Category: Sports News

The San Diego Padres saw their win streak finally come to an end against Los Angeles Angels’ ace José Soriano last night. It was an unfortunate end to the winning streak, but not entirely unexpected.

With the best pitcher in baseball so far this season on the mound for Los Angeles versus knuckleballer Matt Waldron, it wasn’t much of a pitching duel from the get-go. That became increasingly clear as the Friars were shutout for the first time this season.

It’s easy to be worried, but it’s not an indictment of the San Diego offense. It’s merely a showcase of the absolute ace that Soriano is becoming for the Halos. The real verdict will come if San Diego can’t put up enough runs tonight.

Taking the mound

Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) v. Germán Márquez (SD)

The reason for that verdict is due to Kikuchi being a downright awful pitcher. If he was on just about any other team, he’d be sent to the minors. But he’s on the Angels, and they need the pitching.

What Kikuchi lacks in stuff he makes up for in mostly – serviceable innings. He pitched a career-high 33 starts with Los Angeles last year and was their “ace” (though that’s not a word I would use to describe him).

If the Friars can’t get to Kikuchi, it’s a bad omen of a serious departure from the recent slugfest that has been San Diego. Their only problem will be scoring enough to make up for Márquez.

Here’s the thing, Márquez hasn’t been as bad as some worried. But he also hasn’t been good enough to justify a spot in the rotation if not for injuries on the Padres’ roster.

Márquez seemed to turn around his early slump with a scoreless five innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates. But he shortly followed that up with a rough five innings against the Colorado Rockies in which he gave up four runs. He earned his first win with San Diego in that outing because their offense outpaced Colorado’s, but it’s still disheartening.

That being said, if Márquez can turn it around against anybody, it’s the Angels. Despite the fact that they’re top 10 in MLB in on-base (.338) and slugging percentage (.414), they’re 20th in batting average (.231). And the only reason that they’re high in OBP is because they’ve been issued an MLB-leading 98 walks.

Márquez has limited his free passes well this year, giving up only five across four starts. So long as he can limit hard contact, he should have a decent outing.

Batter up!

Leadoff man Ramón Laureano was out of the lineup yesterday as part of manager Craig Stammen’s constant rest philosophy. It’s boded well so far for San Diego, and Laureano’s presence in the lineup likely wouldn’t have changed much in the Friars’ 8-0 loss.

That being said, Laureano will be back in the top spot tonight. Not only is he the obvious option, he has a career batting average of .308 against Kikuchi (26 at-bats). In fact, the Padres have a combined .337 average against the left-hander.

That means the lineup will likely be business as usual. Except for a few things: Jackson Merrill has played a lot lately, and Miguel Andujar has been raking (and does so especially against lefties). The latter will probably slot into the lineup, while the former sits the bench for a rest day:

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

Cronenworth took the leadoff spot in last night’s game and has continued to disappoint. He lowered his batting average to an unfortunate .138 mark.

Campusano will likely continue his stretch as the lone backstop with Freddy Fermin still being dealt with cautiously after his concussion scare.

Relief corps

With Waldron only managing to pitch 3 2/3 innings, the ‘pen was relied on heavily. David Morgan gave up his first runs of the year on a two-run shot. Wandy Peralta, Bradgley Rodriguez and Kyle Hart pitched a clean 3 2/3 to finish out the game.

After some trouble lately, Rodriguez looked especially sharp, striking out all three batters faced. He lowered his ERA to 0.84 to start the year and has been on a tear lately. If not for a guy named Mason Miller, he might be viewed as the best reliever in this group.

Speaking of, the dominant closer will hopefully emerge from the bullpen for the bottom of the ninth tomorrow. He’ll be available after getting plenty of rest yesterday. Also available out of the ‘pen are Jason Adam, Ron Marinaccio and Adrian Morejon.

All four represent high-leverage options for Stammen to pick from, though he’ll likely tab Marinaccio if the Padres have a sizable lead when Márquez exits.

Saturday's loss to the Cubs had the same result as every other game the Mets have played over the last week and change, but the journey was different.

Yes, the Mets' 4-2 loss in Chicago had their losing streak reach 10 games, a feat the franchise hasn't seen in over 20 years, but it's the way they lost that has shades of the Twilight Zone.

The Mets have lost in a myriad of ways during this stretch. They've been shut out, they've lost slugfests, the bullpen has imploded, and defensive errors and miscues have cost them games. But Saturday showed something new. This time, a pinch-hitter took one swing and delivered the winning blow. 

"Just haven’t been able to play a complete game," manager Carlos Mendoza said after the loss. "It’s either the offense… starting pitching. Not making a pitch, not making a play. Not getting the big hit. Just having a hard time playing a complete game right now." 

