Mike Trout was not entirely pleased with reaching base in the fashion that he did during the Los Angeles Angels' home opener on Friday, April 3.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo threw a 95 mph pitch that hit Trout high on the shoulder in the bottom of the first inning. That came after a high pitch that made Trout duck back.
Trout was seen glancing over at Woo with a look of disapproval before making his way over to first base.
Bryan Woo’s first pitch to Mike Trout was up and in and near Mike Trout’s head. His second pitch to Trout drilled him up high. Interesting 👀
After nine scoreless innings of play, the Mariners outscored the Angels 3-1 in the 10th inning to secure the victory.
Trout told reporters that Woo apologized to him later in the game, per The Athletic.
Trout, the three-time MVP, has already produced six hits, two home runs, six runs scored and three RBI through the first seven games of the season.
Outside of the pitch to Trout, Woo had a solid outing on the mound. He allowed just one hit and a walk, while striking out six in seven innings pitched.
Apr 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez (44), right, hugs shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) after scoring during the tenth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
Seattle Mariners 3, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 1
Chicken katsu sliders from Marination: Brendan Donovan (+.07 WPA)
Sweeping sliders from lefty pitchers against these Mariners: Julio Rodriguez (-.16 WPA)
Game Thread Comment of the Day:
We venerate and appreciate a dog who would’ve hated this game going long but we loved seeing be celebrated with a win.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 03: Raisel Iglesias #26 and Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate a 2-0 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game Summary
Another Friday night, another tough loss. This week’s episode featured outstanding starting pitching from the hologram himself, Eduardo Rodriguez, as well as some incredible defense. Unfortunately, the offense didn’t come along for the ride and is now riding a streak of 3 runs scored in 27 innings since that 3-run go-ahead bomb off the bat of the rarely-seen-again Jose Fernandez. Sewald will get plenty of hate for his role in this outcome, but feel free to let me know the last time a team won a game when scoring 0 runs.
Eduardo Rodriguez truly does look like a new pitcher after the WBC and this offseason where he lost 30 pounds (per the Apple TV broadcast tonight). He was extremely efficient, needing 90 pitches to go 7 strong innings and rarely feeling like he was in trouble. The defense made a couple spectacular plays to back up ERod and our setup man, Juan Morillo. Corbin’s leaping grab in the first and Alek’s diving play in the 8th highlighted everything the Diamondbacks were hoping for when building out this roster this offseason: run prevention.
Unfortunately, the other side of the run prevention coin is run generation, and the Serpientes just couldn’t get anything going on that front, feeling like they were stuck in mud all night. Feel free to fact check me on this, but I don’t believe a single Diamondback reached third base all night. Grant Holmes was very effective and the 8-9 tandem of Suarez and Iglesias is top-shelf, but the Snakes just didn’t seem like they were able to make anyone work for their outs and they missed the few mistake pitches they were given. The lineup is extremely top-heavy right now, and if the Big 3 don’t do damage (combined 4-28 in the last 3 games), this team doesn’t have anyone left to reliably pick up the slack. When will Torey and the Front Office start pulling levers to try and jolt the offense? Too early to make big changes or should we just let it ride and hope to a return to the mean for our scuffling offense?
For the final bit, I’ll write about Paul Sewald. His velocity was down at 90mph on his two meatballs that were turned into the go-ahead home runs. I’m not gonna kill Torey for turning to him. The results have been there early on in the year and you gotta fire the bullets you have. However, this was the risk of building out the roster in the way Hazen did. We have a roster that’s costing almost as much as last year’s record-setting payroll, but we’re still here relying on Paul Sewald or a guy who signed a minor league contract to close out games for the foreseeable future. How much leash does Paul have? Is Loaisiga just going to be same story different character?
Loss Probability and Box Score
Outside the Box Score
Drake Baldwin’s single in the top of the 1st was a perfectly placed check-swing squibber that fell dribbled perfectly between ERod, Ketel, and Santana.
Matt Olson’s flout in the 1st inning was came courtesy of an absolutely amazing defensive play by Corbin in right field. Olson laced a 2-1 cutter into right that looked like it might be a homer off the bat. The camera switched to follow Corbin and you could tell he was tracking it and thought he had a shot at it, then he leapt into the air and snagged the ball out of the air from the middle of the warning track. Likely not a home run saving catch, but getting to that spot and leaping up on a 98mph line drive was still a very impressive feat.
