CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 08: Cole Ragans #55 of the Kansas City Royals exits the game after being injured during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on April 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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The Royals have started the season 5-7. It feels a lot worse than that, probably because the Royals’ run differential of -12 means that they could easily have a worse record. There are some reasons to think the team will get out of this slump and still do well on the year, but it can absolutely be hard to consider those when the team is coming off its worst loss of the season. Especially when that loss included the team’s ace exiting the game before he was able to complete a single inning due to yet another injury. Sure, it’s a thumb contusion caused by a comebacker to the mound, not a muscle or ligament injury that’s likely to sideline him for long. But it feels like it fits the pattern.
But outside of that, the starting rotation has been pretty good. So maybe your concern is the outfield, which is doing much better than last year, but hasn’t exactly been lighting the world on fire with its power. Or maybe the bullpen, which has already allowed a pair of walkoffs to opponents to begin the year. Or maybe it’s even the infield, where Bobby Witt Jr and Vinnie Pasquantino are having their traditional slow starts, and Salvador Perez hasn’t added much beyond his two home runs.
Regardless, vote in this poll and let us know where your biggest concerns are so we can talk about them.
Missouri baseball is rolling into another huge SEC weekend, fresh off its big wins over Missouri State and Kentucky.
The series against South Carolina kicks off at 7 p.m. Thursday night, followed by 6 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon. This will be another game at Taylor Stadium underneath the lights, with Tiger fans dressed in black and the bats ready to do some damage.
Series Expectations
The Tigers have a current record of 20-14, and a home record of 11-7, after their huge victories against Missouri State and Kentucky. The team has an overall batting average of .287 and a slugging percentage of .438.
The Gamecocks have an overall record of 15-19, with their away record being 1-8. The team has a .253 batting average and a .446 slugging percentage, with more strikeouts than Mizzou.
Offensive Side
The biggest threats Mizzou will have to watch out for are KJ Scobey, with 15 doubles this season, Talmadge LeCroy, with a .496 SLG and Will Craddock, with a .308 AVG and a .598 SLG. Although their weak spots run in the bottom of their lineup, with weaker batting averages.
Mizzou takes the advantage on the consistency side, with more walks and a better team on-base percentage of .404. The Gamecocks are on the hunt for extra-base hits, so Mizzou pitchers will have to look out for this.
Although the Tigers have key hitters, such as Tyler Macon, with a .348 AVG, and lots of gap power. Also, Jase Woita has a solid combo of power and consistency, which will hopefully be a big threat for the Gamecocks. Blaize Ward has not gone unnoticed, with an on-base percentage of .467 and key hits when needed most.
Pitching Comparison
The Tigers have a team ERA of 5.29 and an opponent average of .235. South Carolina has a lower team ERA of 4.51, with a higher opponent average of .237. That being said, the Gamecocks have the same number of strikeouts as the Tigers do, and an almost identical opponent average.
To break it down even more, Josh McDevitt is the team’s ace, with a 3.66 ERA and 52 strikeouts for the team. Alongside him, Javyn Pimental has contained low damage during his time on the mound and a 3.33 ERA to go along with it.
Mizzou’s bullpen is even stronger, with Eli Skidmore proving to be a shutdown reliever and Juan Villarreal’s opponents averaging a 1.46. Sam Rosand, a usual late-game option, started for the first time in his career and secured their win against Kentucky on April 5.
The Gamecocks have an ace similar to McDevitt, named Amp Phillips, with a 2.59 ERA and 46 strikeouts. Alongside him, Brandon Stone has a 3.11 ERA and 36 strikeouts. For their bullpen, Zach Russell and Logan Prisco have been effective relievers.
Ward has had nothing short of an impressive season so far, from becoming the SEC Freshman of the Week to going 3-3 against Kentucky during the last game of the series on Sunday, April 5.
Ward leads the team with his outstanding batting average of .360, with 20 RBI’s and 27 hits in total. His ability to drive in runs for the team when needed most is stellar, and so is his current seven-game hitting streak.
Victory against Neighboring Missouri State
The Tigers put on a show at Taylor Stadium and claimed a 5-2 victory backed by Donovan Jordan and his powerful bat. He delivered the game’s biggest moment when launching a three-run homer on his birthday, breaking their 2-2 tie.
On the mound, Keyler Gonzalez dominated as a reliever, tossing six innings in total with nine strikeouts to shut down Missouri’s offense. More pitching led the way for the Tigers, as Trey Lawrence came in at the end of the game and secured his first win of the season.
Wrap Up
With a chance to extend their SEC success and protect their home-field advantage, Missouri looks ready to make this three-game series a showcase for Tigers baseball at its best.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 27: Pico Kohn of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 27, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The minor league season is in full swing, as all four affiliates have now hit the field for a full week of play. The last two weeks, we’ve previewed Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Somerset as the two affiliates containing the closest prospects to the majors. You’ll see a number of these guys in the big leagues in the next two years, whether in the Bronx or elsewhere.
