Category: Sports News

The news that Rob Thomson was fired was one that still had the shock effect from afar, but judging from the reporting done around the team, it was also a shock inside the team clubhouse. Watching the game being played on Tuesday, it looked and felt like one where the players had a bit of an extra hop to their step. Jesus Luzardo had a little extra giddy-up on his fastball, a little sweep on his sweeper. The hitters actually took better swings against a pitcher in Tyler Mahle that made them look rather foolish a few weeks ago. In his postgame interview, Trea Turner spoke about the heaviness of the day and how it had affected the players in the dugout.

With Thomson now gone and a new manager in Don Mattingly installed, the bright light of the spotlight has now been shifted away from the manager’s office. Some might like it to be pointed in the direction of Dave Dombrowski and that is fair. His assemblage of this roster is always up for debate, but now has a substantial amount of criticism following it with Thomson no longer there to share in the blame for his poor start to the season. To which I ask;

Did Thomson or Dombrowski come into this series against the Giants as the worst hitter in the game? No, Alec Bohm did.

Did Thomson or Dombrowski come into this series against the Giants as one of the worst defensive teams in the game? No, the regular defensive players did.

Did Thomson or Dombrowski come into this series against the Giants with an ERA that starts with a 6? No, Aaron Nola did.

Did Thomson or Dombrowski come into this series against the Giants with one of the worst OPS numbers as a group against left handed pitching? No, the lineup did.

I could go on and on, but the picture is clear – the responsibility for this move that was made by Dombrowski falls mostly on the players that performed as poorly as they did.

We will read over and over as the rawness of this move continues to show about how Thomson had not lost the clubhouse, how the players loved him or respected him, how they didn’t think his message had been lost. That’s all well and good, but the ultimate reason for Thomson’s firing is that the players stunk, plain and simple. Their lack of production on the field is why the team has seen one of its foundational pillars to their success now been toppled over.

We see this all the time, that the players feel bad that they got a manager fired, that they wished it hadn’t happened. That’s great! It’s nice to see players with genuine affection for the person in charge of their clubhouse. However, had they truly felt that bad, they’d have played better when the going got tough instead of rolling over and showing their belly each time the other team took a lead in a game.

The next few games are probably going to see the team pick up their play for the better. There has been talk of how they will see a bit of a lighter schedule, to which I saw what in the past few weeks has the team done to make you believe that the schedule was the issue at play. Maybe improved play is actual positive regression to the mean, maybe it’s a dead cat bounce. That’s for us to look at and analyze in the future. But for now, the spotlight just got a little brighter on the players in the clubhouse. Their poor play to start this season got their manager fired. Let’s see how they choose to respond.

With 18.5 percent of the season gone, the Cubs have emerged statistically as a Top 5 offense in baseball. Where they fall in that top five depends on which metrics you value most. The point is, this offense is pretty elite so far. It’s interesting, because there are still some very key bats that the Cubs haven’t gotten a ton out of. Two of those guys who haven’t been on top of their game so far both had clutch hits in the seventh inning to put this game out of reach. It was so comfortable that I was able to nap through the late innings and didn’t have to watch the Cub bullpen after Hoby Milner work. Of course, this means that Ryan Rolison still doesn’t actually exist to me.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has been slowly turning around his slow start to the season. After the first 10 games (ending with the first game in Tampa) his OPS bottomed out at .487. With his homer and walk in this one, he’s up to .637. That the Cubs are 14-6 over that stretch is probably not coincidental. I’m just not sure which one is the chicken and which one is the egg. He’s not tearing the world up over that stretch. But he’s contributing. He’s got both his homers, his only triple and two doubles in there. Over 82 plate appearances, the pop isn’t quite there. I always love good announcer timing and hat tip to Rick Sutcliffe on the broadcast saying just before the homer that taking his walks will lead to him getting more pitches he can drive.

