Category: Baseball

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

George Springer has been doing damage at the top of the Toronto Blue Jays lineup, and I’m expecting that trend to continue with Ryan Feltner on the mound for the Colorado Rockies. 

I explain why Springer matches up well in my free Toronto Blue Jays vs. Rockies predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, March 31.

Rockies vs Blue Jays predictions

Rockies vs Blue Jays best bet: George Springer Over 0.5 RBI (+145)

It’s been a bit of a slower start to the year for George Springer, but he’s still finding ways to drive in runs with an RBI in three-straight games.

Springer has also had a lot of career success against the Colorado Rockies, with a 1.012 OPS and eight RBI in 45 at-bats. He can add to that tally against Ryan Feltner, who has a career strikeout rate of 19.5% and struggles to limit damage. 

The confidence in his pick is coupled with the belief that the bottom of the order will reach base for Springer to drive them in. The Jays’ 7-9 hitters have been the most productive to start the season, combining for 18 hits and six walks through the first four games this season.

COVERS INTEL: Feltner has a 33% usage rate on his four-seamer, a pitch that Springer handled well with a .307 batting average last season and an xSLG rate of .746.

Rockies vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)

Jesus Sanchez has faced Feltner more than any other Blue Jays batter, going 4-for-11 with two homers against him. 

Max Scherzer takes the bump for Toronto, and I’m expecting the Jays’ high strikeout trend to continue with him on the mound. He racked up 10 strikeouts against this lineup last season in 20 at-bats, and he may be asked to work deeper into the game after Cody Ponce was forced to leave Monday's game with an injury.

Rockies vs Blue Jays SGP

• George Springer Over 0.5 RBI
• Jesus Sanchez Over 0.5 hits
• Max Scherzer Over 5.5 strikeouts

Rockies vs Blue Jays home run pick: Jesus Sanchez (+510)

In addition to owning Feltner with a 1.273 OPS, he has done the bulk of his damage against right-handed pitching. Sixty-five of his 74 career home runs have come against righties.

Rockies vs Blue Jays odds

• Moneyline: Colorado +225 | Toronto -280
• Run line: Colorado +1.5 (-145) | Toronto -1.5 (+125)
• Over/Under: Over 9 (-120) | Under 9 (+100)

Rockies vs Blue Jays trend

The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Game Total Over in 85 of their last 148 games (+23.75 Units / 15% ROI) Find more MLB betting trends for Rockies vs. Blue Jays.

How to watch Rockies vs Blue Jays and game info

Rockies vs Blue Jays latest injuries

Rockies vs Blue Jays weather

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

The middle game of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ series against the Cleveland Guardians will be the first pitching start for Shohei Ohtani, who coincidentally is the second in a series of Japanese pitchers.

Roki Sasaki pitched in Monday night’s game, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch in Wednesday afternoon’s finale.

Because of the World Baseball Classic, Ohtani only pitched in two games in Spring Training. He went 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA, striking out 15 batters across 8.1 innings of work. 11 of those K’s came in his last outing a week ago against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. After that outing, both Ohtani and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts felt good about where Ohtani was in his preparation for the regular season.

This will be the first in what Ohtani and the Dodgers organization hope will be a fully healthy season for Shohei that will see him take the mound 25 times. Ohtani called every Dodger pitcher making 25 starts “ideal” after his first outing in Arizona.

For how long this first outing will last, Roberts said the plan was about six innings.

“Honestly, with Shohei, you’ve got to be willing to adapt,” Roberts said. “Because if he’s really efficient, then you’re still trying to win the game. And if it makes sense, I’m not going to just pull the plug just because of a certain number.”

Ohtani would also like to see the Dodgers offense give him some run support. The team has yet to have the first lead of the game in the four they have played so far. The first three saw them able to mount a comeback, but in Monday night’s game they could only muster two runs in the bottom of the ninth, which were not enough to beat the Guardians.

Miguel Rojas and Andy Pages are the only two Dodgers so far that are hitting with any great consistency. The Dodgers will be facing right hander Tanner Bibee, who pitched the first game of the Guardian’s season against the Seattle Mariners, going 5.0 innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out seven.

