Mar 3, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) delivers a pitch against Nicaragua during the fourth inning at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
According to Jon Heyman, the Mets will call up Craig Kimbrel before today’s game against the Athletics. Kimbrel, a 16-year veteran who was an All-Star with the Braves, Phillies, Cubs, and Red Sox, signed a minor league deal with the Mets in January. Kimbrel is currently fifth all time with 440 career saves, just ahead of former Mets Francisco Rodriguez (437), John Franco (424), and Billy Wagner (422).
In six spring training appearances with the Mets, Kimbrel struck out five, walked five, and put up a 4.50 ERA. Kimbrel made one appearance with Single-A St. Lucie this past week, throwing a scoreless, hitless, walkless, strikeout-less inning.
While Kimbrel has a storied career as one of the greatest relievers of the 21st century, no one is expecing that Kimbrel to be who the Mets get. But with both Richard Lovelady and Luis Garcia struggling mightily as of late, it is not surprising that the Mets would begin the fabled bullpen churn.
Over the course his career, Kimbrel has logged a 2.58 ERA in 821.2 innings, with 1,282 strikeouts and a 1.020 WHIP. He has 440 saves, which is the fifth most all-time, and a career 159 ERA+ that’s well above average for a reliever. He’s accumulated 22.7 bWAR in his career, on par with other top closers of his era like Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman.
A lot of that accumulation and excellence came earlier in his career, however, and Kimbrel has turned into a solid relief option instead of a feared closer. His first nine seasons in the major leagues produced some really tremendous work. He had a 1.80 ERA in 470.1 innings with 772 strikeouts, 291 saves, a 0.910 WHIP, and a 222 ERA+. In those nine seasons, he was worth 17.7 bWAR, won Rookie of the Year in 2011 with the Braves, made nine All-Star teams, finished top ten in Cy Young Award voting five times, and even received MVP votes from 2011 to 2013.
Since 2019, when he signed with the Cubs, he has put up a 3.83 ERA in 289 innings and earned just 107 of his career saves, less than a quarter of career total. He has just 414 strikeouts in that time with a 1.204 WHIP and a 110 ERA+, far below his usual dominance. He accumulated just 2.9 of his career WAR during that time as well.
Last year, he was somewhat effective in a limited role. In 12.0 innings with two different teams—the lion’s share being with the Astros—he had a 2.25 ERA with 17 strikeouts and a 1.417 WHIP. He didn’t get any saves, but he had a 197 ERA+ and accumulated 0.4 bWAR in such limited time. He might not have been a star closer, but in an admittedly extremely small sample, he was a good late inning relief option for the Astros down the stretch.
Apr 10, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Kris Bubic (50) pitches during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images
“I think being able to locate those in zone and get chase on them when you get ahead in counts (was key),” Bubic said.
“I think to be able to do both of those successfully was huge tonight. “I’m not a guy that’s pumping upper 90s or something like that. But that enabled me to get through those middle innings and get some quick outs there.”
Case in point: Bubic struck out White Sox leadoff hitter Chase Meidroth three times Friday night. The first came on a sweeper – that Perez correctly challenged as a strike – and the next two on sliders.
“The spin can play to both righties and lefties,” Bubic said. “… Just pairing both of those spin to righties with the sweeper early, being able to steal strikes with that, and then finishing with a fastball up or a gyro slider down below. The pairing was really good there, and the mix was really good.”
All I can do at this moment is remind you that we aren’t even 10 percent of the way into the season. Andy Pages has a .438 on base percentage. Aaron Judge has a .488 slugging percentage. These things are going to change a great deal between now and the end of the season. The Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox each have just four wins. They are better than this.
The Royals are supposed to be better than what we’ve seen this week.
The angst is understandable. Scars run deep and we’ve seen plenty to scare a normal person completely off baseball. Some of the action we’ve seen this year—again, especially this week—has been dull and uninspired. Yet the season is young. The story is still being written. That’s why I’m here; that’s why I chronicle this team. I want to see how it ends.
Just two balls even left the infield against Chourio, both coming as flyouts in the second. Despite throwing a first-pitch strike to just six batters, the Royals’ No. 3 prospect finished with a 64.4 percent strike rate (38 of 59). Righty Jhon Reyes and lefty Jordan Woods combined to finish off the shutout, allowing a lone single as a blemish on their marks.
It marks Chourio’s second career start in which he retired every batter he faced, coincidentally having done so against Myrtle Beach on Aug. 14, 2025. Only four members of the Pelicans’ lineup were the same this go-round, with a whole new batch finding out the hard way what Carolina League batters have learned in short order: Chourio’s stuff is legit.
Chourio’s delivery is simple and repeatable, his lean frame athletic and increasingly strong. He commands the strike zone with a poise and confidence that belies his youth. That command, combined with his velocity and movement, gives him a profile that could project as a frontline starter if he continues on this trajectory. Advanced metrics show that Chourio’s season pitching percentiles include below-average wOBA (40th percentile), strikeout rate (55th percentile), whiff rate (31st percentile), CSW percent (40th percentile), swing percent (26th percentile), and SwStr percent (42nd percentile) per FanGraphs. However, he posted a strong ground-ball rate in the 80th percentile and an excellent walk rate in the 74th percentile, at just 7.1 percent, highlighting his ability to control the strike zone and keep hitters on the ground.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 10: The bat on the Ichiro Suzuki statue is broken during the unveiling of the Ichiro Suzuki statue before the game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on April 10, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning folks! I hope you’re all having a pleasant Saturday.