Rick was on fire that inning. He also went way out on a limb and said that Alex Bregman was going to come through in a clutch spot as he pinch hit right in front of PCA. Unsurprisingly, Bregman has that same break in his season line. After 10 games, he was at an OPS of .544. Now he sits at .710. Alex did have two homers before that stretch, but all three of his doubles this season and his one triple are in that stretch. Again, not setting the world on fire. But he went the other way with a ball with two outs for an RBI single that kept the line moving and set the stage for PCA’s three-run homer.

On the other side, I’ll give shout outs to Edward Cabrera looking pretty solid again, falling one out shy of a quality start. Health alone would make Hoby Milner more useful than a lot of Cubs relievers so far, but his performance has been rock solid for this team. Ryan Rolison is slowly drifting out of novelty territory and into intriguing with his early success.

All in all, a very nice road win. The Cubs have now played 12 straight games with the last five of those being on the west coast against two of the three best teams in the NL to date, and they are 9-3. The Cubs have one to go, then an off day before some home games. It won’t get a ton easier, but Fangraphs at least preliminarily gives the Cubs a slight (or better) edge in every one of those seven games on the next homestand. After the off day, the Cubs have 10 straight scheduled for a total of 23 games in 24 days. It’s going to be wild when this team reaches the end of May and the easiest teams it has faced will have been the Phillies and Mets. Changing of the guard.

Three Positives:

• PCA’s big night. A walk, a three-run homer and two runs scored.
• Seiya Suzuki had two hits and a walk. He scored a run. He remains scorching hot.
• Hoby Milner four up four down.

Game 30, April 28: Cubs 8, Padres 3 (18-12)

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Dansby Swanson (.194). 1-1, 2 RBI
• Hero: Nico Hoerner (.175). 1-5, 2 RBI
• Sidekick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.142). 1-4, HR, BB, 3 RBI, 2 R

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Matt Shaw (-.158). 0-4
• Goat: Edward Cabrera (-.075). 5.2 IP, 25 BF, 6 H, BB, 3 ER, 7 K, HBP (W 2-0)
• Kid: Moisés Ballesteros (-.075). 0-4, BB

WPA Play of the Game: With two outs in the sixth inning, Nico Hoerner batted with runners on second and third and the game tied at two. Nico doubled, driving in two runs. (.269)

*Padres Play of the Game: Luis Campusano batted with runners on first and second and two outs and the Padres down two. He singled, driving in a run and sending the other runner to third. (.148)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 29 Winner: Moisés Ballesteros received 129 of 137 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Nico Hoerner +9.5
• Michael Conforto +7
• Moisés Ballesteros +6
• Jacob Webb/Pete Crow-Armstrong -9
• Matt Shaw -10

Current Win Pace: 97.2

Up Next: At 3:10 p.m. CT, the third and final game in San Diego. Jameson Taillon (1-1, 4.55, 27.2 IP) gets his sixth start of the season. Last time out he started in Los Angeles and didn’t go so well. He allowed four runs on four hits and three walks in five innings. As is somewhat usual for a back of the rotation guy, he’s been up and down. He had a strong start, then a decent one, then a rough one, then a good one, then a rough one. So we can hope he’ll bounce back again.

29-year-old Matt Waldron (0-1, 12.46, 8.2 IP) makes his third start of the year for the Padres. Matt was an 18th round pick of the Indians in 2019 (550th overall). He allowed six runs on eight hits and three walks over five innings in his last start at Colorado. For his career, he is 8-16 with a 5.19 ERA in 38 appearances (35 starts). He’s never faced the Cubs in his career.

Hopefully the offense can keep rolling against Waldron and Taillon can keep them in the game. That just might get the Cubs one more win on this trip.

Go Cubs.

Cincinnati Reds fans who packed the stands for Tuesday night’s 7-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies were in for a surprise that delighted both their spirits and their taste buds – thanks to an ABS challenge.

This season, the Reds have teamed up with LaRosa’s Pizzeria for the popular "Strikeout for Slices" promotion. Whenever Reds pitchers combine for at least 11 strikeouts in a single game, every Reds fan in attendance scores a free pizza.