Tuesday game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Guardians
• Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
• Time: 7:10 p.m.
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

The beginning of the season is often a time for signing young, pre-free agency-eligible players to long-term deals. Teams have increasingly become more aggressive signing players just as their careers are beginning, and in some cases, before they have even made their big league debuts.

This week, the Brewers signed infield prospect Cooper Pratt to an eight-year, $50.75 million deal, before he has even reached Triple-A. Pratt is ranked as the #62 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, but hit just .238/.343/.348 with eight home runs and 31 steals in Double-A last year. Meanwhile, the Mariners signed shortstop prospect Colt Emerson to an eight-year, $95 million deal. He has a better pedigree as the #7 prospect in baseball, and hit .285/.383/.458 with 16 home runs across three levels in the minors.

The teams are taking some risk, as neither player has made their MLB debut or reached their 22nd birthday. But if they become superstars, the team could save a lot of money, plus keep the player beyond when they would have been eligible for free agency.

Should the Royals do the same with their young hitters, Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone? Jensen is ranked as the #11 prospect in the game by Baseball America and had an impressive debut last September, hitting .300/.391/.550 with three home runs in 20 games. The 22-year-old has a patient eye, solid power, and is a good defender behind the plate. The floor is lower with Caglianone, but the ceiling is much higher. The former first-round pick struggled in the big leagues, but hit 20 home runs in just 66 minor league games last year, hitting .337/.408/.617. Even though he hit just .157 with seven home runs in 62 MLB games, there were some impressive underlying metrics that suggest that if he could elevate more, he could have great success.

Of course, it all depends on how much it would cost. A good comp for Jensen may be the recent extension signed by Samuel Basallo. The Orioles catcher signed an eight-year, $67 million deal just a week into his big league career, after being anointed one of the top prospects in baseball.

Caglianone is a bit more difficult to comp, since he was amazing in the minors, but struggled in an extended look in the big leagues. In 2025, Lawrence Butler signed a seven-year, $65.5 million deal with a club option with the Athletics. He struggled in his initial stint in the big leagues, but came on to have a terrific 2024 season, justifying the deal. Caglianone’s ceiling may be higher, but the risk is also greater, since he hasn’t performed yet, which may make it difficult to come to an agreement.

What do you think? Should the Royals be signing their young hitters to long-term deals?

Playing the Dodgers was a challenge.  Despite the challenge, some statistics provide insights to the remainder of the season.

The Positive Statistics.

The Diamondbacks were up to the challenge of playing the Dodgers.  They lost the last two games by only 1 run. In each of those games, the game-deciding run was scored in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Batting.

Alek Thomas’ 3 RBIs leads the team.  Perhaps this season will be a long awaited breakout season for him at the plate.

In the first two games, Perdomo continued his breakout from last season.  He hit a homer!  He continued to challenge opposing pitchers, with an average of 3.833 pitches per PA. More details:

• Before the third game, when he put two balls in play on the first pitch, his average was 4.375 pitches per PA.
• As a point of reference, last season his average was 4.176 pitches per PA.
• His 19.0% O-Swings was about the same as last season’s 19.2% O-Swings.
• His 14.3% Whiffs was equivalent to one whiff higher than last season.

Pitching.

In this series, the Diamondbacks held the Dodgers scoreless in the first two innings. Great first innings can set the tone for each game.

Eduardo Rodriguez pitched five innings without allowing an earned run. After this start, he has pitched two consecutive starts against the Dodgers with zero earned runs. Perhaps he is kryptonite to the Dodgers.

In this series, six bullpen pitchers made scoreless appearances.  Loaisiga and Thompson each did it twice.  The others were Hoffman, Morillo, Ross, and Sewald.

Mostly great defense with runners on base.  In this series, the Dodgers stranded 15 runners on base (7 were in scoring position).  The Diamondbacks made 2 errors.  The first error led to an extra base, but that runner did not score a run.  The second error allowed an extra baserunner, who unfortunately scored a run after a stolen base and a hit. In addition, Lawlar made a great catch despite his very limited experience in the outfield.

The Negative Statistics.

Batting.

In this series, Diamondbacks batters had 5.4 strikeouts per walk.  That compares poorly to their last season, which had 2.4 strikeouts per walk.

After overcoming a sore elbow, Pavin Smith played in two games. His only hit was a single. At least it earned him an RBI. Now, he is on the injured list with elbow inflammation.

