The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have won all but one of their first five games take on the Cleveland Guardians (3-3). Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who won his first start, will be on the mound for the Dodgers. Gavin Williams is scheduled to start for Cleveland.
How to watch Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Date: Wednesday, April 1
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 p.m. PT
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
TV Channels: SportsNet LA, Guardians.TV Presented by Progressive
Jun 23, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies right fielder Jace Laviolette (17) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
The 2026 season for the High-A Lake County Captains begins Thursday.
The Captains released a preliminary roster today. Before we get started, some names are missing primarily due to injuries. They include pitchers Josh Harlow, Kyle Scott and Conner Whittaker and position player Kyle Dernedde. Here are the active players we have so far:
Pitchers:
Justin Campbell RHP, Braylon Doughty RHP, Luis Flores LHP, Jogly Garcia RHP, Franklin Gomez LHP, Melkis Hernandez LHP, Jackson Humphries LHP, Michael Kennedy LHP, Izaak Martinez LHP, Xavier Martinez RHP, Sean Matson RHP, Logan McGuire RHP, Rafe Schlesinger LHP, Cam Schuelke RHP, Kendeglys Virguez RHP, Cam Walty RHP and Donovan Zsak LHP.
Analysis:
Some elite prospects headline the top of this rotation, headed by 2024 first round competitive balance pick Braylon Doughty, who impressed at Single-A Lynchburg last year. Franklin Gomez, who was acquired from the Mets for international bonus money, also will make his Guardians system debut. Another super intriguing debut is the 6-foot-7 Justin Campbell, who was Cleveland’s first round competitive balance pick in 2022, but has undergone multiple surgeries since then. Submarine reliever Cam Schuelke and fireballer Kendeglys Virguez should both be extremely entertaining options out of the bullpen.
Catchers:
Logun Clark RHH, Kevin Rivas SH, Bennett Thompson RHH.
Analysis:
There isn’t much here in terms of elite prospects. Clark looked interesting a year ago, but he really struggled in 2025. Thompson, a more offense-focused catcher, impressed at both Lynchburg and Lake County last season with a combined 123 wRC+. Rivas doesn’t appear to be anything more than system depth at this point.
Infielders:
Maick Collado SH 1B/3B, Dean Curley RHH SS, Luke Hill RHH 3B, Garrett Howe LHH 2B, Jeffrey Mercedes SH 3B, Nolan Schubart LHH 1B/OF and Anthony Silva RHH 2B.
Analysis:
This infield is loaded with college bats from Cleveland’s 2025 draft class, headlined by second round pick Dean Curley, third rounder Nolan Schubart and fourth rounder Luke Hill. Schubart may split time at both first base and outfield, depending on what is available that day. I don’t see much pressure being put on them by any of the international bats like Collado or Mercedes.
Outfielders:
Ryan Cesarini LHH RF, Jaison Chourio SH CF, Esteban Gonzalez LHH LF, Jace LaViolette LHH CF, Aaron Walton RHH CF.
Analysis:
This outfield is hyper intriguing, with three top prospects expected to get regular at bats. Jaison Chourio is looking to rebound from a season stolen from him by a shoulder injury while Cleveland’s 2025 first round pick Jace LaViolette will make his pro debut with tons of power potential. Guardians second round competitive balance pick Aaron Walton also should be fun to watch. Additionally, Cesarini and Gonzalez both had decent 2025 campaigns and should provide solid depth.
Lake County is going to be one of the top organizations to watch this season, especially to see the development of the college position players Cleveland drafted last year. Additionally, both the bullpen and starting rotation are loaded with some top end arms and some players we are desperately seeking information on.
Which players are catching your eye as the High-A season starts? Tell us in the comments below:
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 31: Jose Fernandez #11 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a three-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on March 31, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Tigers 7-5. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite the strong spring enjoyed by Jose Fernandez, it’s safe to say that nobody saw last night coming. Fernandez barely made it onto MLB Pipeline’s list of Arizona prospects, coming in at #27. His promotion to the big league roster, came after just a single game at Triple-A. And it was as much because Jose was the only healthy position player available on the 40-man roster. None of which matters, after a debut for the ages. Whatever happens going forward – and it’s perhaps a little premature to start booking Fernandez a spot in Cooperstown – he’ll always have that magical night at Chase. Let’s see where it ranks in baseball history.
