We all need something to be positive about after that weekend series versus the Atlanta Braves. Luckily, this team is good at finding those moments.
Messick Has Stellar Outing
While the Braves steamrolled the Guardians in games one and three, Parker Messick made sure that didn’t happen in game two. The rookie went 6.2 innings against the offensive powerhouse, giving up just four hits and two walks while striking out five. He earned the win after the offense put up six runs, and the bullpen was able to hold on to secure the shutout victory. Messick’s ERA sits at just 0.51 after three starts, and he’s earned the win in two of them. He’s collected 16 strikeouts in the 17.2 innings he’s pitched, and has only walked five. He’s quickly becoming a reliable option to fill out the second or third spot in the rotation.
Ramírez Sets Club Record
While this technically should’ve been in last week’s article, I want to be sure it gets highlighted. In Sunday’s second game versus the Chicago Cubs, third baseman José Ramírez set the all-time franchise record for most games played with 1,620. He passed Terry Turner’s 1,619 games after the fifth inning when Sunday’s game became official. He is now the only active player to lead a team in games played. He is continuing to prove that he wants to play in Cleveland through it all. He stated, “Of all the records, I feel that this one is the most important because it kind of resembles what I wanted to do with this team.” Somehow, 1,620 games with the perennial MVP candidate doesn’t seem like nearly enough, so I’m very glad to see that number continue to go up.
Brito Finding Success Early
With Gabriel Arias, unfortunately, being placed on the 10-day IL for a left hamstring strain, the Guardians needed to make a call-up prior to Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. While many were hoping it would be No. 1 prospect Travis Bazzana, they’re allowing him a bit more time to acclimate to Triple-A ball before making the move. They selected infielder Juan Brito, and he definitely made some noise in his debut. He ended the day with two hits including a double. Since then, he’s continued to hit well, picking up two more hits in his second game. He’s currently hitting .278/.350/.389.
Social Media Spotlight
This week’s social media spotlight goes to the amazing Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz over at Céspedes Family BBQ on Twitter. Since at least 2017, they’ve tweeted “@RhysHoskins congrats on the homer dude” Every. Single. Time. he hits a home run. I’ve been waiting patiently for that tweet since he signed with the Guardians, and it finally came in Sunday’s game against the Braves.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 1: Luis Severino #40 of the Athletics leaves the game during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on April 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning A’s fans and welcome to another new week!
The club is back in Sacramento and set to kick off a new home stand tonight. It’s going to be a long one as the team will be home for the entire week, first with four games against the Texas Rangers and then three this weekend against the Chicago White Sox. Righty Luis Severino is going to kick things off tonight in the first game of the series. Texas and the Athletics have the same record two weeks into the season so someone is going to rise in the standings while the loser will fall a spot. It’s still early but these games matter so it’s important to get off on the right foot in the early going.
While no one in the Twin Cities knows how to feel about a successful season, the Minnesota Twins have surprised the world to start the year.
If and when Minnesota comes back to reality, it likely will be because of its pitching, a disadvantage tonight against the Boston Red Sox.
My Red Sox vs. Twins predictions and MLB picks doubt the weather will make things quick, but whenever there is a game, Minnesota’s surprise season should continue on Monday, April 13.
Who will win Red Sox vs Twins today: Twins +1.5 (-124)
Minnesota Twins righthander Bailey Ober has yet to throw a quality outing this season. Of his three starts, his season debut at Baltimore was the worst, but also the only one that the Twins lost.
With Ober’s continued struggles in mind, it is difficult to justify betting on Minnesota to beat the Boston Red Sox outright. But given the Twins have won six of their last seven games and are shockingly sitting atop the American League right now, some faith should still be put in them.
Minnesota sits sixth in runs per game this year, and while Garrett Crochet is a pitcher to fear, the Boston bullpen is not as fearsome (15th by ERA).
COVERS INTEL: Expected ERA paints and even grimmer picture for the Red Sox bullpen, as it ranks 26th.
Red Sox vs Twins Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+106)
Expecting Ober to struggle immediately lends itself to expecting this Over to cash, as does expecting the Twins to still keep the game interesting.
Minnesota sits atop the AL because of its bats, ones that have powered the way to three straight Overs.
Crochet’s strikeout tendencies will cost the Twins some outs, but true-outcome baseball generally yields runs eventually, as well.
And if nothing else, the distinct likelihood of a weather delay tonight should throw any pitching plans into chaos.
