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Orioles-Royals series preview: The O’s face the worst team in the AL

May 4, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Jonathan India (6) reacts to hitting a home run against the Baltimore Orioles as he crosses home plate during the fifth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The 2026 Orioles do not appear to be particularly good. You might call them frustrating, or underwhelming, or flat-out bad. But at the moment, they’re far from the worst team in the American League. That dubious distinction falls to the Orioles’ next opponent, the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals, fresh off being swept out of Yankee Stadium, hold a 7-15 record, tied with the Mets for the worst in baseball. Kansas City has lost seven consecutive games. Of course I’m pleased when bad things happen to the Royals, a team I haven’t forgiven for beating the Orioles in the playoffs in 2014 and 2024, although it’s hard to celebrate another team’s failures too much when the O’s seem to be headed down that precarious path themselves.

The Royals’ main problem is obvious: they simply cannot hit. They’ve scored just 71 runs this season, tied with the Reds and the aforementioned Mets for the fewest in baseball. Their team batting average (.219), OBP (.298), and OPS (.640) are all among the five worst in MLB. By comparison, the Orioles — a team that’s not exactly a model of offensive consistency — have an OPS nearly 60 points higher (.699).

Four of the Royals’ regulars have sub-.600 OPSes, including two guys who were expected to be key hitters, Vinnie “Pasquatch” Pasquantino (.499), and Salvador Perez (.521). Perez, the 15-year Royals veteran and the only player remaining from the 2015 World Series champions, recently got into a tiff with manager Matt Quatraro after being given a day off for a “mental breather.” Even the great Bobby Witt Jr. has looked ordinary to begin 2026. The Royals’ best story has been the Kansas City-born-and-raised rookie Carter Jensen, who has crushed five of the team’s 17 home runs and leads the team with an .812 OPS.

The strength of the Royals has been their starting rotation, which has posted a 3.25 ERA, sixth-best in the majors. They’ll throw their two best starters at the Orioles in this series. The bullpen, on the other hand, is wretched, with a league-worst 6.52 ERA. Closer Carlos Estévez made just one appearance, coughing up six runs in just a third of an inning, before landing on the injured list. His replacement, Lucas Erceg, has five saves but a 6.14 ERA. The Royals’ middle-relief and setup crew hasn’t been much better.

The struggling Orioles bats might continue to have trouble early in games, but if they can ratchet up the pitch counts of the Royals starters and get to the bullpen early, we could see some late-inning fireworks. Coming off a disappointing series in Cleveland, these next three games are a golden opportunity for the Orioles to get themselves back on the right track.

Game 1: Monday, 7:40 PM, MASN, FS1 (out-of-market)

RHP Kyle Bradish (1-2, 5.49) vs. RHP Seth Lugo (1-1, 1.48)

Every time Bradish takes the mound, I expect it to be the day when he’ll look like the Kyle Bradish of old. And it keeps not happening. He’s four outings into the season and has yet to deliver a quality start, though he did manage to work a season-high six innings in his most recent one. Bradish is giving up way too many hits (10.1 H/9) and walks (4.6 BB/9) and just doesn’t have the sharpness to his stuff that we’re used to. If there’s ever a lineup for him to finally dominate, it’s this one.

Seth Lugo, after a bit of a down year last season, has returned to his 2024 All-Star form for the Royals at age 36. He’s given up only four earned runs in his four starts combined, and is averaging less than a baserunner per inning. He hasn’t allowed a home run, either. Lugo threw a quality start against the Orioles last year, but most of the current squad has never faced him. Only four active O’s have any career at-bats against Lugo, and none more than seven PAs.

Game 2: Tuesday, 7:40 PM, MASN

RHP Shane Baz (0-2, 4.91) vs. LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 3.97)

Much like with Bradish, I keep expecting each Shane Baz start to reveal the ace-like form that the Orioles clearly anticipated from him. Again, I am left disappointed. He’s winless and quality start-less in his first four games as a Bird and frankly seems very hittable so far (10.6 H/9). Still, he’s only just begun working with the Orioles’ pitching development folks, and the team seems to have some ideas as to how to unleash his full potential. It’d be nice if we start seeing that at some point, considering he’s got five more years in an Orioles uniform.

Bubic, a Royals first-round pick in 2018, has had an up-and-down, injury-marred career. The longtime starter, after pitching exclusively in relief in 2024, moved back to the rotation last season with fantastic results, posting a 2.55 ERA in 20 starts and making the AL All-Star team. He’s been solid enough to begin 2026, and since he’s a lefty, you can bet the Orioles will use some galaxy-brain lineup that has Johnathan Rodríguez batting cleanup and Blaze Alexander in center field and other such nonsense. Last year, Bubic was untouchable against the Orioles, pitching 11.2 innings without allowing an earned run in his two starts against them.

Game 3: Wednesday, 2:10 PM, MASN

RHP Chris Bassitt (0-2, 6.19) vs. RHP Michael Wacha (2-0, 1.00)

Every time Chris Bassitt starts, I keep expecting…ah, forget it. I don’t really expect much from the 37-year-old at this point. But “try to be better than Charlie Morton” doesn’t seem like a big ask. So far, Bassitt has failed at that task. He’s averaging just four innings per start, surrendering 23 hits in 16 innings. His strikeout rate, which is a career 8.3, is down to 3.9. His struggles aren’t necessarily permanent, and there’s a lot of season left, but he’s at the age where pitchers can fall off a cliff without warning. With Brandon Young and Cade Povich both pitching well at Triple-A, Bassitt’s rotation job could be in jeopardy if he doesn’t start to figure things out soon.

The Royals are saving the best for last with Wacha, who currently has the third-best ERA in the majors. He’s given up only three earned runs in 27 innings. He’s gone at least six innings in all four starts, including eight shutout frames against the White Sox on April 11. Let’s be honest: the Orioles aren’t the team that’s going to slow Wacha’s roll (especially not Gunnar Henderson, who’s 2-for-17 lifetime against him). The Royals were Wacha’s sixth team in six years when he signed with the club in 2023, but he’s certainly found a home in Kansas City.

How many games do you think the Orioles will win in this series? Let us know in the comments below.

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The seven biggest takeaways after NY’s Game One win over Atlanta

Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) rebounds in front of guard Josh Hart (3) during the second half of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Game ones of a playoff series often show us how teams want to defend, attack, and use their strengths and weaknesses. They are also just the first step in a complex and sometimes long process that is followed up with adjustments and tweaks. Regardless, the opening game tends to give us a good idea of at least the foundation on which the teams want to build. So what did we learn about these two teams after Saturday night’s game? And what might it mean going forward?