But today, we’re checking out the affiliates full of players who still have a bunch of developing left to do. They come from all different backgrounds. Some are just beginning their professional journeys after being drafted last July (here’s a full list of where they’re all starting this season), while others are international prospects who are looking to continue their climb up the minor league ladder. There are big prospects, former top prospects in need of a bounce-back season, and everyone in between.
This area of the minor leagues is make-or-break for dozens of prospects yearly. Many of the prospects who are released before naturally hitting free agency never reach Double-A. Despite being so far off from the majors, there’s a big microscope on these levels. Everyone’s path here may be different, but they’re all judged the same.
High-A Hudson Valley
As we’ve seen with the upper levels, the organization’s catching depth took a serious beating at last year’s Trade Deadline, when they dealt Rafael Flores Jr., Edgleen Perez, and Jesus Rodriguez for big league help. At the High-A level, we have Josue Gonzalez and Eric Genther.
Gonzalez is another glove-first catcher who’s struggled to get his bat going since making it to A-ball in June 2024. As Low-A Tampa’s backup catcher and first baseman in 2025, he hit just .171 with an OPS under .600 in 265 plate appearances. Genther predominantly played outfield at Rhode Island in college, but the 23-year-old undrafted free agent appears to be utilized behind the plate to start the first full season of his pro career after a strong 17-game cup of coffee in Tampa last year.
The infield is chock full of 2025 draftees, headlined by third-round pick Kaeden Kent and fifth-round pick Core Jackson, who figure to slide around second base, third base, and shortstop, along with a former top prospect. Roderick Arias is coming off two brutal seasons in Tampa, where his strikeout rate was untenably high and his supposed strength, his defense, was equally poor. The 21-year-old is moving up despite not showing real progress in either season, but sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery.
Also on the infield are 2025 10th-rounder Connor McGinnis and 13th-rounder Kyle West. While McGinnis will mop up reps at DH and second base when one of the other three is sitting, West will split time at first base with Josh Moylan, who’s entering a pivotal season after struggling in 2025, and the outfield.
The outfield features another 2025 draft pick in 12th-rounder Camden Troyer, along with Wilson Rodriguez, a former 18th-rounder out of Puerto Rico, and Cole Gabrielson. There are also three guys currently on the 7-day injured list. Robbie Burnett was a priority UDFA out of Georgia in 2025, Tyler Wilson is a former eighth-round pick, and Luis Durango will fill in as a glove-first center fielder with tremendous speed.
On the pitching side, the starting rotation features several Tampa call-ups and 2025 draftees. Leading the way is Pico Kohn, the Yankees’ highest drafted pitcher in 2025 out of Mississippi State. He’s joined by sixth-rounder Rory Fox out of Notre Dame, and Texas Tech’s Jack Cebert, who was picked in the 15th round. You might remember Kohn from his very brief cameo in spring training, when he struck out both batters he faced before the game was called due to rain.
Brandon Decker got a midseason promotion last year from Tampa, and the former 19th-round pick will look to build on a solid campaign that saw him post a 3.61 ERA in 85 innings. Sean Paul Liñan will look to improve his arsenal around his standout changeup in his debut season in the organization after being dealt by Washington in the Jorbit Vivas trade. Rounding out the rotation is Luis Serna, who’s still only 21 despite losing much of the last season due to injury. The Mexico native was a prospect darling in rookie ball and is looking to get back on the saddle.
The rotation even has some built-in depth in case of injury, as Andrew Landry and Franyer Herrera are up from Tampa to serve as spot starters and long relievers. Herrera, who turns 21 next month, only has 10 innings above rookie ball, but was tremendous in the FCL last year. Landry was a 16th-round pick in 2023 who split time in Tampa and Hudson Valley last year and made 22 starts.
Hudson Valley’s bullpen has been one of the best in all of minor league baseball for several years, as the Yankees have routinely signed older UDFA arms with one or two strong pitches whose stuff can play right away in A-ball. While most of those arms are starting in Tampa, they’ll be here soon. 11th-rounder Ben Grable figures to get high-leverage innings right away as he joins a number of holdovers, like Jackson Fristoe, Tanner Bauman, Hansel Rincon, Jack Sokol, Chris Veach, and Tony Rossi, a 26-year-old righty who could be in Somerset before long after a terrific 2025.
They have a number of pitchers still on the shelf who could factor in soon. Brady Kirtner, Aaron Nixon, and Bryce Warrecker figure to be key parts of the bullpen when they return, while we could see Brian Hendry and Ocean Gabonia later in the year. The elephant in the room is the Renegades’ highest-ranked prospect, Bryce Cunningham. He’s on the 7-day injured list, so his return could come relatively soon.
