SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 30: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates his walk-off single during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at T-Mobile Park on March 30, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Tuesday! We were treated to our first walk-off of 2026 last night after a single from Cal Raleigh slipped past first base and scored Leo Rivas from third. Another stellar pitching performance featured six innings from Luis Castillo with no runs, two hits, and seven strikeouts. The bullpen largely did their job, and Matt Brash looked electric in his first save of the season.
The second game of the series against the New York Yankees starts tonight at 6:40 PM with a pitching duel of Logan Gilbert versus Max Fried.
We will be hosting a site chat on Thursday, April 2nd, at 6:40 PM during the first off day of the regular season. Stay tuned for a link on Thursday and please join in the conversation!
Around the league…
RHP Cody Ponce was carted off the field in his Toronto Blue Jays debut after landing awkwardly on his right knee while trying to field a hit. He was initially diagnosed with right knee discomfort but is expected to receive a full diagnosis today after an MRI.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 08: Colt Emerson #85 of the Seattle Mariners rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the ninth inning of a Spring Training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on March 08, 2025 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB Rumors: Colt Emerson and the Seattle Mariners have agreed to terms on an 8 year, $95 million deal, per reports. This is the largest contract ever for a player under team control who has yet to play in the major leagues.
Emerson, a shortstop who doesn’t turn 21 until July, was the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. He appeared in the back end of top 100 lists prior to the 2024 season after an impressive pro debut. He split the 2024 season between low-A and high-A, putting up a 867 OPS in low-A and a 648 OPS in high-A. That performance as a teenage shortstop made him a consensus top 25-30 prospect.
Emerson put up a .285/.383/.458 slash line in 2025, primarily in high-A, but with 34 games in AA and six games at AAA. He has started the 2026 season at AAA Tacoma, but with a long-term deal now in place, one would expect he will be in the majors in the very near future, likely displacing Leo Rivas at shortstop.
We have seen a spate of contract extension over the last week or so. The Chicago Cubs inked a 6 year, $115 million extension with Pete Crow-Armstrong as well as a 6 year, $141 million deal with Nico Hoerner. Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt, who, like Emerson, is in AAA currently and has yet to play in the majors, is reportedly on the verge of doing an 8 year, $50 million-plus extension.
The Boston Red Sox are seeking their second victory of the season as they take on the Houston Astros. Houston's Hunter Brown, who looked strong in his first start, will face Boston's Brayan Bello, who has an ERA of 3.35.
The Detroit Tigers floundered in the opening game of their road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night, as Justin Verlander was anything but in vintage form in the team’s 9-6 loss.
They will get another shot on Tuesday night in the desert behind their former No. 1 draft pick, Casey Mize, who opens the campaign in the fifth and final spot of the starting rotation. The Snakes will send fellow right-hander Brandon Pfaadt to the mound opposite him, looking for the victory and his team’s first series win of the nascent season.
With just four games elapsed, the American League Central division has the Cleveland Guardians out to a half-game lead over the rest of the field with a 3-2 record, while Detroit and the Kansas City Royals are both 2-2 so far. The Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins inhabit the bottom portion of the standings, both at 1-3.
But the year is young! There is plenty of baseball to be played.
With that in mind, take a look below at a brief comparison of Tuesday night’s pitchers.
Detroit Tigers (2-2) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (1-3)
The New York Yankees (3-1) face the Seattle Mariners (3-2) in the second game of a three-game series. Cal Raleigh walked off the win for Seattle in the opening game. Max Fried (1-0, 0.00 ERA) starts for the Yankees, while Logan Gilbert (0-0, 5.06 ERA) pitches for the Mariners. The Yankees are narrow favorites with a moneyline of -115.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Luis Arraez #1 of the San Francisco Giants talks with Manny Machado #13 and Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres before the game at Petco Park on March 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Through four games of the 2026 season, the San Diego Padres have managed a grand total of nine runs scored, while allowing 16 runs to the Detroit Tigers and the San Francisco Giants. The Padres dropped the series opener to the Giants at Petco Park on Monday 3-2, but the score makes the game appear much closer than it was. San Diego did not have an answer for San Francisco starter Landon Roupp who recorded seven strikeouts over six innings while allowing just two hits. The runs scored by the Padres came off Giants reliever Ryan Walker. Jackson Merrill hit a two-out, two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. San Diego was one pitch away from being shutout for the first time this season by a division rival who was looking for and got its first win of the season. Padres manager Craig Stammen has been shuffling his lineup looking for something that works and it appears that will continue until the San Diego lineup can provide some signs of life. Perhaps the home run by Merrill will carry over to the second game of the series with San Francisco when the teams reconvene at Petco Park at 6:40 p.m.
Padres News:
The addition of Jose Leclerc to the San Diego organization became official on Monday and Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball believes that once healthy, the former World Series winner can be a mid-summer boost for the Padres’ bullpen.
Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune believed the roster would give Stammen and his Padres a slight edge over Tony Vitello and the Giants, but that proved not to be the case in the first game of the series. There are two games remaining for San Diego to turn that around.
Mason Miller debuted his new entrance music when he runs from the San Diego bullpen to take the mound. He took a suggestion from a member of the Padres clubhouse staff and early responses seem to think the new entrance is a hit according to AJ Cassavell of Padres.com.
It appears Stammen is going to use his catchers equally to start the season despite the fact that Luis Campusano continues to have issues at the plate on offense. He has improved defensively, but the Friar Faithful are still waiting for his Triple-A success to translate to the big-leagues. It seems Stammen is going to give “Campy” plenty of opportunities to make it happen.
Baseball News:
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has not had the best start to the 2026 season, but he came through for his team when it mattered most. Raleigh came through with a clutch hit that resulted in a walk-off win against the New York Yankees.
Michael Soroka of the Arizona Diamondbacks threw the first Immaculate Inning (three up, three down on nine pitches) of the season. It is the first Immaculate Inning since Padres closer Mason Miller accomplished the task in 2025.
Shohei Ohtani makes his first start on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season. Tanner Bibee will pitch for Cleveland. The Guardians won the first game of the series on Monday, handing the Dodgers their first loss. Los Angeles is favored with a -235 moneyline and a -1.5 spread.
How to watch Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Date: Tuesday, March 31
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET / 7:10 p.m. PT
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
TV Channels: SportsNet LA, Guardians.TV Presented by Progressive
The HR article connected on a Kazuma Okamoto +520 homer in the ninth inning last night in Toronto, and we’re right back at it with two early looks this morning and another to come this afternoon. The MLB player props are still offering plenty of value.
I’m targeting a pair of +475 middle-of-the-order bats in strong matchups at +EV prices: Jake Burger and Brent Rooker. Not an easy day for pitchers dealing with these two.
These are my favorite home run props for Tuesday, March 31.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Jake Burger
+475
Brent Rooker
+475
Jake Burger (+475)
Conditions are ideal for power, with 17-mph winds blowing out to left-center and temperatures around 80 degrees — a strong setup for home runs.
Jake Burgergets a premium matchup against Zach Eflin, who is coming off back surgery and posted the second-worst HR/9 among starters with 60+ innings last season. Burger, hitting out of the cleanup spot, is 3-for-7 with a home run against Eflin in his career.
THE BAT projects a fair price around +375, making current numbers appealing.
Betting on the earliest game of the slate is also an easy decision for my MLB picks.
Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, RSN
Brent Rooker (+475)
I don’t usually put a lot of weight into batter vs. pitcher data given the small samples, but it’s hard to ignore that Brent Rooker has taken José Suárez deep three times in just five at-bats — especially with Rooker sitting at +475.
Rooker had a strong spring and may be off to a slow start, but the power is real. He has legitimate 40-HR upside, which puts him in a rare tier of hitters.
Suárez is more of a bullpen arm being stretched into a starting role because of Spencer Strider's injury, which adds risk. The environment isn’t elite, but 80-degree weather in Atlanta with a total of 9.0 is still solid.
Fair value on this HR prop is closer to +400, and Rooker projects similarly to names like Ronald Acuña Jr., Shea Langeliers, and Austin Riley — all of whom are priced shorter.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Braves Vision, Gray TV, NBCSCA
2026 Transparency record
HR picks: 1-2 SU, +3.2 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Los Angeles Angels hope to snap a three-game losing streak when they face the Chicago Cubs tonight at Wrigley Field.
The forecast promises a cold, miserable night, and my Angels vs. Cubs predictions expect LA starter Jose Soriano and his sinker-slider combo to rack up the strikeouts.