The Hawks want to attack Jalen Brunson, and the Knicks let them.

Over the last decade and change, the league has leaned more and more into attacking the opposing team’s weakest defender and finding ways to make them defend your team’s best player. Unlike the early 2000’s and the decades leading up to that, the strength of a team’s defense is now more dictated not by the level of your best defender, but by the level of your worst defender.

And last night, the Hawks, as every other team should, and often does, decided to attack Jalen Brunson as much as possible to make him expend more energy on that end of the floor, and, even more importantly, see if the Knicks’ team defense would dip to the level of their worst individual defender.

Spoiler alert, it did not. On multiple occasions, Atlanta looked to pick on the point guard, with Jalen Johnson, Nickel Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum, and Jonathan Kuminga all taking turns at going at him. And while McCollum had a great game, New York saw some success with Brunson holding his own and forcing some tough contested shots.

The biggest surprise, though, came not from how Brunson defended those players, or from how those players attacked him. It came from a much-welcomed change under head coach Mike Brown. During large portions of the regular season, Brown opted to send help when teams decided to isolate Brunson despite talking up the captain’s individual defense. This often leads to overreacting to switches, which in turn results in open layups and open threes.

Much to my surprise, Brown chose to trust Brunson and live with the results. The Hawks likely won’t, and shouldn’t, stop attacking Brunson. But they’ll likely need to do so more effectively and more creatively to keep this series close. If and when they do, the hope is Brown doesn’t overreact and fall back into the habit of over-helping.

Josh Hart’s rebounding may be needed more than ever.

As many expected, the Knicks had Karl-Anthony Towns cross-matched onto Dyson Daniels for much of the game. In theory, this allows Towns to play off Daniels, roam, and act as a free safety. Daniels and the Hawks were able to have some success, though, in keeping Towns out of the paint defensively and having him engage in more perimeter actions. And to be fair to Towns, he had one of his best defensive games as a Knick.

But with Towns, one of their two best rebounders on the team, spending more time outside of the paint, the Knicks needed every single one of Josh Hart’s 14 defensive rebounds. Hart may have struggled to leave a positive mark on the game in his first quarter stint, but his work on the boards cannot go understated. While how and where Towns defends may change as the series goes on, chances are the Knicks will continue leaning on Hart to be the fearless rebounder he was Saturday night.

Can the Hawks help make up for Jalen Johnson’s deficiencies?

Johnson still ended the night with 23 points, but it took him 19 shots to get there. He had some big three-pointers, and had some ferocious dunks off of some nice cuts, and actions the offense ran for him. But when the game slowed down, he struggled to consistently get good shots against the Knicks, and in particular, Hart. While Johnson has the athleticism and size advantage over Hart, his lack of a mid-range game and his good, but not great, handle clearly held him back from being an even bigger and stronger force offensively.

It’s not unforeseeable that this ends up being his worst game of the series, but it’s clear that either he needs to find different ways to score, or the Hawks need to find more ways to get him downhill and into open spaces where he can really excel. If they can do that, they’ll not only unlock his scoring, but also his passing, which is arguably his most important skill set as it pertains to how it impacts the Hawks’ offense.

Towns needs to be great, and he was

We’ve seen multiple iterations of Towns and his role on the offensive end this season. In the early part of the season, we saw Brown try to turn him into a Domantas Sabonis-esque player with little success. We then saw Towns play a lesser role in the offense through the middle of the regular season. Then we saw Towns really find a solid balance between attacking, not forcing things, being decisive, and utilizing his passing abilities. And last night, we saw a lot of that.

While he did have a few turnovers where he got a bit overzealous or just overthrew passes after making the correct read, he was instrumental in the Knicks winning this game. Besides playing amazing defense, Towns started the game off being the focal point of an  offense that saw Mikal Bridges and Brunson get easy looks off his gravity and decision-making. It was justifiably Brunson’s 19-point first-quarter outburst that got a lot of the attention, while Towns and his slow, inefficient start from the field frustrated some. But if you actually watched the game and didn’t rely simply on box scores to judge impact, Towns’ process, patience, and decision-making were every bit as important as Brunson’s.

Given how tightly the Hawks are playing Brunson and how nobody on the Hawks can defend Towns, he’ll likely continue to have a large role both as a passer and scorer this series. The more Towns can serve as an outlet and initiator for Brunson, the easier his job becomes.

Brunson may decide the floor of this team, but the ceiling of how good this team can be, and how far they can go, ultimately will be decided by Towns. And if he can continue to play even remotely close to the level he did yesterday, the Knicks should feel very good about their postseason run.

Depth difference

While most NBA fans look at the matchups between the starters and what they did, it can often be the bench players and the plays on the margins that really separate the great from the good. And last night, we saw some interesting takeaways from both benches.

One, while I am not someone who often reads too much into the plus-minuses of a single game, it was clear that the Knicks’ bench outplayed the Hawks’ bench. Atlanta’s bench struggled mightily with only one player, Mouhamed Gueye, having a positive plus-minus, and the other three bench players having a plus-minus no better than -5. Shoot, former number one pick, Zaccharie Risacher, may not play another second this series after the awful 120-second stint he had last night.

Meanwhile, the Knicks’ bench was all in the positive. Mitchell Robinson, as he often is, was a force to be reckoned with and was great on both ends of the floor. Deuce McBride, despite struggling with his shot in the first half, came alive in the second half and played his usual great defense. Landry Shamet couldn’t get much to go offensively, but he took the shots they needed him to continue taking, and he fought defensively. And last, but certainly not least, is Jordan Clarkson, whose game was eerily similar to the trajectory of his rollercoaster season. He started off the game shaky, but in the second half, he looked more and more like the re-invented version of him that we saw in the final weeks of the season. One who bought into ball pressure, offensive rebounding, and ball-handling.

The Knicks’ bench was actually so solid that they even put up a very commendable effort over a several-minute span to start the fourth quarter. If the Knicks’ bench can outplay the Hawks’ bench by this much and find a way to stay even close in their minutes without Brunson and Towns, this could be a very short series.

Hack a Mitch back in play?

Robinson’s free-throw shooting has been one of the only real weaknesses in his game throughout his career. And last night, as coaches have done in the past, Quinn Snyder decided to hack Robinson. This has multiple benefits besides just sending the poor free-throw shooter to the line. It also takes the Knicks and the rest of their players out of rhythm offensively, and it also can shake up the Knicks’ rotations a bit as they have to take Robinson out before they usually like to.

