San Diego, California - September 27: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the San Diego Padres tags Ildemaro Vargas #6 of the Arizona Diamondbacks out at second base during the fourth inning at Petco Park on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
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Opening Week was a little bit funny in the NL West. Everyone expects the Los Angeles Dodgers to run away with the division, but it didn’t need to happen so fast, did it? But no. With one series in the books, the Dodgers stood a perfect 3-0, while the rest of the division had a combined record of 1-11.
It won’t stay that way forever, of course. The Dodgers have, thankfully, lost a baseball game since then, while your San Francisco Giants have won one (two, even!). But the sentiment remains: LA is expected to be in a subdivision of their own within the actual division.
Conventional wisdom has the Dodgers alone atop the NL West, and the Colorado Rockies alone at the bottom, while the Giants, San Diego Padres, and Arizona Diamondbacks battle for runner-up supremacy. In the expanded playoff era, the Giants don’t need to be the leader among that trio to make the playoffs — hell, they don’t even need to be second! — but it sure helps. Which means that we’ll likely spend the bulk of the year, if not all of it, watching the standings to see how the Giants stack up against Arizona and San Diego.
Both teams have their share of star power, accompanied by some very loud question marks. So we want to poll you and get your opinion: which team poses the biggest threat to the Giants in the standings?
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) swings at a pitch during the MLB game between the Athletics and the Atlanta Braves on March 30th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Rise and shine everyone! We got an early one today as the Athletics wrap up their first road trip of the year. Toronto was not kind to us but Atlanta has been a bit better after yesterday’s first victory of the year. Another win today and we’ll also have our first series win of the season.
We got our Opening Day starter Luis Severino back on the mound for his second appearance of the year. His performance on Opening Night was solid as he pitched five full innings against the Blue Jays while only allowing two runs. The A’s would gladly take that again today against a Braves squad that is 3-2 to start their campaign.
Here’s how the starting lineup looks for the finale against the Braves:
With today being get away day for the club manager Mark Kotsay is giving a couple of his regulars the finale off. Catcher Shea Langeliers, who is tied for the league lead with four home runs already, gets breather as he’ll only DH today while Austin Wynns gets his catcher’s gear on. That means regular DH Brent Rooker will need to grab his outfielder’s glove and get ready to play the grass, taking over in right field for Lawrence Butler. who is just 1-for-12 to start the year.
No Nick Kurtz either today as Andy Ibanez gets the start at first base. We can likely expect to see Kurtz make a late-game appearance if the score is close so having his stick on the bench will come in handy if the A’s need a big hit.
And another day with no Jeff McNeil, who is also struggling to get going after collecting just one hit so far. This’ll be his second day off in a row so hopefully he’s not dealing with any sort of injury this early in the year. That means Darell Hernaiz gets his second start of the year at the keystone. He’s still looking for his first hit of the year after going 0-for-3 on Saturday. Maybe today’s the day for him.
The Braves meanwhile will be sending their own Opening Night starter to the mound in Chris Sale. He looked like the Chris Sale of old in his first start of the season, shutting the Kansas City Royals down for six innings and allowing just three hits. The A’s will be hoping to do more damage against the ace lefty.
The Sacramento Kings have sunk to the bottom of the Western Conference, leaving little to play for.
However, my Kings vs. Raptors predictions forecast a motivated showing from veteran forward DeMar DeRozan when Sacramento wraps up its five-game road trip in Toronto.
Find out more about why our NBA picks like the setup for DeRozan on Wednesday, April 1.
Kings vs Raptors prediction
Kings vs Raptors best bet: DeMar DeRozan Over 17.5 points (-120)
DeMar DeRozan is one of the few Sacramento Kings stars still standing at this point in the season. With a laundry list of injuries around him, DeRozan’s usage has shot up this month, jumping to a team high 25.8% from 21.43% on the season.
He’s averaging 19 points over that stretch and posted 22 and 33 points in his last two games before sitting out Sunday’s trip to Brooklyn with a sore hamstring. That’s given DeRozan three full days off, bringing fresh legs and plenty of motivation to Toronto.
DeRozan started his career with the Toronto Raptors, and while he has a soft spot for the city, he’s gone after his former club.
For his career, DeRozan’s 22.5-point average against Toronto ranks fourth among all 30 NBA teams. In his last appearance at Scotiabank Arena, he dropped 33 points, and who knows how many more times the 17-year pro will return to Toronto.