The Mariners partied on Friday night, taking down the Astros in an offense-happy affair 9-6.
Believe it or not, Cole Young remains the Mariners’ top position player so far by fWAR. Do you believe in his performance so far? On the one hand, he’s looked very mature as a 22-year old and is playing stellar defense. On the other, he’s got jut a .294 xwOBA.
In Mariners news…
In case you missed it, the Ichiro statue unveiling went wrong when the statue’s bat broke during the big reveal.
Major League Baseball introduced a new all-access YouTube series called “Chasing 162” which will follow Julio Rodríguez and Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong in their chase to stay healthy all season long.
Aaron Goldsmith talked about how Randy Arozarena being in a contract year could make things difficult for the Mariners when they call up Colt Emerson.
Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Enrique Bradfield Jr. singlehandedly delivered the Tides a comeback win, driving in all four Norfolk runs — two in the seventh and two in the eighth — to fry the Jumbo Shrimp. For much of the game, the Norfolk lineup was absolutely dominated by Jacksonville starter Robby Snelling, the Marlins’ #2 prospect, who racked up 12 strikeouts in his five scoreless innings. But they rallied against the bullpen. In the seventh, Bradfield socked a game-tying, two-run homer, a 376-foot shot to right. It was Bradfield’s first of the year and just the eighth of his professional career, an impressive bit of power for a guy not known for his pop.
An inning later, Bradfield came up again with the bases loaded in a tie game, and lined a sharp single to center to plate two runners. What a day at the plate for Enrique, who can fast-track his arrival to the majors if he’s able to show this kind of offense on a more consistent basis. No other Tides hitter had a particularly notable day, and Jackson Holliday wasn’t in the lineup.
Starter Nestor German held the Jumbo Shrimp to one run in 4.2 innings in his third start of the year, and four relievers combined to allow just one (unearned) run. Chayce McDermott and Andrew Magno each worked a scoreless frame with two strikeouts. A rehabbing Kyle Stowers was 0-for-3 against his former team.
The Baysox busted out the bats with their first double-digit run total of the season. Nearly everyone in the lineup contributed. Seven of the nine batters had a hit, seven of nine had an RBI, and seven of nine scored a run. First baseman Ethan Anderson went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, Carter Young hit a three-run homer, and Aron Estrada swatted a solo shot. The Baysox also went 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position. You’re going to win a lot of games that way.
The ample run support boosted starting pitcher Luis De León, who gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits in five innings. It was a solid if unremarkable effort from the Orioles’ top pitching prospect. Three Chesapeake relievers allowed a run apiece but each also struck out three.
High-A: Frederick Keys 3, Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox) 2
Joseph Dzierwa is good, y’all. The 2025 second-round pick delivered an excellent seven-inning start, giving up six hits, striking out three, and walking nobody. He has a 1.38 ERA in his first two pro starts after a standout showing in spring training. The Keys assured Dzierwa wouldn’t be left with a no-decision by scoring the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth on a Braylin Tavera RBI double.
Cleanup man Victor Figueroa powered a two-run homer to account for Frederick’s other runs. Wehiwa Aloy went 2-for-4 while Nate George took an 0-for-4 from the leadoff spot, though he did have an outfield assist. Ike Irish did not play. In the bullpen, Hans Crouse and Ryan Cabarcas each worked a scoreless inning to preserve the one-run victory.
Low-A: Augusta GreenJackets (Braves) 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 3
A Delmarva loss prevented the Orioles affiliates from pulling off a clean sweep on this night. It was a tie game entering the seventh before Augusta plated two runs in the sixth and another pair in the eighth. Shorebirds starter Brayan Orrantia gave up three runs in 3.1 innings, and reliever Dalton Neuschwander was tagged with the loss in his professional debut, allowing two runs. Neuschwander was the Orioles’ 10th-round pick last year.
The Shorebirds’ runs were driven in by Jordan Sanchez, on an RBI double, and DJ Layton, on a bunt single. Designated hitter Junior Aybar led the team with two hits, including a double.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 10: JP Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates the two-run home run hit by Randy Arozarena #56 during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on April 10, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees dropped their series opener against the Rays on Friday, officially creating their first losing streak of the season with their third straight loss. It’s been a reversal of fate in the last week or so, as the team’s bats have gone from doing enough to support their stellar pitching staff to barely managing to get multiple hits in a night. That has enabled their rivals to gain back ground after the Yanks jumped ahead of the pack, and the same was true last night.
Toronto Blue Jays (6-7) 10, Minnesota Twins (7-7) 4
Patrick Corbin’s Blue Jays debut didn’t get off to a great start, as the Twins jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first thanks to Ryan Jeffers launching a three-run shot. However, that was as good as it got for Minnesota — they got four hits in the other eight innings, and only one of them helped out with a Brooks Lee solo shot in the fourth getting them their only other run.
On the other side, Toronto was dormant for the first three innings but exploded in the fourth. Three of the first four batters to step to the plate hit doubles, plating two of them, and then Andrés Giménez singled to make it 4-3 Twins. Brandon Valenzuela tipped the scales with a two-run shot — his first career homer — to give the Blue Jays the lead for good and capped off the five-run frame, and from there Toronto scored at least a run in every other inning that they batted in.