How many games until Corbin Carrol gets an extra-base hit? [Answer: In the first game of the Tigers series, he hit a triple and a homer!]

Pitching.

In the first two games, Diamondbacks starting pitchers allowed 4 runs per game. On the other hand, I’m confident they will pitch better when not facing the Dodgers.

Bullpen pitcher Taylor Clarke has an ERA of 108.00. That statistic can only get better.

Baserunning.

In the first game, Geraldo Perdomo got caught stealing (although successfully stole a base in the third game). Also, Jordan Lawlar got caught off second base on a line drive. These two outs were not necessarily due to bad baserunning. But game two was a different story.

In the second game, two Diamondbacks were called out on attempted extra bases. First was Alek Thomas attempting to score from first base on an Alex Thomas double. Second was Alek Thomas over-slid third base when he attempting to stretch a double into a triple. Although the Diamondbacks rank high on extra bases, knowing when to make the attempts is part of that strength.

“We’ve got to figure that out. We run the bases very aggressively. We made an inning-and-a-third of outs in two games. That’s not D-back baseball. We take advantage of the right situations and advance 90 feet.” — Torey Lovullo

Summary.

Three players with breakout performances:

• Geraldo Perdomo continued his breakout from last season.
• Alek Thomas with 3 RBIs.
• Eugenio Rodriguez allowed zero earned runs in 5 innings.

Two red flags:

• Strikeouts per walk.
• Baserunning.

One of the spring training positional battles that Colorado Rockies fans watched took place at first base.

Would recent trade T.J. Rumfield get the nod or Rockies top prospect Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP)?

In the end, president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta went with Rumfield, sending Condon to Triple-A Albuquerque to continue his preparation. Before leaving camp, Condon was determined but philosophical about the assignment.

For Condon, his first spring training was a productive one as he focused on putting “intention” into his training. His spring training stats suggested that his approach worked, and it’s given him a foundation to build on going forward.

“I just think it’s about not trying to do more than I’ve already done,” Condon said, “just taking the same approach every day. I’m not going to try to go out in the season and try to be somebody that I know I’m not — just put my best foot forward every day and letting my work and actions speak for myself.”

For Condon, that meant taking advantage of setting his own schedule.

“Coming up playing baseball from the youth age all the way through college, you’re kind of always told what to do and where to be at all times,” he said. “So just being able to call your own shots a little bit has been an adjustment for me, but has been nice to be able to kind of dictate my routine and do what I need to do.”

Part of that time was spent refreshing his outfield skills given that he spent much of 2025 exclusively at first base.

“You know, it’s been a minute since I’ve played out there,” Condon said.

“That was kind of a hope and goal of mine this offseason to get out in spaces other than just first base, and not be pigeon-holed there,” he addded. “And then the more you play out there, the more balls you get, the more innings you spend out there, the more comfortable you’re going to be. And I felt like that was the case this spring.”

His focus was also on getting stronger.

“I’m young compared to a lot of the guys in that clubhouse. My body can handle a little bit more,” Condon said.

“I need to push myself a little bit more to continue to get stronger. I mean, a lot of those guys got grown-man strength and dad strength and all that stuff, which, at 22, I’m still working on, but just continue to push myself to be stronger.”

He also had a supportive clubhouse where he felt welcome despite being a non-roster invite.

“There’s a handful of guys I can give praise to,” Condon said. “Brett Sullivan, Nicky Lopez, Troy Johnston, Brenton Doyle . . . I mean, just countless guys that were really good and reached out and were making me feel comfortable on a day-to-day basis.”

Plus, Condon appreciates the value of competition.

“I was there to get the best out of myself, and then also get the best out of everybody in the clubhouse,” Condon said. “So I think that first base competition and everything we had going on there was really productive for a lot of guys.

It helps that his time in The Show coming.

“You know, we’ve got a really good squad up top so far this year, and I’m excited to watch some of those guys play and hopefully be a part of it later this year.”

He added, “Obviously I want to play in the big leagues, and I want to do everything I can to make that happen. But at the same time, I understand how baseball works. I understand the timelines and things like that. And I understand that I’m also not a finished product. I may have had a good spring — I may have hit well, I may have turned some heads — but I’m not done developing as a player, and I plan on being an even better player whenever I do make it up.”