Corbin followed up his amazing defensive play with a less-than-amazing at bat. He swung at 3 straight sliders in the dirt and walked back to the dugout the first strikeout victim of the night.
Nolan Arenado made really solid contact on his line drive in the second inning (103.3mph exit velocity!) but it was a little too close to the Braves left fielder who was able to come up with a diving catch to rob Nolan of a needed base hit. It’s a shame that his highest exit velocity to this point in the season resulted in an out, but that’s how it goes when you’re slumping.
The pitchers were dealing through the first third of the game. ERod needed only 34 pitches to get through his first 3 innings while Grant Holmes only needed 38 pitches for his 3 innings. Holmes’ pitch count was inflated greatly by Tim Tawa’s plate appearance with 2 outs in the third. Tawa worked a great 9-pitch AB that resulted in a walk and was the first baserunner the Snakes had all night.
Grant Holmes recorded a wild line out fielding Ketel’s 103mph liner back up the box. Holmes looked like he barely flinched as the ball went almost directly into his glove. The camera never even saw the ball so I half expected Holmes to just double over thinking he just got drilled in the chest. Crazy catch.
ERod hurt himself in the 6th inning when he reached up to field a bouncer back up in the middle. He reached up and the ball bounced off his glove and as soon as ERod knew he didn’t field it cleanly he hit his glove in frustration because it killed the momentum of the ball and resulted in an infield single to put runners at the corners and 1 out with Matt Olson coming to the plate. ERod proceeded to get Olson to strike out on a check-swing appeal, then got Austin Riley to harmlessly groundout to Geraldo Perdomo. Huge momentum swing to keep the Braves off the board in that high leverage spot.
Ketel Marte got the first hit for the Snakes in the 6th inning, drilling a liner the opposite way over Austin Riley at third for a 1-out single. That was right after Riley stole a hit from Tawa by making a running, bare-handed catch and throw to barely nip Timmy at first.
Alek Thomas made an incredible diving/sliding catch to rob a double from Drake Baldwin in the 8th. With 2 outs, Baldwin looked like he hit a sure gapper but AT kept closing and laid out at the last possible second and kept the ball in his glove through a little barrel roll to bring the good guys up to the plate in a still scoreless game. What. A. Play.
Sewald allowed back-to-back jacks to start off the ninth on a pair of 90mph fastballs in the middle of the zone. In Spring, he had been getting velocity back up to 92 range, but it was not there tonight.
Comment of the Game
The GameDay Thread was a humming along all night, finishing at 247 comments at time of publishing. Tonight’s COTG goes to Dano with this anti-AppleTV statement:
Coming Up
The Diamondbacks face the Braves for the third game of this series and still trying to get their first win of the set tomorrow afternoon with a 4:15pm start time on FOX. Right-hander Bryce Elder (1-0, 0.00) will take the mound for the Braves and the immaculate Michael Soroka (1-0, 0.00) takes the ball for the good guys. Another national telecast, let’s hope the boys don’t embarrass themselves!
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: Randy Vásquez #98 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after inducing a ground ball to end the top of the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park on March 28, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2-4 record at the end of the first week of the 2026 season reflected less than good execution on multiple levels for the San Diego Padres. The starters had one excellent performance from Randy Vasquez (six innings pitched, no runs and eight strikeouts) and an acceptable one from Michael King but Nick Pivetta, Walker Buehler and, especially, Germán Márquez left fans a bit panicked the first time through the rotation.
The defense wasn’t especially stellar overall, either. Miscommunications, bad routes, throwing to the wrong base and errors/dropped balls contributed to both the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants tallying runs they shouldn’t have.
Then there was the offense.
Until the 7-1 win in the final game against the Giants, the offense was sorely lacking. They barely avoided a shutout with a ninth inning home run by Jackson Merrill in first game versus the Giants and were unable to score more than three runs in five of the six games.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts was quick to note that the Tarik Skubal they saw on Opening Day was not even the best Tarik Skubal. Logan Webb is the ace for the Giants and he was inconsistent until later in the game that the Padres lost 9-3.