St. Louis Cardinals (8-5) 3, Boston Red Sox (4-9) 2
The Red Sox acquired Dustin May at the deadline last year from the Dodgers in a trade that has infamously gone south fast, as the main get for LA in James Tibbs III has been on a tear in the minors since, and then May pitched to the tune of a 5.40 ERA in all of six appearances for the Sox. May became a free agent and signed with St. Louis over the offseason, and just to rub salt in the wound turned around and held them down in his first time facing off with them since the move. He pitched six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) with four hits and no walks against four strikeouts. All of the damage came in the fourth inning, when Trevor Story grounded into an RBI and later managed to steal home on a double steal.
The Cardinals scored the first run of the game back in the second inning, getting a leadoff double from Ramón Urías and eventually a sacrifice fly to bring him home. The fifth inning was when they managed to take the lead back after Connelly Early exited with one out, Zack Kelly entering in relief and immediately causing a jam. He gave up a single to Jordan Walker and walked Urías, surrendered another single to Thomas Saggese that tied the game at two, fired off a wild pitch and then allowed a sac fly to fall behind 3-2. The inning mercifully ended on a Pedro Pagés fly out, but Boston mustered just one hit the rest of the way and failed to score them.
Tatsuya Imai has had a very Jekyll and Hyde beginning to his MLB career, debuting with a clunker of a game against the Angels before rebounding with 5.2 shutout innings against the A’s. The pendulum swung back to terrible, and the results were extreme — he failed to escape the first inning, letting the first five batters reach on three walks, a single, and a hit-by-pitch. A groundout exchanged a third run in the inning for the second out of the frame, but another walk forced Joe Espada’s hand and he relieved his starter after recording just two outs. Imai’s ERA is a gaudy 7.27 now, something that surely would’ve gone over well in New York had the Yankees landed him.
Surprisingly, the Astros managed to get him off the hook for the loss immediately despite the short start. Houston scored three runs of their own in the second, loading the bases with no outs before Emerson Hancock battled back to get two consecutive outs. However, he needed three, and Christian Vázquez doubled instead to clear the bases.
So, with the score knotted at three again the Mariners needed another jolt from an offense that has been fairly dormant thus far, especially the top of their order. Randy Arozarena is one of the few bats that has been turning it on, and he broke out with a two-run shot in the fifth inning to take the lead back for good.
The seventh inning put the nail in Houston’s coffin, as they put up a four-spot to triple their lead. Dominic Canzone smashed a double to the wall in right field to get the scoring started, a wild pitch brought home a second, J.P. Crawford got a much-needed hit to score the third run and raise his batting average to .150 on the year, and Cal Raleigh capped off the rally with a groundout to plate the fourth run. Yordan Alvarez did launch a three-run missile to cut the deficit in half in the eighth, setting up a tense ninth inning when Andrés Muñoz walked two batters to bring the tying run to the plate. Jeremy Peña couldn’t convert, however, grounding out as Muñoz picked up his first save of the year.
Other Games
Detroit Tigers (5-9) 2, Miami Marlins (8-6) 0: The Tigers have hardly been inspirational to start the year, but they got a much-needed gem from Keider Montero to lead the way in a shutout. He pitched six innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven while his offense converted three-straight singles into a run in the second and Javier Báez managed to pull a ball placed near the bottom of the other batter’s box out to left field for a solo shot in the fifth. He may strike out a ton on that very same pitch, but at least he proved he can do damage to that pitch if he ever makes contact.
Atlanta Braves (9-5) 11, Cleveland Guardians (8-6) 5: For a time, Cleveland looked to be in good position to win this game. They managed to chase Bryce Elder from the game in the fifth inning after working a pair of walks and punching an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead, but it all came crashing down in a disastrous sixth inning. Ronald Acuña Jr. led off with a homer, Matt Olson followed up with a two-run shot two batters later, Dominic Smith punched a run in on a single, and then Michael Harris Jr. fulfilled the rule of thirds with another home run to bring six total runs in across the inning. The floodgates opened from there, Atlanta scoring two runs in the seventh and eighth innings each, while Cleveland mustered up three in the eighth but could do no more than that.
NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 16: Eric Hartman #64 of the Atlanta Braves singles in the seventh inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hartman continued his strong offensive start to the season for the Emperors despite the loss.
It took some late inning magic and a bit of luck, but Gwinnett managed to get the win by walking off Nashville on Friday to move up to three games over .500 on the season.
Eliser Hernandez got the start on the mound for the Stripers and while he wasn’t exactly dominant, it was enough to keep Gwinnett in the game long enough for them to battle back-and-forth.
Across 5.2 innings of work, Hernandez managed to work around scattering six hits and issuing three walks on the night while holding Nashville to just two earned runs on his part.
One pitching performance to highlight on the night was Rolddy Munoz who tossed a scoreless outing in his 1.1 innings, while striking out three in the process. Through five appearances this season, Munoz has tossed 7.2 innings while striking out seven, while opponents are batting just .120 against him thus far.
It’s a smaller sample size, but encouraging nonetheless from the 25-year-old as he looks to try and break through into the big league bullpen.
At the dish, Gwinnett got several key contributions en route to the win.
