No game Friday. Today Cade Horton matches up against our old friend Miles Mikolas, trying to put a bow tie on the series. Mikolas isn’t quite what he used to be, but he still has moxie and tenacity.
We have plenty of videos to watch and some good articles to get you revved up for baseball, if that’s a need. Jason Heyward retired. He might do more for the community than the game, in the end.
“Having Pete on our side and having him around is important to our success, and a guy like that, it’s wins. He’s got another challenge ahead of him now, but he’s ready for it.” — Craig Counsell.
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The Mud Hens took an early lead in their International League opener in Lehigh Valley, but the offense ran out of gas and the Hens bullpen floundered late to lose it.
Sean Guenther got the spot start and had to pitch through a minor jam in the first. He did so, and then put the Pigs down in the second inning. Meanwhile, Trei Cruz got the Hens started in the top of the second with a single, and then took second on a wild pitch. Outfielder Corey Julks singled him in for a 1-0 lead.
Max Clark walked and stole second in the top of the third, but no rally followed him. Ricky Vanasco handled the third, issuing a walk but punching out a pair of hitters.Vanasco gave up a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth, but punched out two more swinging and then Tomas Nido challenged a ball call to get his pitcher a third strikeout in the inning. Impressive outing from Ricky Vanasco, but still some control issues. The stuff is strong.
Max Clark drew 94 walks and stole 19 bases in 2025. He picks up one of each in the 3rd inning tonight. pic.twitter.com/pSgZDuwRT3
Clark walked again in the fifth, but was also stranded again. Lefty Konnor Pilkington pitched around a two-out double in the bottom half. The Hens got two-out singles from Julks and Nido, and then a walk from Gage Workman, but Clark grounded out to end the top of the sixth.
In the bottom half, Pilkington got into trouble, loading the bases with a pair of walks after a leadoff double from the Pigs’ Felix Reyes. Brenan Hanifee got two outs without a run, as Workman took a grounder at third and cut down the runner at home plate. And then Hanifee walked in a run anyway to tie the game 1-1 before getting out of the inning.
A leadoff double from Wenceel Pérez was squandered in the top of the seventh. Tanner Rainey took over in the bottom half and was a mess, leaving Matt Seelinger to take over with a run in and runners on first and second. Seelinger walked Carter Kieboom to load the bases, and then followed up with a wild pitch and a pair of hits that made it 5-1 Pigs.
The rest of the game the Hens just couldn’t string anything together. Pérez stayed hot with a solo hot in the ninth to make it 5-2, extending his late spring hot streak, but overall the Hens bullpen was pretty sloppy in this one.
Wenceel Perez gets a low changeup and launches a 359-foot homer just over the wall in right. pic.twitter.com/cGcZPwnVwo
Prior to the game, the finalized Mud Hens roster was released. There weren’t too many surprises. Right now it’s a four-man rotation with Keider Montero, Ty Madden, Bryan Sammons, and Lael Lockhart Jr. Prospect Jake Miller and Sawyer Gipson-Long should be taking spots within a few weeks, but on Opening Day they went with a Sean Guenther-led bullpen game.
Toledo will host ten members of the Tigers’ 40-Man Roster: RHP Brenan Hanifee, RHP Ty Madden, LHP Jake Miller, RHP Keider Montero, LHP Drew Sommers, C/1B Eduardo Valencia, INF Jace Jung, INF Hao-Yu Lee, UT Trei Cruz and OF Wenceel Perez.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: A view of the stadium and a view of Kayakers arriving in McCovey Cove on Netflix branded kayaks are seen during the MLB Opening Night Game: Yankees vs. Giants, at Momo's on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Netflix) | Getty Images for Netflix
Good morning, baseball fans!
Now that we’re back into the groove of the regular season for the San Francisco Giants, it’s time to start checking in weekly to see who everyone’s Player of the Week is!
This week is a bit tough, especially for me because I have to pre-write these. Which means the team has only played exactly one game as of the time I am writing this and that was their semi-disastrous loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday.
So if I had to make a pick from just that game, I’m giving it to Aaron Judge! This might be a first in Player of the Week history (given that we only started doing these last season), since we usually try to give that out to a Giants player. But YOU try picking someone from the Giants in Wednesday’s game that made fans happier than Judge did when he struck out four times.
We may not remember the details of that game as time moves forward, but we’re going to remember Judge getting the league’s first golden sombrero of the year!
Who is your pick for Player of the Week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants conclude their series against the Yankees this afternoon at 4:15 p.m. PT.
Let’s be honest right up front: The Rockies are not chasing history in 2026. (They might be running from it.)
They’re not chasing Todd Helton and Larry Walker’s 49 home runs. They’re not chasing Andrés Galarraga’s 150 RBIs. They’re not sniffing Walker’s .379. This isn’t that kind of team. But that doesn’t mean this season won’t be worth watching.
Because while this roster won’t threaten the franchise record books over 162 games, it absolutely has the kind of young, toolsy, unpredictable talent that can do something ridiculous on any given night.
And at Coors Field, ridiculous still happens.
The Big Records? Not Happening
Before we get to the fun stuff, let’s acknowledge reality.
The Rockies’ all-time season records belong to the legends of Blake Street. Dominant hitters. Video game numbers.
No one here has the power, consistency, and opportunity to touch 49 home runs. No one is getting on base enough to steal 68 bags — stolen bases have never really been a Rockies identity, and that hasn’t changed (the high since 2016 is just 30, from Brenton Doyle in 2024). And no one is driving in 150 runs without a lineup built to feed them.
With Doyle’s speed, Tovar’s all-around game, and Beck’s upside, this feels doable.
Top candidates: Brenton Doyle, Jordan Beck, Ezequiel Tovar
Four-Home Run Game (Okay… Probably Not)
Only 21 players in MLB history have done it, but three did it in 2025. Baseball gets weird.
More realistically, a three-homer game is in play (last done by Michael Toglia in 2024).
Top candidates: Hunter Goodman, Jordan Beck, Mickey Moniak
No-Hitter (definitely not)
The Rockies have one no-hitter ever — Ubaldo Jiménez in 2010. Given this rotation, it’s hard to see that changing. But a dominant, start-to-finish outing? That’s possible.
A complete game is a more realistic benchmark — the last one came in 2022 from Chad Kuhl.
Chase Dollander has the raw stuff to flash something special. The catch? He’s starting in the bullpen.
Still — stuff plays.
Single-Game Records to Watch
If anything is happening this year, maybe it’s here:
These don’t require a perfect season — just one perfect night. And this roster has enough tools to stumble into one.
Takeaways
This version of the Rockies probably won’t give you a summer-long chase for history. The legends of Blake Street set the bar. Those records are safe — for now.
But it might give you a random Tuesday in June where someone hits for the cycle. Or three homers out of nowhere. Or a young arm that puts it all together for a full game. Baseball has always had room for something unexpected.
And this team? It feels like it’s built for exactly that.
In a season where Rockies fans will be looking for smaller wins — and things to celebrate — as roster churn and player development take center stage, the moments will matter more than the standings.
There will be standout performances this year. The only question is how big they’ll be — and where they’ll ultimately land in Rockies history.
So what do you think? Do we see a cycle? A no-hitter? Does anyone on this roster make a real run at a single-game or even a season record?
Tanner Gordon set the tone on Triple-A Opening Day, tossing five strong innings and allowing just one run on three hits while striking out five, helping the Isotopes overcome three errors to secure the win. Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) and Vimal Machin led the offense with two hits apiece, while Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) added a single in four at-bats. Not the cleanest game defensively, but plenty of pitching and just enough offense to get Albuquerque off to a winning start.
In this piece by Maria Aldrich of Sports Illustrated, she frames the Rockies’ offseason as a mix of smart, under-the-radar moves and a few that already look questionable. She points to some low-risk additions and controllable pieces as steps in the right direction, while also highlighting decisions the club might come to regret, like letting Germán Márquez walk in free agency.
In this Denver Sports (104.3 The Fan) piece, the staff fires off bold predictions for 2026 that range from cautiously hopeful to full Coors Field chaos. There’s a clear belief the Rockies will be better than a 119-loss disaster, with breakout buzz around Goodman, Tovar, and Beck. Beyond that, it’s the usual mix of power surges, surprise standouts, and just enough wild takes to remind you how unpredictable this team can be.
Mar 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (2) hits a single during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Now that we have baseball back today, we have to talk about this whole “day off after a game” Opening Day thing. I get it. MLB is scared of opening rainouts and wants a buffer day just in case. However, I am impatient and I want games all the time. Doubleheaders even!
Welcome back to minor league baseball! With Nolan McLean and Carson Benge both on the major league roster and all but guaranteed to accrue enough innings/at-bats to graduate from rookie status, Jonah Tong will soon be Mets’ number one prospect, and the right-hander picked up where he left off last season, throwing four scoreless innings en route to Syracuse’s first win of the 2026 season. In the top of the fourth, Jose Rojas slugged a two-run homer to give the Mets the lead, a lead that they would not relinquish. Anderson Severino and Austin Warren combined to throw three more scoreless innings after Tong left, while Nick Morabito added on an additional run in the seventh. Things got a little hairy in the bottom of the eighth, when Nick Burdi loaded up the bases without a single out, but he eventually navigated out of the inning allowing just a single run on a groundout. Joe Jaques had a much easier time in the bottom of the ninth, allowing a single but otherwise running into no issues for his first save of the season. One down, 149 more to go.
Two-way star Shohei Ohtani leaves the dugout after the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks on opening day. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Very clever, Bill Plaschke. Knowing your track record, you write a column predicting the Dodgers will not win the World Series this year, thereby ensuring that they will, in fact, win the World Series this year. Well done!
Jim Lawson Santa Barbara
We should thank Bill Plaschke for predicting that the aging Dodgers will NOT three-peat this fall. If a number of his past prognostications (read from cloudy crystal balls) were inaccurate, we have a much better chance to win a third consecutive World Series championship. Let’s call this new branch of science “Reverse Plaschke-ology.” No offense, but he should be careful where he makes his predictions, especially in a barbershop where there are many sharp objects in aging hands. We hope Bill is wrong … again.
Ken Mok Diamond Bar
Money matters
The Dodgers want a three-peat, and have spent a lot of money on Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker. But why, oh why, do they hold on to Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott? I just cannot fathom it out.
Deborah R. Ishida Beverly Hills
Making sense of it
It's only fair that a Japanese company has naming rights for the Dodger Stadium field, since the best Dodger hitter, and best Dodger pitcher are both Japanese.
Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood
Three-peat blueprint
Mirjam Swanson’s column on a potential Dodger three-peat brought back great memories of the 2000-2002 Lakers’ championships. However any reference to a “three-peat” should note that Pat Riley — the latest Crypto statue honoree — first uttered the term and then copyrighted it in 1988 shortly after the Lakers won their second consecutive championship.
After sweeping the first three rounds of the playoffs, it appeared the 1989 Lakers would win their third title in a row, but then hamstring injuries to Byron Scott and Magic Johnson severely hurt the Lakers’ chances. Let’s hope a similar major injury bug doesn’t hit the 2026 Dodgers, so we have a better chance of seeing Kiké Hernández or Freddie Freeman do a championship parade dance à la Mark Madsen.
Ken Feldman Tarzana
Center of attention
Reading about the Angels upcoming season, I have one big concern. Mike Trout playing center field. He gets hurt so easily and he is playing a running position. He should be a full-time DH.
Mike Lorraine Simi Valley
Leaving home
Congratulations to all the young athletes and their teams on The Times All-Area high school basketball teams. I do wonder about the choices the seniors are making in their commitments to colleges and I look to The Times to explain why UCLA is seemingly not on the radar for these young players.
It used to be known that the Bruins' academic requirements were a significant barrier to many high school players. Is that still true? Are the local graduates not the cream of the crop that Southern California was known for in past years? Are NIL deals affecting the choices of these future freshmen? Is UCLA not making a strong outreach effort for the top local talent? Is L.A. so awful for these kids that it isn't even on their radar to stay close to home?
I am sure I am not alone in seeking clarity around the issue of the exodus of local talent to Missouri, Oregon State, Texas, North Carolina, Nevada, and even more confounding, USC.
David Gerne Echt Torrance
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
The Memphis Redbirds opened their season on Friday evening against the Gwinnett Stripers (Braves). Several hours earlier, the Redbirds finally announced their opening day roster.
