It’s a rough day to be a Cub fan. Don’t borrow trouble. You don’t know. First and foremost, you don’t know the extent of Cade Horton’s situation. Yes, they said elbow and forearm. Those are dirty words when a pitcher leaves abruptly. Cade has had Tommy John surgery once before. So we all can certainly understand his concern. We all understand the caution. The injured list stint is obvious, The caution is obvious. But we don’t know.
Don’t borrow that trouble. You have to have it scanned. You have to treat that young man carefully. But don’t give up today. There hasn’t been a bell. No one’s thrown in the towel. The fight isn’t over.
Breathe.
Give this a minute to play out. You’re assuming the worst. Almost exactly a year ago, the Cubs lost Justin Steele to an elbow injury. Steele had to have his UCL repaired just under a year ago. After that injury, the Cubs recovered and went on to be one of the best teams in the National League. They won a playoff series. They pushed the Brewers to the brink in the Division Series.
To be fair, Cade Horton emerging helped get them to that point. It’s not fair to assume that Jaxon Wiggins might emerge that way this year. Each season is unique. Maybe it’s Steele himself who emerges. We can’t know. We know that Colin Rea was generally up to the task when asked in 2025. Or Javier Assad in 2024. There are options. It isn’t over.
Horton left early. The Cubs did eventually lead. But they couldn’t hold it. The bullpen, asked to throw eight innings in this one, came up short. The end result? Four runs in seven innings by the pen. Not good enough. But the bigger story is nine innings and just one run for the offense. Eight total runs across four losses in the seven games. Just two runs per game. Not good enough. Yet 23 runs across three wins. Nearly eight runs per game.
It’s early. 28 runs across seven games. That’s what they’ve allowed. It’s high. You likely aren’t going to reach the playoffs at four runs per game. 31 runs scored over seven games. That’s pretty good. Let’s not draw conclusions yet.
The reasons for nervousness. They are there.
Breathe.
This isn’t great. But it isn’t over yet. It’s far too soon. There are 155 games left to play. This is a deep and talented roster. If Cade is somehow done for 2026, the team is undoubtedly less good than we thought it would be. No sane person can just wave off a loss like that. Also, the season doesn’t hinge on one player. Certainly, he is one of the more valuable pieces on this team. But there are redundancies.
The margin is slimmer. But it isn’t over. And it isn’t even known just how bad the situation is.
Breathe.
It’s going to be okay. Promise.
Three Positives:
Hoby Milner has been fun in the early going, no? He came into this one with runners on second and third and one out, the Cubs leading by one. He did yield the lead. But also got a pop out, nearly escaping the inning. Thenm threw another scoreless behind it. Milner is a really interesting left-handed weapon.
Carson Kelly had a couple of hits against a left-handed starter.
Colin Rea was pressed into emergency action. He faced 14 batters, allowing four hits and a walk. He was charged with one run. He struck out four. I presume he’ll slide into Horton’s spot until we know more.
Game 7, April 3: Cleveland 4, Chicago 1 (3-4)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Hoby Milner (.117). 1.2 IP, 6 BF, 2 H
Hero: Colin Rea (.076). 3.1 IP, 14 BF, 4 H, BB, ER, 4 K
Sidekick: Alex Bregman (.072). 1-4
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Hunter Harvey (-.350). 0.2 IP, 5 BF, 2 H, BB, 3 ER (L 0-1)
Goat: Michael Busch (-.192). 0-4
Kid: Ian Happ (-.154). 0-4
WPA Play of the Game: Gabriel Arias faced Hunter Harvey with one out in the seventh, the game tied at one. He homers, giving Cleveland the lead. (.227)
*Cubs Play of the Game: Alex Bregman batted with a runner on first and no outs in the sixth, the game tied at one. He singled, sending the runner to third. (.135)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 6 Winner: Matthew Boyd received 153 of 189 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.