In a potential seven-game series, each game, every quarter, evolves into a series of chess moves between the coaches and players. Going forward, it will be interesting to see how Snyder and Brown counterplay each other when it comes to Robinson. Brown may respond to Snyder’s strategy by playing Robinson more in the early portions of quarters to get the Hawks into the penalty earlier. Regardless of how it plays out, with Robinsons being such an impactful force, it will be an interesting strategic back-and-forth to keep an eye on.

Same old story

It’s no secret that putting a big man on Hart and putting a wing on Towns is one of the most effective ways to slow down the Knicks offense. We saw throughout most of the game just how effective Brunson, Towns, and the rest of the Knicks were when the Hawks defended them in a more traditional way. When Atlanta did eventually decide to put Daniels on Towns and Okongwu on Hart, the Knicks’ offense looked significantly worse, with most possessions leading to Hart screening for Brunson.

I still don’t think Snyder goes to this to start games off. Nor do I think it becomes his most-used defensive scheme. I do think, though, that he goes to it more often and earlier. And when he does, it will be interesting to see what Brown and the Knicks have planned. Over the course of the season, while the Knicks never truly found a solution to beating this strategy, they seemed to be able to do just enough. That being said, it’s been almost two full seasons of teams doing this, and they’ve yet to have a consistent enough counter. If the Hawks end up winning the series, or even push it to six or seven games, it will likely be due to this strategy continuing to haunt the Knicks.

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Raptors vs Cavaliers Prediction, Picks & Best Bets for Today's NBA Playoffs Game 2

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The last time I saw a bunch of dinosaurs taking that much of a pounding, Morgan Freeman was narrating an asteroid hitting Earth in the late Cretaceous.

The Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the Toronto Raptors by 13 points in their series opener this weekend, but that margin doesn’t reflect just how strong the Cavaliers look. 

They took a 21-point lead into the fourth quarter, allowing Cleveland to rest some of its key contributors, like Evan Mobley.

Our Raptors vs. Cavaliers predictions are optimistic about Cleveland’s forward, and my NBA picks are taking him to clear his points prop again in Game 2.

Raptors vs Cavaliers prediction

Who will win Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 2?

Cavaliers: The Cavaliers have too many options. The guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden was especially tricky in Game 1. If the Raptors overcommit to slowing them down, bigs like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will feast inside. Game 2 could be closer, but there’s no easy solution for the Raps' defense in this series.

Raptors vs Cavaliers best bet: Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points (-115)

Cleveland Cavaliers big Evan Mobley just topped his 16.5-point scoring prop in Game 1, doing so through only three quarters. 

With the Cavs holding a comfy 21-point cushion entering the fourth quarter, Mobley logged less than six minutes and missed his only shot attempt in that final frame. He finished with 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting through 33 minutes.

The versatile 6-foot-11 forward is a matchup nightmare for the Toronto Raptors. Toronto can put big bodies on Mobley or counter with quicker defenders, but the Raps lack Mobley's combo of size and speed.

After getting shredded by the guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden in Game 1 (shooting a collective 8-for-14 from 3-point range), expect Toronto to hedge harder on the Cavs’ screen-heavy schemes and not drop as much in an effort to limit those 3-point looks.

That will generate a ton of space for screeners like Mobley, who will also force bad switches and enjoy exploiting size mismatches when the Raptors’ guards swap off pick-and-roll action.

Game 2 has the same spread as the opener, so oddsmakers expect a more competitive effort from Toronto. That will keep Mobley on the floor for more minutes — or at least more involved in the offense.

Player projections range from 17.5 to as high as 18.3 points from Mobley in Game 2, with my number at 17.9.

Raptors vs Cavaliers same-game parlay

The Cavaliers have too many options, including a much stronger bench. Cleveland’s reserves made a massive impact in Game 1, contributing 40 points. Tonight’s tilt will be more competitive than the series opener, but the Cavs will take a 2-0 series lead north of the border.

Toronto can’t just trade threes for twos against the Cavs. The Raptors need production from the perimeter, and Brandon Ingram was very quiet in the opener. He missed his lone 3-point attempt, but closed the regular season with at least two triples in four of his final six games. Game models lean toward two 3-point makes from B.I. tonight.

Raptors vs Cavaliers SGP

  • Cavaliers moneyline
  • Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points
  • Brandon Ingram Over 1.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Tall Order

The Cavaliers' guards gashed the Raptors in Game 1. With Toronto overcommitting, Cleveland's big men have their time to shine. Both Jarrett Allen and Mobley are projected to top their scoring prop tonight after taking their foot off the gas in the final frame of Game 1.

Raptors vs Cavaliers SGP

  • Cavaliers -8.5
  • Evan Mobley Over 16.5 points
  • Evan Mobley Over 0.5 threes
  • Jarrett Allen Over 13.5 points
  • Jarrett Allen Over 8.5 rebounds

Raptors vs Cavaliers odds for Game 2

  • Spread: Raptors +8.5 (-110) | Cavaliers -8.5 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Raptors +300 | Cavaliers -380
  • Over/Under: Over 223 (-110) | Under 223 (-110)

Raptors vs Cavaliers betting trend to know

The Raptors have gone Under the total in 27 of their last 40 away games for +12.70 units and a 29% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Cavaliers.

How to watch Raptors vs Cavaliers Game 2

LocationRocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
DateMonday, April 20, 2026
Tip-off7:00 p.m. ET
TVPeacock/NBCSN

Raptors vs Cavaliers latest injuries

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Flyers look to pad lead in first-round playoff series against Penguins

Flyers look to pad lead in first-round playoff series against Penguins originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

PITTSBURGH — The Flyers on Monday night will try to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Penguins.

Rick Tocchet’s club has had a businesslike approach in Pittsburgh. The Flyers took Game 1 with a 3-2 decision Saturday night. They know they have plenty of more work to do against a Penguins team with all kinds of pedigree.

“Hall of Famers over there, right?” Trevor Zegras said Sunday. “We didn’t do much so far. We played a good game and won. Obviously we love winning and that’s what we’re trying to do, but far from over and far from what the main goal is here, for sure.”

Puck drop at PPG Paints Arena is scheduled for around 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live.

Here is some recommended reading.