If Saturday night’s Albuquerque Isotopes game is any question, Condon will be forcing his way into a Coors Field lineup sooner rather than later.

Weekly Pebble Report: March 27th-29th

Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes (1-2)

The Isotopes kicked off the season against the Oklahoma City Comets, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Rockies were concentrated on improving the quality of depth at their highest farm team, stocking up the roster with 18 new faces, and featuring 15 players who have seen time in the Major Leagues.

After winning the season opener behind a fantastic pitching performance from Tanner Gordon, the pitching struggled in the next two games as the Isotopes were outscored 26-10 in those games. The worst of the pitching happened on Saturday after the Isotopes went up 6-1 at one point, but then surrendered 12 unanswered runs.

As for the offense, the Isotopes showcased an ability to make contact, a major benefactor in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, and draw walks. However, much like the big league club over the weekend, strikeouts were bothersome, and most of the lineup hasn’t settled into finding those extra-base hits quite yet.

⬆️ Stock Up:Charlie Muscle

After a strong spring training campaign, Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) carried the momentum into his weekend debut in Triple-A. He got his first hit on Friday before turning around a fantastic performance in the second game of the season. On Saturday, Condon went 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs and five RBI, along with a pair of walks. He added another pair of hits on Sunday to close out the series, and while the season is young, he leads the Isotopes with a .500/.643/1.100 slashline. Condon also got to showcase his defensive versatility, starting two games at first base and one in right field.

⬇️ Stock Down:

Collin Baumgartner has slowly moved his way up through the Rockies system since signing with the team in 2023 as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He finished the 2025 season as a member of the Isotopes and had a good run, posting a 2.47 ERA over 22 1/3 innings. Unfortunately, his first outing of the year was a bit of a rough one as he allowed four runs on four hits, including a home run, in his lone inning of work on Sunday. It was the three walks that hurt him in the end, a bit uncharacteristic of the abilities he has shown through his minor league career. Still, it’s just his first outing; there is plenty of time to right the ship.

Upcoming

The Isotopes kick off their first homestand of the year this evening, welcoming the Reno Aces (Arizona Diamondbacks). Gabriel Hughes (No. 12 PuRP) will take the mound in the home opener.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

The 2026 season for the Double-A Akron RubberDucks begins Thursday.

The RubberDucks released a preliminary roster today. Before we get started, some names are missing primarily due to injuries. They include pitchers Rodney Boone, Zach Jacobs, Davis Sharpe and Carter Spivey and position player Jonah Advincula. Here are the active players we have so far:

Pitchers:

Alaska Abney RHP, Dylan DeLucia RHP, Caden Favors RHP, Josh Hartle LHP, Matt Jachec RHP, Jack Jasiak RHP, Reid Johnston RHP, Zane Morehouse RHP, Carter Rustad RHP, Hunter Stanley RHP, Khal Stephen RHP, Adam Tulloch LHP, Matt Wilkinson LHP.

Analysis:

From the looks of things, the starting rotation will be a major strength of the team early on as it will feature one of Cleveland’s top pitching prospects in Khal Stephen, who was acquired from Toronto in the Shane Bieber trade. Also in the rotation will be Dylan DeLucia, Josh Hartle, Matt Wilkinson and Caden Favors. If Reid Johnston is ready to go, it will be his first appearance since 2023.

Catchers:

Jacob Cozart LHH, Cameron Barstad LHH.

Analysis:

Cozart was a defense-first catcher who had some pop, but he surprisingly put up above-average offensive seasons for himself at both High-A and Double-A while possibly being one of the best defensive catchers in minor league baseball. Barstad is a serviceable backup, but Cozart will be the feature and his prospect status will continue to rise if he can improve his offense.

Infielders:

Angel Genao SH SS, Ralphy Velazquez LHH 1B, Alex Mooney RHH 3B/SS, Christian Knapczyk LHH 3B, Tyresse Turner SH 3B, Juan Benjamin SH 2B/3B.

Analysis:

Two of the team’s top offensive prospects are featured here in Genao and Velazquez. Genao is hoping to bounce back after a shoulder injury caused an average offensive season in 2025 while Velazquez’s star erupted with one of the strongest second halves in recent memory that saw him break out, even after being promoted to Akron. Neither should stay in Double-A long if they get off to strong starts.