Hoby Milner +4
Miguel Amaya/Edward Cabrera/Jameson Taillon +3
Shōta Imanaga/Phil Maton/Alex Bregman -3
Matt Shaw -5
Up Next: Game two in Cleveland. Shōta Imanaga (0-1, 7.20) starts for the Cubs. Slade Cecconi (0-1, 12.46) stars for Cleveland. Cecconi is right handed. At least until Seiya Suzuki returns to the Cubs, the Cubs are much better against right handed pitching. Cleveland is yet to face a lefty this season. They were 22-24 against lefty starters a year ago, on their way to an 88-win season overall. Did they adequately address that issue? The Cubs were 73-47 against righty starters on the way to 92 wins. So generally, the Cubs are better against righties.
I think this matchup favors the Cubs. So I’ll lean into the pattern continuing one more day, at least.
Breathe my friend. Breathe. It’s going to be okay.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 03: Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres bats against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning of the home opener game at Fenway Park on April 03, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres have developed a disturbing trend after the first seven games of the 2026 season. In each of their five losses, the Padres have scored three runs or less. The three runs in a loss happened once. The other four losses were by two runs, which included the series opener against the Boston Red Sox Friday afternoon. It should come as no surprise that the San Diego offense flummoxed by Boston starter Sonny Gray for most of the day. The veteran right-hander, who joined the Red Sox following an offseason trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, allowed two runs on four hits over six innings. As bewildered as the lineup was facing Gray, it was worse against the Boston bullpen. Three relievers combined to pitch three scoreless innings without allowing a hit. There was one walk allowed, in the top of the ninth by closer Aroldis Chapman, and three combined strikeouts to hand the Padres a 5-2 loss to open their road trip.
Gavin Sheets was the lone bright spot in the San Diego lineup, finishing 2-for-3 with two singles, an RBI and a run scored. Miguel Andujar was gifted a triple when centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela misplayed a ball in center and Luis Campusano ended his hitless streak with an RBI-double off the Green Monster, which tied the game 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning. The top five in the lineup for San Diego (Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado and Ramon Laureano) combined to go 0-for-19 on the day with one walk.
Michael King did his part but got nothing to show for it – in fact, he took the loss. King allowed four runs on seven hits over 5.2 innings. The line reads worse than the outing appeared. After the Padres tied the game in the top of the fifth, King faced just three batters in the bottom half of the inning, thanks in large part to a stellar play by Jake Croenworth at second base.
He took the mound in the bottom of sixth and recorded an out but then surrendered a solo home run to Willson Contreras to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead. King then allowed a single and recorded a strikeout before manager Craig Stammen took him out of the game in favor of Wandy Peralta who came in to face left-hander Marcelo Mayer. The move backfired as Mayer hit a two-run home run on the first pitch from Peralta that just squeaked past the glove of Tatis Jr. in right field to put Boston ahead 5-2.
Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball put it best with her headline that read “Opening week was a bit of a mess.” Throughout the week there were strange decisions from the dugout, miscommunication in the field, lapses in fundamentals and uninspired approaches as the plate. Maybe the road trip will allow the Padres to get away and start fresh.
Jase Bowen had a productive spring and was with the team until the final roster decisions were made. Ultimately, Bryce Johnson made the team as the fourth outfielder, but that has not slowed Bowen. The outfielder helped the El Paso Chihuahuas earn a win Friday night by hitting for the cycle.
The first cycle of the Minor League season is here! 🎉🎊@Padres prospect Jase Bowen clinches the milestone for the @epchihuahuas by legging out a triple in style: pic.twitter.com/uQxgDzH3la
Chase DeLauter of the Cleveland Guardians may not have gotten the memo that he is a rookie playing his first week in the MLB. He has hit five home runs in the first seven games of the 2026 season.
The Mets have signed 34-year-old right-handed reliever Luke Jackson to a minor league deal, according to Will Sammon. The veteran hadn’t signed with any organization for the 2026 season and will presumably need a little time to ease back into game action in the minors.