In the ninth inning, Reds reliever Brock Burke's pitch to Rockies batter Edouard Julien was initially called a ball, challenged and then overturned, the Reds’ 11th strikeout of the game. The stadium erupted in celebration, not just for the win, but for the cheesy reward awaiting every ticket holder.

According to LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria, Reds fans in attendance the night of an 11-strikeout game can claim their prize the following day. By locating the unique 12-digit code on their ticket, either near the barcode or beneath the QR code, fans can enter it on the LaRosa’s website to instantly receive a coupon via email. The coupon is valid for a free small, one-topping pizza, which must be redeemed within seven days of the qualifying game.

Tuesday’s game marked the second time this season Reds fans have been treated to free pizza, with the first “Strikeout for Slices” giveaway coming after an 11-strikeout performance against the Detroit Tigers on April 26. As the season continues, fans will hope for more strikeout-filled nights and more slices to celebrate.

More: Phillies fire manager Rob Thomson with team off to ugly 9-19 start

ATLANTA — Max Clark is coming soon.

Right?

President of baseball operations Scott Harris has built the Detroit Tigers' top-heavy farm system around a few position player prospects. The group is headlined by American League Rookie of the Year favorite Kevin McGonigle, though he wasn't always the top-ranked prospect.

It used to be Clark.

While McGonigle is thriving with the Tigers, Clark – selected 34 picks before him in the 2023 draft, at No. 3 overall – has been continuing his development in Triple-A Toledo. He still seems projected for his MLB debut in 2026, but the Tigers aren't making any promises.

"We're not ready to bring him up right now," Harris said Tuesday, April 28, during an MLB Network interview with studio host Brian Kenny. "He's a really important part of our future. We took him first in my first draft, and then we took Kevin right behind him. Those remain two really important pieces for us moving forward."

Clark, a left-handed hitter, has a .305 batting average with one home run, 13 walks and 14 strikeouts in 24 games at the Triple-A level, registering an .834 OPS. He has logged all 198⅓ innings in center field, where he has called home for his entire career in the minor leagues.

He hit .377 with a 1.010 OPS in his first 17 games.

Since then?

He is hitting .115 with a .361 OPS in his past seven games.

"His ceiling is one that can put pressure on the opposing team in all phases of the game," Harris said. "He's certainly performing well offensively – that's a really big part. I think he's going to hit for more power as he gets more comfortable with his swing and his strike-zone decision-making.

"We also want to see him continue to develop the other areas of his game. He can be an elite center fielder. We're really focused on his jumps, his reads and getting off the ball quickly in center field. We also think he can put a lot of pressure on the opposing teams on the bases. We think there's more he can get there, and we're trying to stay focused on his leads, his fundamentals and his ability to read different types of pitchers and get a good jump."

Clark advanced from High-A West Michigan to Double-A Erie in July 2025.

He ranks as the No. 8 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline – trailing Konnor Griffin (Pittsburgh Pirates), McGonigle (Tigers), Jesús Made (Milwaukee Brewers), Leo De Vries (Athletics), JJ Wetherholt (St. Louis Cardinals), Sebastian Walcott (Texas Rangers) and Colt Emerson (Seattle Mariners).

In 2026, Clark has found success and failure upon joining Triple-A Toledo coming out of his first MLB spring training. He struggled in Grapefruit League play during camp, going 0-for-13 at the plate in his final eight games and making multiple defensive miscues in left and center field.

"We're focused on all those fundamentals and all phases of the game with Max," Harris said. "He's progressing really nicely, and we think he's going to really help us."

Eventually, Clark will make his MLB debut.

Should Tigers fans expect the promotion in 2026?

