Category: Baseball

The Cincinnati Reds have scored just 78 runs through their 22 games played this year, yet they’ve managed to win 14 of those and sit in 1st place in their division after their weekend sweep of the Minnesota Twins.

The Tampa Bay Rays, meanwhile, have seen their runners score 103 times through just 21 games, yet they sit in 2nd place in their own division with 12 wins after dropping two of three over the weekend against Pittsburgh.

Not all baseball is played alike, of course. Tampa’s offense has come out of the gate in impressive fashion, their team wOBA ranking 11th overall, their team wRC+ 10th, and their 18.6% K-rate at the plate the second lowest of any team in baseball. The flip side to that, though, is that their 4.90 expected ERA through those 21 games is 5th worst as they’ve yielded 1.28 homers per game (5th highest) – and the collective 5.81 xERA from their relievers is the single worst of any bullpen unit to date.

In many ways, the 12-9 Rays are the inverse of the 14-8 Reds, who have gotten where they are thanks to elite bullpen work and improved defense (Cincinnati ranks 13th in DEF at FanGraphs while Tampa ranks 2nd worst) despite bottom of the barrel offense. Both clubs, though, have managed to win a lot more than they’ve lost despite both still boasting negative run differentials for the season, with Tampa mimicking the Reds with a 4-1 record in one-run games of their own.

Something will likely have to give in this series, though that’s not a given. We could get a 9-6 win from Tampa followed by a pair of pair of 2-1 Reds victories, and that would just about sum up where both clubs are on the baseball result spectrum at this point in the galaxy’s history.

Rhett Lowder will toe the rubber in Monday’s series opener, with Chase Burns (Tuesday) and Brandon Williamson (Wednesday) slated to follow. First pitch Monday at the renovated Trop is set for 6:40 PM ET, and the Reds will line up like so:

So we can only have so many nice things with the 2026 Red Sox, eh?

Good news! The offense can actually produce runs!

Bad news! Sonny Gray left the game in the third with right hamstring tightness and we had to almost empty out the pen before the series against the Yankees!

Fun times.

Can I also just say the jersey matchup today was phenomenal? I wouldn’t be opposed to the Tigers bringing these navy getups back in much more permanent fashion.

Studs

Roman Anthony (1-for-2, 3 BB, 1 RBI)

Things might be starting to click for Roman, and it’s really because of the walks. Being able to have a good eye means you’re not swinging at bull. When he can put the second half of it together and make good contact on his pitches, watch out.

Masataka Yoshida (2-for-4, 2 runs scored, 1 BB)

Where has he come from? His exit velo is at a career high, his clutch meter is through the roof, his decision making…well he at least got back to third and didn’t get caught blowing by a stop sign in this one, but I’m seeing a good ballplayer!

Middle Bullpen (Weissert, Whitlock)

The Italian Stallion and Mr. Whit cleaned up a big mess inherited from the below. It let the Sox score a few more runs and breath a little.

Duds

Middle Bullpen (Morán, Watson, Kelly)

These guys are lucky that the Sox don’t have so many function arms because BOY do they get used a lot and boy is it an adventure every single time. Ryan Watson, WHAT are you doing?

Jarren Duran (0-for-3, 1 K)

Almost put Abreu on here but he walked and brought in a run, Duran just didn’t have an affect on this one.

Play of the Game

I was going to go for Rafaela’s RBI single in the 7th, but this actually ended up being the game-winning hit after all was said and done. I can’t believe after getting inches from being beaned on a bunt, he slapped that single.

The Atlanta Braves will be facing off against the Washington Nationals tonight in a battle of two of top three offenses in MLB right now in terms of runs scored per game. The Braves are scoring 5.55 runs per game and the Nats are scoring 5.50.

This matchup will feature five hitters in the top thirty in the NL in wRC+. CJ Abrams in currently number two in the NL with Michael Harris rounding out the top thirty.

With the Nats’ starter Jake Irvin being a RHP, it could be assumed that we will see a lineup that features the red hot Dom Smith, but what we did not know for certain is if Walt Weiss will be resting any of the starters. He has been doing that this season seemingly more than Brian Snitker did.

We knew Matt Olson would not be sitting, but he has struggled against Irvin in his sixteen at-bats with a .188 average and .610 OPS. Dominic Smith has a .333 average against Irvin in his six at-bats, but only a .666 OPS. The player to keep an eye on is Michael Harris who leads the team with eighteen at-bats against Irvin and has been successful. He has a .389 average and .950 OPS against him.