Over the past two seasons, Jackson has spent time with the Giants, Braves, Rangers, Tigers, and Mariners. He’s had a 4.59 ERA and a 4.36 in a total of 104.0 innings across all of those stops.
Walks and home runs have always been a bit of an issue for Jackson over the course of his major league career, but his strikeout rate has varied pretty significantly in any given season. Having posted 30.1 percent and 25.1 percent strikeout rates in in 2023 and 2024, he struck out just 17.4 percent of opposing batters last year.
The Mets’ bullpen currently includes Richard Lovelady, Sean Manaea, and Luis García, all of whom have looked like candidates to either get designated for assignment or placed on the injured list in the early going. Jackson figures to be one of the arms the Mets might churn whenever they start making those sort of roster moves.
Jackson, 34, pitched to a 4.06 ERA (4.49 FIP) and a 1.353 WHIP over 51 innings across 52 appearances last season while appearing for three big league teams: Texas, Detroit, and Seattle.
After pitching well with the Mariners down the stretch – 2.38 ERA over 11.1 innings with 10 strikeouts – he made two appearances during the postseason, allowing one run on three hits over three innings in mop-up duty of two lopsided losses.
The right-hander spent the majority of his career in Atlanta, pitching for the Braves from 2017-21 before a half-year stint there in 2024, after spending a year and a half with San Francisco. In all, he has 390 appearances under his belt with a career 4.22 ERA (4.01 FIP) and 1.439 WHIP over 409.1 innings.
Jackson is mainly a two-pitch reliever, using his slider nearly 50 percent of the time and his four-seamer a third of the time. A curveball is sprinkled in, with 16 percent of his usage. The fastball had a 94.2 mph average velocity last season.
His calling card is getting ground balls, and his 52.7 percent rate was good for the 89th percentile in all of baseball last season.
Apr 3, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh (16) celebrates his three run home run with second baseman Bryson Stott (5) and third baseman Alec Bohm (28) in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Friday’s 10-1 blowout of the Rockies was the perfect salve for a lineup that was struggling. Granted, they were not facing a pitching staff that would be considered one of the better ones in the game, but it’s not as though they were facing monsters on the mound in Philadelphia. Several Phillies left town for the West Coast not playing well at all, but were able to get a few good swings in against Colorado.
However, when things aren’t going well offensively, the first thing one might consider making some changes to the lineup. I don’t actually mean having players benched. It’s far too early to even think about anything like that. No, I’m talking about actual who bats where discussions. The easiest one to spark discussion is where Bryce Harper hits as so many people have an opinion on where to hit him. Another topic might be who leads off, Trea Turner or Kyle Schwarber (or Justin Crawford?????).
The question of the day is easy: at what point should the team start mixing it up? Granted, a weekend in Colorado might be a “good for what ails ya’” type of weekend, but anyone who has watched the Phillies knows they’re as likely to play poorly in the coming days following a blowout as they are to continue their hitting. When should the team make a change if things continue going poorly more often than not?
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 21: John Gil #93 of the Atlanta Braves is congratulated after scoring a run during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
If you missed most of Spring Training (which I totally understand), you may have missed appearance in Spring Training. He got a decent look in North Port, sticking around until March 11th. That was enough time to be noticed and to hit home runs on consecutive days. This one was a laser shot, coming off the bat at 109.7 MPH. The other may have been wind assisted. But with a 98.7 MPH exit velocity and 24 degree launch angle, it was no joke either. He must have had a great offseason.
Power isn’t a big part of his game, but he actually showed some growth there towards the end of the season. Gil’s slugging percentage was just .271 in April, .383 in May, .244 in June, and .342 in July. Then it was like a light clicked for him at the end of July. Gil got injured on July 10th, and didn’t return until July 24th in the FCL. He made his way back to Augusta on the 26th of July and over his final 30 games of the season he slugged .577 with 10 doubles, one triple, and six of his homers. Those numbers are especially promising when you consider that in his first 71 games he managed 15 doubles, no triples, and one homer.