Aaron Schunk continued his hot start to the season as he launched his third homer of the season on Friday — a two-run shot to extend the Gwinnett lead to 4-0 in the third — while raising his OPS on the season to .936 as well.
Tied at 5-5 headed into the bottom of the ninth, Ben Gamel reached on an error before coming around to score eventually on a wild pitch, walking things off for Gwinnett.
In other offensive performances, Jose Azocar laced a double on the night while Jim Jarvis also notched a base hit and scored a run as well in the Stripers’ win.
Columbus improved to 3-4 on the young season as the Clingstones rode a solid starting pitching performance and a handful of key offensive contributions in the process.
On the mound, Garrett Baumann managed to work around three earned runs and six hits to produce six innings of work while striking out five and walking two. While it wasn’t his best, it’s a right sight better than Baumann’s first start of the year in which he gave up nine runs (seven earned) in just 3.1 innings of work.
Hopefully it’s just earlt season jitters or something of that nature for Baumann, who is expected to take a significant leap this season.
At the plate, Cal Conley had a bit of a rare night in the sense that he laced not one, but two triples on the night while driving in one of Columbus’ six runs on the night.
A triple from Conley brings Kilpatrick Jr. home! 🤩
In addition to Conley, Ambioris Tavarez continued his solid start to the season at the plate on Friday as well.
Going 2-3 with a run scored and a walk to his credit, Tavarez improved his OPS to 1.071 on the season. While we’ve emphasized that it’s extremely early in the season and a smaller sample size, it’s incredibly encouraging to see Tavarez make significant strides at the plate and show a much more mature approach thus far.
(3-4) Rome Emperors 4, (5-2) Bowling Green Hot Rods 6
Rome fell short against Bowling Green on Friday, losing by a 6-4 final despite a handful of key offensive performances from Emperor batters.
Cam Caminiti got the start for Rome and while he didn’t have his best stuff — as he scattered six hits and allowed two earned runs across six innings while striking out six — he managed to keep Rome relatively in the game for the most part.
Caminiti’s biggest issue so far in this early season is that he has been hit around quite a bit. In 9.2 innings, the southpaw has given up nine hits, including a homer, while opponents are batting .250 against him so far. The good news is that he has only issued two walks on the year, so hopefully he’s able to limit the damage in terms of hits and homers and he’ll be able to build off that moving forward.
Offensively, Rome got key performances from the usual suspects as John Gil launched his second homer of the year and Eric Hartman put up a marquee night as he laced a double and a homer to raise his OPS to a team-high 1.037 on the season to this point.
Augusta got one game closer to .500 on the season on Friday as the GreenJackets rode a solid pitching performance from Ethan Bagwell to a win.
Across seven innings of work, Bagwell did scatter seven hits, but managed to limit the damage to just three earned runs on the night while striking out five and walking not one batter. Through two starts, Bagwell has shown excellent command as he has walked just one batter in 13 innings pitched, while striking out 11 and allowing just the three runs.
It will be interesting to see how Atlanta handles Bagwell and his progression, as he will most likely be ready for a promotion to Rome by the end of May if not sooner.
At the plate, Augusta got a surprise performance out of catcher Tanner Smith, who homered and drove in a pair of runs on the night while Connor Essenburg continues to impress as the 2025 draftee tripled and drove home a run in the process for Augusta on Friday.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 10: James Wood #29 of the Washington Nationals hits an RBI double in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on April 10, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ladies and gentleman, James Wood is all the way back. After a rough second half and a concerning first couple series, the big fella is back to absolutely destroying baseball. I have to say, I’ve got to eat some crow on this. I said the Nats had a James Wood problem, and it turns out the other 29 teams are the ones with a James Wood problem.
Anyone saying the James Wood problem isn't real is lying to themselves
In my defense, I was not the only one concerned. After a rough finish to last season, which saw him strike out nearly 40% of the time in the second half, there was reason to be concerned. However, at the end of the day, raw talent usually wins out. Everyone knew the talent level of Wood, it was just frustrating to see him not put it together after his amazing first half.
So what has gotten Wood back on track? The biggest thing I have seen is that Wood is hunting mistakes. For a while, Wood was simply too passive at the plate. He was letting too many meatballs just whiz by him into the strikezone. Right now though, you cannot sneak a heater by this guy.
Wood has clearly been in the lab with Matt Borgschulte working on his approach at the plate. During Blake Butera’s press conferences when Wood was struggling, he kept mentioning how Wood told him his swing was feeling great. That felt odd to me at the time, but now it makes sense. Wood did not have a swing problem, he had an approach problem.
He and Borgschulte have figured out the right balance between patience and aggression. Right now, Wood is just hunting fastballs and spitting on the breaking stuff. He is also hammering balls to center and left center, which is what Wood does when he is at his best.
The Nats have had a lot of great hitters over the years, but I am not sure any of them have quite the same amount of raw horsepower that Wood does. Last night, he hit two balls over 115 MPH. In the first inning, he hit an absolute laser on a line that almost carried out of the deepest part of American Family Field.
This kind of power is why he was a part of the Home Run Derby last year. Ironically, that event seemed to mess with his swing, so I don’t think he will be going back anytime soon. Wood being slightly hot and cold makes sense given his size and age. He is a massive dude who has plenty of moving parts to his swing.
