SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Brandon Young #63 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during Spring Training photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We all agree that the Orioles 3-6 start to the season is disappointing. But can we also talk about how it has been extremely weird?
When Dean Kremer was optioned to the minors to start the season, common sense said that he’d be the next starter up. Then Zach Eflin got hurt, and the Orioles called up Albert Suárez.
A few days later, Yaramil Hiraldo was sent to the IL. Surely it was time for Dean, right? Nope, Cade Povich was called up. He was slated to start today until Chris Bassitt couldn’t get past the second inning yesterday and he had to come in. Today, Dietrich Enns was added to the IL. Called up in his place and announced as tonight’s starting pitcher is Brandon Young.
WHERE is Dean? I know that at this point, he started for the Tides three days ago and thus wouldn’t be a great fit as the starting pitcher tonight. But things could have been done differently at several steps along the way. It’s a true mystery.
So anyway, Brandon Young. He last pitched on April 1st, so he will be on regular rest tonight. His Norfolk start was pretty good. He gave up just one run on four hits. He didn’t issue a walk. It would be really nice if he could have another strong start tonight, although his brief Major League experience does not bode well.
The Chicago White Sox are not expected to be a good baseball team this year, but they are coming off a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays. That is something I certainly appreciate. Hopefully, the Orioles have shaken off their disappointing series with the Pirates and are ready to start to start, you know, winning baseball games.
The temperature at game time is expected to be about 40 degrees with a real feel in the mid-20s.
Feb 17, 2026; Surprise, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom during media day at Surprise Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 04: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners looks on before the game against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park on October 04, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners head to the Lone Star State in their attempt to bounce back from losing two very winnable games in a row. They’ll hand the ball back to their Opening Day starter, Logan Gilbert, who has looked better than he did last season but still shakier than he did in 2023-24.
I’m increasingly concerned about Gilbert’s slider, which probably warrants its own article. It was his best pitch for about two and a half seasons, but collapsed last year despite having a pretty similar shape. It lost about one mph of velocity, but that shouldn’t be that big a deal, especially for a breaking ball. Yet it started losing its bite, in a way that’s both been hard to for me to articulate and without an obvious cause. (Hence why I haven’t written about it.)
He’s added some additional drop to it this year, which is a smart idea because with the new cutter, he risks simply having his pitches all blend together. But it still looks more hittable to me. Anyway, this is what I’ll be watching most closely from his start tonight.
His opponent will be Jacob deGrom, baseball’s most boring star—which is a highly competitive category. Both deGrom and Gilbert attended Stetson College. They’ve never faced off before, nor did either of them ever face Corey Kluber, the other most notable Hatter. So all TV sets in St. Petersberg will be locked in to this game.
Lineups
We can all breathe a sigh of relief as Brendan Donovan is back in the lineup today. Presumably in an effort to let J.P. Crawford ease into things a little bit post-injury and because he missed the back half of Spring Training, Leo Rivas will be at shortstop.
Looking at the Rangers lineup, I’m reminded that for as much as it still feels like the same iteration of the organization, the Rangers have actually experienced a substantial amount of turnover in their roster since their 2023 title run. I enjoy how the Rangers’ social team stretched out the photo of deGrom here to make him look taller—baseballs are not shaped like that. Fraudsters all the way down over there.
Game Info
First Pitch: 5:05 PDT TV: Mariners TV Radio: Old reliable
Munetaka Murakami looks to continue his power surge against the O’s. | (Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)
Fresh off a three-game sweep of last season’s American League champs, the White Sox will host the Baltimore Orioles for a cold home stand.
Some news and notes from the team ahead of the series: the White Sox claimed left-handed pitcher Doug Nikhazy off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians and have optioned him to Triple-A Charlotte. Also, the team improved to 3-0 at home to open the season for the first time since 2004. They also completed their first three-game sweep of Toronto since April 25-27, 2016, at Rogers Center, and their first home sweep of the Blue Jays since Sept. 1-3, 1995.
Grant Taylor will once again be the opener on the mound tonight. He has been quite successful in this role, and it sets the table for a regular starter to come in (and ideally) eat innings.
