Category: Baseball

Today’s roster moves: Here

I had not remembered a traditional, non-split doubleheader on the road for the Cubs in recent years. The last such doubleheader at Wrigley Field was Thursday, Aug. 3, 2006 vs. the Diamondbacks.

So, naturally, I asked BCB’s JohnW53 if he knew. Of course he did! Here’s the answer.

The Cubs have played 15 doubleheaders on the road since the one at home vs. the Diamondbacks.

Fourteen of those were day/night split doubleheaders.

The exception was on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2019, at Washington, when they played a twi-night, single-admission doubleheader. The first game started at 5:15 and ended at 8:00. Then there was an hour before the second game because the Nationals were honoring Ryan Zimmerman. The second game ran 3:15 and did not end until 12:15 a.m.

The Cubs lost both games, 10-3 and 6-5. Then the Sunday game was rained out, forcing the Cubs to return for an afternoon game the following Thursday. Anthony Rizzo flew to the game in uniform, in protest. The Cubs won that game, 4-3, but Pedro Strop was injured trying to beat out an infield grounder and was lost for the season. 

Here’s how our various threads are going to work for posts on both games this afternoon. There will be the “Live!” thread as usual, five minutes before the first pitch of Game 1. I will post a recap as soon as possible after Game 1, then another “Live!” thread will follow five minutes before Game 2. A recap of Game 2 will post in the early evening, after that one’s complete.

Get ready for six (or so) hours of Cubs baseball this afternoon!

Sunday doubleheader notes…

• THE SUNDAY DOUBLEHEADER: The Cubs have played 52 doubleheaders — 31 at home and 21 on the road — since they last played a single-admission doubleheader on a Sunday: April 28, 2002, when they lost at home to the Dodgers, 5-4 and 4-1. The breakdown of those 52 by day and site: Monday: 4 (3 home/1 road). Tuesday 14 (10/4). Wednesday: 9 (6/3). Thursday: 3 (1/2). Friday: 6 (2/4). Saturday: 16 (9/7). The Cubs played a day/night doubleheader at home against the Cardinals on Sunday, July 12, 2009, in which they won, 7-3, then lost, 4-2. They have played 38 doubleheaders on other days of the week since then, 24 at home and 14 on the road. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• DOUBLEHEADER DOINGS: Over the last five seasons, the Cubs have played 13 doubleheaders, as follows… 2021: four (swept one, split one, were swept twice). All the games in the 2021 doubleheaders were scheduled as seven-inning games. One of those (a win in Game 2, May 4 vs. the Dodgers) went nine innings, as it was tied after seven. 2022: six (split two, were swept four times). 2023: none. 2024: two (split one, were swept once). 2025: one (swept the Brewers!).
• THEY’D NEVER DO THIS NOW: In a four-day stretch in 1967, the Cubs played four doubleheaders. Then the next year they played four doubleheaders in an eight-day span. Randy Hundley started and caught every inning of seven of the eight 1967 games and played the last three innings of the other one, and in 1968 started and caught every inning of seven of the eight games. No wonder his knees gave out.
• OR THIS, EITHER: The most doubleheaders the Cubs ever played in a season was 39, in 1944. The last time they played 30 doubleheaders in a season was 1957. They last played at least 20 in 1967 (21) and last played at least 10 in 1979 (11). (Thanks to John for the last two of those.) This article by Chris Jaffe on doubleheaders in the 20th Century is from 2010, but still contains some fascinating doubleheader history.

Cubs lineup for Game 1:

#Cubs lineup vs #CLEGuardians for Game 1 of today's doubleheader pic.twitter.com/KDg1BOsLve

— Al Yellon (@bleedcubbieblue) April 5, 2026

Guardians lineup for Game 1:

Easter Sunday double feature.#GuardsBallpic.twitter.com/0gaXqWwbpG

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) April 5, 2026

Edward Cabrera, RHP vs. Slade Cecconi, RHP

Edward Cabrera was the originally scheduled starter for Sunday’s single game. Instead, he’ll throw the first game of the doubleheader today.

Cabrera was nails in his first 2026 start last Monday against the Angels, allowing just one hit and one walk, striking out five.

Last year while with the Marlins he made one start vs. the Guardians, Aug. 14 in Cleveland, and got hit pretty hard — seven hits, five runs in 5.1 innings. Let’s hope this one goes better.

Slade Cecconi was supposed to start the Saturday game that was rained out. Instead, he’ll go in the first game of the doubleheader this afternoon.

Cecconi got torched by the Mariners in his first 2026 start last Sunday in Seattle — 4.1 innings, six runs allowed. He threw 93 pitches and, as noted, did not finish the fifth inning.

He has never faced the Cubs. Only two Cubs — Alex Bregman (0-for-4) and Michael Conforto (0-for-3) have ever faced him.

Here are the pitchers scheduled to start Game 2 of this doubleheader.

Shōta Imanaga, LHP vs. Parker Messick, LHP

Shōta Imanaga’s first 2026 start wasn’t terrible… but it wasn’t all that good, either. He allowed one home run, unfortunately that came with two men on base. Hopefully he can keep the ball in the ballpark this evening. He did strike out seven Nationals in that first outing.

His outing last year against the Guardians, July 2, 2025 at Wrigley Field, was a similar game to his first start this year, except with more home runs (three solo homers). So, again, keeping the ball in the yard would be the key to his success, I’d think.

You’ll note in the graphic below that he averaged 92.1 miles per hour on his fastball in his first start this year. That’s up significantly from last year’s 90.8 miles per hour. If he can maintain that, this should be a good year for Shōta.

Parker Messick was the Guardians’ second-round pick out of Florida State in 2022. He made his MLB debut last year with seven pretty good starts, and threw six shutout innings against the Dodgers last Monday in Los Angeles, so that’s also pretty good.

He’s obviously never faced the Cubs. He did face Alex Bregman last year; Bregman went 1-for-3 (a double).