Two home-runs
That’s the most obvious of feats. Baseball Reference lists just seven players in recorded baseball history to have gone deep twice in their MLB debut. Weirdly, one of those was a mere five days ago, the Guardians’ Chase DeLauter (though as Preston mentioned, he technically debuted in the post-season last year). The last NL debutant to do so was Trevor Story of the Rockies ten years ago. You might remember that game, because it came against the Diamondbacks, on Opening Day 2016. No NL rookie has achieved the feat anywhere else except for Chase Field. [Sarah Langs notes that Charlie Reilly was an 8th player, in 1889. But that was in the American Association, so demands an asterisk]
Among Arizona players, Jose is obviously the first to hit two homers in his first career game. Though he isn’t the first to do so in his first game for the D-backs. Most notably, Felipe Lopez did so on Opening Day 2006 – he did so from both sides of the plate that day (Tony Clark also had a LHB and RHB blast in same game). Nor is Jose the youngest Diamondback with a two-homer contest. Unsurprisingly, that honor belongs to Justin Upton. He had a pair of such games in May 2009, at the age of 21, a year younger than Fernandez. Teammate Alek Thomas also performed the feat in 2022, when he was about five months younger.
In terms of games, the previous quickest to have a double long-ball game for Arizona belonged to Conor Jackson. He did it in August 2005, during the sixth game of his career. Other Diamondbacks to do it in ten games or fewer were Mark Reynolds and Wyatt Mathisen. The last-named is probably why we shouldn’t get TOO excited yet about Fernandez. Mathisen’s entire MLB career lasted only 32 games, with only a single home-run hit outside that magical night in September 2020 – where he played third base, like Jose.
Win Probability
It wasn’t just the home-runs, it was when Fernandez hit them. In particular, the second, which turned a 5-4 deficit into a 7-5 lead. And with the D-backs down to their final four outs as well. All that adds up to a monstrous +64.1% of Win Probability added by Fernandez. For a first game, that smashes the previous high for Arizona by more than thirty percent. The previous best belonged to Stone Garrett – another “Who’s he?” in franchise history. He had a pair of key doubles in a 3-2 win at San Francisco, worth 34.8%. According to Baseball Reference, four players have posted a higher Win Probability in their debut, most recently Zach Remillard’s 69.7% for the White Sox in 2023. Guess who had a blown save in that game for Seattle, courtesy of Remillard? Paul Sewald…
To find the all-time high for an impactful debut, we must go back to 1939, and the Pirates’ Maurice Van Robays. His first game was worth a remarkable +102.2%, mostly due to a walk-off two-run double in the eleventh inning. His lasting contribution to baseball, however, is probably coming up with the name of the “eephus pitch“. But back to Fernandez. His +65.1% would have ranked sixth by any Diamondbacks’ hitter across all 162 games last season. Only one Arizona player has hit for a higher Win Probability during his first fifty career games. In his 42nd appearance, Jeff Salazar came off the bench with two outs in the ninth, for a three-run shot worth +74.0%.
Nine total bases
In addition to his two home-runs, Fernandez got things started with a single in his first major-league at bat. Curiously, of the seven two-homer debutants, Story is the only one who did not record another hit that night: I guess, when you’re hot, you’re hot! But it means that Jose’s nine total bases is tied for third as debuts go. The two who had more were Mark Quinn in 1999, who doubled in addition to his two homers, and J.P. Arencibia, who doubled and singled, so ended the night a triple away from the cycle in his first game. That would have been quite the feat in itself, of course. From what I can see, Elly de la Cruz holds the record there, hitting for the cycle in his fifteenth game.
The New York Yankees (4-1) look to keep rolling as they take on the Seattle Mariners (3-3). New York shut out Seattle 5-0 on Tuesday to even the series heading into the decisive third game. Cam Schlittler is scheduled to start for the Yankees against George Kirby. Both pitchers won their first start of the season.
How to watch New York Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners
It's a getaway Wednesday, and there are a pair of +EV home-run props at +500 or better that I already have in the account before noon. Can we get both players to hit dinger No. 1 this afternoon as we take advantage of the MLB player prop markets?
These are my favorite home run props for Wednesday, April 1.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Taylor Ward
+500
Alejandro Kirk
+540
Taylor Ward (+500)
Taylor Ward brings legit 36-homer power to the leadoff spot for the Baltimore Orioles, giving him a strong chance at five plate appearances this afternoon.
He faces Nathan Eovaldi, a familiar matchup with 20 career at-bats against him. Eovaldi allowed two home runs in his first start and projects to go Over his 2.5 earned runs prop, according to THE BAT, which makes Ward’s HR price around +425.
Ward hasn’t gone deep yet, but he’s coming off a four-hit game, carrying a 49% fly-ball rate, and gets ideal conditions at Oriole Park at Camden Yards with 80-degree weather and wind blowing out to center.
Time: 12:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, Rangers Sports Network
Alejandro Kirk (+540)
Alejandro Kirk slots into the five-hole today and is priced at +520, the fourth-longest HR odds among Toronto Blue Jays starters — a strong buy point for the afternoon slate.
He gets a favorable matchup against Kyle Freeland, a soft-tossing lefty, along with a weak Colorado Rockies bullpen that Toronto has already seen for two straight games.
He might be struggling at the dish out of the gates, but he will have plenty of contact vs. Freeland, who does not miss bats. He'll also stay in the entire game and could see five plate appearances today if the Jays get hot.
I like him at this price and in this matchup better than Davis Schneider, Jesus Sanchez, and Kazuma Okamoto, who are all at least 120 points shorter than Thick Jesus.
Time: 1:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet, Rockies.TV
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.
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani got started on his bid to win a Cy Young Award — just about the only major prize to elude him — with six shutout innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers in his first outing on the mound this season.
At the plate, the two-way superstar went 1 for 3 with two walks and a strikeout in a rainy 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians.
The Dodgers have been waiting to see a full-time, two-way version of Ohtani since he joined them on a 10-year, $700 million deal before the 2024 season. He didn’t pitch that year while recovering from a second major elbow surgery in September 2023 while with the Los Angeles Angels.
Last season, the team took a methodical approach to his return to the mound. Ohtani was 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 47 innings over 14 starts. His fastball averaged a career-high 98.4 mph.
“Last year, I felt good,” Ohtani said through a translator. “But this year I do feel a lot more loose and easy pitching overall. Looking back at today’s outing specifically, that wasn’t necessarily the case. So that’s something I want to work on. But compared to last season I felt more loose and easy.”
Ohtani was limited to two spring training starts for the Dodgers because he played — but didn’t pitch — for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts has noticed Ohtani is more critical of himself as a pitcher than a hitter.
“He’s never going to be satisfied,” Roberts said. “There’s always something that he can improve on or get better at and that’s what fuels him.”
Ohtani has thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings in the regular season, dating to Aug. 27, 2025, against Cincinnati — the longest shutout streak of his career. He bettered his previous high of 21 2/3 innings set in June 2022 with the Angels.
“If he’s able to do it the whole year, that’s just a huge boost to our pitching staff,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “I expect nothing short of almost a Cy Young out of him.”
Almost?
“I think he’s got enough pressure already,” Muncy said, “but it doesn’t seem to faze him at all.”
The only hit Ohtani allowed was a two-out double by Rhys Hoskins in the fourth. The right-hander struck out six and walked three.
He was even successful on his first ABS challenge.
Ohtani retired his first seven batters before walking Gabriel Arias in the third. With two outs, he walked Steven Kwan to put runners on first and second. Ohtani had a 1-1 count on CJ Kayfus when he challenged a ball call. It was overturned, putting Ohtani ahead 1-2 in the count, and he got Kayfus on a swinging strike with his next pitch to end the third.
Heavy drizzle picked up over Ohtani’s last couple of innings. The grounds crew groomed the front slope of the mound, specifically his landing spot, after he issued his third walk with two outs in the sixth. He used a metal tool to dislodge dirt from the bottom of his spikes. Ohtani then retired Hoskins with one pitch to end the inning.
“He’s unflappable,” Roberts said.
Offensively, Ohtani has yet to break out in his first five games. The four-time MVP is batting .167 with no home runs and no RBIs. He had 55 homers in 2025.
He extended his on-base streak to 36 games, tying the longest of his career.
“I’ve been able to get on base and that’s a good thing,” Ohtani said. “But on pitches that I should be making impact I’m not quite able to do that to the extent that I should be able to. That’s the part that I’m not quite happy about.”
Observing Ohtani’s work habits on a daily basis has convinced Muncy that his first love is pitching.
“He’s really bought into everything with pitching — his mechanics, how to attack hitters. He just focuses on it so much. You can really, really tell he loves it,” Muncy said.
Roberts said Ohtani will get six days’ rest before his next start.
“I believe the team should be prioritizing Yoshinobu (Yamamoto), (Tyler) Glasnow and (Blake) Snell when he’s back,” Ohtani said. “So I think it’s easy to kind of fit me into that schedule whenever the team feels that’s a good thing. What’s most important is that we’re all healthy in October.”
HOUSTON — Plate umpire Mark Wegner acknowledged he lost track of the count during Cam Smith’s nine-pitch walk in the fifth inning of the Houston Astros’ 9-2 win over the Boston Red Sox.
In fact, Smith should have been out on strikes after the third pitch.
Smith swung and missed at two cutters from Red Sox starter Brayan Bello to begin the plate appearance. After the second pitch, Joey Loperfido stole second base and Christian Walker scored on the play thanks to a throwing error by catcher Connor Wong. After about 40 seconds, Smith swung and missed at a sweeper.
That should have been strike three but Wegner, a crew chief working his 29th major league season, flashed 1-2 for the count. Six pitches later, Smith worked a walk.
“I just watched the video. I didn’t know what happened until I came in here and apparently, I somehow didn’t count the second swinging one because I said the count was 1-2. It was actually strike three,” Wegner told a pool reporter after the game. “Had anybody caught it, we can always go and call replay and check the count. I’ve never done that before. I’m not happy about it. Just made a mistake.”
Wegner said no one on the field raised an issue in the moment.
Bello said Wegner gave the count as 1-1 after his second pitch, and he didn’t question it at the time.
“I thought the first pitch was a strike and I thought that he swung at the second pitch,” Bello said in Spanish through a translator. “None of that took me out of my focus in that inning. I tried to get out of that inning, and it didn’t happen.”
Smith was the last batter Bello faced in his season debut. He allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings.
The Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros wrap up a three-game set at Daikin Park this afternoon.
Houston took the first two games by a combined score of 17-3, but my Red Sox vs. Astros predictions expect the visitors to win today.
Here are my best free MLB picks for this AL clash on April 1.
Who will win Red Sox vs Astros today: Red Sox (-141)
The Boston Red Sox are on a four-game skid, but their last victory came in their season opener with ace Garrett Crochet(2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP in 2025) on the mound. Last year's AL Cy Young runner-up threw six shutout innings in that game.
The Houston Astros respond with Mike Burrows, who surrendered nine hits and five runs in 5 2/3 frames last Friday. The righty had a 4.33 xERA in 19 starts last year while sitting in the 15th percentile in barrel rate.
The edge in starting pitchers alone is enough for me to back Boston today.
COVERS INTEL: The Red Sox are 15-2 in Garrett Crochet's last 17 starts.
Red Sox vs Astros Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+115)
While I expect Crochet to lead Boston to a win, he won't be quite as dominant as usual.
The Astros have a lineup stacked with righties and boast an incredible .945 OPS against southpaws like Crochet and closer Aroldis Chapman. Crochet has struggled against several Astros hitters, including Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena.
That said, Boston's lineup will be even more productive against Burrows. The Red Sox are batting just .163 over their last three games. However, they rank third in the majors in exit velocity and eighth in barrel rate, suggesting positive regression.
2026 Transparency record
ML/RL bets: 3-1, +1.56 units
Over/Under bets: 0-0
Red Sox vs Astros odds
Moneyline: Red Sox (-138) | Astros (+133)
Run line: Red Sox -1.5 (+133) | Astros +1.5 (-138)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+122) | Under 7.5 (-127)
Red Sox vs Astros trend
The Over has hit in four of Houston's six games. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Astros.
How to watch Red Sox vs Astros and game info
Location
Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Date
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
First pitch
2:10 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, SCHN
Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Astros starting pitcher
Mike Burrows (0-1, 7.94 ERA)
Red Sox vs Astros latest injuries
Red Sox vs Astros 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.
MILWAUKEE — Umpire C.B. Bucknor’s tough start to the season continues.
Bucknor was working as the first-base umpire for the Milwaukee Brewers’ 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays when he made a call that so obviously was incorrect from the replay that it had both managers smiling afterward.
Milwaukee was leading 4-2 in the sixth inning when Jake Bauers hit an infield single. Bauers initially was called out because Bucknor determined he hadn’t touched first base. The replay showed Bauers clearly touching the top of the bag, right across the middle.
After the replay overturned Bucknor’s call, Bauers went on to steal second and score on Brandon Lockridge’s double later in the inning.
“I don’t know what happened,” said Bauers, who passed up repeated opportunities to comment further on the missed call during his postgame interview with reporters. “I’m just thankful to get on base and thankful to come around and score.”
This call came after Bucknor had the poorest results among umpires in Major League Baseball’s new Automated Ball-Strike System. Six of eight challenges of his calls were successful during Cincinnati’s 6-5, 11-inning win over the Boston Red Sox.
All six overturned calls involved strikes being changed to balls. The two confirmed calls involved a ball and a strike.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy also brushed aside questions about the call during his postgame news conference.
“I’m not going to criticize that,” Murphy said.
Television cameras showed Murphy and Rays manager Kevin Cash smiling after the replay showed how apparent it was that Bauers had touched first base. Murphy was asked about those reactions.
“Kevin and I are friends,” Murphy said. “We hadn’t had a chance to talk to each other before the game, so we just smiled back at each other.”
Bauers was asked if he’s grateful that MLB has a replay system in place.
“Yeah, grateful for that,” he replied with a laugh.
San Diego, CA - March 30: Nick Castellanos #21 of the San Diego Padres taps his bat after striking out in the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on March 30, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
For all the talk of Dombrowski running the team back, there are a few significant players and faces who made up the 2022-25 run, now gone. Ranger Suárez signed a five-year deal with Boston, Nick Castellanos is trying to prove himself in San Diego, and Matt Strahm returned to the city that started his career and is the Royals top left-handed option.
There are eight players from the Phillies 2025 roster who are in different big league uniforms to begin the 2026 season. This will be a running series to track how these players are doing and potentially more. Maybe Max Kepler inks a one-year deal at some point, or David Robertson gets enough money to put the cleats back on. Maybe there are callups later on.
Ranger Suárez’s Debut with Boston
Suárez inked a five-year, $140 million contract with Boston and made his first start of 2026 against the Houston Astros and their heavy right-handed lineup. The results weren’t great, allowing four runs in 4.1 innings of work with just three strikeouts and two homers allowed. They weren’t cheap homers either.
He struggled to get consistent swing and miss, which was part of why the Phillies essentially chose to pay Jesus Luzardo instead.
One interesting nugget from this start is how the Red Sox chose to deploy Suárez’s deep mix. His cutter usage spiked from 18% with the Phillies to 32% in his first Boston start. There were a few less changeups and curveballs and he didn’t throw a single sweeping slider. The slider part is almost certainly because Houston’s lineup featured eight right-handed hitters.
Lance McCullers went 7 innings with 9 strikeouts in 2026?
Padres and Giants highlighted 3 former Phillies
The Giants signed Harrison Bader to be their starting center fielder, shifting Jung Hoo Lee to right field after a disastrous defensive season in 2025. Bader showed off his strong glove that made him a beloved Phillie on Opening Night against the Yankees.
Bader has started a bit cold at the plate, going just 2 for 14 with five strikeouts over the first few games of the season. He did pick up a big homer against the Padres to help give Tony Vitello his first win as a big league manager.
You know who was pitching for the Padres last night? Walker Buehler only made two starts with the Phillies at the end of 2025 but was still memorable. He signed a minor league deal with San Diego after pitching well with the Phillies and made their starting rotation out of camp.
His first start as a Padre wasn’t great. He went just four innings on 72 pitches, allowed three runs with three strikeouts and two walks. He threw seven different pitches to try and keep the Giants lineup off balance but still struggled with hard contact.
The most notable former Phillie, and the entire reason this will be an ongoing series, is Nick Castellanos. His departure from Philadelphia was well documented and the Phillies related him when spring training started. Castellanos signed with the Padres soon after and has started two games as their designated hitter, and played two more off the bench.
In nine at bats, Castellanos has one hit, a bloop single against the Tigers, and three strikeouts. Padres manager Craig Stammen did not start Castellanos against either Tarik Skubal or Framber Valdez, two of the toughest left-handed pitchers in the American League.
Who knows how long of a leash Castellanos will have with the Padres.
Through two games, Strahm has not allowed a run in 1.2 innings with one strikeout. There are some concerning underlying numbers though. His four-seam fastball velocity has dropped from 92.3 mph to 90.2, which could lead to a lot more hard contact down the line.
Jordan Romano is now the Los Angeles Angels, picking up his first save on opening day against the Astros. Romano pitched the following day again in a four-run game and threw another scoreless frame. Romano is now throwing 94 mph with a slower slider. Maybe the Angels found something but maybe they’re the Angels.
Joe Ross made the Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen and even pitched a scoreless inning to begin his 2026 season against none other than the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It would be great if the story ended there but sadly it doesn’t. He pitched for the snakes Monday night against the Tigers and allowed six earned runs on five hits and a walk. Through 1.2 innings of work, Ross has a 32.40 ERA. Small sample math is great!
Also, Michael Soroka went five shutout innings with ten strikeouts. Is he back?
His 2026 debut was just rough. Abel allowed eight hits and five earned runs in just 3.1 innings of work. He struck out four hitters but also walked four more. He needed 81 pitches to get through a little more than three innings of work. That’s just not great.
Notable Others
Here are some of the players from the 2025 Phillies that did not make a big league roster.
If your concern about the Cubs would be that the offense wouldn’t be potent enough in 2026, it’s a fine time to express some concern about where this season is headed. Though as you do so, note that while losing three of their first five games, they have managed to plate 24 runs or 4.8 per game. That number in and of itself would be pretty good one over 162 games. 777.6 runs scored is pretty good. Eight teams met or exceeded that number in 2025. Two of them played in the World Series, three of them played in their respective LCS. Seven of them reached the playoffs. Among those eight teams were last year’s Cubs.
All of that said, that 24 runs in five games didn’t see the Cubs face any of the significant number of elite pitchers they will face this year. The offense will have to get better or this team is going to falter even more significantly as the grind of the season sets in. But in being fair, the Cub offense forced José Soriano to throw something like 45 pitches the first time through the order. That was the first two innings of the game. On a night where the playing conditions were horrible, the Cub offense just couldn’t string positive outcomes together. Hat tip to the Angels pitching on that.
Soriano ultimately got through six scoreless and he did it on only 90 pitches. He’s unscored on through his first two starts of the season. Three more Angels pitches needed 46 more pitches to record nine outs. When you make pitchers work that hard, you usually eventually scratch out at least a run or two. But a couple of timely double plays helps the Angels keep the Cubs off of the scoreboard.
I talked after game 4 about four quadrants of results. In this instance, even without a quality start for Cub starter Jameson Taillon, I’m going to give Cubs pitching a thumb up for this game. Two runs over nine innings wins many more than not. The Cubs scored one or no runs 28 times last year. They lost only seven games last year when they allowed two runs or fewer. So that’s a quality team outing. So this was a good pitching/bad hitting game. And it is a loss. So far, the team has only been able to win good/good outings. Hopefully that will eventually change. Even more so, hopefully there continue to be a high percentage of good/good outings.
The teeter totter continues to run undaunted. Down, Up, Down, Up, Down. Let’s hope it bounces back again and the Cubs win their first day game after night game of the season and their first series of the season.
For now, let’s look for some positives.
Three Positives:
Ben Brown faced 12 batters and recorded 10 outs. He allowed a hit and a walk and struck out five. He and Colin Rea are doing a terrific job early absorbing outs and keeping everyone else fresh. The Cubs will head into the final with all of the leverage pitchers rested.
Hoby Milner has been devastating against lefties for most of his career. He came into a key situation in the fifth and bailed out Jameson Taillon with a key out.
Ian Happ continued his nice start to the season. He was the only Cub on base twice, drawing a pair of walks.
Game 5, March 31: Angels 2, Cubs 0 (2-3)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
Billy Goat: Phil Maton (-.282). 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, K (L 0-1)
Goat: Matt Shaw (-.194). 0-3, DP
Kid: Alex Bregman (-.150). 0-4, DP
WPA Play of the Game: Logan O’Hoppe batted with two outs and runners on second and third, the game scoreless. He hit a hard grounder to third that Bregman couldn’t quite pick up. Two runs scored. (.254)
*Cubs Play of the Game: Maton faced Josh Lowe with runners on second and third and one out, the game scoreless. He coaxed a grounder to first and the runners were unable to advance as the second out was recorded. (.117)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 4 Player of the Game: Edward Cabrera received 218 of 224 votes.
Up Next: A quick turn around. Matthew Boyd (0-1, 14.73) looks to bounce back from his disappointing first start. He faces fellow lefty Yusei Kikuchi (0-0, 4.15). Last time out Kikuchi allowed eight hits and a walk in just 4.1 innings.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Miguel Ullola #66 of the Houston Astros throws a bullpen session during spring training workouts at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 16, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (3-1) won 5-2 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got the scoring started with Unroe connecting on an RBI double in the 4th inning. In the 5th, Alexander extended the lead with a 2 run HR. Ullola got the start and was great allowing 1 run on 1 hit while striking out 7 batters over 5.2 innings. The lone run came after he was pulled. The offense added some insurance in the 9th on solo homers from Price and Trammell. Maldonado, Leach and Murray tossed scoreless innings to close out the 5-2 win.
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1985: Pitcher Phil Niekro #35 of the New York Yankees pitches during a Major League Baseball game circa 1985 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Niekro played for the Yankees from 1984-85. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For many players, making the Major Leagues is the top of the mountain, and generally the great accomplishment of a career. For someone of Phil Niekro’s status, that accomplishment was blown out of the water by sticking around for a quarter-century, winning 300 games, and making the Baseball Hall of Fame. It was a long and incredibly impressive career, and the subject of today’s birthday series entry.
Known primarily as a knuckleballer, Niekro was able to stick around a long time, succeeding well into his 40s, and becoming easily the last player born in the 1930s to be pitching on a big league mound. On longevity alone, it was an impressive run, but he was a mighty fine pitcher for much of those 24 seasons as well.
Philip Henry Niekro Born: April 1, 1939 (Blaine, OH) Died: December 27, 2020 (Flowery Branch, GA) Yankees Tenure: 1984-85
Despite the historically lengthy career, Niekro was neither a high-profile prospect nor an early bloomer in the Braves organization. He missed the 1963 season due to military service, and didn’t make his big league debut until 1964, his age-25 season. His first three seasons with the Braves, from ‘64-’66, were largely forgettable, as he worked mostly as a reliever to the tune of a 3.54 ERA.
So, Niekro really didn’t begin to make his mark until the age of 28, but it would turn out to be a historic one. In the 1967 season for Atlanta, Niekro pitched in 46 games (20 starts), and managed a league-leading 1.87 ERA in over 200 innings of work. In shocking fashion, this kicked off a terrific 17-season run with the Braves for the crafty right-hander, and an even more impressive 20-year run in which Niekro pitched over 200 innings in all but one season.
During that stretch in Atlanta, Niekro posted five seasons with a sub-3 ERA, topped 20 wins twice, made four All-Star teams, racked up five Gold Gloves, and finished in the top three in Cy Young Award voting twice, finishing in the top six an additional three times. He was a simply as good and as dependable as they come for the Braves through the 1970s, posting an ERA above 4.00 just twice and pitching at least 207 innings every year in that decade.
Perhaps known best for his longevity thanks to the use of the knuckleball, Niekro did some of his finest work in his late 30s and early 40s. In a four-year stretch from 1977-80 (ages 38-41), Niekro led the league in bWAR twice, pitched over 330 (!) innings in every year but one (275 in the other), became one of the few pitchers in history to rack up 20 wins and 20 losses in the same season, and led the league in both starts and complete games for a stretch of three seasons. Not only was he shockingly durable, especially considering his age, but he was an excellent pitcher through it all.
Now into his mid-40s, despite still being a fine-enough starter, his time with the Braves was done after the 1983 season. In January of 1984, Niekro signed with the New York Yankees, with the club trying to get whatever they could out of the 45-year-old. What they got was likely far better than they could have expected.
The 1984 season, Niekro’s first in the Bronx, turned out to be the last great season in a storied career. He pitched in 32 games and over 215 innings, posted a 123 ERA+, and made his final All-Star game at the age of 45. In 1985, Niekro’s overall performance took a step back, though he still pitched well over 200 innings as a roughly average run-preventor.
He was not done with the accomplishments, though. On the last day of the season in 1985, Niekro tossed a complete-game shutout against the Blue Jays — amusingly eschewing his patented knuckler until the very end. It was the 300th win of his career, and also made him the oldest pitcher in Major League history to throw a shutout, a record that stood for 25 years.
Still not finished pitching in the big leagues, Niekro continued onward after being released by the Yankees before the ‘86 season kicked off. He signed with Cleveland and tacked on one more 30-plus-start, 200-inning campaign onto is textbook-sized resume at the age of 47. 1987, his age-48 season, would be his last in the Major Leagues. He split time between Cleveland, Toronto, and ultimately a brief reunion with the Braves to wrap things up in his 24th season.
Over his lengthy and impressive career, Phil Niekro racked up over 300 wins, 3,000 strikeouts, nearly 100 bWAR, and was not short on personal accolades, despite the lack of a World Series appearance. The right-handed knuckleballer was rewarded with election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, a deserved accolade for a historic career.
Pitchers of tremendous longevity, like Tommy John, Jamie Moyer, or Niekro, can often be overlooked as talented pitchers and seen just as innings-eaters. And although Niekro ate a lot of innings (his 5,404 the most of any pitcher in the live-ball era), he was a very good pitcher for much of that time, including seasons in his mid-to-late-40s.
It is a hell of a career to look back on, on what would be his 87th birthday.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 31: Zach Eflin #24 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 31, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Bill Streicher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Rangers, the Orioles did as they signaled last night and placed pitcher Zach Eflin on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort. The corresponding move is to select the contract of Albert Suárez from Triple-A Norfolk. Suárez was removed from the 40-man roster over the offseason and now is back less than a week into the season.
The Orioles 40-man roster was full before this move, so there needed to be a corresponding move there as well. The team transferred infielder Jordan Westburg to the 60-day injured list, which now guarantees that he will not return before the end of May. That’s a whole separate conversation, but I think that means the Orioles pretty much know Westburg will not play before this year. If the platelet-rich plasma injection had been working as they hoped, I think Westburg would have been back before that.
There is not an immediate diagnosis on Eflin’s injury. Last night, the team indicated that he would be getting an MRI. Those results could come later on. I don’t expect good news. The circumstance of a pitcher walking off the mound with a trainer without ever making warmup tosses and later reporting elbow discomfort usually only ends up one way.
This is likely not a signal that Suárez will replace Eflin in the rotation. The off day tomorrow means that the Orioles don’t need the fifth starter again until the 7th, which they can worry about on the 7th. In the meantime, Suárez provides some length in the bullpen after the starting rotation was largely not going deep into games its first time through the rotation. We observed in Tuesday’s game the downside of calling on Grant Wolfram or a Grant Wolfram-tier pitcher in the fifth inning.
Dean Kremer seems like the obvious candidate to fit into Eflin’s spot in the rotation, though until the team makes that announcement, they could always surprise us. There is a complicating factor that Kremer can only join the roster within the first two weeks of the season if he is called up to replace an injured player. The easiest way to do that would have been calling him up here, when there is an injured player.
That would have been the obvious thing to do, but then Mike Elias doesn’t have five games with an extra reliever. He could have chosen to do without that. He just was never going to. It’s not how he’s wired.
As far as making space for Kremer with an IL move in a few days, general managers always manage to find an injured guy when they really need one. Here on Camden Chat, the long-running inside joke for this is “stepped into a pothole,” referring to a time that Ubaldo Jiménez was placed on the IL at a convenient time with the explanation being that he rolled his ankle when he stepped out of his car in the player parking lot and into a pothole. You will never convince me that then-GM Dan Duquette did not personally operate the jackhammer that created that pothole.
Elias will find his pothole between now and April 7. I’ll predict Yaramil Hiraldo with shoulder inflammation. For now, Suárez is back. The 36-year-old was a fun surprise guy in 2024 and spent most of last season hurt. It would have been better if the 2026 Orioles didn’t need him on April 1, but here we are anyway. Hopefully he can do his part when asked to prevent specific games and this season generally from sliding off the rails early like last year’s Orioles team did.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 31: Shortstop Corey Seager #5 and shortstop Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers celebrate an 8-5 victory against the Baltimore Orioles of the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 31, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Bill Streicher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for April 1, 2026 against the Baltimore Orioles: starting pitchers are Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers and Trevor Rogers for the Baltimore Orioles.
The Rangers play an early game today, then head home for a luxurious day off at home on Thursday before starting a series at the Shed against Cincinnati on Friday. With a lefty going for the Orioles, Joc Pederson, Evan Carter and Josh Smith are all getting the day off.
The lineup:
Nimmo — DH
Langford — CF
Seager — SS
Burger — 1B
McCutchen — RF
Jansen — C
Jung — 3B
Duran — 2B
Haggerty — LF
11:35 a.m. Central start time. Rangers are +105 underdogs.
Taylor Ward
Alejandro Kirk
COVERS INTEL: The Red Sox are 15-2 in Garrett Crochet's last 17 starts.
