, you might describe what Campusano is experiencing as an offensive renaissance. Currently, he is batting .310 with a .885 OPS in 10 games. Let’s not forget that Campy did not record a base hit in 27 plate appearances last season.
He has made the necessary adjustments that allowed him to make quality contact with a more level swing. Despite all the early-season success, Stammen has to be smart in how he uses Campusano in the lineup.
What is next in Campy’s development
The burning question is whether his offensive value gives Campy more playing time. The organization may not be ready to have that conversation at this moment. However, starting receiver Freddy Fermin is struggling at the plate, hitting .161 with two RBI this season.
There has been no talk of Campy replacing him in the lineup, but that could change if he maintains good offensive and defensive metrics. Right now, Fermin is the better catcher. He ranks second in the defensive runs saved category and throws the ball down to second base in 1.89 seconds. No question, Fermin has elite defensive skills behind the plate.
Campusano is slowly gaining the trust of the coaching staff. Still, the Friars cannot sacrifice defense for another bat in the lineup.
However, he is a work in progress, as Campy is improving his footwork, becoming a solid blocker of pitches in the dirt, and making more accurate throws to second base.
Finally, confidence is in his professional vocabulary.
Feb 20, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Coleman Crow poses for a portrait during photo day at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers will take on the Miami Marlins in Florida on Friday night, as right-hander Coleman Crow makes his MLB debut.
Crow, who was already on the 40-man roster, was recalled from Triple-A Nashville earlier today. Right-hander Easton McGee was optioned to Nashville to open up the active spot.
Ranked as the team’s No. 27 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Crow was a 28th-round pick by the Angels back in 2019. He came over to Milwaukee from the Mets in exchange for Tyrone Taylor and Adrian Houser. After spending 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A, he started 2026 with the Sounds, making three appearances (two starts) with a 4.02 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 15 2/3 innings. Crow will match up with Janson Junk, a former Brewer who has found a home in Miami’s rotation over the last season-plus.
Crow will be backed up by Sal Frelick, William Contreras, and Brice Turang at the top of the order. Gary Sánchez bats cleanup as the DH, followed by Jake Bauers and Luis Rengifo. Garrett Mitchell, Greg Jones, and David Hamilton fill out the bottom of the order, as Joey Ortiz gets the day off.
First pitch is slated for 6:10 p.m. You can catch the television broadcast on Brewers.TV or listen to the game on WTMJ 620 and the Brewers Radio Network.
The Reds come into town sitting at 11-8 (same as the Twins), after finishing 83-79 last year and getting swept in the wildcard round. If, like me, you don’t think a playoff series win is a “real” series win unless it involves winning the divisional series, then the Twins haven’t done it since 2002… but the Reds haven’t done it since 1995. They did get to Game 5 in the 2012 NLDS, behind the bats of Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips, and Joey Votto, and I’m having a hard time remembering who those guys were. The last Reds I really remember were Barry Larkin and Ken Griffey, Jr.
The current squad is led by rookie tater masher Sal Stewart (7 homers) and slick-fielding SS Elly De La Cruz (who Snoop Dogg loves).
Their starting pitcher today is Brandon Williamson, a 28-year-old lefty who spent much of 2024/2025 on the injured list. He throws a low-90s fastball and cutter, plus a change against RHB and a slider/sweeper against LHB. Those offspeed ones are his best pitches.
Williamson is officially One Of Us, born in Fairmont, MN. Fairmont is a south-central Minnesota town with some 10,000 residents (that’s pretty big for the region!). Its Wiki “Notable people” entry lists the Education Minnesota 2018 Teacher of the Year and a gentleman who wears a homemade costume to sci-fi conventions, calling himself Tron Guy:
Hey I’ll betcha he’s gotten more readers than I ever will.
Woods Richardson “was throwing up pregame,” manager Derek Shelton said. “I mean, after the third, he wasn’t in a great spot. We were hoping to get more out of him, and it just looked like he ran out of gas.”
Woods Richardson told the coaching staff he could pitch after chucking up his pregame meal. The Twins already had a shorthanded bullpen, and they were down a reliever because Cody Laweryson is headed to the 15-day injured list.
“I think it’ll be the last day he eats Subway for a long time,” catcher Ryan Jeffers said.
Well, it’s probably just one worker who didn’t wash their hands properly, it can happen at anyplace, not just at Subway. Still, all kudos to SWR for trying his best to help the team. (Hopefully on Wednesday he didn’t eat from “Crazy Eddie’s Sushi Truck.”)