Angels vs Cubs best bet: Jose Soriano Over 4.5 strikeouts (-108)
Jose Soriano is riding a jaw-dropping 41.3% whiff rate from his 2026 opener, where he struck out seven Astros in six innings of work.
This follows a strong spring where the Los Angeles Angels righty struck out 13 across 11 2/3 and eight punchouts per nine frames in 2025.
The Chicago Cubs lineup presents multiple strikeout candidates, and they’ve struck out in 22% of their 91 plate appearances against right-handed arms in 2026.
Cold, heavy air at Wrigley Field plays right into Soriano's hard sinker and devastating slider combo. Back him to punch out at least five tonight.
COVERS INTEL: Soriano averaged 3.7 pitches per batter and struck out 8.05 batters per nine in 2025, and seven Astros on Opening Day at Houston.
Angels vs Cubs same-game parlay (SGP)
Cold weather, limited scoring, and the more reliable arm on the mound sum up this three-leg same-game parlay.
Soriano was excellent on the road last season (8-3), and he just threw six scoreless innings in Houston. His 69.2% ground-ball rate limits damage and keeps traffic off the bases.
Jameson Taillon allowed 26 earned runs across 13 1/3 spring innings, and he’s hard to trust right now. In a game where runs will be scarce, that edge on the mound leans toward the Halos.
Angels vs Cubs SGP
Jose Soriano Over 4.5 strikeouts
Angels moneyline
Under 7.5
Angels vs Cubs home run pick: Mike Trout (+310)
Mike Trout doesn't need much of an invitation, and Taillon is practically rolling out the red carpet.
Ten home runs and nine walks in just over 13 spring innings tell you that he is a pitcher who can't find the zone and is getting destroyed when he does.
Trout has already taken Taillon deep, and the Angels slugger launched two bombs on Opening Day at Houston. I’ll back him to crack one tonight.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 1-1, -0.2 units
SGPs: 0-2, -2 units
HR picks: 0-2, -2 units
Angels vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles +120 | Chicago -142
Run line: Los Angeles +1.5 (-188) | Chicago -1.5 (+155)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+116) | Under 7.5 (-142)
Angels vs Cubs trend
The Chicago Cubs have hit the Game Total Under in 64 of their last 117 games (+13.65 Units / 11% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Cubs.
How to watch Angels vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN West, Marquee
Angels starting pitcher
Jose Soriano (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Jameson Taillon (2025: 11-7, 3.68 ERA)
Angels vs Cubs latest injuries
Angels vs Cubs weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
New York, NY - October 2: Boston Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez in the dugout in the seventh inning of Game 3 of the Wild Card playoff series at Yankee Stadium on October 2, 2025. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Happy Tuesday, Red Sox Nation. After last night’s ass-whooping at the hands of the Houston Astros, our beloved Red Sox fall to 1-3. I don’t know about you, but the offense feels like it’s been slumping for weeks, even though it’s only four games. Baseball season is a grind, though, and nobody wins 162 games in a row.
So, my question to you is: did you forget that? Are you already frustrated by the lack of hitting with runners in scoring position? Or are you accepting it as statistical noise that happens in small samples?
Talk about early season frustration and whatever else you want here. Be good to one another, and go Sox.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Andrew Painter #76 of the Philadelphia Phillies prepares to pitch during the second inning of a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Tonight’s Phillies game will feature one of the most anticipated MLB debuts in recent memory, at least for Philadelphia baseball fans. Top pitching prospect Andrew Painter will finally make his long awaited MLB debut, nearly three years after it was originally anticipated thanks to a torn UCL and Tommy John surgery.
The Phillies went into the season planning on Painter being their fifth starter, and so far he has seemed up to the task. He made four starts this spring and allowed three runs on seven hits across 11.2 innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. He suffered velocity bleeding as he went on in one of his starts, something that plagued him last season during his rocky year at Triple-A, but he followed that up with a better start where he held his velocity. His much scrutinized fastball shape slowly improved as the spring went on and he flashed impressive improvement on his secondary pitches, most notably his changeup. Overall, his spring didn’t show any reasons to be skeptical but also didn’t show a major reason for optimism. He mostly performed to reasonable expectations.
