RICHMOND, VA - JUNE 25: Griff McGarry #48 of the Reading Fightin Phils pitching during the game between the Reading Fightin Phils and the Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matthew Mitrani/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Tuesday made a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, getting minor league right-hander Griff McGarry in exchange for international bonus pool space. The Phillies announced the trade as them also receiving a player to be named later or cash considerations in the deal.
McGarry was a Rule 5 draft pick by the Washington Nationals in December, but was returned to the Phillies on March 24, the day before opening day rosters were finalized. McGarry is not on the 40-man roster.
The right-hander, who turns 27 in June, had a 3.16 ERA in 18 starts between Double-A Tulsa (17 starts) and Triple-A Lehigh Valley (one start) last season, with a 34.4-percent strikeout rate and 14.6-percent walk rate. Though most of his time last year came in Double-A, McGarry had three previous years experience in Triple-A, including working in relief in 2024.
Baseball Prospectus in January ranked McGarry as the 15th-best prospect then in the Nationals system, though noted he was more likely to be a reliever in the long term, calling him a “stuff over command” pitcher. From Michael Donodeo at BP:
His control was significantly better in 2025 than in 2024—the walk rate was still 14%, but that’s a huge improvement—and it led to a 35% strikeout rate across the season. His fastball isn’t quite as hard as it has been at times, now sitting 94, but the low release and plus extension cause it to play up and get whiffs up in the zone. The breaking balls can run together some, but he throws a mid-80s standard slider, a low-80s sweeper that can hit 20 inches of gloveside movement, and a curveball with slight depth and above-average gloveside movement.
The amount of the international bonus pool space sent to the Phillies hasn’t yet been reported, but teams are allowed to trade pool space in increments of $250,000, unless sending the entirety of the remaining available pool space.
McGarry this year in Triple-A Lehigh Valley allowed four runs in four innings in five games, with seven strikeouts and four walks. He’s expected to join Triple-A Oklahoma City now that he’s with the Dodgers. If McGarry happens to make a stop at Camelback Ranch, he’ll at least be used to the facility, having pitched for the Glendale Desert Dogs in 2024 in the Arizona Fall League.
Two teams riding long winning streaks will look to stay hot this week as the San Diego Padres host the Seattle Mariners in the first of a three-game series tonight.
Seattle has the pitching edge in tonight’s game, and that’s enough for me to pick it to win in my Mariners vs. Padres predictions below.
Read on for my full analysis of this matchup and to get my free MLB picks for Tuesday, April 14.
Who will win Mariners vs Padres today: Mariners moneyline (-114)
Both teams come into tonight’s game following four-game sweeps over the weekend. The San Diego Padres are the hotter of the two, having now won eight of their last nine overall. But there’s no denying that the Seattle Mariners have the pitching edge tonight.
Bryan Woo has a 2.84 ERA since the start of the 2024 season, which a minuscule WHIP of 0.908 in that span. He’s struck out 17 batters while allowing just three earned runs on 10 hits over his first 18 innings of work this season.
As good as Michael King (1-1, 3.24 ERA) has been for the Padres, I like the Mariners to win behind Woo.
COVERS INTEL:Bryan Woo has been historically dominant early in the season, holding opponents to a .523 OPS in March and April throughout his career.
Mariners vs Padres Over/Under pick: Over 7.0
The Mariners and Padres each saw their offenses wake up over the weekend. Seattle averaged 7.25 runs per game in their four-game sweep of the Houston Astros, while the Padres put up an average of 7.00 runs in their sweep of the Colorado Rockies.
None of that changes the fact that there’s a strong pitching matchup on tap tonight, but this total won’t be easy to get Under. In particular, San Diego comes in having played to a total of 7+ runs in six straight games. With both lineups coming into tonight’s game hitting well, I’m taking the Over.
Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets:3-3, -0.03 units
Over/Under bets:1-3, -1.96 units
Mariners vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Seattle -120 | San Diego +100
Run line: Seattle -1.5 (+145) | San Diego +1.5 (-175)
Over/Under: Over 7 | Under 7
Mariners vs Padres trend
The Mariners are 6-1 straight up in their last seven meetings with the Padres. Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Padres.