Even the bullpen, definitely the strength of this team, had multiple hiccups over the first five games. First year manager Craig Stammen will learn as the season goes along, and bullpen management is the toughest part of his on-field job, but he made a few questionable decisions himself.
All this to say, things need to get cleaned up.
The road trip through Boston and Pittsburgh promises some rough weather but the Padres have to play better, despite the circumstances.
One other bright spot was the second start for Nick Pivetta in the win on the final day of the home stand. Throwing 82 pitches over five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, Pivetta looked the part of the ace he was for the Padres in 2025. You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief in San Diego.
Mason Miller
The Padres closer broke his consecutive hitless streak at 11.1 innings with a single in his save against the Giants on Wednesday. But he also extended his scoreless streak to 24 innings with that second save of the season.
Miller also debuted his new walk-out music as the Padres called on him to finish the 3-0 win against the Tigers on March 28. The start of the 1990s ńu-metal hit, “Blind,” by Korn played at the start of the ninth while Miller made his entrance and the lights went out at Petco. The new song is a hit with fans and quickly went viral all over baseball.
The Friar Faithful set a record during the first homestand of the 2026 season. Over the six sold-out games, the Padres averaged 43,665 per game and their total attendance set a new record for the franchise. It is the first time in history all the games of an opening series have sold out. They are once again second only to the Dodgers in attendance so far for the season. The 45,673 crowd that attended Opening Day was the largest of any in Petco Park history.
Injury updates
Matt Waldron has started two games for the El Paso Chihuahuas, going a total of seven innings with no runs allowed and nine strikeouts. He is using all five of his pitches while relying heavily on his sinker and knuckleball for outs. In his second start he finished four innings and 61 pitches as he builds up to a starter workload.
Jason Adam pitched a simulated game on March 31 in Lake Elsinore and threw 1.1 innings in a rehab outing with El Paso on March 28. He is scheduled to pitch in back-to-back games today and tomorrow in Tulsa, Okla. for the San Antonio Missions. He is eligible to return to the major league roster Monday.
Griffin Canning pitched a three-inning simulated game in Lake Elsinore on March 30, throwing 50 pitches. He will start the San Antonio versus Tulsa, Okla. game on Saturday, his first start in a regular game as he builds up and tests his repaired Achilles.
Yuki Matsui is in Arizona facing hitters in extended Spring Training. He has not had an appearance in a minor league game yet.
Joe Musgrove resumed playing catch during the Padres opening week of games and has not thrown off a mound as of yet.
Sung-Mun Song has played in five games with the El Paso Chihuahuas with a .211 average and .529 OPS with six strikeouts and three RBI. He has played 2B, SS and 3B on defense with the Chihuahuas.
SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 03: Tyler Soderstrom #21 of the Athletics runs to third base during the game between the Houston Astros and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Friday, April 3, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We got our second win of the season folks! The A’s throttled the Astros on Friday evening, opening their home stand with a win against a squad that is expected to compete for the division crown.
New York Mets second baseman Jorge Polanco (11) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after he flies out for the final out of the 10th inning at Citi Field, Sunday, March 29, 2026.
After progressing in recent days, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, the first baseman’s ankle discomfort resurfaced on Thursday, removing him from Friday’s starting lineup.
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It was the second time in four games that Polanco, who has been used as a DH since Sunday, was absent from the starting lineup.
“I am not going to say concern, but it’s a day to day,” Mendoza said before the Mets’ 10-3 win over the Giants. “He’s got days where he feels it more and for the past couple of days he was in a pretty good place until [Thursday] night.”
Polanco hasn’t played first base since last Saturday because of the discomfort, which Mendoza is terming as tendonitis. Brett Baty got the start at the position on Friday, but Mark Vientos and Jared Young have also received starts there.
Mendoza said he’s been pleased with Vientos’ development at the position.
New York Mets second baseman Jorge Polanco (11) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after he flies out for the final out of the 10th inning at Citi Field, Sunday, March 29, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“[Thursday] night the way he moved, a couple of plays there,” Mendoza said. “He’s moving around well, not only when he’s fielding the baseball, but just how he’s receiving the throws. He’s looked really good there.”