Also, “Parker Messick” sounds like a comic-book superhero’s alter ego name.

Here is the weather forecast for the Cleveland area.

Today’s games are both on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday for Game 1

MLB.com Gameday for Game 2

Baseball-reference.com game preview for Game 1

Baseball-reference.com game preview for Game 2

Please visit our SB Nation Guardians site Covering The Corner. If you do go there to interact with Guardians fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note. See the top of this post for some posting differences from those below for this doubleheader day.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Though the Atlanta Braves came up a few runs short for the third win against the Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday, at least we’ve seen consistent quality starts from Bryce Elder to propel us to today’s series ending before the Braves head to Anaheim to face the Angels.

Let’s look at today’s pitchers.

Martín Pérez has gotten the start, making this his second appearance and first official start with the team this season. His last game with the Athletics resulted in three strikeouts, only two hits, and no earned runs across 4.1 innings out of the bullpen.

The nod was going to either Jose Suarez or Pérez, and with the struggles Suarez displayed in his last appearance, having Pérez enter in for the start will be a nice way to get a feel for his command and approach, as we’ve seen bits and pieces during spring training.

He had mentioned how healthy he felt for the first time since 2024 in the post-game presser for that game, remarking in his words how he had confidence in feeling well the following day without any worries. This was especially great to hear, noting how he was held to 11 games last year with the Chicago White Sox due to injury, but still maintained a 3.54 ERA and 1.11 WHIP (4.24 FIP) across his appearances.

Relying on four main pitches (change-up, sinker, cutter, and curveball) in his arsenal, we can expect to see the change-up and sinker taking the front seat as his targeted weapons against the Diamondbacks’ offense.

Looking over to the Diamondbacks, they’re going for the split with Brandon Pfaadt (7.50 ERA) taking the hill. So far, with the start of the season rolling with their five-man rotation, he’s only had one starting appearance with the team. Though allowing five runs across his six innings pitched just five days ago against the Detroit Tigers, don’t let the numbers fool you.

His consistency and overall command haven’t been the strongest and have hurt his chances for effectiveness on the mound, especially last season, where he was placed fifth in the worst ERA with a 5.25. However, during the second half of the season, he added a cutter to his arsenal that produced him with better results and kept his pitches better located in the zone, which led to weaker contact for batters he’s faced. This change dropped his FIP from 4.64 to 3.68 almost instantly.

If he can work on control during this outing and stay ahead of his counts, he could have a pretty solid showing, but if the Braves can take advantage of his weakest areas of location and command, they just might be able to pull off the win, making this a third straight series win to start the season.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, April 5th, 4:10 p.m. EDT

Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ

TV: BravesVision

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (6-2) lost 4-1 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land jumped out to an early lead on a lead-off home run from Trammell. Lambert started for Sugar Land and was solid allowing 1 run over 5 innings. Knorr allowed 3 runs as the Jumbo Shrimp took the lead. The Sugar Land offense was quiet the rest of the way as they fell 4-1.

Note: France has a 0.00 ERA over 5.1 innings this season.

• Taylor Trammell, CF: 1-for-2, R, HR, RBI, 2 BB
• Kellen Strahm, RF: 1-for-3, BB

• Peter Lambert, RHP: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• J.P. France, LHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Amos Willingham, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

---

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (0-3) lost 1-0 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board first getting a run on a Sullivan RBI single in the 3rd. McPherson got the start and was pitching well but allowed 3 runs in the 5th before being pulled. He was relieved by David who really struggled allowing 6 runs while retiring just two batters. The offense got one run back in the 6th scoring on an error. The rest of the pen was solid with scoreless outings but the offense struggled as the Hooks fell 10-2.

Note: Bush is hitting .500 this season.

• Lucas Spence, DH: 1-for-4
• Will Bush, C: 3-for-3, BB

• Brett Gillis, RHP: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• Trey Dombroski, LHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Nic Swanson, RHP: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Railin Perez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

---

A+: Asheville Tourists (1-2) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE) 

Howard got the start for Asheville and went 3 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 3rd inning with Nunez connecting on a 2 run HR. The bullpen was solid with Guedez and Ogando tossing scoreless innings. DeVos went 3 innings in relief allowing 1 run but the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Asheville fell 3-2.

Note: Nunez is hitting .375 this season.

• Caden Powell, CF: 1-for-4, R
• Alejandro Nunez, 2B: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI
• Drew Brutcher, 1B: 2-for-4

• Dylan Howard, RHP: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Joan Ogando, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• Nolan DeVos, RHP: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K

---

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1-1) won 6-5 (BOX SCORE)

Pecko made a rehab start for the Woodpeckers and looked good striking out 4 over 2 scoreless innings. The offense got on the board scoring a run in the 4th on an error and getting another run in the 5th on a Monistere RBI single. Carrera relieved Pecko and pitched well tossing 4 no-hit innings with 4 strikeouts. Wilson took the lead scoring 3 runs off Weber but in the bottom of the 7th, Neyens connected on a 2 run double to take the lead. After Wilson tied it again in the 8th, another big time prospect came through with Alvarez connecting on a 2 run double to go up 6-4. Wells allowed a run in the 9th but held on as the Woodpeckers won 6-5.

Note: Carrera has 33 K in 26 innings in Single-A.

• Kevin Alvarez, RF: 4-for-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 SB
• Xavier Neyens, 3B: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
• Nick Monistere, 2B: 1-for-2, R, RBI, 2 BB
• Anthony Huezo, LF: 1-for-4, BB, SB
• Arturo Flores, C: 0-for-3, R, BB
• Kenni Gomez, DH: 3-for-4, R, SB
• Hector Salas, SS: 1-for-2, R, 2 BB

• Ethan Pecko, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• Jesus Carrera, RHP: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Charlie Weber, RHP: 0.2, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Jackson Wells, RHP: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

---

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Miguel Ullola – 1:05 CT

CC: OFF

AV: OFF

FV: TBD – 4:05 CT

The Yankees’ road to the postseason is clear. They either get a full, healthy, good season from Aaron Judge, in which case they should skate in, or they don’t, in which case things get a lot darker. It isn’t just local radio hosts saying that the Yankees are relying heavily on Judge; in his writeup of the Yankees’ 2026 ZiPS projections, FanGraphs’ Dan Szymborski also claimed, “The offense, of course, starts, ends, and runs through Aaron Judge.” This isn’t to say that the Yankees aren’t a good team as currently constructed—they are—but it is concerning that so much of their hopes are tied to just a single player.