Even with JJ Wetherholt moving up to St. Louis, there is plenty of prospect firepower on the Memphis squad led by Joshua Baez, Quinn Mathews, and Leonardo Bernal. Beyond the big-name prospects, there are a number of depth players that are likely to see St. Louis sooner rather than later. Today, I will break down the roster and highlight some things worth monitoring as the Triple-A season kicks off.
Starting Rotation
Richard Fitts, RHP (26)
Quinn Mathews, LHP (25)
Brycen Mautz, LHP (24)
Jared Shuster, LHP (27)
Bruce Zimmerman, LHP (31)
The Cardinals have real rotation depth stacking up at Memphis. Hunter Dobbins is not technically on the roster, but will, I assume, be making his rehab starts in Memphis. Fitts and Dobbins are expected to contribute at the major league level this year. Behind them in the depth chart, Mathews will look to prove that he has solved Triple-A. You can write Brycen Mautz’s name in pen as well. After that is a bit of guesswork, but Shuster and Zimmerman seem likely to get the first shot at the rotation.
Prospect Watch
Mathews is a consensus top-5 prospect in the system, although he fell out of most national top-100 prospect lists after a wild 2025. If he can start filling up the zone, Quinn will be an absolute menace to deal with. He threw 42.5% of his pitches in the strike zone last season. The major league average is 52.4% with starting pitchers typically sitting in the 45% to 55% range. With the swing and miss stuff that Mathews possesses, he should be able to get plenty of swings outside the strike zone, but nudging his zone% up a few points will give him margin for error. Mautz turned some heads in spring training and will look to build on a breakout 2025 season in which he struck out 28.6% of the batters he faced in Double-A. Mautz could also be a candidate to help in the St. Louis bullpen this year if the options ahead of him falter.
Roster Considerations
Fitts, Dobbins, and Mautz are already on the 40-man roster, so there are not any artificial barriers keeping them from the majors once the need arises, and performance merits it. Mathews is Rule 5 eligible this December, but without a 40-man roster position, he may need to wait until some of the fringe guys on the roster get their shot. Zimmerman and Shuster both have over 100 major league innings in their careers apiece and provide fine emergency depth, but neither seem likely to force the Cardinals’ hand in any meaningful way.
The pitching picture will get even more crowded when the injured pitchers start making their way back to action.
The following players will start the season on the AAA Injured List.
LHP Alex Cornwell (7d) LHP Pete Hansen (7d) LHP Ixan Henderson (60d) RHP Sem Robberse (60d) RHP Tekoah Roby (60d) RHP Victor Sanots (60d) LHP Zack Thompson (60d)
— Cardinals Player Development (@CardsPlayerDev) March 27, 2026
Bullpen
Ian Bedell, RHP (26)
Scott Blewett, RHP (30)
Ryan Fernandez, RHP (28)
Luis Gastelum, RHP (24)
Gordan Graceffo, RHP (26)
Skylar Hales, RHP (24)
Tink Hence, RHP (23)
Gerson Moreno, RHP (30)
Packy Naughton, LHP (30)
Max Rajcic, RHP (24)
Nick Raquet, LHP (30)
Prospect Watch
Tink Hence is going to start out pitching in relief and is the biggest name prospect in the pen. Reports out of spring training were that his stuff has not fully returned from his 2024 prospect peak, but Hence is still just 23 years old and has some of the highest upside in the whole organization. It will be interesting to see if he is used as a multi-inning reliever and kept somewhat stretched out (the Leahy protocol), or if he is prepared for more of a high-leverage one-inning role. Luis Gastelum is about as good a relief-only prospect you can ask for. After getting plenty of attention in the WBC and Spring Training, he is no longer a sleeper prospect. His changeup is going to be fun to watch the next few years.
Skylar Hales is a solid prospect in his own right. Drafted in the fourth round by the Rangers in 2023, he made it all the way to Triple-A in his second full season. He struggled with the home run ball in his 27 Triple-A innings and put up an ugly stat line, but is noted for having a plus fastball that he ran up to 98.4 MPH in spring training. Max Rajcic was once a top-20-ish prospect in the organization but has fallen down the rankings after a rough introduction to Memphis. This spring, his fastball velocity was up about 2 MPH working out of the bullpen, so there could be a path forward for him if his stuff plays up in shorter stints.
Roster Considerations
Graceffo, Fernandez, Raquet, and Tink Hence are all already on the 40-man roster and primed to ride the Memphis shuttle this season as they all have options remaining. Both Hales and Gastelum will need to be added to the 40-man by the end of the year. If healthy, Naughton seems destined to be in the STL bullpen sooner rather than later. After three years lost to injury, he looked as good as ever in spring training and will provide insurance if Justin Bruihl falters as the second lefty in the pen.
Catchers
Leo Bernal (22)
Jimmy Crooks (24)
Andy Yerzy (27)
Prospect Watch
Both Crooks and Bernal are both top-100 prospects with strong reputations for their defense. Crooks struggled making contact last season in Triple-A (26.5% K rate), but still managed a 105 wRC+. He has shown solid exit velocity numbers and a knack for finding the barrel, so if he can improve his plate discipline a bit, he could still find his way to being above average offensively. His chase rate and contact rates were both below average in Triple-A but not egregious so. He actually improved both metrics in his 46 MLB plate appearances, which was encouraging despite the overall struggles in his cup of coffee. Bernal slumped badly in the second half of 2025 and finished with a wRC+ of just 103 in Double-A. His batting line was remarkably similar to Ivan Herrera’s age 21 season in Springfield. As happened with Herrera, prospect fatigue may be setting in a bit with Bernal because he has been on prospect lists since 2022, but he is my pick for a big offensive season.
Roster Considerations
The catching depth/logjam has been discussed sufficiently and both Bernal and Crooks are already on the 40-man roster. It will be interesting to see how playing time is divided up between them at Memphis. Poor Andy Yerzy is going to have a tough time getting into games.
Infielders
Blaze Jordan (23)
Ramon Mendoza (25)
Brody Moore (25)
Cesar Prieto (27)
Prospect Watch
The infield group at Memphis is easily the least exciting portion of the team. Blaze Jordan is still a bit of a project but has legitimate upside if he can find a way to improve his plate discipline and get the ball in the air. His profile as a hitter reminds me a bit of Alec Burleson from a few years ago but with more ground balls. He is a longshot to be a starting-caliber player, but his combination of contact ability and power is rare enough that he has to be considered a real prospect, in my opinion. Prieto had a nice season in 2025, but entering his age 27 season, looks like a backup infielder or up-and-down guy. Ramon Mendoza earned a promotion from Springfield after putting up a .275/.390/.452 line in 2025. I had never considered him a prospect, but the Cardinals gave him 42 spring training plate appearances, so they must like him a little.
Roster Considerations
Prieto is the only player in the group to have a 40-man spot. He could be in danger of losing his spot if the Cardinals need to free up room for the promotion of a non-rostered player. Blaze Jordan certainly has a lane to STL as the team has limited right-handed power on the major league club, but he would need to be added to the 40-man.
Outfielders
Mike Antico (28)
Joshua Baez (23)
Matt Koperniak (28)
Colton Ledbetter (24)
Bligh Madris (30)
Bryan Torres (28)
Nelson Velazquez (27)
Prospect Watch
Joshua Baez followed an offseason spent shooting up prospect lists with a spring training spent launching balls over the fence. Colton Ledbetter will be making his Triple-A debut after posting a solid, if unspectacular, batting line for the Rays Double-A squad. Ledbetter has the raw power and prospect pedigree (second round pick in 2023) to grab attention with a good showing in Memphis. It is noteworthy that he was given the promotion while Chase Davis will be asked to repeat Springfield.
Roster Considerations
Baez and Torres have 40-man spots, but Velazquez seems like he could be the first man up after his excellent showing in spring training.
This Memphis team looks pretty loaded to me. More importantly, there are ten-plus legitimate prospects that could be headed to St. Louis as reinforcement at any moment.
Mar 27, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) celebrates after a home run against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves began the 2026 season on a high note after Friday’s 6-0 win over the Kansas City Royals. Ozzie Albies, Drake Baldwin, and Michael Harris II joined in on the fun and each homered. Together, the Braves recorded 11 hits and capitalized on the Royals’ weak spots.
On the other side of the ball, leather was flashed and the pitching staff showed up big. Chris Sale earned the start, and though a bit shaky in the beginning, he finished the night allowing just three hits through six innings. He walked three and struck out six. The bullpen came to play, too, and allowed just two more hits after Sale’s exit.
The Braves go for the series win tonight at 7:15 ET.
More Braves News:
Additional television deals continue to be announced, as Fubo and DIRECTV are now carrying BravesVision.
The Gwinnett Stripers have announced their Opening Day roster, and it does not include Jhancarlos Lara.
MLB News:
Jason Heyward has announced his retirement after a 16 year career.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 25: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees greets his teammates during player introductions prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It would’ve been hard for the Yankees to script a better first two games of their 2026 campaign. Sure, they probably wouldn’t have written in four strikeouts from their captain on Opening Day, but otherwise, things have been stellar, with Aaron Judge busting out with his first home run yesterday in another shutout win. Two games mean little when they’re followed by 160 more, but these two games do show what the glass-half-full case looks like for New York; a carbon copy of last year’s league-leading lineup and elite starting pitching lead to excellence.
On the site today, say hello to the minor league season with our first Baby Bomber Recap, as the RailRiders cruised in their first game. Also, Sam will deliver today’s Rivalry Roundup, while Matt’s entry in our Yankee Birthday series celebrates Vic Raschi, who had a great turn with the Yankees during their midcentury dynasty years.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees at San Francisco Giants
Time: 7:15 p.m. EST
Video: FOX
Venue: Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Questions/Prompts:
1. It’s just one start, of course, but are you letting your imagination run wild after seeing how Cam Schlittler looked in his season debut yesterday?
2. Have any performances from players on other teams particularly caught your eye two days in?
As the dreaded popup rises in a youth baseball game, coaches on the bench and parents in the bleachers tense as the world turns into a slow-motion movie reel.
Who’s gonna get it?
Even big leaguers sometimes hate popups. Just before Carl Yastrzemski hit the one that would end Boston’s American League East pursuit in a famous winner-take-all playoff game in 1978, Graig Nettles, the Yankees’ third baseman, said to himself: “Don’t hit a popup to me.”
But Nettles, one of the best fielding third baseman of all time, camped under it and caught it. Overcoming popups are essential to success in baseball and in reality away from the field.
I would argue most parents don’t often think about these lessons when we watch our kids play. We want them to succeed from the earliest ages.
“Considering the pyramid of ascension in baseball, kids are not gonna be playing major league ball, and many of the kids are not gonna be playing college ball,” says Rotbart, a pediatrician and parenting author who coached his two now-grown sons at baseball, tells USA TODAY Sports. “And if they do it, it will be club ball. So I think that parents have fantasies about their child, if he doesn't make that catch, if he doesn't get the hit with the bases loaded, nobody is gonna sign him.
“He's not going to be drafted anyway.”
While chasing the long odds, have you ever thought about how baseball and softball imitate finding success in life? Rotbart and Davidoff, a veteran sportswriter, have teamed to explore that question.
We spoke with them and picked out 10 tips for parents about how they can apply lessons from baseball for sports and life success.
1. Step into the box: Being comfortable and confident is being successful
The book is about 15 years in the making, after Rotbart coached his two sons (now 34 and 38) through high school, taking meticulous notes that became a manuscript. He connected with Davidoff, who covered Major League Baseball for 30 years for a few New York City-area papers to bring it more legitimacy, to connect it more to the big leagues.
Rotbart was exercising the lesson in Chapter 9 ("The Batter’s Box") and finding his comfort zone. In this instance, Davidoff tied the familiar moment to Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, who liked to chat with fans in the on-deck circle, which made him feel at home as he calmly walked to the plate.
When he stepped into the box, it was his time to be confident in his preparation, focus in and take charge.
“You are the right person, at the right time,” the authors right in the book. “Believe you can face any challenge, any time, and want to face that challenge. You are in the in the batter’s box, right where you belong.
When you step into the box and aren’t successful, though, a matter of inches – up or back, inside or out – can help you get on track.
“You can change your faith oftentimes without making dramatic changes in your life, but even making incremental changes,” Rotbart says.