• Dvorak ‘fits in everywhere’ with Flyers, a team he believed could make playoffs

• Big third period, strong defensive effort propel Flyers to Game 1 win over Penguins

• Flyers start playoffs with sweet new shirt that ‘says a lot’

• Get Crosby ‘in the ditches,’ Michkov’s role and more Flyers vs. Penguins thoughts

• Outside doubt motivated Flyers, but so did Briere’s undisclosed message

• NHL announces Flyers vs. Penguins playoff schedule for first-round matchup

• Flyers are going back to playoffs in unforgettable fashion

Here are some updates and visuals from the last few days.

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Podcast: The Orioles are outsmarting themselves

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 16: Shortstop Blaze Alexander #23 of the Baltimore Orioles throws out Austin Hedges #27 of the Cleveland Guardians at first during the fifth inning at Progressive Field on April 16, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In last week’s episode of the podcast, we could tentatively feel a bit better about the Orioles because they were in first place. They went on to defend that position with a thrilling comeback win last Monday night, providing a tantalizing look at what this team could be if enough things click into place at once. The rest of the week was not so fun, as the Orioles went on to win just one game in the three-game set with Arizona and then only one game in a four-gamer in Cleveland. That’s heading the wrong direction.

This week, after watching a couple of high-impact botch jobs that resulted from playing natural infielders in the outfield, I’m feeling frustrated about the ways in which it seems like the Orioles essentially outsmart themselves by thinking that they’re so clever that they can do obviously stupid things and make them work out. “Sure, it’ll be fine if we play Blaze Alexander in center field and Weston Wilson in left field to stack the lineup with righty bats against a lefty pitcher.” “Of course we can put some completely anonymous big minor league power guy in the cleanup spot and have that go fine.”

Typing them out, they sound absolutely ridiculous, and yet the Orioles have tossed Alexander into center field multiple times now, with it costing them both times. They have done the Johnathan Rodríguez as cleanup hitter thing multiple times too. It hasn’t worked yet. There are a number of problems that the Orioles have that they can’t do much about until either players get healthy or players with no immediate replacements start playing better. Even with this patchwork roster, though, they don’t have to post Alexander in center field. They should stop being stupid while trying to be so smart.

Check out the episode here:

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If the above player isn’t displaying, view this article in Incognito Mode or check it out on the show’s page.

This is my weekly podcast about whatever is going on lately with the Orioles. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe. You can get the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to access your podcasts.

How are you feeling about the way things are going so far? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of the next episode of the podcast.

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Good Morning San Diego: Padres get back to winning ways; Mason Miller closes in on history

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 19: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels is out at second base in the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 19, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Diego Padres dropped the first game in their series with the Los Angeles Angels, but they bounced backto win the next two games thanks to scoreless starts from German Marquez and Micael King. The offense was not stellar in any of the games in Los Angeles, but in the two wins, the San Diego lineup did enough to put the team over the top. The result of the back-to-back wins was the fifth consecutive series win for the Padres. San Diego will have an off day today and will open a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies in Denver on Tuesday before another day off and a trip to Mexico City to face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday and Sunday. It has been a successful couple of weeks for the San Diego ballclub and the hope is that they can continue that success this week with a Colorado team that was swept in a four-game series at Petco Park to open the last homestand.

Padres News:

  • The San Diego offense in Los Angeles did not look like the same offense that won seven games and two series at Petco Park last week. If the Padres can find offensive consistency, it could be an exciting year in San Diego.
  • Mason Miller closed out the last two games against the Angels and with two more scoreless innings, he finds himself staring at Padres history, needing just one more scoreless inning to tie the record for the longest scoreless streak in the franchise’s history.
  • Padres fans invaded Angel Stadium for their three-game series. Watching the games and listening to the broadcasts, chants of “Holy Sheets” and cheers for successful San Diego plays were clearly heard.
  • Jake Cronenworth was hit in the face by a pitch on Saturday night, prompting manager Craig Stammen to remark on his toughness. Cronenworth was out of the lineup Sunday, resulting in Fernando Tatis Jr. getting another start at second base. Because of his absence, it was good to see Cronenworth made a pinch-hit appearance late in the game, even if it resulted in a strikeout.
  • Rosman Verdugo and Alex McCoy took the headlines for the San Diego minor league system with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas being postponed due to weather conditions.    

Baseball News:

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MLB Player Props & Best Bets for Today, April 20

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It’s a quieter slate across the Majors tonight, with only 10 games on the schedule. My MLB player props analysis will highlight Yordan Alvarez, Sonny Gray, and Dylan Cease. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Monday, April 20.

Best MLB player props today

Player PickOdds
Astros Yordan AlvarezAnytime home run+430
Red Sox Sonny GrayOver 5.5 strikeouts+106
Blue Jays Dylan CeaseOver 7.5 strikeouts-118

Yordan Alvarez anytime home run

Yordan Alvarez is off to a wonderful start in 2026. The Houston Astros slugger leads the big leagues with 10 home runs, and he just went deep in three straight games over the weekend against the St. Louis Cardinals. Why not make it four?

While Alvarez only has one at-bat against Cleveland Guardians right-hander Slade Cecconi, the right-hander has struggled at suppressing the long ball, giving up three in only four starts. Alvarez is obviously red-hot, and five of his bombs have come off righties. Cecconi has also allowed two homers to left-handed batters.

  • Time: 6:10 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: SCHN, Guardians.TV

Sonny Gray Over 5.5 strikeouts

Sonny Gray has always been a strikeout pitcher. While he’s only racked up 11 Ks in 20 1/3 innings for the Boston Red Sox, today’s start against the Detroit Tigers profiles as an opportunity to collect his fair share of swings and misses. 

The righty has held the Tigers’ lineup to a .141 average over 71 at-bats, and he’s struck out 34. The likes of Javier Baez, Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, and Gleyber Torres have not been able to touch Gray. Detroit ranks 12th in team strikeouts, and they’re striking out even more on the road.

  • Time: 11:10 a.m. ET
  • Where to watch: DSN, NESN

Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts

Dylan Cease has proven to be a massive pickup for the Toronto Blue Jays. His elite stuff has played early on, compiling a 1.74 ERA over four starts, striking out 32 in just 20 2/3 innings. Cease has cashed the over in Ks in two of his four appearances, and he even struck out eight Dodgers on April 8. 

Tonight’s matchup is a clear opportunity for him to rack up the Ks.

The Jays face the Los Angeles Angels, who rank second-last in the majors with 9.70 strikeouts per game. Angels batters have 36 Ks in 86 at-bats vs. Cease. Mike Trout has six Ks in nine ABs, while Jorge Soler has 13.

  • Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Sportsnet 1, FDSN West
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • Prop picks: 2-3, +0.58 units

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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Teenage star Stan Moody fails to make most of bright start against Kyren Wilson

  • Youngster beaten 10-7 at Crucible after leading 7-3

  • Higgins beats Carter to set up possible O’Sullivan clash

Stan Moody blew his chance to become the first teenager to win a match at the World Snooker Championship since 2005 as he fell to a 10-7 defeat to the 2024 champion, Kyren Wilson.

The 19-year-old from Halifax began his Crucible debut in blistering fashion with two centuries and two further breaks over 80 to establish an improbable 6-3 lead at the end of a memorable morning session. Moody duly extended his lead by taking the first frame upon the evening’s resumption, only for Wilson to reel off seven frames in succession to shatter the qualifier’s hopes of emulating Ronnie O’Sullivan, the last teenager to win a Crucible match 21 years ago.

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WorkSafe to question Carlton and AFL over handling of Elijah Hollands’ ‘mental health episode’

  • ‘You are loved’: father Ben Hollands shares public message

  • Blues player admitted to hospital on Monday night

Carlton’s management of Elijah Hollands’ public mental health episode will come under scrutiny from WorkSafe Victoria.

Hollands, 23, was admitted to hospital on Monday night, after his concerning and erratic performance in the Blues’ game at the MCG against Collingwood last Thursday night.

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MLB Home Run Predictions Today: Best HR Prop Bets, Picks, Parlay & Odds for Monday, April 20

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It's the beginning of a new home run week, and with a cold snap hitting the league, finding the best spots for dingers and MLB player props is key today if we're going to turn a profit. 

See why I like Junior Caminero in a controlled environment to cap off our home run props alongside Jordan Walker and Kyle Tucker. 

These are my favorite MLB picks for Monday, April 20. 

  • UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HROdds
Cardinals Jordan Walker+680
Dodgers Kyle Tucker +410
Rays Junior Caminero+410
💲Today's HR parlay+18198

Jordan Walker (+680)

I thought +540 was a great HR price on St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker last Friday. This is an insane number for a hitter with elite metrics and one of the fastest swings in all of baseball.

The cold has crept in on a small Monday slate, and getting one of this year’s best HR bats at anything better than +400 in a controlled environment is a +EV gift to start the week. Walker has also more than doubled his barrel rate this year, jumping from 11.2% to 24%.

The matchup favors him against Miami Marlins righty Max Meyer's shaky command. Per Covers projections powered by THE BAT, “Jordan Walker hits a high percentage of his fly balls to center field (40.9% — 100th percentile) and will have a big advantage facing the game’s sixth-shallowest CF fences today.”

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Marlins.TV, Cardinals.TV

Kyle Tucker (+410)

Jose Quintana has yet to pitch at Coors Field this year, but a matchup vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers in decent hitting conditions isn’t one the veteran lefty is likely looking forward to. This could get ugly, and L.A. should see plenty of innings against a Colorado Rockies bullpen that has been punching above its weight and may be without its three best arms today.

Bettors don’t usually get elite prices at Coors, but I’ll take the best HR park on the slate when narrowing down a small card. The value leans to left-handed bats, as Quintana isn’t tough on lefties, and books tend to shade those matchups.

Kyle Tucker at +410 is the target. He’s already gone deep at Coors in this series, handles lefties well, and carries the best price among the top-tier bats in the L.A. lineup. THE BAT grades him as a Top-15 hitter in baseball.

  • Time: 8:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Rockies.TV, SportsNet LA

Junior Caminero (+410)

You can’t go wrong with Junior Caminero at +400 or better, and today’s +410 price is making the card.

It’s an indoor environment that ranks as a Top-10 park for home runs to left field, and Caminero sits in the Top 5% for pulled fly balls.

It’s a great setting for a hitter with the second-fastest swing in MLB.

Chase Burns can miss bats, but he can also struggle with command and give up the long ball with a decent fly-ball rate. The Cincinnati Reds' bullpen is also showing signs that its early success could regress. The fair price here is around +370.

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Reds.TV, Rays.TV
Jinglis' 2026 Transparency Record
  • HR picks: 5-33, -2.4 units

Today’s HR parlay

Cardinals Jordan WalkerBet Now
+18198
Dodgers Kyle Tucker
Rays Junior Caminero

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.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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P.K. Subban’s ‘insane’ pants distract ESPN viewers during NHL playoffs

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows P.K. Subban's pants stole the spotlight during ESPN's coverage of Round 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday. , Image 2 shows P.K. Subban arrives for the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium on February 17, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. , Image 3 shows Former player P. K. Subban skates during the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills Competition at FLA Live Arena on February 3, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida
Former player P. K. Subban skates during the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills Competition at FLA Live Arena on February 3, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida.

P.K. Subban’s pants stole the spotlight during ESPN’s coverage of Round 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday.

The former 13-year defenseman, who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils, donned a pair of oversized wide leg pants and the internet had a field a day.

“You could park a Chevy Suburban in each one of PK Subban’s pant legs right now,” wrote Rob Gucci, a social media personality and podcast host, in a now-viral X post. “This is insane.”

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy added, “Totally normal pants on @PKSubban1. Find a new slant.”

In a reply tweet to Portnoy, Subban wrote: “F–king rights Dave! Wooo! u can borrow ’em anytime.”

Subban, known for his eccentric fashion style, paired the pants with a long sleeve black fitted shirt.

P.K. Subban’s pants stole the spotlight during ESPN’s coverage of Round 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday. X

While his pants were a hot topic online, Subban was posting Instagram videos of his live reaction during Sunday’s games.

The NHL analyst was a part of an ESPN doubleheader, with the Boston Bruins taking on the Buffalo Sabres and the Utah Mammoth facing the Vegas Golden Knights.

P.K. Subban arrives for the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium on February 17, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Getty Images
Former player P. K. Subban skates during the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills Competition at FLA Live Arena on February 3, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. Getty Images

The Sabres defeated the Bruins in a 4-3 thriller, while the Knights beat the Mammoth 4-2 in the best-of-7 first-round series.

There are plenty of storylines across this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Buffalo is in the postseason for the first time since 2011.

Utah Mammoth center Nick Schmaltz (8) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (5) battle for the puck during the third period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP

Utah is making their first-ever postseason appearance after joining the NHL in 2024.

Boston are making their 16th postseason appearance in 20 years, while Vegas are making their eighth postseason appearance in the past nine seasons.