Low-A Tampa
Tampa’s roster is a mix of FCL prospects taking the next step and the rest of the 2025 draft class. One name that will not start the year here is Dax Kilby, who’s rehabbing a minor hamstring issue to start the year. If he gets off to a similar start to the year as George Lombard Jr. did in 2025, expect him not to stay here for long. 16th-rounder Jackson Lovich, who tore the cover off the ball in a small sample last year, is also on the injured list.
The catching room is headlined by Engelth Urena, who will also split time at first base while trying to get going at the plate. He featured very mature power in rookie ball, but struggled to do much in Tampa last year with an additional cup of coffee in Hudson Valley. FCL call-up Ediel Rivera and 2025 UDFA Gregory Bozzo will also get reps.
While Kilby and Lovich rehab their injuries, the infield will feature the likes of 2024 draftee Austin Green, 2025 20th-rounder Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek (son of Mark), holdovers Enmanuel Tejada and Hans Montero, and FCL call-ups Santiago Gomez and Kevin Verde.
Tejada is the big name here, as he looks to get back to his 2024 form, where he was hitting .300 before tearing his ACL in July. He and Montero could be in Hudson Valley before long. Gomez’s bat regressed in 2025, but he hit .321 in 2024 in the FCL and will also be the designated position player-pitcher, having entered 12 different games in mop-up duty in the last few years.
Brando Mayea is the headliner in Tampa’s outfield, as the former top international prospect makes his full-season debut after injuries and underperformance hurt his trajectory over the past two seasons. Willy Montero will get plenty of reps alongside him, as will 2025 UDFA Logan Maxwell and 2024 17th-rounder JoJo Jackson, who’s only played 12 games in his first two professional seasons due to injury.
Tampa’s rotation is similar to HV’s in terms of composition. 2025 draftees Justin West, Tyler Boudreau, and Blake Gillespie will start down here, and there are reasons to like each of their arsenals. Danny Flatt is a holdover from an injury-riddled 2025 and could be a strong start away from a promotion, while Allen Facundo has a strong case to already be in Hudson Valley after pitching to a 1.85 ERA in 39 innings last year after recovering from injury. Former top prospect Henry Lalane will also look to build up after an injury-riddled 2025, looking to get back to the tremendous stuff that had turned heads in rookie ball.
The bullpen will be erratic all year, but the org will look to find some diamonds in the rough. 2024 fifth-rounder Greysen Carter is looking to bounce back after an ugly 2025, where he walked 67 in 54.2 innings. UDFAs Matthew Tippie (who throws a forkball!) and Parker Seay will look to follow the blueprint that many have utilized, while FCL call-ups Jose Ledesma, Jose Martinez, Jordarlin Mendoza, Jose M. Rodriguez, and Josh Tiedemann look to make a name for themselves. Look out for former seventh-round pick Wyatt Parliament to factor in at some point this summer as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
Gwinnett rode an excellent start from Didier Fuentes to a shutout victory on Wednesday, as the Stripers moved to 7-4 on the young season.
In six innings of work, Fuentes scattered just two hits while striking out eight in the process. The only blemish for the young righty, is that he issued four walks during the process.
Regardless, Fuentes’ stuff was still incredible despite the shaky command. His fastball topped out at 99.8 MPH on the night while averaging 96.9 MPH. As for his breaking stuff, Fuentes’ only threw two changeups on the night while relying heavily on his sweeper, which was somewhat inconsistent, especially on the inner third of the plate for RHH.
Overall, Fuentes was as solid as ever, getting a team-high 13 swings and misses during the process on the night as well, while only five of his 86 pitches were hit “hard” into fair territory, per Baseball Savant.
Just another day at the office for Didier Fuentes 🔥
At the plate, it was sort of an “all-hands-on-deck approach for Gwinnett, as Jim Jarvis went 1-3 with an RBI, while DeShawn Kiersey Jr. laced an RBI-triple in the process as well.
On another note, relatively new farmhand Victor Mederos was spectacular in his organization debut.
Across two innings pitched, Mederos dominated as he struck out three in those two frames. What was more impressive is his two-seam fastball averaged 96 MPH with more than 16’ of horizontal break and 7’ of vertical break. In addition to his fastball, Mederos threw a cutter and slider, both of which he used 19% of the time in his outing.
If he can keep up numbers like that from out of the pen, the Braves may have another interesting bullpen piece to add to the big league roster eventually.
Keeping with what has been a trend for Atlanta’s minor league affiliates so far this season, pitching was the key to the game for Columbus as they picked up their first win of the year on Wednesday.