Outfielders:

Wuilfredo Antunez LHH RF, Jake Fox LHH CF, Guy Lipscomb LHH RF, Alfonsin Rosario RHH RF/CF, Joe Lampe LHH LF, Nick Mitchell LHH CF.

Analysis:

Most eyes will be on Alfonsin Rosario as one of the lone top right-handed hitting prospects in the entire organization who had a breakout year in 2025, but don’t forget about Wuilfredo Antunez, who had a major power spike in the past year and Nick Mitchell, one of the returns from Toronto in the Andres Gimenez trade who flashed some elite bat speed and exit velocities this spring after an impressive offensive season in 2025.

Akron is loaded with top 10 organizational prospects at nearly every position from its starting rotation to the infielders and the outfield. It should be destination viewing on both sides of the field.

Which players are catching your eye as the Double-A season starts? Tell us in the comments below:

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox continue their series at Daikin Park tonight.

Houston is sending ace Hunter Brown to the hill, and my Red Sox vs. Astros predictions expect him to mow down Boston's lineup.

Here are my best free MLB picks for this American League clash on Tuesday, March 31.

Red Sox vs Astros predictions

Red Sox vs Astros best bet: Astros -0.5 F5 (-114)

The Houston Astros clobbered the Boston Red Sox 8-1 yesterday, and they hold a significant pitching advantage tonight.

Boston is starting right-hander Brayan Bello, who ranked in the bottom 25th percentile last year in xERA (4.48) and xBA (.258) last year.

Meanwhile, Houston’s Hunter Brownfinished third in AL Cy Young voting in 2025, posting a 2.43 ERA with a .201 OBA.

Brown made his season debut last Thursday, striking out nine over 4 2/3 scoreless innings while walking four batters. Control wasn’t an issue for Brown last year, so expect him to settle in and mow down the Red Sox order.

COVERS INTEL: Although the Astros placed 15th in the majors in OPS (.714) last year, three-time All-Stars Yordan Alvarez and Carlos Correa missed a combined 225 games due to injuries. Houston's lineup is currently at full strength.

Red Sox vs Astros same-game parlay (SGP)

Despite having an injury-plagued 2025, Yordan Alvarez slugged .587 over 396 games in his previous three seasons. He’ll have the platoon advantage against Bello and is 3-for-5 with a homer and a double against the Boston righty in his career.

Brown ranked eighth in the majors in strikeouts last year (204), and his velocity looks even better this time around. He averaged 95.7 mph on his devastating sinker last season but touched 98.4 mph on the pitch in Spring Training.

The Astros ace racked up nine strikeouts in just 4 2/3 innings in his season debut, and Boston struck out 12 times last night.

Red Sox vs Astros SGP

• Astros -0.5 F5
• Yordan Alvarez Over 1.5 total bases
• Hunter Brown Over 6.5 strikeouts

Red Sox vs Astros home run pick: Marcelo Mayer (+800)

There is fantastic value in backing Boston's Marcelo Mayer to hit a home run. The 23-year-old flashed power in his brief MLB stint last year, and his peripherals are outstanding to start 2026.

While Mayer hasn’t hit a homer so far, the Red Sox infielder has two doubles, and his hard-hit rate (57.1%) and barrel rate (28.6%) are elite.

Brown is a stud, but the hard-throwing righty allowed 10 homers in 14 home starts last year, and Houston’s bullpen is vulnerable to the long ball.

Red Sox vs Astros odds

• Moneyline: Boston +130 | Houston -154
• Run line: Boston +1.5 (-170) | Houston -1.5 (+140)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-114) | Under 7.5 (-106)

Red Sox vs Astros trend

Houston has covered the F5 run line in their last four games (+4.15 units / 91% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Astros.

How to watch Red Sox vs Astros and game info

Red Sox vs Astros latest injuries

Red Sox vs Astros weather

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

PHOENIX — Another day, another record-setting contract extension for a prospect who has yet to even set foot in the major leagues.

The Seattle Mariners have reached an agreement on a guaranteed eight-year, $95 million contract – that includes a club option for a ninth year with prized 20-year-old shortstop prospect Colt Emerson, a person with direct knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Mariners had not yet announced the deal.

It is the largest contract given to a player without any major league experience in history, eclipsing the eight-year, $82 million contract the Brewers gave outfielder Jackson Chourio in December 2023. Emerson is currently playing for Triple-A Tacoma.