That makes it frustrating when he is not on his game. However, when all those parts are moving well, it is like watching a beautiful symphony of destruction. Right now, his mishits are going about 100 MPH off the bat.
Seeing Wood when he is locked in makes his struggles even more frustrating. He is such a talented player, who has bat to ball skills when he is on his game. Wood has just three strikeouts compared to four walks in his last five games. This is not a Joey Gallo type that just misses at an insane clip. He works deep counts and can be passive when he is off, which can lead to strikeouts.
There is some pure hitting ability here though. His quality of contact and line drive approach means his average will never get that low either. Even after his disastrous second half, Wood still had a respectable .256 average. When he is right, Wood is not just a one dimensional slugger.
This heater is insane to watch. The big fella has four straight multi-hit games. He is also the only player with multiple batted balls over 116 mph so far this season. His 24.3% barrel rate and 59.5% hard hit rate are absolutely bonkers.
James Wood has 4 hits tonight.
⚾️ 9 for his last 17 at plate ⚾️ AVG up to .268 ⚾️ OPS is up to .930 ⚾️ Now has 11 RBI in just 13 games ⚾️ Only player in MLB with two balls hit 116 MPH
After his strikeout heavy start to the season, Wood has managed to get his strikeout rate below 30%. That 30% mark feels like a magic number for him. With how big he is, there will always be strikeouts and that is fine. However, he can still be an elite hitter with a k% in the high 20’s. Once it gets to 30%, things start to get dicey for him. Right now, he is not even in the top 10 for number of strikeouts.
It is great to see that number get under control because we all know what Wood does when he makes contact with the ball. I would argue that Wood has the best opposite field power in baseball. He makes ballparks look small and hits balls out at crazy low trajectories.
For a lot of players, they need to tap into their pull side to hit for power. However, that is not the case for Wood. He is at his best when he is thinking about going the other way. Wood is such a physical freak that he can hit balls out to left field like a right handed pull hitter. His air pull percentage is 2.7%, and do you know what, that is fine by me.
When you have outlier power like Wood does, just do what makes you comfortable. For Wood to take the next step and become a 50 home run guy like Aaron Judge, he may need to pull it more, but he is 23, there is plenty of time for that.
For now, it is great to see Wood exhibiting a confident approach at the plate. At the end of last year and the beginning of this year, he was constantly on the defensive. Now, he is taking the initiative and putting pitchers on the back foot. When James Wood is doing that, he is one of the best hitters in baseball.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 10: Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas #5 celebrates in the dugout during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 10th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Diamondbacks News
Diamondbacks Mount Four-Run Comeback to Take Game One in Philly Michael Soroka had his first clunker of the year, but he still managed to limit the damage after a four-run first inning to keep the team in the game. Then, the Diamondbacks went to work on Philadelphia’s bullpen.
Diamondbacks Five-Run Fifth Powers Comeback Victory Michael Soroka gave up four runs in the first inning while battling control issues. Then, Gabriel Moreno was lifted in the third inning for a mysterious injury. Fans of the team would be forgiven if they decided to tune out and go watch something else. But then, the Diamondbacks shut down Philadelphia for eight innings and threw up a big inning of their own in the fifth.
What the Mets Series Win Says About the Snakes Eduardo Rodriguez and Jose Fernandez are making lots of noise and the Snakes are finding ways to win even with an ice-cold Marte and without Corbin Carroll.
Top-Five Up-the-Middle Defenses in MLB With honourable mentions, the list extends to seven teams and yet, somehow Arizona still doesn’t make the cut. Seems a bit suspect to me.
The Mets are calling up veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel, as first reported by The New York Post's Jon Heyman.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Friday that there wasn't a timeline for the right-hander to join the Mets or if he had any opt-outs in his deal, but calling him up was a possibility.
"We continue to believe he can help us this year; he wants to help us," Stearns said. "We have a stable pen so far. We haven’t made a move, but eventually we will. He’s certainly a candidate when we have an opportunity."
The Mets signed the veteran to a minor league deal with an MLB camp invite in late January. He made six appearances during the spring, allowing three runs on four hits (two home runs) over six innings. The 37-year-old issued five walks with five strikeouts.
After breaking camp, Kimbrel pitched a 1-2-3 inning at Single-A St. Lucie with a strikeout on Thursday.
"Craig threw the ball well yesterday. That was very good to see," Stearns said.
This season for Kimbrel will be his 17th season in professional baseball. He appeared in just 14 big league games last year, allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 12 innings pitched, after signing a minor league deal and spending the majority of his time at Triple-A. The right-hander did strike out 17 of the 49 batters he faced with seven walks while pitching for Atlanta (once) and Houston (13 times).
He pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 1.051 WHIP across 39 innings over 42 minor league appearances last season. He tallied 51 strikeouts to 21 walks.
Kimbrel's last full major league season came in 2024 with Baltimore, and it did not go well for him as he was designated for assignment in late September after losing his spot as the closer. In 57 appearances with the Orioles, he pitched to a 5.33 ERA and 1.357 WHIP over 52.1 innings with 73 strikeouts to 31 walks. He had 23 saves in 29 opportunities.