Herick Hernandez got the start and struck out seven across 4.2 innings of work while getting 14 swings and misses — good for fourth-best in all of double-A on Wednesday. While he did scatter three hits and issue three walks, the lefty limited the damage and managed to keep Montgomery off the scoreboard while he was on the mound.
The star of the show at the plate was Lizandro Espinoza, as the 23-year-old utility player went 2-4 with a homer and a double to go along with a pair of RBI, a pair of runs scored and a walk in the process.
Ambioris Tavarez finally notched his first homer of the season, as he took a 2-1 fastball on the inner third of the plate and pulled it over the left field wall for a two-run homer. The shot registered at 104 MPH off the bat, which is a good sign for Tavarez who has struggled mightily at the plate over the course of his pro career.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) April 8, 2026
With Wednesday’s performance, Tavarez has seen his OPS jump to 1.025 across eight games, which is admittedly a small sample size, but it’s encouraging for the 22-year-0ld nonetheless.
(3-2) Rome Emperors 5, (3-2) Bowling Green Hot Rods 6
As the only minor league affiliate to come up short in terms of a win on Wednesday, Rome still had several individual performances to stand out.
Starter Jeremey Reyes didn’t have his best stuff on Wednesday, but still showed flashes of his above-average stuff. In 5.2 innings of work, Reyes was tagged for four runs on three hits while striking out five. The largest detriment to his performance were walks, as he issued three of them.
While it may not have been the outcome he wanted, his fastball did touch 98 MPH and his breaking stuff looked sharp at times as well.
Getting the start at DH, Eric Hartman put the barrel on the ball tremendously last night. Hartman laced a 101 MPH double off the bat in the second inning and also crushed a 103 MPH solo homer in the top of the first — not to mention hitting it off a LHP — to get the scoring started for Rome on the night.
Owen Carey was excellent as well, as he went 2-4 with an RBI and a rocket of a double that checked in at 104 MPH and just narrowly missed leaving the yard in the third frame.
(2-3) Augusta GreenJackets 11, (1-4) Delmarva Shorebirds 1
The GreenJackets absolutely dominated Delmarva, winning by a final of 11-1.
Augusta got standout performances from both the usual and unusual suspects in the process, as Tate Southisene launched his first career homer — a 431 blast that registered at 108 MPH off the bate — while driving in three runs and scoring two in the process to lead the charge.
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) April 9, 2026
As for the unusual suspects, Caden Merritt was excellent on Wednesday night, as he went 2-3 with a double and three RBI as well. Through 16 at-bats, the undrafted free agent out of Gainesville, Virginia is batting .313 with an OPS of .825 to start the season.
Starter Derek Vartanian was solid in his first career minor league start as the Campbell University product has dealt with a plethora of injuries over the course of his career.
In 4.2 innings of work, Vartanian gave up six hits, but limited the damage to just one earned run while striking out a whopping seven batters in the process.
Hopefully the 22-year-old righty can stay healthy to give the Braves a longer look, because the talent and stuff is absolutely there.
The end of the road is nearing for the Florida Panthers, both literally and figuratively.
Florida will play their final two road games of the season this week, starting on Thursday night when they face the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Center.
It’s been a challenging season for the Panthers, who have been dealing with major injuries to key players since the start.
The injured list has only grown in recent weeks, with defenseman Dmitry Kulikov becoming the third player over the past two weeks to suffer a season-ending broken finger, joining Evan Rodrigues and Aaron Ekblad after the latest fracture occurred during Tuesday’s shootout loss in Montreal.
As a result, Florida brought up young defensemen Ludvig Jansson and Marek Alscher from AHL Charlotte on Wednesday.
Jansson is playing in his first pro season in North America after signing his three-year entry-level contract with Florida back in May.
The 22-year-old Swede has played 29 games with the Checkers, accumulating three goals and 10 points while racking up 12 penalty minutes and skating to a plus-1 on-ice rating.
As for Alscher, he's played 104 AHL games over the past two seasons, accumulating five goals and 21 points while earning the trust of the Checkers coaching staff with solid defensive play, but both he and Jansson have yet to make their respective NHL debuts.
Looking at the standings, Florida and Ottawa are in very different situations as they near the finish line of the regular season.
The Senators currently hold the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, two points head of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the first team out of the playoffs looking in. Both teams have four games remaining.
Florida, meanwhile, hold the seventh-worst record in the league, which is significant because if the Panthers finish in a position that gives them a top-10 selection in this summer’s NHL Draft, they get to retain the pick despite including it in last year’s Trade Deadline deal with Chicago that brought Seth Jones to Sunrise.
The team currently with the tenth-worst record, the San Jose Sharks, are three points ahead of Florida with one more game remaining (five) than the Cats (four).