Of course, that’s better than that time in 1972 when Reds management sent a pitcher with a sore arm to… the dentist. The dentist yanked teeth to cure the sore arm. It did not cure the sore arm.
Per Eric Strack and Ted Schwerzler at this site, Tom Pohlad got cranky with a fan who was wearing a “Sell The Team” hat at Sunday’s game, calling her “classless.” Apparently the woman did take some pictures of Pohlad — I don’t like having a camera pointed at me, either — but if he was just crabby about the hat, that’s a bit silly.
Yet another story about how sports gambling ruins lives. Yet another story about how sports gambling companies are trying to subvert laws protecting residents in all 50 states (and get the legal age you have to be to gamble lowered). None of this is going to end well.
Defector’s Diana Moskovitz on being a woman who’s a sports writer. It’s what you’d expect in terms of the rotten stuff. It doesn’t make it any less infuriating.
“Talking Points Memo” is a terrible name for a website, but Peter Dreier has an good post there about how Jackie Robinson’s legacy is much more radical than MLB tends to highlight.
And ESPN the channel may be the all-sports-gambling, all-Screaming Bro network at this point, yet the website still has OK stuff sometimes, and here’s a fun piece about what players think of ABS so far. Basically, they like it, though everyone has a different notion of how the system could be improved. I like Reese McGuire’s idea that offense and defense should get two challenges each. Travis d’Arnaud made a neat point I hadn’t thought of before; umpires like being proved right. I was thinking more about ego-tripping umps not wanting to be proved wrong… but for good umps who really are trying their best to not be ego trippers, it must be nice to know you got a tough call right.
Why does that ESPN piece have no author name? Was it compiled by a bunch of interns? Freelancers? Who knows. Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be writers, it’s usually not for the best.
Words may not be actions, but words certainly speak volumes in their own right.
During the New York Rangers’ breakup day and in their individual exit interviews on Friday from Chris Drury to Mike Sullivan to all of the players, there was a clear message being sent regarding the team’s future direction.
The Rangers are signaling their intent to become a competitive, playoff-caliber team sooner rather than later.
Of course, that vastly contradicts Drury’s letter sent out to fans on Jan. 16 outlining the Rangers’ plan to retool the roster, trade some of the organization's key players, and get younger as a whole.
Drury’s message held an awfully similar tone to the Rangers’ 2018 letter to fans issued by the franchise's previous management group, in which was followed up by a multi-year rebuild.
However, it doesn't appear as if Drury, Sullivan, and company want to go down that same path.
Sullivan has expressed that he believes the Rangers can be more proactive in jumpstarting their competitive window instead of going through a long restructuring of the roster, typical in most rebuilding teams.
He shared that same sentiment on Friday with more time to decompress on the 2025-26 season.
“I think we have the ability to improve and get better in the most immediate future,” Sullivan said. “When you look at our team this year, for most of the year, we were right in the hunt. With some tweaks to our roster, get some guys healthy again, I think we have the ability to become a competitive team.”
The Blueshirts came into the 2025-26 campaign fresh off signing Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract, while Sullivan left a 10-year partnership with the Pittsburgh Penguins to become the head coach of the Rangers, with the hopes of reviving their Stanley Cup aspirations that once seemed promising just one year before.
In spite of Drury’s competitive mindset, the Rangers struggled out of the gate, and by January, it was apparent that they would likely not make the playoffs.
"What I'll tell you is that did I anticipate some of the challenges that we had this year? Probably not,” Sullivan said. “I wouldn't be being honest with you if I said otherwise, but I just think that's the nature of pro sports.”
Shortly after the letter was released, the Rangers traded their franchise leader in points since the 2019-20 season, Artemi Panarin, to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for prospect Liam Greentree and a conditional 2026 third-round pick.
Outside of the Panarin deal though, Drury didn’t put his words from the letter into action, as he only made a couple of other minor trades leading up to the trade deadline, and notably held onto veteran forward Vincent Trocheck, who was heavily rumored to be moved.
Now, a Rangers team that just finished in last place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 34-39-9 record and 77 points, are conveying a sense of confidence about the immediate future.
“I'm not going to get into the timelines,” Chris Drury said on how close the Rangers are to becoming a playoff team. “I think we have a lot of good players. We have a lot of talented players. As we said in the letter, certainly wasn't good enough to that point and we're trying to retool and find some different ways to have success. I do like a lot of our pieces, and I'm excited to begin the offseason and take a deeper look at it and try and figure out how to be better.”
What led to this desire for a quick retool?
If you look around the NHL, there are teams that have been able to fastrack their rebuild and become competitive quickly, adding some young talent to an already established core, including the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, and the Penguins.
That is the model the Rangers appear to be looking to copy. Drury emphasized building around the team’s “core” players in his letter. These “core” players are likely headlined by Adam Fox, Igor Shesterkin, J.T. Miller ,and Mika Zibanejad.
There also has to be a level of buy-in from the core players, which seemed to be on shaky ground after the letter was released.
The main source of uncertainty came from Fox, whose noncommittal comments about his future with the Rangers sparked a wave of speculation.
That initial uncertainty from the team’s top point producers has suddenly turned into unwavering optimism, something strongly made transparent during Friday’s exit interviews.
"I’ve been here for 10 years. I’ve gone through the ups and downs. For me, yeah retool or whatever, but you just look around the league and see how fast it can go,” Zibanejad said. “I’m optimistic, especially with the young guys coming in, too, and playing. I don't feel like we need a whole lot. I want to be here to turn this around."
The Rangers ended the season on somewhat of a high note, winning five of their last seven games at home.
During the last stretch of games, the Rangers’ veteran talent was healthy, and a new wave of young talent, headlined by Gabe Perreault, Noah Laba, Tye Kartye, Jaroslav Chmelař, Adam Sýkora, and Drew Fortescue began to emerge.
This hot stretch was viewed as a sign of optimism by Drury and potentially even gives him more of a reason to jump on this trend of embarking on a quick retool as opposed to a mythical rebuild, whether that line of thinking may be irrational or not.
“Although the result of the season was not what we had hoped for, we were encouraged with how the team played to close out the year after the Olympic break,” Drury said. “The brand of hockey we played over the last few months gives us something to build on going into next season.
“We are excited with the future holds with the players we have in our roster, the prospects that we've already drafted, and 11 picks we have in the upcoming draft. We're determined to take the momentum we've created and carry that forward for the 2026-27 season.”
While we haven’t seen this plan of a shortened retool put into action just yet, and there’s no direct evidence to point toward the Drury going in that direction over the offseason, the words heard during breakup day were a clear indication that the Rangers are looking to be a competitive team in the near future, to the possible detriment of the organization.
Detroit Tigers assistant hitting coach Cody Asche (92), left, talks to third baseman Kevin McGonigle (7) during the ninth inning against Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (10-9) vs. Boston Red Sox (7-11)
Time/Place: 7:15 p.m., Fenway Park SB Nation Site: Over the Monster Media: Apple TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Casey Mize (1-1, 3.94 ERA) vs. LHP Ranger Suarez (1-1, 5.02 ERA)
The first full week of games for three of the four Padres minor league affiliates was less than successful with all teams having losing records thus far. There are some bright spots in these early results with pitching being the biggest issue at the start of the year.
There were a lot of lopsided results as well, with Low-A Lake Elsinore winning 21-0 and Triple-A El Paso losing 19-12 as examples. Several of the top prospects, and a few of the players to watch for this year, have started in an inconsistent manner as well. The small sample size indicates that time (and some better weather) will reveal what these players of capable of in 2026.
El Paso Chihuahuas (6-10 record, 4th in Pacific Coast League, South Division)
The Triple-A Chihuahuas went 1-5 for the week, with five games against the Albuquerque Isotopes and one against the Round Rock Express. Outfielders Samad Taylor and Jase Bowen lead the team offensively, Taylor has a .277 average with a .689 OPS. Bowen has a .603 slug while hitting .259 with four homers but also has 18 strikeouts in 58 at-bats. Swing-and-miss continues to be the big issue with Bowen despite his power and speed. Getting a better contact rate would really improve his chances of getting to the big leagues.
LHP JP Sears has a 4.73 ERA in three games and 13.1 innings pitched with 11 strikeouts and three walks. RHP Matt Waldron excelled early in the Chihuahuas season but has been called up to the Padres with the injury to Nick Pivetta.
LHP Jackson Wolf has been moved into the bullpen this season and has largely pitched well. He has started one game with five relief appearances over 8.2 innings with a 5.19 ERA and 12 strikeouts. Reliever Garrett Hawkins (40-man roster) has four appearances and 4.1 innings pitched with two hits allowed and five strikeouts. Reliever Evan Fitterer has appeared in four games with eight innings pitched, a 1.13 ERA and has 10 strikeouts.