If sticking it to the Raptors again wasn’t enough motivation to feed him the ball, DeRozan is just nine points away from 17th on the NBA’s All-Time scoring list and 51 points out of 16th.
Given his rest, usage, and motivations, I like the Kings vet to top 17.5 points tonight.
Kings vs Raptors same-game parlay
Toronto is playing the second night of a back-to-back after a tough matchup in Detroit. The Raptors rarely cover spreads this big, going 6-0 SU but just 2-4 ATS as double-digit favorites this season.
Brandon Ingram was back in action last night after sitting out due to injury. He finished with 22 points but looked a little rusty from outside, shooting 1-for -6 from beyond the arc. He’ll get cleaner looks against a poor Sacramento perimeter defense.
Kings vs Raptors SGP
Kings +13.5
DeMar DeRozan Over 17.5 points
Brandon Ingram Over 1.5 threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Canadian Beef
DeRozan will get a warm welcome from the Toronto crowd, but they could be cursing him by the time the final whistle blows.
With the Kings' rotation running paper-thin, he’ll get all the touches and minutes he wants tonight.
Kings vs Raptors SGP
Kings +13.5
DeMar DeRozan Over 17.5 points
DeMar DeRozan Over 4.5 assists
DeMar DeRozan Over 2.5 rebounds
Kings vs Raptors odds
Spread: Kings +13.5 (-110) | Raptors -13.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Kings +600 | Raptors -900
Over/Under: Over 226 (-110) | Under 226 (-110)
Kings vs Raptors betting trend to know
Toronto has gone Under the total in 31 of its last 50 games (+10.10 Units / 18% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Kings vs. Raptors.
How to watch Kings vs Raptors
Location
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Date
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSCA, TSN
Kings vs Raptors latest injuries
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Ankeny Centennial pitcher Joey Oakie warms up his arm at practice Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
The 2026 season for the Single-A Hill City Howlers begins Thursday.
First things first, the team underwent a rebrand in the offseason, transitioning from the Lynchburg Hillcats to the Hill City Howlers. Personally, I love it. They just sound more ferocious. The Howlers released a preliminary roster Tuesday. Here are the active players we have so far:
Pitchers:
Eudry Alcantara RHP, Jerfis Alfaro RHP, Harrison Bodendorf LHP, Wes Burton RHP, Luke Fernandez RHP, Miguel Flores LHP, Ettore Giulianelli RHP, Nelson Keljo LHP, Aidan Major RHP, Will McCausland RHP, Chase Mobley RHP, Joey Oakie RHP, Angel Perez RHP, Zane Petty RHP, Jacob Zibin RHP, Keegan Zinn RHP.
Analysis:
All eyes will be on top pitching prospect Joey Oakie as the headliner of this starting rotation, and rightfully so after his extremely promising finish to 2025. I’ll be interested to see what development former 10th round pick Jacob Zibin has made after pitching the entire 2025 campaign healthy for the first time in his career. Aidan Major, a 2024 fourth round pick, will be making his pro debut after missing last season with Tommy John surgery. Chase Mobley earned a huge bonus from Cleveland in 2024 and has a high ceiling, but likely will be a long developmental project.
Catchers:
Tyler Howard RHH, Victor Izturis LHH, Cannon Peebles SH.
Analysis:
I don’t see a ton here in terms of catching prospects, but Howard (11th round) and Peebles (17th round) were both 2025 draft picks by Cleveland while Izturis is finally making his full-season debut after three years in Arizona.
Infielders:
Luis De La Cruz SH 1B, Dauri Fernandez SH SS/3B, Anthony Martinez LHH 1B, Johnathan Martinez SH 2B, Yaikel Mijares SH 3B, Riley Nelson 1B LHH, Gabriel Rodriguez LHH SS.
Analysis:
Talk about a youth movement. The big names here are Dauri Fernandez and Gabriel Rodriguez. Fernandez had an extremely impressive 2025 campaign and could get a rocket strapped to him if his development continues in the same trajectory while Rodriguez has continued steady production and looks like he has the strong defensive chops to stay at shortstop. Nelson and Martinez also are interesting college bats from the 2025 draft.