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s visit to Ottawa:
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Mackie Samoskevich
Photo caption: Jan 10, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (72) clears the puck after a save by goalie Leevi Merilainen (1)) in the second period against the Florida Panthers at the Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images)
The Colorado Rockies head to Petco Park for a four-game series with the San Diego Padres, with Game 1 taking place tonight.
These two teams are deadlocked at 6-6 in the NL West standings after Colorado’s surprising four-game winning streak.
See why the underdogs may not cool off so quickly in my Rockies vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks for Thursday, April 9.
Who will win Rockies vs Padres today: Rockies moneyline (+170)
Randy Vasquez was all the rage in spring training and in his first start due to his increased velocity.
Turns out, that was illusory, as Vasquez was back down to his 2025 level (93.6 mph) during his April 4 start. His 5.37 xERA and 4.6% K-BB% with that velocity a year ago hardly indicate future success.
Colorado Rockies right-hander Chase Dollander is up a tick to 98.8 mph, has a solid 102 Pitching+, and will throw in tandem with an effective bullpen (2.74 SIERA).
The San Diego Padres have a lowly 85 wRC+ against RHP, so there’s cause for concern both at the dish and on the mound.
COVERS INTEL: Vasquez was one of the most fortunate hurlers in 2025 as his xERA and xFIP (5.51) both undersold his 3.84 ERA. The increased velocity from his first start is gone, as is the cold and windy weather from his second.
Rockies vs Padres Over/Under pick: Under 8 (-109)
Neither lineup has performed well enough to have confidence in an offense-oriented game. Colorado checks in with a 94 wRC+ while San Diego is even worse at 81.
The Padres have one of the most talented bullpens in the league, whereas the Rockies have been one of the most effective.
Colorado has been an Under bettor’s dream this season, cashing tickets in nine of their 12 contests.
Dollander has an effective 3.86 ERA on the road, holding batters to a .208 AVG, and his increased stuff to start the year should pay dividends against a down lineup.
JD Yonke's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-2, +1.25 units
Over/Under bets: 3-3, -0.11 units
Rockies vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Rockies +164 | Padres -196
Run line: Rockies +1.5 (-134) | Padres -1.5 (+112)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-105) | Under 8 (-115)
Rockies vs Padres trend
The Rockies have hit the Under in 14 of their last 20 away games. Find more MLB betting trends for Rockies vs. Padres.
How to watch Rockies vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Thursday, April 9, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
COLR, SDPA
Rockies starting pitcher
Chase Dollander (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
Randy Vasquez (1-0, 0.75 ERA)
Rockies vs Padres latest injuries
Rockies vs Padres weather
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.
There's a small board to choose from for our MLB pickstoday, but our baseball experts have still found some value to get action on.
Our baseball experts are double-dipping on today's White Sox/Royals matchup, as well as banking on the Mets to bounce back, for their favorite plays today at Polymarket — which allows MLB fans all across the country to join in on the action.
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: White Sox/Royals Under 9.5
Price: 52¢ (-108) at Polymarket
This is a big number for a Kansas City Royals squad that has been one of the best Under teams in the league at 4-8 O/U. The offense is coming off a three-game set in Cleveland, where it managed just seven runs and cashed the Under in each game. They're also sending Seth Lugo, who has allowed just three total runs through two starts, to the mound today against the White Sox. The wind is blowing out, which is inflating this total, but it feels like an overreaction given that both teams have recently been lined closer to 7.5.
Jon Metler's expert pick: Royals moneyline
Price: 63¢ (-170) at Polymarket
The Royals are trading as a 63% favorite, and this price still isn’t short enough — I make them closer to a 69% favorite in this matchup against Chicago. Seth Lugo features a deep arsenal, mixing seven different pitches, with his curveball serving as his primary weapon. That variety of off-speed pitches should create significant problems for a young White Sox lineup, which is anchored by Munetaka Murakami, who thrives when he can hunt fastballs... but that’s not what he’ll be seeing from Lugo today. If Murakami isn’t able to provide power in the middle of the order, the White Sox offense looks much less threatening.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Mets ML
Price: 61¢ (-156) at Polymarket
Eduardo Rodriguez comes back down to earth tonight with the cooler temperatures in New York. He has a horrible track record at Citi Field, where he was rocked for eight earned runs in an April start last season, while also getting smacked for five earned runs there in a 2024 start. Meanwhile, Nolan McLean has looked sharp early, and Arizona’s offense ranks a brutal 27th in OPS vs righties. Add in a major bullpen edge (with the Mets third in ERA and the Diamondbacks 26th), and this sets up for a bounce-back win for New York.
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.
NEW YORK — Early on in his career with the Houston Astros, J.D. Martinez was trying to find his way.
He was a 20th round pick out of Division II Nova Southeastern — less than an hour north of his native Miami. In his first three seasons with the Astros, he was back and forth between the minor leagues and far from the polished hitter he would become later in his career.