When the Cubs decided to largely run it back with a team that pushed the Brewers to their limits before falling just short of the NLCS, one might have hoped it would have been relatively smooth sailing for this team in 2026. This looked, on paper, to be a top 10 team in baseball. I had them pegged a clear cut below the best teams, but comfortably in the second tier of teams. Nothing has been easy and they have not, in any way, appeared to be a top 10 team.
In reality, this team has looked decidedly middle of the pack. Or perhaps a bit below. Of their six opportunities to date to be .500, they have been .500 five times. On Saturday, they’ll have their seventh opportunity to be at .500. Hopefully, they succeed again. A 50/50 record, in this instance, is better than the alternative.
So far, this team is hit or miss. The team has scored 39 runs in their six wins (6.5 runs/game). They have just 17 runs in their seven losses (2.43 runs/game). This team has already been shut out twice and scored only one run twice (winning one). They were shut out 10 times all of last year and held under two a total of 28 times. The results have been stratified and there has been very little offensive consistency, Hopefully, the return of Seiya Suzuki will give them a boost.
This one was all the more unfortunate because Shōta Imanaga was lights out. He faced 19 batters and struck out nine of them. He allowed no hits and just a single walk. You might recall that once before Imanaga started a game where the Pirates got no hits against Cubs pitching. I remember that one as I was driving home from a Rays game and listened to the last few outs of that game. It isn’t often that you can go into a game with a split of 0.35 ERA (career against the Pirates) and actually lower that number. It was that kind of day for him.
Unfortunately, the bats let him down and he has nothing to show for it.
Three Positives:
Arguably Imanaga was so positive that all of the other performances pale in comparison.
Ian Happ had a pair of singles and drew a walk.
Carson Kelly had three walks and a single. The Cubs actually had six hits and drew seven walks and were held scoreless.
Honorable mention to Ethan Roberts (4 batters faced, 4 outs recorded) and Riley Martin (3 batters faced, 3 outs). They gave the Cubs every opportunity to come from behind.
Game 13, April 10: Pirates 2, Cubs 0 (6-7)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
Billy Goat: Caleb Thielbar (-.307). 0.2 IP, 5 BF, 3 H, 0 BB, 2 ER, 0 K (L 1-1)
Goat: Pete Crow-Armstong (-.214). 0-4, DP
Kid: Matt Shaw (-.185). 0-2
WPA Play of the Game: Bryan Reynolds batted with a runner on first and no outs in the seventh. He homered, breaking a scoreless tie. (.264)
*Cubs Play of the Game: Ian Happ batted with a runner on first and no outs in the sixth. He singled, setting up a golden opportunity. (.075)
Cubs Player of the Game: Imanaga, Kelly, Happ, other
Game 12 winner: Nico Hoerner 105-86 over Colin Rea (219 total votes)
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Edward Cabrera +6
Nico Hoerner/Ian Happ (+1 today)/Carson Kelly (+2) : +5
Phil Maton/Pete Crow-Armstrong (-2): -6
Matt Shaw -7 (-1)
Alex Bregman -7 (-3)
Up Next: Game two of the three game series. Edward Cabrera (1-0, 0.00, 11.2 IP) gets his third Cub start. He’s been superb so far. 26-year-old right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft (1-1, 2.25, 12 IP) also makes his third start. His two previous starts were at home. In 2025, he was better away (2.45 ERA) than at home (3.00). But he only had a total of 69.2 big league innings last year. In 11 innings across three appearances last year, he allowed four runs (three in one 9/15 outing).
Let’s hope Cabrera is able to continue his dominance and the Cub bats break through.
FYI: I am on vacation for the next week. Heroes and Goats will continue to run, but you can expect me to be a bit more brief and the timing could be a little different. I appreciate your patience with us in advance.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Gavin Sheets #30 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a walk-off 3-run home run in the ninth inning during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on April 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Walker Buehler has had an uneven start to his tenure with the San Diego Padres. After two starts Buehler had only accumulated 6.2 innings pitched with seven runs allowed on eight hits with five walks and seven strikeouts. With Griffin Canning and Matt Waldron building up in an effort to return to the MLB roster after their respective rehab assignments, Buehler and German Marquez could be playing for respective spots in the San Diego rotation. Buehler pitched that way against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on Friday night.
Buehler had his best performance since he joined the Padres on a minor-league deal in the offseason. He completed six innings and allowed just three hits. He did not allow a run or a walk and recorded four strikeouts. Buehler walked off the mound with a 2-0 lead and was in line for his first win with San Diego, but reliever Adrian Morejon gave up two runs, and the game was tied 2-2 when the Padres came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Gavin Sheets hit a one-out three-run home run that won the game for San Diego and extended their most recent win streak to three games. The start by Buehler was critical in providing the Padres bullpen some respite after the 12-inning game the night before. The home run by Sheets, his second of the night, ensured San Diego did not have to play extra innings on back-to-back nights.
San Diego and Colorado will meet in Game 3 of their series at Petco Park, today at 5:40 p.m.
It was a busy week on the road for the Padres as they left Petco Park for the hostile crowds of Fenway Park in Boston and PNC Park in Pittsburgh. San Diego showed its resolve, finning four of the six games before returning to Petco Park to host Colorado.
Padres closer Mason Miller refuses to give up runs, in fact he does not give up hits either. The right-hander struck out all three batters he faced en route to the win over the Rockies on Friday night.