Brandon Young will make his season debut today, after being called up this morning from the Norfolk Tides. He started the year in Norfolk and was optioned on March 7, 2026.
First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. CT. You can watch the game on CHSN or listen via ESPN Chicago 1000.
Apr 5, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Devin Williams (38) reacts to getting the final out against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
It’s that time of year, folks. The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, baseball is back, and so are our meters, which provide the community with a nice little snapshot of how each player is performing. To be transparent right from the jump, this year I am doing something new with the meters: instead of weekly, they will be posted biweekly (as in, every other week, not twice a week). This cadence is much more manageable with my schedule and I also think a two-week sample size is more meaningful to look at than a one-week sample. In the case of this first set of meters, because the first week of the season was not a complete one, these numbers cover the first ten games of the season. Hereafter, meters will appear on the site every other week on Mondays—maybe occasionally on Tuesday if your imperfect Mets Meter Maid (that’s me) is having a bad week.
Now we’re onto the more fun meter of the two in our first set: the pitchers. The Mets are second in the National League in both team ERA and pitching fWAR over these first ten games. The Mets’ losses in the early going have overwhelmingly been due to a lack of run production, but not a lack of run prevention. The pitching has been immaculate. Outside of David Peterson’s one clunker, no one in the rotation has had a bad game and bad bullpen performances have been limited to guys who may not even be on the roster in a few weeks. The Mets’ high leverage relievers—Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, and Huascar Brazobán—have yet to give up an earned run. Tobias Myers has emerged as a potent multi-inning threat. Kodai Senga is looking more like the pitcher with ace potential we’ve seen in the past, Freddy Peralta is as advertised, Clay Holmes hasn’t missed a beat, and Nolan McLean is looking like a potential Rookie of the Year candidate. Sean Manaea’s velocity is certainly a concern, but he has gotten positive results out of the bullpen. There is a hell of a lot to like here and almost no red to be found.
Player
This week
Huascar Brazobán, RHP
Luis García, RHP
Clay Holmes, RHP
Richard Lovelady, LHP
Sean Manaea, LHP
Nolan McLean, RHP
Tobias Myers, RHP
Freddy Peralta, RHP
David Peterson, RHP
Brooks Raley, LHP
Kodai Senga, RHP
Luke Weaver, RHP
Devin Williams, RHP
We’ll start with Opening Day starter Freddy Peralta, who is the one new face in the Mets’ rotation this year. I waffled back and forth about whether to give him a positive grade despite the fact that he had mediocre results in his first game and good results in his second game, thus balancing out to a side arrow. Because he really did pitch better on Opening Day than his line indicates. Yes, he gave up two home runs. But one of them was sort of a cheapie, if you ask me—and if you ask Peralta, who said he made one mistake that day. And the Mets won the game anyway thanks to plenty of run support. In his second start, Peralta had the opposite problem. He gave up just one run on three hits in 5 1/3 strong innings of work, but got no run support and the Mets lost the game. Across his first two starts, Peralta has struck out fourteen batters and walked only two—a very good ratio. I would argue that so far Peralta has been exactly as advertised—a front-end starter who is somewhat prone to the home run ball and racks up a lot of strikeouts, but is not going to go deep into the game.
The starter that has pitched the most innings across his first two starts is Clay Holmes, who has started strong in 2026, earning the win in both outings. A week ago in St. Louis, Holmes gave up two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out five batters and walking three. He was even better in San Francisco on Saturday, delivering the best starting pitching performance for the Mets so far with seven scoreless innings—matching his career high from last year—over which he gave up just three hits. He may not be striking batters out at the impressive rate of some of the Mets’ other arms, but he has been an expert in inducing soft contact and limiting damage.