Gil put up a 1.000 OPS and a 186 wRC+ in Augusta from July 26th through September 7th. Something definitely clicked for him in complex ball. He seems to have a small but noticeable change in the batter box. Have a look at this plate appearance from Thursday night.
It’s quick but John seems to be pointed away from the plate earlier in the year. Now he’s pretty much waiting right on top of the plate. He’s appears less intimidated now. He may have good reason not to be. He can really turn on the ball.
So when will John Gil leave Single-A ball for good? Single-A players typically have only a faint idea of the strike zone, and so do the pitchers. Gil pretty good in this respect, striking out 14.5 percent of the time last year. Though, I wouldn’t be in a big hurry to move Gil to the Double-A Southern League. The Southern League has a tendency to sap power. I would rather be John be rewarded with dingers. But he kinda has the makings of a prospect that has found his bearing in professional baseball and ready to tear up the levels.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 31: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros hits a RBI double 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
For the first couple of games, the Astros offense looked like it was trying to force everything.
The swings came early, the contact was weak, and too many innings ended before the opposing starter ever felt uncomfortable. It had that familiar early-season look of a lineup still searching for rhythm.
But the last few games have felt completely different.
The at-bats are longer. The counts are deeper. Opposing starters are being forced to throw stressful innings much earlier in games, and by the middle innings you can already start to see the pressure building on the other dugout.
That’s the part that should stand out most to Astros fans.
This doesn’t feel like a random hot stretch built on bloops or timely luck. It feels like a real philosophical shift in how this lineup is attacking pitchers.
The Astros are forcing labor-heavy innings, creating more traffic, and putting their best hitters in better run-producing spots.
More importantly, it feels like something that can actually hold over 162 games.
The Astros’ plate approach can realistically hold up over 162 games
This is the biggest reason the early success feels sustainable.
Houston’s drop in swing rate from 36.5% in 2025 to 31.8% in the early part of 2026 is not random variance. It reflects a lineup-wide commitment to a more disciplined identity.
— Crawford Chronicles (@CrawfordChron) April 1, 2026
Unlike batting average spikes or bloop-hit luck, plate discipline tends to stabilize over time because it is rooted in decision-making and preparation.
Across a 162-game season, forcing pitchers to throw “one more pitch” every at-bat adds up to:
more mistakes in hitter’s counts
more middle-relief exposure
more late-game scoring opportunities
more crooked innings by the 5th and 6th
This is the kind of offensive identity that doesn’t disappear when the weather changes or the schedule tightens.
It should actually get stronger.
1. Tip of the cap to Soriano today. He was dealing. 2. Plate discipline is a gift, not something you can just "train." It's a special skill. 3. When no one’s getting on base, there’s not much a manager can do. 4. This is the outcome most of us expected. #Astros#ChaseTheFight
Better patience makes Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker even more dangerous
This may be the most exciting long-term effect. A patient offense protects its stars. When the entire lineup is committed to deep counts, hitters like Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker see better versions of every plate appearance. Why? Because every hitter is protecting the next.
When Jose Altuve works a six-pitch at-bat, when Isaac Paredes forces a full count, when Cam Smith takes a momentum walk, pitchers lose margin for error.
By the time Yordan or Walker step in, the pitcher is often:
behind in the count
revealing sequencing patterns
less willing to nibble
more likely to challenge with a get-me-over fastball
That’s exactly where elite power hitters thrive. This is why the Astros’ power ceiling feels more realistic this season. The lineup is no longer depending on stars to create everything alone. It is creating the environment for stars to do maximum damage.
That’s sustainable offense.
Strong Astros pitching takes pressure off the offense
The other hidden reason this approach can last is the pitching staff. As Houston’s starters continue to settle in, the offense no longer has to play with the feeling that every inning must produce runs.
When Hunter Brown, Mike Burrows, and the rest of the rotation are giving quality innings, the lineup can stay loose and trust the long game. That changes hitter behavior.
Instead of pressing for instant damage, hitters can stay balanced:
This is where you start to see examples like Jose Altuve taking more walks, something that naturally increases when a team is not playing from offensive panic.