2. Remember to tag up: Pause and control your anger
Now you’ve made it to one of the bases. If the batter hits a fly ball that is caught, you can’t advance to another without “tagging up.” When the ball leaves the bat, though, your impulse is to run.
But that little pause – that tag up – prevents us from harm and embarrassment. Outside the field, it’s a form of anger management.
How many times have you received an email or text from someone that enrages you? If you respond right away, your reply might be nasty. But if you pause and take a break, your action is more measured and thoughtful.
“There's so much impulsivity in young athletes,” Rotbart says. “They see it in role models. They watch it on TV, the impulsive reaction to umpires, to coaches, to fans. And we have to teach kids to tag up.”
3. Life is a fielder's choice: Decide what is most important
We are told as baseball players to think about what we’re going to do with the ball if it’s hit to us in the field. If runners are on base, we must make a choice.
If our team has a big lead in the game, we get the easiest force play. But if it’s a close game, we might throw across the diamond to third base to get the lead runner.
“It's urgent for you to protect that slim lead and then you translate that over to school,” Davidoff says. “Let's say you're acing chemistry, you're up four runs in chemistry. So, OK, you have homework in five subjects tonight, don't worry about (chemistry) too much. But now you’ve got a “C” in chemistry, you’re only up one run. You need to get that lead runner. You need to turn the double play. You need to really step on the gas with your chemistry and make sure you nail it.”
4. Include everyone: Pinch-hitters and pinch-runners are crucial to the team
We can learn to throw ourselves into whatever role we are given.
“There are players who are not starters, and there are players who may not even be position players by their talent level,” Rotbart says. “But they have other skills that they can bring. They may be a fast runner. They may be able to hit, but not be able to field. And pinch-hitters and pinch-runners teach kids that we should be inclusive and not clickish, that we should want everyone on a team, everyone in our friendship circle, everyone in our class, to be included in activities, becauseeveryone has something different to contribute.”
Even if you're assigned a less prominent or less prestigious assignment on the team, or on the student council, or at the school newspaper, or in a Woody Allen movie with one line, make the best of it:
Go out there and make the catch that nobody expects you to make.
“When the expectations are low, that's when you have the best opportunity to shine,” Rotbart says.
5. If you get yourself into a pickle, you can give yourself up for the greater good
I had a player on one of my Little League teams who was fast and could keep himself caught in a “pickle” between first and second bases long enough for a runner from third base to break for home and score.
The longer a pickle in baseball lasts, the more humorous it gets, and we wonder if the runner who made the “mistake” will still reach a base safely.
“Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't work out, but the analogy in the book is that when you are untruthful, when you say things that are not true, you get yourself in a pickle, and that's when you're lying, and you lose trust,” Rotbart says. “Sometimes you get away with it. Sometimes you advance to the next base. But oftentimes, you get thrown out, and being untruthful, lying is the most common cause for (a) real-life pickle.”
The lesson I like about the pickle is sacrificing yourself. As we know, even with two outs, that run from third base counts if it scores before the player is tagged out.
6. Mound meetings work: Take time to accept advice, or to just catch your breath
Davidoff remembers covering the Yankees’ first interleague visit to play the Colorado Rockies in 2002, and Roger Clemens was having a rough first inning.
He watched third baseman Robin Ventura walk over and chat with Clemens for a few seconds. Davidoff asked Ventura the next day what he had said to the starting pitcher.
“Nothing,” the third baseman told him, “just an excuse to let him exhale and take a deep breath.”
We all need it. Clemens got out of the first inning allowing only one run.
The same concept can apply as a youth coach when you call a timeout as a youth coach or gather your young player on the mound. They often respond by playing better. Sometimes, it’s as simple as you telling them, “I believe in you.”
7. Clean up your messes, and take pride in your spaces
Yoshinobu Yamamoto came to the Los Angeles Dodgers for $325 million in 2023. We know he helped lead Los Angeles to the World Series the last two seasons.
But did you know last October, after he pitched a complete game to even the World Series 1-1 in Toronto, he remained in the dugout and cleaned up trash teammates had left behind?
“Do not leave today's mess for tomorrow,” Rotbart said. “You clean up the dugout, you sweep the field, just like Yoshi Yamamoto did. That's protecting your tomorrow by taking care of your mess today.”
Someone may be playing on the field after you, or an opponent may have hosted you at their home park. You are showing them respect – win or lose – but also showing everyone a piece of who you are.
“Your personal spaces are part of you, signs on the outside of who you are on the inside, like the clothes you wear and how you brush your hair,” the authors write.
8. Stretch for the ball, but know when to pull off the base
Sometimes we want to make a spectacular play by diving for a ball in the outfield, or stretching far in front of us to catch a ball if we’re playing first base.
But what happens if we can’t get to the ball? We miss it, and it rolls to the outfield wall, allowing three runners to score. We don’t reach it and it skips past us at first base and the baserunner to get to second base in a tie game.
Sometimes, we need to slow up and let the ball drop to prevent further damage, or take our foot off the bag to stop the ball from going to the fence. Rotbart has used such analogies when speaking to patients as a pediatrician.
“A clinical example that I have (is) where a parent and an adolescent came into the clinic, and the mom was complaining that her son was doing too much of what his friends, what his cohort was asking him to do,” he says, “and that he would do anything to maintain friendship but he was going too far, doing things he shouldn’t be doing.”
9. Believe in yourself, and don't listen to the chatter
I hear it every time my sons play a high school game. Teams are yelling at each other from the dugout, or fans are yelling from the stands, to try and throw players off their games.
It’s not easy to block out the noise.
“There will always be those who feel better when they’re embarrassing others,” Davidoff and Rotbart write. “In baseball, the best teams and the best players don’t taunt.”
The authors analogize chatter in the book to be like gossip: Saying things that are potentially hurtful, disruptive and distracting or even dangerous (in the case of fly balls).
Chatter might seem helpful in the moment but if a potential coach sees you doing it – in person or on social media – he or she might stop recruiting you.
10. Learn to catch the popup: Take charge and follow through
When the ball is up in the air, we’re waiting for someone on the field to take charge. Maybe it’s the kid who’s under it, but often it’s the one who’s most confident in catching it. Go ahead, call for it.