The Mets have been outscored 60-18 during the 10-game losing streak. And while the offense is not the only reason for this stretch, it's the biggest. Mendoza and the players have said multiple times that there are always discussions among them and that no meeting or player needs to stand up in front of the team to get the ship righted, but the message among them continues to be to move on to the next day and get the win then.

"It’s frustrating to lose baseball games. Any time you lose, no matter how long the streak is, it compounds," Marcus Semien said after the game. "This is a big boy league. There’s no time to dwell on tonight; tomorrow is a new day."

Semien is part of a group of newcomers to the Mets acquired this offseason. He, along with Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco, was brought in to give the offense more consistency with their contact-first approach. So far, it hasn't worked, although the lineup has picked it up a bit over the last few games -- outhitting or tying in hits three of their last four games.

"Every game has been different. Obviously, we want to win as an offense. We’ve lost a lot of different ways. There’s no pointing the finger," he said. "Just coming out with a win. If it takes a 12-10 victory, a 1-0 victory, we have to do something to get the win to come."

And for Semien, who has played in the league for 13 seasons, he's been a part of a lot of streaks, both winning and losing. In his experience, the only cure for these trying times is to find that one win that can steer them in the right direction. 

The veteran infielder was asked question after question regarding the losing streak and how they can turn it around. He often chuckled, almost defiantly, when answering what the answer to breaking the streak is or how challenging it is for the team.

"It’s not. It’s not [challenging]. It’s as simple as showing up tomorrow with a good attitude," Semien said. "That’s how I’m going to approach it as a veteran on this team. Hopefully, other guys see the smile on my face when I show up. I understand the game does not owe you a thing. The game does not owe you any wins. We have to go out and get it.

Semien added, "Just winning the game. It's hard to win a big league game. It always has been. Right now, it hasn't gone our way. If we had a magical way to win every single game, we would definitely be doing it. I think that at the end of the day, everybody in here has enough talent to get a win tomorrow and that's how we're going to approach tomorrow."

"We haven't been playing good baseball. That's the bottom line," Mendoza said. "When you look at it, you've got five-and-a-half months ahead of you. You have an opportunity to write our own story. We're putting ourselves in a big hole right now, but there's only one way to do it - come back tomorrow ready to go."

The Mets will hope to salvage a win Sunday when they take on the Cubs before heading back home.

Texas Rangers @ Seattle Mariners

Saturday, April 18, 2026, 6:15 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / FOX)

T-Mobile Park

RHP Nathan Eovaldi vs. RHP George Kirby

Go Rangers!

We are treated to one of the better pitching matchups we will see all year between Chris Sale and Cristopher Sanchez tonight, as the Braves go for another series win, this time in Philadelphia.

Join us and discuss the game in the comments below!

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Saturday, April 18, 7:15 p.m. EDT

Location: Citizens Bank Ballpark, Philadelphia, PA

TV: FOX

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

Felix Reyes' ‘shot of energy' not enough as Phillies' lefty woes continue originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

When the Phillies called up Felix Reyes on Saturday afternoon, manager Rob Thomson called him a “shot of energy” for the club.

And when the rookie, making his debut, dug into the batter’s box for the first time at Citizens Bank Park, he delivered a shot in more ways than one.

A shot into the right-field seats off nine-time All-Star and former Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale.

A shot on the third pitch he ever saw in the Major Leagues.

But with the way this season has started for the Phillies, it may be easy to understand why that shot was not enough in their 3-1 loss to the Braves.

It is hard to wash away the moment, though.

It was an electric sequence at the yard. Reyes got a huge cheer from a sold-out Saturday crowd as he rounded the bases, another when he neared the Phillies’ dugout and then a standing ovation — plus a tip of the cap — when he jogged back out to left field. He even lost his helmet celebrating between first and second.

Reyes said the whole thing still did not feel real.

“I still feel like I’m sleeping,” he said. “It’s a dream come true.”

He was hunting for a fastball in a 2-0 count and got one in a spot he could handle.

“At that point, 2-0, I’m looking for a fastball,” Reyes said. “Luckily he got it in a spot where I could do some damage with it.”

And the fact that it came against Sale only added to it.

“We all know who he is,” Reyes said. “Hall of Fame, for sure.”

And still, Atlanta found a way to spoil the moment. And in doing so, it continued a theme the Phillies have run into over and over again to begin the season:

Struggles against left-handed starters.

The Phillies ran into a tough customer in Sale. He is once again looking like himself, even at 37 years old. In his 16th big league season, the southpaw still has his upper-90s fastball and his wipeout slider.