Loose hitters make better swing decisions.
Better swing decisions create traffic.
Traffic creates RBI opportunities.
That’s the cycle Houston is starting to build.
And when the pitching continues to hold games steady, this offense should become even more dangerous as the season matures.
All in all from what we are seeing, the Astros still have a high ceiling, the question in 2026, as it is with prospect scouting, is how high is the floor for the Houston Astros? Only time will truly tell, but I do believe this team has given us a glimpse of what they are capable of this season. It is only 7 games, and other teams may not be where they will be once everyone is in midseason form. I am looking forward to seeing what this lineup does in their first test on the road.
Please follow me and my thoughts on the Houston Astros all season long on Locked on Astros:
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 03: Chris Martin #31 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Globe Life Field on April 03, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Reds 5, Rangers 3
A let down home opener.
For the second year in a row, the Rangers went into the ninth in the home opener with the game tied, then allowed a home run in the top of the ninth that resulted in a loss.
That’s a trend I’d just as soon see the Rangers get away from.
MacKenzie Gore pitched pretty well in his start. A pair of homers accounted for all three runs he allowed, but Gore struck out nine in six innings and didn’t walk anyone.
In fact, Rangers pitchers didn’t issue any walks in the game. Good job there, guys.
Although in retrospect, Chris Martin walking the first two batters he faced would have been a good thing.
Martin, who was going to retire after last season, was expected to be the stabilizing influence in the pen. He was the most expensive bullpen arm the Rangers went and got this offseason.
He’s now had three rough outings in four appearances this year, with the one good outing consisting of three pitches to one batter.
Its early, don’t want to jump to any conclusions, but it it not an encouraging start.
Offensively, I think it felt like the Rangers should’ve scored more than three runs. Six of the eight hits they recorded were of the extra base variety. None of them were homers, though, which would have been better.
Brandon Nimmo continues to rake, going 2 for 4 with a triple and a walk. Wyatt Langford had a double and a triple, pushing his OPS up above 500.
The 3 through 6 spots were an issue, totaling 1 hit in 16 plate appearances. Corey Seager struck out three times, which makes me sad. I don’t want Corey Seager to strike out a bunch in one game.
Joc Pederson was hitless in his two plate appearances, making him 0 for 10 to start the year.
There was a sequence in the bottom of the sixth that stuck with me. Jake Burger doubled to start the inning. Andrew McCutchen, pinch hitting for Joc Pederson once the Reds brought lefty Sam Moll into the game, grounded out to third, with Burger unable to advance. After a Josh Smith ground out, Moll threw four pitches to Josh Jung that were nowhere near the strike zone, seemingly pitching around him to get to Evan Carter.
Carter saw three pitches from Moll. The first two were breaking balls he was bailing on that ended up strikes. The third pitch Carter swung helplessly at.
Carter had a double in the game and scored a run. But that plate appearance against Moll highlighted how overmatched he is against just about any decent lefthanded pitcher.
MacKenzie Gore reached 97.9 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.7 mph. Cole Winn topped out at 94.8 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis’s sinker touched 92.8 mph. Chris Martin’s fastball maxed out at 95.4 mph.
Wyatt Langford had a 109.0 mph fly out and a 107.8 mph fly out. Joc Pederson had a 108.0 mph ground out. Corey Seager had a 107.0 mph ground out. Evan Carter had a 106.5 mph double. Jake Burger had a 104.2 mph double. Danny Jansen had a 103.3 mph double. Josh Jung had a 101.9 mph single.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 03: Fans enter the stadium before the home opener between the Cleveland Guardians and the Chicago Cubs at Progressive Field on April 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians won their home opener and aim to play again today, weather-permitting.
Nick provided our recap here. Another big day for Chase DeLauter and the Guardians starting pitcher, this time Joey Cantillo.
Zack Meisel provided a cool diary of the game for the Athletic. Terry Pluto wrote a nice piece about the ballpark.
