MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 03: Fans of the Minnesota Twins look out over Target Field prior to the game between the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, April 3, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Game four of four. A win would mean a series win. And a win would bring us back to .500 for the first time since April 4th. They are 6-2 over the last 8 games.
And it is a Trey Yesavage start. 5.1 shutout innings in his first start.
The Jays made some minor league news:
Nolan Perry moves from Dunedin to Vancouver.
Austin Cates moves from Vancouver to New Hampshire.
Arjun Nimmala moves from Vancouver to New Hampshire.
The Jays tell us that George Springer didn’t re-break his toe yesterday. He’s not in the lineup today, but they say it was a planned day off. I would think he’ll have a couple of days off, but that’s just guessing.
The lineup looks a little different today. Lips leads off and Okamoto bats second. Pinango is batting .500 in his first 10 at bats.
The Yankees have an importantAnthony Volpedecision to make on Sunday, but manager Aaron Boone didn’t give any clues ahead of Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Sunday marks Volpe’s 20th day on his rehab assignment, the maximum allowed by Major League Baseball. The Yankees must either activate Volpe, or option him to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre.
“We’ll get through today and talk through that,” Boone said. “Just wanting to do what’s best for the team, for Anthony, so we’ll have those conversations.”
Complicating matters for the Yankees is the fact that Jose Caballero, the primary starter while Volpe has been sidelined while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, has filled in more than adequately.
In 32 games this season, Caballero has a .719 OPS with four home runs, 12 RBI, and 14 runs scored, playing solid defensively as well.
"Well, one, Caballero's playing the heck out of the position and playing really well, so that complicates it,” Boone said, “Just deciding, what's the role that exists right away? Those are things we've got to continue to work through."
Boone said he does “love the idea” of Caballero playing a “kind of super-utility role because he's so good at it,” but reiterated that Caballero has played a great shortstop, and the manager must do what’s best for the ballclub.
“You also can't ignore that he's played so well defensively at shortstop, been a real spark for us offensively, especially after kind of getting off to a slow start probably the first 10 days, two weeks of the season,” Boone said. “He's really picked that up and been in the middle of us winning games.
“At the end of the day, we're going to try and do what's best for our team and then individual players that we care about too and know that are going to be important contributors to our team. We weigh all that."
McKinstry hit his bomb in the fourth with Max Burt on base. It was the only extra-base hit of the day, but the Mud Hens still notched six other hits. Most of them came without any follow-up. Toledo strung something together in the second, too, with Andrew Navigato driving in Eduardo Valencia with a sacrifice fly.
Max Clark’s lone hit of the day came in that frame, a base hit to shortstop that turned into a throwing error that moved everyone up a base.
Bryan Sammons got the start for the Mud Hens. He gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings. Most of the damage came in the second, when the Clippers notched three of their eight total hits. Maick Collado doubled off Sammons to tie the game up at one run apiece, and Juan Benamin gave Columbus the lead with an RBI single.
It wasn’t Sammons’ best outing, but his final line looks just fine. His fastball velocity was down a bit, and whiffs were under 20% overall. Still, he left the game tied after giving up a homer in the fifth. Konnor Pilkington was first out of the bullpen in relief. He took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the sixth — a sacrifice fly from Collado.
Tyler Mattison gave up a run on a homer in the seventh, and Tanner Rainey worked around a leadoff walk in the eighth.
It wasn’t a very exciting day in Triple-A, but it’s good to see McKinstry doing things at the plate and on the field, especially with injuries mounting in Detroit.
John Peck didn’t play today, so the home run-watch is on hold for now. Instead, it was Andrew Jenkins and Brett Callahan with the big flies for Erie in Saturday’s 5-4 win over the Chesapeake Baysox.
The SeaWolves led for most of the game, scoring a run in each of the first four innings. They were practically handed a run in the first after Chesapeake starter Juan Rojas walked the bases loaded and threw a wild pitch with just one out.
Joe Miller gave up a three-spot in the second inning, giving up back-to-back doubles and a single with no outs to set up a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice bunt. It was a short outing for Miller, who allowed seven baserunners to reach over three innings. On the bright side, Miller struck out five.
Jenkins’ homer came in the second, and Callahan’s came in the third — both of the leadoff variety.
A home run from Jenkins cuts down the deficit in the 2nd!
E.J. Exposito, Seth Stephenson and Peyton Graham all singled in the fourth to give Erie the lead for good. Jenkins had the only other Erie hit of the day in the eighth, a single that moved Chris Meyers over to third base. Exposito drove in the insurance run with a fielder’s choice right after.
Peyton Graham laces an RBI single to right to give the SeaWolves a 4-3 lead, but Seth Stephenson gets thrown out trying to score. pic.twitter.com/fGL9JTeGXb
The bullpen was very good for Erie. Dariel Fregio took over in the fourth and gave three innings of scoreless relief. He faced the minimum in each inning, getting some help from Thayron Liranzo, who caught a runner stealing to end the fifth and sixth.
Dariel Fregio gets the strikeout and Thayron Liranzo guns down another runner, with help from a great pick and tag by Peyton Graham. @BurgessLuke03 calls the action. pic.twitter.com/pJynhMrdq7
John Stankiewicz went 1-2-3 in the seventh, Tanner Kohlhepp stranded a pair in the eighth, striking out two batters, and Woo-Suk Go closed things despite some drama. Frederick Bencosme homered to open the ninth, but Go struck out the side after that.
Jenkins: 2-4, HR (4), R, RBI, K
Callahan: 1-3, HR (4), R, RBI, BB
Fregio (W, 1-1): 3.0 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:35 p.m. ET start in Erie on Sunday with the SeaWolves up 4-1 in the series.
The Detroit Tigers, per @erie_seawolves notes have made the following roster move:
5/3 – RHP Eric Silva transferred to Triple-A Toledo
Cedar Rapids Kernels 11, West Michigan Whitecaps 6 (box)
West Michigan’s losing streak hit seven games on Saturday despite the Whitecaps putting up six runs.
This loss is the result of a disastrous nine-run seventh inning, but West Michigan briefly led before that after scoring five runs in the fifth.
The Whitecaps didn’t get a baserunner until the fourth, though, when Ricardo Hurtado walked. He moved to third on an error and scored on a groundout later in the inning. Cristian Santana broke up the no-hitter in the fifth with a one-out single. Juan Hernandez tripled him in right after.
Juan Hernández drives an RBI triple to the gap and Cristian Santana comes around to score to give West Michigan a 2-1 lead. pic.twitter.com/9s8E1FmhxB
A two-out rally led to four more runs crossing. Andrew Sojka singled, Hurtado doubled, Garrett Pennington was hit by a pitch and Bryce Rainer reached on an error before Kernels starter Nick Trabacchi left the game with the score at 4-1.
The Whitecaps go up 3-1 on this RBI double down the line from Ricardo Hurtado. pic.twitter.com/SdWqCjHhwt
Samuel Gil drove in Hurtado and Pennington with a single for runs No. 5 and 6. Rainer and Gil executed a double steal, but both were left in scoring position.
Samuel Gil puts a pretty line drive swing on this to bring home two more runs and make it a 6-1 Whitecaps lead. pic.twitter.com/cx66a2JqaN
Troy Watson got the start for West Michigan. Things went well for him, allowing just one run on two hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Both of those hits came in the second, when the Kernels scored the first run of the game.
Gabriel Reyes relieved him in the fifth. Cedar Rapids got to Reyes for a run on a couple of singles and a walk, and he got through the sixth without giving anything up. Then came the big inning.
Cedar Rapids went single, two-run homer, single, single, flyout, single, walk to make it 6-5, and Reyes left the game responsible for the tying and go-ahead run. Both of those runners scored as soon as Ethan Sloan took over on a single and a passed ball. Lovely. A wild-pitch ball four made it 8-6, and a three-run homer brought us to the 11-6 final.
Jalen Evans worked around two hits in the eighth, while the offense did diddly-squat.
Rainer: 0-4, RBI, 2 K
Gil: 1-4, 2 RBI
Hurtado: 1-4, 2B (4), 2 R, RBI, BB, K
Watson: 4.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 2:05 p.m. ET start on Sunday as the Whitecaps try to avoid a sweep.
Lakeland gave up a crooked number to Bradenton in four of eight innings on Saturday as the Marauders clinched a series win, 13-4.
Things started okay. Beau Ankeney singled in Jordan Yost to give Lakeland an early lead, but Max Alba gave up a two-run homer in the bottom half of the first.
Beau Ankeney bounces an RBI single through the infield and Lakeland takes a 1-0 lead in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/SHDFtQY6v8
Alba was fine after that, working around four hits over the next 2 1/3 innings. He left with two men on base in the fourth, but Jose Guzman struck out the first batter he faced, and the defense came up with a 2-6-2 out to get the runner breaking for home.
Jose Guzman gets the strikeout and then Sergio Tapia and Jordan Yost do a great job of cutting down the running trying to steal home. pic.twitter.com/0xeEl4pi7i
That jump-started the offense going into the fifth. The Flying Tigers scored three runs, starting on a Jesus Pinto triple and a Yost RBI single. Max Anderson walked, and he and Yost executed a double steal that turned into a run thanks to a bad throw by the catcher. Beau Ankeney singled in Anderson right after.
That’s when the bullpen started to melt down. Caleb Leys got the sixth and promptly allowed a game-tying, two-run homer. Leys gave up the lead in the sixth on a leadoff triple and one-out single. A botched throwing error, walk and balk made it 6-4. One more walk forced Lakeland to make another pitching change.
Jan Caraballo intentionally walked the first batter he faced (or didn’t face?), gave up a run on a sacrifice fly, and allowed another run to cross on a double. Rough four-inning frame to break the tie and crush any hopes of a Flying Tigers win. Lakeland struck out three times in the next half inning.
Caraballo gave up a leadoff home run in the seventh, and Andrew Pogue gave up four runs trying to get the last three outs of the eighth—absolutely brutal stuff.
Yost: 1-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 K
Pinto: 2-4, 3B (2), R, BB, K
Ankeney: 2-4, 2 RBI, K
Alba: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a noon ET start on Sunday with Bradenton leading the series 4-1.
The Baltimore Orioles (15-18) face the AL East-leading New York Yankees (22-11). The Yankees won the series’ first two games by a combined score of 16-6. Scheduled starting pitchers are Trey Gibson for Baltimore, making his MLB debut, and Max Fried for New York, with a 2.09 ERA.
How to watch Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees
Vidal Bruján | (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Getty Images)
The Mets are set to call up infielder Vidal Bruján to replace Ronny Mauricio on their active roster, according to Mike Puma. Mauricio is heading to the injured list with a left thumb fracture that he suffered in the Mets’ loss to the Angels last night.
Mauricio himself was called up on April 23 to replace Francisco Lindor on the Mets’ active roster, as Lindor suffered a calf injury that doesn’t yet have a specific timetable for return. In 32 plate appearances in the big leagues this year, Mauricio has hit .219/.219/.313 with a 46 wRC+, and he’s had a rather absurd 53.6 percent chase rate.
Bruján was a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport in ahead of the 2019 through 2022 seasons as he worked his way up through the Rays’ minor league system. But that promise has never really materialized, as he’s hit just .199/.267/.276 and been worth -2.0 fWAR in 262 major league games. He’s been claimed on waivers four times since last summer: by the Orioles from the Cubs, the Braves from the Orioles, the Twins from the Braves, and the Mets from the Twins.
We’ll see whether the Mets give Bruján significant playing time at shortstop, the position where he’s spent the vast majority of both the 2026 season with Syracuse and his professional career. The team could opt to play Bo Bichette at short, Brett Baty at third, and Mark Vientos at first on an everyday basis instead while keeping Bruján on the roster as a defensive replacement.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 28: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers steals second as Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros fields the throw in the ninth inning at Minute Maid Park on July 28, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers continue their road trip on Monday night against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is coming off his shortest start of the season, with five innings and four runs (three earned) allowed against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium. He lasted at least six innings in his previous eight straight starts and 15 out of 17 dating back to 2025.
The Dodgers’ last trip to Houston was in 2024, when they lost two of three games from July 26-28. They were also swept by the Astros at Dodger Stadium last July 4-6, and have lost six of their last seven games against Houston, dating back to 2023.