"I think there's a really good chance that he ends up helping us, but it's premature to actually forecast when that's going to happen," Harris said. "We just want to keep him focused where his feet are – and that's in Toledo right now. We've got to keep getting better before we can have that conversation."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Max Clark joining Detroit Tigers soon? Top prospect crushing in AAA

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (16-12) won 7-4 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the 4th inning on a 2 run HR from Winkler. They got another run in the 5th on an Unroe solo home run. Ullola got the start and was solid allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, over 5.1 innings of work. The pen allowed a run as the Aces tied it. The game would end up in extra innings and in the 10th, the Sugar Land offense scored 4 runs on a Winkler RBI single, Salazar 2 run double and Strahm sac fly. The Aces got one run back but that was it as Sugar Land held on for the 7-4 win.

Note: Santa has a 1.50 ERA this season.

• CJ Alexander, RF: 2-for-5, R, 2B
• Carlos Perez, 1B: 1-for-3, R, BB
• Collin Price, C: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB
• Jack Winkler, 3B: 3-for-5, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI
• Cesar Salazar, DH: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
• Kellen Strahm, CF: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
• Riley Unroe, SS: 1-for-5, R, HR, RBI

• Miguel Ullola, RHP: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
• Amos Willingham, RHP: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (WIN)
• Anthony Maldonado, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (10-12) lost 10-8 (BOX SCORE)

Imai made a rehab start for the Hooks but struggled allowing 4 runs over 2 innings. The offense got on the board in the 2nd inning scoring 3 runs on a Garcia sac fly and Dezenzo 2 run single. Frisco scored 2 more runs in the 3rd but the offense got 2 back in the bottom of the inning on a Sullivan solo HR and Encarnacion sac fly. In the 5th, Sullivan connected on another solo home run. The Hooks took the lead in the 6th inning on a Janek 2 run double. Nezuh pitched in relief and was dominant striking out 7 over 5.1 scoreless innings. Ramsey came on in the 9th but allowed 2 runs as Frisco tied it. In the 10th, Frisco picked up 2 runs and the Hooks offense was unable to comeback as they well 10-8.

Note: Nezuh has a 3.78 ERA this season.

• Zach Dezenzo, LF: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, BB
• Walker Janek, DH: 1-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
• Joseph Sullivan, CF: 4-for-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI
• Trevor Austin, 3B: 1-for-4, R, BB
• Pascanel Ferreras, 2B: 2-for-4, R, 2B
• John Garcia, C: 1-for-4, R, SB

• Tatsuya Imai, RHP: 2.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Alejandro Torres, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Jackson Nezuh, RHP: 5.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
• Ramsey David, RHP: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• Derek True, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (5-17) lost 10-2 (BOX SCORE)

Asheville got on the board in the 3rd inning on a Nunez sac fly. They got another run in the 4th inning on an error. Rodriguez got the start and was solid allowing 2 runs over 4.2 innings while striking out 6. He was relieved by Cruz who struggled allowing 8 runs over 3.1 innings. The offense was quiet the rest of the way as Asheville fell 10-2.

Note: Holy has 13 SB this season.

• Alejandro Nunez, 2B: 1-for-3, RBI, SB
• Ethan Frey, CF: 1-for-4
• Drew Brutcher, 1B: 2-for-4
• Max Holy, SS: 2-for-3, R, BB, 3 SB

• Luis Rodriguez, RHP: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• Anthony Cruz, RHP: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 6 BB, 4 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (9-13) lost 4-3 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board early scoring 2 runs in the 2nd inning on a Monistere RBI single and Flores RBI single. Beck got the start and went 4 innings allowing 2 runs. Fayetteville took the lead in the 6th scoring a run on an error. Verdugo pitched in relief and tossed 5 no-hit innings, though he did allow one unearned run and walked 5. The game would go to extra innings and in the 10th, the RiverDogs walked it off as the Woodpeckers fell 4-3.

Note: Wakefield is hitting .327 this season.