Well, leave it to baseball to make prognosticators look like fools. The Yankees received very little contributions from Judge in the first six games of the season, with the gargantuan slugger only able to muster a .125/.160/.375 slash line across 25 plate appearances. And yet, they ended the first road trip of the year with a 5-1 record. So much for “As Judge goes, so do the Yanks.”

Granted, it’s only six games, so we shouldn’t be drawing any sweeping conclusions from this sample about this team. If Judge’s OPS still begins with a 5 six weeks later from now, the Yankees’ record probably will look a whole lot worse. But the Yankees winning two series despite their captain largely being a non-factor is a good reminder of the quality of this team. Sure, Judge is far and away the best player on this squad. But don’t mistake these Yankees for the prime Mike Trout-era Angels. This is a good team from top to bottom, and they have the tools to withstand cold spells from their franchise player.

First, let’s talk about the offense. Over the first six games of the season, the Yankees collectively hit .227/.287/.359, good for a team wRC+ of 89. That sounds awful, but when you account for the fact that Judge’s 50 wRC+ is dragging that down, it looks somewhat better. Leading the charge were regulars Giancarlo Stanton (266 wRC+), Ben Rice (264 wRC+), and Cody Bellinger (135 wRC+), with Paul Goldschmidt also making the most of his two starts (148 wRC+). Now, none of them are going to maintain that level of production for the whole year, but these are all good hitters, and in the case of Stanton and Rice, both have enough slug in their bat to carry an offense for a series or two at a time.

And the Yankees don’t need to ride on their backs for the entire season. Even outside of Judge, several bats went cold during the Yanks’ first two series. Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr., two lineup mainstays, both recorded wRC+ marks below 30. It hardly needs saying that this isn’t reflective of their true talent. Chisholm has been an above-average bat for the past four seasons, and he has enough pop to go berserk in any given series. Wells has yet to live up to the offensive potential that evaluators saw in him as a prospect, but he still owns a career wRC+ of 99, far from a black hole. If these two can provide something closer to their career norms going forward, which isn’t an unreasonable thing to bank on, the Yankees’ lineup will be plenty deep even when Judge is slumping.

If you still have reservations about this offense, then may I offer my second point: The Yankees don’t need to score five runs every game, because the pitching is more than capable of holding up its end of the bargain. Andrés already provided an excellent summary of the Bombers’ superlative pitching in his reaction to the first road trip of the year, but the numbers are so gaudy they bear repeating: the starting corps owned a 0.53 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, and 35 punchouts in 33.2 innings. The bullpen was quietly elite too, with the exception of one bad inning from Paul Blackburn in the Yanks’ only road trip loss: a 1.83 ERA and 2.07 FIP over 19.2 innings. Yes, they’re pitching out of their minds at the moment, but it’s not like this is a ragtag group that’s randomly overperforming. FanGraphs’ Depth Charts projections had the Yankees’ starters at 10th-best in MLB, and ranked the bullpen even higher at No. 7. This is a strong collection of arms that’s having a fantastic start to the year, and the returns of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt should offset any regression coming for the current staff.

So, the conclusion is clear: the 2026 Yankees are far from being a one-man show. Aaron Judge remains the centerpiece of the squad, but that’s more a testament to his otherworldly talent rather than an indictment of his teammates. Yes, I’d like to see Judge post a third consecutive 10 WAR, 200 wRC+ season and have a postseason for the ages. But even if Judge doesn’t quite live up to those standards, his surrounding cast is well-equipped to pick up the slack. Judge doesn’t need to carry this team. It can stand on its own.

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We had a great day Saturday with our MLB player props, as we climbed a strikeout ladder with Jesus Luzardo for a hefty profit.

The Easter Sunday slate brings even more opportunities, and we turn back to Yordan Alvarez after he also came through for us yesterday.

Here are my favorite MLB picks for Sunday, April 5.

Best MLB player props today

Yordan Alvarez Over 0.5 RBI

Yes, it’s a repeat from yesterday. Except it’s at even better odds, and I’m not turning that down.

Not against a pitcher in Jacob Lopez, who ranked in the Bottom 5th percentile last season in chase rate, whiff rate, strikeout rate, and walk rate. In his first start this season, he walked five batters in four innings, which set up Atlanta’s hitters with run-scoring opportunities.

He’s now facing a Houston Astros team that has already drawn 50 walks this season. Alvarez drew four of them himself yesterday — and still managed to drive in a run in his only registered at-bat.

Alvarez is fourth in the bigs with a .462 ISO in the early season. Split against LHP, that number jumps to .571 in 18 plate appearances. 

Plus-odds for an RBI from the guy sitting second in wRC+ and leading the league with a .604 xwOBA is a gift, and one I’ll happily accept.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Space City Home Network, NBCS-California

Kyle Schwarber Over 0.5 RBI

In just 20 plate appearances vs. RHP this season, Kyle Schwarber’s already crushed three bombs, driven in five runs, and drawn five walks. 

He’s expected to have a strong day — so much so that three H/R/R carries -145 juice. That’s why I love getting his RBI prop at -120, especially in the thin air at Coors Field.

Against RHP so far this season, Schwarber is rocking a whopping .714 ISO  and a 288 wRC+. His counterpart on Sunday, Tomoyuki Sugano, often pitches to contact and allowed 1.93 HR/9 last season.