At this point, it is as advertised.

Outside of Reyes, Phillies hitters had very little to show for the night. They put only six baserunners aboard against Sale, who dazzled over seven innings of one-run ball on 101 pitches.

The likely future Hall of Famer only added emphasis to what the Phillies have — or have not — done against left-handed pitching in April.

Sale was the seventh left-handed starter the Phillies have faced in 2026. They are now slashing .155/.236/.254 in those games. They have totaled just six runs on 22 hits across 40 innings and have lost all seven of those contests.

It has become a concerning and repetitive theme for Thomson’s club.

And this was another one of those nights.

“It’s tough to tell off Sale,” Thomson said. “Sale is a tough at-bat, and you’ve got to fight.”

Last season, the Phillies’ success against left-handers — the sixth-best OPS in MLB — was helped by Kyle Schwarber’s dominance. He slugged 23 home runs against lefties and posted a .964 OPS against southpaws. The Phillies also had four other hitters with an OPS above .800 in those matchups: Edmundo Sosa, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm.

This season, despite the much smaller sample, Harper is the only Phillies hitter with at least 10 at-bats against lefties who has posted an OPS above .800. Adolis García is next at .760.

The next highest after that?

Trea Turner at .554.

Even Schwarber has not found much success, posting a 42.5 percent strikeout rate, a .421 OPS and no home runs in 35 at-bats.

The Phillies were not able to capitalize on the jolt from Reyes, just as they could not capitalize on Brandon Marsh’s first-inning home run robbery and, more importantly, Cristopher Sánchez’s solid six-inning outing. The left-hander allowed no earned runs and struck out eight.

At times this year, Sánchez has not been quite as sharp, throwing more pitches per inning at 16.4, his highest rate since 2022. But in his sixth start of the season, he got Atlanta to swing and miss at a 38 percent clip. His changeup alone generated a 54 percent whiff rate on Saturday.

Thomson loved what he got from his starter.

“He was great,” Thomson said. “Fastball command was great. The changeup was swing-and-miss.”

But the Braves took advantage in the third inning.

After Sánchez recorded two strikeouts to open the frame, Drake Baldwin lined a single. Ozzie Albies then reached on a fielder’s choice that was extended by a mishandle from Sosa. A walk followed. Then came a soft infield single, another single and suddenly the Braves were ahead 3-1.

Sánchez kept his composure through the inning, even with the Braves using ABS challenges and finding soft contact.

“That’s part of the game now,” he said. “You’ve got to embrace it.”

And with the way the Phillies’ offense is going right now, that was too big a hole to climb out of.

As for Reyes, his first night in the big leagues still gave the Phillies a moment worth remembering, even in defeat. Thomson was right about the energy.

“Whenever you see a kid come up for the first time and get a home run in his first at-bat, there’s a lot of energy in the dugout for sure,” he said.

Philadelphia just could not do enough with it.

REALMUTO EXITS, AGAIN

The Phillies took another hit in the seventh inning, when J.T. Realmuto left the game with lower back tightness. It was the second time in the first month of the season that he exited early.

Thomson made clear that the club’s backstop began to feel the back tighten on Friday.

“It happened last night when he made the play at the plate,” Thomson said. “The throw from García kind of jammed him.”

Thomson also mentioned Realmuto is unlikely to be available for Sunday’s series finale.

If it were to keep him out of games, that would be another big blow after the Phillies lost Jhoan Duran earlier in the afternoon. Realmuto has been exceptional behind the plate, especially with the new ABS system, and he has also been one of their most consistent hitters at .280 with a .748 OPS.

A further update is expected Sunday.

Prior to tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters that injured shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is likely to participate in a simulated game on Thursday and has been taking batting practice. He is recovering from a broken wrist suffered after falling on ice prior to Spring Training.

Kim, who the Braves claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays last September, opted to become a free agent but re-signed with Atlanta in December 2025 on a one-year, $20M deal. Atlanta had acquired Mauricio Dubón from the Houston Astros in a trade for infielder Nick Allen prior to Kim re-joining the organization.

Dubón, who is a two-time American League Gold Glove winner as a utility player, has seen most of the action for Atlanta at shortstop this season although free agent signee Jorge Mateo has also gotten spot duty when Dubón has appear around the diamond.

Both have excelled in the early-going, but Kim’s return would add additional depth to the team’s infield when he does return. According to Weiss, Kim could go on a rehabilitation assignment within one to two weeks. He will then have 20 days to stay on the assignment, if needed.

Based on that timeline, Kim could re-join Atlanta in mid- to late-May.