How to watch Mariners vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
Mariners.TV, Padres.TV
Mariners starting pitcher
Bryan Woo (0-1, 1.50 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
Michael King (1-1, 3.24 ERA)
Mariners vs Padres latest injuries
Mariners vs Padres 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.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 13: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park on April 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Although the Minnesota Twins have been red-hot at the plate, rookie pitcher Mick Abel has struggled.
That’s why my MLB picks are backing the “yes run first inning” market in tonight's matchup against the Boston Red Sox.
Check out what other bets I'm making in my free YRFI and NRFI bets for Tuesday, April 14.
Best NRFI/YRFI bets today
Pick
Odds
/ - NRFI
+100
/- YRFI
-115
/ - YRFI
+110
Giants at Reds: NRFI (+100)
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Brady Singer has been awful this season, pitching to a 7.71 ERA through three starts. That said, the veteran posted a 3.96 FIP across 64 starts over the last two years, so expect improvement.
Singer is set to face a San Francisco Giants lineup that ranks 29th in the majors in runs per game (3.19) and 28th in OBP (.288).
The Giants will counter with lefty Robbie Ray and his 2.08 ERA. The veteran has great swing-and-miss stuff, and Cincinnati sits 28th in runs per game (3.38) and 29th in OPS (.623).
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC Sports BA | Reds.TV
Angels at Yankees: YRFI (-115)
The New York Yankees will give the ball to lefty Ryan Weathers, whose 5.12 xERA and .299 xBA suggest he’s been very lucky. The southpaw will take on a Los Angeles Angels lineup that enters tonight seventh in the majors in OPS against southpaws (.726).
Meanwhile, the Yankees have been a bit inconsistent at the dish this year, but the analytics suggest positive regression. They rank first in the majors in barrel rate, third in hard-hit rate, and second in xwOBAcon (.403).
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel SN West | YES
Red Sox at Twins: YRFI (+110)
Sonny Gray has looked sharp in two of three starts this year. That said, the Boston Red Sox hurler had a 4.28 ERA last season, including sporting a 4.50 ERA and .256 OBA in the first inning.
Gray's strikeout rate has plummeted to just 15.2%, and the Minnesota Twins are also red-hot at the dish, having posted an OPS of .839 over the last week.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox have plated 6+ runs in three straight games. They face 24-year-old Mick Abel, who has failed to play up to his vast potential. Abel finished with a 6.23 ERA last year, and his xERA is at 7.17 through 13 1/3 frames this year.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NESN+ | Twins.TV
Rohit Ponnaiya's 2026 Transparency Record
NRFI/YRFI picks: 11-9, +1.66 units
What is a NRFI bet?
NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) bets add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI bet is a wager that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're betting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.
A YRFI bet is the exact opposite. You're betting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.
NRFI and YRFI bets add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for bettors looking for a quick resolution.
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.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Tanner Gordon #29 of the Colorado Rockies poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bellozo, pitched 4.1 innings of relief on Sunday against the San Diego Padres when anticipated starter Kyle Freeland was a last-minute scratch due to posterior left shoulder soreness. He gave up five earned runs on eight hits—including three home runs—with four walks and a hit batter. He only tallied one strikeout.
Right-handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen will make his scheduled start on Tuesday night against the Houston Astros, but the Rockies were in need of reinforcements with a depleted bullpen and down multiple starters due to injuries.
Gordon, 26, made 15 starts for the Rockies in 2025 and has been off to a strong start in 2026 with Triple-A Albuquerque. In his first three Triple-A starts of the season he has a 2.76 ERA with 15 strikeouts to four walks over 16.1 innings of work. He’s also given up just one home run so far in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Gordon can either make a start during this Houston series—his last start was on April 8th so he is well rested—or will be available for bulk work out of the bullpen. His role is likely dependent on the status of veteran starting pitcher José Quintana, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain retroactive to March 30th. Quintana will potentially be activated this week.
It is currently unknown if Kyle Freeland will need to be placed on the injured list.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Spencer Strider #99 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
As it turns out, Thursday night will be a very good day for local fans in Rome to show up to the ballpark and for Braves fans in general to keep an eye on the Rome Emperors. Walt Weiss spoke with the media before Tuesday’s night middle game between the Braves and the Marlins and revealed that Spencer Strider will be joining Sean Murphy in Rome to begin his rehab assignment as well.
#Braves Spencer Strider will begin his rehab assignment with Rome on Thursday (40-45 pitches).
Sean Murphy will catch him as his rehab assignment begins tonight.
While Murphy is expected to begin his rehab stint tonight, he’ll serve as a battery mate with Spencer Strider on Thursday night since that’s when Strider will make his first start since suffering an oblique injury during the tail end of spring training. According to Weiss, Strider is expected to toss 40-45 pitches before bowing out. I’d imagine that Strider’s timetable for a potential return to the big leagues will come shortly after his performance and the obvious hope is that he’ll look good enough once he’s done on Thursday night.
At the same time, they could really try to let him stretch out as much as possible since he’s dealing with an oblique injury after all. Obliques are notoriously tricky to deal with and the obvious hope is that Strider won’t re-aggravate the injury in any way, shape or form while he’s on rehab assignment with Rome. So this could only be the first start for Strider on rehab for all we know.
We also got a look at what Sean Murphy’s rehab schedule in Rome will look like:
#Braves catcher Sean Murphy's rehab schedule with Rome:
TUE: Catch 4 innings WED: Off Day THU: Catch 5 innings FRI: Off Day SAT: Catch 5+ innings SUN: Designated hitter
Either way, if you’re a fan in the Rome area then Thursday night seems like the perfect night to mosey on over to the ballpark to catch a game. If you can’t make it to the game, you’ll be able to watch for free on Bally Sports Live and I highly suggest that y’all do so since the Braves will be off on Thursday, anyways. Here’s hoping that the rehab stint is a successful one for both Murphy and Strider and that we’ll see them both at the big league level real soon!
DOUBLE DIGITS THE WRONG WAY: Last night’s game was the Cubs’ 106th since 2016 in which they allowed double-digit runs. They played another game after 102 of the previous ones. They won 53 and lost 49, including 1-0 this year, 7-4 last year and 5-4 in 2024. They allowed an average of 4.34 runs in all 102 subsequent games, including five shutouts and 20 games with one run. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
DANSBY, HEATING UP: Dansby Swanson, last three games: 3-for-9 (.333) with two home runs, four walks and six runs scored.
KEEPING POSITIVE: The Cubs’ five-run eighth Monday kept their run differential in positive territory at +4, despite their 7-9 record.
YOU GO, MO BALLER: Moisés Ballesteros, last six games since April 7: .563/.556/1.000 (9-for-16) with a double, two home runs, five RBI and five runs scored. (The BA/OBP difference is a mathematical oddity due to having one walk and one sacrifice fly.)
Riley Martin, clearly, is an opener tonight, starting so he can face Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, Phillies left-handed batters who will come to the plate in the first inning.
Martin started one game at Triple-A Iowa this year and allowed one run in three innings. He’s never faced the Phillies, obviously, and perhaps he can stop Schwarber and Harper, and then give way, most likely, to Colin Rea, the originally scheduled starter for this game.
Rea stepped in admirably for Matthew Boyd when Boyd hit the injured list — just as he subbed capably for Justin Steele last year. He threw five two-hit innings against the Rays last Wednesday.
Last year, Rea made two starts against the Phillies. One was pretty good, the other not so much. J.T. Realmuto is 5-for-11 with a home run vs. Rea, and Kyle Schwarber has also homered off him.
Aaron Nola is off to a good start this year, with all three of his starts at least decent.
Last year he missed a whole bunch of time due to injuries, but before that he threw seven one-run innings against the Cubs April 27, 2025 at Wrigley Field.
Michael Conforto has homered twice off Nola — but is 10-for-53 overall with 19 strikeouts. Similar for Dansby Swanson: three homers off Nola, but overall 15-for-66 (.227) with 13 strikeouts.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 13: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates in the fourth inning during the game against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on April 13, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A brand new day for another game of baseball. This time, the Atlanta Braves are looking to bounce back from an embarrassing low-run loss in yesterday’s matchup. The rosters have been released.
No changes to today’s lineup, as it’s an exact reflection of yesterday.
You know what this could tell us? The same roster is set for their version of redemption, and chalk yesterday up to an unlucky opener. Reynaldo López will be taking the mound in his return, and if he can keep his steady streak (pre-brawl versus the Angels last week), the defense will be taken care of.
Maximizing runs on the board and applying offensive pressure will be what this competition comes down to. And if they can take advantage of Marlins’ Max Meyer’s weaknesses on the road, they just might accomplish that. When the Braves faced him on the road before, the on-base percentage was pretty high. Let’s see if they can extend that.
The Marlins are also keeping most of their lineup the same, with only one change near the bottom of the order.
Javier Sanoja will be taking over left field in today’s matchup, but the remainder of the roster is staying the same, in hopes of having a repeat of game one.
And get this, no one on the roster has faced López, so we’re in for a treat.
7:15 p.m. EDT is where it all happens tonight. We’ll check in with you after to discuss the results.
Albernaz told reporters Tuesday, April 14 that he suffered a broken jaw and at least seven facial fractures when a foul ball off Jeremiah Jackson's bat, clocked at 70.6 mph, struck him in the face during the fifth inning the night before.
The first-year manager was quickly shuttled down the tunnel and into the clubhouse by coaches and ballplayers, but he returned to the dugout a little less than an hour later. Perhaps unrelatedly, the Orioles stormed back from a six-run deficit as Jackson hit a grand slam and solo home run to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-7.
Albernaz did not meet with the news media after the game, farming out those duties to bench coach Donnie Ecker, but he was back for his usual afternoon briefing, and just like his first press conference as manager, evoked the name of his 2-year-old daughter.
Craig Albernaz has a broken jaw & 7 fractures in his cheek/orbital area after he was hit by a foul line drive in the face last night.
Albernaz is in good spirits & was joking through his pregame media.
"Gigi," Albernaz said after telling reporters he'd be on a diet of soft foods for several weeks, "has a better diet than I do."
The Massachusetts native has a scar on his cheek and a semblance of a shiner on his right eye, but is no worse for wear. Nor are the Orioles - they've now won six of seven games to improve to 9-7 and share the AL East lead with the New York Yankees.
You all know about Luke Little. Throws hard, but often does not know where the ball is going. In 35.1 MLB innings over the last three years, Little has a 2.80 ERA — which is good! He’s struck out 44 batters in those innings, which is also good! He’s also walked 28 batters in those innings, which is… not good. If Little could ever harness command and control, he could be a useful MLB reliever. So far this year at Triple-A Iowa, Little has walked 10 batters (and struck out nine) in 7.2 innings, so… not yet, anyway.
Ryan Rolison, as noted, pitched for the Rockies last year. He was their first-round pick (22nd overall) in 2018 out of the University of Mississippi. Last year Rolison posted a 7.02 ERA and 1.772 WHIP in 42.1 innings. The Cubs claimed him on waivers in January. At Iowa this year, Rolison has a 3.68 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 7.1 innings over five appearances.
Here are the moves to make room for Little and Rolison:
-Charlie Barnes optioned to Triple-A. -Ethan Roberts placed on the 15-day IL with a right middle finger laceration. -Luke Little recalled from Triple-A. -Ryan Rolison recalled from Triple-A.
Charlie Barnes was called up to the Cubs over the weekend and threw the last three innings of Monday’s loss to the Phillies. I assume he’ll be on the Iowa Shuttle his year.
Ethan Roberts, who has a 0.00 ERA in three games (2.2 innings) with the Cubs this year. Hopefully this injury is nothing serious. He seems like he could also be a useful Iowa Shuttle piece.
This gives the Cubs four left-handers in the pen as they face the lefty-heavy Phillies for six more games over the next week. In addition to Little and Rolison, Hoby Milner and Caleb Thielbar round out the southpaw relief crew. The Mets, who visit Wrigley Field this weekend, are a more right-handed hitting team, though they do have a couple of switch-hitters in Francisco Lindor and Jorge Polanco.
As always, we await developments. Today’s game preview will post at 3:30 p.m. CT.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 12: Yerry de los Santos #73 celebrates with J.C. Escarra #25 of the New York Yankees after the game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on August 12, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The pitching wasn’t pretty, but the Yankees survived an 11-10 slugfest with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night in the opener of their four-game set. They did, however, decide that they needed relief reinforcements before they played another game.
Immediately after the marathon on Monday, the Yanks demoted right-handed pitcher Jake Bird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Initially acquired from the Colorado Rockies before the 2025 Trade Deadline with the hopes that his ERA wasn’t indicative of the stuff he could provide, Bird unfortunately has yet to take flight.
Bird was quickly demoted last year following three bad games, and though he made the Opening Day roster, 2026 hasn’t gone much better. Memories of a few solid outings in San Francisco and Seattle were quickly tarnished in a blown loss to the Marlins on April 5th where he failed to record an out and allowed three runs. He was then a bit shaky against the A’s and Rays before getting roughed up by the Angels—particularly Mike Trout. In seven innings on the season, he has a 7.71 ERA, and blowing multiple leads in last night’s game appeared to be the last straw.
In his place, the Yankees called up another bullpen contender from spring training: Yerry De los Santos. The righty pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2022-23 and has spent the last few seasons as a Yankees Triple-A depth option, primarily sticking in Scranton. Last season though, De los Santos did make it into 25 games for the Bombers and did yeoman’s work as a middle reliever, racking up 35.2 innings across 25 games and separate call-ups between April 27th through August 25th. De los Santos notched 28 strikeouts, a 3.38 ERA (81 ERA-), and a 3.44 FIP (coincidentally, an 81 FIP-).
The Yankees elected to go with Bird and Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest as the last men in their 2026 bullpen on Opening Day, but with Winquest returned to the Cardinals upon Luis Gil’s activation and Bird demoted, an opening was there for De los Santos. The 28-year-old did his part to make a case for it, as in 9.1 innings early on for the RailRiders, he’d allowed just two runs on six hits, fanning 13 with a 1.93 ERA and 0.964 WHIP. The Yankees preferred to select someone already on the larger 40-man roster, and De los Santos got the nod over Angel Chivilli and Kervin Castro. The offseason trade pickup Chivilli had actually pitched a little better, but he is seen as someone who is more of a post-Rockies project like Bird, so it’s understandable to take the safer pick in De los Santos.
The Yankees’ bullpen to this point has been a bit of a concern, and De los Santos—while only having pitched in limited innings for the club to this point—has been a decent option to turn to when things get tight for Aaron Boone and his staff. The best-case, of course, is that the Yankees get into a blowout victory situation and De los Santos can soak up some innings for his 2026 debut. Regardless, he’ll be ready and waiting.
JUPITER, FL - MARCH 19: Devin Fitz-Gerald #3 of the Washington Nationals looks on prior to the game between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Jared Blais/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
When the Nats traded MacKenzie Gore, the piece people talked about the most was Gavin Fien. It makes sense, Fien was the 12th pick in the 2025 draft and has been a famous name for a while. However, I think there is a solid chance that Devin Fitz-Gerald ends up being the real prize of the return.
The early signs are sure pointing in that direction. Fien struggled in his first four games in Low-A, and then missed the last week for unknown reasons. Meanwhile, Fitz-Gerald has taken to High-A like a duck to water as a 20 year old with limited professional experience.
It is way too early to make any real declarations, and I am not giving up any of my Gavin Fien stock after just four rough games. For Fitz-Gerald though, he seems like he is on the road to being a top 100 prospect. After the graduation of Astros prospect Brice Matthews, Fitz-Gerald is now one of the top 10 second base prospects in all of baseball.
Devin Fitz-Gerald enters the Top 10 2B Prospects list upon the graduation of Brice Matthews.
I anticipate that his stock will continue to rise, and there is a chance he will become a top 100 prospect. It was a slight surprise to see Fitz-Gerald assigned to High-A Wilmington. He only played 41 games last year in his first pro season, which was cut short by injuries. Fitz-Gerald spent 31 of those games in rookie ball and just 10 in Low-A.