Tonight we will get our first look at Painter against a Major League lineup. Granted, Painter and the Phillies could not have asked for a much softer landing for the young righty’s debut, as he will face a Washington Nationals lineup that was a bottom ten offense last season, ranking 20th in runs scored and 23rd in slugging. It’s a new season, but the Nats are once again projected to be one of the worst teams in baseball. However, they did open the season with an upset series win over the Cubs at Wrigley where they scored 18 total runs in three games.
Every inning Painter throws this season will be heavily scrutinized, for better or worse. His first start will not make or break his season, let alone his career, but it is a chance to set the narrative for the rest of his rookie campaign. So, what are you looking for tonight in Andrew Painter’s debut? What do you need to see to feel good about his prospects going forward?
Some of you might have taken note of Owen Caissie’s two-run walk-off homer for the Marlins on Sunday.
The other part of that deal, Edward Cabrera coming to the Cubs, also had a very good game for his new team. Cabrera was dominant over six innings, allowing just a walk and a fourth-inning single (and the latter was immediately erased on a double play). The Cubs offense did their job against Angels rookie Ryan Johnson and the result was a satisfying 7-2 win, evening up the Cubs’ early season record at 2-2.
The Cubs got right to work on Johnson in the first inning… or, rather, Johnson couldn’t throw strikes. He walked three of the first four hitters he faced, loading the bases with one out. Nico Hoerner’s sac fly made it 1-0 Cubs [VIDEO].
Take close note in that clip of PCA running. The ball hasn’t even landed and he is blazing around second base. Eventually PCA scores from first on a bloop single. He’s really been using his speed quite a bit in the early going. That made it 3-0.
Ian Happ is the 20th different Cub since 1901 to hit at least three home runs in his first four games of a season. Gabby Hartnett and Billy Williams did it twice. They are two of the three who hit four homers. The other was Randy Jackson. Happ is the eighth this century, after Sammy Sosa (2002), Derrek Lee (2006), Donnie Murphy (2013), Javier Baez and Jorge Soler (both 2014), Anthony Rizzo (2020) and Seiya Suzuki (2022).
PCA followed that with a single and went to third on a double by Nico.
Had this been later in the year, Craig Counsell might have let Cabrera throw the seventh. But early on, there are still some pitch limits and Cabrera was removed after 80 pitches (49 strikes). Here’s more on Cabrera’s outing [VIDEO].
Rea completed that at-bat by striking out Trout. One out later, though, Jorge Soler singled and Yoan Moncada hit a Rea mistake for a towering home run that might have had a bit of help from the strong wind blowing out.
The Cubs put their final run on the board in the seventh. Nico led off with a walk, stole second (the Cubs now have six steals this year without being caught) and advanced to third on an infield out.
Rea finished things up, but not until allowing two singles in the ninth, at which point Counsell had Daniel Palencia warming up just in case. Rea responded by striking out the last two hitters, including this K of Moncada to end it [VIDEO].
Rea collects a save since he threw three innings, the Cubs’ first save of 2026.
Apart from the Moncada homer, the complaint department is closed again.
The Cubs will go for two in a row over the Angels Tuesday evening (weather permitting). Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs and José Soriano goes for the Angels. Game time is again 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 26: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins on Opening Day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Much of the focus X this past offseason centered (as it always seems to) on the Orioles’ ability to upgrade their pitching rotation. Mike Elias and the front office may not have traded for Tarik Skubal or signed a top free agent (Cease, Valdez, Suarez), but they did show a refreshing aggressiveness in adding starting pitchers. They traded for former Rays top prospect Shane Baz (and subsequently signed him to a five-year extension), while bringing in veteran right-hander Chris Bassitt and re-signing 2025 Opening Day starter Zach Eflin.
The identity of the Orioles’ franchise was largely founded on their great rotations in the 60s and 70s. And because of this identity, Baltimore’s relative starting pitching scarcity over the last two decades has often made for plenty of worry, frustration and pessimism throughout Birdland. The 2026 rotation, as undoubtedly the most talented group of starters assembled by Elias, will look to put some of that pessimism to bed as they play a key role in the Orioles’ quest to return to the playoffs.
After last night’s loss against the Rangers, we’ve now seen four of the five make their first start of the 2026 season. After seeing the top four starters in action for the first time, let’s break down the good and the bad from the Orioles best arms.
Trevor Rogers (7.0 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 5 K vs. MIN)
Grade: A
According to No.2 starter Kyle Bradish, there was never really any doubt that Rogers would be the Orioles’ Opening Day starter. After watching the reigning Most Valuable Oriole march through the Twins order last Thursday, it only confirmed that manager Craig Albernaz made the right decision.
After a magical run that saw him post a 1.81 ERA across 18 starts, there was the lingering question as to whether Rogers could be as effective in 2026. Instead, he was better. The southpaw’s plan of attack was the same as the one he carefully crafted last season: use his four-seamer to attack righties up and in, while pairing it with a low and away changeup to keep hitters off balance. He even showed off some improved velocity on his fastball, touching 95 and 96 in the early innings.
The Orioles’ lefty never relies heavily on his cutter or curveball. However, each time he went to one of his breaking pitches against Minnesota, it seemed perfectly set up and executed—as evidenced by the 50% whiff rate on the curve and 33.3% whiff rate on the cutter.
Rogers’ knack for navigating traffic also showed up in full force versus the Twins. Rogers tied a season-high from 2025 with four free passes, but also set an Orioles career high by rolling three double play balls. Despite not having the same strikeout stuff as Bradish, Rogers excels in pressure situations, as the Twins consistently mustered only weak contact in going 1-for-10 with RISP against the Orioles’ ace. Rogers’ best start from last year saw him pitch eight shutout innings, so the fact that he “only” threw seven scoreless takes him from an A+ down to an A.
Kyle Bradish (4.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K vs. MIN)
Grade: C+
Early on in his outing against the Twins, Bradish looked like the dominant force we saw at the end of the 2025 season. He opened the game with a Bradish classic, firing an elevated two-seamer past Kody Clemens to open his 2026 account with a K. He’d punch out Josh Bell in the 2nd on another two-seamer, before burying a slider to get Clemens swinging and end the 3rd.
After those threw scoreless innings, Bradish ran into a bit of bad luck, followed by the effects of the bad weather. In the 4th, Byron Buxton led off the inning by bouncing a curveball up the middle, reaching after just barely beating the throw from Jeremiah Jackson at 2B. Buxton then benefited from some Baltimore defensive blunders, with a bad throw from Colton Cowser in CF allowing him to tag up from first, while a failed back pick by Adley Rutschman allowed him to go to third. The error by Adley would mean Bradish’s first run of the season was unearned, after a sac fly brought Buxton home to score.
Bradish then seemed to run out of gas early Saturday, as he suffered a noticeable dip in velocity and control in the 5th. After sitting around 95mph with his two-seamer in the early innings, his velocity fell to around 91-92 at the beginning of the 5th. Bradish tried to compensate by leaning on his breaking balls, but ended up walking leadoff batter Trevor Larnach after failing to locate his slider. Three pitches later, Bradish tried to challenge Royce Lewis with a two-seamer up and in, but instead it ended up and in the left field bleachers.
It’s worth mentioning that the game time temperature was in the mid-40s, meaning Bradish’s early exit could be due to the difficulties keeping your arm warm that come in cold temperatures. And yet, it’s hard to give him a higher grade, given the loss and the feeling that his afternoon was incomplete.
Shane Baz (5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K vs. MIN)
Grade: C-
Fresh off the announcement of his five-year/$68M extension, Baz’s first start as an Oriole got off to a rocky start. After a 1-2-3 inning in the 1st, Baz was shelled in the second inning against the Twinkies. After three singles and a bases-clearing double, the 26-year-old right-hander was staring down the barrel of a 4-0 deficit two innings into his career.
From there, Baz showed grit in putting up 3.1 scoreless innings to close out his start, allowing the Orioles offense the time they needed to stage a comeback. The former Ray also showed plenty of promise in grinding out 16 outs against Minnesota. His knuckle curve was especially sharp, limiting Twins hitters to a .167 average while generating two punchouts and a 40% whiff rate. His cutter was equally effective, holding Minnesota batters to a .143 and picking up two Ks on cutters up and away to Buxton and Lewis.
Baz doesn’t grade out as highly as Bradish because, while he did get two more outs, he also gave up that big inning while pitching in more ideal conditions. And yet, like his fellow hard-throwing right-hander, the newest Orioles starter flashed the kind of stuff that suggests better outings are on the horizon.