Here’s the Orioles lineup:

Here’s the Guardians lineup:

Let’s go, Guardians!

It’s a strategy familiar to anyone who follows baseball.

Middle innings, team rallying, left-handed hitter comes up. The team on defense sends in a left-handed reliever. The batting team counters with a right-handed pinch-hitter.

That was the scenario in the bottom of the sixth on a sunny, but chilly Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs had two runners on with two out and Moisés Ballesteros due up. The Mets sent in left-hander Brooks Raley. Craig Counsell sent Carson Kelly up to bat for Ballesteros… and Kelly deposited Raley’s first pitch into the left-field bleachers for a three-run homer, which was the difference in the Cubs’ fourth win in a row, 4-2 over the Mets, also the Mets’ 10th straight defeat.

Let’s rewind to the beginning. Jameson Taillon threw a lot of pitches in the first inning (including 10 to leadoff batter Carson Benge, who struck out). Then he served up a solo homer to Mark Vientos in the second, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead.

The Cubs matched that in the bottom of the inning, on Ian Happ’s sixth homer of the year [VIDEO].

Happ didn’t hit his sixth homer last year until June 10, the Cubs’ 58th game. He could be on target for a career high (currently: 25).

That’s where the game stayed, a 1-1 tie and pretty good pitchers’ battle between Taillon and Freddy Peralta, until the sixth. Taillon settled down after Vientos’ homer and allowed just five more baserunners, only one of whom reached second base. Another, Luis Robert Jr., was thrown out trying to steal by Miguel Amaya [VIDEO].

Overall, I thought it was a good outing by Taillon, who threw 100 pitches (61 strikes). Here’s more on Jamo’s afternoon [VIDEO].

More on Taillon’s day from BCB’s JohnW53:

This was Taillon’s 40th quality start among 84 total starts as a Cub. It was the 15th QS in which he gave up one run and the seventh of those in which the run came on a home run. He did it three times each in 2024 and 2025.

Say what you want about Taillon, but he has been a perfectly good starter almost all the time he’s been a Cub, and he’s off to a good start in 2026.

Peralta also settled down after Happ’s homer, until he retired the first two batters in the sixth. Then he walked Happ, followed by a walk to Seiya Suzuki — who got ball 4 challenged by the Mets, but the call was confirmed [VIDEO].

That turned out to be very important. After the walk, Peralta was relieved by Raley, and Kelly batted for Ballesteros.

Boom! [VIDEO]

About Kelly’s homer, from John:

According to my research, Carson Kelly’s pinch-hit homer was the Cubs’ 359th of the kind since 1901. They have been hit by 228 batters. Kelly is the 82nd to hit more than one.

The Cubs’ previous three-run pinch homer had been by Miguel Amaya, on Aug. 1, 2023, at home against the Reds. The Cubs led at the time, 17-5.

The last that broke a tie was by Geovany Soto, a walk-off in the 13th inning on June 30, 2011 vs. the Giants.
They had hit six more three-run pinch homers since then before Kelly’s today.

Ben Brown threw a scoreless seventh and then allowed an unearned run to the Mets in the eighth in a very weird inning in which he got five ground balls that all could have been outs. First, a comebacker by Bo Bichette that went off Brown’s leg for a hit. Then Francisco Lindor hit a ball that Dansby Swanson couldn’t quite corral. A grounder by Robert resulted in a force play, and Brown struck out MJ Melendez for the second out.

Then this happened [VIDEO].

That was a rare, rushed, bad throw from Nico Hoerner that pulled Michael Busch off first base. Francisco Alvarez was called out, but clearly, Busch’s foot was not on the base and the call was overturned. That resulted in a run scoring to make it 4-2. Brown then got another ground ball, handled smoothly by Alex Bregman, to end the inning.

The Cubs didn’t score in the eighth and Caleb Thielbar was given the save opportunity. He struck out the first two batters he faced, at times hitting 96 on the Wrigley pitch speed meter, and got a little popup to end the game [VIDEO].

Thielbar’s veteran presence made that one seem easy, and even though typically left-handers aren’t used in the closing role, perhaps he can handle it while Daniel Palencia is out.

Here are some postgame comments from Kelly [VIDEO].

The Cubs’ streaks of scoring 10+ runs (three games) and seven+ runs (five games) thus ended, but I’m sure you don’t mind that as long as the “W” flag flies from the Wrigley Field scoreboard. That’s four straight for the Cubs and the first time in 2026 that they have won the first two games of a series. They will go for the sweep Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Javier Assad will start for the Cubs and David Peterson goes for the Mets. Game time is again 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.