David Peterson committed an error fielding a toss from Vientos on a ball that appeared thrown behind the left-hander, and Mendoza indicated it’s part of the “learning curve” for Vientos.
“[Vientos] made a hell of a play there,” Mendoza said. “You have got a moving target and you just continue to practice that.”
Carson Benge (0-for-4, one RBI) received his first career start in Oracle Park’s vast right field, which includes various angles due to the ballpark’s unique layout. Mendoza said the rookie worked with outfield coach Gilbert Gomez before Thursday’s series opener to become acquainted with the various nuances.
The Mets entered play sixth in MLB and second in the National League with 71 strikeouts by their pitchers. The team’s 3.02 ERA was sixth in MLB and tied for fifth in the NL.
The Mets entered play sixth in MLB and second in the National League with 71 strikeouts by their pitchers. The team’s 3.02 ERA was sixth in MLB and tied for fifth in the NL.
As he was on the Chicago Sports Network during the broadcast of a White Sox’s 5-4 win over the Blue Jays on Friday in Chicago’s home opener, Guillen was joined by Scott Podsednik.
Podsednik, best known for his All-Star and World Series title season of 2005 with the Guillen-managed White Sox, opened an envelope on-air, suggesting he didn’t know what it was.
Ozzie Guillén, World Series winning manager with the Chicago White Sox, lifts the World Series trophy during a ceremony commemorating the 2005 Chicago White Sox team at Rate Field on July 12, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Getty Images
Guillen, who was eagerly looking over Podsednik’s shoulder for an attempt at a clearer view of the letter, was then shocked to learn of what it contained.
“The Chicago White Sox announce today,” Podsednik began before he paused and appeared to look over in Guillen’s direction.
Podsednik’s voice continued, as it now echoed throughout Rate Field, “That 2005 World Series winning manager Ozzie Guillen will be honored on Saturday, Aug. 8.”
Guillen interjected, “Another bobblehead?” with a chuckle.
Podsednik continued, “With a special ceremony retiring his No. 13 uniform.”
Guillen immediately began to feel the emotions, which coincided with the crowd unleashing a round of cheers and applause for the former manager, who is now 62.
“Where’s my wife?” Guillen asked, overcome with emotion, as she immediately entered the set, and the two embraced.
No. 13 is forever
The White Sox will retire Ozzie Guillen’s number 13 on August 8th!
He managed the White Sox from 2004 to 2011, winning Manager of the Year and leading the team to their first World Series in 88 years in 2005.
Then Chicago White Sox General Manager and Executive Vice-President Kenny Williams and manager Ozzie Guillén, who is draped in the flag of Venezuela, celebrate during the team’s 2005 World Series victory parade in Chicago. Getty Images
With the White Sox, Guillen went 678-617 with one title and two playoff trips; the run also included four seasons of at least 88 wins.
Guillen later managed the Marlins for one season in 2012.
As a player, the former shortstop was a three-time All-Star with the White Sox in 1988, 1990 and 1991.
He also won a Gold Glove in 1990 and was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1985.
Guillen played for the Sox from 1985 to 1997, and enjoyed stints with the Orioles, Braves and Rays, retiring after the 2000 season.
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Grant Holmes (66) pitches during the third inning of the game against the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
In a game dominated by the two starting pitchers, it was Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson who stepped to the plate with the score 0-0 in the ninth inning and answered the bell to give the Braves their third consecutive win and improve their record on the young season to 6-2.
The Braves have now recorded three shutouts in the first week of the season.
Albies stood in against veteran reliever Paul Sewald and hammered a ball down the right field line to give the Braves a 1-0 lead. Chase Field erupted with a big contingent of Braves fans in attendance.
Olson followed with a solo blast of his own three pitches later, a no-doubter to center field to go back-to-back and make it 2-0. Olson has absolutely mashed throughout his career in Chase Field, and it appears the desert has gotten his season on track in a hurry.
Grant Holmes was superb over six innings, flirting with a no-hitter until Ketel Marte finally broke the seal with a single in the bottom of the sixth. That was the lone hit Holmes would surrender in addition to three walks. He struck out four and generated 14 whiffs on 85 pitches.
In relief of Holmes, the trio of Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias brought the win home. The Braves pitching staff through the first week of the season has been, to put it mildly, stellar.