For the first time in NHL history, the Rangers, Islanders and Devils all failed to qualify for the playoffs in the same year.

Since the Devils entered the league in 1982, at least one of the three local teams has participated in each postseason. 

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Despite recent struggles, there is reason for optimism with Orioles

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 16: Leody Taveras #30 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after hitting a single during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on April 16, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the Orioles 4-2. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Orioles had a bad week. They lost two series, and went a combined 2-5 in that span. Neither win was particularly easy, the first requiring them to climb out of a 7-1 hole and the second seeing them take until the eighth inning to score at all. It’s just the latest development in what has been a challenging start to the 2026 campaign. Despite these struggles, could there still be reason for optimism with these Orioles?

Let’s start with the obvious, these Orioles were only “supposed” to good, not great, anyway. Think back to pre-season predications across the industry. Most outlets had the O’s pegged for 85 or so wins. Some more, some less. That represents a step up from 2025, certainly, but nowhere near elite contender status. If things went right for them, maybe they get t0 90 wins and snag the AL East crown. If they crater, they might not even be a .500 squad.

Well, with the season less than a month old, you would have to say their luck has been more bad than good.

Injuries have, yet again, been a problem. Before the season even started they lost Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg, their projected starting second and third basemen, respectively, to the IL. Andrew Kittredge, potentially the team’s set up man, and Keegan Akin, an important middle-inning option, joined them on the shelf later in spring. Since the regular season has begin, they’ve added starting catcher Adley Rutschman, starting right fielder Tyler O’Neill, rotation piece Zach Eflin, bench bat Ryan Moutcastle, and left-handed reliever Dietrich Enns to the infirmary report. It has been a blood bath.

As a result, new manager Craig Albernaz has had less flexibility to adjust a lineup that has failed to meet expectations early.

Samuel Basallo is still getting his feet under him and carries a meager 49 wRC+ in his first full season. He’s starting behind the plate most days anyway, because the other option is Sam Huff, a fringy backstop with limited offensive upside.

Coby Mayo isn’t having the turnaround he hoped for at the plate, though his improvement in the field has been much appreciated. His 36 wRC+ is the worst on the team, and yet he is getting in the lineup regularly because injuries have eaten away the infield depth the team once had.

The outfield is a work in progress. Taylor Ward (143 wRC+) and Leody Taveras (190 wRC+) are adjusting just fine to their new team. But finding that third reliable member has been tough. Colton Cowser (39 wRC+) and Dylan Beavers (74 wRC+) have been slow out of the gate, and both are left-handed. Blaze Alexander, a righty, is getting into the mix now, though that feels like a band-aid given his lack of experience in the role, and his bat has cooled significantly the last week or two anyway.

But you probably already know about this negative stuff. Let’s talk about why the sky is not, in fact, falling.

Start with the schedule. Many folks pointed to the Orioles “soft” start to the season a reason why they needed to come out of the gate on fire. So to have a 10-12 record is disappointing. But the reality is that those perceptions were based on 2025, not 2026. The teams the Orioles have played aren’t all that bad. Ten of their 22 games have been against teams with .500 records or better. No one else in the AL East has played more than six games against teams with winning records. Obviously, you need to beat good teams in order to be a good team yourself, but the Orioles are not losing to a bunch of cellar dwellers here.

Back to the injuries. It sounds like things are improving, ever so slightly, on that front.

Rutschman is eligible to return on Tuesday, though he may play in a rehab game or two first. He is with the team on the road trip and has been participating in all of the baseball activities. Bringing him back will allow the Orioles to improve their defense behind the plate and give their offense a boost, since he was one of their top hitters when he went out.

Holliday has restarted his rehab after being pulled off of it briefly with wrist soreness. That doesn’t mean he will be ready to play at the big league level immediately, but it is a good sign. His return likely pushes Mayo back down to Triple-A. In turn, that will allow Jeremiah Jackson, who leads the team in RBI, to move over to third base. Perhaps that is an overall downgrade defensively, but it should help the lineup.

O’Neill’s return is more ambiguous since he is dealing with a concussion, which can linger. But reports have been fairly positive, and he is eligible to get back on the field any day now. Once he is back on the roster, it should be simple enough for the Orioles to DFA one of Jonathan Rodríguez or Weston Wilson, though they may instead option Cowser or Beavers if they think it would help them long term.

The point here is that the depth should be getting back to the level the team hoped for coming into the season. Depth alone doesn’t get you wins, but it does allow Albernaz to cycle through players and play the hot hand. The players coming back have a batter chance of actually getting hot than many of the names they would be replacing.

On top of that, there is some data you could, admittedly, cherry pick, to tell you that a few key players should start to see their season’s turn around.

Starting in the lineup, we are yet to get the absolute best from Gunnar Henderson or Pete Alonso. Henderson has just a .211 BABIP despite having a hard-hit rate that sits in the 88th percentile of MLB. That should balance out at some point, yielding a higher batting average, present stolen base opportunities, and create offense for the O’s. Alonso has one of the highest average exit velocities (94.7 mph, 96th percentile) and hard hit rates (57.7%, 95th percentile) in the sport. He needs to get the ball in the air more, and his career pedigree says he will. Once that happens, with runners on in front of him, the Orioles are going to score a lot more runs.

Right now, the Orioles are tied for 19th in runs scored in MLB. That is only slightly better than where they finished (24th) in a disappointing 2025. In order for this team to compete for a playoff spot, they need to be a top 10 lineup. The talent that was accumulated this offseason feels like it should be able to accomplished that. But it needs its best players to perform to their ability, and they need to get healthier overall.

It’s a similar story in the rotation, where the Orioles need more out of their absolute best players: Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, and Shane Baz. None of them have performed to their ability, but the top line numbers obscure some good things. Rogers, for example, has a 4.08 ERA on the season, but his xERA is just 2.46 and his FIP is 3.69. Bradish looked much better in his most recent start, and that is reflected in the peripherals. His 5.49 ERA is massive compared to his 3.06 xERA and 3.18 FIP. The difference for Baz is not as stark, but it is there. He has a 4.91 ERA but a 4.21 xERA and 3.95 FIP. It’s not unrealistic to think each of them could lower their ERAs by up to a run in the next month. That would transform the team’s outlook.

On the whole, the Orioles’ pitching staff is right about where they need to be. They are 13th in ERA (3.91), 9th in xERA (3.60), and 13th in FIP (3.98). A middle-of-the-road pack of pitchers and a high-end lineup seemed to be the O’s path to success this year. But those numbers include their bullpen playing to a rather high level. A performance, by the way, that is largely backed up by solid peripherals. The rotation, on the other hand, has underperformed and has room to grow. That’s not a bad spot to be in if you believe in the Orioles’ ability to actually tap into those underlying numbers and get them to emerge on the field.

Of course, you can point out players that might go in the other direction too. Will guys like Jackson or Taveras keep hitting like all-stars? Probably not. Will the entire bullpen continue to pitch at such a high level? Eh, don’t bet on it. But getting more out of your stars, who are positioned at intentional spots in your lineup or rotation, should more than outweigh the dip in performance from the players coming out of nowhere to give you a temporary boost.

Things are not as bad as they have felt this last week. Given everything that has happened to the Orioles so far, they simply need to keep their head above water and give time for their talent to rise to the top. It is possible it won’t ever come to fruition, but it’s really all they can do at this point.

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Red Sox Minor Lines: Pitching wins the day

GREENSBORO, NC - FEBRUARY 25: Michael Sansone #18 of Fairfield University pitches the ball during a game between Fairfield and UNC Greensboro at UNCG Baseball Stadium on February 25, 2020 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Worcester: W, 4-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Red Sox farm, unlike the Major League team, actually enjoyed solid pitching all the way around on Sunday. Worcester’s shutout performance in Nashville (Brewers AAA) was courtesy of Michael Sansone. The 26-year-old Connecticut native may well end up putting together some innings on the Major League squad in 26; he lacks any sort of velocity but gets by with control. He allowed just two hits in six innings; Nate Eaton beat that on his own, including his 2nd home run of the series in the midst of his three-hit afternoon. This one, with Sansone’s great start, was never really in doubt, but the WooSox may have benefitted from a bit more offense. Still, you can’t look a gift horse that is a 4-2 win in the mouth, especially when it comes at the heels of five straight losses and a total of five runs in three games combined.

Portland: W, 5-3 (BOX SCORE)

Hayden Mullins, the former Auburn Tiger and 2022 12th round draft pick, had perhaps the best outing of his professional career. Mullins has more velocity and less control than Sansone, but the latter didn’t seem to be the case in Altoona (Pirates AA), as he rolled through eight scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and just one walk. That’s not to say he was constantly throwing strikes; 30 of his 76 pitches were outside the strike zone, but the strikes came at the right times. He’s been struggling so far to start 2026, so this was nice.

Day off for Franklin Arias, and in his absence the team had its three top slots in the lineup each strike out multiple times. In fact, the Sea Dogs only had one extra base hit on Sunday from Miguel Bleis. Even still, they strung together a W.

Greenville: W, 4-3 (BOX SCORE)

The only problem with Marcus Phillips’ start on Sunday against Bowling Green (Rays High-A) was that it didn’t go super long. It lasted just 58 pitches, but he amassed seven strikeouts, and then things went south in the bullpen after Phillips was pulled in the fourth. But, things didn’t go SO well for the Hot Rods that the Drive couldn’t take the lead back in the bottom of the eighth with a Natanael Yuten RBI single, which had a .268 WPA. As the entire arm emerged victorious, this win was also not pretty, but it was a win!

Salem: W, 4-2 (BOX SCORE)

The RidgeYaks break their five-game losing streak holding a total run differential of -18 with a defense-first win. They got to scoring runs on Hickory (Rangers A) early, holding a 4-0 lead, peaking with Starlyn Nunez’ RBI triple, and the bullpen held their own following a short, but good, start by Kansas native Barrett Morgan. Prior to this game, the Crawdads had hung a total of 8.8 runs a game on Salem, so this was a refreshing display of effective pitching by committee!

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Yankees Rivalry Roundup: Astros swept by Cardinals, Crochet throws another stinker

Apr 19, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) walks to the dugout following the final out against the St. Louis Cardinals during the 10th inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

After a difficult two-week stretch, it was nice for the Yankees to have a laugher series against the Royals. They swept their first series since the opener against the Giants, the pitching staff bouncing back to limit Kansas City to six runs across the three games while Aaron Judge and Ben Rice are really finding their power strokes to lead an offensive awakening. They enter a well-deserved offday atop the standings in the AL East.

Many of their AL rivals were also in action on Sunday, so let’s recap the events of those games.

Houston Astros (8-15) 5, St. Louis Cardinals (13-8) 7

The Cardinals thoroughly outclassed the Astros in this series, scoring 23 runs in three games to continue their surprising start to the campaign just a half-game back of first. Matthew Liberatore gave St. Louis six strong innings, limiting Houston to a run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts, the lone damage coming in the form of a Carlos Correa sac fly in the third after Taylor Trammel reached on a one-out triple. The Cardinals then ambushed starter Mike Burrows for four runs in the fifth. Masyn Winn and Pedro Pagés singled around Nathan Church walk to load the bases with two outs. Victor Scott II walked to force home the first run, JJ Wetherholt singled home the next two, and Iván Herrera singled home the fourth.

Houston wouldn’t go quietly, responding with three runs in the eighth to level the scores. Yordan Alvarez became the first in MLB to ten home runs with a two-out solo shot. Jose Altuve singled, Christian Walker walked, and a wild pitch advanced the pair to scoring position allowing both to come home on an Isaac Paredes game-tying, two-run single.

That sent the game to extra-innings, where a crucial error by Brice Matthews at third gifted St. Louis the win. His misplay of a Jordan Walker grounder followed by a Ramón Urías HBP loaded the bases, and Winn won the game with a bases-clearing triple. Houston would attempt to rally, an Altuve RBI single cutting the deficit to two, but it wasn’t enough to prevent their 13th loss in their last 16 games.

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Seattle Mariners (10-13) 5, Texas Rangers (11-11) 2

Bryan Woo gave the Mariners seven strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk along with six strikeouts. He clearly ran out of steam in that seventh inning, allowing a Corey Seager leadoff walk, Wyatt Langford single, and Joc Pederson HBP to load the bases, followed by a Josh Jung sac fly and Evan Carter RBI double. Offseason trade acquisition MacKenzie Gore was nowhere near as sharp for Texas, yielding five runs on seven hits and a walk in five innings.

All five of Seattle’s runs came vie three home runs off Gore. Rob Refsnyder led off the first with a solo shot, his first hit in a Mariners uniform. J.P Crawford struck with a two run bomb in the second after Mitch Garver drew a leadoff walk. Randy Arozarena capped off the trio with a two-run blast of his own after Julio Rodríguez kept the fifth inning alive with a two out single.

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Toronto Blue Jays (8-13) 10, Arizona Diamondbacks (13-9) 4

On the verge of being swept for the second time this season, the Blue Jays bats broke out for double digit runs to salvage a win. Eight of the ten came in the first inning to tie a franchise record against starter Ryne Nelson, who managed to record just one out after allowing eight hits and a walk. In fact, the first eight Blue Jays reached safely as they sent an eventual 12 batters to the plate. Doubles from Kazuma Okamoto and Nathan Lukes were the big blows in the inning, Toronto scoring all their runs despite the ball not leaving the yard in the frame.

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Okamoto would later add a solo home run to lead off the third while Lukes and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each contributed three-hit afternoons. Kevin Gausman has been one of the best starters in baseball to open the season, so spotting him an eight-run first inning lead pretty much meant the game was over before Arizona had even come to bat. He pitched six innings of two-run ball, allowing seven hits and a walk against four strikeouts. The Diamondbacks scored consolation runs in second and sixth, the lone bright spot a pinch-hit, two run home run by Jorge Barrosa in the seventh.

Detroit Tigers (12-10) 6, Boston Red Sox (8-13) 2

Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet entered the season as the consensus favorites in the AL Cy Young race. Skubal lived up to that billing with six innings of one-run ball and ten strikeouts to silence Boston on Saturday, but Crochet couldn’t return serve. Coming off his worst start with the Red Sox — 11 runs in 1.2 innings against the Twins — Crochet allowed five runs on seven hits including a pair of homers in five innings against Detroit. It’s the third of his five starts in which he has allowed at least five runs, the southpaw left with a 7.88 ERA after departing. On the otherside, Framber Valdez authored another stellar start for the team that signed him to a three-year, $115 million deal over the offseason. He held Boston to a run on three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in six innings, meaning he has allowed one or fewer earned runs while lasting at least six innings in four of his five starts with the Tigers.

The two sides traded runs in the first, Dillon Dingler opening the scoring with and RBI double before Willson Contreras answered in the bottom half with a solo home run. But then Detroit struck for four runs in the fifth, all with two outs after Crochet struck out the first two batters of the frame. Jahmai Jones crushed a solo blast followed by a walk from Gleyber Torres and single from Matt Vierling to set up a three run wall scraper from Dingler, giving the starlet catcher four RBIs on the day.

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There would be no more scoring until the ninth, when again the teams traded runs. Torres collected an RBI single in the top half and Caleb Durbin an RBI double in the bottom of the frame to bring us to our final score, 6-2.

Other Games

Cleveland Guardians (13-10) 8, Baltimore Orioles (10-12) 4

It was the José Ramírez show in Cleveland, the future Hall of Famer slugging a pair of solo home runs as the Guardians tagged Orioles Opening Day starter Trevor Rogers for six runs on six hits and two walks in five innings. Taylor Ward crushed a three-run blast in the Orioles’ four-run fifth to make this a one-run game, but Cleveland restored their cushion by scoring a pair in the eighth. Rookie Juan Brito hit a two-run double and Brayan Rocchio collected three hits and three RBIs batting ninth.

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Minor League Recap: Tugboat leads Akron to combined no-hitter

Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Columbus Clippers 12, Iowa Cubs 8

Clippers improve to 11-10

It was a home run derby in Columbus on Sunday, led by none other than the scorching hot Cooper Ingle, who went 3-for-4 with two home runs and a walk.

Ingle now has a ridiculous 1.403 OPS to begin the season. It’s one of the hottest start of any prospect in all of minor league baseball.

Crazy as it sounds, Ingle was just one of three different Clippers who had three hits. Nolan Jones went 3-for-4 with a walk while Milan Tolentino went 3-for-5 with a home run and a triple.

Kahlil Waton also impressed, going 1-for-3 with a double, two walks, a stolen base and three runs scored while Kody Huff went 2-for-4 with a home run and a hit by pitch. Stuart Fairchild also went 2-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base.

With that kind of offense, Columbus didn’t need much pitching to win … and they didn’t get much pitching. Starting pitcher Pedro Avila allowed five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and a walk in 5.0 innings. Koby Allard allowed another three runs in his lone inning of work.

The big standout was Daniel Espino, who again tossed a scoreless inning to close out the win while striking out two. He’s getting closer folks.

Akron RubberDucks 4, Harrisburg Senators 0

RubberDucks improve to 10-5

Tugboat!

What an impressive turn from the Akron pitching staff, led by none other than Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson. Wilkinson was flat out sensational in this game, throwing 5.0 perfect innings with six strikeouts. He was pulled after throwing 70 pitches.

While the bullpen wasn’t able to keep the perfect game going, it did preserve the no-hitter. Matt Jachech pitched a scoreless frame with one walk. Magnus Ellerts walked two and struck out two in a scoreless inning. Jay Driver walked one in his scoreless frame and then Carey closed out the combined no-hitter after walking a pair of batters.

Offensively, Alfonsin Rosario left the game after a first-inning RBI double. I hope he’s OK.

Wuilfredo Antunez homered, Jake Fox walked twice, Angel Genao doubled and Jose Devers went 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base. Nick Mitchell also walked and was hit by a pitch.

Lake County Captains 6, Fort Wayne Tincaps 9

Captains fall to 7-8

Lake County spoiled another excellent start from Franklin Gomez. Gomez allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with five strikeouts and just one walk in 5.0 innings.

Unfortunately, piggy-back partner Michael Kennedy got blistered for six runs on six hits in his 2.0 innings of work to take the loss.

On offense, Jace LaViolette was given an opportunity to lead off and he responded by blasting his second home run of the season, also walking.

No one had a multi-hit game, but Aaron Walton impressively went 1-for-2 with two walks. Bennett Thompson and Anthony Silva also both reached base safely twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk apiece and Dean Curley doubled.

Hill City Howlers 3, Wilson Warbirds 5

Howlers fall to 9-6

For his second straight start, Chase Mobley dominated opposing hitters, this time tossing 3.2 no-hit shutout innings with four strikeouts and a pair of walks.

Petty immediately followed by giving up three runs on six hits in his 3.0 innings of work. The game was still within reach until Keegan Zinn took the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning with the game tied 3-3 and quickly gave up a two-run walk-off home run.

Outfield prospect Robert Arias continued his scorching streak, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and a stolen base. Dauri Fernandez went 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base and Anthony Martinez went 1-for-3 with a walk.