Former Padres farmhand Brandon Valenzuela hit his first MLB home run as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Four UCLA pitchers combined for 30 strikeouts against Rutgers. The UCLA starter, Logan Reddemann, accounted for 18 of the 30 strikeouts int the contest.
Brandon Pfaadt gets the ball for Arizona, and he’s compiled a 6.75 ERA so far. The righty allowed a run in the first inning in his last start vs. Atlanta, and while the Phillies lost 5-4 on Friday, they scored all four runs in the first.
As for the D-Backs, they’re up against Taijuan Walker, and he has an ERA over 9.00 so far. He’s given up seven first-inning runs across his first two starts, allowing three to the Rockies and four to the Nationals.
Time: 1:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FS1
Marlins at Tigers: NRFI (-135)
The Miami Marlins send Janson Junk to the mound today, and he’s looked solid so far. The righty has a 3.09 ERA and a perfect 2-0 NRFI record.
Junk has come out and found a rhythm early, and that will be key against a Detroit Tigers team that has scored six times in the first this season.
As for the Tigers, Casey Mize takes the hill, and he also has a 2-0 NRFI record through two outings. It’s important to note that Miami’s lineup has never faced Mize outside of Otto Lopez, and they’ve only scored once in the first inning in this young 2026 season.
Time: 1:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marlins.TV, DSN
White Sox at Royals: NRFI (-120)
We’re looking at two teams who have struggled immensely at the dish in the first.
The Chicago White Sox are hitting just .140 in the opening inning, and they’ve had five NRFI. They’re also up against Michael Wacha, who has a 0.69 ERA so far, and has yet to allow a run in the first.
As for the Kansas City Royals, they have 14 NRFI this year and are struggling to get it going offensively out of the gates. White Sox starter Erick Fedde also owns a 1-0 NRFI record.
Both of these clubs are towards the bottom of the majors in overall runs scored as well.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN+, Royals.TV
What is a NRFI bet?
NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) bets add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI bet is a wager that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're betting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.
A YRFI bet is the exact opposite. You're betting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.
NRFI and YRFI bets add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for bettors looking for a quick resolution.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 04: Starter Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Chase Field on April 04, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hey, we saw a mix of Good Bryce Elder and Bad Bryce Elder last night. He was pretty decent outside of the home run through four innings. Then he was unable to muddle through the fifth inning. He left despite only throwing 76 pitches (huh, did we even see that last year).
I’m encouraged by the start of the year. Elder looks much more comfortable on the mound. He’s living up in the zone with fastballs, low with sliders, and pretty well on the corner he has too. I’m intrigued by the cutter, but I think he has more work to do with it.
So are you a Bryce Elder truther? Is he on a collision course with the All-Star Game again? I’ll have more about Bryce next week. But for now, I’ll paraphrase Michael Kelso: I think he is okay. There’s a fine line between like and love. But the line between league-average and 125 ERA-, that’s not fine at all.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 10: Clay Holmes #35 of the New York Mets leaves the game against the Athletics in the sixth inning at Citi Field on April 10, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets were shut out again, losing to the A’s 4-0 in a game which saw the Mets’ scoreless streak extend to 17 innings and their losing streak extend to three games to put them at .500 for the season. Clay Holmes was excellent, but unfortunately was forced to leave the game early due to hamstring tightness with the Mets down 1-0 in the sixth. The Mets’ best chance to score was in the bottom of the sixth when they had first and third and nobody out, but Francisco Lindor ran into an out on the base paths and Luis Robert Jr. grounded into a double play to quash the rally. Tobias Myers relieved Holmes and was also good until the ninth inning, in which yielded three runs of insurance as he ran out of gas, which effectively ended the game, given the Mets’ ineptitude offensively.
Jorge Polanco says his Achilles is feeling a lot better and he won’t need a stint on the injured list after all.
When addressing the media yesterday, David Stearns said that there have been no discussions about sending Carson Benge down to Triple-A, despite his slow start.
He also covered a few other tidbits: Juan Soto won’t be out long with his calf injury, Criag Kimbrel is an option for the bullpen at some point, Sean Manaea is “going to make a bunch of starts for us this year,” and the Mets still have confidence in David Peterson, despite his recent struggles.
A.J. Minter made a rehab appearance for the St. Lucie Mets on Thursday night and pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout. He is still on track for a late April or early May return.
Tommy Pham, who the Mets signed to a minor league deal recently, also played in that game for St. Lucie and should move up to Triple-A Syracuse soon as he ramps up.
It would be nice to see a retractable roof at Citi Field, but the price tag is very steep, writes Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Around the National League East
A six-run sixth inning propelled the Braves—donning their new powder blue City Connects—to an 11-5 victory over the Guardians in which they hit three home runs.
The Phillies put up four runs in the first inning, but yielded five runs in the fifth in a 5-4 loss to the Diamondbacks. Michael Soroka had a shaky start, but ultimately struck out ten Phillies in 5 2/3 innings to earn the victory for the Diamondbacks.
The Marlins were blanked by the Tigers 2-0, as Keider Montero pitched six shutout innings for Detroit.
Is the Marlins’ hot start sustainable? Mark Feinsand of MLB.com takes a deep dive on the Marlins, as well as the Pirates and Rockies, who are both also off to unexpectedly good starts.
The Nationals piled on the insurance runs late en route to a 7-3 victory over the Brewers in Milwaukee.
