Category: Sports News

Shohei Ohtani is expected to be back pulling double duty on Tuesday night against the Houston Astros, both starting on the mound at Daikin Park and serving as the designated hitter. He didn’t bat in two of his first five pitching starts, including last Tuesday, as the Dodgers try to find avenues of rest whenever possible for the two-way superstar.

Peter Lambert, the former Colorado Rockies pitcher and product of San Dimas High School, starts the middle game of the series for the Astros. He has a 3.52 ERA in three starts this season, with 19 strikeouts and seven walks in 15 1/3 innings.

The middle game of this series in Houston is the Dodgers’ second game on TBS this season. TBS telecasts are non-exclusive, meaning that this game will also be televised by SportsNet LA. The TBS broadcast will not be available in the teams’ local markets.

Tuesday game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Astros
• Ballpark: Daikin Park, Houston
• Time: 5:10 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA, TBS
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Detroit Tigers (18-17) vs. Boston Red Sox (13-21)

Time/Place: 6:10 p.m., Comerica Park
SB Nation Site: Over the Monster
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: LHP Tyler Holton (0-1, 5.27 ERA) vs. LHP Payton Tolle (0-1, 3.38 ERA)

On Monday, the Astros Player Development social media accounts announced the Astros minor league players of the month for April.

Pitcher – Brandon McPherson

McPherson was signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent on June 6, 2025, from Northern Illinois University. McPherson was solid in April posting a 3.24 ERA with Double A Corpus Christi. He also recorded 24 strikeouts to just three walks in four starts during the month. For the minor league season, the right-handed pitcher has recorded a 2.95 ERA with 28 strikeouts and a 1.13 WHIP in five starts with Double A Corpus Christi.

Hitter – Jason Schiavone

Schiavone was selected by the Astros in the 11th round of the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft from James Madison. Schiavone hit .233 with three doubles, nine home runs, 23 RBI, 22 walks, seven stolen bases and a 1.050 OPS in 20 games in April with High-A Asheville. For the season, he’s batting .226 with 11 HR, 27 RBI, 25 walks, eight stolen bases and a 1.055 OPS.

The Red Sox’s game at the Tigers has been moved to 6:10 p.m. because of expected thunder in the area, but not that from the Sox’s bats. And while it’s theoretically nice that they don’t have to face the two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner in Tarik Skubal, it’s a bummer that he’s hurt but then again, who isnt? Besides Payton Tolle, that is, who starts for the Sox, and lefty Tyler Holton, who starts for Detroit. 

Jarren Duran’s leading off despite Holton being a southpaw and Mina Kimes offering her services, and is followed, in order, by eight other members of the team, listed below:

The Tigers have also fielded a lineup, surprisingly. I’ve used this bit before, and it’s helpful because I don’t need to check if it varies wildly from yesterday’s or whatever, as I can feign coolness instead of admitting ignorance. Given how the Sox have been playing, what does it even matter tho?

If the Sox are gonna turn this thing around, they could take a cue from Max Verstappen. Look at this shit! How does one do this? And can he pitch?

The last week has been a difficult one for the San Diego Padres. Perhaps the first such week since Opening Week. The Friars dropped five of their last eight contests, but they managed to stave off a sweep with yesterday’s win over the Chicago White Sox.

It was exactly what San Diego needed. Newcomer Griffin Canning impressed in his 2026 debut, pitching five innings of one-run ball. He made only one mistake, giving up a home run to Drew Romo in the third inning. But Canning did exactly what the Friars needed him to, striking out seven and keeping San Diego in the game.

The offense came to life (somewhat) with a three-run fourth inning before Chicago tied the game with a two-run shot against Adrian Morejon. The lefty struck out the side in the sixth inning but struggled to open the seventh before recording three outs.

From there Jason Adam pitched the eighth, setting up a go-ahead swinging bunt from Xander Bogaerts. It was the only run the Padres would need as Mason Miller slammed the door with three strikeouts in the ninth.

San Diego now turns to San Francisco to face the division-rival Giants for the first series of their road trip. But, in order to do that, the Friars’ offense will need to wake up just a little bit more.

Taking the mound

Trevor McDonald (SF) v. Randy Vásquez (SD)

McDonald is making his 2026 debut for the Giants. The No. 16 prospect in San Francisco’s system hasn’t been particularly solid. He was just optioned back to Triple-A on Friday but was called back up to start today’s game.

How deep McDonald can go (or will be allowed to go) is the bigger question. He was in the Giants’ bullpen as the 27th man but was never called upon. It remains to be seen what San Francisco expects from the career 3.88 ERA (minor leagues) starter.