As he looked to become a better player, Martinez sought out help in the Astros clubhouse. In his own words, the veterans "weren't very nice."
"I remember seeing that and asking questions, and them kind of never answering, and them kind of blowing me off and just making my life a nightmare," Martinez said. "I remember saying, ‘If God ever blesses me where I'm in that position, I'm never going to treat a young guy like that, and I'll always answer any questions and help them out any which way,’ because I remember how helpless that feeling was and going through that whole process."
After a standout 14-year career, Martinez, who was a six-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger and 2018 World Series champion, will be able to provide the mentorship that he felt he had been lacking early in his career as a special assistant to Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns.
What will J.D. Martinez's role with the Mets look like?
Martinez said his goal in his new role since playing his last major league game with the Mets in 2024 is to be a resource for the major league team. He feels like he has an experience that can relate with much of the roster, from being a top prospect, to being cut, to rising to one of the best hitters in the game, working through struggles and ultimately retiring.
"Just my knowledge with that and just helping any way I can, anything I see, whether it's in the offense, whether it's the strategy, whether it's mentorship, I'm just here to help out any way I can," Martinez said.
The Mets now have a Hall of Famer in Carlos Beltran and decorated hitter in Martinez as sounding boards for the players.
The addition of Martinez as a designated hitter right before the 2024 seasons served as one of the Mets' pivotal moves in the campaign. While he batted a modest .235/.320/.406 with 16 home runs, 69 RBI and 46 runs, the veteran had a commanding presence as a leader inside the clubhouse.
"It brings back memories to 2024 when he was a huge part for us and the impact, not only on the field but off the field, his knowledge," Carlos Mendoza said of having Martinez back. "Right away yesterday, having those interactions with him and watching him in the cages with the boys, behind the cage in batting practice, it's just the presence to it, not only with J.D. but having Carlos around too.
"Those are great baseball minds, not only in the hitting department but just baseball in general."
Along with the addition of Jose Iglesias, the Mets made a massive turnaround, clawing from 11 games under .500 to clinching a playoff spot on the final day of the season. That run helped endear Martinez to the Mets organization.
"I like what they're doing here. I like the team they built here," Martinez said. "I had a great experience here with the front office, with ownership, with the clubhouse, everything. It was just a really fun place to come. So I said, ‘You know what? Why not? Let's do it.’"
On coming out of retirement
Martinez said he finally put the bat down last spring after trying to prepare to land another spot with a major league team. He left his batting gloves and a bat at a facility after working out at a facility in Miami and never went back.
The Miami native finished his career with a career .863 OPS, including 331 home runs, 1,071 RBI, 897 runs and a bWAR of 30.8.
He used last summer to clear his mind after more than three decades playing baseball year-round. Martinez's Instagram showcases a summer filled with deep-sea fishing and professional pickleball.
But on Monday and Tuesday, it was back on the diamond at Citi Field. He expects to be in steady communication with this year's team with anything they need while coming to New York monthly for a homestand to be around the players.
And maybe he can have his fingerprints on another deep postseason run, albeit in a new, unfamiliar role.
"Obviously, at the beginning of the year, they weren't really scoring, they're starting to score a little bit more now," Martinez said. "Adding Freddy (Peralta) too is huge and the pitching staff, they've added, they're a threat. It's a really good baseball team."
Apr 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) reacts after hitting a double against the New York Mets during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
Third time’s the charm! Nelson overpowers Mets after pair of rocky outings
Nelson’s fastball velocity was right around his season average (96.5 mph) early in the game, but as the sun went down and the wind picked up, it went down a tick. That didn’t seem to keep Nelson from being effective as he gave up just two hits through the first five innings. Of his 86 pitches, 65 were four-seam fastballs and he threw 14 sliders. “Cold day like today, it can be kind of tough to feel the spin [for breaking pitches],” Nelson said. “But that just allows me to use the fastball more, which I want to do anyway and jump ahead of guys, pound the zone with it.”
D-backs Corbin Carroll Stands Alone in This Impressive MLB Record
That 500th contest closed the door on a chapter of Carroll’s career — one in which he sat alone atop an MLB leaderboard. Per the D-backs.TV broadcast, Carroll is the only player in MLB history to record 120 stolen bases, 80 home runs and 40 triples through his first 500 games.
Diamondbacks Bring Back Controversial Veteran Reliever
“It’s one of those unfortunate parts of baseball where you start to… get behind with some pitching and you need arms. And you know, sometimes you have option-able players, sometimes you don’t. And Joe wasn’t, unfortunately was not throwing the ball that well,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said after the team initially designated the right-hander for assignment. https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/arizona-diamondbacks-news/diamondbacks-sign-controversial-veteran-reliever-ross
Here’s one of our sweetest did you know facts about food. When honey is heated and strained and sealed properly, it will not be able to absorb moisture and therefore will stay as it is forever. The oldest jar of honey ever found is stated to be over 5500 years old today.
