SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 17: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners looks on against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at T-Mobile Park on April 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There have been several low moments already in this young season but dropping last night’s game – and therefore the series – to the A’s ranks pretty high up there, for me. After taking back some momentum with a series win against Texas, the Mariners have let that slip through their fingers, again struggling to come up with clutch hits and string together offensive threats, leaving the pitching staff, which has not been perfect, little to no room for error. Logan Gilbert has the task of trying to right the ship today, and while he’s historically been good at playing the role of stopper, this year’s version of Logan Gilbert hasn’t quite looked like his 2023 self.
Lineups:
The A’s are sending Aaron Civale to the mound.
Roster News:
The A’s made a roster move prior to today’s game, moving OF Denzel Clarke (Josh Naylor’s cousin!) to the 10-day IL and selecting OF Colby Thomas from Triple-A Las Vegas.
As a reminder, the Mariners have made a couple of moves this week: first, moving Brendan Donovan to the 10-day IL and calling up INF Will Wilson from Tacoma; and second, calling up RHP Alex Hoppe and DFAing Casey Legumina.
Game Information:
Game time: 1:1o PT
TV: Mariners TV, with Aaron Goldsmith and Ryon Healy, and Angie Mentink as field reporter
Radio: Seattle Sports 710, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 17: Aaron Civale #45 of the Athletics pitches against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park on April 17, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Having won the first two games of this series against the Seattle Mariners, the first-place Athletics enter this afternoon’s matchup at T-Mobile Park seeking to complete the series sweep and extend their road winning streak to eight games. It’s still early, but a road sweep of the defending division champion would signal that Mark Kotsay’s A’s are not to be taken lightly and are ready to contend in the American League West.
Today, right-hander Aaron Civale takes the mound for the A’s. The 30-year-old right hander is 2-1 with a 3.54 ERA through his first four starts with the A’s. He pitched well in his first three starts, all taking place on the road. This past Friday, Civale did not fare as well in his first start at Sutter Health Park. Facing the Chicago White Sox, he allowed 11 hits and five runs over 4 2/3 innings, suffering his first loss of the season. This afternoon presents Civale with a prime opportunity to rebound, as the Seattle Mariners’ offense has struggled and their ballpark is one of the most pitcher-friendly in the league.
Here’s how the A’s lineup behind Civale will look:
Hoping to bring out the brooms, the A’s are running it back with nearly the same lineup as the previous two games. Zack Gelof returns to the bench after making two straight starts in center field. Austin Wynns is behind the plate, while fellow catcher Shea Langeliers serves as the designated hitter as he looks to homer for a third consecutive game. Lawrence Butler shifts to center field after the team placed Denzel Clarke on the injured list this morning. Meanwhile, his replacement, outfielder Colby Thomas, could get some playing time these next few games as he has been swinging a hot bat at Triple-A.
The Athletics lineup faces a tough task today against Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert, who enters his sixth start with a 1-3 record and a 4.03 ERA. Gilbert is a major reason Seattle has one of the best starting rotations in baseball, as hecan be tough to hit when he’s in rhythm. A’s hitters, especially Jacob Wilson and Max Muncy, must be patient at the plate and avoid chasing pitches from Gilbert that are not strikes. The Mariners’ bullpen has not pitched well this series, so the sooner the A’s chase Gilbert, the better their chances are of winning.
Seattle is likewise rolling out a mostly regular lineup for today’s matinee matchup. Civale must be careful when pitching to catcher Cal Raleigh, who has homered in each of the first two games of the series, matching Langeliers. Raleigh is not the only threat, with teammates Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor also poised to do damage at the plate.
Time to leave the Pacific Northwest with a sweep before heading to Texas to take on the Rangers. Let’s go A’s!
Apr 22, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates with Tampa Bay Rays third base coach Brady Williams (4) after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images
The Rays were looking to wrap up their home series against the Reds by avoiding the series sweep. To get there, they had Nick Martinez on the mound up against Brandon Williamson for the Reds. This sets up the delightful situation where we will see Williamson vs Williamson at-bats.
TJ Friedl kicked off the first inning with a leadoff single. With one out, Elly De La Cruz hit into a force out, eliminating Friedl, and then on the next batter, Martinez got out of the inning with no damage done. The Rays went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Martinez had a nice follow-up inning, getting the Reds out in order in the top half of the inning. Ryan Vilade took a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning, then Jonny DeLuca walked right behind him. With two men on, Ben Williamson won the first Williamson vs Williamson challenge, hitting an RBI single to bring Vilade home. Chandler Simpson hit a sac fly, bringing in DeLuca, with a little help from a throwing error by Will Benson. Nick Fortes got a free bag after being hit by a pitch. Taylor Walls then hit into a force out, eliminating Fortes at second but advancing Williamson to third. Yandy Diaz then singled, bringing in the third run of the inning.
The Reds once again went 1-2-3 in the third. Perhaps they shouldn’t have used up so many runs earlier in the series? Not that we’re complaining of course. In the home half, Junior Caminero wasted no time extending the lead, getting a leadoff solo home run.