Vásquez, on the other hand, has been phenomenal for the Friars. He was supposed to start Sunday’s series finale against the White Sox but was swapped in favor of Canning in order to give him his debut start in the more friendly confines of Petco Park.

The righty owns a 2.94 ERA with 34 strikeouts across 33 2/3 innings. It’s Vásquez’s first time ever facing the Giants after not starting against them in last month’s series. San Diego is betting that San Francisco will be hard pressed to figure out Vásquez (like most other clubs this season).

Batter up!

With the righty McDonald on the mound, the Padres’ lineup feels pretty well-set. But Miguel Andujar has been raking lately.

Despite being signed to help solve the Friars’ problems against left-handed pitching, he has produced better against righties, putting up a .364/.386/.527 slash line compared to a .208/.269/.417 mark. That, as well as his two homers across the last seven games, could propel him into tonight’s lineup.

1. Ramón Laureano, LF
2. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
3. Jackson Merrill, CF
4. Manny Machado, 3B
5. Xander Bogaerts, SS
6. Miguel Andujar, DH
7. Gavin Sheets, 1B
8. Luis Campusano, C
9. Jake Cronenworth, 2B

Tatis got an off day in yesterday’s finale which means he’ll be back for tonight’s series opener. In spite of the fact he’s still without a home run in 2026, Tatis has had a hot bat lately with a .296 batting average in his last seven games. And — seriously — he’s got to get one soon… right?

Relief corps

The Padres used their three high-leverage pitchers to secure Sunday’s win. Adam, Morejon and Miller covered four innings, meaning they’re likely out for the series opener. That being said, don’t count Miller out if the Friars have a narrow lead in the ninth.

But that leaves Jeremiah Estrada, Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, Wandy Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez. Hart has been the least used in recent memory, so he’ll likely be the first one out of the ‘pen first after Vásquez exits.

The San Diego bullpen has been off lately, moving from third place to 13th in ERA across MLB with a 4.00 mark. They’ll need to turn that around soon if they hope to regain their status as an elite group.

With the Mets set to begin another three-game series with the Rockies in Colorado on Monday, looking for revenge after they were swept by them at Citi Field at the end of April, manager Carlos Mendoza spoke to the media before the series opener and gave updates on a couple of injured players, plus shared some words about the passing of long-time Yankees broadcaster John Sterling.

Mets on the mend

New York is getting some reinforcements to the big league club soon with reliever A.J. Minter and infielder Jorge Polanco progressing with their injuries.

Closer to a return is Minter who pitched a scoreless inning for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday. The plan now is for the left-hander to pitch in back-to-back games for the first time during his rehab starting on Wednesday, per Mendoza. If he feels good, Minter will be back on the mound on Thursday to check off the final stage of his recovery process.

"Right now he’s gonna pitch again on Wednesday," Mendoza said. "So Wednesday and hopefully he goes back-to-back – maybe shorter, maybe a hitter or two the following day, but just trying to get him in the back-to-back, the routine, getting in the bullpen, warmup, and then getting in the game."

If all goes well for Minter, who has been on the IL since April of last season recovering from a lat strain that required surgery, he should be activated at some point during the weekend, although Mendoza couldn't commit to a specific day.

"If he goes back-to-back he’ll probably need a couple of days so we’ll see," the skipper said.

In other bullpen news, RHP Carl Edwards Jr., who was designated for assignment on April 30, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse. Although, similar to Tommy Pham last month, the veteran elected free agency instead of accepting the assignment. 

As for Polanco, the veteran was back doing baseball activity on Monday and is ramping back up after dealing with a right wrist contusion alongside ongoing bursitis in his left Achilles that has had him sidelined since April 15.

"He ran, he’s gonna take BP, he’s gonna do defense and we’ll see how he responds after another heavy day today, tomorrow and see what happens," Mendoza said.

Before landing on the IL, Polanco was hitting .179 with a home run and two RBI after signing a two-year, $40 million contract to be the Mets' first baseman. Due to the nagging bursitis in his Achilles, though, Polanco had been DHing most of the time before going on the IL. 

It remains to be seen how New York will use Polanco once he returns with Mark Vientos assuming the everyday first baseman position in Polanco's absence. 

Mendoza remembers John Sterling

With the news of Sterling's death on Monday, Mendoza, who was a coach for the Yankees from 2018 to 2023 before he was hired by the Mets, offered his condolences to Sterling's family and friends and remembered his time with the iconic broadcaster.

"I want to start by sending our thoughts and prayers to John Sterling’s family and friends. Obviously we lost a big one today," he said. "We are all in this baseball community and he was a part of what we do on a daily basis on and off the field."