• Kevin Alvarez, RF: 1-for-5
• Zach Cole, CF: 2-for-4, 3B, BB
• Xavier Neyens, 3B: 1-for-3, 2 BB, SB
• Anthony Huezo, LF: 0-for-4, R, BB, SB
• Nick Monistere, 2B: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB
• Josh Wakefield, DH: 2-for-5
• Nehomar Ochoa, 1B: 1-for-5, SB
• Arturo Flores, C: 1-for-4, RBI
• Zach Cole, CF: 1-for-4
• Brandon Forrester, SS: 1-for-4, SB

• Jagger Beck, RHP: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Ryan Verdugo, RHP: 5.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
• Jhoster Baez, RHP: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Colton Gordon – 8:05 CT

CC: Bryce Mayer – 11:05 CT

AV: TBD – 10:05 CT

FV: TBD – 6:05 CT

The New York Yankees are re-arranging their rotation after optioning the struggling Luis Gil, pushing Will Warren back to later in the week and calling up Elmer Rodríguez to make his MLB debut against the Texas Rangers this afternoon. Rodríguez is a consensus top 100 prospect in the league and a top-three prospect in the organization. After landing in New York during the 2024-25 offseason in an unheralded win/win trade with Yankees catching farmhand Carlos Narváez heading to the Red Sox, Rodríguez has done nothing but grow as a pitcher, improving his stuff and showing excellent control and command.

The 22-year-old right-hander has an incredible 1.27 ERA through four Triple-A starts this year, rightfully earning a promotion to the best and toughest league in the world. As you can expect, it will be a huge challenge, but Elmer has the tools to be a successful starter now and in the future.

In his 21.1 innings with Scranton this year, Rodríguez has seven walks, 20 strikeouts, and an excellent 56.3 percent groundball rate. Rodríguez has a deep repertoire consisting of six pitches: a four-seamer, a sinker, a slider that is often classified as a sweeper, a cutter, a curveball, and a changeup. He uses all of them to keep hitters off balance.

Rodríguez is not a huge, overpowering swing-and-miss guy, but he had a solid 29 percent strikeout rate last year when he posted a 2.58 ERA across three levels in 150 innings, and is at 25.6 percent this year in Triple-A. In his most recent outing in Scranton, his fastball sat in the 94-95 mph range, but it has been known to be a bit harder on occasion. The pitch has some bat-missing carry and armside run. A rival scout told Yankees insider Erik Boland that the pitch is “a legit 70 (on the 20-80 scouting scale) that he can locate to both sides.” It may not have triple-digit velocity, but its movement profile and Rodríguez’s command of the pitch give it a promising future. The slider has considerable horizontal and vertical movement and is one of his preferred pitches against right-handers.

He uses the sinker as a weapon to induce weak contact on the ground, and it usually works. Rodríguez is smart on the mound and knows how to use each pitch to achieve his objective. In that Triple-A start last week, Rodríguez tried to establish his fastball early, and by the end of the outing, he was prioritizing his breaking and offspeed stuff: the slider, the curveball, and the changeup. It worked, as he pitched 5.2 innings of one run ball, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out seven.

Those who watched the World Baseball Classic also saw Elmer dominate Cuba in pool play, pitching three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit on behalf of Team Puerto Rico. He did walk three, but fanned three to get the win.

The Yankees feel it’s the right time to bring Rodríguez up and let him show what he can do. According to Boland, New York “had Elmer Rodríguez slightly ahead of Carlos Lagrange in terms of closest to being big-league ready as a starter,” so he is the first one of the two getting a shot. Rodríguez can consistently repeat his delivery, which results in good control and command. He is also sneaky athletic and gets excellent extension towards the plate, increasing the effectiveness of his pitches. The overall package falls short of ace status, but if everything works out as expected, Rodríguez can be a solid mid-rotation arm for the Yankees for years to come. He represents yet another weapon for a rotation that has plenty of them.