It turns out that Mauricio Dubón will be getting the night off as Jorge Mateo will be getting the nod at SS. We also have some other movements of note. Mike Yastrzemski has been moved down to ninth while he is waiting to get into a groove, and red hot Michael Harris has been moved up to sixth in the lineup. It is nice to see that Walt Weiss is not stuck on a certain lineup and will play the hot hand and move certain players around.

For the Nationals, CJ Abrams has had no trouble against Bryce Elder in his career. In his fifteen at-bats against him, he has a .400 average and .905 OPS. In fact, five of the seven players to have faced Elder before have an OPS of .800 or better. The difference is this is arguably the best version of Bryce Elder we have ever seen.

The Nationals red hot offense will be a real test to see if Elder is for real. Every pitcher has an off night every once in awhile. We saw it with Chris Sale recently. But, Elder could also prove tonight that he can slow down a potent lineup. The key will be slowing down Abrams and James Wood, who has hit a HR off of Elder already in his young career.

First pitch is at 6:45 EDT.

In an unusual road game on Monday that wraps up a four-game series, the Dodgers try to avoid a third straight defeat at the hands of the Colorado Rockies, twice done in by the bullpen late in games. They’ll do so against a familiar face in José Quintana, a starter they’ve bullied in the NLCS in each of the past two seasons on their way to World Series titles. Now, this lefty-mashing offense will get the opportunity to hit against Quintana in Coors Field.

As a team, the Dodgers have an .851 OPS against southpaws, while 28 of the other 30 clubs are below .800. And sure, scoring 16 runs in three games isn’t bad by any means, but there was probably a little part in all of us that wanted to see them crack double digits at least once while playing in Colorado. This is as good an opportunity as any.

For the second week in a row, Justin Wrobleski will square off against a lefty, now looking to replicate—at least partially—the success he had against the Mets, pitching the game of his life with eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball.

A reliever who provided length for the majority of his early career in the majors, Wrobleski fulfilled that role three times in previous appearances at Coors Field. This will be his first start at Colorado, following what seemed to be a trend in this series—Roki Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow had also never started a game in Coors before.

Monday’s game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Rockies
• Ballpark: Coors Field, Denver
• Start time: 5:40 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Since the Cubs took two of three from the Phillies last week in Philadelphia, the Cubs swept the Mets and outscored them 18-7, and the Phillies got swept at home by the Braves, outscored 16-3. The Phillies’ flight to Chicago got in after 1 a.m. today after their loss to the Braves Sunday night. So you can imagine the mood the Phillies will be in starting tonight for this four-game series at Wrigley Field.

You can read more about the Phillies in last week’s series preview, and also please visit our SB Nation Phillies site The Good Phight.

Fun facts

The four games this week vs. the Phillies will wrap up the seven-game season series between the teams. April  22 will be the second-earliest date on which they have finished playing each other. In 2001, they met at Philadelphia for three games on Apr 6-8, then played three at Wrigley Field on April 17-18, with a doubleheader the second day.
…
This is the Cubs’ first four-game series against the Phillies since 2021, when they lost three of four at home. It is the first of four six-game series that the Cubs will play this season. Only one other will be against a team not in the Central Division, at New York vs. the Mets on June 22-25.

The Cubs will host the Reds for four games on May 4-7 and the Brewers on Aug. 31-Sept. 3. They will play four at Pittsburgh on May 25-28 and at St. Louis on July 27-30.

The Cubs will play 52 three-game series. Last year, they played four series of four games, of which they won one series. lost one and split two. They won a five-game series required due to a rainout.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Monday: Colin Rea, RHP (2-0, 3.63 ERA, 0.981 WHIP, 3.59 FIP) vs. Aaron Nola, RHP (1-1, 4.03 ERA, 1.299 WHIP, 3.53 FIP)

Tuesday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (1-1, 2.45 ERA, 0.773 WHIP, 2.17 FIP) vs. Jesús Luzardo, LHP (1-3, 7.94 ERA, 1.456 WHIP, 2.86 FIP)

Wednesday: Matthew Boyd, LHP (1-1, 6.75 ERA, 1.179 WHIP, 1.84 FIP) vs. TBD

Thursday: Edward Cabrera, RHP (2-0, 2.38 ERA, 1.279 WHIP, 3.08 FIP) vs. Cristopher Sánchez, LHP (2-2, 1.59 ERA, 1.412 WHIP, 1.68 FIP)

NOTE: If the Phillies stay on rotation, it’s Taijuan Walker’s turn on Wednesday, but he’s been hit really hard (9.16 ERA, six HR in 18.2 innings) so they might choose to go with someone else.