Red Sox vs Twins odds
Moneyline: Red Sox -161 | Twins +140
Run line: Red Sox -1.5 | Twins +1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Red Sox vs Twins trend
In winning six of their last seven games, the Twins sprung outright upsets in five of those six wins. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Twins.
How to watch Red Sox vs Twins and game info
Location
Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Monday, April 13, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, Twins.tv
Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet (2-1, 3.12 ERA)
Twins starting pitcher
Bailey Ober (1-0, 5.27 ERA)
Red Sox vs Twins latest injuries
Red Sox vs Twins weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
HOUSTON - OCTOBER 09: Manager Phil Garner #3 of the Houston Astros celebrates with the crowd after Chris Burke #2 hit a solo home run to defeat the Atlanta Braves in Game Four of the 2005 National League Division Series on October 9, 2005 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. The Astros eliminated the Braves three games to one with a 7-6 victory in the 18th inning. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In memory of former Astros player and manager Phil Garner, this is a piece I previously wrote last year for The Sporting News on his reflection on the Astros first World Series run in 2005, twenty years after.
(This article was written for The Sporting News by Craig Larson Jr. and the original link can be accessed with the link below. Originally published 10/26/2025
As the World Series plays on without them, many Houstonians are feeling October withdrawals. George Springer’s heroics for Toronto reminded everyone just how special this time of year can be, and how nostalgia rules the moment.
Astros fans can never forget their first trip. It was twenty years ago this very week when Houston defied the odds, rallying from a 15-30 start to capture the National League pennant. The run finally erased the heartbreaks of 1980 and 1986, as well as more recent postseason disappointments against the Braves and Cardinals.
Their appearance in the 2005 World Series ended in a sweep by Chicago’s South Siders, yet it remains one of the most cherished chapters in franchise history. Manager Phil Garner, who guided that club, reflected with Sporting News on the magic of that run.
“It was a wonderful time,” Garner said. “People still approach me and say it was the best time they ever had. Families would get together and watch the games and had the best times of their lives. It looked bad at the start of the season, but most baseball players are optimistic. You never count yourself out. You can recover, but if we had been that percentage on the negative side after the All-Star break, it would’ve been virtually impossible to come back.”
Asked about finally breaking through to the franchise’s first World Series, Garner pointed to leadership and belief as the key.
“We had a couple of hurdles,” he said. “We had those series where we couldn’t get past the Braves, and then we had St. Louis the year before. I have to admit, you need great players, but you also need guys who have bought all the way into the program. If they don’t buy into what you’re selling, it’s not going to work. We had so much leadership on that team. There was Bagwell, Biggio, Clemens, Pettitte, Oswalt, and Lidge. We had all the core ingredients and great role players who carried us down the stretch.”
Two decades later, Garner is watching another October classic unfold — and he marvels at the modern era’s transcendent stars.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Garner said of Shohei Ohtani. “Look at the guys in the game right now who are 23 to 30 years old, this is the golden age of baseball. He plays both ways and plays at a Hall-of-Fame clip. It’s just crazy how good he is.”
The Pittsburgh Pirates, who are leading the NL Central with a 9-6 record, open a four-game series with the Washington Nationals (7-8). The Pirates took two of three games from the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. Washington swept three games from the Milwaukee Brewers. Paul Skenes is expected to start for Pittsburgh against the Nationals’ Cade Cavalli.
How to watch Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Philadelphia Phillies (7-8) begin a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs (7-8). The Phillies have lost four of their past five games. The Cubs avoided a three-game sweep by the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 7-6 victory on Sunday. Javier Assad is scheduled to start for the Cubs against the Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez.
How to watch Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies
The Chicago Cubs (7-8) travel to Citizens Bank Park to take on the Philadelphia Phillies (7-8) in the start of a three-game series.
Chicago is coming off a 7-6 comeback win over Pittsburgh yesterday that saw them trail 5-0 at one point. The Cubs have been at or below .500 all season long and have another chance to reach .500 with a win today. Chicago's offense has sputtered this season with a .224 batting average (21st) and 122 hits (22nd), ranking bottom 10.