Asked how well he got to know Sterling during his time in the Bronx, Mendoza said "very well".

"I still remember getting texts from him as recently as a few months ago," he said. "When I got the job here, he was one of the first phone calls that I received. I created a very good relationship with him and he will be missed."

The Cincinnati Reds made official the return of righty Chase Petty on Monday. The 23 year old starter was recalled from AAA Louisville to start against the Chicago Cubs in the series opener between the National League Central rivals, taking the place in the rotation of the injured Brandon Williamson (who hit the injured list late last week with shoulder fatigue).

Zach Maxwell, who’s been well-travelled between the Reds roster and Louisville’s, was optioned to make way for Petty’s return. The Reds announced the move earlier on Monday.

The Reds are in Chicago on the back-half of a road trip that could not have gotten off to a worse start. They were absolutely drubbed in the first two games they played in PNC Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates only for them to blow a Chase Burns gem in the series finale on Monday. As a result, they’ve slipped into a tie for 2nd in the Central with the Cubs two games ahead, and the Reds dismal -22 run differential is by far and away the worst in the division, to date.

In fact, it’s the same as the 14-21 Colorado Rockies and worse than the 13-21 Boston Red Sox, who sit dead last in the AL East. In other words, Cincinnati’s brilliance (luck?) in 1-run games, Sunday aside, is beginning to be a band-aid over cracks that are clearly showing in each of the offense, starting rotation, and bullpen.

For now, they’ll hope Petty can make the leap in this, his second year in which he’s logged big league innings. So far, he’s pitched to a 4.38 ERA at AAA at age 23, a mark that’s included a couple bad blips and some bouts of brilliance. He also pitched quite well in the spring, including in the Spring Breakout game, and hopefully that’s more who he is than the 22 year old kid who was shelled for 13 ER in just 6.0 IP in a trio of appearances with the Reds last season.

First pitch on Monday was moved up half an hour due to weather in the Chicago area, and is set for 6:10 PM CT (7:10 PM ET).

Here’s how the Reds will line up for the opener:

Winners of five of their last seven games, the Brewers travel to St. Louis to take on the Cardinals for the first time since last fall. After splitting the 12-game season series a year ago, right-handed pitcher Chad Patrick will take the mound at the start of a three-game series.

Much like last season, Patrick has been used in various situations this season, but tonight he will make his fifth start of the year. Last season, Patrick faced the Cardinals on two separate occasions, each lasting 4 1/3 innings, with similar line scores. This season, Patrick has a 2.57 ERA through six games, striking out 16 hitters and walking 13.

Pitching for St. Louis, making his seventh start of the season, is right-hander Kyle Leahy. It’s been a bit of a rough start out of the gate this season, allowing at least two runs in each appearance, but at least three runs in his last three outings. With that, Leahy enters today with a 3-3 record, 5.52 ERA through 29 1/3 innings pitched.

The last 24 hours have been a rollercoaster of speculation, as yesterday afternoon, Brewers No. 4 prospect Cooper Pratt was a late scratch in Triple-A Nashville’s Sunday afternoon contest. However, those wishing for a glimpse at the future will have to wait a little while longer, as Pratt was not included in today’s transactions.

On the other hand, the Brewers add two big pieces back to their lineup, as Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn were both reinstated from the 10-day IL. With these moves, outfielder Blake Perkins will be optioned to Nashville, and outfielder Greg Jones will be designated for assignment.

Vaughn last appeared on opening day against the Chicago White Sox, where he drove in a run on one hit. before hitting the IL. Chourio had a fantastic spring where he went 8-for-30, tallying a double, a home run, and driving in three. In the World Baseball Classic, Chourio played five games for Venezuela, where he had only three hits in 15 at-bats. After a scary moment in his final rehab game, both he and Vaughn have the green light in St. Louis.

Perkins has been a mainstay on the bench over the last couple of seasons, providing consistency throughout his four-year career in Milwaukee. However, he has been hard to plug into the lineup with how his play has been, as he’s batting .109 on the season with five RBIs, one stolen base, and no home runs. Over the last seven games, he has just one hit, and going back to the beginning of the year, he has accumulated just five hits overall.

For Jones, he was called up in mid-April and never found his footing. In his 21 at-bats with the Brewers, he recorded just two hits, driving in one run. It’ll be interesting to see if Jones is able to clear through waivers and if we’ll see him again at some point this season.

As you see below, the Brewers lineup already looks much improved as Chourio will bat second in tonight’s opener, while Vaughn serves as tonight’s designated hitter, batting sixth.

Like most nights, you’ll be able to watch today’s game on Brewers.TV, WTMJ 620, and the Brewers Radio network. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m.