“Someone has to take responsibility,” Rotbart says. “Someone has to be accountable, and suddenly, the pop fly became a lesson in taking responsibility, following through.”
He thought about it, after watching some of the 700 to 800 kids who came through his baseball program crash into each other on the pitcher’s mound going after a popup. Rotbart reached for his notebook, and the seed of a book was born.
“Double-check everything you do with others to make sure you know who is doing what,” he and Davidoff would craft into lesson No. 48. “If you’re the one ‘calling’ for the ball, make sure others hear you; if someone else is calling for it, make sure you hear them. Messages you send can get lost and so can messages people send to you.
“When it’s important your message – or assignment or project – gets where it’s going and gets seen or heard, follow through and make sure it got there. Otherwise, you’ve dropped the ball.”
Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His Coach Steve column is posted weekly.For his past columns, click here.
Got a question for Coach Steve you want answered in a column? Email him at sborelli@usatoday.com
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 11: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 11, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
SNY | Phillip Martínez The Yankees are now 2-0 in the 2026 campaign after taking the second game of their three-game set vs. the San Francisco Giants. The 3-0 final score meant that they have now pitched two consecutive shutouts in the Bay Area, led by Max Fried on Wednesday and Cam Schlittler on Friday.
Schlittler, limited to 68 pitches after the minor back/lat scare he suffered in spring training, blanked San Francisco for 5.1 innings, surrendering just a hit and no walks while striking out eight.
MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams The Yankees took a minor-league flier on right-hander Luis García, who won the 2022 World Series with the Houston Astros, on a two-year deal. He is currently rehabbing from a second Tommy John surgery performed in the fall of 2025. He returned from the first procedure and was only able to make two starts, in which he had a 3.52 ERA.
The Yankees are probably aiming for García, who has a 3.60 career ERA and is 29, to return at some point in the 2027 campaign.
NJ Advance Media | Randy Miller Facing left-hander Robbie Ray, Yankees manager Aaron Boone sent the three right-handed hitters and lefty-killers from his bench to the field on Friday: Paul Goldschmidt, Amed Rosario, and Randal Grichuk. Ben Rice, Ryan McMahon, and Trent Grisham were benched.
Boone, however, didn’t commit to this arrangement against all southpaws and clarified that Rice and Grisham, in particular, will be in the lineup sometimes against pitchers of their same hand.
“Not necessarily,” Boone said. “Ben’s gonna play against some lefties. Grish, too. A lot of it has to do with the first three series, first nine games, this is probably the only lefty we’re gonna see, and we certainly want to get those guys in.
“And obviously they bring a lot to the table against left-handed pitching. So I’m excited to see them get their feet wet and get going.”
Los Angeles, CA - March 27:Dodgers Will Smith (16) tags out Diamondbacks Pavin Smith (26) at home plate during third inning action at Dodger Stadium on Friday, March 27, 2026. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Game Summary
The Diamondbacks showed a little more fight compared to their campaign opening loss last night, but still came up short at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium (ugh). Ryne Nelson started the game for the good guys against Emmet Sheehan and very-much-bad-not-good-at-all guys, and it was a bit of a mixed bag for our talented righty. Ryne finished the night with a line very similar to Zac’s from last night, a not incredibly impressive 4 ER over 4.2 IP. Nelson did leave a better taste in our mouth than Zac did thanks to Nelly’s 4 runs all coming in the 3rd before he bounced back and retired the last 7 hitters he faced, compared with Zac mowing the Dodgers down for 4 innings then getting lit up at the end. Nelson has room for improvement, but this was largely a good start for him and I imagine it will be somewhat easier to limit his blow-up innings against teams that don’t stack 8 straight All Stars at the top of the lineup.
The offense showed more punch than the night before as well, but for as many opportunities as they gave themselves with the bat, they took away some key opportunities with mistakes on the base paths. Pavin Smith getting sent from first to home should be something on the Do Not Do list given out to the coaches when pitchers and catchers report in February, but apparently our third base coach was feeling froggy and wasted a prime scoring opportunity in the second by sending Pavin to his doom on Alek Thomas’ first RBI double of the evening. Then, Alek undid his own good when he tried to stretch an RBI double into a triple in the fourth inning. It wasn’t the last out of the inning, and he did actually beat the throw, but having Alek at second with one out and a potential to flip the order over would’ve been a favorable outcome for the Snakes.
The defense was again pretty solid, with the only real miscue being Gabi’s throw into centerfield when trying to throw out a stealing Kyle Tucker, but that didn’t end up hurting the team’s chances. The bullpen was mostly brilliant for the second night in a row, with a single pitcher allowing a run that wound up being the difference on the night. While Loaisiga and Thompson looked solid, almost brilliant, Ginkel and his diminished fastball velocity made one mistake too many and cost his team the game. Giving up a leadoff double to the only Dodger not expected to be an All-Star this year was the death knell as the Dodgers ‘fundamentaled’ the go ahead run in with Shohei’s grounder to second advancing the runner to third and Tucker putting the ball perfectly into the hole between Ketel and Santana to put the Dodgers ahead in the 8th.
Coming into the 8th inning, the Dodgers had scored 4 runs on 2 hits. The D-Backs had quadrupled that hit total, but had still only scored the same 4 runs. The margin for error against this squad is too small for the D-Backs to afford making extra outs on the bases or giving up costly hits to the 9-hole hitter (2-3 with a 2B and HR). Make one mistake and that is all they need.
Loss Probability and Box Score
Outside the Box Score
Geraldo Perdomo greeted home plate umpire Corey Blaser as he walked up to home plate for his first at bat of the ballgame and lingered a little while longer than perhaps is usual with him. Blaser was the umpire who called Perdomo out with that now infamous low Strike 3 call to end the Dominican game against USA in the WBC just a couple weeks ago. Appears all is water under the bridge at this point and Blaser even gave Domo the benefit of a borderline pitch in a 2-strike count later on in the AB, but Will Smith successfully challenged resulting in a strikeout.
Ryne Nelson couldn’t quite match Emmet Sheehan’s 3 strikeouts in the first inning, but he buckled both Shohei and Tucker with beautiful knee-high sliders to ꓘ them starting off the game. Mookie put the first ball in play of the whole game with a soft lineout to Corbin in right.