While he looked decent in his opening start, he couldn’t get through five innings and still coughed up a dinger. He also posted an ERA that was half of his xERA and xFIP metrics.

This matchup sets up very well for Schwarber to drive in a run for the fifth straight game.

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCS-Philadelphia, Rockies.TV

Cody Bellinger Over 0.5 runs

Cody Bellinger has crossed the plate in six of his eight games this season, in large part because he’s drawing walks at a rate of over 17% and posting a .361 xwOBA. Getting on base in front of Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton just raises the odds of coming around the bases.

The New York Yankees are facing RHP Chris Paddack, who primarily throws only a fastball and changeup to LHB. He got rocked in his first start this season, allowing eight earned and two HR in just 4 IP.

That won’t get the job done against the likes of Rice, whose ISO of .476 vs. RHP this season sits fifth in the majors. He and Stanton both rank in the Top 15 this season in wRC+ vs. RHP as well.

If Bellinger gets on base, one of them will bring him home—if he doesn’t go deep himself.

• Time: 1:35 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Marlins. TV, YES

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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The Tony Vitello era is off to an inauspicious start as the San Francisco Giants are 3-6 with a National League-worst -22 run differential.

Logan Webb takes the bump on Sunday, however, and the ace hopes to turn the tide against the New York Mets.

See why I’m backing the home team with my Mets vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks for the series finale on Sunday, April 5.

Who will win Mets vs Giants today: Giants (-113)

Logan Webb is a beast at Oracle Park, sporting a career 2.92 ERA and 2.71 FIP across a massive sample size of 552 ⅓ IP.

The New York Mets have the better lineup, but the gap closes with Juan Soto likely out of the lineup after receiving an MRI on Saturday.

It’s been a slow start offensively for the San Francisco Giants, but things will pick up sooner or later, as 1–7 in the lineup is certainly league-caliber.

Kodai Senga has never figured out his walk problem (11.1% career walk rate) and is a beatable opponent.

Mets vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-117)

Webb’s strong performance at home, combined with a likely Soto-less Mets lineup, means New York likely won’t have another offensive outburst after plating 19 runs in the last two games.

San Francisco has been the worst team in the league against RHP (44 wRC+) and has scored three or fewer runs in seven of their nine contests this season.

Each of the first three games of this series cashed the Over 7.5, but here’s betting on an Under in the finale. The Mets have hit the Under in 28 of their last 45 away games, and Oracle’s Park is a pitcher’s best friend.

Mets vs Giants odds

• Moneyline: New York +113 | San Francisco -124
• Run line: New York +1.5 (-215) | San Francisco -1.5 (+183)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-105) | Under 7.5 (-115)

Mets vs Giants trend

Logan Webb has had a winning record at home in each of the last five seasons. Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Giants.

How to watch Mets vs Giants and game info

Mets vs Giants latest injuries

Mets vs Giants weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Team News

Michael Soroka gives Diamondbacks another strong impression in win over Braves

“I think we fell behind a little more than we would have liked, but (catcher Gabriel Moreno) and I made some good decisions with some pitches late in counts, good pitches with guys in scoring position, let the defense work and got the win,” Soroka said. “I’ve competed as well as I could have hoped. I think that’s the big thing. You’re not going to have everything working on every day, and obviously the finish on pitches was a little bit better last time out.”

https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/michael-soroka-braves/3616854/

Sewald flushes loss with dinner and a movie, then earns clutch save for Soroka

“I went in the training room and did the exact same stuff,” Sewald said. “If I had struck out the side, I would have done the same thing. And so, you just go home and I had dinner and watched a movie, and then we came back today, and, like I said, the easiest way to flush it is just to pitch right away.” https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/michael-soroka-throwing-error-help-d-backs-beat-braves

D-backs Win Ugly Game Over Braves Without Recording an RBIhttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/arizona-diamondbacks-news/d-backs-win-ugly-game-braves-without-recording-rbi

Torey Lovullo says Diamondbacks need to stop chasing pitches out of strike zone

“Our chase rate is extremely high right now,” Lovullo said. “If we zone in, try not to do too much, wait for our pitch, it‘s the art of hitting and the beauty of baseball. When you do it, it’s sweet music. When you chase, you get yourself into bad counts. Pitchers have nasty stuff. You’ve got to slow the game down, swing at strikes, see the baseball, understand what the at-bat is asking for. That’s the simplicity of hitting for me. We’re a little bit anxious trying to do too much, in my opinion.”

https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/torey-lovullo-stop-chasing-pitches/3616821/

D-backs’ Lawlar expected to miss 6-8 weeks with fractured wrist
“It’s frustrating,” Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen said. “I’m sure he’s frustrated more than we are. He looked great. He was doing a really good job in the outfield, and he was having great at-bats. We’re going to miss him, but we’ll keep the train going until he comes back.”

https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/jordan-lawlar-broken-wrist

Michael Soroka is Creating a Tough Decision for the Diamondbackshttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/arizona-diamondbacks-news/michael-soroka-creating-tough-decision-diamondbacks

The Real Reason Eduardo Rodriguez Has Looked so Much Better in 2026https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/arizona-diamondbacks-news/real-reason-eduardo-rodriguez-better-2026

Other Baseball

Breaking down Jo Adell’s three home run robberies
https://www.mlb.com/news/jo-adell-home-run-robbery-breakdown

Murakami rips 1st Chicago long ball, becomes fastest Japanese player to 4 MLB HRshttps://www.mlb.com/news/munetaka-murakami-hits-his-first-home-run-in-chicago

7 of our favorite fun early season stats
https://www.mlb.com/news/fun-early-2026-mlb-season-stats

Rhett Lowder sets Reds record with 1.30 ERA through 8 startshttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48400921/rhett-lowder-sets-reds-record-130-era-8-starts

Mookie Betts Leaves Game Due To Back Injury, Will Undergo MRIhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/04/mookie-betts-leaves-game-due-to-back-injury-will-undergo-mri.html

Juan Soto Day To Day With “Minor Strain” In Right Calfhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/04/juan-soto-to-undergo-mri-for-possible-calf-injury.html

Tigers Place Justin Verlander On 15-Day Injured Listhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/04/tigers-place-justin-verlander-on-15-day-injured-list.html

Still can’t believe this!! Baseball is the best!! https://t.co/RBUkpEUEyq

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 5, 2026

Munetaka Murakami’s four home runs are the most by a Japanese-born player in his first 8 career MLB games https://t.co/XYcYOjI9LT

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 4, 2026

Anything Goes

This day in history:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-5

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/April_5

Paramount has 22 stars in their logo.