The Mariners are planning on Emerson to be their shortstop of the future, replacing J.P. Crawford, whose contract expires after the 2026 season.

Through 4 games under new pitching coach Simon Mathews, Nationals pitchers as a group are seeing somewhat of a renaissance in terms of their “stuff”, with many of them finding extra velocity, spin, or movement on their pitches. Chief among them in terms of major changes has been Jake Irvin, who demonstrated perhaps more changes than any pitcher in the big leagues from 2025 to 2026 during his 5-inning, 2-run performance on Sunday at Wrigley Field. Let’s break down these changes and what they mean for Irvin’s 2026 outlook.

The first thing of note is that Irvin’s velocity was up a tick in his first start of 2026 from 2025. His fastball was over 1 MPH faster than it was in 2025, and all of his breaking balls and offspeeds were up a few ticks of velo (except for one, but more on that later). Perhaps this was just a result of Irvin feeling fresh in his very first start of the year, and it will be back to 2025 levels in a few weeks, but velocity being down was a problem for Irvin from the start last year, so it’s certainly refreshing to see that not be the case this season.

Another change Irvin made was dropping his arm angle for the 4th consecutive season. Irvin had an average arm angle of 32 degrees when he entered the big leagues in 2023, and has dropped it all the way to 25 degrees now in 2026. The result is a complete overhaul in his pitch’s movement, with none of his arsenal having the same movement profile as when he entered the bigs.

The pitch that saw the most major change from the arm angle tweak, as well as a likely change in grip, was his slider, which lost nearly 2 MPH of velocity, and in exchange, had nearly 9 more inches of vertical break than it had in 2025, making the pitch more of a sweeper than a traditional slider. Pitch models are a big fan of the change to the pitch, with Thomas Nestico’s Stuff+ formula grading the pitch at 111, 9 points up from 2025, and in the top 50 for all sliders in baseball.

Irvin also refined his pitch usage in his first start of 2026, cutting his fastball and curveball usage and distributing it to other pitches. Against righties, Irvin used his sinker primarily, throwing it 30% of the time, and bumped up his cutter and slider/sweeper usage from 6% and 7% to 10% and 14%, respectively. He attacked outside all afternoon with his pitches, looking to miss barrels with his horizontal moving pitches, while occasionally coming inside with his fastball and sinker.

When facing lefties, Irvin drastically cut use of his fastball and curveball, with the heater usage dropping from 38% to 26% and the curveball from 33% to 23%. With that 24% drop in usage of his 2 main pitches in 2025, he filled it with a 16% increase in cutter usage, 4% increase in changeup usage, and 4% increase in slider usage. He kept his sinker below the zone, hammered inside with his curveball and cutter, and kept them guessing with fastballs on the outside corner.

To recap, through a velocity increase, refining of his slider, and optimization of his pitch usage, Irvin saw an overall improvement to his stuff and impressive results against an impressive Cubs lineup, with the only runs he allowed being solo shots in the wind turbine called Wrigley Field. If he can keep his velocity up and continue to attack hitters with a plan that fits his arsenal, we may be seeing a return to 2024 first-half Jake Irvin form.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Orioles have only played four games out of a full 162-game season. They have won as many games as they’ve lost so far. It’s fine, for now. It would be nice if it was better, but it’s fine. Things just don’t feel fine since the losses and to some degree one of the wins are all continuing with stories that were problems for the team over the past season and a half.

Is the offense going to be good enough, with the offseason reinforcements it got, to reverse a trajectory of decline? Is a rebuilt starting rotation going to do the thing? Is a not-built bullpen going to cause continual problems? And then there’s the defense, good grief…

For this week’s survey, you have to pick only one. What’s your biggest concern for the rest of the season?

If you don’t see the survey above, view this article in Incognito Mode.

Results will be posted later in the week. In the meantime, you can head into the comments below to share your concerns.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

One of the most intriguing baseball betting options is the “run first inning” market, where you can wager on whether there will be runs scored in the opening frame.

The San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres have been two of the worst-hitting teams to start the season, and my MLB picks expect their bats to get off to another cold start tonight.  

Check out the rest of my free NRFI and YRFI bets for Tuesday, March 31.