Outfielders:
Robert Arias LHH CF, Juneiker Caceres LHH RF, Yeiferth Castillo LHH LF, Yerlin Luis SH LF, Jose Pirela LHH RF.
Analysis:
The oldest player in this group is Luis at an ancient 20 years old, incredible. Juneiker Caceres made a name for himself by raking a both Arizona and Lynchburg last season, but don’t forget about Robert Arias and Yeiferth Castillo. Arias has been an on-base machine his first two seasons, walking more than he struck out while Castillo has some sneaky power, blasting five home runs in Arizona last season despite standing just 5-foot-8.
Hill City is home of Cleveland’s youth movement, with prominent teenage infield, pitching and outfield prospects all getting huge full-season opportunities. Many of the high-end prospects may be on the other three full-season squads, but we’re getting a tremendous preview of the future of Cleveland’s offense and pitching with this team.
Which players are catching your eye as the Single-A season starts? Tell us in the comments below:
FORT MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Nick Sogard #20 of the Boston Red Sox bats during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on Sunday, February 22, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Natalie Reid/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This Major League team is tough to watch, right? Well, guess what? The WooSox, featuring Nick Sogard, Nate Eaton, Kristian Campbell — all guys with playing time in the organization in the last year — are raking in the series opener in St. Paul. Let’s get right into it!
You ever see a box score that makes you blink at a certain stat and wish you were there, just to know how it felt to witness it in person? This was yesterday’s game for me.
The WooSox scored nineteen runs off of thirteen hits and TWENTY walks issued by the Saints (Twins AAA). This was actually the most walks drawn in the International League in two decades. St. Paul used seven pitchers and every single one of them issued a walk and all but former WooSox member Dan Altavilla allowed a hit. This game was honestly over in the first inning when the WooSox scored 8 runs, but it was REALLY over when Kristian Campbell emptied the bases with a long single in the sixth, making the game 12-3. It was so over that over wasn’t the word to use by the time Nick Sogard hit a grand slam. The slam was Sogard’s third hit of the game and capped off a 10-run sixth inning in which the team sent fourteen hitters to the plate. The game also featured Allan Castro’s first two hits and four RBIs of the season.
Even though the WooSox pitching staff walked nine St. Paul batters, that incredible sixth inning also capped off Seth Martinez powering through three innings in relief without allowing a baserunner. That grind of a relief effort helped matters, but no one was stopping the club regardless yesterday.
Sandy Alcantara looked a little more like his old self in his first start of the season. Now, the Miami Marlins ace will try to carry that momentum into start No. 2 when he takes the ball against the Chicago White Sox.
Alcantara allowed just one unearned run on four hits while striking out five in a matchup against the Colorado Rockies, and today he gets to face one of the more free-swinging teams in baseball.
The White Sox have hit a bunch of home runs to start the season, but that swing-for-the-fences mentality also means a lot of strikeouts. Chicago is getting punched out a whopping 35.9% of the time so far this season.
Alcantara should work deep into this game, giving him plenty of opportunities to top this modest number.
Time: 1:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, Marlins.TV
Kazuma Okamoto Over 0.5 RBI (+130)
People aren’t paying enough attention to how good Kazuma Okamoto’s bat is going to play in the big leagues. The former NPB star has a great swing path, which creates an impressive exit velocity, and we’ve seen that in his early at-bats with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Okamoto has at least one hit in each of his first five games with the Jays and enters today’s game against the Colorado Rockies with a .300 average, a .991 OPS, two home runs, and three RBI.
Now, he gets a matchup with Rockies starter Kyle Freeland. The left-hander has been in the Bottom 13% in expected ERA and Bottom 8% in expected batting average each of the last four seasons.
Okamoto’s propensity to take the ball to all fields makes him a tough out for Freeland, and with him being in the middle of the Jays' lineup, I love him to drive in another run.
Time: 1:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV, Sportsnet
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Over 6.5 strikeouts (-106)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto picked up right where he left off last season, opening the 2026 MLB campaign by allowing two runs on five hits and striking out six over six innings in a matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Tonight, the Los Angeles Dodgers ace takes the ball against the Cleveland Guardians in the rubber. The 27-year-old is coming off a year where he ranked in the 89th percentile in strikeout rate, and there’s no reason to think he won’t keep that up against the Guardians.
Cleveland’s lineup has been a little more exciting with a little more pop thanks to Chase DeLauter’s hot start, but it’s also meant more strikeouts. The Guardians enter this game with the third-highest K-rate in baseball at 29.5%.
Yamamoto looks like one of the best pitchers in the world, and should be able to go deep enough to cover this number.
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CleGuardians.TV, SNLA
2026 Transparency record
Prop picks: 6-4, +1.87 units
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Los Angeles, CA - March 31: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) blows away flies as he gets ready to throw a pitch during the first inning of a MLB game against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Sarah Langs of MLB.com dropped this wonderful nugget late Tuesday night.
These are regular-season streaks. The pitching streak for Ohtani dates back to last August 27, when he allowed a third-inning run to the Cincinnati Reds then added two more scoreless frames to finish out his time on the mound.
The on-base streak dates back a few days earlier than the pitching streak. On August 23 in a loss in San Diego, Ohtani was 0-for-4, but has reached base in every game since, including the final 31 games last year and the first five this year. During those 36 straight games reaching base, Ohtani is hitting .276/.409/.597.
Mar 31, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Texas Rangers left fielder Brandon Nimmo (24) celebrates after hitting a single during the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 31: Jose Fernandez #11 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on March 31, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Tigers 7-5. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Diamondbacks News
Jose Fernandez Hits Go-Ahead Homer to Save Snakes in MLB Debut Diamondbacks prospect Jose Fernandez not only hit his first career home run in his major league debut on Tuesday, but he homered a second time to give Arizona the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning off Detroit Tigers closer Kenley Jansen.
Who Is Jose Fernandez? Jose Fernandez burst onto the scene with a strong spring training and then played the role of saviour as part of his big MLB debut last night.
Back-to-Back History in the Desert Michael Soroka had himself a stellar debut on Monday night. Jose Fernandez followed that performance with a historic debut of his own, launching two homers against the Tigers, including a go-ahead blast against all-star closer, Kenley Jensen.
Diamondbacks Back to Doing what They Do Best After a rough series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, the Diamondbacks have rediscovered their swagger at home against the Tigers, where they are finding ways to come back when being counted out.
2026 Ace Rankings Kiley McDaniel assembles his list of the top-11 starters in the game. Unsurprisingly, Arizona is not represented.
Mariners Sign Colt Emerson to Eight-Year Extension The Mariners announced the signing of top shortstop prospect Colt Emerson to an eight-year extension that includes a club option for the 2034 campaign. Emerson, an ACES client, is reportedly guaranteed $95MM — a record for a player who has yet to make his MLB debut.
Cardinals Attempting to Extend JJ Wetherholt Wetherholt was the seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft. The University of West Virginia product mashed throughout his first full minor league season, batting .306/.421/.510 between the top two levels. He’s a consensus top prospect whom the Cardinals carried on the Opening Day roster and have immediately plugged in as their leadoff hitter. Wetherholt can play shortstop but is ticketed for second base work in St. Louis thanks to Masyn Winn.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have won all but one of their first five games take on the Cleveland Guardians (3-3). Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who won his first start, will be on the mound for the Dodgers. Gavin Williams is scheduled to start for Cleveland.
How to watch Cleveland Guardians vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Date: Wednesday, April 1
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET / 5:20 p.m. PT
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
TV Channels: SportsNet LA, Guardians.TV Presented by Progressive
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 31: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 31, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
10 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds
Mitchell felt more like a passive participant. He was mostly just moving the ball around, even in the second quarter, when the Cavaliers were looking like they were stalling on the offensive end. Games like this are fine when everyone has it going. The Cavaliers, after the first quarter, appeared to be heading this way, then they only scored 19 in the second. This is where Mitchell should’ve covered the cracks.
Grade: D
James Harden
17 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds
Harden appeared to have it going early, however when the wheels fell off in the second quarter, he just faded into the background. I don’t think it is a coincidence as well that the two biggest net negatives in terms of plus minus were Mitchell and Harden. When the offense is dialed up to an 11, it only makes their lack of defensive effort that much more noticeable.
Grade: C-
Evan Mobley
6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
This might have been Mobley’s worst game of the year. I don’t necessarily even think it can be put on him. The offense never seemed to look to get him in actions or set him up for success. Mobley only shot the ball four times, and when he had the ball, he was looking to create a look for someone else rather than himself. Kind of makes you think the past month for Mobley was not a sign of what’s to come.