The 22 stars represent the twenty-two actors and actresses that were originally contracted to work for the studio in the year 1916. However, 24 actors were contracted, but only 22 were honored. 

Only 2 animals enjoy spicy food.

Humans and tree shrews are the only known species to seek out spice. Next time you chicken out of those extra hot wings, you can be assured there’s nothing wrong with you.

Originally, tennis was played with bare hands.

During the 12th century, Tennis was first played in France. The game was played by using your palm to hit the ball back to your opponent. 

Yesterday’s game saw this San Diego Padres club do something it hasn’t shown yet this season: fight.

After having a 2-1 lead over the Boston Red Sox for most of the game (in large part due to Randy Vásquez’s sheer force of will), Adrian Morejon came in to pitch the eighth inning. He had hoped to put his struggles from Wednesday’s outing behind him (he did not).

His command struggled, and he gave up back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. He got a big strikeout against Trevor Story before getting Andruw Monasterio to ground out.

Unfortunately, what would have been an inning-ending double play got botched on a low throw from Morejon to Jake Cronenworth. Luckily, the bleeding stopped there, with Morejon able to strike out Willson Contreras to get into the ninth.

But then there’s a problem. San Diego still had to face one of the most dominant relievers in baseball in Aroldis Chapman.

Chapman got two quick outs before Fernando Tatis Jr. redeemed his day (four strikeouts) with a double to center field. That set the table for the red-hot bat of Ramón Laureano to bring him around on a single to left.

That gave the Friars a one-run lead. It was all they would need.

Mason Miller came in to slam the door and did so exceptionally — flirting with an immaculate inning before throwing the first pitch to his third batter for ball one. He still struck out all three to cap off the win for San Diego.

Taking the mound

Ranger Suarez (BOS) v. Walker Buehler (SD)

Despite their incredibly different offseasons, Buehler and Suarez had incredibly similar debuts with their new clubs.

Suarez got off to a rough start after inking a five-year, $130 million deal with Boston this offseason. He was a quick pivot after the club failed to re-sign free agent Alex Bregman.

He figured to be a valuable No. 2 behind Garrett Crochet but started the season in the fourth slot of the rotation.

His performance against the Houston Astros Monday night didn’t help his case to be moved up.

Across only 4 1/3 innings in Boston’s 8-1 loss, he gave up four runs on seven hits.

But Suarez has historically dominated San Diego, holding the team to a .237/.284/.316 slash line. He could do the same as he looks to bounce back from a less-than-memorable debut.

Buehler similarly struggled, giving up three runs on five hits across four innings pitched.

After a dominant two innings, he gave up a home run to Harrison Bader and couldn’t find the zone after that. He got himself into hitter’s counts seven times across his final 12 batters.

But he was mostly solid. Three runs should not be insurmountable, but, thus far, it has been for this San Diego club.

With Buehler returning to Boston to face the club he spent most of 2025 with, maybe the Friars finally can turn up the offense.

Batter up!

With the Padres facing another lefty in Suarez after rookie Connelly Early yesterday, manager Craig Stammen will probably use the same experimental lineup that he went with.

That being said, Ty France will probably be traded out for Gavin Sheets at first base so the lineup may look more like this:

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
2. Ramón Laureano, LF
3. Jackson Merrill, CF
4. Manny Machado, 3B
5. Miguel Andujar, DH
6. Xander Bogaerts, SS
7. Gavin Sheets, 1B
8. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
9. Luis Campusano, C

It was a surprise to see Sheets out of the lineup after his fantastic performance on Wednesday’s game (2-3, 2 2Bs, RBI, BB) so he’ll likely get the start today.

Andujar hit exceptionally for the first time this season, going 3-for-5. Bryce Johnson took over for Merrill in center field but will defer to the starting center fielder in today’s game.

Despite his bat being quite cold to start the season, Machado took his walks yesterday. He walked in his first three plate appearances, showing discipline against the Red Sox starter.

Relief corps

After Vásquez’s second solid outing, the Friars only had to use three of their relievers. Unfortunately, due to the close game, all three were high-leverage options in Jeremiah Estrada, Morejon, and Miller.

That still leaves solid options with Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, David Morgan, Wandy Peralta, and Bradgley Rodriguez. Of the five, Morgan is the highest leverage choice.

For the ninth, Miller could still come out to pitch in a save situation if the Padres feel it’s needed. But if it’s a rout by either team, he’ll stay in the ‘pen for the upcoming Pittsburgh Pirates series.

Yes, I know that for any Cubs fan, the words “Cade Horton to injured list” in a headline gives feelings of dread.

But here we are. Horton was placed on the injured list today, the move retroactive to Saturday.

For pitchers, the IL is 15 days. The “fortunate” thing, if there is one regarding this stint, is that the Cubs have two off days during that span. Horton will be eligible to return April 19. With those off days, it’s possible Horton, if deemed healthy, could start that day against the Mets, thus missing only two starts.

In any case, we will have to wait until Tuesday, probably, for any updates. After Friday’s game, manager Craig Counsell suggested that Horton would stay with the team Saturday, return to Chicago Sunday and probably have imaging done Monday. Until then, as always, we await developments.