Los Angeles is 4-3 on the road against the Astros dating back to 2020.
The Atlanta Braves' charmed ride to start the 2026 season - their 24-10 record is the best in the major leagues - finally hit a pothole as they placed All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. on the injured list Sunday, May 3, with a strained left hamstring.
Yet the club also got positive injury news, as right-hander Spencer Strider was activated from the IL and will make his season debut against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday after missing the first five weeks with a left oblique strain.
Acuña was injured Saturday running out a grounder in the second inning at Coors Field and was removed from the game. The five-time All-Star has been dogged by injuries the past five seasons, as he tore the ACL in his right and left knees in that span. He was off to a decent start this season, with a .252/.362/.378 line and two home runs.
The majority of his plate appearances figure to be consumed by outfielders Eli White and Mike Yastrzemski, while Mauricio Dubón will get more reps in left field, leaving shortstop duties to Jorge Mateo before the return of the injured Ha Seong Kim.
Strider posted a 4.45 ERA last season in his return from a second Tommy John surgery. The Braves rotation has performed admirably despite a litany of injuries to stars like Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach, posting a 3.08 ERA - third in the major leagues - without them.
LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 12: Bradley Hanner #93 of the New York Yankees pitches during the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 12, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 4-3. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
One of the strengths of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders this season is their bullpen.
Entering Saturday, the Yankees’ Triple-A club ranked second in the International League in bullpen ERA at 3.40 and paced Triple-A in fewest walks with 57. Thanks to the bullpen’s efforts, the RailRiders have nine wins in games where they were trailing at some point.
“The bullpen’s done great, we’ve relied on each other,” reliever Bradley Hanner said. “We’re a tight-knit group down there. It’s been fun to kind of piggy-back off each other. One guy does good, you want to keep the train moving. It’s been great so far and hopefully we can keep doing that.”
Hanner has been one of the key contributors. In his last six outings, covering 9.1 innings, the 27-year-old right-hander from Virginia has not allowed a run with six hits, one walk and 12 strikeouts. His most recent appearance Thursday against the Buffalo Bisons, he threw 2.2 perfect innings with four strikeouts. Overall, Hanner is 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA in nine games. He has allowed three runs (two earned) on 10 hits with six walks and 18 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.
One reason for Hanner’s success so far this season has been the work he has done on his four-seamer.
“Coming in with the Yankees, that was one of the bigger things – to kind of clean up to orientation of the four-seam,” Hanner said. “So far we’ve kind of nailed it. It’s been good. I don’t know the numbers and stuff to back it up, but I think they’re all in the positive. Everything is trending with the four-seam, I feel more and more comfortable with it as we go on. That’s been the biggest key.”
Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 21st round in 2019, he spent three seasons in that organization before before being claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Guardians organization in December 2022.
Hanner spent the 2023 campaign in Double-A with the Akron Rubber Ducks. He split time in 2024 with Akron and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. Last season with Columbus, Hanner appeared in 42 games in relief and was 4-4 with two saves, three holds, a 4.74 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 49.1 innings. The Yankees signed him as a free agent in December.
Coming to the RailRiders, Hanner had a familiar face with bullpen coach Pete Larson. “I had him in Low-A when I was with the Twins,” Hanner said. “It’s been fun to reunite with him.”
Other than Larson and fellow reliever Brent Headrick, Hanner didn’t know many players here. Still, he said it has been a smooth transition coming to the Yankees organization.
“Everybody’s been really welcoming, accommodating. Everything you need, they’ve got everything you could ever imagine to help you get better,” Hanner said. “It’s been great.”
The Yankees are signing RHP Bradley Hanner to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, per @Joelsherman1
Hanner has a 4.91 ERA in his minor league career, including a 4.74 ERA last season for the Guardians' Triple-A affiliate pic.twitter.com/FWu5gvKdYi
All that remains is for Hanner to one day get that call to the major league. He admits he thinks about it at times, but knows it is out of his control.
“All I can do is show up every day, work hard and pitch to the best of my abilities,” he said. “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about it at times. But I’m not losing sleep over getting the call. If it happens, it happens and I’ll be super-grateful for that. Obviously it’s what everybody dreams of.”
If and when that call comes, Hanner believes he is ready.
“I feel very good about where I’m at right now. I don’t know what else I would need to do,” Hanner said. “Keep putting up zeroes, keep pounding the zone. I don’t think that there’s an outlier that I need. I don’t think it’s anything like that. I think it’s just time and place and pitching well. Not getting lucky, just right-man, right-spot situation.”
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 01: Ronny Mauricio #0 of the New York Mets celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 01, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets lost another player to injury in last night’s extra-innings loss to the Angels. While sliding into first base in the sixth inning, Ronny Mauricio appeared to jam his left thumb on the base, fracturing it and being placed on the Injured List. He ran the bases for the rest of the inning but then left the game in the bottom of the inning.
Mauricio has been playing shortstop in Francisco Lindor’s stead, as Lindor hit the Injured List on April 23rd with a left calf strain. The Mets also have Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr, Kodai Senga, and Jared Young currently on the IL.
The Mets are in a bind as for what to do about shortstop until Lindor or Mauricio returns. While Bo Bichette, currently their third baseman, played shortstop for most of his career, his defensive abilities there were never elite, and over time they have eroded further. However, with a lineup that is already struggling to hit, calling up one of the players currently manning shortstop for Triple-A Syracuse for regular playing time—Vidal Bruján or Jackson Cluff—doesn’t inspire much offensive confidence. One of them will most likely join the team as a bench/backup option.
If Bichette is playing short, Brett Baty will likely get most of the third base reps. The Mets’ infield would likely be comprised of Baty at third, Bichette at short, Marcus Semien at second, and Mark Vientos at first. Insert your ‘run prevention’ joke here.
The San Diego Padres have reached an agreement to sell control of the team to an investor group led by Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano.
The family of late owner Peter Seidler formally announced the deal Saturday. The sale must still be approved by Major League Baseball.
The deal with private equity billionaire Feliciano and his wife took shape last month at an MLB-record valuation of $3.9 billion. The Padres’ announcement of the deal didn’t give specifics on the members of the investor group or the purchase price.
“The Padres are more than a baseball team; they are a unifying force in San Diego, rooted in community, connection and belonging,” Jones and Feliciano said in a joint statement. “As life and business partners, and as a family, we are honored to lead this next chapter together. We have worked hard for everything we have achieved, and we have built it together. We see that same spirit in this team and its fans, and we know what it takes to win. We are committed to showing up, listening and earning the trust of this community while building on the strong foundation established by the Seidler family.
“This is about more than baseball — it’s about boosting the pride, energy, and connection that define the Padres, investing in community, deepening belonging and ensuring this team remains accessible and endures for generations. We are all in — with the goal of bringing a World Series championship to San Diego.”
Seidler’s family began to explore a sale of the Padres last November, two years after the death of the popular Peter Seidler, who became the Padres’ primary owner in 2020. His brother, John Seidler, has served as the Padres’ chairman since his death.
“When I became control person, my goal was to continue building on our recent success in pursuit of a World Series championship for the city of San Diego and our faithful fans,” John Seidler said in a statement. “As I pass the baton to Kwanza and José, I do so with full confidence that they share that vision as well as the Padres’ deep commitment to San Diego. It’s what the team, our fans and the community deserve. Our family loves this team.”
Peter Seidler joined the Padres’ ownership group in 2012 when John Moores sold the team for $800 million to a group headed by Ron Fowler. Seidler took over and immediately endeared himself to San Diego’s fans with his aggressive financial backing of general manager A.J. Preller, who built a team that has reached the playoffs in four of the past six years.
The Padres have been a hot ticket for several years as San Diego’s only team in the four biggest North American sports leagues, ranking second in the majors in attendance last season. Preller’s roster is off to another strong start this season, sitting second in the NL West at 19-12 heading into a home game against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.
Jones and Feliciano already got a start on their new endeavor last month when they traveled to Mexico City to watch the Padres’ international series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The couple was spotted sitting with Padres CEO Erik Greupner.
Feliciano will become the second Latino owner in baseball, joining Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno. Latino and Hispanic players comprise roughly 30% of major league rosters.
May 2, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
Dodgers fans have received more of the same experience they had last year with Roki Sasaki to begin this season, but there are some signs of growth that are starting to appear.
Sasaki has shown flashes of dominance early in games, as characterized by his 0.75 ERA over the first two innings of his six starts, but the wheels fall completely off once the third inning begins, illustrated by an ugly 9.72 ERA over innings 3 and beyond. It hasn’t helped that he is currently tied for the fifth most home runs allowed by qualified pitchers this year.
Over the last three starts, Sasaki has quietly been more effective on the mound. After walking 10 batters over his first 13 innings on the year, he has walked only five through his last 15 2/3 innings. On Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sasaki showed that he could bounce back after a rough inning by setting down his final 10 hitters in a row, managing six full innings for the first time while tossing a career-high 104 pitches.
Sasaki spoke about his ability to overcome the three-run third and deliver positive results through the middle innings on Saturday, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
“After giving up three runs in the third inning, I was able to just stay focused and attack the zone, especially (the fifth and sixth) innings. So that’s good,” Sasaki said through his interpreter.
“The third and fourth innings, I was kind of struggling. I was trying to find my mechanics. But after that … I was able to make an adjustment. I got better mechanics.”
Dave Roberts spoke about Sasaki’s growth as a major league starter following Saturday’s loss to St. Louis, noting that there are hurdles that have yet to be overcome, per Plunkett.
“Each of his last handful of starts, he’s gotten better,” Roberts said. “But there’s some finishing school that needs to happen, where you’ve got to get the guys out that you need to get out and try to face less hitters.”
Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times notes that Mark Prior has worked with Sasaki on developing a new splitter that’s around six miles per hour faster than his ordinary splitter, and that has been a key reason for his recent effectiveness.
“We’re always supportive of crisper, harder, however you want to define it, assuming that it maintained his throw and maintained everything else,” Prior said of the new splitter… “Lo and behold, the first one was really good,” Prior said. “The second one was really nasty.”
The Dodgers offensively are in the midst of a dormant five-game stretch where they have totaled just 12 runs as a team, and they were nearly shut out on Saturday had it not been for a two-run, two-out rally in the top of the ninth where they had the potential tying and go-ahead runners on base.
Andy Pages— who added to the rally with an RBI single to make it a one-run Dodgers deficit— noted that the rally might have lit a spark within this struggling offense, but the importance is maintaining good at-bats top through bottom, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“It was a good offensive sign in the ninth inning,” Andy Pages said through interpreter Juan Dorado. “But I think as a whole, we know we’re going through a bad stretch, and we’re just trying to focus on having really good at-bats, one at a time.”
Facing against an old friend on Sunday in Dustin May, who carries a 5.28 over his first six starts as a Cardinal, Dave Roberts hopes that the Dodgers bats can wake up and salvage the series against a pitcher they’re quite familiar with, per Chen.
“Hopefully,” Roberts said, “we can take that sense of urgency tomorrow against a guy that we’re very familiar with.”
JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 09: Ryan Noda #41 of the Baltimore Orioles at bat during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on March 09, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With most of their starting pitchers in New York this weekend to pitch for the Orioles, the Tides went with a bullpen game. They did a pretty good job! Cameron Weston started and allowed a solo home run in 2/3 of an inning. That was the only run Nashville scored until they got a single run in the ninth. Yaqui Rivera pitched 3.1 innings, the longest of any of the relievers.
After falling behind in the first inning, the Tides scored two in the second and never looked back. With Creed Willems and Ryan Noda on third and second base in the second inning, Willy Vazquez singled them both in. Christian Encarnacion-Strand added to the lead with his sixth home run of the year, then Sam Huff and Bryan Ramos had RBI hits of their own.
It was a big night for the bottom half of the lineup as Ryan Noda, Huff, and Willy Vasquez each had two-hit games. Number nine hitter Ramos singled and walked.
It was a bullpen game for the Baysox and their bullpen let them down. Juan Rojas started and pitched one inning, in which he technically struck out the side but also walked four and threw a wild pitch. No hits, one run. Overall, they used six pitchers with Micah Ashman taking the loss with two runs allowed in two innings pitched.
The offense scored three runs in the third inning, in which Griff O’Farrell and Tavian Josenberger doubled. Carter Young also singled in the inning. One run scored on a squeeze bunt by Alfredo Velásquez. After their big second inning, the team had just three singles in innings three through eight. They added a fourth run in the ninth on a homer from Frederick Bencosme.
Brandon Butterworth and Ethan Anderson were hitless at the top of the order. Aron Estrada did not start but pinch-hit in the ninth. He struck out on a pitch clock violation.
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 2, Frederick Keys 0
You will not win many games with just one hit. For the Keys last night, a second-inning single by Braylin Tavera was the only hit of the night.
Starting pitcher Yeiber Cartaya deserved better. He pitched five shutout innings with two hits, one walk, and six strikeouts. He threw 75 pitches and has allowed just two earned runs in 21.2 innings this season.
The only two runs of this game scored in the sixth inning with the appropriately named Brandon Downer on the mound. Downer allowed three hits and walked four in just 1.1 innings.
Low-A: Hill City Howlers (CLE) 13, Delmarva Shorebirds 4
Starting pitcher Kailen Hamson was lucky to pitch four shutout innings, considering he also walked four batters. He did only allow two hits. Things got out of hand late in the game when J.D. Hennen and Luis Beltrán combined to allow eight runs in the eighth inning.
The Shorebirds led this game, 2-0, at one point thanks to an RBI single from Junior Aybar and a sac fly by Félix Amparo. They added on two more runs in the eighth inning. DJ Layton doubled, then came in to score on a triple by Raylin Ramos. Ramos then scored on a balk.
The Shorebirds made five errors in the game, two by Félix Amparo. One of those errors could have been an inning-ending double play had Amparn not thrown it into center field to let three runs score.
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 29: Buster Posey #28 and Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants celebrate after defeating the Kansas City Royals to win Game Seven of the 2014 World Series by a score of 3-2 at Kauffman Stadium on October 29, 2014 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
We are in the middle of a new feature for May that I’m calling the “12 Days of Mays-mas” because I won’t be around for the next week or so, and I want to leave you guys with some fun things to watch while I’m gone.
For the third day of Mays-mas, I think you can guess where we’re headed given the last two. That’s right, we are off to Game 7 of the 2014 World Series!
This is absolutely the most iconic of the three championships. It’s the one that everyone remembers the details of because it was the most exciting, and also the most terrifying. My father “watched” the last couple of innings through closed eyes and covered ears because he couldn’t take the stress.
But of course, we all know how things played out, with folk hero Madison Bumgarner taking the mound in relief to continue his mission to nearly single-handedly win a World Series Championship.
So get your coffee, settle in, and enjoy!
What time do the Giants play today?
The San Francisco Giants wrap up this three-game road series against the Tampa Bay Rays this morning at 10:10 a.m. PT.
May 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies infielder Edouard Julien (6) loses his helmet as he strikes out during the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
The Colorado Rockies started the week by sweeping a double-header against the New York Mets, but sadly managed just one more win through the rest of it.
During the week, the month of April drew to a close. Their 13-14 record for the month was the best April the Rockies have managed since 2022—where they went 12-9—which was the last time they managed double-digit wins. In 2025, the Rockies were just 4-26 in April.
Unfortunately, the Rockies hit the month of May like a brick wall when the red-hot Atlanta Braves came to town. A bullpen meltdown on Friday saw the Rockies blow what was at one point a 6-0 lead while a rare dud from Chase Dollander and a failure to launch on offense saw the Rockies get blown out on Saturday.
But hey, after this, things can only get better.
Right?
With that being said, here’s what our staff here at Purple Row had to say this week:
Saturday’s ballgame saw the opener gambit for Chase Dollander backfire. Brennan Bernardino recorded just two outs and allowed two runs to score before Dollander got the call to come in. However, Dollander also struggled and gave up six more runs against a potent Braves offense. Would you continue to use an opener with Dollander operating largely in a bulk role—which has been fairly successful so far—or would you officially move Dollander back to the rotation?
The fact that the Chicago Cubs have kept a run a going with all the obstacles in their way (like the Dodgers) is quite the blessing!
What the heck is going on? The Cubs won 10 in a row, then they showed that they were human in Los Angeles. Then they pull off four more wins in a row against the Padres and Diamondbacks — by big scores, or with stellar pitching.
What the heck is going on? NICO HOERNER is hurt! Hopefully just for one game. But that is an example of the productive offense without the usual big bats or without major injuries (Pounds fist on wood!). The Cubs are led in home runs by ….. Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson? They are led in RBI by …… Hoerner? It doesn’t matter — production is production, right? Right? And just depend on the pitching staff——
What the heck is going on? The starting pitching is led by ….. the guy that nearly everyone regretted took the qualifying offer, Shōta? He’s improved across the board, but how many of his pitches are really consistently effective? And what the he — no, the wreck of the bullpen was expected, just a shuffling of the deckchairs on a group of boats in a number of harbors.
And all that, plus a pair of Reds losses by the combined score of 26-8, put the Cubs in first place of the N.L. Central by the end of the day on Saturday? Keep up the great work, the Chicago Cubs hitting/Iowa Cubs pitching!
Paul Magno (ChiCitySports): Chicago Cubs President confirms need for trades amid rash of pitching injuries. “The usually poker-faced Cubs front office is starting to show at least a bit of alarm in their acknowledgment that they will definitely have to dive into the trade market to find some quality pitching plug-ins.” “Rumored Cubs trade targets have ranged from Sandy Alcantara and Joe Ryan to Kodai Senga and Luis Severino.”
Pedro Ramirez takes former Cubs prospect Ryan Gallagher deep for his 8th home run of the year, tying a career high before the calendar even turns over to May. pic.twitter.com/mG2SCkBZgd
Casey McAleer (Da Windy City): Nico Hoerner injury update shows how much Cubs rely on their offensive engine. “Chicago may have avoided a worst case scenario, but his absence still carries weight …… Hoerner’s absence immediately impacts the Cubs’ ability to produce, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Hoerner hasn’t just been important in theory, he’s been one of the most consistent pieces in real time.”
Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times {$}): Cubs’ challenge starts with real-deal Reds in formidable NL Central. “The Reds’ own 20-12 start should be turning heads around the league considering their top two SPs — flame-throwing ace Hunter Greene and lefty Nick Lodolo — have yet to appear in a game.”
Paul Magno (ChiCitySports): Daniel Palencia kills it in rehab outing, topping out at 102 mph. “Palencia came into the game in the fifth and pitched a scoreless two-thirds of an inning. In the outing, he struck out one, allowed one hit, and threw 14 of 19 pitches for strikes. His velocity ranged from 100-102 mph in the appearance.”
Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Why Kyle Hendricks joined the Tigers, not the Cubs, as a special assistant. “Kyle Hendricks returning to the Chicago Cubs in a different capacity seemed like a natural next step ….. With a young family, financial security and a Dartmouth degree, the extent to which Hendricks wanted to stay involved in the game was unclear.”
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Food For Thought:
John Lee Hooker was born August 17, 1917, in Coahoma County near Clarksdale, Mississippi. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues that he developed in Detroit. Hooker often incorporated other elements, including talking blues and early North Mississippi hill country blues. He developed his own driving-rhythm boogie style, distinct from the 1930s–1940s piano-derived boogie-woogie.
Beginning in 1962, Hooker gained greater exposure when he toured Europe in the annual American Folk Blues Festival. Hooker began to perform and record with rock musicians. In 1970, he recorded the joint album Hooker ‘n Heat, with the American blues and boogie rock group Canned Heat, whose repertoire included adaptations of Hooker songs. It became the first of Hooker’s albums to reach the Billboard charts, peaking at number 78 on the Billboard 200. Other collaboration albums soon followed, including Endless Boogie (1971) and Never Get Out of These Blues Alive (1972), which included Steve Miller, Elvin Bishop, Van Morrison, and others. Hooker owned five houses in his later life, including ones in the California cities of Los Altos, Redwood City, and Long Beach. On June 21, 2001, Hooker died in his sleep at home in Los Altos.
San Diego Zoo launches Elephant Valley live camera
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