Grade: F
Jarrett Allen
18 points, 2 assists, 4 rebounds
If the grades were based on the first half, Jarrett Allen might have gotten an A. I don’t think, considering the limited minutes that Allen played in the second half due to coaching decisions, I can give him that. Allen was leaps and bounds the best Cavalier in this game. Allen was running all around the court, driving in the lanes, hunting mismatches. Everything that reminds you of how critical he is to the Cavaliers’ success this season.
Grade: A–
Max Strus
11 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds
Strus got the start tonight at the three and I think everyone was excited to see what that would look like. Strus played the part well when the five were out to start the game. Unfortunately, we really did not get to see them in closing action. Strus had a fine night all things considered. Hard to determine this unit and his impact when the game went off the rails in the second and then the plug was pulled in the third.
Grade: B–
Keon Ellis
7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal,
Ellis was the first player off the bench for the Cavaliers in this game.
Ellis’s offensive impact is so game-to-game, as well as his defensive sequences. It is so hard to envision what he could look over a potential seven-game series. It is certain for the Cavaliers that he cannot be the first reserve tapped in those situations.
Grade: C-
Craig Porter Jr.
0 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound
Let’s just stop and give these minutes to…
Grade: F
Tyrese Proctor
10 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists
Proctor has shown juice over the last few games. In no way does this mean he needs to be in the playoff rotation. However, it can be said that any minutes that are going to CPJ at this point in the season should be given to Proctor.
Grade: B
Dennis Schroder
9 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 turnovers
Schroder is the Caris LeVert experience, except we are seeing way more lows than highs thus far. While this was one of the better games as of late. It was buried in a poor team outing. Shroder cannot help a sinking ship that much is clear.
Grade: C
Thomas Bryant
14 points, 6 rebounds,
Bryant’s stat line benefits from the way the game went in the third quarter. Bryant’s minutes are still trending as a positive for the Cavaliers this season. It will be interested how the Cavaliers choose to deploy him in the postseason.
Grade: B-
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Tomlin is really a tough watch at his point in the season. It feels like he eats the minutes of the injured players unavailable but does not really fill a certain archetype. Hard to see where his career trajectory is, however, it is very clear he is a coaching staff’s favorite.
Jun 23, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies right fielder Jace Laviolette (17) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
The 2026 season for the High-A Lake County Captains begins Thursday.
The Captains released a preliminary roster today. Before we get started, some names are missing primarily due to injuries. They include pitchers Josh Harlow, Kyle Scott and Conner Whittaker and position player Kyle Dernedde. Here are the active players we have so far:
Pitchers:
Justin Campbell RHP, Braylon Doughty RHP, Luis Flores LHP, Jogly Garcia RHP, Franklin Gomez LHP, Melkis Hernandez LHP, Jackson Humphries LHP, Michael Kennedy LHP, Izaak Martinez LHP, Xavier Martinez RHP, Sean Matson RHP, Logan McGuire RHP, Rafe Schlesinger LHP, Cam Schuelke RHP, Kendeglys Virguez RHP, Cam Walty RHP and Donovan Zsak LHP.
Analysis:
Some elite prospects headline the top of this rotation, headed by 2024 first round competitive balance pick Braylon Doughty, who impressed at Single-A Lynchburg last year. Franklin Gomez, who was acquired from the Mets for international bonus money, also will make his Guardians system debut. Another super intriguing debut is the 6-foot-7 Justin Campbell, who was Cleveland’s first round competitive balance pick in 2022, but has undergone multiple surgeries since then. Submarine reliever Cam Schuelke and fireballer Kendeglys Virguez should both be extremely entertaining options out of the bullpen.
Catchers:
Logun Clark RHH, Kevin Rivas SH, Bennett Thompson RHH.
Analysis:
There isn’t much here in terms of elite prospects. Clark looked interesting a year ago, but he really struggled in 2025. Thompson, a more offense-focused catcher, impressed at both Lynchburg and Lake County last season with a combined 123 wRC+. Rivas doesn’t appear to be anything more than system depth at this point.
Infielders:
Maick Collado SH 1B/3B, Dean Curley RHH SS, Luke Hill RHH 3B, Garrett Howe LHH 2B, Jeffrey Mercedes SH 3B, Nolan Schubart LHH 1B/OF and Anthony Silva RHH 2B.