A night after scoring 17 runs, the Braves were pretty helpless against veteran lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. They had a scoring opportunity in the first and sixth innings with two runners on, but they were unable to capitalize and support Holmes’ efforts.
The four-game tilt continues tomorrow night with Bryce Elder set to face old friend Michael Soroka, who pitched really well in his season debut against the Tigers earlier in the week. It’ll be a 7:15 p.m. ET first pitch on FOX.
Sean Manaea of the New York Mets pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the fifth inning at Oracle Park on April 2, 2026 in San Francisco.
SAN FRANCISCO — Sean Manaea could take a glimmer of satisfaction from his latest outing.
Yes, the left-hander created traffic in his relief appearance Thursday night, but there was an uptick in his velocity. The final result — one earned run allowed over 3 ²/₃ innings — was respectable, despite the four hits and two walks he allowed.
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“I was just throwing free and easy and just throwing with confidence,” Manaea said.
The appearance in a low-leverage spot — the Mets trailed by four runs when he entered and ultimately lost 7-2 to the Giants — allowed Manaea an opportunity to stay stretched out as the sixth starter in what has been a five-man rotation to begin the season.
Manaea averaged 89.9 mph with his four-seam fastball — still down from last season but up from spring training and his 1 ¹/₃-inning relief appearance against the Pirates last Sunday.
The lone run Manaea allowed Thursday was on a four-seamer that Rafael Devers smashed for a homer.
“I thought it was a positive step,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “[Manaea] was aggressive and his fastball had life, swings and misses, and for him to finish that game and save the bullpen is huge. There were a lot of good signs.”
The Mets used plenty of relievers in the first week, with three games that went extra innings. Manaea could help ensure Mendoza wouldn’t need to summon another arm.
Sean Manaea of the New York Mets pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the fifth inning at Oracle Park on April 2, 2026 in San Francisco. Getty Images
“This is a family; this is a team,” Manaea said. “Everyone has got work to do, and I am really glad that I was able to help out.”
Manaea’s next step is unclear, but he’s unlikely to be available for the remainder of this series after throwing 74 pitches. The Mets have a day off Monday and then have games scheduled the following nine days, so it’s possible Manaea would be inserted into the rotation as a sixth starter as soon as the next homestand.
Nolan McLean took the mound on Friday, and the Mets have Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga aligned for the final two games in the series. Freddy Peralta and David Peterson are the other members of the five-man rotation.
“We’ve got five extremely talented starters, and my role right now is to help this team in the capacity that I am doing,” Manaea said.
The early results have been positive from the rotation, Peterson’s latest start notwithstanding — the lefty was knocked out in the fifth inning on Thursday after allowing six runs, five of which were earned. That got the ball to Manaea with the chance for an extended outing. He had thrown only 29 pitches in his appearance on Sunday.
New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea throws during the seventh inning on Thursday night. AP
Last season was disastrous for Manaea, who strained an oblique in spring training and didn’t appear in a game for the Mets until July. But he struggled upon his return and pitched to a 5.64 ERA in 15 appearances.
The Mets re-signed Manaea before last season to a three-year contract worth $75 million.
Manaea had thrived the previous season and emerged as a de facto ace for a team that reached the NL Championship Series, crediting a drop in arm angle against left-handed hitters for much of his success.
But Manaea indicated he may have dropped his arm slot too low last year in trying to replicate that success.
“I think the arm slot getting too low was a byproduct of the rest of my body,” Manaea said. “If I am more upright the arm slot doesn’t matter.”
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 03: Starting pitcher Cristian Javier #53 of the Houston Astros pitches against the Athletics during the bottom of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on April 03, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Maybe the joke’s on me.
Before the season even started, as baseball experts and national publications kept insisting that Lance McCullers Jr. would be part of the Houston Astros’ starting rotation, I wasn’t buying it. Not even a little. I questioned it constantly. I doubted it openly. And realistically, I believed there was no chance McCullers would not only make the rotation, but stay in it.
Truth be told, I was done with him.
At least three different times last season, I reached my breaking point. I even said on my radio show that I didn’t want to talk about McCullers again until he actually earned it—until he performed at a level worthy of the attention. His track record, paired with the endless cycle of injuries, setbacks, and uncertainty over the past few years, made it hard to believe anything else. It felt far more likely that 2026 would be his last season in an Astros uniform, if he even made it through the year.