Tenacious pitching was the star of the show last night in Arlington, with a great deal of excellent defense from both sides, as well. Oh, and Lady Luck too. Plenty of plays come down to skill, but sometimes, fortune just has to favor you, too. To wit, Fernando Cruz could practice this throw all day long and still chuck into left field about half the time at the very least. I couldn’t believe that Ryan McMahon was actually able to make something from it. So factor his skill into the equation! Great win for the Bombers. Now, to see what young gun Elmer Rodríguez has to offer against Nathan Eovaldi in his MLB debut.

Here’s what else was going on among notable teams around the Junior Circuit.

Toronto Blue Jays (13-16) 3, Boston Red Sox (12-18) 0

The mini-three-game winning streak that actually began just before Alex Cora was fired has come to a close, and it was at the hands of one of the most anticipated pitchers of the season. Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage was one of the stories of their memorable 2025 World Series run, dominating the Yankees, Mariners, and Dodgers at different points that postseason despite having just three career starts to his name before October. So he’s actually still Rookie of the Year-eligible entering 2026, though he’ll have to overcome the obstacle of shoulder inflammation that put him on the shelf in the season’s first calendar month. (The incredible Kevin McGonigle will also be a massive hurdle until [if??] he slumps.)

The pressure is on Yesavage to not only look sharp but also get the pitching-ravaged Jays back on track amid a subpar beginning to 2026. He got off on the right foot on Wednesday, firing shutout ball at Rogers Centre, allowing four hits and striking out three, fanning Willson Contreras to end his night. Yesavage could no doubt have lasted longer than 5.1 innings, but the Jays cut his outing at 74 pitches since they’re still building him back up.

On the other side, fellow rookie Payton Tolle wasn’t as sharp as he was last time out against the Yankees. The Jays plated two in the third on a Kazuma Okamoto single that scored Andrés Giménez and the doubling Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The three hits that Tolle surrendered in that inning were the only ones he allowed, but his bad control burned him in the fifth. With two down, he walked Myles Straw and Ernie Clement on a combined 10 pitches, moving his free pass total to four on the night.

Interim skipper Chad Tracy gave Tolle the hook with Guerrero due up. Zack Kelly offered no relief, as Guerrero singled in an insurance run. Boston failed to muster a hit against the Toronto bullpen, which saw Jeff Hoffman throw an encouraging perfect seventh and Louie Varland tighten his newly-found grasp on the closer’s job by striking out Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, and Trevor Story in order in the ninth.

Other Games

Tampa Bay Rays (18-11) 1, Cleveland Guardians (15-16) 0: The other notable debut from Wednesday was the first career game for top Guardians prospect Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. He went hitless with a pair of walks, but his Cleveland teammates only mustered four knocks combined against a tough Nick Martinez and Tampa Bay bullpen. Martinez kept them off the board to lower his season ERA to a surprising 1.70, and though Tanner Bibee was only burned by an RBI single from Jonathan Aranda, that was enough to beat the punchless Guardians. The Rays quietly have the second-best record in the American League behind the Yankees.

Baltimore Orioles (14-15) 5, Houston Astros (11-19) 3: Taiwanese righty Kai-Wei Teng’s first start for the Astros had an inauspicious beginning, as Gunnar Henderson and Samuel Basallo both doubled in a two-run first for Baltimore. Houston got one back on a solo shot from Brice Matthews, but Pete Alonso countered with a two-run blast off Ryan Weiss and Adley Rutschman added insurance later with his second RBI single of the ballgame. Shane Baz threw 5.1 innings of one-run ball for the win and Ryan Helsley was perfect in the ninth.

Detroit Tigers (15-15) 2, Atlanta Braves (21-9) 5: The Braves continued their torrid start to 2026, gradually jumping out to a 5-0 lead against Detroit on the strength of a Ronald Acuña Jr. run-scoring double, an RBI knock from Mike Yastrzemski, and a two-run homer by Ozzie Albies against Tyler Holton. Veteran Martín Pérez’s inexplicably good run continued with five innings of zeroes before giving way to the Atlanta bullpen. The Tigers’ only damage was a two-run dinger in the ninth by Wenceel Pérez. Aaron Bummer recovered to get the final two outs to secure the victory.