Around MLB:
The Tigers, Twins and White Sox won while the Royals were postponed. Byron Buxton got hit by a pitch and left the Twins’ game.
Mets left fielder Juan Soto, who has been one of the most durable players in the sport over the course of his career, is set to have an MRI this morning after leaving the team’s game last night in the first inning because of right calf tightness. Soto appeared to feel the calf issue as he ran from first to third on a single in the top of the first.
And now everyone holds their breath, as the Mets’ rocky start to the season would feel much worse if Soto’s diagnosis reveals anything significant. The 27-year-old is in the second year of his massive fifteen-year deal with the Mets, and he was outstanding at the plate last year with a .263/.396/.525 with 43 home runs, 38 stolen bases, and a 162 wRC+.
The Mets’ lineup had been ice cold since Opening Day until their ten-run barrage last night. It was encouraging to see a player like Marcus Semien, who couldn’t have been much worse at the plate in the team’s first seven games, have a big night. If Soto needs to spend any time out of the lineup, the Mets will need more performances like that to mitigate the loss.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 14, 2026: Eduardo Quintero #85 of the Los Angeles Dodgers prepares to bat during a minor league spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on March 14, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The minor league season is now underway in full, with all four Dodgers affiliates playing games on Friday night for the first time this year.
Most of the big prospect names are accounted for on the various rosters. Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, and Adam Serwinowski are in Double-A Tulsa. Eduardo Quintero, Mike Sirota, Charles Davalan, Zach Root, and Christian Zazueta are with High-A Great Lakes. Emil Morales, Joendry Vargas, Landyn Vidourek, and Chase Harlan are in Class-A Ontario.
James Tibbs III is piling up extra-base hits alongside Zach Ehrhard in the Triple-A Oklahoma City outfield, and River Ryan is set to start for the Comets on Saturday. Alex Freeland is in the majors, platooning at second base.
Those 16 players were all ranked among the Dodgers’ top 10 prospects entering 2026 by at least one of Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, FanGraphs, ESPN, and The Athletic. The other two mentioned on top-10 lists are pitcher Jackson Ferris (fifth at BA, ninth at ESPN, 10th at The Athletic) and outfielder Ching-Hsien Ko (eighth at The Athletic), and both are currently in extended spring training, per Jim Callis at MLB.com.
Another notable prospect also at extended spring training, per Callis, is shortstop Kellon Lindsey, the speedster drafted in the first round in 2024 and ranked as high as 12th in the system by Baseball Prospectus and The Athletic. Lindsey played 28 games for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2025 before going on the injured list in May. Outside of four rehab games in the Arizona Complex League, Lindsey didn’t play after July 10 last year. He played in one major league game this spring, on March 21, the last day of camp in Arizona.
“He looked like a major-league starter, and not a guy that’s cutting his teeth,” Roberts said of the way Sheehan finished. “It’s a tough lineup in the sense for a right-handed pitcher, there’s a lot of left-handed hitters. … I do think it was a step in the right direction.”
PORTLAND, ME - JULY 05: Mikey Romero #2 of the Portland Sea Dogs walks to the dugout before the game between the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field on Saturday, July 5, 2025 in Portland, Maine. (Photo by Tyler Rodriguez/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
WORCESTER, Mass. – The Red Sox drafted a plethora of blue chip prospects over a four-year stretch, with Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel among others. But you may forget that Anthony wasn’t the first selection for Boston back in 2022. That would be Mikey Romero.
The rise of the “Big Three” kept the spotlight away from the former first-rounder, though his bat brought back some intrigue about his game in recent years.
Romero smacked the first home run of the season for Triple-A Worcester olast weekend against the Syracuse Mets. The infielder left the yard with an exit velocity over 100 MPH on an encouraging swing.
#RedSox No. 13 prospect Mikey Romero launched his first homer of the season in Saturday's win over Syracuse. pic.twitter.com/heb930Q3tE
The WooSox saw Romero play 45 games in Triple-A last season with a .745 OPS. With a return to a now-familiar environment in spring training and now in Worcester, Romero has a base under him to take off.
“I think it was good,” Romero told OverTheMonster.com on Media Day. “Came up, obviously a young guy, didn’t really know what to expect. Obviously struggled at the start. Being in a new clubhouse, being around guys who had show time, kind of everything, playing against better competition. I think just getting up here, getting my feet wet, it made the transition coming into this year super easy, just because I’m pretty comfortable. I know what to expect. I know all these guys, I was in camp with them, which I wasn’t in last year. And I think just the success I had last year is gonna help me kind of go into this year. I know that I’m more than good enough to compete at this level, and I’m excited to get going.”
The Red Sox added veteran infielders in a remake around the diamond this offseason, including Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Romero leaned on him for his defensive development this spring.
“In spring training, I was next to Kiner-Falefa, and me and him talked a bunch about playing second base, just because I kind of came up as a shortstop, played third for the majority of last year, so I’m at second base,” Romero explained. “But at this camp, I played only second base. And it was new in the sense of learning how to turn double plays a little quicker, make sure I’m in the right spot at the right time. And he’s been a big help.”
Nick Sogard, who blasted two homers Tuesday night, shows Romero a constant reminder of the opportunities that versatility provides. The Red Sox kept him on the playoff roster in New York last October where his hustle helped Boston scratch across extra scoring chances.
“I talk to him plenty about third base, second base,” Romero explained. “Just kind of everything like I lean on him a lot. I like the way he plays the game and it’s good to just have guys around that I can bounce ideas off of.”
The same can be said for Romero and Mayer, who joined the Red Sox system a year apart. Mayer won the second base job for the big league club. Romero looks to him as another brain to pick in the same age bracket.
“I grew up with Marcelo,” Romero said. “Him and I are obviously great friends. So like I know that he’s always in my corner. I can always talk to him about defense, offense, whatever it may be. His story, you know, he’s been another guy that’s been really open to, you know, just always talking to me, answering my texts, you know, sitting and having breakfast at the field. He’s a really good guy to talk to. He’s been playing the game, obviously, for a while. He does a lot of baseball left and he’s done that at a high level.”
Years of offensive progressions and productive defensive conversations with teammates equipped Romero well entering 2026. Now, it’s up to him to translate all that information into his game. Particularly at the plate, he identified room to grow and attack early.
“The big focus was really just getting the chase down a little bit,” Romero shared. “… But in spring training, I did a really good job. Like I chased at a really low rate. I think it was around 20 to 25 percent, which is a big improvement from last year. I know I’m going to slug. I know I’m going to hit home runs. I know I’m going to hit doubles, get RBIs. I think the biggest thing is just having good at-bats, making sure I’m getting the right pitches to hit. Because when I’m getting pitchers in the zone, I usually do damage. So I think it’s just about maturing in that way for me is like being okay with maybe taking a couple of pitches that are strikes but aren’t in the heart of the zone and capitalizing on the mistake that the pitcher will make eventually.”
Romero entered 2026 as Boston’s No. 13 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. There’s no reason he can’t play his way into infield reps at some point when inevitable injuries arise and Boston needs reinforcements. It’s a crowded group of veterans and young players, but there’s a lane for Romero to play his way to Fenway Park with an offensive surge.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 03: Members of the Baltimore Orioles meet on the mound in the second inning during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday, April 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles have not exactly started the year on fire. They lost 5-4 on Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh. That makes them losers of three out of their last four, alone in third place of the AL East. Across the board, they just haven’t been good enough.
The starting pitching, outside of Trevor Rogers, isn’t firing on all cylinders yet. Kyle Bradish battled on Friday. He explained after the game that his stuff looks and feels good. He just needs to execute. That could take some time.
Things aren’t much better in the bullpen, although there are hot and cold spots. Dietrich Enns walked three and gave up a run in his lone inning. That came just after the Orioles had clawed back two runs the previous frame and really could have used a stop. At least Tyler Wells delivered two shutout innings, and Rico Garcia continued to look like a weapon.
The defense has been, as expected, a problem. That wasn’t really part of the loss on Friday. In fact, Blaze Alexander made an amazing stop at third base that resulted in an out. But questions still linger, particularly in the outfield, where most of the miscues have occurred early.
The one area of the team that does feel like it’s on the upswing is the offense. The 30 runs they have scored are tied for 17th in MLB. Not great. But they are eighth in batting average (.257), seventh in on-base (.336), and 11th in slugging (.391). They need to be hitting more home runs, and they will. There is just too much talent and power for them to be near the bottom of the league in long balls. Once that happens, scoring will go up, which will buy the pitching staff a little more wiggle room.
At least, that is what the Orioles must be telling themselves right now. Scoring more runs is the only viable avenue they really have at this point. The pitching staff was always going to be a work in progress that they hoped would eventually figure it out. The offense, on the other hand, should have been ready to go out of the box. It’s showing signs of life, but they need more. Maybe that happens today.
We will get our second look at Shane Baz this afternoon. Perhaps there is added motivation for him to face the organization that originally drafted him, but then dealt him away. Or maybe that is irrelevant. Either way, first pitch is at 4:05.
Links
Eflin going to get second opinion on injured right elbow | MLB.com Typically, players don’t get second opinions unless they don’t like the first one. And since this is an elbow injury to a big league pitcher, odds are that the first opinion was that Zach Eflin needs Tommy John surgery. Players want to avoid surgery whenever possible, especially one that can came with an 18-month recovery process. It could be even worse for Eflin, who is fresh off of a back injury that ruined his 2025 campaign. Losing another season (or two) might cost him his career entirely.
Orioles waiting for better days from rotation (and other notes) | Roch Kubatko It seems like the mantra for the entire team right now is “just wait.” They will hit more home runs. They will play better defense. They will get better starts from their rotation. There is logic in that. Early-season outcomes can be wonky. But the Orioles aren’t projected to be some juggernaut. They will need to fight for a potential playoff spot. So games now matter quite a bit for them. They need to get the most out of them.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Conner Greene turns 31 today. The righty was an obsession of the Orioles’ front office for a bit. They acquired him three different times between 2020 and 2022. Ultimately, he would toss a total of just 23.1 innings with a 7.71 ERA for the O’s in 2021.
Renato Núñez is 32 years old. The slugging infielder spent parts of three seasons in Baltimore from 2018 through ‘21. He was a solid hitter, posting a 107 OPS+ during his time with the O’s.
Odrisamer Despaigne turns 39. During the 2016 season he appeared in 16 games out of the Orioles bullpen.
Jim Dedrick is 58. All six games of his big league career came with the 1995 Orioles.
Brad Komminsk celebrates his 65th birthday. The outfielder had a 46-game stint with the Orioles in 1990.
Mike Epstein turns 83. His decade in the big leagues began with a short stay in Baltimore. Between 1966 and ‘67, he played in 15 games for the Orioles before he was dealt to Washington, where he got more of an opportunity.
The late Tom Fisher (b. 1942, d. 2016) was born on this day. He pitched in two games for the 1967 Orioles.
Eddie Watt is 85 today. The righty was a crucial member of the Orioles bullpen during the franchise’s best years. From 1966 through ‘73, he had a 2.74 ERA over 363 total appearances and won two World Series titles with the team. He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2000.
This day in O’s history
2001 – Making his Red Sox debut at Camden Yards, Hideo Nomo no-hits the Orioles in a 3-0 win for the visitors.
2005 – As the season opens, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro officially become the first pair of teammates to have at least 500 career home runs each. They bat right next to one another (fourth and fifth in the lineup, respectively) in an Orioles lineup that tops the Athletics 4-0 on Opening Day.
2011 – The Orioles improve to 4-0 on the young season with a 5-1 win over the Tigers. Earl Weaver throws out the first pitch, Jake Arrieta tosses six innings, and Brian Roberts hits a three-run homer.