Philadelphia is 1-4 over the last five games and is looking to reach .500 at home. The Phillies are 4-5 at home this season and lost two of the past three. Philadelphia has lost two straight series and scored four or fewer runs in five consecutive games.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Cubs at Phillies
Date: Monday, April 13, 2026
Time: 6:40 PM EST
Site: Citizens Bank Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV / FS1
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Cubs at the Phillies
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (+153), Philadelphia Phillies (-186)
Spread: Cubs +1.5 (-143), Phillies -1.5 (+119)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Phillies
Monday's pitching matchup (April 13): Javier Assad vs. Cristopher Sanchez
The Phillies’ Bryce Harper is hitting .273 with 15 hits and 29 total bases over 55 at-bats
The Phillies’ Alec Bohm is hitting .148 with eight hits and 10 strikeouts over 54 at-bats
The Cubs’ Nico Hoerner is hitting .316 with 18 hits and 28 total bases over 57 at-bats
The Cubs’ Michael Busch is hitting .135 with seven hits, 12 strikeouts, and seven walks over 52 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cubs at Phillies
The Cubs are 5-10 ATS this season
The Phillies are an MLB-worst 3-12 ATS this season
The Cubs are 8-6-1 to the Over this season
The Phillies are 7-7-1 to the Over this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cubs and the Phillies
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Cubs and the Phillies.
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cubs on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cubs at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 8.5
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The New York Yankees (8-7) start a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels (8-8) at Yankee Stadium. New York has lost five in a row, including a three-game sweep by the Tampa Bay Rays. Will Warren is scheduled to start for the Yankees against the Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi.
How to watch Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Yankees
Let's open up the mailbag to discuss some of the Mets' top prospects...
Does the organization have any concerns regarding A.J. Ewing’s arm strength in center field and could second base be a better fit? -- Mets Ledger
In talking to multiple people in player development about Ewing over the past couple of months, I have not gotten any indications that they believe arm strength will limit his ability to end up in center field long term.
He may not have the arm talent of a Carson Benge, but Ewing’s arm grades out average to a tick above. The Mets firmly believe he has the tools to become elite defensively at center field and it should be expected he spends a vast majority of his time this year in center.
Him playing some second base early is about maintaining versatility. It doesn’t hurt that second base is a natural position for him. It would not shock me if as the year wore on, you saw the second base reps dissipate.
Even if Ewing’s arm strength isn’t a plus, it is not considered to be a deterrent to his future in center field.
What is the outlook for Nate Lavender this season? Can he make the MLB club? -- Dan B
Lavender was returned to the Mets from the Rays this past November, after Tampa Bay selected him in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. He missed the 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery and had a cleanup procedure in August.
Given that cleanup, the Mets took it slow with Lavender this spring. Despite being a non-roster invite to big league camp, he did not get into game action. Instead, he worked in the backfields on building back up.
He has made two rehab outings so far with Low-A St. Lucie, with two scoreless innings, striking out three batters and walking none. His velocity is back to pre-Tommy John form, averaging 93 mph and touching 95 mph. He’s also throwing a low-to-mid 80s slider.
Lavender should be moving his rehab up before long, and if he performs once he reaches Triple-A, a big league debut could be in the cards. It ultimately does take a number of relievers to get through the marathon of 162 games.
The question is whether there will be a situation where there is a need for a third or even fourth left-hander in the bullpen.
While the Mets are hopeful that their main left-handers (A.J. Minter once he’s back and Brooks Raley) provide stability, Minter has a history of injury that has to be taken into account. There is also the uncertainty in what the long-term role this season will be for Sean Manaea. If Minter and Raley can remain healthy, it’s hard to envision Lavender playing a significant role in 2026.
The organization’s plan is for Lavender to be bullpen depth in Triple-A, but as we have seen year over year, especially in the bullpen, that depth often finds its way to being needed.
With Eli Serrano's move out of Brooklyn .. think we see emergence as a top prospect in the system? -- Dave Schoenfeld
Serrano stands out as a player who was affected by the environment of Brooklyn, which is known as the toughest park for left-handed hitters in minor league baseball. In 2025 in Brooklyn he hit .189 with a .635 OPS, while hitting .255 with a .743 OPS on the road.
Ranking 17th in my preseason top 30 list, Serrano does stand out as someone who could take a step forward, even at a higher level of competition. Through seven games with Double-A Binghamton to start 2026, he is hitting .320 with a .979 OPS and four extra-base hits (two doubles and two triples).
Serrano is a long-levered, 6-foot-5 outfielder who is up 20 pounds since being drafted in 2024. It is a power over hit profile, with above average raw power. He has worked with hitting coordinator Daniel Nicolaisen to refine his swing mechanics, and even dating back to spring training, Serrano has been impacting the baseball more.
Serrano is one to follow, and with a strong season along with some graduations expected to happen this year, he could make a jump towards the top 10 of the system.