Saturday’s game was a nice tidy victory for the Mets, as Holmes handed the ball right over to Tobias Myers, who pitched the final two innings of the game without allowing a base runner. Just ten games into the season, Myers has already made himself indispensable as a multi-inning weapon out of the bullpen for the Mets. All four of his outings thus far have been more than one inning in length and he has only allowed one earned run in eight total innings of work—a solo homer on Opening Day, on which he pitched three innings in relief of Peralta. It’s true that his unearned run was an important one—the decisive run in the series finale in St. Louis, which was the Mets’ third extra inning game in a young season. But Myers features a starter’s arsenal out of the bullpen and Carlos Mendoza has not shied away from using him in high-leverage spots and Myers has risen to the occasion more often than not.
Sean Manaea is another starting pitcher currently being featured out of the bullpen due to the diminished velocity he showed in spring training. His velocity is still not back yet, but it is creeping upwards with each appearance. Though his fastball may not be where he wants it yet, his sweeper is still a devastating pitch and he is getting results with it. So far Manaea has appeared in two games—the series finale against the Pirates and the series opener in San Francisco. Both were ultimately Mets losses, but neither was Manaea’s fault. He was shaky in his first appearance against the Pirates, but didn’t allow a run in his 1 1/3 innings of work. In San Francisco he did mop-up duty for David Peterson, giving up one run in 3 2/3 innings of work, striking out two batters and walking two.
Speaking of that David Peterson performance, it was ugly and the only starting pitching performance in these first ten games one could really classify as poor. He got knocked around for six runs—five of them earned—on a whopping nine hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. However, he avoids a bad grade because his other outing was a good one. Peterson started the thrilling extra inning victory in the opening series against the Pirates and pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings in that game, matching zeroes with Mitch Keller. He did give up six hits, but managed to wriggle his way out of trouble each time, as the Pirates ended up leaving 17 men on base in total in that game.
That extra-inning game also began the saga of Richard Lovelady’s return to the Mets in 2026. Lovelady was one of the heroes of that game, letting the ghost runner cross the plate in the 11th but nothing more, helping pave the way for a thrilling victory in the bottom of the 11th. He earned the victory for that effort, but gave up at least one earned run in each of his subsequent appearances—sometimes costly, sometimes not. Lovelady was sent back out there the very next day, also in a tie game in extra innings. He gave up a single to lead off the inning and score the ghost runner, but then got a double play to clear the bases and you thought that maybe, just maybe, the Mets would get away with it again. But it was not to be. He then couldn’t put the inning to bed and walked two batters in a row and an RBI single plated a second run, which proved to be the difference in the game. So the day after he earned the victory in an extra-inning game, he took the loss in an extra-inning game. Being the guy that has been DFA’d and then re-added to the roster seemingly more times than we can count, Lovelady has the unfortunate role of simply wearing it sometimes or being overworked so the more “important” relievers are not. Just two days after those back-to-back extra-inning appearances, he gave up a run in the seventh inning in the series opener in St. Louis, only to be sent out again for a second inning of work to save the rest of the bullpen. He also gave up a run in Friday’s lopsided victory against the Giants. All told, a 5.40 ERA for Richard Lovelady is not awful and about what you’d expect from him, especially given how much he’s been abused in the early going.
Lovelady’s two innings of work in the series opener came in relief of Kodai Senga, who pitched well, but was given no run support by his team and so he took the loss, despite putting up a quality start. Over six innings, Senga gave up two runs on four hits, striking out nine batters and walking three. Though he didn’t get credit for the win, the Mets pulled off the victory in Senga’s second start of the season yesterday thanks to Luis Torrens’ late-inning pinch hitting heroics. Senga did similarly well, giving up two runs over 5 2/3 innings, striking out seven (including striking out the side in the second) and walking two. After he struggled so much last season, seeing Senga seemingly healthy and throwing hard and looking like himself is refreshing and a massive relief.
Huascar Brazobán was the pitcher who earned the victory in yesterday’s game for 1 1/3 hitless innings of work. Brazobán has come out of the gate absolutely dealing and alongside Myers is a guy who can handle an up-and-down out of the bullpen, which has been essential for the Mets. Brazobán is one of multiple relievers who has yet to allow an earned run in 2026 across five appearances totaling 5 1/3 innings of work. He hasn’t walked a single batter and has allowed just two hits, striking out three.