Despite only playing 10 Low-A games, the Nationals were comfortable assigning him to High-A Wilmington, which is not only a level higher, but also a ball park that is notoriously tough on hitters. The Nats stockpile of young infield talent forced their hand a bit, but the fact they were comfortable sending Fitz-Gerald to High-A shows their confidence level in him.
So far, their faith is being rewarded. Through his first 30 at bats, Fitz-Gerald is hitting .333 with a .944 OPS. He also has five walks to just five strikeouts. The switch hitting infielder is showing his advanced hitting chops despite being assigned to a tough level.
Fitz-Gerald has a nice combination of pure hitting ability and power. In high school, Fitz-Gerald was seen as a contact first player, but showed surprising pull side power in his pro debut. We saw that pull side power on display when he hit his first High-A home run last week against Yankees prospect and former Nats farm hand Sean Paul Linan.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) April 12, 2026
That home run was a real thing of beauty. His left handed set up and toe tap kind of remind me of Tigers young phenom Kevin McGonigle. Fitz-Gerald has some similarities to McGonigle with his advanced hitting ability and surprising power. However, the 20 year old has a long way to go if he wants to reach McGonigle’s level.
When you watch Fitz-Gerald play, you can tell he is a gamer who has been around baseball his whole life. His dad Todd is one of the most prominent high school baseball coaches in Florida. He coaches at Stoneman Douglas High School, which has produced players such as Roman Anthony, Jesus Luzardo, Anthony Rizzo and Coby Mayo. Fitz-Gerald hopes to be the next great product of his dad’s program.
There was a podcast recently that had Todd Fitz-Gerald on, which I really enjoyed. They talked about Devin’s development among other things. Todd was not worried about his son’s aggressive assignment because of his confidence in his hitting ability.
— The Talk Nats Podcast (@TalkNatsPodcast) April 10, 2026
That is not just a father hyping up his son, it is just true. Wherever Devin Fitz-Gerald has been, he has hit. None of the concerns about him as a player come from his hitting ability. The questions about Fitz-Gerald come from his average athleticism and defensive home.
Fitz-Gerald played shortstop in high school and with the Rangers, but he is likely to settle in as a second baseman. He is not the twitchiest player, but he has great instincts and enough athleticism to be a good second baseman. In the past, Fitz-Gerald’s power upside was questioned, but those doubts have been answered for the most part. He now projects to be at least a 15 homer bat with the potential for more due to his ability to pull the ball in the air.
Of all the prospects in the Nats system, Devin Fitz-Gerald has one of the fewest question marks. He may not have the athletic upside of some other players in the system, but man can he hit. Fitz-Gerald also gets the most out of his tools due to his baseball IQ.
He has average speed, but already has 7 stolen bases thanks to his great instincts. There could be 15 SB upside here even without great speed due to his ability to make good reads. This is truly your prototypical coaches kid and I think he is the hidden gem of the MacKenzie Gore return. If he is the best player of the five guys the Nats got back from the Rangers, I would not be at all surprised.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 13: Rece Hinds #77 of the Cincinnati Reds is congratulated by Jake Fraley #27 after Hinds hit a two-run home run during the sixth inning of the game against the Miami Marlins at Great American Ball Park on July 13, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hinds hit two home runs in the game as Cincinnati defeated Miami 10-6. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds are wasting zero time instituting their outfield (and offensive) shakeup, as Rece Hinds will start Tuesday evening’s series opener against the San Francisco Giants in RF. Hinds, 25, was recalled after Noelvi Marte was optioned to AAA following a horrid start to his 2026 season, and the Reds will hope the improved plate approach Hinds has shown for the better part of the last 13 months with the Bats will now translate at the big league level.
Rece will hit 6th tonight as the Reds stack their lineup with right-handed hitters as the Giants will send left-hander Robbie Ray to the mound for the start. As was mentioned yesterday, Hinds actually has hit right-handed pitching better than southpaws down at AAA for a while now, but the assumption is that he’ll still have a better shot at turning one around than left-handed outfield options Will Benson and, for now, TJ Friedl.
Friedl will start this one on the pine as righty Dane Myers covers CF and leads off.
On the mound for the Reds tonight will be Brady Singer, and there’s a great hope that his blister issues are far enough in the past that he’ll finally be able to put together a more vintage Singer outing. In his trio of outings so far this year his average fastball velocity is down to just 90.3 mph after sitting at 91.5 mph last year (and 92.5 as recently as 2023), and he’s leaning on his sinker usage almost 13% more than he did a year ago. The assumption has been that the blister (or the threat of it coming back) have hampered him a bit from letting it rip 100% the way he’d like, so hopefully that changes for the better beginning tonight.
First pitch is set for 6:40 PM ET, and this one will be on Reds.tv/MLB.tv per usual.
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 07: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Colton Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dodgers took the opener over the New York Mets on Monday night, continuing their season-opening stretch of not yet losing two games in a row. They now head into Tuesday night looking to keep another streak alive — winning all the middle games of a three-game series.
Thus far, the Dodgers are five for five in the second game of a series:
March 27: Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 4 — Edwin Díaz introduced with live trumpet playing, records first save
March 31: Dodgers 4, Guardians 1 — Max Muncy homered, Cleveland didn’t score until ninth inning
April 4: Dodgers 10, Nationals 5 — Second straight early pummeling in Washington D.C., with five runs in first two innings
April 7: Dodgers 4, Blue Jays 1 — Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed only one run, faced two batters in seventh
Yamamoto has finished six innings in all three of his starts thus far, something Dodgers starters have done 10 times in 16 games this season (10 out of 13 starts by the non-Sasaki members of the rotation), including each of their last four middle games of series.
Dodgers starting pitchers have a 3.44 ERA this season while averaging 5.56 innings per start, and their nine quality starts are one behind the Seattle Mariners for most in the majors. And after Justin Wrobleski’s eight-inning gem on Monday night, the Dodgers will have a well-rested bullpen for the final two games of the homestand before Thursday’s off day.
Mets rookie Nolan McLean gets the ball for New York on Tuesday. The right-hander has 20 strikeouts against only six walks this season, with opposing batters hitting just .140/.234/246 against him.
Apparently not the Jordan Rich that that the White Sox traded Lenyn Sosa for.
If you told someone you were writing a script and had the White Sox at 6-10 a tenth of the way into the season, they’d reply, “Sounds about right. Extrapolates to a normal season for them.” If you then said that half the victories were against the defending AL champions, that same person would say, “That stretches the suspension of disbelief. Better rewrite that part.”
Incredulity would stretch further if you also wrote that the major failure was not from the expected terrible starting rotation, which has instead been very good except for Shane Smith, whose fall has been as rapid as his 2025 Rule 5 rise — back when, it’s worth noting, Ethan Katz was the pitching coach — but rather from a pathetic offense, which was supposed to be much improved.
With Lenyn Sosa off to botch up the Blue Jays’ defense (has there ever been a major league player with less in the way of baseball instincts?) in exchange for an 18-year-old 17th-round draft pick and a PTBNL or Jerry Reinsdorf’s favorite — cash — even last year’s home run leader has departed, so the almighty quest for power, power, POWER!!! becomes even more difficult. Sosa, incidentally, was the last remaining member of a White Sox team that didn’t have a losing record, except for Reese McGuire, who left and came back, so that doesn’t count.
How bad is the lineup? Let us count the ways.
So far in 2026, the Sox are dead last in the majors in scoring runs, at 3.06 per game, even with all the gifts from the Blue Jays and Royals. Sure, small sample size and bats generally warm up with the weather, but that’s true for the other 29 teams as well.
How awful is 3.06 runs per game? Last year, they scored 3.99, which was 27th. Worse yet, even the record-setting 2024 horror team scored more — 3.13 runs per game.
This year’s team is also 30th in average at .193, an astounding 29 points below the 121-loss team, and last in OPS, 34 points below 2024, in both cases by a wide margin. They’ve improved from that team and matched 2025 to tie for 23rd in home runs so far, and beat both years in rank in stealing bases, where they’re 10th with 12.
And apparently Braden Montgomery won’t be riding to the rescue soon, since he’s hitting .212 in Birmingham. San Antonacci, on the other hand, is clobbering the ball in Charlotte.
And, oh, yeah — they’re back to striking out like crazy, second to last. Or second best, if you think striking out is a good thing.
WHO’S TO BLAME FOR THIS MESS?
Well, Jerry Reinsdorf, of course, and to a lesser extent, Chris Getz. But among players, there’s plenty of awfulness to share. And that’s even before we get into a defense that is dead last in both defensive runs saved and RTOT, which is Baseball-Reference’s range factor, and by a wide margin in both cases.
B-R has an algorithm that measures Wins Above Average, a more persnickety version of WAR, by team and position. As you might imagine, the numbers aren’t pretty for the White Sox, but let’s look anyway.
STARTING PITCHING
As you’d expected, a very bright spot, and one that should (we hope) shine even more brightly when Noah Schultz comes in playing the deus ex machina role. The starters come in eighth out of the 30 teams despite Smith’s struggles, a big jump up from last season’s 18th, but — amazingly — below 2024’s fifth. See, I told you that was amazing (but remember, Garrett Crochet was on that team)!
RELIEF PITCHING
The Sox fall here to a dismal 27th, far below last year’s 14th, but — and this is disheartening — in line with 2024’s 28th.
ON TO THE POSITION PLAYERS (PLEASE AVERT THE EYES OF SMALL CHILDREN)
In each case, let’s go to the placement by year, going backward — 2026, 2025, 2024.
Catcher — 28/8/30. Obviously, the absence of Kyle Teel so far has been a major negative, but the collapse of Edgar Quero to a pathetic .162/.244/.162 line (a 21 OPS+) after a solid 2025 is horrid, and McGuire and his .125 average haven’t helped.
First base — 22/29/26. This was supposed to be a really bright spot with the acquisition of Munetaka Murakami. Still, after his red-hot four-homer start that made it look like a brilliant move for the Sox, Murakami has basically hit zilch, now checking in at .157/.323/.392, making the other 29 teams look smarter. Chances are, he’s neither as good as his start, nor as bad as he is now, and he wouldn’t have set records in Japan if he weren’t capable of making adjustments. A .154 BABIP indicates some bad luck, but Murakami’s 34% K rate (even young Kyle Schwarber wasn’t that bad) and 50% grounder rate aren’t good signs.
Second base — 29/25/29. Yep, near the bottom at second, despite Chase Meidroth usually being fun to watch. The problem is, despite occasional cool plays, he scores negatively in both DRS and RTOT, and his average is now down to .196, not workable for a singles hitter, leaving him with a 72 OPS+ despite a good walk rate.
Third base — five-way tie for 5/25/29. That’s a hard jump up to explain since Miguel Vargas is only hitting .180 and is just a wash defensively. Maybe it’s a collapse by other third basemen around the majors.
Shortstop — 16/20/29. Colson Montgomery only had part of a season last year, so he’s beating himself here, despite just hitting .200/.302/.418 for a 108 OPS+ thanks to three homers. His 30% K rate doesn’t help, though, and his hard-hit rate is well below league average.
Left field — 29/28/29. Correlation doesn’t necessarily indicate causation (except when it really does), but the White Sox have lost 100 or more games every season Andrew Benintendi has been on the team. Maybe with Sosa gone, he can go full-time DH and just be bad at offense. Tanner Murray looked good out there Sunday.
Center field — 29/21/26. Turns out, Luis Robert Jr. at his worst was better than whoever the Sox have sent out in his stead, which has mostly been Luisangel Acuña. Having escaped the Sox, Robert is hitting .319 for the Mets, while Acuña is hitting (and slugging) .196.
Right field — 22/22/30. This has been a throw-somebody-out-there-because-we-have-to situation since Austin Hays was hurt, and he only had a 69 OPS+ anyway. Must be a lot of bad right fielders around the big leagues to make it up to 22, though Dustin Harris’ homer-saving catch to save the game Sunday was quite nifty.
WHICH MEANS?
All those top-100 MLB prospect shortstops in the system need to move on up the ladder quickly and spread across the field. Otherwise, … well, let’s not think about it.
COVERS INTEL: 
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- NRFI
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- YRFI
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- YRFI