San Antonio Missions (3-7 record, 4th in Texas League, South Division)
The Double-A Missions had a 2-3-1 record for the week while playing the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Midland Rock Hounds. New Padres minor leaguer IF Carson Tucker, 24, leads the Missions with a .412 average and a 1.029 OPS in 17 at-bats. He also leads the team with a .529 slug. First baseman Romeo Sanabria has five RBI and is one of the four players on the team with a home run.
LHP Luis Gutierrez leads the starters with two games and nine innings pitched and has a 1.00 ERA with 11 strikeouts and two walks. RHP Miguel Mendez (40-man roster) has also started two games with 7.2 innings pitched with a 1.17 ERA. Reliever Johan Moreno has appeared in four games and 6.1 innings pitched allowing no runs. Harry Gustin has six innings pitched over three games with a 1.50 ERA and six strikeouts.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (3-7 record, last in Midwest League, East Division)
The High-A TinCaps went 2-4 against the Lansing Lugnuts and Lake County Captains for the week. OF Alex McCoy has started the season on a streak. He is hitting .323 with a .995 OPS, with two home runs with three doubles and has four RBI. He has two walks and six strikeouts in 31 at-bats. The concern with McCoy since his signing was his swing and miss and contact ability. The power has always been there and if he can continue to make consistent contact then the sky is the limit for the 6-5 and 260-pound prospect.
LHP Kash Mayfield has had two starts so far with seven innings pitched and no runs allowed. He has eight strikeouts and five walks. RHP Maikel Miralles has started two games with eight innings pitched and 12 strikeouts with five walks but has a 5.63 ERA. RHP Carson Montgomery, who missed all of last season with injuries, started his first game and threw four innings. He has three strikeouts and a walk without allowing a run.
Lake Elsinore Storm (4-6 record, 3rd in the California League, South Division)
The Low-A Storm went 3-3 for the week versus the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and the Stockton Ports. Left Fielder Connor Westenburg, an undrafted free agent from last year, has played in 10 games and 29 at-bats with a .517 average, a .621 slug and a 1.196 OPS. He also leads the team with eight RBI. CF Ryan Wideman, drafted in the third round last year, is another high-upside outfielder who has speed and power, but contact has been the big question. He has started with a .244 average and .378 slug with nine RBI to lead the team.
RHP Bryan Balzer, signed from Japan and had an inconsistent debut last season, has started two games and nine innings pitched with a 1.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts and five walks. RHP Winyer Chourio has started two games with eight innings pitched and has a 1.13 ERA with 12 strikeouts.
The Padres top draft pick last year, LHP Kruz Schoolcraft, has had a disastrous start to the season. With Lake Elsinore, Schoolcraft has yet to make it past the first inning of his two starts. He has pitched a total of 1.1 innings with nine earned runs, one strikeout and six walks for a 60.75 ERA.
Grounds crew members toil to clear snow from the outfield of Coors Field after a spring storm blanketed the intermountain West before the Colorado Rockies host the Los Angeles Dodgers...
DENVER — There was a fight outside Coors Field on Friday afternoon.
More specifically, a snowball fight — with a couple Dodgers fans enjoying an early-spring snow day at the Rockies’ home ballpark.
Snow covered Coors Field ahead of the Dodgers-Rockies game Friday night.
In the hours leading up to the start of a four-game series between the Dodgers and Rockies, a snowstorm swept through Denver, covering the streets, seats and field in and around Coors Field with a pristine layer of frozen white powder.
Like the fans outside, Dodgers players inside the stadium enjoyed the conditions — which were not expected to impact that night’s game.
Connecticut native Emmet Sheehan had a snowball fight of his own with one of the team’s radio broadcasters. A snowman was built on the railing of the visiting dugout along the third base line.
Baseball weather in Colorado!
Emmet Sheehan is making a snowman before things clear up.
The weather didn’t stop the Dodgers from some of their normal pregame routines. Freddie Freeman, for example, cleared an area for his normal afternoon picking session. Dodgers pitchers still played catch in the outfield — where a tractor had cleared snow from the grass Zamboni-style — even as more flurries fell from an overcast sky.
Though the snow was scheduled to let up in time for first pitch, temperatures were expected to keep on plunging into the low 30s.
Not exactly baseball weather.
But, as a glass-half-full Uber driver quipped while dropping a reporter off at the ballpark, “at least the beers will stay cold.”