And then came his first start.
To my surprise, it was nothing short of impressive.
Sure, there were a couple of hard-hit balls that just barely stayed foul, but at the end of the day, he did his job. He pitched effectively. He competed. And most importantly, he helped the Astros secure a win. It wasn’t just serviceable, it was encouraging.
At the same time, my confidence in another arm was trending in the opposite direction.
Coming into the season, I was far more bullish on Cristian Javier. I believed he was the one poised to return to form, the one the Astros could count on again. In my mind, Javier had a legitimate shot to work his way into the top three of the rotation by midseason.
Instead, we’ve seen the exact opposite.
Javier has looked nothing like the pitcher Astros fans remember. He’s committing the cardinal sins of starting pitching: issuing walks, hitting batters, and consistently putting runners on base to start innings. And as any pitcher knows, that’s a recipe for disaster.
Those runners? They’re scoring.
Despite a noticeable uptick in fastball velocity, Javier’s inability to locate his pitches has completely undermined his effectiveness. His command is off. His control is shaky. And his inability to consistently throw strikes has led to a spike in walks and a lack of trust on the mound. His “invisaball” has been located anywhere but near the zone.
Through two starts, he hasn’t looked like a reliable major league option, especially not for a team with the expectations the Astros carry into 2026. In fact, he’s looked more like a pitcher who belongs in Triple-A than one you can depend on every fifth day.
And that’s where things get interesting.
With Spencer Arrighetti closing in on a return and the Astros considering a six-man rotation, there are real decisions looming. We’ve seen this movie before. Last year, “mysterious” or conveniently timed injuries played a role in managing struggling arms, most notably with McCullers himself.
Could that scenario play out again, this time with Javier?
It’s not out of the question.
The good news for Houston Astros is that they have depth. Between options at the major league level and reinforcements in Sugar Land, Dana Brown and Joe Espada have flexibility. If Javier continues to struggle, there are viable replacements ready to step in and stabilize the rotation.
But before we go too far in either direction, before we anoint McCullers as “back” or write Javier off completely, it’s worth remembering something.
We’ve been here before.
Last season, after one strong outing against the Dodgers, McCullers had everyone believing he had turned the corner for good. It didn’t last. That memory alone is enough to pump the brakes on any sweeping conclusions based on a single start.
So where does that leave us?
For me, it means staying cautious.
McCullers deserves credit for what he showed, but I need to see more. A few more quality outings. Consistency. Durability. Proof that this isn’t just another flash before a setback.
As for Javier, the leash might be shorter than expected. The potential is still there because of his track record, but the results have to follow, and soon.
Because in a season where expectations are high, the Astros don’t have the luxury of waiting too long for anyone to figure it out.
So I’ll ask you:
Who do you trust more right now? And how do you see this rotation shaking out between now and the All-Star break?
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: Seiya Suzuki #27 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates a home run during a Spring Training game against the Chicago White Sox at Sloan Park on February 20, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We were supposed to have our final two affiliates take the field tonight, but South Bend was rained out.
I no longer post anything on Twitter/X. I still go over there because the affiliates are there, but I don’t post any new content. You can find me posting some stuff at Bluesky at @joshftimmers.bsky.social. I’m not quite as active there as I used to be, but I still do some updates.
Everyone wins! Well, not South Bend, but they had a good excuse.
Iowa starter Will Sanders gave up a solo home run in both the first and second innings, but other than that he was quite sharp. Sanders got the win after allowing two runs on six hits over six innings. Sanders struck out seven and walked two.
Iowa manager Marty Pevey then got two scoreless innings out of Collin Snider and one out of Ryan Rolison in non-save situations to close out the game.
Iowa put this one away with a five-run second inning. DH Chas McCormick led off the inning with a solo home run, his second on the season.
Chas McCormick DEMOLISHES one to left field to get the I-Cubs on the board! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/YSjhPx5AH5
After catcher Christian Bethancourt singled and center fielder Brett Bateman walked, right fielder Justin Dean singled home Bethancourt to make it 2-1.