The Northwest Territories in Canada once wanted to rename itself.
One of the most amazing facts about this is that it was considered due to the recent separation from Nunavut in 1999. One of the names that were highly considered during the meeting was ‘bob’.
The Earth used to be purple.
Green is seen as a symbol of life, but scientists claim that the earliest life on Earth might have been purple. Currently, chlorophyll molecules create the greenish hue of organisms. However, scientists theorize that ancient microbes may have used a different molecule to harness sun rays, giving organisms a violet hue instead.
MINNEAPOLIS – It's early, but the Detroit Tigers are playing losing baseball.
The Tigers have a 4-7 record for fourth place in the American League Central through 11 games, but more notably, they've lost seven of their past nine games. Among the 30 MLB teams, the offense ranks 12th, the rotation ranks 16th and the bullpen ranks 14th.
There are 151 games remaining in the 2026 season.
"Team-wise, you're always pushing to play winning baseball," manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday, April 8, before the third of four games in the series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. "Right now, we haven't done that. We're trying to find ways to get back to our brand of baseball that produces those wins without overreacting."
Before Wednesday's game, Hinch revealed what the Tigers have been working on with all of their players early in the season – which extends throughout the entire 162-game schedule.
For position players, it's refusing to chase bad pitches and hitting the ball hard. For pitchers, it's throwing first-pitch strikes and getting into leverage with two strikes.
"It's a tricky time when you look at guys coming out of the spring," Hinch said. "They're hot or they're cold, or they run into some bad luck or don't get something to fall, and there's the psychology that comes with the big board putting your numbers up there."
For MLB position players, the average chase rate is 29.9% and the average exit velocity is 89 mph.
"The elements come into play a little bit," Hinch said, referencing the cold weather in Detroit and Minneapolis over the past four games, all losses, "but we've got to get over that play in the same elements everybody else does and know that it's part of the start of the season."
To be clear, the Tigers aren't panicking about their 4-7 record to start the season because it's only been 11 games.
But the Tigers remain determined to play winning baseball.
"In April, you can certainly overreact to a lot of things as the competition gets stronger," Hinch said. "You can also underreact if you just chalk it up to just April. I think it's a fine line in coaching to address the things that create success and create wins."
According to the team, only a limited number of black and green hats, featuring the team's sock logo in the middle and shaped like a Pope's miter, will be given away.
There are caveats to receiving the hat: only fans seated in certain sections known as "pews" can receive one, and tickets must be purchased directly from the team.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost, is a Chicago native and longtime White Sox fan, even attending Game 1 of the 2005 World Series against the Houston Astros. The White Sox swept the Astros, winning the title for the first time since 1917.
Every day this week, the NBC Sports NBA writing crew is breaking down the league's individual postseason awards and giving you their thoughts and predictions. We've done MVP, Coach of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Today, let's get into Sixth Man of the Year. Here's where we stand.
Sixth Man of the Year
Kurt Helin, NBC Sports Lead NBA Writer: Keldon Johnson
While statistics matter to me in what was a tight race between the Spurs' Keldon Johnson and the Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr., it was the tone Johnson set, the way he leads in the San Antonio locker room, that was the difference. He's the longest-serving Spur on the roster, and the positive vibes in the locker room start with him. Pair that with his highly efficient shooting and he gets my vote. But just barely.
If it weren't for Ajay Mitchell missing so many games in the middle of the season, he would have won this award for me.
Jay Coucher, NBC Sports Lead Betting Analyst: Keldon Johnson
This could have been Ajay Mitchell's or Isaiah Stewart's award but both have missed significant time. It likely comes down to Johnson or Jaime Jaquez Jr. Give the edge to Keldon for far superior efficiency (62.5% true shooting vs. Jaquez's 56.1%) and his team being likely to finish 15+ wins ahead of Jaquez's in the standings.
Raphielle Johnson, NBC Sports Fantasy basketball lead analyst: Keldon Johnson
Johnson's production off the bench is one reason why the Spurs have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season. He's averaging 13.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, leading the way for a team that ranks ninth in the league in bench scoring (41.4 ppg).
Eric Samulski, MLB/NBA Writer, NBC Sports: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
To me, this is a two-man race between Jaquez and Keldon Johnson. Jaquez averages more points per game, more steals per game, 0.2 fewer rebounds per game, and 3.3 more assists per game. Jaquez also had stretches during the season where he was the offensive engine for the Heat when Tyler Herro or Norman Powell were out. I know the Spurs were a better team than the Heat, but I think the Heat don't even make the play-in tournament without Jaquez.