Analysis:
This infield is loaded with college bats from Cleveland’s 2025 draft class, headlined by second round pick Dean Curley, third rounder Nolan Schubart and fourth rounder Luke Hill. Schubart may split time at both first base and outfield, depending on what is available that day. I don’t see much pressure being put on them by any of the international bats like Collado or Mercedes.
Outfielders:
Ryan Cesarini LHH RF, Jaison Chourio SH CF, Esteban Gonzalez LHH LF, Jace LaViolette LHH CF, Aaron Walton RHH CF.
Analysis:
This outfield is hyper intriguing, with three top prospects expected to get regular at bats. Jaison Chourio is looking to rebound from a season stolen from him by a shoulder injury while Cleveland’s 2025 first round pick Jace LaViolette will make his pro debut with tons of power potential. Guardians second round competitive balance pick Aaron Walton also should be fun to watch. Additionally, Cesarini and Gonzalez both had decent 2025 campaigns and should provide solid depth.
Lake County is going to be one of the top organizations to watch this season, especially to see the development of the college position players Cleveland drafted last year. Additionally, both the bullpen and starting rotation are loaded with some top end arms and some players we are desperately seeking information on.
Which players are catching your eye as the High-A season starts? Tell us in the comments below:
But before the 41-year-old Murray, one of the top assistant coaches in the country, can really get started building his own roster in Chestnut Hill, Murray has a few last things to finish up at his old job at Connecticut before he can turn in his key card.
The most notable thing, of course, is helping the Huskies win their third national championship title in four years this weekend at the Final Four of the Men's NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis.
"BC is Back! This guy is the best. Will miss him greatly but so proud and happy for him. Long overdue opportunity. Good Bye Champ!," Murray's boss, Dan Hurley, tweeted on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after Murray was announced as Boston College's next head coach on March 26.
With Murray, the son of legendary comedian Billy Murray, on the bench sitting next to Hurley, No. 2 UConn takes on No. 3 Illinois at 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 4 inside Lucas Oil Stadium
Here's what to know on Murray's status for the Huskies' Final Four and more:
Will Luke Murray coach in Final Four?
Yes, Murray is still expected to coach in the Final Four with UConn despite already having started in Chestnut Hill at Boston College.
He confirmed his plans to finish the season out with the Huskies in his introductory news conference on Tuesday, March 31.
"It's been chaotic (last few days) for sure. We won the Duke game, we got back to Connecticut about two in the morning...," Murray said. "... Got up Monday morning and drove up here to Boston. Spent all day in the office meeting with a lot of these guys. Obviously, here with all of you today. Tomorrow (Wednesday) morning I'm going back to Connecticut and we're flying to Indianapolis.
"Going to be in Indy all week and hopefully celebrating a national championship on Monday night."
Luke Murray gave the story of his first interactions with Boston College to eventually signing the contract to become Boston College's next head coach ahead of UConn's matchup with Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen:
Relatively quiet day on the playoff scenario front after both the Lakers and Nuggets clinched playoff berths last night (thanks to Phoenix losing). Still a couple of games to watch. Here's what you need to know.
Playoff Scenarios
• The Cleveland Cavaliers are off for the night but can clinch a playoff spot with a Philadelphia 76ers loss — which is unlikely against tanking Washington. Still, it could happen.
Games to Watch
Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic (7 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass)
Atlanta is the No. 5 seed in the East, Orlando is No. 8, but only 2.5 games separate them — and only three games separate Atlanta from No. 10 Charlotte. Every game matters for teams in the middle of the East playoff chase, but this one counts double with two of these teams facing off. This is a rest advantage game for the Hawks, the Magic played last night (picking up a key win against Phoenix) and this is the Magic's third game in four days.