After first baseman Jonathon Long grounded out, second baseman James Triantos crushed this three-run home run to make it 5-1. It was Triantos’ second home run of the year.
A three-run blast off the scorching hot bat of James Triantos gives the I-Cubs a 5-1 lead! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BhHm5sOj5i
McCormick finished the game 2 for 4 with the home run and this RBI double.
Chas McCormick lines one off the left field wall for his second extra base hit of the game, extending the Iowa lead to 6-2 in the seventh! 🐻 pic.twitter.com/0R6MhMeDtU
Minor League Rule 5 draftee Zane Mills made his Cubs organizational debut tonight. He pitched 3+ innings and allowed three runs on six hits. Mills walked three and struck out four.
Jace Beck relieved Mills in the fourth inning and promptly walked the first two batters and then coughed up a three-run home run to put Birmingham up 6-5. But he settled down after that and collected the win after the Smokies scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead. Beck’s final line was three runs on two hits and three walks over two innings. He struck out four.
Evan Taylor came on for the save in the ninth and he made it a nailbiter after a one-out walk and a two-out double. But with runners on second and third and two outs, Taylor got the strikeout to end the game. He struck out two in his one inning of work.
The third batter of the bottom of the first inning, shortstop Jefferson Rojas, clobbered this three-run home run.
Jefferson Rojas delivering the Smokies first 3️⃣ runs of the game and the first homer of the season! ⚾️💥 pic.twitter.com/YwBbYRAVtR
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) April 4, 2026
Rojas went 2 for 4 with a walk. He also made this nice play on defense.
Cubs #5 prospect, Jefferson Rojas, with a diving stop sending us into Bottom 6.
— Knoxville Smokies (@smokiesbaseball) April 4, 2026
Seiya Suzuki played five innings in right field in a rehab appearance. He was 1 for 2 with a sacrifice fly. He also scored on the Rojas home run. Suzuki seemed to be moving fine to my eyes, but he wasn’t really tested out there.
DH Alexander Ramirez led off and was 2 for 3 with a double and two walks in his Cubs organizational debut. Ramirez scored twice and drove in one.
Left fielder Jordan Nwogu was 3 for 5 and scored once.
Catcher Ariel Armas went 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI double in the eighth inning. Armas also scored on a wild pitch in the fifth.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs home opener was postponed because of unplayable field conditions. A makeup date has not been scheduled.
Kane Kepley did double in kickball.
No. 6 @Cubs prospect Kane Kepley rips a backside double with an elite dodge at the end of the play. He’s 2-for-2 in his High-A (kickball) debut. 👀
Pelicans manager Yovanny Cuevas got three innings each from three pitchers. Starter Noah Edders allowed two unearned runs on two hits. He struck out five and walked no one.
Ben Johnson, a 17th-round pick in 2024 who missed all last season with an injury, finally got to make his professional debut in the fourth inning. Johnson gave up two runs on three hits. He struck out four and walked two.
Jordan Henriquez tossed the final three innings and got his first Pelicans win in his first game in Myrtle Beach. Henriquez held the RiverDogs to no runs and just two hits. He struck out four and walked no one, although he did hit one batter.
First baseman Cole Mathis hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth that ended up being the difference in this game. It was Mathis’ second home run in as many games this year. He finished the game 1 for 4 with a walk.
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) April 4, 2026
Carico was 1 for 3 with two walks.
In the seventh inning, right fielder Josiah Hartshorn crushed his first professional home run on a ball that I still don’t think has landed. It came with the bases empty.
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) April 4, 2026
That is some serious power. If you’re down in South Carolina, I’d suggest getting to see Hartshorn this month because he may be in South Bend sooner rather than later.
Hartshorn was 2 for 4 with a walk and three runs scored.
Shortstop Ty Southisene went 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base.
Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy was 2 for 5 with an RBI infield single in the first inning.
But after heading into the season with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt sidelined and more than a few question marks surrounding a bullpen that lost Luke Weaver and Devin Williams in the offseason, a historic start to the regular season probably wasn’t considered likely.
With another solid effort by Will Warren and a dominant effort by the bullpen, though, the Yankees’ pitching continues to be elite.
After an 8-2 win over Miami in the home opener in The Bronx, the Yankees have allowed just eight runs in seven games.