Left-hander Riley Martin was called up from Triple-A Iowa to take Horton’s spot on the 26-man active roster. Martin was the Cubs’ sixth-round pick in 2021 out of Quincy University in western Illinois, and this will be his first call-up to the major leagues at age 28.

Right-hander Ethan Roberts will join the team Sunday as the 27th man for the doubleheader.

Martin has made one appearance for Iowa this year, starting last Tuesday vs. Louisville and throwing 47 pitches over three innings. He allowed three hits and one run and struck out three. This hints that Martin would be stretched out for a long-relief role and one of the two long relievers currently in the Cubs pen, Colin Rea or Ben Brown, would slot into Horton’s rotation spot, which next comes up Wednesday in Tampa.

Welcome Riley Martin to the Cubs, and honestly, how can you not love a success story like this? (Bluesky link)

Today’s doubleheader preview will post at 10 a.m. CT.

Robbing a home run is a special feeling for an outfielder.

Imagine doing it three times in one game, to help your team preserve a 1-0 win?

That is exactly what Los Angeles Angeles outfielder Jo Adell did on Saturday night, pulling back three would-be home runs to help the Angels secure a 1-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.

His thievery began in the top of the first, when he climbed the wall in right field to deny Cal Raleigh of a potential solo shot:

Jo Adell got UP to rob this home run 🤯

(MLB x @AceHardware) pic.twitter.com/e6wJMhajP0

— MLB (@MLB) April 5, 2026

The outfielder was just getting warmed up.

Zach Neto blasted a 443-foot home run in the bottom of the first to stake Los Angeles to an early 1-0 lead, which the Angels held deep into the contest. But that lead was threatened in the top of the eighth inning, when Seattle’s Josh Naylor lofted a drive deep to right field.

Enter Adell:

JO ADELL ROBS HIS SECOND HOMER OF THE NIGHT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/oKaccCP6xh

— MLB (@MLB) April 5, 2026

Adell was clearly fired up after this catch, clapping and then slapping his chest in celebration.

The celebrations would be even bigger in the top of the ninth.

J.P. Crawford led off the final inning with a blast towards the right-field corner. Adell raced over from his spot in right field and launched himself skyward to track down the fly ball, crashing into the first row of the bleachers.

He then held up his glove — with the ball inside — while still standing among the fans to show his third robbery of the night:

JO ADELL JUST ROBBED A THIRD HOME RUN TONIGHT

HE JUMPED INTO THE STANDS 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uWynN27aON

— MLB (@MLB) April 5, 2026

Here is another angle of Adell’s third dramatic catch of the night:

Angel in the Outfield (seats) 🤩 https://t.co/mRW2HFLxVNpic.twitter.com/pzamJ1VuI3

— MLB (@MLB) April 5, 2026

Adell’s defensive performance earned praise from none other than former outfielder Torii Hunter, who works in the Angels’ front office. The former outfielder called Adell’s night “probably the greatest defensive game I’ve seen.

“I’ve never seen three home run robberies in one game, and I’ve never seen a guy on the third one fall into the stands, catch the ball and keep his feet in like he’s a wide receiver,” Hunter added. “I was jumping up and down. I almost passed out.”

Adell, who was a Gold Glove finalist in 2024, talked about the three plays after the game, crediting “grit” for the third.

“After the first one, I was pretty fired up,” Adell said. “When I got to the second one, which looked identical to the first, I thought, ‘Wow, my routes are on point tonight.’ The third one was just grit. Top of the ninth, you have to get it done. It was crazy.

“You just get there, then it’s decision-making. The ball was hit high enough to where I could get there. I watched it (into my glove), fell over and ended up in somebody’s lap. I don’t know who it was, but it was a softer landing than I expected. The fans were as fired up as me.”

According to Sports Info Solutions, a sports data service, Adell is the first player with three home run robberies in a single game since they began tracking that statistic in 2004:

So yes, you can make the case this was the best defensive performance ever.

The early years of the Yankees’ franchise famously weren’t great until they acquired a certain Babe Ruth. There were some good seasons here and there, occasional pennant chases, and a few superb individual seasons. They just never got to the World Series or brought home a title until Ruth began donning the pinstripes in the 1920s.

However, it would be a disservice to act like franchise history only began on the day that Ruth’s sale from the Red Sox went through. Plenty of players had a role in getting the franchise to that point. Today happens to be the 149th birthday of one notable Highlander: Wid Conroy.

William Edward “Wid” Conroy
Born: April 5, 1877 (Philadelphia, PA)
Died: December 6, 1959 (Mount Holly, NJ)
Yankees Tenure: 1903-08

Conroy was born in Philadelphia but was mostly raised in neighboring Camden, NJ. He gained his nickname as a youth in Camden, as it was “Widow,” eventually shortened to “Wid.” His SABR bio says that people began calling him that name because he used to look out for younger kids in the neighborhood and had what was described as a “motherly interest.” I’m basically imagining a bunch of kids in flat caps roaming around, all talking like they’re in the movie Newsies.

Conroy also developed an interest in baseball as a youth, which led to a career in the sport. Conroy first caught on with a pro team in 1896 with the Carlisle (PA) Colts. His travels eventually led him to a stint with the (first) Milwaukee Brewers of the American League. His second season in Milwaukee was in 1901, which was the first in which the AL was recognized as a “major league.”

However after 1901, Conroy jumped over to the National League and signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. (The Brewers themselves decamped for St. Louis, where they became the Browns.) While in the Steel City, he notably got into a fight with the Cubs’ Joe Tinker—of “Tinker to Evers to Chance” fame—leading to him receiving a 20-game suspension.

Ahead of the 1903 campaign, Conroy became one of a number of Pirates who jumped to the AL and joined the league’s new New York Highlanders. The 1902 Bucs utterly dominated their opposition en route to a 103-victory, pennant-winning season, with a staggering .741 winning percentage over 140 games that would equate to a record 120 in a 162-game slate. The upstart AL attempted to poach several of the team’s starts, as the league was still trying to find its footing. Rumors about that began going around the Pittsburgh clubhouse before the 1902 season, and Conroy ended up as one of a couple Pirates branded as a “spy” for the AL. In the end, Conroy and several of the team’s stars made the jump to New York, including future Hall of Fame pitcher Jack Chesbro. Things ended up alright for the Pirates though, as Conroy’s departure opened up the regular shortstop position, which ended up occupied by Honus Wagner instead.