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - MAY 17: Tegan Kuhns #21 of the Tennessee Volunteers pitches during game three of the series against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Baum-Walker Stadium at George Cole Field on May 17, 2025 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Volunteers 8-4. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The group over at Overslot Baseball has come out with an interesting and fun new tool ahead of the 2026 MLB Draft, giving us a mock draft simulator to play with, just like there is for the NFL and NBA drafts. I would recommend giving it a try for yourself if you have a few minutes.
This will be the first official mock draft of the season, and there will be more in the series as Overslot tweaks their draft board, with one final one to come just ahead of the actual draft.
The mock draft lasts 10 rounds, and the bonuses listed are their best estimates at what bonuses could look like for some of these prospects. While not perfect, they are mostly pretty reasonable. I will note ahead of time that the player database is not quite the full list of players you will find eligible for the actual draft, and there is no current ability for senior signs. For my senior signs, I will just take placeholders and subtract the amount they sign for and project that money to be used to sign overslot guys in rounds 11-20.
You can see below the screenshot of the mock draft, and get more reasoning on why each player was picked, along with who else was considered for each pick. For the top pick, I am noting who was already taken ahead of the Braves pick. Note that the placeholders are the final two picks, Derrick Mitchell and Ty Horn.
Pick 1.9 – Jacob Lombard, SS, Florida HS
The first eight picks ended up being Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, Vahn Lackey, Justin Lebron, Chris Hacopian, Eric Booth Jr., AJ Gracia, and Liam Peterson. That left me to choose from Jacob Lombard (significantly overslot), Jackson Flora (slightly overslot), and my current favorite Sawyer Strosnider (underslot). I went with Lombard, who cost $1.6M overslot at $8.3M, with $6.7M being the slot value. It was a tough choice between three very talented players, but Lombard may have the highest upside of anyone in this class if he hits, and the reports on him this spring have been quite positive following a slightly disappointing summer.
Lombard is a player capable of being the face of a franchise if he hits enough. The son of George Lombard and brother of George Jr.has plus power, double plus speed, and will stick at shortstop. The hit tool has rebounded since the summer, but should be an average tool for him with continued work. He is immediately the Braves best prospect if he was drafted.
Pick 1.26 – Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee
Slot here is $3.6M and the Lombard pick makes it tough to consider the two best players on the board, prep lefty Gio Rojas (significantly overslot), and a second prep shortstop Tyler Spangler (slightly over). I started to look at some of the other options on the board, and it was filled with Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell, Texas outfielder Aiden Robbins and a grouping of college pitchers led by Mason Edwards, Cole Carlon, Tegan Kuhns, and Joey Volchko among others. I’ve liked Kuhns a for a bit, and his deep pitch mix and upside definitely feel like a Braves pick, plus it doesn’t hurt that he’s on the cheaper side of that group at $3.1M – saving $500k on slot.
Kuhns has the plus fastball and curve and the rest of his five-pitch arsenal could all be average to slightly below. Command is probably going to be below average, but that shouldn’t hold him up too much with his arsenal, assuming he can get it to a 45-grade. He is a guy with legitimate middle of the rotation upside, and a fall back of a late inning reliever.
Pick 2.48 – Jake Brown, OF, LSU
Slot is $2.1M here and I want to save a little bit more money since I am still $1.1M overslot. That removes Canadian lefty Sean Duncan and prep right-handers Cooper Sides and Jensen Hirschkorn from the mix despite being the best players available. Texas catcher Carson Tinney, LSU outfielder Jake Brown, Notre Dame righty Jack Radel, and Liberty righty Ben Blair are the best of the college options, while on the prep side shortstops Aiden Ruiz and Rocco Maniscalco, and outfielders Noah Wilson and local Martin Shelar are among the best options in the price range. Another local option is Blessed Trinity right-hander Joseph Contreras, though his price is listed at $2.2M. If I hadn’t grabbed Lombard with the top pick, Ruiz would be the pick here – but doubling up on shortstops this early after last year’s draft doesn’t feel realistic. It comes down to Brown and Wilson, with Brown being $200k cheaper. Brown is the pick here as the Braves can both use outfielders and bats who are closer to the big leagues, plus he saves $300k on his slot – bringing us to halfway through the overage on Lombard.
Brown has been productive in the past, but has taken a step forward this spring. He projects to be above-average with four of his tools, with average to slightly above power being the one thing that isn’t. He will have a chance to play center in the pros, but would be a good defender in right that should move through the minors fairly quickly. In a different draft, he would probably not be available with this pick.
Pick 3.84 – Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia
Slot is $974k here and there are several interesting options on the board. UCLA outfielder Will Gasparino, Kansas State breakout shortstop Dee Kennedy, and Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson are the best of the bats. North Carolina’s Jason DeCaro is the top righty with East Carolina’s Ethan Norby being the best lefty. I decided to take the toolsy Jackson here over DeCaro with the Braves interest in drafting catchers, especially after not grabbing one last year. Jackson costs $730k, saving $244k and putting us $556k over.
Jackson has been a huge breakout star this year for the Bulldogs. He has gone from a three true outcomes hitter to among the national leaders in homers due to the strides he has made with his plate discipline. That isn’t the only reason he is being drafted here, as he is an excellent athlete who could develop into a solid defensive catcher – with a fallback option of an outfield spot as well.
Pick 4.112 – Gavin Grahovac, 3B, Texas A&M
Slot is $698k and there are three names that are really sticking out. Texas A&M slugger Gavin Grahovac, NC State lefty Ryan Marohn, and Miami slugger Daniel Cuvet. I decided on Grahovac at $516k, saving $182k and reducing the deficit to $374k.
Grahovac has big power, but swing and miss and will always be a below average hitter. Still he’s easily got plus power and is a good athlete. There are some defensive questions, but with average speed and a big arm he could make a quality corner outfielder. The hope here is that you can continue to progress with the hit tool, as he has cut his 2024 strikeout rate down from 34.3% to 16.3% (he missed all but six games last year due to injury). This is probably the latest he would be available, as his power has started to show up recently after a slow start to the season in that department.
Pick 5.144 – Tommy LaPour, RHP, TCU
Slot is $511k and one name sticks out, TCU’s Tommy LaPour. The right hander would have been projected to go much higher, but an early season injury has prevented him from pitching. Getting him for $359k here is a steal, saving $152k and dropping that total to $222k over.
LaPour came into the year as a potential late first rounder, but hasn’t pitched since Opening Day. He’s a big, physical college right-hander with a fastball that has touched 101 MPH, an inconsistent slider that at its best is a second plus pitch, and a solid change. His command also projects to be an average tool. The makings are there for this former two-sport star to continue developing as a pro, which is something the Braves would love to work with.
Pick 6.173 – Lorenzo Carrier, OF, Pitt
Slot is $390k and I decided to get under budget by taking a senior, though he will not be a traditional senior sign ($5-50k). A breakout this year by Pitt’s Lorenzo Carrier is enough to get him $150k, a savings of $240k – putting us $18k in the green. It is important to remember Carrier could have had top three round money out of high school, but turned it down to head to Miami. The power and speed have always been there, but he seems to have unlocked the hit tool that had held him back for his entire college career. Despite the breakout and tools, this is a fifth year senior who presently has a half year of production on this level, so he isn’t going to cost slot.
While Carrier is picked as a money saver, the plus power and speed are for real. His strides with his hit tool have him currently hitting .396/.563/.871 with 13 homers and more walks (36) than strikeouts (32). It’s not just about the stats either, as his analytical data is pointing to real growth too. His speed and arm should also allow him to be an asset in right.
Pick 7.202 – Matt Scott, RHP, Georgia
Slot is $307k and once again I focused on one name. Georgia’s Matt Scott is a big, talented pitcher who has never quite performed to his tools yet in his college career. He has been better at UGA than he was at Stanford, but this is a bet on the Braves player development to maximize his stuff and improve his command. He will cost $207k, a savings of $100k.
Scott’s breakout this year with his command has coincided with him being mostly used as a reliever, as six of his eight appearances are out of the pen – though he has the arm to work multi-innings. His strikeout rate is a career high 13.9 – more than two above his previous high. Command will probably never he his strength, which will likely keep him in the pen, but he has a chance to be a very useful power arm out of the bullpen, and in the seventh round without a ton of money left in the bonus pool, that would be a win.
Pick 8.232 – Jaxon Jelkin, RHP, Kentucky
Slot is $245k and I wanted to grab another arm. Kentucky’s Jelkin is one of the better arms available to close out the picks based on pure talent in the first half of the draft. He will cost me $150k, a savings of $95k.
Jelkin is in the middle of his best season, and the well traveled 23-year-old, is one of those guys with both stuff and pitchability. He’s up to 96 MPH, has a four pitch mix, and gets excellent movement on his pitches. Like Scott, the traits are there and for not much money, this is worth a flier.
Pick 9.262 – Gable Mitchell, INF, Iowa
Slot is $212k. The Derrick Mitchell name in the picture is a place holder for Iowa senior sign infielder Gable Miller. Derrick Mitchell is listed at $150k, but I’m giving Gable $10k here, a savings of $202k, and a savings of $140k from the picture.
Mitchell is the kind of player the Braves like – a kid with a high-end ability to make contact who doesn’t strike out often. He doesn’t quite impact the ball hard often enough to go earlier, but this is the type you keep sending out there to prove himself until he can’t. He is hitting .385/.483/.582 with 18 walks to only five strikeouts in 149 plate appearances. Mitchell’s limited power and not impressive exit velocity numbers probably give him a ceiling of a utility guy, but the Braves do like adding players in this mold here.
Pick 10.292 – Darin Horn, RHP, Coastal Carolina
Slot is $198k. The Ty Horn name above is also a place holder for Coastal Carolina senior sign right-hander Darin Horn. Ty is listed as $150k, but I’m giving Darrin $10k here, a savings of $188k, and a savings of $140k from the picture.
Horn is a multi-inning reliever for a strong Coastal program who has been very productive for the last two seasons. He has seen his command improve this year, cutting his walk per nine rate from 6.5 last year to a career high 3.0 this year. Also important to note is the fact his sinker has a 47% whiff rate (min 100 pitches), which completely dominates the category, as the guy in second is only at 30.8%.
Rounds 11-20 budget:
Rounds 11-20 show as having $263k remaining to spend, but with the Mitchell and Horn place holders, there is an additional $280k available. That means there is an extra $543k to spend overslot in the second half of the draft. With the first $150k in those rounds not counting towards the bonus pool, that means the Braves would be able to go up to $693k to sign a player.
Overall thoughts:
I want to say that I never intended for this draft to avoid prep players minus one, but due to the way the budget worked that wasn’t really a possibility. This is a strong draft, though the flexibility was removed at the start by taking Lombard with the first pick. If I had gone Strosnider followed by Spangler instead, I would have had a little extra money to work with – but Lombard is the type of player you don’t want to watch become a superstar in some other team’s uniform. Brown, Jackson, and Grahovac help infuse more talent into the hitting side of the system, and Brown and Grahovac especially could move quicker. Getting a talented arm like Kuhns, plus LaPour means I added to the pitching in the system as well. Then a pair of toolsy lottery tickets in Carrier and Scott could further add to the talent in the system. The final three picks in Jelkin, Mitchell, and Horn are longer shots, but each of them has something to work with. Finally with this draft the Braves could spent nearly $700k on a prep in the 11th round, or spread that money around to give out four bonuses of around $300k for the final 10 selections.
Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a solo homerun during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
The New York Mets (7-9) travel to the West Coast to face the Los Angeles Dodgers (11-4) in a three-game series in Chavez Ravine. While there is never a good time to face the best team on the planet two years running, coming off of a sweep by the lowly Athletics, the Mets could really have used an easier draw.
Where do we start?
With the exception of a failed comeback on Saturday afternoon, the Mets’ bats have been taking a spring siesta for the better part of a week. During their current five-game losing streak, the Mets have scored nine runs, but six of those came in Saturday’s attempted comeback. They’ve been shut out twice, scored one run once, and scored two runs once in the other four games in that period.
It is easy to blame some of this offensive drought on Juan Soto’s stint on the injured list, but that is far too easy of a scapegoat. The entire team isn’t hitting with any consistency, including players who we all know are too good for this to be a long term issue, such as Bo Bichette and the notoriously slow-starting Francisco Lindor.
But for a team that lost a playoff spot by one game last season, that is cold comfort at best. And while there are some solutions that may be temporary balms (hello Thomas James Pham!), there was a narrative in the offseason that once Eric Chavez and his “hammer the ball into the ground as hard as you can as often as you can” philosophy was jettisoned, things would improve.
And they will. We know this. But for the short term, watching Marcus Semien take an even further dive into offensive irrelevance, Jorge Polanco unable to do much of anything, and Carson Benge look consistently overmatched at the plate, it is hard to feel good about the players that required an optimistic lens in the first place. Benge will adjust, Polanco will heal, Semien will…I don’t know, man. But right now, none of them are helping the team with their bats.
The good news, if there is any, is that the pitching staff hasn’t been as dreadful as the stat line looks. Luke Weaver has eaten shit twice in the last week and he’s more or less responsible for two of those losses. That’s not great, but I would rather one reliever be struggling than an entire bullpen of ineptitude. The Mets moved on from both Richard Lovelady and Luis García over the weekend, and while we shouldn’t be printing up Joey Gerber or Craig Kimbrel shirseys just yet, at least the Mets aren’t resting on their broken down laurels and are trying something new.
As for the starting pitching, it continues to be a mixed bag. Nolan McLean has been as advertised and Freddy Peralta is doing lots of Freddy Peralta stuff. Kodai Senga had two fantastic starts and then a terrible one, and David Peterson did the same in reverse. Clay Holmes left Friday’s game with hamstring tightness, but apparently is on track to start on Thursday, despite his spot still being listed as TBD.
Look, it’s early in the season, and we all know how this goes. But this offseason was a tough sell for a few reasons, but some of the major talking points included run prevention, versatility, a deeper lineup, and an improved relief corps. The versatility has been more or less accurate, but everything else has been flat-out wrong. If the Mets turn things around and waltz into a playoff spot, we will all laugh about our April panic, but that doesn’t make being in the middle of the panic any less frustrating.
Again, if they were traveling (without an off day to the opposite side of the country) to play almost any other team, things would feel better. But the Dodgers are the owners of the best record in baseball, the best player of the 21st century, and more money than some mid-sized nations. They snatched up the Mets’ All-Star closer, they outbid the Mets for their outfield target, and generally are the best run franchise in baseball.
While they lost to old friends Jacob deGrom on Sunday and Tyler Rogers on Wednesday, the team looks strong, even with Kyle Tucker hitting below league average thus far. Andy Pages isn’t going to have a 1.181 OPS the entire season, but there is enough thump in the Los Angeles lineup that they don’t need him to. This is what a deep lineup actually looks like.
Monday, April 13: David Peterson vs. Justin Wrobleski, 10:10 PM EDT on SNY
After a good first start, Peterson has been downright awful in his next two appearances. Ten earned runs over nine and two-third innings is never pretty, but if FIP is to be believed, Peterson isn’t having as bad of an April as his ERA would have us believe. Until the Mets’ bats heat up, the club could really use Peterson’s FIP instead of his ERA.
In his first start against the Guardians, Wrobleski gave up three runs in four innings. It wasn’t exactly a terrible start, but it is one that he would build on when he faced the Blue Jays in a rout a week later. While he’sbeen fine thus far, he’s not necessarily a pitcher of the caliber of the next two starters in this series. The Mets need to win this game in order to have any real shot at taking the series, if there’s any hope of that at all.
Tuesday, April 14: Nolan McLean vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 10:10 PM EDT on SNY
The Mets have a wonderful history of producing top-level starting pitching over their history, and McLean appears to be the latest in that line. Over his first 11 MLB starts, McLean has exactly one (1) start of more than three earned runs. He’s been the recipient of some lackluster offense behind him, and while that doesn’t appear to be changing too much against the Dodgers and one of the best pitchers in baseball, the long term outlook for McLean looks very, very bright.
In what still feels like a ‘the one who got away’ situation, Yamamoto spurned the Mets in favor of the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season. Since then, he had a good ‘24 and a great ‘25, and 2026 is looking to be more of the same. In his last start against the Blue Jays, Yamamoto struck out six, walked one, and allowed just one run. This pitching matchup looks to be one of the best of the early season.
Wednesday, April 13: TBD vs. Shohei Ohtani, 10:10 PM EDT on ESPN
I must admit, I don’t keep as informed about other teams’ individual performance as I probably should. And so while it was somewhat of a shock to see Ohtani’s 0.00 ERA, it’s not really surprising. Just when we start to get used to who Ohtani is as an absolute once in a generation superstar, he does something else seemingly unbelievable. And so while this sparkling ERA won’t last, don’t be surprised if Ohtani continues to make the best baseball players on the planet look like little leaguers.
Apr 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (23) taps his helmet to initiate an ABS challenge during the ninth inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images
This season couldn’t have started much better for the Braves, at least to date. They are the only team that hasn’t yet lost a series (they did split one, though), they have baseball’s second-best record (behind the Dodgers, tied with the Padres), they’re top ten in both position player and pitching fWAR, and they’re top five in a bunch of other things like batting inputs and defensive value. Even though it’s early and a small sample could be responsible for pretty much anything, the only guy they’ll ultimately rely on that are struggling are Mike Yastrzemski. It’s baseball, and things can change on a dime at any time. But, right now, anyway, the Braves look pretty good. This recent series with the Guardians reminded me a lot of 2022-2023: broadly and wildly successful, but on the basis of smashing the ball rather than any kind of holistic, fundamental baseball excellence. In other words, booting balls and getting thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double doesn’t matter if you’re pummeling the opposing team at the plate.
I’ll be quick, but essentially, a few things jump out at me:
Yes, the Braves have been really bad so far.
However, the Braves have not been really bad at actually swinging strikeouts or walks as a result of challenges.
On top of that, where leverage is meaningful, the Braves are okay if not actually good at challenges, at least on a rate basis. They just don’t get these opportunities a lot… because they waste their challenges early on, where it doesn’t matter.
So, I’m not going to write out a long heuristic here (that’s your job), but I do think that whatever heuristic they implement, should they choose to do so, it should definitely include:
A) Only challenges that are relevant to a walk or strikeout, not other stuff futzing with the count; and
B) Only challenges in some semblance of leverage, i.e., tying or go-ahead run at the plate or on deck, and if a low-scoring game early, then not at all until the fourth inning or whatever.
There are of course more complicated and probably better heuristics, but these are also things the players need to remember in real-time. I’d love to say, “Only challenge in the first three innings if you’re 90 percent confident you’ll win” but the players are probably 90 percent confident every time they challenge, so that’s not helpful to anyone.
Apr 11, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) reacts after allowing a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The team has seen Taijuan Walker struggle in first innings this season and is trying to find a solution to the issue. It could be simulating that first inning in the bullpen, it could be having him throw longer bullpens to begin the day. One solution seems to be the best one if they are indeed going to be trying something different.
Should the Phillies consider using an opener for Walker’s starts so long as he’s in the rotation? We know that the return of Zack Wheeler feels imminent, meaning Walker’s time in the rotation is probably short as it is. However, injuries happen and the team will want to keep him close by in case they need someone to jump into a rotation spot quickly. But they cannot continue to just let those starts get away so early, relying on an offense that thus far has been inconsistent at best. Maybe this more modern approach to beginning games is something the team should be considering.
Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It was a rough game for Akron both offensively and with pitching.
Alfonso Rosario was a bright spot, going 2-for-3 with a home run. Joe Lampe had the lone multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base and Ralphy Velazquez reached base safely twice, going 1-for=3 with a walk, something Jose Devers also did.
Starting pitcher Dylan DeLucia again had a horrific outing, allowing four runs on three hits with two walks and one strikeouts without getting out of the first inning.
Zane Morehouse was the only pitcher who didn’t give up a run or allow an inherited runner to score.
Top Guardians 2025 MLB Draft Pick Jace LaViolette finally had his first big moment as a pro, blasting off for a three-run home run in the first inning, the first of hopefully many in his young career.
LaViolette still is a work in progress, as the bomb was his only hit of the day, going 1-for-4 with a walk and two more strikeouts. He’s batting .160 to begin his pro career with a grotesque 53.6% strikeout rate. He is going to have to get that under control before he makes any other progress.
Eight different Lake County players had hits in this game. Bennett Thompson also homered and walked as his extremely strong start to the 2026 season continues. Jaison Chourio went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly.
Starting pitcher Franklin Gomez had another strong outing, allowing one run on two hits in 4.0 innings while striking out four and walking one. Michael Kennedy followed with 4.0 innings of piggyback relief, allowing three runs on three hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Two of his three hits allowed were home runs.
Izaak Martinez finished off the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
The story of this game was the tremendous bounceback performance from Chase Mobley. After failing to get more than one out in his 2026 debut, he pitched 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings, striking out three and walking three on 49 pitches. Hopefully this is a sign of brighter things to come from him.
Miguel Flores followed with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief and Luke Fernandez closed out the win with 2.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts to earn the save.
Offensively, Anthony Martinez hit his first home run of the season, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Luis De La Cruz stayed hot, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases while Dauri Fernandez singled and walked, although he got caught stealing twice. Yelferth Castillo also went 2-for-3 with a walk.
Juneiker Caceres and Robert Arias both reached base twice with a pair of walks apiece.
Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter (32) makes a catch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
Good morning.
Shawn McFarland writes that Skip Schumaker was satisfied to see the Texas Rangers reach base early and often in their win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
Jacob Gurvis writes that Jacob deGrom continued his career-long mastery of the Dodgers while earning his first win of the season in Sunday’s finale.
McFarland writes that in a tussle between living legends, Shohei Ohtani won a battle with a leadoff home run but deGrom won the war with a superlative outing in the victory.
Gurvis notes that deGrom and the rest of the Texas arms got an assist from catcher Danny Jansen with four successful ABS challenges in five challenges overall on Sunday.
McFarland writes that the struggles for reliever Chris Martin has thrown a wrench into the bullpen plans during the season’s first few weeks.
COVERS INTEL: Expected ERA paints and even grimmer picture for the Red Sox bullpen, as it ranks 26th.