That matches the fewest runs by a team in MLB history — along with the 1993 Braves and 2002 Giants.
And the rotation has given up four runs in those games, tied for the best since 1900, matching the 2018 Red Sox and the ’93 Braves.
New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren (29) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after ending the first inning on April 3, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
In Friday’s win, Warren was backed up by Tim Hill — who escaped the two-on, one-out jam Warren left in the sixth — Jake Bird, Brent Headrick and Ryan Yarbrough, as the bullpen combined to toss 3 ¹/₃ shutout innings.
Aaron Judge noted what’s made the staff so tough overall.
“They’re dictating at-bats,’’ Judge said of his teammates. “They put pressure on guys at-bat after at-bat. We’re feeding off them.”
To Judge’s point, the Yankees didn’t issue a walk on Friday, while striking out 10.
Yankees pitcher Tim Hill (41) throws a pitch during the sixth inning. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Warren, who survived some rough outings last season, bounced back from a pair of solo homers to pitch into the sixth. After and after Hill got Liam Hicks on a soft comebacker to end the inning, Bird entered and continued his promising start to the year, as he and the lefty Headrick retired all six batters they faced before Yarbrough finished it after Ben Rice put the game away with a two-run double in the eighth.
“We’re playing great baseball,’’ Cody Bellinger said. “It’s unbelievable. Starting with the starters — all four — and the bullpen coming in every time, it makes it easier on the offense.”
Aaron Boone praised Bird and Headrick, perhaps the latest in a long line of reclamation projects the Yankees will turn into reliable bullpen pieces.
Warren seemed to speak for all the Yankee pitchers when he said his key to his results Friday was being “aggressive in the zone.”
“If we attack early, the odds are in our favor,’’ Warren said. “We’re attacking early and throwing strikes and have confidence in our stuff to put us in a position to be successful. … Our lineup is a beast. We know they’re gonna put up runs.”
Juan Soto exited Friday’s 10-3 win over the Giants after the top of the first with right calf tightness and was replaced in left field by Tyrone Taylor.
Soto singled in his lone at-bat and later appeared to grimace as he went first to third on a Bo Bichette RBI single.
Juan Soto of the New York Mets hits a single against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park on April 3, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images
He remained in the game before getting thrown out at home on a Brett Baty double play, but Taylor entered for defense in the bottom half of the first.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said after the victory that Soto would undergo imaging on Saturday.
Soto, one of the few Mets consistently hitting early this season, extended his hitting streak to eight games and now has a .355 average and a .928 OPS.
Taylor went 0-for-4 with a strikeout as his replacement, but the Mets had one of the best offensive outputs of the early season, scoring 10 runs on 15 hits. Francisco Alvarez hit two homers, and Marcus Semien went deep for the first time as a Met.
Defensive lineman Rakeem “Nacho” Nunez-Roches has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Buccaneers, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Nunez-Roches, 32, spent the past three seasons with the Giants.
In 2025, he played only nine games due to an ankle injury. Nunez-Roches still set a career-high with three sacks and made 23 tackles.
Nunez-Roches previously spent five seasons with the Bucs, playing 68 games with 22 starts from 2018-22. He won a Super Bowl ring when the Bucs won it all in the 2020 season.
The Chiefs made Nunez-Roches a sixth-round pick in 2015. He was in Kansas City for three seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring a run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park on April 02, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After hitting a single in the top of the first inning and then running from first to third, Juan Soto was removed from the Mets’ game in San Francisco before the team took the field in the bottom of the inning.
SNY showed the replay of Soto running the bases, and the 27-year-old outfielder grimaced between second and third. The team proceeded to announce that Soto left the game with right calf tightness.
The Mets’ lineup has been struggling mightily since Opening Day, and if Soto were to miss any time beyond the rest of this game, it would be a major blow to the team. Soto has been hot to start the season, as he’s hit .355/.412/.516 with a 161 wRC+.
While there weren’t any major injuries in spring training, Jorge Polanco has gone from the Mets’ starting first baseman to serving as a designated hitter because of an Achillies issue to not appearing in the team’s lineup for this game. We’ll see if he returns to the lineup tomorrow, but if he and Soto miss the same games, it’ll be that much harder for the organization to get the offense going.