While they made runs at Boston and Chicago for the AL pennant in 1904 and 1906, respectively, the Highlanders often weren’t great during Conroy’s tenure at Hilltop Park. However, Conroy himself frequently fell within the range of decent-to-very good. Upon coming to New York, Conroy moved to third base, with the team already employing a decent shortstop in Kid Elberfeld. Modern stats state that he was worth 10.7 fWAR and 11.5 rWAR for the Highlanders from 1903-06.

Conroy’s best overall season came in 1904, when New York came agonizingly close to toppling the defending World Series champions for the AL pennant. At the plate, he peaked in 1905, when his .723 OPS equated to a 120 OPS+.

By 1908, Conroy’s hitting skills had fallen off, and the Highlanders sold him to the Washington Senators. He spent the last three seasons of his MLB career there. Conroy continued playing on in the minors for a little while after that and later managed the Elmira Colonels to the 1914 New York State League pennant. He also spent some time as a major league coach for the Phillies. He did appear on the 1945 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, but fell off after receiving only one vote.

Wid Conroy of New York Highlanders leaps for errant toss at Detroit's Bennett Park, 1903. pic.twitter.com/onKp4Q3S2m

— John Thorn (@thorn_john) February 16, 2025

After leaving baseball, Conroy settled back in New Jersey. On a sad note, the son who was named after him was killed in action at age-23 while serving as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War II. Conroy passed away himself in 1959 at the age of 82.

Conroy is by no means an all-time franchise great nor a Hall of Famer. However, he was one of the first notable players in Yankees history, and that’s something.

---

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

Society has advanced past the need for Jo Adell. Happy Sunday everybody!

In Mariners news…

• After exiting Friday’s game early, Brendan Donovan was absent from last night’s lineup versus the Angels. Ryan Divish caught up with him before the game and it seems like he is ok and the Mariners are just being cautious.
• Should Brendan need to miss an extended period of time, Colt Emerson would presumably be the next man up, so it’s of the utmost important that he stays healthy at all costs.

X-rays came back negative on Colt Emerson's right foot, per Justin Hollander.

He is day to day. https://t.co/iqpCs3Smpk

— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) April 5, 2026

Around the league…

• Juan Soto left Friday’s game in the first inning with tightness in his calf. Soto got an MRI yesterday afternoon that revealed a minor calf strain and he’ll be day-to-day for the time being.
• Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts exited yesterday’s game after aggravating his lower back while running the bases.
• Justin Verlander was scratched from his first start at home in Detroit yesterday and placed on the 15-day IL with inflammation in his left hip.
• All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk was placed on the 10-day IL with a fracture in his catching thumb. Kirk and the Blue Jays will find out on Monday if surgery is required.
• Being born on the same day as your baseball team sounds like the plot to a truly delightful romantic comedy, instead it’s reality for this Nationals fan, who took their ceremonial “first sip” on the field before the start of yesterday’s game in D.C. Worth noting, I’ve seen many people take their first sip of beer. I remember my own first sip of beer. That was not her first sip of beer.

Nick’s pick…

• The Masters, one of my personal favorite sporting events of the entire calendar, starts on Thursday. With it comes memories of last year’s incredible tournament that saw Rory McIlroy finally secure the career Grand Slam after eleven years of trying, a moment that was captured beautifully by legendary photographer Ken Griffey Jr.

The last time Giancarlo Stanton stole a base in a regular-season game, there were no fans in the stands because of the pandemic. The pitch clock was years away, let alone automatic balls and strikes.

But even then, a half-decade ago in August of 2020, he was a few years removed from his last healthy season. Even then, the big-bodied slugger seemed worn enough that his best years were behind him, and that his future would be determined by how much he could produce in the limited duty that body would allow as it aged. 

So when Stanton took off for second base in the Yankees’ 9-7 win Saturday night, advanced on a ground ball, then scampered home on a passed ball to provide a much-needed run in the seventh, it highlighted the ways in which he has spent the first week of this season — and really, most of last — defying an aging process that has not always been kind to him. 

“The boys were fired up,” Cody Bellinger said. “…he’s just playing really well. It’s really good to see.”

It must be noted that Stanton did steal a base in the 2024 ALDS, but a regular-season base — when the stakes are not as high nor the urgency to win the same — signals something different.

Stanton, now 36, is four seasons removed from his last All-Star appearance, not to mention nearly a decade removed from his only career MVP Award. Focus has always been on his health, most recently elbows, which pushed him to the injured list last year. 

But despite his disclosure that those elbows are not well enough to “open a bag of chips,” Stanton spent spring training hitting near home run after near home run while hitting four real ones in 11 games. So far in the regular season, he is hitting .393 with a 1.004 OPS. It was his two-run single in the bottom of the eighth that put the Yankees ahead for good in a back-and-forth game. 

“You go back to the end of ‘24 and the playoff run in ‘24 and what he was, then last year, he might have been as good as ever when he came back [from injury],” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said this weekend. “He was such a massive presence in the middle of our order, as he was in ‘24. I feel there was real consistency to what he was doing. Despite being older, man, he’s still so good — and in a lot of ways better.”

Boone was right about Stanton being as good as ever in 2025: In 77 games, Stanton hit .273 with 24 homers for a .944 OPS. Over a full 162, that would project to 50 homers — his second-highest single-season total ever.

How about the wheels on Giancarlo Stanton? 😤

He steals second base and then later runs home to score on a wild pitch! pic.twitter.com/6V5VnyLZgQ

— MLB (@MLB) April 5, 2026

Of course, the reason Stanton only has one 50-homer season to his name is health, not talent. And after his stolen base, he would not go so far as to agree with the idea that taking off for second suggests his legs must be healthier than ever. 