Seattle Mariners (15-16) 7, Minnesota Twins (13-17) 1: The magic pixie dust from Minnesota’s unexpected 11-7 start has just about worn off, as they lost their 10th game in their last 12. Byron Buxton’s fifth-inning solo shot off Logan Gilbert was their only scoring, and after five scoreless innings, ace Joe Ryan faltered late on RBI singles from Josh Naylor and Cole Young. Naylor removed any doubt from the outcome of this matchup with a three-run blast in the eighth, and the M’s cruised.

Diamondbacks News

Kelly, Hoffman Swatted by Brewers While Vargas Keeps Streak Alive
While it is still too early to panic about Merrill Kelly, the veteran righty is looking more and more like the pitcher the Rangers acquired at the deadline last year and less and less like Merrill the Mainstay that the Diamondbacks hoped they were signing this last winter. Andrew Hoffman allowing eight runs while only recording one out in relief was more than Arizona could survive.

Brewers Pound Arizona Pitching
Lopsided losses like the one last night are why the Diamondbacks have such a negative run differential despite their winning record.

Revisiting the Blaze Alexander Trade
After Andrew Hoffman was slapped around last night, there is a very strong chance that the return from the Blaze Alexander trade, Kade Strowd, will be getting a call-up today or tomorrow.

Other MLB News

Phillies Fire Rob Thomson
After losing 11 of 12, the Phillies’ front office parted ways with Manager Rob Thomson. They then attempted to hire Alex Cora before being rebuffed and settling for Don MAttingly.

It’s Getting Late Early for the Mets
Twenty-nine games in, the team from Queens is tied with division rival Philadelphia for the worst record in all of baseball and sit 10.5 games out of first

MLB Panic Meter: Struggling Red Sox, Phillies, Mets
Which teams are in jeopardy of losing the pennant in April?

Randal Grichuk Designated for Assignment
Old friend alert. The Yankees have begun the process of moving on from the struggling Randal Grichuk.

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Cristopher Sanchez has pitched extremely well out of the gate, allowing more than two runs only once through six starts.

My Giants vs. Phillies predictions expect him to lead the home team to victory against a struggling San Francisco offense.

Let’s take a closer look at my MLB picks on Wednesday, April 29.

Who will win Giants vs Phillies today: Phillies moneyline (-150)

The Philadelphia Phillies have not had a strong offensive season, but they’ve quietly been potent at home, at least against right-handed pitching. They sit sixth in SLG, ninth in OPS, and 10th in wOBA vs. righties.

That could be trouble for San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb, who has allowed at least three earned runs in five of six starts and has yet to find his footing.

The lone exception came against the Mets, who rank in the Bottom 3 in runs, SLG, and OPS.

Philadelphia is in a good spot to produce, and with Cristopher Sanchez on the mound, it won't take much to get a win.

COVERS INTEL: The Phillies trail only the Dodgers, Braves, and Rangers in hard-hit rate against righties at home.

Giants vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 7 (-105)

Sanchez has allowed two runs or fewer in five of six starts, including against the Giants in early April.

He has been flat-out dominant at home, allowing two or fewer in 18 consecutive starts. The last time he allowed more than a couple of runs at home was April 6 of 2025, against the powerhouse Dodgers.

He is well-positioned to neuter a Giants offense that ranks dead last in runs, homers, and stolen bases.

While the Phillies should have some success against Webb, the Giants have a strong bullpen that can help limit the damage and keep this game relatively low-scoring.

Giants vs Phillies odds

• Moneyline: Giants +120 | Phillies -140
• Run line: Giants +1.5 (-175) | Phillies -1.5 (+150)
• Over/Under: Over 7 (-110) | Under 7 (-110)

Giants vs Phillies trend

The Giants have only hit the Team Total Over in 7 of their last 22 away games (-10.50 Units / -41% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Phillies.

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