As I mentioned in the introduction, all of the Mets’ back-end relievers have been spotless so far. Like Lovelady, Luke Weaver appeared in both extra-inning games in the Pirates series and pitched a scoreless inning in each of them. In fact, Weaver appeared in all three extra-inning games the Mets have played in, pitching a scoreless inning on April 1 in St. Louis as well. Weaver earned his first hold of the season with a scoreless eighth inning in yesterday’s come from behind victory.
Devin Williams, who has also yet to be scored upon, earned his second save of the season yesterday when he worked around two hits to pitch a scoreless ninth. Williams also followed Weaver with a scoreless ninth in the series finale in St. Louis before the Mets lost in extras. He earned his first save as a Met in the series opener in St. Louis, striking out two batters in a 1-2-3 frame to help secure the victory for Clay Holmes. Williams’ first appearance in the orange and blue was in the extra-inning victory against the Pirates, in which he allowed two baserunners, but kept the game tied thanks in part to two strikeouts. Obviously it’s a long season and there will inevitably be some heartbreakers along the way, but early returns are looking great for the Mets’ new closer.
Brooks Raley rounds out the group of Mets relievers who have been nails so far in 2026. Raley is reprising his role as the primary lefty out of the bullpen with incredible mastery. He has yet to allow a run across four appearances and in fact he has only allowed one base runner across those four appearances. Raley has amassed two holds and five strikeouts against zero walks. As the Mets await A.J. Minter’s return to the bullpen, “Where would they be without Brooks Raley?” is a question I often ask myself. And the answer is simply: in a worse place than they are now.
Luis García rounds out the bullpen contingent and much like Richard Lovelady, he hasn’t been great, but he hasn’t been a complete disaster either, which is about in line with one’s expectations. He pitched poorly on Opening Day and gave up two runs, but luckily the Mets had a nice cushion to work with and his performance didn’t cost them. He preceded Lovelady in the second game of the season, giving up the ghost runner in the tenth inning, but nothing more. The Mets went on to tie the game back up in the bottom of the tenth, sending it to the eleventh. García had a far less eventful outing on Friday, in which he pitched a scoreless ninth inning to finish off that lopsided win.
Of the entire pitching staff, perhaps no one has more hype around his 2026 season than Nolan McLean. And though he hasn’t been perfect, he’s been pretty darn good. And throwing video game stuff. Despite striking out eight over five innings in his 2026 debut in which he gave up just two runs, that was the ill-fated extra-inning loss to the Pirates. He did earn the win in his second start though on Friday in which the Mets gave him plenty of run support. In that outing, he was perfect into the sixth, but then faded quickly. He ultimately gave up two runs—only one of them earned—in 5 1/3 innings of work.
Toronto, Ontario, Saturday, November 1, 2025 - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) reacts after Toronto Blue Jays' Andrés Giménez was hit by a pitch leading to an argument during the fourth inning of Game seven of the 121st World Series between the LA Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Apr 6, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Chandler Simpson (14) and designated hitter Yandy Diaz (2) react after beating the Chicago Cubs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Rays played all last season in the home run prone Steinbrenner Field, and made their return to the pitcher-friendly Tropicana Field by….hitting three home runs. They won their home opener against the Chicago Cubs 6-4.
Let’s start with the bad news. Anyone who had the wild fantasy that Shane McClanahan would return after over a year and a half away from baseball looking like his old self find today’s pitching performance disappointing. He was pulled after four innings, with the second inning standing out as his worst. He walked three batters and then gave up a two-run single. Honestly he looked so rattled I though getting out of that inning with just two runs scored was very fortunate.
Also troubling — his fastball velocity is down from high 90s to mid 90s. Can you be a successful major league pitcher with a 94 mph fastball? Of course! But when you used to throw 98, it takes an adjustment.
But the Chicago lead was soon erased.
Chandler Simpson singled. And stole second. And stole third. With Cedric Mullins up at bat, I was thinking Chandler should consider stealing home because Cedric has not done much with the bat. But I clearly underestimated the man (or didn’t think pitcher Jamison Taillon would actually throw him an offspeed pitch given how he struggles to catch up with a fastball) because he put the Rays on the board with a two-run homer.
The home run itself was a thing of joy, but my favorite part was watching Simpson’s reaction as he skipped down the line to score. Yep, Chandler, baseball is fun!
Look at how hyped Chandler Simpson was after the Cedric Mullins HR, you love to see it pic.twitter.com/ME0AhmYcKG
Taylor Walls, back on the team after his IL stint, then doubled (!) and was driven home by Yandy Diaz, to give the Rays a 3-2 lead.
We were probably all holding our breathes a bit when McClanahan returned to the mound in the third. He did retire the side quickly, on three fly balls, but one of them looked like this:
Guys who work hard to improve in areas of weakness are my favorite players, so lots of respect to Simpson, who has supposedly spent his off season working to improve his outfield play.
The Rays went up 4-2 in the bottom half of the inning, when Caminero hit a no-doubt homer — 106 mph, 400 feet.
McClanahan left after a successful fourth inning — presumably Kevin Cash thinking to lift him on a high note – and was replaced first by Kevin Kelly, and then by Ian Seymour. Seymour got himself into trouble giving up a series of hits and a sac fly to make the score 4-3, but he managed to get out of the inning without reminding us too much how he looked in the season opener.
The Rays hitters weren’t done however; in the seventh inning Jonathan Aranda also homered, scoring Ben Williamson, who had drawn a walk, and giving the Rays a three run lead. Although closer Bryan Baker did give up a solo home run in the ninth, the Rays bullpen was on the whole quite effective, with Hunter Bigge contributing 1.2 strong innings.
The Rays won today with the continued offensive strength of Yandy Diaz and Chandler Simpson (two hits each), and less expected contributions from Taylor Walls and Cedric Mullins. It is great to see the bullpen settling down, and those of us who looked forward to the return of Hunter Bigge – both for his skills and the endless possibility for puns — are pleased to see that he hasn’t seem to have lost a step.
Remember last year, when the Cubs bats were on fire for most of the first half? Yeah, me too.
Remember last year, when the Cubs bullpen was solid for most of the year? Yeah, me too.
Neither of those things is going well for the Cubs so far in 2026, and those were the primary reasons for the 6-4 loss to the Rays Monday afternoon, the first time this year the Cubs have lost consecutive games.
The Cubs scored first in this one. In the top of the second, Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson led off with walks. After Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong struck out, Miguel Amaya walked to load the bases.
But Jameson Taillon could not hold the lead. A single in the bottom of the second followed by a two-run homer from Cedric Mullins tied the game in the bottom of the second. Taillon got the second out of the inning, but then gave up a double.
That clip is from the Rays broadcast (with former Cubs radio guy Dewayne Staats!), but on the Marquee broadcast Jim Deshaies said Swanson should have probably just eaten the ball. Had he done so, the runner would likely have held at third. Taillon then got the third out.
The Rays made it 4-2 in the third on a solo homer by Junior Caminero.
The Cubs tied things up in the sixth. Ian Happ led off with a double. Carson Kelly also doubled, but Happ had to hold at third because it wasn’t clear if Kelly’s ball would be caught.
So the Cubs trailed by only one run when Taillon’s afternoon was wrapped after six innings. It was a decent start, six innings, seven hits, no walks. The two home runs weren’t good, but he does get a “quality start” for that effort, for whatever that’s worth. Here’s more on Taillon’s outing [VIDEO].
So it’s a one-run game heading to the bottom of the seventh and Phil Maton entered in relief. Maton walked the leadoff hitter, which is never, ever good. He did retire the next two hitters, including Taylor Walls on this nice diving catch by Happ [VIDEO].
Riley Martin made his MLB debut throwing the bottom of the eighth, and it was a success. He gave up a one-out infield single, but got out of the inning with a double play. Congrats to Martin, whose journey to MLB came from a Division II school (Quincy University). Looks like he could be a useful part of the Cubs bullpen — which they could use, because so far in this young season only Caleb Thielbar and Daniel Palencia have been reliable.