“I’m out there playing,” Stanton said. “So we’re good.”

Perhaps obviously, Stanton will not play anywhere close to 162 games this year precisely so the Yankees can ensure he is available to reemerge as a postseason buzzsaw when they need him in October. 

Still, his resurgence serves as a reminder of how prolific he has been when healthy: For example, coming into Sunday’s series finale, Stanton is 46 home runs away from 500 in his career. He likely will not get enough at-bats to reach that number this season, in part because it is better for the Yankees that he be healthy in October than chase history in September. Still, the way he is hitting in the at-bats he is taking suggests one of the best-ever versions of one of this era’s best pure sluggers might be back. 

“I just think he’s gotten great at the preparation game for him personally: What does he need to do mentally, physically to be ready to go up and produce in a game,” Boone said. “He is just so mentally tough and disciplined to what he has to do that you really sense that and feel that being around him the last several years.” 

Stanton has always been one of this team’s more respected clubhouse pillars — less publicly-facing than Judge and quieter than the rest, but as perceptive and even-keeled as they come. He did not need to produce like he did in the old days to be crucial to the success of this era of Yankees. But as they boast a team with all the necessary pieces to challenge for a title, it certainly would not hurt.

The Red Sox have taken some flak for their rocky start in this young season, and I’m about to pile on. It’s about the pelvic thrust hit celebration. I’ll say up front that I don’t care about being “family friendly” or anything like that. Here are my issues with it.

It’s not okay with female fans

I have lost a large amount of enthusiasm for the 2026 team since I first saw that celebration. It’s made it difficult for me to watch my beloved team.

Why do women dislike this particular display of testosterone? In case it needs explaining, I can tell you that most girls and women have surely lost count of the number of times a guy (a stranger, classmate, coworker, the friend of a friend at a party, the list goes on) has thrust his pelvis in her direction. I mean without an invitation and outside of a dance-floor context. It starts early, it’s aggressive, and it’s not funny.

For a moment I had an idea to ask other female fans about the Red Sox hit celebration and publish their thoughts and reactions. The first person I asked said she was grateful that the hit celebration wasn’t [redacted: truly obscene gesture that women are uniquely subjected to, involving two fingers and flashing tongue]. She had a point, and I dropped the idea after that.

Aren’t female fans entitled to more than a pathetic level of gratitude that things aren’t worse? Why do women have to pay this price to watch and try to enjoy men’s professional sports?

It’s weak

It’s nowhere near the same league as some of the Red Sox earlier hit (and home run) celebrations. The airplane wings celebration was unique, hilarious, and a little weird. It served as a rallying point after that turbulent flight. The monster hands and the hip shimmy were fun. There’s more leeway with home run celebrations, since they’re not confined to the bag, and the Sox have really showed the depth of their creativity with those. The laundry cart and Wally head are classics. Putting on the medals from the Boston Marathon and Alex Cora’s 5K were meaningful and sweet celebrations. If they put their minds to it, I’m sure the current team can come up with something just as great.

It’s unsportsmanlike

In the NFL, that is. Rico Dowdle of the Carolina Panthers was given a 15-yard penalty and fined almost $15,000 in November 2025 for a similar celebration. It’s unusual to find myself in alignment with the NFL, but sometimes the enemy of your enemy is your friend. Kudos to DeMarcus Lawrence of the Seattle Seahawks for trying to come up with acceptable alternatives! Here’s his discussion with the referee in November 2025 about that.

Note that the ref replied, “As long as you don’t give me that motion [offers light pelvic thrust for clarity], I’m okay with that one [the suggested alternative].”

It’s unoriginal

It’s a little tired at this point! The celebration is based on a 2013 skit from Key & Peele. NFL players have been working with this source material for years. The list includes Lance Moore in 2013, Von Miller in 2015, Aaron Rodgers and others in 2020. It was back in the pop culture spotlight again in 2025 because of Dowdle. Why are the 2026 Red Sox rehashing something from the last NFL season? Can’t the Red Sox find something fresh to do on the field? [Insert joke here about their poor start to the 2026 season. Go ahead, I’ll wait.]

This charmless celebration leaves me in the difficult position of rooting for it to be replaced due to a sustained losing streak or more flight turbulence. Don’t put me in that position, Sox.

[Author’s note: This being said, it appeared by Friday’s home opener that the celebration is undergoing alterations. Marcelo Mayer performed an abbreviated version that toned down the pelvic thrusting, and devoted more time and energy to a two-handed pointing gesture toward the dugout. It was an improvement.]

The Detroit Tigers have opened up their 2026 home schedule with a pair of wins against the St. Louis Cardinals and are looking to finish off the sweep on Sunday night in front of a national TV audience.

Originally, Justin Verlander was supposed to make his Comerica Park debut in the finale of the three-game weekend series, but was scratched and placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to symptoms related to being 43 years old. Instead, right-hander Keider Montero will make his season debut with a start in his place.

The 25-year-old’s spring training numbers were not great, putting up a 9.00 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in two appearances — both starts — that stretched over five frames. Those numbers will not mean much when he toes the rubber this evening, however.

Opposite him is righty Kyle Leahy, whose first start of the season left something to be desired. Take a look below at how the two match up.

Detroit Tigers (4-4) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (4-4)

Time (ET): 7:20 p.m. ET
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site: Viva El Birdos
Media: Peacock/NBC Sports Network, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 9: RHP Keider Montero (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Kyle Leahy (0-1, 7.20 ERA)

Player	G	IP	K%	BB%	GB%	ERA	FIP	fWAR
Montero (proj)	33	55.0	19.2	7.9	–	4.41	4.49	0.2
Leahy (2026)	1	5.0	4.2	8.3	52.4	7.20	3.98	0.0

MONTERO

LEAHY