Though James Wood is the Nationals’ most obvious extension candidate of their young players, outfielder Daylen Lile, who had a very impressive rookie campaign, may be easier and cheaper to extend. However, “the Nationals have yet to broach Lile with an extension offer,” reports Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic.
Around Major League Baseball
The Denver Broncos owners have purchased a 40% ownership stake in the Colorado Rockies.
You may have heard that the White Sox are doing a pope hat promotional item as a tribute to Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and longtime White Sox fan. So great is the anticipation for this giveaway, which has become a viral internet sensation, that the White Sox have expanded the promotion to all fans attending the August 11th game, rather than just fans who purchased specialty theme night tickets.
The Mariners had a, uh, mishap at the Ichiro Suzuki honorary statue unveiling yesterday.
Max Muncy launched his third homer of the night to lift the Dodgers to an 8-7 walk-off win against the Rangers, overcoming a blown save by Edwin Díaz. That walk-off blast has elevated Muncy to sixth on the all-time Dodgers home run leaderboard and he has hit the third-most home runs of any Dodger since the team moved to Los Angeles. Also notable from last night’s game in LA: Shohei Ohtani passed Ichiro Suzuki for the longest on-base streak by a Japanese-born player when he reached base in his 44th straight game.
“This is not my standard. Results-wise, yeah, it’s unacceptable for me, and I will be better. I know that. But yeah, it’s not fun,” Pete Alonso, who is 3-for-32 over his past eight games since he took Jacob deGrom deep, said. “I know, for me, if I’m not producing in big spots with guys on base, it’s not good for the team. I will be better. I feel bad. A lot of people believe in me, and I believe in myself, but I’m not delivering results. I will. I just haven’t. But I will.”
Jeffrey Paternostro of Baseball Prospectus put the spotlight on Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt and how he has performed in the majors so far compared to his projections as a prospect.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Vasilis Drimalitis previewed this weekend series between the Mets and A’s.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 10: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts after striking out to end the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 10, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles debut of their new City Connect jerseys on Friday night did not go great, ending in a 6-3 loss to the visiting San Francisco Giants. That scoreline is kind to the Orioles. They were down 6-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth and were only saved by a Gunnar Henderson two-run homer. Make no mistake, it was an ugly game.
The middle of the Orioles lineup is killing them. Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo went a combined 0-for-6 with two strikeouts and two walks. They both have a season OPS that starts with a “5”. It’s a problem without an easy solution. Basallo is young enough that you can move him down in the lineup for a while with little recourse. Alonso, on the other hand, is a proven veteran early into his tenure with the team. Craig Albernaz might need to take his temperature in order to determine the best approach. But something has to change.
At least Adley Rutschman had yet another impressive day at the plate. The catcher went 3-for-5 with two doubles. He is now batting .294 with an .856 OPS. Is he all the way back to his old self? It sure looks like it.
Shane Baz was…OK. Yet again, the starter made it through five innings, but he also allowed three runs on nine hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. He gave up a decent amount of hard contact too. His season ERA increased from 4.09 to 4.50. We are all waiting for the flamethrower to have a signature, dominant outing. It didn’t come on Friday night.
But that might have been alright if reliever Nick Raquet had been better in his Orioles debut. The 30-year-old allowed three runs on two hits, a walk, and a home run. Yennier Cano and Albert Suárez combined for three shutout innings in the other frames that the bullpen had to cover.
The O’s are back on national television tonight. This time it’s on Fox, a channel that everyone should be able to access. Maybe Chris Bassitt can finally have a major league-caliber outing in an Orioles uniform? They could use it. First pitch is 7:15.
Links
Frustrated by slow start to O’s career, Alonso vows to be better soon | MLB.com While there is more than one hole in the Orioles offense, it does feel like Alonso is THE guy that they really need more from. The top of the order is getting on base at a fine rate. They need the guys in the middle to drive them in, and right now Alonso is not getting it done.
O’s players react to new City Connect uniforms: ‘They rock’ | MLB.com Although not universal, it does seem like most outlets think that the Orioles’ new City Connects are the best of the new bunch. I have to say that I like certain elements. My biggest grip is with the “BMORE” script. I would have preferred “Charm City,” and maybe a different font. I also think the bird perched on the “R” doesn’t really fit the rest of the outfit. But it’s a solid effort overall.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Alejandro De Aza turns 42 today. He was a late-season addition to the 2014 O’s, and stuck around for a bit in 2015 as well. In total he played in only 50 regular season games for Baltimore between the two seasons.
Steve Scarsone is 60 years old. The infielder played in 11 games for the 1992 Orioles.
The late Willie Royster (b. 1954, d. 2015) was born on this day. His only big league experience came on the 1981 O’s, playing in four games.
A posthumous celebration for Art Quirk (b. 1937, d. 2014), who was born on this day. The southpaw tossed 27.1 innings for the Orioles in 1962.
This day in O’s history
1961 – The Los Angeles Angels play their first game in franchise history, which happens to be a 7-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
2002 – The Orioles set a pair of single-inning team records, scoring 12 runs and collecting 11 hits in the sixth inning of a 15-6 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
2023 – Ryan Mountcastle ties an Orioles team record with nine RBI in a 12-8 win against the Athletics. Mountcastle ties Jim Gentile (1961) and Eddie Murray (1985) with his performance.
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