Best NRFI/YRFI bets today

Pick	Odds
/ - YRFI	-130
/ - YRFI	-113
/ - NRFI	-120

Nationals at Phillies: YRFI (-130)

The Philadelphia Phillies are sending talented prospect Andrew Painter to the hill, but it’s unclear what we’ll get in his MLB debut.

Painter posted a 5.26 ERA across 26 minor league starts last year, and the Washington Nationals feature dangerous bats like James Wood and CJ Abrams at the top of their order.

Meanwhile, the Nats are using relief pitcher P.J. Poulin as an opener; he posted a 3.93 xERA over 24 2/3 innings last year. I don’t trust him against a Phillies lineup led by Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper — especially with a stiff 13-mph breeze blowing toward the outfield at the hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park today.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MLB Network

Tigers at Diamondbacks: YRFI (-113)

Casey Mize struggled during the second half of last season, posting a 5.54 ERA over his final 13 starts for the Detroit Tigers. He now faces an Arizona Diamondbacks lineup loaded at the top with Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, and Geraldo Perdomo.

The Tigers also feature dangerous hitters at the top of their order, going up against D-Backs righty Brandon Pfaadt, who ranked in the bottom 10th percentile last year in barrel rate, exit velocity, and xBA (.285).

Pfaadt pitched to a 5.25 ERA across 33 starts in 2025, with that number ballooning to 7.31 in the first inning.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DBacks.TV | Tigers.TV

Giants at Padres: NRFI (-120)

Logan Webb was roughed up in his season debut for the San Francisco Giants. That said, he’s a proven ace, posting a 2.94 FIP across 132 starts over the last four years, so I'll be looking for him to bounce back.

Meanwhile, German Marquez makes his debut for the San Diego Padres and will be excited to pitch at Petco Park after spending his entire career at altitude. 

Marquez gets a favorable matchup against San Francisco, which ranks last in the majors in OPS (.441) and sits in the bottom three in barrel rate and hard-hit rate. San Diego isn’t much better, sitting 28th in OPS (.512) and 26th in barrel rate.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC Sports BA | Padres.TV

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

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Last week, I had the Pinstripe Alley staff make predictions on the 2026 season, and one of them had to do with a certain three-time AL MVP who is already fourth on the all-time Yankees home run list behind some fellas named Babe, Mickey, and Lou.

I know that some of you already made predictions on Aaron Judge’s home run total after seeing our predictions, but now it’s time to submit them in Reacts survey form! We have a few different range options to select, so pick where you think he’ll land. He’s topped 50 in three of his last four seasons, and was on pace for 50 in 2023 had it not been for that damn Dodger Stadium bullpen fence.

Also, while we asked for predictions on what the Yankees’ playoff fate would be in 2026, we didn’t ask for a classic win total prediction. So there are some ranges in a question for that as well!

Vote in the poll and we’ll check out the results later this week.

The Winston-Salem Dash finished 56-74 in 2025, falling way short of a postseason berth. The Dash scored 580 runs (4.46 per game) and allowed 629 (4.84 per game). Among the 12 teams in the South Atlantic League, Winston-Salem ranked fifth in runs scored but just 11th in runs allowed.

With changes needed, Guillermo Quiroz (who managed Double-A Birmingham to a Southern League championship in 2025) will take over as manager. The Dash will open the season with far more high-upside prospects than they did last year, putting them in a strong position to take a sizable step forward.

Infielder Caleb Bonemer, 20, is the headliner of the group. The White Sox selected Bonemer in the second round of the 2024 draft, and he has made an immediate impact in the farm system. Across Kannapolis and Winston-Salem, Bonemer slashed .281/.401/.473 (151 wRC+) while providing solid defense at shortstop and third base. He is ranked No. 61 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list and No. 3 among White Sox prospects; at South Side Sox, we have Boenmer ranked at No. 2 overall. Last year, Bonemer was the king of our weekly and monthly Minor League awards. Bonemer’s development is way ahead of schedule, and he could be a strong candidate for a promotion to Double-A before the All-Star break.

Kyle Lodise, 22, is another infielder with a chance to make an impact. The White Sox drafted Lodise in the third round in 2025 out of Georgia Tech, where he slashed .329/.429/.667 (135 wRC+) for the Yellow Jackets. He also appeared in 28 games for Winston-Salem, posting a .185/.319/.370 line (108 wRC+) in a small sample. Lodise primarily plays shortstop, and his overall profile was strong enough for MLB Pipeline to rank him No. 10 among White Sox prospects (SSS ranks him No. 13). Between Lodise and Bonemer, the Dash infield already projects as one of the better units in the South Atlantic League — and there is even more depth behind them.

Jeral Pérez, 21 and ranked No. 15 in the system (SSS’ No. 12), also has plenty of upside. Pérez played 125 games for the Dash in 2025 and showed significant power, slashing .244/.315/.448 (124 wRC+) with 22 home runs to lead the South Atlantic League. Most of his time came at second base, though he also saw action at shortstop. While Pérez’s power stands out, MLB Pipeline grades his hit, speed, and field tools at 45 (slightly below average). If Pérez can improve his on-base consistency and defensive reliability, he could make a significant impact in 2026.

Ryan Burrowes, 21, is another infielder capable of sparking the offense. He opened 2025 in Kannapolis, slashing .256/.343/.341 (103 wRC+) before earning a promotion to Winston-Salem, where he improved to .254/.338/.386 (117 wRC+). Burrowes went 47-for-53 (88.7%) in stolen base attempts, making him a major threat once on base. One caveat to his game is his lack of power, though his extra-base production trended upward late in the season. MLB Pipeline gives Burrowes a 60-grade run tool, which seems a bit low given how dangerous he is on the basepaths. Burrowes enters 2026 ranked No. 30 in the system, according to MLB Pipeline (at SSS, No. 42). Burrowes primarily plays second base but also has experience at third.

On the pitching side Christian Oppor, 21, is expected to lead the rotation. The lefthander, drafted in the fifth round in 2023, spent most of 2025 with Winston-Salem (65 1/3 innings) while also logging 22 1/3 innings in Kannapolis. Overall, Oppor posted a 3.08 ERA and 3.50 FIP while averaging 11.91 strikeouts per nine innings. His performance boosted him to No. 8 in the White Sox system (No. 9 at SSS). Oppor has an 60-grade fastball along with a 55-grade slider and a 55-grade changeup, giving him above-average marks across all three pitches. His primary area for improvement is control, as he posted a 4.31 BB/9 rate. If Oppor can reduce that, his ceiling will rise significantly.

Mathias LaCombe, 23, a righthander, emerged as an intriguing prospect in his first season of affiliated ball. Ranked No. 17 in the system (No. 21 at SSS), LaCombe threw 35 2/3 innings in the Complex League and 17 2/3 in Kannapolis. He posted a 3.04 ERA and 4.15 FIP while holding opponents to a .188 average and striking out 12.32 per nine frames. The White Sox selected LaCombe in the 12th round of the 2023 draft, and his ability to generate swings and misses stands out. Like Oppor, however, LaCombe will need to reduce his walk rate (4.05 BB/9) as he advances throughout the system.

Aldrin Batista, 22, is ranked No. 23 in the system (SSS’ No. 17) and enters 2026 looking to bounce back from injury. A stress fracture in his right elbow limited Batista to just a handful of appearances in 2025. Before that injury, Batista was on a roll toward the South Side. In 2024, he posted a 2.93 ERA and 3.75 FIP between Kannapolis and Winston-Salem while allowing just 0.65 home runs per nine innings. Notably, across 40 innings with the Dash between 2024 and 2025, Batista has yet to allow a home run. Batista’s well-rounded profile helps him limit hard contact, making him an important arm to watch.

Finally, I cannot preview this team without discussing outfielder Samuel Zavala, 21. Acquired in the Dylan Cease trade in March 2024, Zavala was once among the Padres’ top prospects, and initially, he was near the top of the White Sox system. Although he has since fallen outside MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 (though still No. 27 at SSS), I am still a believer. After struggling in 2024, when he slashed .187/.340/.301 (97 wRC+), Zavala rebounded in 2025, slashing .254/.360/.372 (122 wRC+). He has also shown the ability to handle center field, adding defensive value and increasing error margins at the plate. Even during down years like 2024, Zavala found ways to reach base, which is a good sign.

In recent years, top prospects have largely bypassed Winston-Salem, contributing to the club’s lower win totals. However, the 2026 team seems ready to change that trend, and the Dash should have a solid chance to compete for a playoff spot.