Alek Thomas delivered a moneyball line drive into the corner in right field with runners at first and second in the second inning. Unfortunately, Pitters immediately went into flashbacks of last season when our third base coach sent Pavin trundling home where he was a dead duck for the third out of the inning. On the bright side, Gabi did score to give the Snakes a 1-run lead, but it’s really annoying to be giving baserunners away yet again in 2026.
Ketel Marte’s homer off Sheehan came on a 3-0 fastball that was absolutely tanked into the right field bleachers. 107.2 mph off the bat and 391 feet.
Gabi got his first ABS reversal of the season (I think?) during Shohei’s second AB of the night when Ryne missed his spot and flew a pitch to the far side of the plate. The pitch was completely inside the strike zone but called a ball because, as it has for generations, when a pitcher wildly misses his spot he loses the benefit of the doubt. This type of situation is exactly what I’m most excited for ABS to correct. The borderline pitches that could go either way don’t usually bother me too much, but the obvious balls/strikes that are missed are what I want to see addressed and glad they can be now.
Nelson had Kyle Tucker struck out in the bottom of the third on a foul tip, but Gabi couldn’t hang on to the tip so Tucker got new life. The next three pitches were all balls and Tucker earned a free pass. That set the table for Mookie’s three run bomb a couple pitches later.
Weird factoid: the first groundball of the entire ball game didn’t come until the last out of the third inning when Will Smith grounded out to Domo. That was the 27th plate appearance of the game!
Pavin Smith earned full count walks in both of his first 2 plays appearances. I’d bet that both of the called Ball 4s could’ve been challenged and overturned to Strike 3. We’ll take it!
After our third base coach, apparently with the last name of House per the fellow Pitters in the GDT, sent Pavin from first to home on a double into the right field corner, there was some banter about Pavin and House combining for more buffoonery when he got a leadoff walk in the fourth. To my horror, Carlos Santana roped a double into the right field corner just like what happened in the second inning. Thankfully for my heart health, House learned his lesson and held Pavin at third to set the table for Alek’s 2-RBI double (thrown out when he overslid the bag trying to stretch it into a triple).
Jonathan Loaisiga made his D-Backs debut in the fifth to face Kyle Tucker with 2 outs and the bases empty. Loaisaga made him look silly finishing him off with 3 nasty changeups to end the inning. I’m really excited for what he could bring to the team.
In Ketel’s at bat in the top of the 6th inning, he was spun around to the right side against Alex Vesia where Ketel is known for his extremely hard swings. In the AB he got a line drive single to left that wasn’t particularly astonishing, but his recorded swing speed was 83.1mph which was the fastest of the game to that point (the second fastest swing for either team was his HR swing earlier in the game, nearly 5.5mph slower at 77.7mph). Interestingly, Corbin Carroll topped that high swing speed in the very next AB with 83.5mph.
Comment of the Game
It wasn’t Opening Night levels, but the GDT was still well populated, finishing at 267 comments at time of publishing. Many went Sedona Red, but first COTG for the season goes to VW Beetle with a game-leading number of Recs with his reaction to Alek’s hit and the base coach assisted TOOTBLAN in the second inning:
Coming Up
The Diamondbacks face the Dodgers for the third and final game of this series tomorrow night at 6:10pm. WBC hero – and the Snakes only LHP – Eduardo Rodriguez will be on the mound trying to stave off a season-opening sweep, while the Fighting Guggenheims counter with Tyler Glasnow. Tune in and join the GDT to give the recapper Dano some company.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 27: Luke Raley #20 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after his two-run home run during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park on March 27, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Maddy Grassy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight’s game started off on a sour note, with another first-inning bomb from Guardians rookie Chase DeLauter, already his third on the season. It seemed to foreshadow a replay of last night’s loss. But the next batter flipped the vibes, as Cole Young went full extension to corral a hard-hit grounder from Jose Ramírez and get things back on track for Mariners starter George Kirby.
Kirby settled down from there, kicking off a run of retiring 11 of 12 batters with five strikeouts. In some ways, he looked like vintage Kirby, with pinpoint command and touching 98 at times. In other ways, it was an unusual performance for him. He went to his four-seamer almost 50% of the time, about twice as much as last year. The fact that the Guardians’ major threats batted from the left side help explain why Kirby left his sinker on the shelf, and the DeLauter dinger coming on a terrible slider may explain Kirby’s hesitance to return to that pitch. He’s also deliberately trying to use his curveball against opposite-handed hitters more this year.
“[The curveball] is a great weapon, especially against the lefties to start the count or finish it,” he said after the game. “But we were aggressive with heaters, and using the curve just to kind of change their sights a little bit and then go back to the heat. But yeah, the curveball is one pitch I really want to rely on to lefties. Good strike pitch, good strikeout pitch. And the more I throw it, the better it is.”
The plan faltered in the fifth inning, when Kirby gave up rare back-to-back walks to open the inning and, an out later, hit a batter. But for as much as the tension rose in the moment, Kirby says he didn’t feel it: “For me right now the biggest thing is to find a way to get back in control and stay in control. Those runners out there in that situation were the least of my worries. Just go attack the hitter – I think it was Kwan at the time – these guys are on, flush it, get back in control and attack from there. So I feel like I’ve made a big step in that side of my game.”
The result was inducing an easy fly ball to shallow left. A baffling baserunning decision by Rhys Hoskins turned it into the easiest double play of Randy Arozarena’s career—just the way Randy likes it—and the end of the threat.
Kirby came back out for one more three-up-three-down inning to finish the night with six strikeouts, two walks, and just two hits and one run on 90 pitches. After an uneven 2025, this was a very promising first start to 2026 for him.
He also left with the lead thanks to the bottom half of the Mariners lineup. It was another quiet night for the heart of the order, with a meaningless walk from Julio Rodríguez the only time he reached base, Cal Raleigh wearing a golden sombrero, and Josh Naylor also sporting a goose egg for his batting line. But at least Randy Arozarena recovered from last night’s torpor, catalyzing the guys behind him a couple times.
He worked a four-pitch walk in the fourth inning, inspiring Dominic Canzone to do the same. With those two runners on base, Cole Young fouled off two belt-high fastballs in a row. Finding himself in an 0-2 count to a pitcher who’d been struggling with command all game could have overwhelmed Cole Young. He says he “definitely” could not have stayed on top of a 97-mph heater in an 0-2 count last year. But this isn’t last year. Crediting a new routine and his work with machines that simulate a given pitcher’s spin, he feels he’s better able to execute. And that’s just what he did, taking the third pitch into the seats for his first home run of the season to make the score 3-1.
Two innings later, Randy led off with another walk, once again never even feinting that he might swing. But if he was a statue in the box, he was anything but once he reached first base, dancing around like a silent disco with long, fidgety, start-and-stop leads. It seemed to get Guardians reliever Colin Holderman shook, leading to him leaving a very tempting middle-middle cutter to Luke Raley, who drove it out of the deep part of the park. It’s worth noting that Raley pulled that off after attempting a bunt earlier in the at-bat. The delightfulness of that juxtaposition and his earlier 110-mph fly out earns Luke Raley this season’s first Sun Hat Award, an award I give out in my recaps to a player who makes a noteworthy individual contribution to the game.
Kirby’s having pitched that extra sixth inning after seeming to lose it a bit in the fifth meant that the Mariners could use just three relievers tonight, saving arms for the rest of the series. We were treated to the season’s first appearances by Eduard Bazardo, Matt Brash, and Andrés Muñoz, who each allowed a harmless single as they get themselves dialed in and were otherwise the reliable arms you hope for at the back of a bullpen. The biggest highlight of the back three innings was Julio instituting the No Fly Zone in earnest for the first time this season, with a front slide and slick wrist work to wrangle in a ball in the no man’s land behind the infield.
Julio might still be looking for his first hit, but he can’t have one, he’s making damn sure no one else can have one either.
The Dodgers must have wanted to hear the trumpets on Friday night.
Because right as new closer Edwin Díaz began to warm up with the score tied in the bottom of the eighth inning, their previously slumbering lineup finally came back to life.
In a 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers gave what had been a slog of a game a high-octane (and high-priced) finish.
As new closer Edwin Díaz began to warm-up in the bottom of the eighth inning, their previously slumbering lineup finally came to life. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
To break the 4-4 tie, Alex Freeland hit a leadoff double and came around to score on a go-ahead RBI single from Kyle Tucker, his first signature moment since signing a $240 million deal this winter.
That set the stage for the top of the ninth, when Díaz’s iconic, trumpet-filled entrance song “Narco” was performed by live trumpeter Tatiana Tate out in left field.
Díaz took care of the inning, recording his first Dodgers save since inking his own $69 million blockbuster contract this offseason.
And all the offensive frustration that had been building up before then was quickly negated, handing the Dodgers a series win to open their pursuit of a third-straight World Series.
“The two acquisitions this offseason,” manager Dave Roberts said, “came up big tonight.”
Before the late theatrics, the Dodgers (2-0) had struggled to generate much at the plate.
With the score tied 4-4 in the eighth, Alex Freeland hit a leadoff double and came around to score on a go-ahead RBI single from Kyle Tucker. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Their first hit didn’t come until the third inning, when Freeland –– fresh off beating out Hyeseong Kim for the final spot on the roster this spring –– hit a solo home run.
Three batters later, Mookie Betts cranked an opposite-field shot for a three-run homer, turning an early two-run deficit into a two-run lead.
But after that, the Dbacks (0-2) retired 14 Dodgers hitters in a row, preserving what had become a 4-4 tie after Alek Thomas’ two-run double in the fourth.
That left a big task for the Dodgers’ bullpen, which was called into action early after starter Emmet Sheehan pitched only 3 ⅓ innings. Each arm they turned to, however, put a zero on the scoreboard; culminating in the playing of trumpets and a second-straight Dodgers season-opening win.
Their first hit didn’t come until the third inning, when Freeland –– fresh off beating out Hyeseong Kim for the final spot on the roster this spring –– hit a solo home run. AP
What it means
So far, so good for the Dodgers’ two marquee offseason signings.
In addition to his game-winning hit in the eighth, Tucker had two outfield assists on relay plays with Freeland at second. He also followed his eight-inning single with a stolen base, advancing all the way to third on a bad throw.
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Díaz, meanwhile, was able to skirt around trouble in the ninth, stranding a runner at second after a one-out walk and stolen base from Thomas.
He collected two strikeouts in his outing, and ended the game on a groundout from All-Star Ketel Marte.
Alex Freeland didn’t hit much during the spring, winning a platoon job at second base despite a .125 Cactus League batting average. Carlin Stiehl for CA Post
Who’s hot
Freeland didn’t hit much during the spring, winning a platoon job at second base despite a .125 Cactus League batting average.
But in his first regular-season start Friday, the 24-year-old rookie validated the team’s faith.
His third-inning home run came after he fell behind in the count 0-2 against Ryne Nelson, only to lay off a couple pitches and launch an inside fastball to the right-field pavilion.
After that, he added his eighth-inning double on a line drive to the right-center field gap, setting up the game-winning rally.
“I wasn’t thinking about any of the outside noise,” said Freeland, whose inclusion on the roster over Kim caused consternation from some corners of the fan base. “I just tried to have a quality at-bat, like I’ve been doing all spring. So nothing really changed.”
Emmet Sheehan was playing catch-up all spring, and in his season debut, it showed. Carlin Stiehl for CA Post
Who’s not
Sheehan was playing catch-up all spring, both with his pitching progression (thanks to an illness that put him behind schedule early in camp) and with his fastball velocity (which was a couple ticks below his average of 95.6 mph from last year).
In his season debut Friday, it showed. After striking out the side in the first, Sheehan gave up runs in the second (on a Thomas double) and third (on a Marte 3-0 homer) before allowing two runners to reach in the fourth –– and being removed with his limited pitch count already up to 83.
The right-hander’s fastball velocity remained down, averaging just 94 mph. And while he finished with six strikeouts, he also allowed five hits, two walks and four runs, with the runners he left behind coming around to score against Jack Dreyer.
“I think it’s just my delivery is a little bit off,” Sheehan said. “But we’re working hard on it, so it’s going to get right. I know it will.”
Up next
The Dodgers go for a series sweep on Saturday, when Tyler Glasnow will make his season debut following a promising performance this spring. The Dbacks will counter with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, the veteran pitcher who infamously nixed a trade to the Dodgers at the 2023 deadline.