Chris Bassitt (4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K vs. TEX)
Grade: D
Bassitt tried to pull off the same high-wire act we saw from Rogers, only for his soft contact to turn into soft hits and runs on the board for the Rangers. The 37-year-old veteran got unlucky in his first inning as an Oriole. A pair of singles (that could’ve been outs) turned into a run when an awkward comebacker forced Bassitt to rush a throw home, allowing a run to score as the throw skipped past Adley at the plate.
That unfortunate opening frame turned into further frustration as Bassitt struggled to put away hitters in the 2nd. The right-hander commanded his sinker well, but seemed to struggle with putting hitters away. Multiple times during the Rangers’ three-run rally, Bassitt tried to sequence his sinker low and in with a fastball up, only to badly miss on the fastball. Texas hitters had seven swings and misses against Bassitt’s curveball, but he only generated three total outs and one strikeout on the breaking ball.
Bassitt has the veteran savvy and a six-to-seven pitch mix that should allow him to bounce back this weekend against the Pirates. His Orioles debut, however? That certainly fell flat.
Mar 30, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Texas Rangers players celebrate during the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Good morning.
Evan Grant writes that Jack Leiter looked every bit the part of an established, successful starting pitcher in a season debut victory for the Texas Rangers last night.
Grant writes that Brandon Nimmo’s approach at the top of the order is already rubbing off and that’s paying off for the Rangers.
One weekend into the season and the pundits are coming around on the fact that the Rangers are surely going to win the World Series as Texas climbs the powerrankings.
Grant writes that Carter Baumler’s first week as a big leaguer sees him return to where it all began as his next appearance will likely be against the team that drafted him and left him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft.
And, Grant notes that the Rangers anticipate Jacob deGrom making his 2026 debut tonight in Baltimore, but they haven’t made it official yet.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves is introduced before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’ve come to think of Bryce Elder the last couple of years as Chunky Woody Harrelson. Not fat, just broad-shouldered with a full, kind face. I have noticed this season that he’s added the beard. He does appear to be slimmer. As a blogger with a terminal case of dad bod, I know how helpful it can be to add facial hair to appear more svelte. Or at least it can hide the soft jawbone.
On the left is 2025 and right is this season in Spring Training. The uniforms are different, but you can get an idea. For what it’s worth, I think he’s down maybe 5-10 pounds. He looks more like a younger Rick Sutcliffe now than a Chunky Woody Harrelson.
He might be down a few pounds, I don’t know. But one thing that was been streamlined last night was his delivery. It’s tougher to see in Baseball Savant or other MLB Media clips. Bryce has this annoying habit of moving faster to the plate on some throws and slower on others. Specifically:
A near quick pitch approach. Barely comes set, then throws the ball.
A more labored start to the windup, then releases to the plate.
A third speed which is somewhere in between.
However last night, I didn’t see that much. His pace somewhere in between speed 1 and 3. There was no quick pitch, just a reasonably quick pace. I didn’t see him deviate until for pitch 66 of the appearance. He slowed down, had trouble retrieving his grip on the slider, and sent it way above Jonah Heim and left. He would walk Carlos Cortes one pitch later, and Jonah visited to help him lock in again. He would rally to strike out Nick Kurtz. Then he did do the labored windup deal a couple of times in the sixth. But he was much more composed all the way around. (I’m writing this overnight and Savant won’t have the individual pitch video right now. But I will try to remember to get the Cortes pitch up in the morning.)
EDIT: With the help of the video, this is the pitch I’m referring to. He’s slower to the plate here. He’s clearly having trouble gripping the slider. You can see that, but what you don’t see here is that his pace slowed before he threw this pitch. Savant’s not going to give you five seconds before the pitch (because worldwide memory shortage for one) but his pace is interrupted. This is what you didn’t see a lot last night.
I don’t think Bryce Elder is fixed or has found the solution to his troubles. His location was better last night especially with the four seam fastball. Although some pitches left something to be desired. He visited the zone more with the slider more than I would like. Thankfully, the Athletics couldn’t do much with him (or really anybody this year). But Bryce’s composure has improved, and he does look much more comfortable.
Jake Burger 
Brent Rooker 
COVERS INTEL: Soriano averaged 3.7 pitches per batter and struck out 8.05 batters per nine in 2025, and seven Astros on Opening Day at Houston.