Boston Celtics at Miami Heat (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Two East teams headed to the postseason, but both needing wins to help their seeding. Boston is pretty securely the No. 2 seed right now, thanks to New York's recent stumbles, but it still needs wins to secure that spot, and to get a rhythm with Jayson Tatum back heading into the playoffs. Miami is a little more desperate. The Heat sit as the No. 9 seed, tied with Charlotte for 9/10 but just half a game back of Orlando for eighth (and a much easier path to the playoffs). Miami is coming off one of its best outings of the season, a 10-point win over Philadelphia on Monday night.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 31: Jose Fernandez #11 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a three-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on March 31, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Tigers 7-5. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite the strong spring enjoyed by Jose Fernandez, it’s safe to say that nobody saw last night coming. Fernandez barely made it onto MLB Pipeline’s list of Arizona prospects, coming in at #27. His promotion to the big league roster, came after just a single game at Triple-A. And it was as much because Jose was the only healthy position player available on the 40-man roster. None of which matters, after a debut for the ages. Whatever happens going forward – and it’s perhaps a little premature to start booking Fernandez a spot in Cooperstown – he’ll always have that magical night at Chase. Let’s see where it ranks in baseball history.
Two home-runs
That’s the most obvious of feats. Baseball Reference lists just seven players in recorded baseball history to have gone deep twice in their MLB debut. Weirdly, one of those was a mere five days ago, the Guardians’ Chase DeLauter (though as Preston mentioned, he technically debuted in the post-season last year). The last NL debutant to do so was Trevor Story of the Rockies ten years ago. You might remember that game, because it came against the Diamondbacks, on Opening Day 2016. No NL rookie has achieved the feat anywhere else except for Chase Field. [Sarah Langs notes that Charlie Reilly was an 8th player, in 1889. But that was in the American Association, so demands an asterisk]
Among Arizona players, Jose is obviously the first to hit two homers in his first career game. Though he isn’t the first to do so in his first game for the D-backs. Most notably, Felipe Lopez did so on Opening Day 2006 – he did so from both sides of the plate that day (Tony Clark also had a LHB and RHB blast in same game). Nor is Jose the youngest Diamondback with a two-homer contest. Unsurprisingly, that honor belongs to Justin Upton. He had a pair of such games in May 2009, at the age of 21, a year younger than Fernandez. Teammate Alek Thomas also performed the feat in 2022, when he was about five months younger.
In terms of games, the previous quickest to have a double long-ball game for Arizona belonged to Conor Jackson. He did it in August 2005, during the sixth game of his career. Other Diamondbacks to do it in ten games or fewer were Mark Reynolds and Wyatt Mathisen. The last-named is probably why we shouldn’t get TOO excited yet about Fernandez. Mathisen’s entire MLB career lasted only 32 games, with only a single home-run hit outside that magical night in September 2020 – where he played third base, like Jose.
Win Probability
It wasn’t just the home-runs, it was when Fernandez hit them. In particular, the second, which turned a 5-4 deficit into a 7-5 lead. And with the D-backs down to their final four outs as well. All that adds up to a monstrous +64.1% of Win Probability added by Fernandez. For a first game, that smashes the previous high for Arizona by more than thirty percent. The previous best belonged to Stone Garrett – another “Who’s he?” in franchise history. He had a pair of key doubles in a 3-2 win at San Francisco, worth 34.8%. According to Baseball Reference, four players have posted a higher Win Probability in their debut, most recently Zach Remillard’s 69.7% for the White Sox in 2023. Guess who had a blown save in that game for Seattle, courtesy of Remillard? Paul Sewald…
To find the all-time high for an impactful debut, we must go back to 1939, and the Pirates’ Maurice Van Robays. His first game was worth a remarkable +102.2%, mostly due to a walk-off two-run double in the eleventh inning. His lasting contribution to baseball, however, is probably coming up with the name of the “eephus pitch“. But back to Fernandez. His +65.1% would have ranked sixth by any Diamondbacks’ hitter across all 162 games last season. Only one Arizona player has hit for a higher Win Probability during his first fifty career games. In his 42nd appearance, Jeff Salazar came off the bench with two outs in the ninth, for a three-run shot worth +74.0%.
Nine total bases
In addition to his two home-runs, Fernandez got things started with a single in his first major-league at bat. Curiously, of the seven two-homer debutants, Story is the only one who did not record another hit that night: I guess, when you’re hot, you’re hot! But it means that Jose’s nine total bases is tied for third as debuts go. The two who had more were Mark Quinn in 1999, who doubled in addition to his two homers, and J.P. Arencibia, who doubled and singled, so ended the night a triple away from the cycle in his first game. That would have been quite the feat in itself, of course. From what I can see, Elly de la Cruz holds the record there, hitting for the cycle in his fifteenth game.
Sandy Alcantara
Kazuma Okamoto
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