The Cubs did hit some baseballs hard for outs in this game but in general, the offense has just not shown up so far this year. The Cubs had just four hits on the afternoon and four walks and that’s just not going to cut it. The current team BA of .199 ranks 27th and the team OPS of .628 ranks 25th.
Now, this offense is better than that and when Seiya Suzuki returns on Friday it should get better. If the team was getting better relief pitching I’d worry less, but… that’s been another concern. It is still very early in the season, and things can turn quickly, as you know.
It would be nice if that would start tomorrow.
Today was the Rays’ first game back at the renovated Tropicana Field, but they still had the upper deck closed and reported 25,114 paid for the afternoon. It looked nice, though:
Javier Assad will start Tuesday’s game for the Cubs after Matthew Boyd hit the injured list with a bicep issue. Drew Rasmussen will go for the Rays. Game time Tuesday is 5:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
A character from the steel, foam, and fiberglass sculpture called The Audience appears on the facade of The Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto, Canada, on January 17, 2025. (Photo by Mike Campbell/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Stupid Dodgers are in town to play the Jays. Stupid Dodgers.
We 1/16th of the way through the season, after this.
I’m in Kitakyushu, Japan, one of those places I’m really interested in seeing, when this game happens. And roughly halfway through the holiday.
I bought the new OOTP Baseball the other day. The early roster isn’t exactly what the Jays started the season with, but I could restart the game when the season starts and get the roster closer to what it will really be. I’m enjoying it so far. You could also start with the teams the way they were at the end of the season, and sign your own free agents, or try to re-sign Bo Bichette if you really wanted, which might be fun to do. If you have never played OOTP, well, I really enjoy it. You can play as GM and Manager. Or you could play as just the GM and let the game do the in-game stuff by itself. I like playing the games as the manager. But then it takes a lot longer to get through a season. Give it a try.
BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 26: Joe Ryan #41 of the Minnesota Twins warms up prior to a during a game against the Baltimore Orioles on March 26, 2026 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT): 6:40 TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Know Yo’ Foe: Bless You Boys
The Minnesota Twins are back in action this evening facing the division-favorite Detroit Tigers. The Tigers ran back essentially the same squad as 2025 with two key additions. Primarily All-Star starter Framber Valdez, who the Twins will face on Wednesday. But don’t overlook rookie phenom Kevin McGonigle. The Top-5 prospect has an .865 OPS and a few key hits in this young season. For a lineup that was often lacking some punch, McGonigle could be a welcome addition for a team trying to make a title push before likely losing back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal in 2027.
Mar 31, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals road trip continues with a Monday night game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. According to MLB.com, Andre Pallante will get the start for St. Louis while Washington will turn to Zack Littell. Masyn Winn is a late add-in to the Cardinals lineup just shared late this afternoon.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 31: Hunter Brown #58 of the Houston Astros pitches in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Daikin Park on March 31, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It didn’t seem like it would happen this soon, but here we are: the 2026 season for the Houston Astros may already be approaching a pivotal moment. And it all centers around one name, Hunter Brown.
News of Brown dealing with shoulder discomfort has immediately put the entire organization, and its fan base on edge. Not just because he’s the unquestioned ace of the staff, but because of what Astros fans have been through in recent years when it comes to injury transparency and medical communication.
A History That Still Lingers
The frustration isn’t new. Over the past several seasons, the Astros’ handling of player injuries, from diagnosis to public messaging, has drawn significant criticism. Timelines have often proven unreliable. Initial reports have downplayed severity, only for situations to escalate into long-term absences or more serious conditions.
Whether it was miscommunication, misdiagnosis, or simply poor transparency, the result has been the same: a fractured sense of trust between the organization and its supporters.
That frustration grew loud enough that changes were made this past offseason. But for many fans, words and structural adjustments aren’t enough. Proof is required.
The Weight on Brown’s Shoulder
That’s why this moment feels so significant.
Brown isn’t just another arm in the rotation, he is the rotation’s anchor. As the Astros’ ace, his health directly impacts the team’s ability to contend. His right shoulder now carries not only the hopes of a clubhouse, but the expectations of an entire fan base.