Ryan Vilade singled, and then appeared to get caught in a double play off the bat of Johnny DeLuca, but the Rays called for a review of the whole play. The out call at second was upheld, but it was clear almost immediately that DeLuca was safe at first, and the out call there was overturned. Unfortunately, Williamson then hit into another double play, and that did end the inning.
Matt McLain started the fourth inning with a single, but it was the only fumble from Martinez in the inning as he got the next three outs in order. Simpson started the bottom of the inning with a single, but the double plays kept coming as Nick Fortes eliminated the baserunner. A third out followed to end the inning with no scoring on either side.
Nathaniel Lowe singled in the fifth, followed quickly by a double from Spencer Steer, putting two men in scoring position and no outs. Will Benson then walked to load the bases and bring the potential tying run to the plate. Not a good place for Martinez and the Rays to be in. P.J. Higgins hit a sac fly to bring in the first Reds’ run of the game. Friedl reached on a fielder’s choice, but the Rays were able to get the runner out at home, and then collect the final out to end the inning. It was a bad situation that could have been much worse, so giving up only one run was a pretty decent way for it to end. Still, not the best inning we’ve seen from Martinez this game.
Yandy Diaz singled to start the home half, and Williamson moved to cover first, but the ball got past him, then Yandy had to do a quick turnaround to get back to first, which he had overrun. He slipped and fell on his butt on the bag. It was pretty delightful. Jonathan Aranda walked. With one out, Vilade singled, bringing Diaz home and getting back the run from the top of the inning. This also chased Williamson from the game, replacing him with Connor Phillips. Phillips faced only one batter, inducing a double play to end the game.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Sal Stewart singled into left. Lots of broken bats in this game, too. Shards of wood everywhere. A piece of Stewart’s bat actually almost hit Eugenio Suarez in the on-deck circle, yikes. Two outs followed the single, sending the Reds back to the bullpen with no runs scored. The Rays didn’t get any further ahead in the bottom of the inning, though Fortes did have a hit that looked like it might go for extra bases, except it was robbed by Friedl in the outfield on a really spectacular catch.
Chandler Simpson returned the favor to Spencer Steer to start the seventh, snagging a fly ball at the wall. Immediately after that, Simpson made another incredible grab. Man, he’s fun to watch out there. A swinging strikeout ended the inning. Walls singled to start the home half of the seventh. Diaz then singled, getting Walls all the way to third. Aranda was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Junior Caminero then grounded out, scoring another runner in Walls and two runners in scoring position. That was it for Phillips, who was replaced by Tony Santillan. A pinch-hitting Richie Palacios reached on a fielder’s choice with Diaz getting tagged out in a rundown between third and home. The Rays ended up having to settle for the one run, but it extended their lead to 6-1.
Nick Martinez was still in heading into the eighth, and he’d really course-corrected nicely from the one bad inning. He was obviously still feeling good, because he got the side out in order. Brock Burke and his 60-grade baseball name was the next reliever out of the pen for the Reds and he got the Rays out in order.
Martinez’s day was over in the ninth, his final line for the day was 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K on 95 pitches. Aside from that one rough inning, it was a spectacular outing for Martinez against his former team. Kevin Kelly came out of the pen to replace him, hoping to get the final 3 outs of the inning cleanly. And he did just that, getting the Reds out in order to wrap things up and keep the sweep at bay.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Atlanta Braves bats against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves defeated the Phillies 4-2. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While a lot of the regulars for the Braves have started to really get going at the plate, there are still a smal handful of players who are scuffling about while looking to finally get a foothold on this current season of baseball. One of those regulars is Mike Yastrzemski, who has gotten off to a slow start as an outfielder for the Braves so far.
That won’t stop Walt Weiss from providing him opportunities to get going, as the manager has Yaz in there in the lineup as the starting left fielder and batting eighth against right-hander Zack Littell and the Washington Nationals.
Additionally, Mauricio Dubón continues to start at shortstop after starting on Tuesday and getting a day off on Monday against the right-hander Jake Irvin. Jonah Heim is playing catcher for another day as well while Drake Baldwin continues to get ABs as the DH. Right now, the pattern appears to be that if Baldwin catches, Dominic Smith will be the designated hitter and if Baldwin DHs then Jonah Heim will be the starter. We’ll see if that continues once Murphy eventually makes his return in lieu of Heim.
This’ll be Yaz’s first time facing off against Littell and hopefully this’ll be what he needs to start getting into a groove. Meanwhile, Austin Riley and Ronald Acuña Jr. have both homered off of Littell in the past, so hopefully we’ll see a bit more of that later this evening.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 19: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox hits a two-run home run against the Athletics in the top of the fifth inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on April 19, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Picture this. A player with unfathomable power who obliterates every ball he makes contact with and a decent understanding of the strike zone. Picture that player also with a very steep bat path that creates a massive hole in his swing that makes them extremely prone for in-zone whiffs, to the point where they can go stretches where making contact would be an accomplishment.
Who am I describing? Maybe, for older fans, Rob Deer comes to mind. Perhaps Adam Dunn or Mark Reynolds, the real three-true-outcome pioneers. Maybe it’s Joey Gallo, whose tenure in New York is still a fresh wound to some. Hell, it can describe late-career Giancarlo Stanton to an extent.
Some of the more prospect-minded of you probably thought of Spencer Jones and, if we’re being honest, that’s pretty reasonable, but the player I’m specifically describing has nothing to do with the Yankees at the moment: Munetaka Murakami. Just look at that Baseball Savant page!
The former NPB star signed a surprisingly cheap two-year deal with the Chicago White Sox in the offseason after his once-nine-figure value fell apart after injuries and startlingly bad contact numbers slowed down the hype train in Japan. There were real concerns that he just wouldn’t be able to make enough contact against major league pitching for his undeniable, generational power to take hold. That also sounds familiar, no?
In reality, the prospect Jones and Murakami are extremely similar hitters. I’d say Murakami has better plate discipline, as he’s had a very impressive start in terms of chase rate, but Jones makes up for it with his startling raw power. Both have big holes in their swings in terms of in-zone contact (Jones 60.2%, Murakami 68.5%) that rank towards the bottom of professional baseball, but both run solid walk rates. As pure baseball players, you could argue Jones has a higher floor with his plus-speed and defense at a more premium position than first base, where Murakami has been OK after a disastrous time at third base in the NPB, but that isn’t what we’re focusing on.
With all the similarities between them, what Murakami does should be watched by not only Yankees fans, but the Yankees’ organization. If he flounders with prolonged slumps against the pure nastiness of MLB pitching, that could prove to be a concerning sign for Jones. On other hand, success from Murakami in spite of his flaws could provide a roadmap for Jones, who is 15 months younger and on the doorstep of the major leagues.
The overall range of Murakami’s damage thus far has been centered on absolutely demolishing bad pitches. He enters Tuesday with an average exit velocity of 99.6 mph on pitches in the heart of the plate with a .571 xwOBA, elite numbers on pitches that are meant to be crushed.
One of the most damning stats on Murakami in NPB was his struggles against high velocity, but even though most pitchers in MLB nowadays are capable of throwing 95, there are still softer throwers that Murakami has been able to feast on. Of his eight home runs to this point, just one of them was hit off a fastball over 94.5 mph, which was a 98.3 mph heater from Elvis Alvarado over the weekend.
So far, he has just two hits all season on pitches above 95 mph and a whiff rate above 30 percent, but he’s still managed to put good swings on the ball and is actually underperforming the expected stats. As you might expect with a tremendously high strikeout rate and a low chase rate, that means a whole lot of whiffs in the zone:
If we compare these to Jones, the Yankees’ prospect is doing even more damage on pitches over the heart of the plate (.602 xwOBA, 102.3 avg EV) but is whiffing more (31.3 percent) in Triple-A. Against 95+, Jones is running an untenable 53.6 Whiff%, but is obliterating the ball when he makes contact. That’s been the story of both of their seasons, which is what makes them theoretically such similar players.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Jones would be on the major-league roster of maybe 10 teams across the majors with his tremendous upside, but he finds himself blocked in the Yankees’ system, which has three big-money starting outfielders, but a spot could open up soon, whether that’s next year, or midseason. If someone gets hurt, there’s a chance he’s first up instead of his fellow prospect-in-limbo Jasson Domínguez after being added to the 40-man roster in the offseason.
If there’s any player across the league that we should keep a close eye on, it’s Murakami. There’s no better comp for Jones as he gets closer and closer to making his MLB debut, and what Murakami does over the course of his first major league season could give us a major clue regarding Jones’ chances of making it in the bigs.
The San Diego Padres have signed veteran right-hander Lucas Giolito, bolstering the surging club’s injury-plagued rotation with the top starter left on the free agent market.
The Padres announced a one-year deal for Giolito with a mutual option for 2027. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.
The 31-year-old Giolito is a Southern California native who went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts last year for the Boston Red Sox, bouncing back solidly after missing the entire 2024 season because his right ulnar collateral ligament was repaired with an internal brace that March.
Giolito has played parts of nine seasons in the majors for Washington, the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland, going 71-66, with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.
He has been durable and dependable for most of his career while earning an All-Star selection in 2019 and throwing a no-hitter in 2020. Despite missing a season because of injury, he ranks in the top five among AL pitchers from 2018-25 in innings pitched (1,092), strikeouts (1,153), wins (68) and complete games (5).
But Giolito remained on the free agent market nearly one month into the regular season before landing with the Padres, who are pitching superbly this season despite major upheaval and injury problems in their rotation.
Opening day starter Nick Pivetta went on the injured list with a right elbow flexor strain that could keep him out for months, while Joe Musgrove has yet to make his season debut after a slower-than-expected return from Tommy John surgery. Yu Darvish already is out for the season with an elbow injury, and Dylan Cease left last fall for a $210 million free-agent deal with Toronto.
Yet the Padres’ team ERA is the second lowest in the majors at 3.22 after they beat Colorado 1-0 for their 11th victory in 12 games. San Diego (16-7) is even with the back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the majors.
General manager A.J. Preller figured out a way to fit Giolito under his budget even while his team is in ownership transition. The family of late Padres owner Peter Seidler is nearing a sale of the team to billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones.
Giolito will slot immediately into a rotation that currently includes Michael King, Randy Vásquez, Germán Márquez and former Dodgers star Walker Buehler. Right-hander Matt Waldron took a start last week after Pivetta’s injury but struggled in a loss to the Angels.
Giolito agreed to a two-year, $38.5 million contract with Boston in January 2024. He will attempt to build on his strong work with the Red Sox in 2025, when he went 9-1 with a 2.26 ERA in 15 starts from June 10 to Aug. 31 after a slower start to the season. Opponents hit .194 (25 for 129) against his changeup and .200 (3 for 15) against his curveball.
He was left off Boston’s postseason roster after experiencing some elbow discomfort in mid-September, but there was no structural damage — something he said was “a small relief in a very unfortunate situation.”
“As it was described to me in layman’s terms, my flexor is very irritated and at this point it’s hard for me to describe,” Giolito said after Game 1 of Boston’s AL Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees. “It’s like weird stuff going on with my bone. It’s one of those things I was told you got to stop throwing and let it calm down.”
Giolito hasn’t pitched in the postseason since 2021, when he made his second career playoff appearance for the White Sox.
San Diego transferred right-hander Bryan Hoeing to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Giolito on the 40-man roster.
Apr 22, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrera (48) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins during the ninth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Game Summary
The Marlins jump Leahy for an early 2-0 with death by a thousand cuts singles with too many walks sprinkled in. The Cardinals come out swinging against Junk (literally and figuratively), but muster only a weak single against him. Leahy labors through 5 innings, giving up 8 hits, 3 walks, 1 HBP and 4 runs. Not his best day. The getaway Cardinal lineup musters but 4 hits and it took a ninth solo HR by Herrera avoids a shutout. The getaway lineup was not particularly sharp defensively, either. On the bright side, the Cardinal bullpen navigated 3 IP without giving up a run or a walk. That was pretty much the bright spot of the day.
Line-up (and roster) machinations
An early start today, noon Eastern.
A getaway day line-up today, if there ever was one. For both sides.
Leahy takes the mound for the Cardinals. Ironically, Junk takes the mound for the Marlins. Queue the jokes.
Burleson gets a day. Gorman into the three hole and playing third.
Urias is the back-up first baseman, it turns out. Hitting clean-up.
Winn gets a day, too. Saggese in at short.
Walker gets a day, too. Church in right, Fermin in left.
No Pozo? I missed the news that he is redshirting this year.
The Game Details
T1 – Wetherholt F7 on the first pitch. Herrera F8. Gorman lines out L8. Quick inning.
B1 – 1-3. 3u. 4-3. Leahy gets through a quick inning.
T2 – Urias reaches on E5. Fermin promptly GIDP. Church K’s. Guess they can’t hit Junk.
B2 – Single. Single. FC at third. RBI single. HBP. As efficient as the first inning was, this has been the opposite. P2. Bases loaded walk after 0-2 count plates another run. 4-3 closes out the inning. Marlins up 2-0.
T3 – Sags 5-3. Pages singles to break the no-no by Junk. Scott II forces Pages at second. Lots of swings today, typical of getaway day. It’s funny how plate discipline wanes on these days. Wetherholt F8.
B3 – K. L8. Walk. What is with these walks? It is an epidemic. All four balls were “waste” pitches. Totally non-competitive. F9.
T4 – Herrera F8. Gorman F7. Urias 6-3. A seven-pitch inning. Junk at 36 pitches through four innings. Cardinals trying to get him a complete game.
B4 – 1-3. Another walk. He is missing by a lot! Most of his pitches are non-competitive. Not much on the borderline. Single. An RBI single, but Church does get the backside runner going to third for the second out. 9-5 is the scoring. Stolen base. Urias makes a nice play 3-1 to end the inning. Marlins now up 3-0.
T5 – Pages F8. Saggese K. Church earns a walk. Fermin hits into hard luck out 5-3.
B5 – Single. 4-3 advances a runner who was on the move with the pitch. An RBI single, followed by another single signals that Leahy is really laboring. A caught stealing and a K re-direct the inning to a more positive end. Leahy is assuredly done. His line through 5 innings – 8 hits, 3 walks, 1 HBP and 4 runs. 89 pitches, only 50 for strikes.
T6 – Nardi in for Junk. He pitched 5 shutout IP, 1 hit, 1 BB. Scott K. Wetherholt K. Herrera 4-3. Ho-hum.
B6 – Graceffo in. Single. Single. F8 and GIDP allow GG to make a good recovery. Still Marlins up 4-0.
T7 – Gorman doubles. Bender in for Nardi. Urias F8. Fermin backwards K. Saggese’s struggles continue 6-3.
B7 – Svanson in for Graceffo. K. F7. 6-3. Good inning for a guy that needed one.
T8 – Petersen in for Bender. Pages backwards K. Scott swinging K. Wetherholt backwards K. Been that kind of day.
B8 – Fernandez in for Svanson. K. E-3. Single loads the bases. P6. K. Ends the uprising.
T9 – Bachar in for Petersen. Herrera with a lead-off solo HR. Gorman walks. Urias P6. Fairbanks in for the save. Fermin F7. Church K to end the game after an 8-pitch PA. 4-1 Marlins in your final.
Post-Game Notes
Check out Today on the Farm – Wednesday 4/22 for updates on MiLB action. Two teams play day games today.
After the game today, a flight home followed by an apparently well-timed off day. Seattle comes into town for a weekend tilt, which will be a very brief 3-game homestand.
Paid attendance for this game was less than 7,600. Actual attendance well less than that. These teams drew better in Spring Training at RDS.
On this day 86 years ago, Vallie Eaves set a club record that still stands, with 12 walks — and left the game in line for the win!
1900 After a loss debuting in the American League on April 21, the White Sox split the weekend and got in the winning column with a 5-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in front of a Sunday crowd of 15,000 fans at South Side Park.
The deciding run came in the seventh inning, snapping a 3-3 tie, when left fielder Dan Lally singled home right fielder Herm McFarland on a hit-and-run. Lally, McFarland and shortstop Frank Shugart all collected two hits apiece in Chicago’s 11-hit attack. Starter Roger Denzer got the complete game victory.
1940 In his season debut, sixth career game and fourth career start, Vallie Eaves set a White Sox record that still stands, with 12 walks over 7 2/3 innings in a 6-5 loss vs. Detroit. The rookie fell behind in the second inning after four walks, a wild pitch, a double and triple — but escaped the inning down just 2-0! Another three walks and a wild pitch saw Eaves get the hook in the eighth inning — amazingly, the righty left the game with a 5-3 lead and ended up with an adequate game score of 46, given his seven strikeouts. He walked in two of Detroit’s three runs on his watch, but it was Clint Brown out of the White Sox bullpen who blew the game, and Eaves’ shot at his first White Sox win.
Just 13 pitchers have ever thrown more than 12 walks in a single game, with two of them coming against the White Sox — including a 14-walk game, tied for fourth-most ever.
1955 It was the first time the White Sox ever played in Kansas City, and outfielder Jim Rivera would make it a memorable night by scoring what would be stand up as the deciding run in the 5-4 victory. Chico Carrasquel had the biggest night for the victors, going 4-for-5 with a double and a home run. Chicago improved to 5-2 on the season.
And stay tuned to Today in White Sox History, because the very next day packed an even bigger wallop.
1959 In one of the most bizarre innings in baseball history, the White Sox got 11 runs in the seventh inning of a 20-6 win at Kansas City.
The uniqueness of it was that fact that those 11 runs scored on only one hit! It took 45 minutes to play the half-inning, with Johnny Callison getting the only Sox hit. Jim Landis made two of the three outs, both on comebackers to the pitcher.
Through six innings, the White Sox trailed Kansas City, 6-1. Here is the play-by-play of the historic proceedings from there:
GORMAN REPLACED WARD (PITCHING)
Ray Boone reached on an error by DeMaestri [Booneto first]
Al Smith reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt by Smith [Boone to second]
Johnny Callison singled to right [Boone scored (unearned) (error by Maris), Smithscored (unearned) (error by Maris), Callison to third]
Luis Aparicio walked [Aparicio stole second]
Bob Shaw walked
EARL TORGESON BATTED FOR SAMMY ESPOSITO
FREEMAN REPLACED GORMAN (PITCHING)
Torgeson walked (walk was charged to Gorman) [Callison scored, Aparicioto third, Shaw to second]
Nellie Fox walked [Aparicioscored, Shaw to third, Torgeson to second]
Jim Landis forced Shaw(pitcher to catcher) [Torgeson to third, Fox to second]
Sherm Lollar walked [Torgeson scored (unearned), Fox to third, Landis to second]
BRUNET REPLACED FREEMAN (PITCHING)
Boone walked [Foxscored (unearned), Landis to third, Lollar to second]
Smith walked [Landis scored (unearned), Lollarto third, Boone to second]
Callisonwas hit by a pitch [Lollar scored (unearned), Boone to third, Smith to second]
LOU SKIZAS RAN FOR CALLISON
Apariciowalked [Boonescored (unearned), Smith to third, Skizas to second]
Shaw struck out
BUBBA PHILLIPS BATTED FOR TORGESON
Phillipswalked [Smith scored (unearned), Skizas to third, Aparicio to second]
Fox walked [Skizas scored (unearned), Aparicioto third, Phillips to second]
Landis grounded out (pitcher to first)
If you made it to the end, all told that’s 11 runs, one hit, three errors, three left on base, 10 walks and one hit-by-pitch.
The 11 runs in the seventh inning are the most the Sox have ever scored in that frame. The 20 runs scored is tied for fifth-most in franchise history.
Ironically, this game came almost exactly four years after the White Sox scored their most-runs ever in a game, 29, on April 22, 1955 — against these same Kansas City Athletics!
1972 In the first game of a doubleheader against the Royals at Comiskey Park, White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood reached on a fielder’s choice and scored the only run of the game thanks to an error, in the 1-0 win. Wood went the distance, allowing seven hits in a game that lasted less than two hours.
The Sox also won the second game, 3-2, thanks to a home run from Carlos May in the eighth inning.
1991 Frank Thomas hit the first White Sox home run in new Comiskey Park, a two-run blast in the fifth inning, off of Ben McDonald. It was also the first-ever night game played at the park and the first save earned by a White Sox pitcher there (Bobby Thigpen). The White Sox defeated Baltimore, 8-7.
1998 Ray Durham tied a major league record by reaching base safely three times via error in a 14-7 win over a sloppy Cleveland club that committed five errors overall. Durham reached base six times in the game, getting three additional hits, as well as scoring four runs and knocking in two.
Amazingly, Durham also advanced bases on the two other errors in the game, once advancing to third due to a wild throw on a steal of second base, and also getting all the way home when his triple forced another error.
Four of the five errors were committed by future White Sox: Kenny Lofton, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Jim Thome (two).
2000 The White Sox and Tigers had a brawl that reminded many longtime fans of the fights from the 1950s with the Yankees. This one lasted for almost 30 minutes and saw eight players from both sides get kicked out, along with Sox manager Jerry Manuel. A record number of 16 players would be fined and subsequently suspended.
The brawl started after Detroit pitcher Jeff Weaver hit Paul Konerko in the fourth inning, and Carlos Lee in the sixth. Sox pitcher Jim Parque then drilled Detroit’s Dean Palmer leading off the seventh, and the fight was on.
One of the lingering memories was relief pitcher Keith Foulke suffering a gash on his face courtesy of a sucker punch thrown by either Karim Garcia or Bobby Higginson; Foulke needed five stiches to close the wound. Tigers catcher Robert Fick was seen taunting White Sox fans in the bleacher seats in right field, and got deluged with beer over it.
The Sox won the game, 14-6, and used it as a rallying point for the rest of the season, as they went on to win 95 games en route to a division championship.
2024 The nightmare White Sox season continued, as they were shut out in Minnesota, 7-0, dropping their record to an unbelievable 3-19. It was the eighth time in the first 22 games the team was held without a run, which had never happened before in baseball history.
Apr 21, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) warms up before a game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Showcasing just how much he was held back last season, his first coming back from elbow surgery, Shohei Ohtani could tonight against the Giants complete at least half of his innings total in last year’s regular season. The back-to-back NL MVP has three starts on the year, completing exactly six innings in each of them with a 2-0 record, part of a rotation that has been one of the best in baseball.
Ohtani will face a Giants offense that, despite the win on Tuesday, hasn’t exactly been at its finest this season, and that mainly goes through the struggles of Rafael Devers, who did play a key role in their 3-1 win on Monday with one RBI. Signed to be the leader of this attack, Devers only has four extra-base hits IN 93 at-bats this season, and if his track record against Ohtani is to be taken into account, the outlook for tonight’s game favors the Dodgers.
Players who first crossed paths when they were both in the American League, Ohtani with the Angels and Devers with the Red Sox, have faced each other 12 times—Devers is two for 12 against Ohtani with no home runs and no runs batted in. Still with a small sample on the mound as a Dodger, Ohtani doesn’t have a lot of experience against this Giants lineup. Other than Devers, Matt Chapman is the only Giant with double-digit at-bats against Ohtani, hitting two homers in 19 of them.
After sitting down quietly despite a bombardment of walks against Landon Roupp—who, by the way, hadn’t allowed a home run all season long—the homer-happy Dodgers face the favorable matchup of Tyler Mahle, responsible for 25% of the long balls conceded by the Giants’ pitching staff (6 of 24).
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: A detail view of a MLB baseball during the game between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 22, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game three of three with the Angels.
When I went to watch games in Anaheim, I really enjoyed the stadium. It was the first ballpark I’d been to that basically had a shopping mall in it. I remember looking in the Oakley store at over priced sunglasses and one of the sales person said I could get my name (or whatever I wanted) sketched into the lenses, for just another $40 bucks. It seemed really weird to me. But people were doing it.
We stayed in a hotel that was close enough to the ballpark to walk over, which was good, because traffic was nuts around there.
I should be back home for this game, with any luck and West Jet’s cooperation. Which means this is the last GameThread I have to put together a month ahead of time. I’ve never had this many scheduled posts before. Hopefully they all went up exactly as I planned.
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 12: Lucas Giolito #24 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday, September 12, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Diego Padres addressed their rotation needs about as quickly as the Friar Faithful could hope for.
The Padres announced this morning that they have signed right-hander Lucas Giolito to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2027. In a corresponding move, Bryan Hoeing was moved from the 40-man roster to the 60-day IL.
One start seems to have been enough for knuckleballer Matt Waldron, who will likely be replaced by the now-signed Giolito. The move is great for the Friars, and it’s perfect timing.
With Nick Pivetta indefinitely confined to the injured list, and Griffin Canning and Joe Musgrove still somewhat far off, Giolito is a perfect filler for the Padres.
Best case scenario, he breaks out and puts up an even better year than his 3.41 ERA mark from 2025. That mark tied his career-best (2019) when pitching 20-plus starts in a season. Giolito’s biggest strength for the Padres is that he can eat innings. He’s a truly solid starter who can keep San Diego in games.
The amount of his contract hasn’t been announced yet, and that will determine how beneficial this deal is for the Friars. San Diego general manager A.J. Preller has been known to overpay in the past — and starting pitching is at a premium — but the details of the contract are likely to be made public soon.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 17: Matt Waldron #61 of the San Diego Padres delivers a pitch to the plate during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 17, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Right-handed starter Matt Waldron began the 2026 season on the injured list, recovering from surgery that was needed in the spring. He had begun throwing again before Spring Training ended but needed to build up from being out of action for a few weeks.
He entered the El Paso Chihuahuas rotation and worked up his innings and pitch count over three starts and 12 innings pitched. He was then called into action when Padres ace Nick Pivetta went on the injured list himself with a flexor tendon strain suffered on April 12.
Waldron would ideally have had more of a buildup if they were trying to copy a normal Spring Training with his time in Triple-A. At least two more starts in El Paso would have been ideal. That was not going to happen after Pivetta’s injury. Neither of the other two pitchers in El Paso were better options. Although both are major league pitchers, Griffin Canning is being built up and is not ready. JP Sears has been largely ineffective in his appearances so far this season.
Waldron gets hit hard
It should not be surprising, nor should everyone panic, that his first outing did not impress. His 12 innings in Triple-A were great, no runs allowed and only one walk with 12 strikeouts. But there remains a big difference between Triple-A hitters and the big-league level.
Waldron’s command was not sharp on top of the fact that he wasn’t getting his usual movement on his fastball. He only lasted 3.2 innings and allowed eight hits and six earned runs, walking one and striking out four. With his velocity, he has to have command and be efficient in order to be successful. He was both of those things in 2024, when he was the most effective pitcher on the San Diego Padres roster for at least half the season. In that season, he used the knuckleball the same amount as he did in his unsuccessful start for the Padres on April 17.
Velocity increased
The biggest difference, other than the result, between this version of Waldron and the one we have seen in the past is that he is slimmer and stronger. Devoting his offseason to getting in better shape, Waldron has added a significant uptick in velocity on all his pitches.
Fastball velocity now averages 92.5 mph (tops at 94-95), up from 90.1 from 2025. His cutter now sits 88.8 average, up from 87. His sinker is averaging 91.9, up from 89.8 last year. His slider is now 81.8, up from 81 last season. His knuckle ball averages 80.9 and was 79.4 last season.
Using a five-pitch mix, Waldron now throws his fastball, slider and knuckleball most frequently. In his one start with the Padres, he still threw the knuckler more than any other pitch, but his fastball usage was about 20% and his knuckler at 37%.
The sinker and cutter are both under 10% of his offerings and the slider was thrown 25% of the time. Unfortunately, the fastball was left over the plate too often and he did not have the best feel for his knuckle ball during his outing.
Stuff is improved
Despite the lack of command and execution last Friday, his stuff is rated higher this season than in years past. According to FanGraphs, his Stuff+ has taken a jump on all of his pitches. With 100 being the average quality of a pitch for a starter in MLB, Waldron has a 98 rating on his pitches, a 111 rating on his Location+ and a 108 on his Pitching+ rating.
Pitching+ is Stuff and Location combined to rate the overall quality of a pitcher’s offerings. There is no other season in his career where his stuff is rated this highly.
Hope for rapid improvement
After rushing Waldron into the rotation in order to not use the bullpen excessively, the Padres were probably not expecting a stellar performance. In his start, Waldron was also up against one of the best pitchers in baseball in Jose Soriano of the Los Angeles Angels. The hitters were shut out in that game so the number of runs allowed wouldn’t have mattered in any way.
At least one to two more starts need to be used to get Waldron tuned up before anyone makes any real assessment of who he will be as a starter this year. It would not be fair to make any decisions on a pitcher while he is still in his Spring Training buildup. He will also be working with Ruben Niebla and his staff to refine his stuff while building up.
The Padres starters have all had at least one rocky start so far this season, it is up to the offense and the bullpen to support Waldron until he is built up to at least the beginning point of the other starters.
The days where Waldron starts will be a challenge for the coaching staff to make a pitching plan that allows the team a chance to win if he is not executing well. Otherwise, bullpen games are the only option until Canning is ready or another pitcher is found.
Everyone should be rooting for Waldron to improve as rapidly as possible and hope his best is good enough to hold down his spot in the rotation.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 17: Kyle Leahy #62 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Daikin Park on April 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their road trip Wednesday against the Miami Marlins. Kyle Leahy (2-2 with a 5.21 ERA) is scheduled to make the start for the Cardinals while Janson Junk (0-2 with a 4.50 ERA) will take the mound for the Marlins. First pitch scheduled for 11:10am.
The Detroit Tigers will be looking to bounce back from a series opener loss to the Milwaukee Brewers as the two teams meet again tonight.
Behind Casey Mize, I’m eyeing Detroit to snatch the second game of this series in my Brewers vs. Tigers predictions.
Read more for my MLB picks for Wednesday, April 22.
Who will win Brewers vs Tigers today: Tigers moneyline (-130)
The Detroit Tigers were blown out 12-4 on Tuesday, dropping a rare home game. When playing at Comerica Park this season, the Tigers have compiled an 8-2 record at home this season. To put that dominance into perspective, they’re 12-12 overall.
AJ Hinch sends Casey Mize to the mound tonight, who has pitched to a 2.78 ERA. He’s only made one start at home, but it was impressive, allowing one earned run across 5.2 innings. The Brew Crew has faced him before, but they’ve only had 24 at-bats throughout the lineup.
On the other side, Chad Patrick takes the hill. Detroit has never faced him, but Patrick’s 0.95 ERA is a bit misleading. Firstly, he hasn’t faced a ton of difficult lineups so far, and Patrick relies heavily on contact, striking out just nine hitters in 19 innings. He also has a 3.93 FIP.
The Tigers are scoring over five runs per game at home as well.
COVERS INTEL:Mize has struck out 25 hitters in 22.2 innings of work, and he owns an impressive 1.19 WHIP. Milwaukee is 14th in the Majors in strikeouts.
Brewers vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 runs (-120)
While I do expect both pitchers to throw the ball well, there’s reason to believe we could see a decent amount of runs, even if they come later in the game. Patrick will come down to earth, and Detroit will respond with a win. However, the trends point to runs.
The Brew Crew has cashed the Over in three of their last four. The Tigers have also hit the Over in runs in three straight. Both of these bullpens also have ERAs over four, so once the starters have departed, there’s lots of opportunity for runs.
Plus, the Milwaukee Brewers are fourth in runs scored, and Detroit is 15th. As previously mentioned, they swing it better at Comerica, too.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets:6-4, -1.71 units
Over/Under bets:7-3, +3.19 units
Brewers vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Milwaukee +119 | Detroit -131
Run line: Milwaukee +1.5 (-183) | Detroit -1.5 (+158)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-121) | Under 7.5 (+105)
Brewers vs Tigers trend
The Detroit Tigers have hit the Game Total Over in 28 of their last 45 games at home (+13.70 Units / 28% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Tigers.
How to watch Brewers vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV, DSN
Brewers starting pitcher
Chad Patrick (1-0, 0.95 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Casey Mize (1-1, 2.78 ERA)
Brewers vs Tigers latest injuries
Brewers vs Tigers 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 — The flailing Mets returned home Tuesday to a quieter reception than manager Carlos Mendoza and his players anticipated with the club trying to snap an 11-game losing streak.
The tone changed once it became clear the skid was going to last at least another night.
Embattled closer Devin Williams allowed a tiebreaking RBI single to Luke Keaschall in the ninth inning and New York lost its 12th straight, falling 5-3 to the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
With an opening-day payroll of $352.2 million that tops the majors, the Mets have baseball’s worst record at 7-16. The skid is their longest since they dropped 12 straight from Aug. 10-23, 2002. No team has made the playoffs after a season in which it lost 12 in a row.
New York is hitting .194 during the losing streak while being outscored 67-22. The Mets didn’t have slugger Juan Soto for any of that stretch, but he is expected to come off the injured list Wednesday after missing the last 16 games with a strained right calf.
“I’ve never been a part of something like this,” Williams said. “I think we just need to get the one win out of the way and I think everything else will take care of itself. But it’s obviously proving pretty difficult right now.”
Williams, who failed to record an out, was booed off the mound by what was left of the announced crowd of 32,798. The actual crowd appeared far smaller on a night when the temperature at first pitch was 46 degrees Fahrenheit (8 Celsius).
At least a few spectators showed their displeasure with the time-honored tradition of wearing paper bags over their heads.
Fans began chanting “Fire Mendy!” as Williams loaded the bases. Austin Warren relieved Williams and received an ovation when he struck out Royce Lewis. The crowd then chanted his name after he struck out the next two batters, Brooks Lee and Byron Buxton.
The mood was far lighter a few hours earlier.
Patrick Heaney, the only person in section 524 at Citi Field shortly before the start of the game, grinned as he gazed at a sea of empty seats.
“You wouldn’t be here tonight if you weren’t a Met fan,” Heaney said.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor said following Sunday’s 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs that he expected it to “get very loud” Tuesday night. But the fans didn’t make much noise until the third inning, when Lindor hit a three-run homer to open the scoring and give the Mets their biggest lead since a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on April 5.
“I think if they can get it going today, I think the fans will rally around them,” said Josh Hudson, a Tennessee resident in town for business who was sitting in section 509 with a $15 ticket he bought on the secondary market.
Heaney, a resident of Malverne on Long Island who wore a Mets hat and 2022 playoff sweatshirt, grinned as he recalled how he ended up buying a $12 ticket and heading to the game alone.
“I couldn’t get my wife to come,” Heaney said. “I couldn’t get my kids to come. I couldn’t get my friends to come. I bought one ticket, the cheapest one I could find, and I’m going to see if I can help them turn it around.”
Mendoza, in his third season as manager after six seasons on the Yankees’ coaching staff, said before the game he wouldn’t mind a frosty reception because he knows how fans will react if the team fares better.
“They’re also going to be right behind you when we flip it around,” Mendoza said. “We’ve seen that before, too, so it’s nothing new for us that have been here. We expect those guys to continue to support us, but we’ve got to do better for them, too.
“It’s all part of it. It comes with the territory. Wouldn’t want it any other way.”
COVERS INTEL: