Category: Baseball

Fangraphs has released their list of the top 38 prospects in the Texas Rangers’ farm system for 2026.

The Rangers’ minor league system is not a strength right now, but the folks at Fangraphs do see some things to feel good about. In particular, they are more bullish than most, I think, on Yolfran Castillo, who they have second in the system currently, and Paxton Kling, who they identify as a dark horse top 100 candidate for next year.

Overall, the system is heavy on arms and light on impact position players (outside of Sebastian Walcott, of course).

And speaking of prospects, Thomas Nestico has his updated top 100 prospect list out. Both Walcott and Caden Scarborough make the cut, although Walcott drops in this update due to the elbow injury that is costing him most of the 2026 season.

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers are going through some things in the early going, including both of their premium free agent acquisitions this winter. Kyle Tucker hasn’t really hit much at all yet, and closer Edwin Díaz struggled and has lost velocity on his fastball to the point that the Dodgers are trying to figure out an issue they insist is not injured-list worthy just yet.

But it’s a testament to the depth that even with the hiccups, the Dodgers keep racking up wins, including winning two series last week, first over the Blue Jays in Toronto in the second-earliest World Series rematch, then against the Rangers at Dodger Stadium.

Batter of the week

Shohei Ohtani broke another Ichiro Suzuki record (see below) and also upped the power, including leadoff home runs in back-to-back games over the weekend against Texas.

Honorable mention goes to Dalton Rushing, who had a four-hit game with two home runs in Toronto and is off to a terrific start; and to Andy Pages, who’s been the Dodgers’ best hitter for the season to date.

Pitcher of the week

Yoshinobu Yamamoto continues to be rock solid, including a win last week over the Blue Jays with a lone run allowed in six innings, with six strikeouts. He’s pitched four times at Rogers Centre in Toronto, and won all four games. You might remember the first three.

Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski also had their best starts this week, supporting a top three in the rotation that has gone exactly six innings every time out so far this season. The starters have set the pitching staff and team up quite well through the first five series of the season.

“Right now, these guys are allowing us to deploy the bullpen in their rightful spots,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Those guys are all pretty fresh, and we’re going to lean on them at some point, but it’s nice to get our feet underneath us with the starting pitching as the season starts.”

Week 3 results

4-2 record
37 runs scored (6.17 per game)
22 runs allowed (3.67 per game)
.721 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

11-4 record
91 runs scored (6.07 per game)
56 runs allowed (3.73 per game)
.709 pythagorean win percentage (11-4)

Miscellany

On the climb: Third baseman Max Muncy on Friday night passed Steve Garvey into sixth place on the Dodgers home run list, now with 213 home runs since coming to Los Angeles. That was part of Muncy’s second career three-homer game, which is tied for most in franchise history, and he’s just the second Dodger to end a game of at least three home runs with a walk-off blast, joining Don Demeter in 1959.

On-base machine: Shohei Ohtani broke another record of Ichiro Suzuki, one of his heroes growing up. Friday was Ohtani’s 44th consecutive regular season game reaching base, passing the Hall of Famer for longest MLB streak by a Japanese player. Ohtani’s streak of 46 straight games and counting is the fifth-longest streak in modern Dodgers history, since 1900. “He’s taking walks, he’s getting hits, and he really hasn’t even gotten going yet,” Roberts said Friday.

Blow out the candles, and the rally: With Díaz on the shelf on Saturday, Alex Vesia was called on to record the last out against the Rangers, and his strikeout both closed out the win and earned a save on the left-hander’s 30th birthday. Vesia is the fifth Dodgers reliever to record a save on his birthday, joining Lerrin LaGrow (1979), Tom Niedenfuer (1986, 1987), Kenley Jansen (2017), and Caleb Ferguson (2018).

Transactions

Saturday: Pitcher Grant Holman’s 10-day stay on the 40-man roster ended when the Tigers claimed off waivers. Holman, who was claimed by the Dodgers from the Diamondbacks on April 1, did not pitch in the minors during his time in the organization.

Game results

• Monday: Dodgers 14, Blue Jays 2
• Tuesday: Dodgers 4, Blue Jays 1
• Wednesday: Blue Jays 4, Dodgers 3
• Friday: Dodgers 8, Rangers 7
• Saturday: Dodgers 6, Rangers 3
• Sunday: Rangers 5, Dodgers 2

Previous reviews: Week 1 | Week 2

Up next

The Dodgers run the Jay Payton gauntlet this week, hosting the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium (including Jackie Robinson Day on Wednesday, an ESPN-exclusive telecast) before hitting the road to face the Colorado Rockies. The stay at Coors Field extends into Monday, with the first three games of the wraparound series included in Week 4.

The Atlanta Braves debuted their updated City Connect uniforms over the weekend, showcasing a familiar style that combines several classic design elements from the franchise’s rich history.   

Inspired largely by the 1980s era of Braves baseball, during which time the team’s games were beamed across the country via the wonders of owner Ted Turner’s TBS Superstation, the latest version of the City Connect concept prominently features vintage uniform iconography on a period appropriate powder blue palette.

In other words, what’s old is new again.

Insung Kim is the Creative Director for the Atlanta Braves and he was charged with creating yet another memorable design for a franchise with no shortage of memorable looks. Once again, the club leaned on its storied past to help chart the course for its future ensemble.

As the three-year window to update the club’s City Connect uniforms ticked away, Kim and his creative team focused on a particular time period when the club’s profile was rapidly expanding thanks to its far-reaching television footprint.

“We have this large reach of Braves fans all over the country and all over the world who grew up watching the Braves on TBS,” Kim said of choosing an ‘80s aesthetic. “We wanted to celebrate those fans, and we wanted our City Connect 2.0 to talk about that heyday in Braves Country, when so many fans fell in love with baseball and fell in love with the Braves during that era.”

With those memories in mind, the design team settled on powder blue as the featured color and began to sketch out the rest of the details that would complete the updated attire.

Atlanta’s new City Connect uniform features a light blue pullover jersey with white lettering wrapped in red trim above navy numerals on the front atop white pants with prominent red and blue piping. The player names on the back of the jersey are in navy and sit above white numerals outlined in red. Both the cap and helmet have a light blue crown along with a navy visor accented in red and adorned with the club’s lowercase “A” logo.

“We have such a rich history as a team,” Kim said of choosing the elements that made up the final design. “We’re over 150 years old. So, for me as a designer and a creative, I have this amazing toolkit of logos and designs that I can look back on… I think this is a really cool remix and a modern update of the classic powder blue uniform.”

Choosing just the right shade of blue was a painstaking process for the design team. They reviewed dozens of shades before choosing the primary color for the jersey.

“We were very specific about the shade of powder blue for this new City Connect,” Kim said. “We wanted to make sure that we nailed the color exactly right so that it’s a modernized version of the old powder blue. If you look back at the old powder blue jerseys, it’s actually a lot darker than you imagined. We wanted to make sure that this was a nice bright blue, (so) that when the team wears it on the field, whether it’s day or night, it’s going to look beautiful.”

Not only does that color celebrate a decades long love affair for the Braves on television, but it also taps into a revival of the uniform style taking place across the country on youth fields today.

“There are little details that we put into the jersey that reference the TBS generation, but at the same time, it is an update,” Kim said of the color scheme. “We wanted it to be bright and vivid for this new generation of fans. If you go out and watch youth baseball, you’ll see that light blue is one of the most popular colors for uniforms. So, we thought, how cool is that that we’ve got this new generation of baseball fans and Braves fans who just love bright blue, like powder blue? This is the perfect time to bring that back.”

Pulling from both late-‘70s and early-‘80s design elements worn by the team as Turner’s television empire gained traction was an easy choice for this new uniform combination. While the team struggled to remain competitive in those days, Atlanta’s broadcast represented an access point for generations of baseball fans from coast to coast for the better part of three decades.

That television history was a hallmark of the Braves, and the TBS influence found its way onto the jersey and even the socks for the new City Connect uniform.

“The jersey is a v-neck because that is what the players from that era wore,” Kim said. “We also have an ATL patch on the sleeve, which is a nod to the old TBS logo.”

Player comfort was another factor the design team considered when creating the new uniform.

“We heard feedback from the players,” Kim said. “They really love wearing the v-necks because they’re so comfortable. If you think about the heat out here in Atlanta and the humidity, wearing a v-neck versus a button-down is a little bit more comfortable.”

Braves third baseman Austin Riley was one of the players consulted during the design process. Seeing the final result and then slipping on a pullover jersey was exactly what he hoped for.

“I think they’re awesome,” Riley said. “I love the accents, the ATL on the sleeve. I like the outline in the red. I think they really did a good job on the hats and the helmets. For me, my big thing was that I love no buttons (for the jersey). That was my take. It’s hot here and this is a little bit lighter.”

As the Braves became “America’s Team” on TBS during the ‘80s, superstar outfielder Dale Murphy became a household name while wearing a powder blue road uniform. That color scheme was a favorite garb for many teams at the time, but Murphy’s popularity became almost synonymous with the look while winning consecutive National League MVP Awards in 1982 and 1983.

When it came time to officially announce its latest City Connect design, the team released a hype video that prominently featured Murphy as well as a new take on one of his most iconic photographs. Several current Braves donned the new uniform and took promotional pictures in a brick alleyway, paying homage to Murphy’s “Power Alley” poster released by Nike some 43 years ago.

That poster was a must-have for Braves fans of that era and pictured Murphy standing in between two buildings in full powder blue uniform holding a glowing baseball bat. The effect was primitive and achieved by running a series of cords through Murphy’s uniform and plugging it into a nearby outlet.

“We actually rebuilt the ‘Power Alley’ set down in Florida at our spring training facility,” Kim said. “We had the guys like Ronald Acuña, Austin Riley, Matt Olson, and Michael Harris, who were modeling the jersey for us, in the set (and) holding a bright blue bat or a glowing stick that was reminiscent of the old ‘Power Alley’ poster. We wanted to have that connection of looking at the past but updating it with our guys in our new City Connect uniforms.”

For Braves fans of the 1980s, an opportunity to revisit the “Power Alley” in 2026 was an added bonus. The team brought the alleyway set to Truist Park over the weekend, setting it up just outside the team store and offering a unique photo opportunity to promote the new uniforms which were worn for all three games of the series against the Cleveland Guardians.

Olson was one of countless young fans to grow up watching the Braves on TBS. Coming home to play for the team he grew up watching provides numerous chances to flash back to those formative days. While he may be too young to have experienced rooting for Murphy’s teams of the 1980s, the nostalgia attached to Atlanta’s new City Connect uniforms is unmistakable.

“Right away you think of those Dale Murphy powder blues,” Olson said. “I thought that was cool. I love the color, with a little new flair to it with the red piping and stuff. I think they look great.”

Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin…

TUESDAY

The Mets recorded their second walk-off win of the season in their eleventh game. It’s the fastest the Mets have notched two walk-off wins since 1998, when they had three in their first four games.

The Mets played extra innings for the fourth time in just 11 games, marking the most through the first 11 games of any season in franchise history.

Ronny Mauricio became the fifth Met to record a walk-off hit in his first plate appearance of a season and the first since Alberto Castillo in 1998. (source: MLB.com, Elias Sports Bureau)

WEDNESDAY

Luis Robert Jr. reached base 24 times in his first 12 games as a Met. Only 11 Mets have done that to begin their stint with the team, with the first being Willie Mays in 1972 and the most recent before Robert being Eduardo Escobar in 2022. Other notable names on that list include Keith Hernandez, John Olerud, and Rickey Henderson.

THURSDAY

In the weekly update on Nolan McLean’s dazzling emergence, McLean has now posted a 2.23 ERA and 77 K in his first 11 career games. The only other pitchers to match those totals in their first 11 games are Masahiro Tanaka (2.06 ERA, 88 K) and Paul Skenes (1.90 ERA, 89 K).

FRIDAY

The Mets were shut out by the Athletics for the second time in franchise history. The first time came in Oakland on June 14, 2005, when the A’s got a 2-for-4 day from their current manager Mark Kotsay.

SATURDAY

Jeff McNeil’s seventh-inning single was Squirrel’s 447th hit at Citi Field, moving him past David Wright for fifth place on the stadium’s all-time leaderboard. McNeil ended the series at 448, two away from tying Pete Alonso (450) for third place and five away from tying Brandon Nimmo (453) for second place. Daniel Murphy (463) sits atop the field.

SUNDAY

Jeff McNeil made his 432nd start at Citi Field, tying David Wright for the third-most in the ballpark. Pete Alonso (493) and Brandon Nimmo (472) are the top two on the list.

The Mets were shut out for the third time in just 16 games this season. It’s the fastest they’ve reached three shutout losses in a season since 2001.

The Mets have now scored just 65 runs in 16 games. Since 2000, the Mets have only scored that few runs through 16 games on four occasions: 2001, 2003, 2012, and 2021.

The Mets have now scored two or fewer runs through nine innings in 9 of their first 16 games, tying an unfortunate club record matched in 1967, 1971, 1981, and 2001.

Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:

Either Tom Seaver or Jacob deGrom is the Mets’ leader in strikeouts against 14 of the 15 National League clubs. Jerry Koosman holds the franchise record for most strikeouts against the San Francisco Giants with 181.

Fenway Sports Group has already drawn ire in recent years for, amongst other things on a very non exhaustive list: caring more about profits than winning, selling the most expensive “experience” in baseball rather than a winning team, caring more about profits than the culture of the team, shipping away homegrown leaders to save a few dollars, and caring more about profits than any results at all. That frustration often extends to the network the group owns as part of their… ugh… portfolio: New England Sports Network.

For starters, long-timer Tom Caron often sounds like mouthpiece for the team’s PR department. Then there’s Dave O’Brien, who, while a seemingly lovely guy, just isn’t that interesting to listen to. Most of the same can be said with the color commentary following the passing of Jerry Remy. Maybe we were spoiled with him and Don Orsillo for years, but fielding a team that barely contends and pairing it with a commentary team that’s just up to snuff signifies so much about this organization.

Beyond the on-air talent, the broadcast alone has its own problems. There are connectivity issues, the app is incredibly buggy, and, to boot, it costs an outrageous $30 a month. So there was even more understandable frustration when, during yesterday’s game, fans were treated to this view for much of the first inning.

Willson Contreras (3)
2-Run Home Run

Opponent: St. Louis Cardinals
Pitcher: Andre Pallante
Date: 4/12/26 pic.twitter.com/LeXygmS1oP

— Red Sox Home Runs (@RedSox_HR) April 12, 2026

That view would be awesome if I was a bird on the field getting a look at the game for free, or if the Red Sox added me as the last member of their infield platoon. But this isn’t what you want to see on your TV, and that wasn’t the end of the issues.

Later, interruptions cut into a Ceddanne Rafaela at-bat. The camera again gave out directly before Brayan Bello let up another home run to Jordan Walker, leaving us to just look at Bello’s incredulous shoulder toss of agony. The reaction was two-fold in Sox Nation.

Eventually, NESN gave up and used the St. Louis feed, admitting their inferiority to another network. But don’t worry… they were still advertising NESN360 on the top right of the screen despite not even being able to use their own feed.

Dave O’Brien quickly quipped “it won’t affect your life.” This is a microcosm of the coping mechanism the team has been feeding the fanbase for years while Mookie Betts, Xander Boegarts, Rafael Devers, and others have departed because $ of $ internal $ issues $. This is a microcosm of how the team operates: we’re not going to invest where needed, and it’s your fault if you get upset that we’re not meeting standards.

And listen: I operate a camera for a living and it was a pivot from the previous work I was doing. As a result, I’m more sympathetic than most for the technical mishaps. There are all kinds of understandable reasons why they might have had issues yesterday: St. Louis isn’t NESN’s home; maybe something was carried over from FOX’s broadcast on Saturday night; they might have new operators. But the network is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, taken from the wallets of fans who have already been frustrated enough when they turn on the game and see an inability to drive in runs, allergies to holding leads for more than an inning, and managerial curiosities (to put it diplomatically). NESN was once a beacon in regional sports, and now we have to deal with this:

So, after that humorous note, I once again raise the question: why exactly are we all giving more money to this company that’s showed time and time again that it doesn’t care about the product it gives back to the fans? And why are we, as a fanbase, fine with a guy who posts celebratory cigar pictures after doing what he should be doing every season: spending money on his team?

Over and over again, FSG has told us exactly who they are, with the roster, with the network, with the price tag. That the Sox won the game in a rout yesterday does not forgive the fact that the broadcast laid an egg. Until we tell them with our wallet that it’s not acceptable, expect more of the same.

Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma dropped the series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, losing four of six on the week with little life shown throughout. Hopefully they’re able to shake this one and get back on the right track.

The weekly check in on boy-wonder Colt Emerson is less flattering this week. Going 6-23 with seven strikeouts and two walks, Emerson struggled at the plate and showed his first bit of “being 20 at the Triple-A level”. Learning how to hit the junk-ballers of Triple-A will be valuable experience for the young phenom, and despite his lack of overwhelming production thus far, Emerson should still be on track to debut with the big league club some time this summer.

Alex Hoppe continues to look like the best arm in this bullpen. Having logged six innings without allowing a run, Hoppe has K’ed ten batters and walked just two, looking like a potential shut down reliever that could contribute to the big league roster tomorrow. He’s changed up his arsenal from last year and is throwing fastball-slider almost exclusively, mixing in a cutter and all but scrapping his changeup. There’s a tangible difference to how Hoppe is going about his business, making his improvements on the mound that much more exciting.

Arkansas Travelers

The Travs showed off some excellent pitching this series, splitting a series against the Wind Surge that was relatively low scoring across the board. The bats are looking a little lethargic right now, but the pitching has picked them up big time, keeping them afloat as the season gets underway.

The story here is Kade Anderson. As written up by Kate Preusser here, Kade was lights out on Friday night, working five no-hit innings with 11 punchouts and two walks. The left hander has lived up to the hype in every way over his first two outings, maintaining his perfect ERA with a high K rate and very little traffic on the basepaths. Frankly, there’s been nothing to complain about thus far. He’s looked amazing.

Ryan Sloan, another young phenom in this rotation, also turned in a fine start this weekend. Allowing one run across four innings, Sloan was the victim of some unfortunate defense from the Travs and probably could have escaped with a scoreless line, but regardless, the 20 year old looks like he belongs in Double-A and should be able to hold his own as the season progresses. There are very few one-two punches that can compete with what the Travs can offer, and that alone should give them ample opportunity at making a run at the playoffs this season.

Everett AquaSox

The Frogs have easily had the most compelling start of any minor league affiliate in this system. Taking four of six from the Dust Devils, they now find themselves above .500 and playing some really compelling ball. If you’re in the area, get out and watch these guys!

The dynamic duo of catchers fueling this lineup, both Luke Stevenson and Josh Caron have been fantastic to start this season. Caron, a fourth rounder in the 2024 class, struggled last season, but he’s gotten things back on track and looks like a much better player than he was just a season ago. He’s ambushing pitches and doing damage, and though it’s not an approach that’ll land him a sterling OBP, his slug-first mentality is what got him drafted, and getting back to it is probably his best shot at advancing to the big league level. Stevenson, however, has had little issue getting on base. Last year’s 35th overall pick, the former Tar Heel is slashing .400/.518/.650 through 27 PA’s this season, playing a fantastic defensive catcher to boot. He’s looking more and more like one of the best players in the class, and his upside is truly immense. He’s approaching must-know territory.

This bullpen is a ton of fun. Newcomer Casey Hintz, the newest funky sidearmer in the system, has been great thus far, striking out five across the first three innings and allowing just two total baserunners. Christian Little, who’s been working out of the bullpen after starting last year, has also looked great, striking out eight in his first 3.2 innings of the year. He’s worked multiple innings in both of his outings and could be on a buildup plan to get back to starting at some point this season, though that piece is pure speculation at this point in time.

The king of the ‘pen, however, is Brock Moore. The hulking flamethrower is finally throwing strikes, and he’s been nearly untouchable thus far. Having logged four innings on the year, Moore has tallied 11 strikeouts and no walks, only surrendering one hit all season. He’s pumping triple-digit velocity from a low slot and has wipeout secondary pitches he can use to hitters of either handedness. If he’s truly figured out a cue to get him over the plate with any sort of consistency, this is a high leverage arm that could pitch in a major league bullpen sooner than later.

Though he’s not a bullpen arm, shoutout to Colton Shaw. His six inning, seven strikeout performance was a tremendous effort, and his sinker-slider combination was hellish on opposing hitters. He looked great out there.

Inland Empire 66ers

A fun squad of players in their own right, Modesto has had some dramatic finishes thus far despite just two wins on the year. Consistency has been tough for this team on a night to night basis, and it’s going to have to improve if they’re going to get into the win column regularly. The pitching took a step in the right direction this week; hopefully the bats will follow suit.

Mason Peters, a personal favorite from last year’s class, showed off the goods that got him drafted in the fourth round last July. Working four hitless innings and racking up nine punchouts, Peters would allow just one baserunner on a walk, dicing up opposing hitters with his collection of high-spin breaking balls. He looked dynamic on the mound and seems like a guy that’s going to pop in this pitching development system. Everything about him screams Mariner.

This offense hasn’t been terribly potent at this point, but the duo of Korbyn Dickerson and Ricardo Cova remain a legitimate threat in the heart of this order. Dickerson, last year’s fifth rounder, is striking out quite a bit, but with a healthy amount of walks, good slug, and above average defense in centerfield, he more than makes up for the whiff elsewhere. Cova, the undersized middle infielder, is doing a bit of everything offensively, batting over .400 and getting plenty of thump to pair with his bat-to-ball skills. The sample size is still very small at this point, but early returns for these two have been incredibly positive.

The nascent years of the Yankees franchise — then known as the New York Highlanders — were a veritable Wild West. Fortunes fluctuated frenetically as teammates, manager, and even owner clashed daily. The behavior of certain involved parties would make even the most controversial issues nowadays appear tame. Perhaps no player associated with the franchise embodied this volatility more than shortstop and later manager Kid Elberfeld.

Norman Arthur “Kid” Elberfeld
Born: April 13, 1875 (Pomeroy, OH)
Died: January 13, 1944 (Chattanooga, TN)
Yankees Tenure: 1903-09

Norman Arthur “Kid” Elberfeld was born in Pomeroy, OH, on April 13, 1875, the tenth of eleven children to German immigrants Philip Elberfeld and Katherine Eiselstein. He played mainly hockey and baseball in his youth, suiting up at every position except pitcher. After captaining several Cincinnati-area local teams, he got his first chance in professional baseball with the Dallas Navigators of the Class C Texas Association.

A leg injury ended his tenure with the team in May, but he managed to land with the Richmond Bluebirds of the Class B Atlantic League, with whom he would bat .306 with 46 stolen bases in 138 games in 1897. These performances caught the eye of the Phillies, who purchased his contract that fall. His MLB debut was delayed by several months, Elberfeld injuring his knee when he fell in a bathtub, but he finally made it to the bigs on May 30, 1898, in the first game of a doubleheader against the Louisville Colonels, collecting a pair of doubles and a hit-by-pitch while also committing a pair of errors at third.

An attitude that was equal parts petulant and lackadaisical defined his career as a major league fielder, Philadelphia sportswriters writing that he “might as well learn now that Philadelphia ballcranks will not stand for his minor league methods. What we want [are] ball players, not toughs.” He made just 14 appearances for the Phillies, batting .237 with no home runs and seven RBIs before his contract was sold to the Detroit Tigers, then a minor league club playing in the Class A Western League.