When the term “discomfort” is used in relation to an Astros injury, it doesn’t land lightly, it sends shock waves.
For Astros fans, it’s become something of a trigger word, one that has too often preceded news of something far more serious. Fair or not, “discomfort” has a history of evolving into injuries with major, long-term consequences.
Optimism vs. Skepticism
To this point, the messaging around Brown has been relatively optimistic. Early indications suggest the issue may not be serious and that his absence could be limited.
But optimism is being met with understandable skepticism.
Fans have heard similar reassurances before, only to watch timelines stretch and situations deteriorate. That lingering doubt is the direct result of past experiences, and it won’t disappear overnight.
A Defining Test for a New Era
This situation represents the first real test for the Astros’ revamped medical and communication approach.
Every department is under scrutiny when it comes to player injuries, from the physicians and training staff to the public relations team responsible for delivering updates. The expectation is simple: clarity, honesty, and accuracy.
If Brown’s situation is handled transparently, if the timeline matches reality and communication remains consistent, it could mark the beginning of a restored relationship between the organization and its fans.
If not, the skepticism will only deepen.
Actions Over Words
Ultimately, this isn’t just about one injury. It’s about credibility.
The Astros have said the right things and made necessary changes. Now comes the part that matters most: execution.
Because for fans, trust won’t be rebuilt through press releases or optimistic language. It will come from seeing words align with outcomes, from hearing a timeline and watching it hold true.
As the 2026 season unfolds, all eyes remain on Hunter Brown’s shoulder. But just as importantly, they’re on the Astros themselves.
This time, fans are watching and waiting, to see if they can finally believe again.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 05: Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) fields a ground ball during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals on April 05, 2026, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Nats pitching staff got absolutely clobbered this weekend against the Dodgers. Once upon a time, the Nats had a 3-1 record, but now after losing five straight, they are 3-6. However, they are finally facing a team that is not expected to be super competitive this year. This matchup with the Cardinals will be a good measuring stick for the Nats.
James Wood has been in the leadoff spot all season, a move that finally paid off yesterday, when he hit a two out three run homer. He is back in that position today. The Nats offense has really not been the problem at all. Luis Garcia Jr. and CJ Abrams both had great series this weekend. Daylen Lile was pretty quiet, but we know what he can do in the cleanup spot. Drew Millas and Jacob Young will be back in the lineup. The Nats will need a quality start from Zack Littell, who was great at going deep into the game last year.
Like the Nats, the Cardinals are a rebuilding team, and it shows in their lineup. Gone are guys like Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan. One new face to watch is JJ Wetherholt, who is hitting leadoff. Former top prospect Jordan Walker has had a strong start to the year, and is a very powerful bat. Andre Pallante will be on the mound for the Red Birds.
The Nats had such a great start, but the Dodgers series was a real reality check for this group. It was a disaster on the mound at Nats Park this weekend. Hopefully, the pitching staff can rebound against a less star-studded opponent. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 31: Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on March 31, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox stink so far, and as the Brewers come to town, they’re messing around with their lineup on Brayan Bello day against Brandon Woodruff tonight at 6:45:
Today’s lineup for Brewers @ Red Sox:
1. Roman Anthony LF 2. Masa Yoshida DH 3. Willson Contreras 1B 4. Wilyer Abreu RF 5. Trevor Story SS 6. Marcelo Mayer 2B 7. Caleb Durbin 3B 8. Carlos Narváez C 9. Ceddanne Rafaela CF
Jarren Duran hits the bench against a righty after a tuff start to the season for everyone involved, as Alex Cora hopes to get things rolling against the ace. For their part, the Brewers also submitted a lineup:
Yanno, in a league where there’s a player named Bryan (respect) Woo, I don’t think Woody, which is a perfect nickname, should get “Big Woo.” A big boo to that. And the start of the season. Hopefully mixing things up works out. It did for Stringer, after all.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 03: José Ramírez #11 of the Cleveland Guardians runs onto the field during player introductions before a home opener against the Chicago Cubs at Progressive Field on April 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