Times & TV channels

Monday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Tuesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Wednesday: 6:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Thursday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Phillies market territories)

Prediction

The Cubs are hot and the Phillies… are definitely not. Not only have the Phillies lost five in a row, they have dropped 10 of their last 13. The Cubs took two of three in Philly last week and so I’m going to call for them to stay hot and take three of four here.

Up next

The Cubs begin their first West Coast trip of 2026 in Los Angeles. They’ll play a three-game series against the Dodgers there beginning Friday evening.

The Diamondbacks continued to impress on a 6-3 roadtrip. What’s the key for this success to continue?

James: Get healthy. Stay healthy. That’s a solid first step. Arizona’s biggest opponent over the last year has been the IL. Also, Michael Soroka has to continue to be the Michael Soroka that he has been, resembling when he first debuted many years ago.

Wesley: James is absolutely right on all counts, especially that last point. Michael Soroka really needs to continue pitching well and stay healthy, not for the team or anything, but so that we as a fanbase can come together and publicly shame James for being so completely wrong about Soroka.

In all seriousness, aside from the team needing to stay healthy and continue playing well, the biggest thing I think is picking the right time to call up a Ryan Waldschmidt or LuJames Groover, or one of the many RHPs that Hazen signed over the offseason. At this point it is unrealistic to expect perfect health from this roster, so knowing the optimal time to call up our prospects is going to be important down the stretch 

Ben: I think the easiest answer certainly is health, but the team has played really solid, well-rounded baseball. The pitching – both in the rotation and from the bullpen – has been somewhere between good and very good, there are offensive sparks up and down the lineup, and the defense has been excellent with the team pacing the majors in defensive runs saved. I think how the pitching holds up will be the key to maintaining this success. There’s probably some negative regression in store for several important contributors – particularly Eduardo Rodriguez whose FIP and expected ERA (4.24 and 4.15) are so far beyond his actual ERA of 1.96 that he almost certainly can’t continue it at that level. 

Makakilo:  Two observations about the Diamondbacks (7-15 April games):

• 5.3 runs scored per game.  
• 15 shutdown performances by relief pitchers.  Their shutdowns were second most in the Majors during their road trip.

Preston: This success will not continue in the same ways. We’ve almost certainly seen the best of both the starting rotation and the bullpen. The offense needs to step up and be the offense that we’ve seen the last couple of years. Perdomo needs to start finding more open spaces. Ildemaro Vargas is not going to continue to post a wRC+ in the 180s; his career wRC+ is 80, and his BABIP is .415. The third and fourth most valuable Diamondbacks on the offensive side (by fWAR) this season are both on the IL. 

There’s been both good luck and bad luck, though. The second best xFIP on the team belongs to…Taylor Rashi? Paul Sewald has either been lucky (if you look at BABIP and contact) or relatively in line with expectations (if you look at xERA and xFIP).

Dare I say that we are seeing what a good team does? This team isn’t winning one way. The rotation, the bullpen, the offense, the defense…none of them are elite, but all of them have contributed. This is close to the “anybody, anytime” days of the recently disgraced Tony Clark, with the significant difference that this team is not a mirage. They are legitimately good, and can win in multiple ways.

Spencer: Play solid baseball. And trust pure talent and motivation over experience and “readiness” (Fernandez and Vargas vs Smith/Sanatana).

ISH95: They have to be able to weather whatever comes next. It’s a long season, with 140 some odd games, give or take, left to go. The answer to what makes for winning baseball the past two weeks will not be the answer for the next two. Adapt to the next challenge. It’s something the team has struggled with in the past. 

Merrill Kelly looked alright in his return. Any flash opinions?

James: I was pleased to see him gut out 5+ innings. I think he still looks rusty though. The ball to strike ratio would suggest the same (for Kelly). He’s going to need a bit more time to knock the rust off, which is fine and to be expected

Wesley: He did seem a bit rusty, but overall he looked really good, all things considered.

Ben: He looked all right. There wasn’t any noticeable drop in velocity or movement on his pitches and he looked relatively comfortable. I have faith he’ll continue to get more comfortable and more confident as the season progresses. 

Makakilo:  This season, his first game was comparable to his first game last season.  He pitched 5.1 innings in each, facing 24 batters (86 pitches) this season and 23 batters (85 pitches) last season.  My flash opinion is he is on track to pitch like he did last season.

Preston: He had a really bad inning that could have (and, for many D-backs’ pitchers, would have) snowballed into a 17-2 loss. He toughed through it and the Diamondbacks won. That’s the kind of veteran leadership the team needs.

Spencer: I’ve stopped discounting Kelly. He’s gonna be solid to great for years. Very impressive man. 

ISH95: It’s nice to have the best pitcher on the team back, even if he didn’t pitch to his normal standards. Rust is to be expected, especially since if my memory serves he only got one true rehab game, with the others being a sim game at Extended Spring Training and a long bullpen. 

Nolan Arenado has shown flashes of contribution recently. Mirage or might he be turning the corner toward Longoria type presence?

James: I never understood all the Arenado hate. Even the best players in the league go through spells like he did, especially as they get older. As long as he continues to be steady, I am not worried. The one thing I like about Arenado is that he tends not to get nervous and doesn’t try to be something he isn’t at the plate. He puts in the work and trusts the results will follow. It seems that now they are.

Wesley: I still stand by my prediction that he will bounce back offensively. I don’t think he’ll ever be the guy he was in his peak, but I think he has enough gas left in the tank to provide some positive WAR on both sides of the diamond. If he doesn’t bounce back, then you call up LuJames Groover, Tommy Troy, or one of the many good hitting middle infielders.

Makakilo:  During the road trip, his 8 RBIs led the team.  And his .208 BABIP shows he was relatively unlucky, so his performance could be higher.

On the other hand, on the road trip, his 15.4% hard hits was lower than his season average, suggesting it was a mirage.  

Overall, I’m optimistic that he will continue to make significant positive contributions.  

Preston: For what we are paying him, we’re getting value. He’s not the player he once was. He also has turned on some fastballs recently and hit them a long way. His bat speed isn’t bad. But I’d really like to see him draw some walks and stop chasing pitches a mile out of the zone. That’s not an age-related decline; that’s more of a pressing too hard decline.

Spencer: He old, man. But even old dogs still have tricks. He’s almost always defied some metrics, so I trust he can be productive. Something close to the middle ground of the polar sides we saw from Suarez. 

Ben: If our expectations for Arenado are 2023 Longoria, then I think those expectations will be met. In the first few weeks, Arenado has shown he can still be a very positive contributor in the field while having some contributions with the bat. Putting the two head-to-head emphasizes that as Arenado still finds his footing with a new team. The biggest red flag so far? His chase rate, strikeout rate, and walk rate are all sitting at career worst, but that might be a function of trying to force something rather than allowing the game to come to him more naturally.  

ISH95: Spencer’s right, the man is old and it shows. His defense, while still good, has clearly lost a step, and the bat hasn’t been there for a while. Can he maintain a decent balance of the two and be Longoria 2.0, yeah, probably. 

What’s your favorite TV show?

James: That’s a tough call for me as I have seen a ridiculous amount of television in my time as I review many shows/episodes. On the short list though would be such titles as:
Murdoch Mysteries
Death in Paradise

The West Wing (followed quite closely by another Aaron Sorkin gem, The Newsroom)

Lucifer
Babyloinfielder.

Wesley: I can’t answer a question as broad as that. Even if we narrow it down to a favorite in specific genres, I’d still have a hard time picking just one favorite. Favorite scripted live-action comedy? Hard to choose between ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’ ‘Wilfred’ ‘Brockmire’ along with another five or six shows I’m forgetting. Favorite sketch comedy show? Once again, it’s very hard to choose between ‘The Whitest Kids U Know’ ‘Key & Peele’ ‘Upright Citizens Brigade’ ‘Kids in the Hall’ ‘Chappelle’s Show’ ‘Mr. Show w/ Bob and David’ and that doesn’t even get it things like ‘The Muppet Show’ 

Although I didn’t exactly answer the question, I think you get my point. Comparing a comedy like ‘It’s Always Sunny’ to a dramatic thriller ‘Mr. Robot’ doesn’t do either show any favors.

Makakilo:  Death in Paradise.

Preston: I’ve recently enjoyed sharing The Good Place with my oldest; there’s something about sharing shows with people that mean a lot to you that makes them better. I personally love Bojack Horseman, but I also haven’t seen it since my life was in a place where I needed to see it, so I don’t know if holds up.

Spencer: Person of Interest has long been the answer here. It’s just excellent in every aspect (with one weird episode ending music choice). But currently on air? The Pitt, Ted Lasso, Shrinking and maybe Your Friends & Neighbors. 

Ben: I’m with everyone else – trying to choose just one TV show would be extremely difficult. The West Wing is regularly quoted in our household, The Office was long a comfort show for me, but there are so many shows that I’ve loved. 
ISH95: My colleagues are not wrong that this is nearly an impossible question to answer. However, nothing is actually impossible if you actually set your mind to it, so I will say Doctor Who, even though sometimes it seems as though the show and those behind it do in fact hate its viewers.

The Astros have placed IF Nick Allen on the 10-day IL (retro 4/19) due to mid-back spasms.

To take his place on the active roster, the Astros selected IF Braden Shewmake (#28)to the Major League roster.

To make room for Shewmake on 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Cristian Javier to the 60-day IL.

RHP J.P. France has been outrighted to Triple A Sugar Land.

The Nats were able to salvage their weekend series against the San Francisco Giants with a 3-0 win on Sunday, and now they’re slated to play host to the red-hot Atlanta Braves.

Zack Littell gave up 6 runs in the 2nd inning of Game 1 to essentially put the game out of reach, as Daylen Lile and James Wood’s homers were only able to cut the deficit to 5. Game 2 was an extra-inning heartbreaker, as the Nats wasted walk-off chances in the 10th and 11th innings after tying the game in the 9th before relinquishing the deciding run in the 12th. Bulk outings from Miles Mikolas and Andrew Alvarez blanked San Francisco in the final game of the series, with a Keibert Ruiz RBI double and a 2-run Joey Wiemer blast more than enough to secure the victory.

Atlanta comes to the nation’s capital as winners of 8 of their last 10 games, with a sweep of the division rival Philadelphia Phillies extending their lead in the NL East. Getting to the Braves’ pitching staff has been far from easy for teams to do, and the Nats are next in line, looking to bring themselves closer to the division lead.

Monday – 6:45 PM EST

ATL: RHP Bryce Elder (2-1, 0.77 ERA)

WSH: RHP Jake Irvin (1-2, 6.16 ERA)

It had been a rough go for Elder the past 2 seasons after he broke onto the scene in 2022 and then posted respectable numbers as a 12-game winner in 2023. Through 4 starts in 2025, however, it’s been a completely different story. The righthander has generated timely whiffs, has kept the ball on the ground, and has given up barrels at a staggeringly low 1.7%. He’s certainly a tough matchup for the series opener, and the Nats’ lefties will look to keep him from getting into an early groove.

Irvin hasn’t given Washington much length this season, as he hasn’t worked past 5.0 innings in a start so far this season, but he looked much better in his last outing against Pittsburgh. The walks are still a concerning aspect of his game, but he limited the Pirates to just 4 hits and 2 runs last Wednesday. Atlanta clearly has the statistical pitching advantage, but a replication of Irvin’s last start could keep the Nats in the game long enough for the offense to take over.

Tuesday – 6:45 PM EST

ATL: RHP Reynaldo Lopez (1-0, 2.18 ERA)

WSH: LHP Foster Griffin (2-0, 3.05 ERA)

Lopez is another Braves starter who has gotten off to a much better start in 2026 than his 2025 campaign did. He’s dropped his ERA by over 3 full points since last season, and his strikeout numbers have followed in his most recent outings. Lifting the ball has been the one area where opponents have found success against the 32-year-old, making the game plan for the Nats’ hitters quite clear.

Tuesday night’s game will be a big test for Griffin, as he’s faced with his first opportunity to bounce back after a bad start since making his MLB return. He surrendered 8 hits and 4 runs in 5.1 innings against the Pirates, and will look to regain his form versus Atlanta. The southpaw has been one of the most effective arms on the roster, and proving he can fight through adversity would be another fantastic sign.

Wednesday – 6:45 PM EST

ATL: LHP Martin Perez (1-1, 2.21 ERA)

WSH: RHP Zack Littell (0-2, 7.11 ERA)

Atlanta entered the season with plenty of question marks surrounding their starting rotation, including Perez, but boy, have the doubters quieted. Pitching for his 5th team, he’s had his entire arsenal working through 4 starts, including a shutdown 6-inning, 0-run performance last Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Inducing soft contact is where Perez has beaten teams, with Washington slated to try to break that pattern.

This will be a start to watch for Littell, as he’s coming off enduring an absolute beatdown from the San Francisco Giants. Opposing batters are hitting .325 with 7 home runs off him in just 19 total innings, making this easily the Nats’ toughest draw. With both Irvin and Miles Mikolas unable to find their rhythm to this point, Littell reverting to the steady arm he’s been for most of his career would be a much-needed change.

Thursday – 1:05 PM EST

ATL: LHP Chris Sale (4-1, 2.79 ERA)

WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli (0-1, 4.12 ERA)

Sale hasn’t missed a beat from his elite 2025 campaign, racking up 4 wins on the early season and keeping his ERA under 3 for the 3rd consecutive year. He’s given opponents everything they can handle with 29 sparkling innings, and the underlying metrics are just as good. Finding a weak spot in his game is a task few hitters have accomplished so far, and it would be quite beneficial for the Nats to push across some wins early in the series before facing him.

Cavalli has looked extremely close to putting it together at times this year, but has consistently come up short trying to work his way out of innings. Defense didn’t help him in his shortened 4.0-inning outing against the Giants, with just 1 of his 3 runs earned, and he did post his first start without a walk. Adding onto what he was able to do could give the Nats a much-needed chance against Sale, especially if the series is close entering the finale.

Chance to turn the NL East tide

Sitting 5.0 games back of the Braves for 1st place in the National League East, this could be a pivotal series despite still being in April. If the Nats can come in guns blazing and force a sweep, they would find themselves within just 1 game of the division lead. Tempering expectations a bit, the goal should be to maintain within striking distance of Atlanta by the time they depart for Chicago on Thursday. Splitting or winning the series would keep Washington in the thick of things, as they’re set to face the White Sox and then the scuffling New York Mets after this series.

Hope you had your coffee ready for this, the stupidest start time of the season. The Tigers had a very early game today because they have no off days this weekend so they needed time to get to Milwaukee. It’s also Boston Marathon day, which makes me wonder why they aren’t wearing their marathon-inspired City Connects. Anyway, we had Jack Flaherty on the mound for the Tigers, while Sonny Gray was getting the start for the Red Sox. The Tigers had taken the last two games in the series and were hoping to make it three of four.

Kevin McGonigle kicked things off in the first with a leadoff single, but was soon eliminated in a double play off the bat of Gleyber Torres. A Colt Keith flyout ended things with no runs scored. In the home half, Willson Contreras got a one-out single, then one out later, Masataka Yoshida took a walk, but Flaherty got out of the jam with no harm done. We did get treated to this incredible catch for the final out of the inning, though.

The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the top of the second. Things got incredibly weird in the bottom of the inning. Caleb Durbin got a one-out walk, followed by a single from Marcelo Mayer that advanced Dubrin to third. Carlos Narvaez reached on a fielder’s choice, and what should have been a rundown out on the third base path resulted in the ball getting thrown away and Durbin scoring. Flaherty was charged with the error. Roman Anthony then walked to load the bases. With two outs in the inning, Flaherty’s troubles continued and he walked Wilyer Abreu, walking in the second run of the game. That was it for the inning, but not at all a good showing from Flaherty.

Matt Vierling started the third with a double on a zippy line drive. Then a Hao-Yu Lee groundout got Vierling to third. A Jake Rogers single brought Matt home, and put the Tigers on the board.

Rogers saw an opening and successfully stole second while Torres worked on a lengthy at-bat against Gray. Torres fought out a walk, and then the Red Sox came out for a mound visit with Gray, who was obviously experiencing some issues. Gray was then pulled from the game, despite a strong early start, something was definitely wrong. Danny Coulombe came out of the Red Sox pen and collected the final out of the inning, leaving two men stranded. In the bottom of the inning, Flaherty got his footing back a little. He gave up a two-out double to Durbin, but the runner didn’t amount to anything as the next out finished the inning.

Riley Greene got a leadoff walk in the top of the fourth. However, a force out off the bat of Dillon Dingler eliminated Greene and deposited Greene safely on first. Kerry Carpenter was hit by a pitch to put two men on. Zack Kelly came in to replace Coulombe for the Sox. With two outs in the inning, Lee came in and collected his first major league hit, and an RBI at that, bringing in the tying run.

An update came through about Gray, who apparently left the game with a leg injury. I am not a doctor, but it looked like a potential hamstring injury. Good old unreliable Flaherty was back in gear in the bottom of the fourth, giving up back-to-back walks to Narvaez and Roman Anthony, and acting like the strike zone was an ex-girlfriend he was trying to avoid. Flaherty got the first out of the inning, but it would be his last out of the game as Hinch came in to pull him. Brant Hurter came out of the pen. Jack’s final line of the game was 3.1 IP, 2 R, 0 ER (though I feel like if you committed the error, you should still be responsible for the run), 6 BB, 3 K on 73 pitches. I would normally try to look at the bright side of any start, but the bright side here is that he was pulled before things got worse. Abreu hit into a force out at second, which was a bit of a heart-stopper as Torres struggled to tag second on time, but made it just before the runner. A lineout ended the inning and the threat.

The Tigers had a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth, and for the first time all game, the Red Sox went down in order in the home half.

Jovani Morán came on in the top of the sixth, and gave up back-to-back walks to Greene and Dingler. Jahmai Jones came in to pinch-hit for Kerry Carpenter, and he singled, bringing Greene in and giving the Tigers the lead for the first time in the game.

The Sox made another pitching change, bringing in Greg Weissert, and he got the Tigers out in order after that. With one out in the home half, Narvaez doubled, then successfully stole third. Roman Anthony came in and singled, re-tying the game. Anthony then stole second. The Tigers stopped the bleeding at just one run, but the score was back to even.

Garrett Whitlock was the next Red Sox pitcher in, and he got the Tigers out in order in the top of the seventh. Tyler Holton replaced Hurter in the home half, and it was about to be one very ugly inning. Yoshida got things started with a single, followed by a walk to Trevor Story. A one-out single from Durbin got the bases loaded. Ceddanne Rafaela, on to pinch hit, hit a liner into right, to drive in two runs and get the Red Sox a much healthier lead. Durbin was tagged out at home, though, so it could have been worse. A wild pitch allowed Rafaela to advance, then Narvaez singled to bring him home. Anthony walked, and that was it for Holton, who was replaced by Drew Anderson. Anderson induced the final out of the inning, but the Sox were now ahead three runs.

Riley Greene singled at the top of the eighth, but was once again eliminated in a force out off the bat of Dingler. The Red Sox then got lucky with a review call that ultimately resulted in Wenceel Perez being ruled out at first instead of the initial safe call. Definitely a bummer for the Tigers. Yoshida got a one-out single in the home half. Trevor Story then doubled, but the Red Sox third base coach basically had to stand in front of Yoshida to keep him from going for home. He got there anyway when Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to score two additional runs. Kiner-Falefa then stole second, but two outs followed, including another great catch by Greene at the Monster to keep the damage at least somewhat limited.

Lee kept going with MLB firsts, getting his first double with a leadoff in the top of the ninth. If there was one nice thing about losing the lead so spectacularly, the Tigers didn’t need to face Aroldis Chapman. Kevin McGonigle doubled, but Lee only advanced to third thanks to a strong arm with Abreu in the outfield. Torres singled, bringing Lee home. So much for avoiding Chapman, because the Red Sox now had to dip into the bullpen for him. With two outs, Riley Greene doubled, scoring another two runs. Chapman did the final out after that, though, so while the Tigers did make a valiant effort in the ninth, it wasn’t enough to stage a full comeback.

Final: Red Sox 8, Tigers 6

The Atlanta Braves are coming off their first sweep of the Phillies in Philadelphia since 2016 while also leading MLB in run differential, total runs scored, team ERA, and hold the best division lead in MLB. The start for the Braves could not have been much better, especially considering they are down half their rotation, their starting SS, and Sean Murphy.

Speaking of good starts, Bryce Elder is back to All-Star form this season with his sterling ERA of 0.77 and will be taking the mound to face the second place (tied) Washington Nationals. The Nationals have a losing record but some could argue that they have been better than expected, especially offensively. Only the Dodgers and Braves are scoring more runs per game than the Nationals are this season. 5.50 runs per game is an elite offense, the only problem is that the Nats are also allowing the most runs per game tied with the Astros at 6.09.

With the level of runs that the Nats have been scoring it will be interesting to see if Elder can hold them at bay. It does not take much research to know that it is highly likely that Elder will not be able to sustain a sub one ERA, but his expected ERA (xERA) of 2.30 is easily the best of his career. In fact, his Statcast numbers look the best they ever have too.

Now, you always want to take early season Statcast numbers with a grain of salt because they can change drastically as the season progresses, but the point is that Elder has not just been lucky this season, he has also pitched very well. Good strikeout and walk rates to go along with a good groundball rate and an elite barrel percentage is a mix for solid results, which has clearly happened.

It will be fun this evening to see how the Nats hitters will do against this new and improved Elder, because in the past they have absolutely wrecked him. Of the seven hitters on the roster who have faced him before, five of them have an OPS .800 or higher. CJ Abrams has a .905 OPS in fifteen at-bats, and Luis García Jr. has a 1.227 in eleven at-bats. Keep an eye on rising star James Wood as he is the only player to hit a HR off of Elder in his six at-bats against him.

Jake Irvin will be taking the mound for the Nats and he has had the opposite results of Elder. He currently sits at an ERA of 6.16, and it has not been entirely bad luck either. His xERA of 5.07 shows he has likely had some misfortune, but even if he actual ERA matched his xERA, it would not be a result to be proud of. The Braves currently have the fourth best walk rate in MLB and Irvin’s 12.8 percent walk rate is in the bottom 24.0 percent of the league. Walks could be the key to success for the Braves’ offense tonight.

Michael Harris will be the offensive player to watch this evening for the Braves. Not only is he red hot right now, but he has more at-bats than anyone else against Irvin with eighteen. He has a .389 average and .950 OPS in those at-bats as well. Matt Olson has the second most at-bats with sixteen but has struggled to a .188 average and .610 OPS against Irvin.

Two of the top three offenses offenses meet tonight, so on paper it should come down to which pitching staff can perform the best. First pitch is at 6:45 EDT.

Game Info

Game Time: Monday, April 20th, 6:45 pm EDT

Location: Nationals Park, Washington, DC.

Watch: BravesVision

Radio/Audio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

Boston Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray left his Patriots' Day start against the Detroit Tigers in the third inning after experiencing what the team called "right hamstring tightness."

In his first season with the Red Sox after being acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in a trade last November, Gray was making his fifth start of the 2026 campaign.

He had allowed one run on three hits and a walk over 2 ⅔ innings when he began having difficulty executing his pitching motion. After a brief visit from an athletic trainer and one practice pitch, Gray walked off the field.

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Ernie Clement’s bat is sizzling right now, and with the Angels sending a southpaw to the mound, I’m banking on the lefty-masher to stay hot.

Read on to see why in my Blue Jays vs. Angels predictions and free MLB picks on Monday, April 20.

Blue Jays vs Angels predictions

Blue Jays vs Angels best bet: Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases (+115)

Ernie Clement is riding a four-game hit streak while recording a hit in eight of his last nine games. 

The Toronto Blue Jays infielder has gone Over his total bases prop in five of those, including each of his last three outings. 

Clement is starting to find his power stroke, too, doubling in three straight, with six total two-baggers in this nine-game stretch, averaging 2.11 bases per game. 

The pitching matchup is in his favor as well. 

The Los Angeles Angels are starting LHP Reid Detmers tonight, who Clement should be able to take advantage of. He’s 6-for-18 against lefties this season and had a .900 OPS against southpaws in 2025.

COVERS INTEL: Clement owns an .833 OPS in six career at-bats against Detmers.

Blue Jays vs Angels same-game parlay (SGP)

The Angels' lineup has baseball's seventh-highest strikeout rate. Dylan Cease is a strikeout machine, ranking in the 95th percentile in K-rate this season, while averaging eight punchouts per start. 

For the last leg of the SGP, I’ll pair Cease’s strikeout total with Jorge Soler to go Over his 1.5 Ks prop. The outfielder has struggled mightily in this matchup throughout his career, going just 1-for-23 against Cease with a 56% K-rate.

Blue Jays vs Angels SGP

• Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases
• Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts
• Jorge Soler Over 1.5 hitter strikeouts

Blue Jays vs Angels home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+475)

I’ll make this a half-unit wager.

Detmers is a flyball pitcher who relies on his four-seam fastball often, which has a 43% usage rate and a hard-hit rate of 56.5%. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushes the fastball and has a .500 average against the four-seamer, with a .571 SLG against the pitch.

Blue Jays vs Angels odds

• Moneyline: Toronto -120 | Los Angeles +100
• Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+145) | Los Angeles +1.5 (-170)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-115) | Under 7.5 (-105)

Blue Jays vs Angels trend

The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 8 of their last 11 games (+5.50 Units / 44% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Angels.

How to watch Blue Jays vs Angels and game info

Blue Jays vs Angels latest injuries

Blue Jays vs Angels weather

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The New York Rangers will hold a top-five pick in the 2026 NHL Draft coming up on June 26.

The NHL Draft Lottery is set for May 5, in what will be a critical day for the Rangers’ organization. 

To close out the 2025-26 season, the Rangers finished 30th in the NHL league standings with a 34-39-9 record and 77 points, which means the Blueshirts have the third-best odds to land the first overall pick. 

At the May 5 draft lottery, the Rangers will have a 11.5% chance to get the first pick, 11.2% chance to get the second pick, 7.8% chance to get the third pick, 39.7% chance to get the fourth pick, and 29.8% chance to get the fifth pick. 

This draft will be a golden opportunity for the Rangers to land a potential cornerstone piece going into the future.

“It's exciting because we can potentially add a high-quality player that could potentially be a New York Ranger for a long time,” Mike Sullivan said. “And so from that standpoint, it's really exciting.”

We’ve seen a number of top-five picks in recent years make immediate impacts for their respective teams upon arrival, including Macklin Celebrini, Matthew Schaefer, Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, Ivan Demidov, and many more. 

“We’re excited it’s in the top five,” Chris Drury said of the Rangers’ 2026 first-round pick. “Will see on May 5 to where it is.”

The last time the Rangers held a top-five pick was in 2020, when the team selected Alexis Lafrenière first overall, while they drafted Kaapo Kakko second overall in 2019.