While we’re on the subject of blowouts, spare a thought for poor Carlos Ortiz. The 34-year-old Mexican is making just his second start at the Masters, and his first since 2021. A tie for fourth at last year’s US Open at Oakmont shows the man has proper major-championship game, but Augusta National is capable of besting any man, and Ortiz has suffered a nightmare start. A drive into the creek down the left of 2. A fluffed splash out of a fairway bunker at 5. He’s started 5-7-5-4-6, a run of three bogeys and two doubles. At +7 through 5, he’ll already be wishing he was back in the clubhouse, and a par at 6 to snap that disastrous run won’t do much to help his mood.
The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to hang onto home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. They are currently seeded fourth in the Western Conference but have an identical record as the No. 5 Houston Rockets. The Golden State Warriors are locked into the No. 10 seed and will have to win two games in the play-in tournament to reach the playoffs.
How to watch Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
Apr 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) skates with the puck during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Alberti-Imagn Images | Mark Alberti-Imagn Images
Checking in with some random Pittsburgh Penguins thoughts ahead of Thursday’s win-and-in game against the New Jersey Devils.
1. The math is very simple
Win and in.
Just two points.
That is it.
It could be two points on Thursday. It could be two points on Saturday. It could be two points on Sunday. It could be two points early next week against the St. Louis Blues. Whenever they get them, whoever they get them against, it does not matter.
Just two more points. One more win.
It certainly brings a big-game feel to Thursday’s game.
There areother clinching scenarios as early as Thursday. An overtime loss, combined with a Columbus Blue Jackets loss to the Buffalo Sabres would also do it.
If the Penguins lose in regulation, a New York Islanders loss (in any fashion) to the Toronto Maple Leafs and a Blue Jackets regulation loss would also do it
But why rely on others when you can just do it yourself?
2. Penguins recent history in New Jersey is better than I realized
The Prudential Center always seems like one of those places where the Penguins always seem to struggle, and it never seems like they win there. Kind of like Boston. Kind of like Long Island.
But a brief look at recent history suggests it is not quite that bad.
They lost their first regular season game there this season in a shootout.
They split two games there in each of the past two seasons.
They did lose both games there in 2022-23.
But they swept the Devils in New Jersey in 2021-22, won three of four in 2020-21, and then split two games in each during the 2019-20 and 2018-19 seasons.
It is not great. It is also not as bad as I remember it being. This is not a Boston situation here.
3. Additional benefit to clinching as early as possible
While any win in any of the four remaining games will get the Penguins in the playoffs, there are a lot of positives that can come from clinching as soon as possible. The biggest of those positives, aside from getting ready of the anticipation and removing all doubt about a playoff spot: Getting a chance to rest some people.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in their late 30s and have both battled injuries this season. They could use a break.
Parker Wotherspoon has played more minutes than he ever has in his NHL career, and it has been starting to show in recent games. He could use a break.
The same goes for Ryan Shea.
Ben Kindel, as great as he has been this season, has started to hit another rookie wall in recent games. He could probably use a break.
It might also give the Penguins a reason to give Sergei Murashov a look in some more games at the NHL level just to see what he can do. Maybe he impresses. Maybe he plays his way into a Matt Murray type-situation where he just runs with a late-season opportunity and never gives it back.
The biggest thing though is the potential for some rest.
4. Can Elmer Soderblom keep his roster spot when everybody is back?
What Blake Lizotte returns he is going to have a spot in the lineup. That is a given. He is too good on the penalty kill, too much of a spark plug on that fourth line to not be in the lineup. The problem then becomes who do you take out of the lineup?
Elmer Soderblom seems like the obvious candidate, but how do you take him out of the lineup given the way he has played recently? He is not only chipping in more offense, he has become a physical presence and beast with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. He has earned a lineup spot.
But if you keep HIM in, who do you take out in HIS place?
A couple of games ago I would have said Tommy Novak given how much his game had fallen off. But he has started to get back to his previous level and seems to have a great chemistry with Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell.
Noel Accairi seems like a given to stay in given his face-off ability and penalty killing ability?
Connor Dewar?
Could he replace Justin Brazeau, whose production has fallen off a bit in the second half of the season (as expected)?
At the end of the day it is a good problem to have, and a testament to how deep the forward lineup is. With Soderblom, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen (I am still a fan) and Avery Hayes they have 16-17 forwards that are all NHL caliber that can play, and play well, right now. That is important. The forwards are, in my mind, good enough and deep enough to contend for a Stanley Cup right now. It just comes down to whether or not the defense and goaltending can do enough.
COVERS INTEL: Vasquez was one of the most fortunate hurlers in 2025 as his xERA and xFIP (5.51) both undersold his 3.84 ERA. The increased velocity from his first start is gone, as is the cold and windy weather from his second.