Elberfeld rebounded in 1899, batting .308 with 23 stolen bases to earn another shot in the majors. However, a back injury, poor play and an even worse attitude limited him to just 41 appearances with the Reds before they got fed up and sold him back to Detroit in 1900. He would play two-and-a-half years with the Tigers including their debut season in MLB in 1901. By the end of 1902, there was a deal in place for the New York Giants to purchase Elberfeld from the Tigers, but in the interest of maintaining peace between the AL and NL, Elberfeld remained in Detroit, now under the direction of new manager and future Yankees GM Ed Barrow. Barrow quickly grew tired of Elberfeld’s antics, fining and suspending him for “loaferish conduct” amid suspicion that Elberfeld was trying to force a trade to the St. Louis Browns, Barrow instead trading him to the New York Highlanders.

Soon after his arrival in New York, Elberfeld was given the nickname “the Tabasco Kid” by sportswriter Sam Crane on account of his being “the dirtiest, scrappiest, most pestiferous, most rantankerous, most rambunctious ball player that ever stood on spikes.” He was notorious for his hard-nosed play on the field and ill-temper off it, at one point getting charged with disorderly conduct for throwing either a bottle or a knife at a hotel waiter not long after his trade to the Highlanders.

Despite his frequent feuds with teammates including Hal Chase, Jimmy Williams, Wid Conroy, and Ira Thomas, Elberfeld played his best baseball in his first years with the Highlanders, leading all AL shortstops with a .275 batting average between 1904 and 1906. He had a pair of infamous run-ins with umpire Silk O’Loughlin in 1906, first threatening him with the bat before initiating an actual brawl in the second incident that required police intervention, which the New York Times called “one of the most disgraceful scenes ever witnessed on a baseball field.” This disdain for umpires would characterize his baseball career, Elberfeld on another occasion throwing mud into an umpire’s mouth during a confrontation.

His standing on the Highlanders began to seriously degrade in 1907, owner Frank Farrell suspending him in July for “indifferent work in the field and at the bat,” as Elberfeld again sought to force a trade, this time to the Washington Senators, whom he harbored aspirations of managing. As it happens, that opportunity to manage would come with the team that was close to pushing him out the door. Farrell lifted the suspension in mid-August and even offered a contract extension on improved terms. The following year, Elberfeld suffered a season-ending injury on May 1st, and after a poor stretch of play in June, manager Clark Griffith was forced to resign and Elberfeld was handed the reins.

That decision could not have a more disastrous result. Starting his tenure ten games back of first place, the Highlanders went 27-71 under Elberfeld’s direction to finish in dead last with a 51-103 record, 39.5 games back of first place. His .276 winning percentage remains the worst in franchise history. That catastrophe of a managerial appointment was summed up in the words of one of his unnamed players:

“We are … playing under the direction of a crazy man. It won’t take Elberfeld more than two weeks to make us the most demoralized ball team that the American League has ever known. He thinks he is a manager, but he can’t convince any one but himself that he has the first qualification for the place. It’s a joke.”

Elberfeld was replaced by George Stallings as manager in 1909, but still had a contract to play for the team. In 106 games, he batted .237 with 26 RBIs and 23 stolen bases, allowing Stallings to sell him to Washington at the conclusion of the campaign. He played two injury-filled years in the nation’s capital, followed by a season each with Montgomery and Chattanooga of the Class A Southern Association, and a final season in the majors with Brooklyn in 1914. The next four seasons saw him return to various minor league clubs in the Southern Association, and his final appearance in professional baseball was as a 61-year-old pinch hitter for the Fulton Eagles of the Class D Kitty League in 1936.

Elberfeld dedicated his post-playing days to coaching and instructing in various youth baseball leagues in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana. He passed away from pneumonia in Chattanooga on January 13, 1944, at the age of 68. Though notorious for his confrontational-going-on-violent personality during his playing days, he left behind arguably a greater legacy as a mentor for a generation of young ballplayers.

References

Kid Elberfeld. Baseball-Reference.

Kid Elberfeld. Baseball Almanac.

Simpkins, Terry “Kid Elberfeld.” SABR.

“ELBERFELD IS SET DOWN BY FARRELL; Owner of Yankees Suspends Sulky Player Indefinitely and Without Pay. CONROY TO PLAY SHORT Hilltop Club Drops Two Miserably Played Games to Cleveland — Chicago Loses Fourth Straight.” The New York Times. July 27, 1907.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here

We all need something to be positive about after that weekend series versus the Atlanta Braves. Luckily, this team is good at finding those moments.

Messick Has Stellar Outing

While the Braves steamrolled the Guardians in games one and three, Parker Messick made sure that didn’t happen in game two. The rookie went 6.2 innings against the offensive powerhouse, giving up just four hits and two walks while striking out five. He earned the win after the offense put up six runs, and the bullpen was able to hold on to secure the shutout victory. Messick’s ERA sits at just 0.51 after three starts, and he’s earned the win in two of them. He’s collected 16 strikeouts in the 17.2 innings he’s pitched, and has only walked five. He’s quickly becoming a reliable option to fill out the second or third spot in the rotation.

Ramírez Sets Club Record

While this technically should’ve been in last week’s article, I want to be sure it gets highlighted. In Sunday’s second game versus the Chicago Cubs, third baseman José Ramírez set the all-time franchise record for most games played with 1,620. He passed Terry Turner’s 1,619 games after the fifth inning when Sunday’s game became official. He is now the only active player to lead a team in games played. He is continuing to prove that he wants to play in Cleveland through it all. He stated, “Of all the records, I feel that this one is the most important because it kind of resembles what I wanted to do with this team.” Somehow, 1,620 games with the perennial MVP candidate doesn’t seem like nearly enough, so I’m very glad to see that number continue to go up.

Brito Finding Success Early

With Gabriel Arias, unfortunately, being placed on the 10-day IL for a left hamstring strain, the Guardians needed to make a call-up prior to Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. While many were hoping it would be No. 1 prospect Travis Bazzana, they’re allowing him a bit more time to acclimate to Triple-A ball before making the move. They selected infielder Juan Brito, and he definitely made some noise in his debut. He ended the day with two hits including a double. Since then, he’s continued to hit well, picking up two more hits in his second game. He’s currently hitting .278/.350/.389.

Social Media Spotlight

This week’s social media spotlight goes to the amazing Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz over at Céspedes Family BBQ on Twitter. Since at least 2017, they’ve tweeted “@RhysHoskins congrats on the homer dude” Every. Single. Time. he hits a home run. I’ve been waiting patiently for that tweet since he signed with the Guardians, and it finally came in Sunday’s game against the Braves.

Morning A’s fans and welcome to another new week!

The club is back in Sacramento and set to kick off a new home stand tonight. It’s going to be a long one as the team will be home for the entire week, first with four games against the Texas Rangers and then three this weekend against the Chicago White Sox. Righty Luis Severino is going to kick things off tonight in the first game of the series. Texas and the Athletics have the same record two weeks into the season so someone is going to rise in the standings while the loser will fall a spot. It’s still early but these games matter so it’s important to get off on the right foot in the early going.

Have a great week guys.

A’s Coverage:

• Saturday Potpourri As A’s Reach For .500
• A’s Sweep the Mets!
• A’s Take Down The Yankees 1-0 in New York
• A’s roster moves: Rooker to IL, Gelof recalled
• A’s roster moves: Jack Perkins recalled, Michael Kelly optioned
• Luis Morales Optioned to Triple-A
• A’s Add Former Yankees Reliever as Bullpen Depth Option
• Armchair 101: The Challenge Of Judging Decisions In Real Time
• Las Vegas Single Game Ticket On Sale
• A’s Biggest Camp Question is Already Becoming a Strength in 2026
• A’s feed off electric crowd in breakout opener
• Extensions To Colt Emerson And Konnor Griffin A New Trend?
• AN Exclusive: Blogfather Observes The Wild Denzelope In Its Natural Habitat
• AN Exclusive: Blogfather Toes The Rubber With Pitching Coach Scott Emerson
• AN Exclusive: Blogfather Catches Up With Starting Pitcher Jacob Lopez

MLB News and Interest:

• Brewers outfielder Yelich exits, team expecting bad news
• Cubs place Hunter Harvey on IL
• Braves DFA Martin Perez
• Mets promote Tommy Pham
• Phil Garner passes away
• Padres’ Nick Pivetta exits with elbow soreness
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Big day for De Vries down in Double-A:

Same:

Any surprises for you guys?

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While no one in the Twin Cities knows how to feel about a successful season, the Minnesota Twins have surprised the world to start the year.

If and when Minnesota comes back to reality, it likely will be because of its pitching, a disadvantage tonight against the Boston Red Sox.

My Red Sox vs. Twins predictions and MLB picks doubt the weather will make things quick, but whenever there is a game, Minnesota’s surprise season should continue on Monday, April 13.

Who will win Red Sox vs Twins today: Twins +1.5 (-124)

Minnesota Twins righthander Bailey Ober has yet to throw a quality outing this season. Of his three starts, his season debut at Baltimore was the worst, but also the only one that the Twins lost.

With Ober’s continued struggles in mind, it is difficult to justify betting on Minnesota to beat the Boston Red Sox outright. But given the Twins have won six of their last seven games and are shockingly sitting atop the American League right now, some faith should still be put in them.

Minnesota sits sixth in runs per game this year, and while Garrett Crochet is a pitcher to fear, the Boston bullpen is not as fearsome (15th by ERA).

COVERS INTEL: Expected ERA paints and even grimmer picture for the Red Sox bullpen, as it ranks 26th.

Red Sox vs Twins Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+106)

Expecting Ober to struggle immediately lends itself to expecting this Over to cash, as does expecting the Twins to still keep the game interesting.

Minnesota sits atop the AL because of its bats, ones that have powered the way to three straight Overs.

Crochet’s strikeout tendencies will cost the Twins some outs, but true-outcome baseball generally yields runs eventually, as well.

And if nothing else, the distinct likelihood of a weather delay tonight should throw any pitching plans into chaos.

Red Sox vs Twins odds

• Moneyline: Red Sox -161 | Twins +140
• Run line: Red Sox -1.5 | Twins +1.5
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Red Sox vs Twins trend

In winning six of their last seven games, the Twins sprung outright upsets in five of those six wins. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Twins.

How to watch Red Sox vs Twins and game info

Red Sox vs Twins latest injuries

Red Sox vs Twins weather

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

In memory of former Astros player and manager Phil Garner, this is a piece I previously wrote last year for The Sporting News on his reflection on the Astros first World Series run in 2005, twenty years after.

(This article was written for The Sporting News by Craig Larson Jr. and the original link can be accessed with the link below. Originally published 10/26/2025

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/houston-astros/news/twenty-years-later-phil-garner-reflects-astros-first-world-series-run/01ed46472bdaee102033307a )

As the World Series plays on without them, many Houstonians are feeling October withdrawals. George Springer’s heroics for Toronto reminded everyone just how special this time of year can be, and how nostalgia rules the moment.

Astros fans can never forget their first trip. It was twenty years ago this very week when Houston defied the odds, rallying from a 15-30 start to capture the National League pennant. The run finally erased the heartbreaks of 1980 and 1986, as well as more recent postseason disappointments against the Braves and Cardinals.

Their appearance in the 2005 World Series ended in a sweep by Chicago’s South Siders, yet it remains one of the most cherished chapters in franchise history. Manager Phil Garner, who guided that club, reflected with Sporting News on the magic of that run.

“It was a wonderful time,” Garner said. “People still approach me and say it was the best time they ever had. Families would get together and watch the games and had the best times of their lives. It looked bad at the start of the season, but most baseball players are optimistic. You never count yourself out. You can recover, but if we had been that percentage on the negative side after the All-Star break, it would’ve been virtually impossible to come back.”

Asked about finally breaking through to the franchise’s first World Series, Garner pointed to leadership and belief as the key.

“We had a couple of hurdles,” he said. “We had those series where we couldn’t get past the Braves, and then we had St. Louis the year before. I have to admit, you need great players, but you also need guys who have bought all the way into the program. If they don’t buy into what you’re selling, it’s not going to work. We had so much leadership on that team. There was Bagwell, Biggio, Clemens, Pettitte, Oswalt, and Lidge. We had all the core ingredients and great role players who carried us down the stretch.”

Two decades later, Garner is watching another October classic unfold — and he marvels at the modern era’s transcendent stars.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Garner said of Shohei Ohtani. “Look at the guys in the game right now who are 23 to 30 years old, this is the golden age of baseball. He plays both ways and plays at a Hall-of-Fame clip. It’s just crazy how good he is.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who are leading the NL Central with a 9-6 record, open a four-game series with the Washington Nationals (7-8). The Pirates took two of three games from the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. Washington swept three games from the Milwaukee Brewers. Paul Skenes is expected to start for Pittsburgh against the Nationals’ Cade Cavalli.

How to watch Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

• Date: Monday, April 13

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT

• Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

• TV Channels: SN PT

• Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Washington Nationals: 7-8 (#4 in NL East)

• Pittsburgh Pirates: 9-6 (#1 in NL Central)

Odds

• Spread: Pittsburgh Pirates -1.5

• Moneyline: Pittsburgh Pirates -225 (66.4%) / Washington Nationals +185 (33.6%)

• Over/Under: 7.0

Starting pitchers

Washington Nationals: Cade Cavalli (0-0, ERA: 2.51, K: 11, WHIP: 1.47)
Pittsburgh Pirates: Paul Skenes (2-1, ERA: 5.25, K: 12, WHIP: 1.25)

Weather: 76°F at first pitch

The Philadelphia Phillies (7-8) begin a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs (7-8). The Phillies have lost four of their past five games. The Cubs avoided a three-game sweep by the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 7-6 victory on Sunday. Javier Assad is scheduled to start for the Cubs against the Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez.

How to watch Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies

• Date: Monday, April 13

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT

• Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

• TV Channels: FS1, NBCSP+, Marquee Sports Network

• Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Chicago Cubs: 7-8 (No. 5 in NL Central)

• Philadelphia Phillies: 7-8 (No. 3 in NL East)

Odds

• Spread: Philadelphia Phillies -1.5

• Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies -185 (62.2%) / Chicago Cubs +154 (37.8%)

• Over/Under: 8.0

Starting pitchers

Chicago Cubs: Javier Assad (1-0, ERA: 0.00, K: 3, WHIP: 0.53)
Philadelphia Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (1-1, ERA: 1.65, K: 23, WHIP: 1.35)

Weather: 80°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 42,901 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass