Category: Sports News

At the moment, I’m not on the IL. I am, however, perpetually listed day-to-day.

• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Who is Cubs’ new closer? Chicago has replacement plan for injured Daniel Palencia. “Caleb Thielbar, the 39-year-old lefty veteran who has some closing experience in his career, is an option. Hoby Milner, another veteran lefty, doesn’t have much closing experience, but it’s not completely foreign. Jacob Webb? Ben Brown?”
• Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Cubs reveal 2027 timeline for Cade Horton after Tommy John surgery. “”Cubs Cade Horton had his elbow surgery,” Rogers reports. “Looking at a 15-16 month recovery, per Craig Counsell. Horton being out 15-16 months means that, beyond simply missing the rest of the 2026 MLB season, he’s also going to miss the first few months of the 2027 season.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Could Be Only Option for Giolito, Who Might Settle for Discounted One-Year Deal. ““The two teams linked are the Padres and the Cubs,” Jon Heyman told 104.3 The Score on Thursday. “Now, the Padres are creative, but they have zero money. So it’s not gonna be easy to sign a free agent of that ilk with zero money. So, of the two teams linked, [the Cubs]’re the only one who has a dime, so they probably have a shot at Giolito.”
• Brian Kelder (North Side Baseball): Just How Good is Michael Busch? “He’s off to a rough start, but do the Cubs have a star at first base?”
• Michael Avallone (MLB.com): Cubs No. 8 prospect carries sizzling spring into the regular season at Triple-A. ‘Ramirez has been one of the most consistent hitters in the Minors to start 2026, reaching safely in all but three of the 16 games he’s appeared in.“
• Thomas Domol (North Side Baseball): Michael Conforto’s Regression to the Mean Is All the Cubs Really Need. “Even when accounting for his slow start, Conforto wields a wRC+ of 137. Is his surge sustainable? Possibly, though his .500 BABIP mark is terrifying.”
• Jeremy Teckkiel (North Side Baseball): Jameson Taillon’s Homer-Happy Ways Are Back. What Can the Cubs Do to Help Him Adjust? “A drop in velocity has led to an ugly start for the Cubs’ veteran right-hander. What can Jameson Taillon do to turn it around?”
• Field Level Media (Deadspin): Cubs LHP Matthew Boyd (biceps) begins rehab assignment. “Boyd gave up three runs on four hits over 3 2/3 innings for Triple-A Iowa, while throwing 64 pitches (46 for strikes) at Columbus. He had one walk and six strikeouts. Boyd could return to the Cubs’ rotation as early as next week, according to manager Craig Counsell, with Chicago set to face the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Jed Hoyer addresses the elephant in the room talking about rash of Cubs injuries. “Regardless of the cause, the fact (the injuries) are happening with such regularity, paired with the Cubs having not yet proven they can consistently develop long-term pitching solutions, is a major long-term concern..”
• Tony Andracki (Bleacher Nation): Is the Cubs Offense … Back? “The Cubs scored 28 runs in three games in Philadelphia, including blowout wins Tuesday and Wednesday. For perspective, the Cubs scored only 29 runs in the previous six games.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Chicago Cubs’ pitching situation means they better be right about Edward Cabrera. “All this uncertainty emphasizes the potential value and inherent risk associated with Edward Cabrera.”
• Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery): Chicago Cubs Fans Need to Slow Their Roll on Kevin Alcántara. “This week is the perfect example of the boom-or-bust nature of Alcantara’s season so far. In two games this week, he’s 2-for-10 with 2 HRs with six strikeouts. Out of 225 qualified hitters in triple-A, Alcantara’s 38.1% ranks ninth-highest.”

“Every page these days has some form of advertising. {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.“

Food For Thought:

D Man is the driving force behind D Man & The Alley Hounds, a prominent blues-rock outfit based in Louisville, Kentucky. D Man is recognized for his “High Energy Blues & Rock ‘n’ Roll Show,” often interacting closely with the audience. His performances are characterized by soulful vocals and a repertoire that honors legends like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf while keeping a modern edge.

An Arkansas athlete donned 55 T-shirts and ran a half marathon

Most Unique Places to Visit in the USA | Hidden Gems Travel Guide

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.

The Rockies love versatility. 

They collect it. They prioritize it. They build around it — players who can move, adjust, and fill gaps across the roster. 

Under the current front office, that emphasis has been explicit. 

In theory, it works. But, like any philosophy, it only works if you know when to stop applying it. 

Tyler Freeman might be that moment. 

The Rockies didn’t invent the experiment — but they’ve kept it going

Freeman wasn’t developed as a utility player. 

In the minors, he was overwhelmingly an infielder — developed at shortstop with the expectation he’d eventually slide to second base as his long-term home. 

Cleveland began expanding that role late, even moving him into center field in 2024 and asking him to learn a new position on the fly. By the time Colorado acquired him, the flexibility was already part of his profile. 

The Rockies didn’t create that version of Freeman. They chose to keep going. 

The Rockies saw a problem — and chose more flexibility 

In 2025, Freeman hit .281, posted a .354 OBP, and still finished with negative bWAR  

Because, as Joelle Milholm wrote here on the Row — he “raked at the plate, tanked in the field.” 

The Rockies have a real reason to hesitate here. Freeman struggled defensively across positions, including second base.

And in 2026, they’ve already leaned on players like Willi Castro and Edouard Julien to cover those innings. That approach isn’t irrational, but the response has been more movement for Freeman. 

And defense, especially in the infield, is built on repetition. 

Freeman hasn’t gotten that. 

The profile has never really changed 

For years, the reports have been consistent: 

• Elite bat-to-ball skill  

• Advanced feel for contact  

• Modest but developing gap power  

• A likely defensive home at second base  

Statcast tells a similar story now: 

This isn’t a star profile. But it is: An everyday, contact-oriented profile the Rockies haven’t fully defined 

So what’s missing? 

The last step. 

Freeman makes contact as well as almost anyone. But he hasn’t consistently turned that into damage. 

And development like that doesn’t happen in abstraction — it happens in routine. 

It’s the same glove. The same angles. The same pre-pitch rhythm. The feel of the dirt under your cleats, every inning. 

Freeman hasn’t had that. 

Instead, it’s been different gloves, different sightlines, different responsibilities. One night he’s reading hops on the infield dirt, the next he’s standing in the outfield grass, waiting instead of reacting. 

That instability matters — even if the exact effects are hard to isolate. 

Sports psychology research consistently shows that role clarity can influence confidence, decision-making, and perceived effectiveness. Baseball-specific evidence is more limited, but the general principle holds: players tend to perform best when expectations are stable. 

And when things aren’t stable, hitters often get more conservative. 

They shorten up. They put the ball in play. They avoid risk. 

So a player with developing pop can become: a contact hitter who never fully taps into it 

That’s not proven cause and effect, but it’s a pattern worth considering. 

What happens if they choose a lane?

Make Freeman the everyday second baseman.

Not because it’s guaranteed to work, but because it hasn’t really been given a chance to.

Once that decision is made, the rest of the roster starts to organize itself.

Ryan Ritter isn’t part of the current roster, but that actually reinforces the point. His path isn’t as a primary second baseman — it’s as a true super-utility player. When he’s up, his value comes from moving between the infield and outfield, not competing for a single position. Castro already fills a version of that role at the major-league level, rotating through shortstop, second, and third base in a way that makes the roster more flexible without blurring development.

The real redundancy is elsewhere.

Freeman and Julien share a similar offensive identity — contact-driven, bat-first players whose value comes from what they do at the plate. Both have been moved around defensively. Both have below-average defensive track records. But they’re not interchangeable.

Freeman brings more athleticism. He was developed as an infielder. His profile — contact, speed, and just enough developing pop (maybe) — fits more cleanly at second base if given the chance to settle there.

Julien’s path is narrower. His value likely comes as a bat-first option moving between second, first, and DH. And if that role overlaps too heavily with Freeman’s, the Rockies eventually have to decide whether carrying both actually creates value — or just duplicates it.

Just as importantly, the outfield stops being a catch-all.

Instead of absorbing infield uncertainty, it can stabilize around players like Brenton Doyle, Mickey Moniak, Jordan Beck, Troy Johnston, and Jake McCarthy — players who are actually being evaluated as outfielders, not filling gaps created elsewhere.

That clarity extends beyond the active roster.

With Freeman anchored at second, the path for the next wave — Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP), Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP), Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) — becomes easier to see. Not guaranteed, not blocked, but defined. They’re no longer competing against positional drift; they’re competing within structure.

And that’s the real point. Choosing a lane for Freeman doesn’t just answer one question.

It forces the Rockies to decide which overlapping skill sets they actually believe in — and which ones they don’t.

The clock is ticking 

Freeman is 26 and under club control through the 2028 season. 

That gives the Rockies a limited window to define him, develop him, or extract value.  

Right now, they’re still figuring out what he is. 

Let him be the exception 

Purple Row has already documented the Rockies’ embrace of optionality. The front office has been clear about valuing adaptability. 

That philosophy has value, but it still requires decisions. 

Tyler Freeman doesn’t need more positions. He needs a clearer role.

On the Farm

Triple-A: Oklahoma City Comets 13, Albuquerque Isotopes 12

The Isotopes (10-9) fall just short to the Comets (10-9) in a scoring bonanza. Charlie Condon led the way, going 3-for-5 with three RBI, while Cole Carrigg drew two walks and Chad Stevens stayed hot with a 2-for-5 performance. On the mound, Luis Peralta took the loss as pitching struggled to contain the Comets’ offense. Welinton Herrera was a bright spot, tossing two scoreless innings to open the game.

Double-A: Richmond Flying Squirrels 7, Hartford Yard Goats 4

The Yard Goats (5-8) fell to the Flying Squirrels (11-2) in a hard-fought game. Aidan Longwell led the way on offense, going 3-for-5 with a home run, while Andy Perez added three hits of his own. Pitching proved to be the difference, as every arm allowed at least one run, with starter Alberto Pacheco taking the loss after giving up three earned runs in 2.1 innings.

High-A: Vancouver Canadians 0, Spokane Indians 1

The Indians (6-7) walked it off in the 10th inning, edging the Canadians (4-9) after a scoreless battle through nine. Robert Calaz delivered the game-winning single in extras to seal the win. On the mound, Jordy Vargas and Fisher Jameson were outstanding, combining for a shutout. It was a tightly played game throughout, with pitching dominating until the final swing.

Single-A: Fresno Grizzlies 5, Ontario Tower Buzzers 4

The Grizzlies (9-4) edged the Tower Buzzers (6-6) in a close contest, scoring five runs on just five hits despite striking out 11 times. Wilder Dalis provided the biggest swing of the night, going 1-for-3 with a crucial three-run homer in the seventh. On the mound, Austin Newton delivered a strong start, allowing one run while striking out six over 5.2 innings. It was a gritty win, with Fresno making the most of limited opportunities.

Through early season bumps, Tovar’s on trip ‘to the next level’ | MLB.com

In this piece by Thomas Harding on MLB.com, Ezequiel Tovar is off to a slow start, but underlying metrics suggest better results could be on the way. The Rockies remain encouraged, as he looks to turn those signs into production while aiming to reach a higher level this season.

Snow covers Coors, inspiring impromptu snowman | MLB.com

Snow blanketed Coors Field before the Dodgers-Rockies game, where Emmet Sheehan even paused to admire a snowman near the field. Crews cleared it in time, but the scene added a perfect “only in Colorado” twist to an April night at the ballpark.

Albuquerque Isotopes 2026 walk-up songs | Purple Row

Renee Dechert of Purple Row takes a fun look at the Albuquerque Isotopes’ 2026 walk-up songs, highlighting the mix of personality and culture throughout the roster. From hip-hop and reggaeton to rock and country, the playlist reflects each player’s style and adds a behind-the-scenes feel to the team’s at-bats.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Yesterday was bad. The bullpen was bad. The situational hitting was bad.

Today is a new day. Gavin Williams pitches at 6:10PM ET. Let’s get back on track.

AROUND MLB:

Royals, Tigers and Twins lost. White Sox won.

Yesterday afternoon, the baseball world received stunning news. Former Angels outfielder Garret Anderson, who earned three All-Star nods, won the 2003 Home Run Derby and All-Star Game MVP, had the game-winning hit in 2002 World Series Game 7, and sits atop the Angels franchise leaderboards in several categories, passed away at just 53 years old, having suffered a fatal heart attack. As the Anderson family, not to mention the baseball world at large, let us honor his career in the best way an opposing fanbase can: by remembering the times we cursed his name.

You see, Garret Anderson belongs to a small fraternity of certified Yankees Killers — players who, no matter the situation, always found a way to come up big against the Bombers. His numbers, of course, speak for themselves. Overall, he had a career .293/.324/.461 slash line across his 17-year career — good for a slightly above-average 102 OPS+ despite multiple seasons of sub-100 offensive production at the end of his career dragging it down. Against the Yankees? That line skyrockets to .319/.338/.486 — the fourth-best against teams he played at least 100 games against and honestly pretty close to the .312/.341/.497 he had against Boston, his most victimized foe.

The thing is, though, a lot of players have great numbers against a particular team. What made Anderson a Yankee Killer, though, was the context. It didn’t matter how the Yankees approached him. Send out Andy Pettitte or David Wells as the day’s starter, giving you the platoon advantage against the lefty Anderson? It didn’t matter — in 83 plate appearances against Pettitte, he had three homers and posted a .402/.410/.549 slash line, and in 66 against Wells, he had two homers and posted a .400/.409/.569 slash.

Bring in a top LOOGY like Mike Stanton late in the game in a big spot? He still got on at a .375 clip and walked him off as well. Was future Hall of Famer Mike Mussina starting that day? Moose did a tad better, getting his batting average under .300, but he still posted a .283/.321/.528 slash with three home runs in 53 plate appearances. These were some of the best arms the Yankees had during his career, and Anderson simply pummeled them.

It was characteristic of Anderson’s Angels, who stood alone in their dominance of Joe Torre’s dynastic Yankees. They were the only AL opponent with a winning record against them during Torre’s tenure, going 61-55 from 1996 through 2007. Anderson certainly did his part in twisting the knife.

Furthermore, when the Yankees faced the Angels during the postseason, Anderson went nuclear. During his first career playoff series after nine years in the majors, Anderson went 7-for-18 with a walk, one home run, and five runs scored (good for a 1.088 OPS) against New York in the 2002 ALDS. His leadoff homer off playoff veteran Orlando “El Duque” Hernández in the eighth inning of Game 2, tying the game at five apiece, was arguably the series’ turning point, as it helped prevent the Yankees from jumping out to a 2-0 series lead.

Fellow Halos nemesis Troy Glaus immediately followed with a solo shot of his own, and the eventual champion Angels never looked back in an upset series victory over the four-time defending AL champs.

Three years later, the Yankees and Angels squared off in another Division Series, this time with no one taking Anderson’s club for granted. He didn’t smolder quite as much as he did in 2002 and was held to five hits — and none in three of the five games. But Anderson still managed to muster a .934 OPS because he absolutely made his hits count. At 0-for-8 entering Game 3 at the old Yankee Stadium with no less a lefty-neutralizing demon than Hall of Famer Randy Johnson on the bump, Anderson greeted him in the first with a three-run bomb.

It was the first of four hits on the night (including a triple) for Anderson in an 11-7 win. A split series turned in the Angels’ favor, and Anderson clubbed his second long ball of the series off Mussina in the Game 5 clincher at the Big A. Thankfully, the Yankees never had to face Anderson in the postseason again, as by the time they got their vengeance on the Angels in the 2009 ALCS, he and the club had parted ways, finishing out his career with the Braves and Dodgers.

But there’s one last Anderson/Yankees story to tell. Do you know the answer to the trivia question, “Who has the most runs batted in against the Yankees in a single game?”

By now, you probably have a sneaking suspicion, and it’s correct: Garret Anderson. On August 21, 2007, he laced a two-run double off Mussina in the first, drove in Vladimir Guerrero in the second with another double to right off Moose, drilled a three-run shot off Edwar Ramírez in the third, and deposited a grand slam into the right field seats in the sixth off Sean Henn.

By the time the game had mercifully ended in an 18-9 Angels victory, Anderson had accrued 10 runs batted in — a pretty decent month all in one day! To this day, he is one of just 16 players in MLB history since 1900 with a 10-RBI day, just like 2005 Alex Rodriguez.

When Anderson finally retired ahead of the 2011 season, the Yankees were certainly glad to see one of their greatest pests leave the field for the final time — the ultimate sign of respect you can give an opposing player. He was voted into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2016, and it probably felt fitting that the ceremony took place before a game against those same Yankees.

Rest in peace, Garret; we wish your family the best.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (9-9)

SYRACUSE 5, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 3 (BOX)

Ronny Mauricio had himself a day in Buffalo, going 3-4 with a dinger and a stolen base. Jack Wenninger continued to build his case as a future big leaguer, tossing five and a third innings of one-run ball, giving up just three hits and two walks against five strikeouts.

• CF Nick Morabito: 1-4, R, K
• SS Ronny Mauricio: 3-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, SB
• RF Ryan Clifford: 0-3, BB
• DH Ji Hwan Bae: 2-4, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, K
• 2B Jackson Cluff: 0-4, 2 K
• LF Cristian Pache: 0-4, 2 K
• 3B Yonny Hernández: 2-4, R, HR, RBI
• 1B Trace Willhoite: 0-3, K
• C Onix Vega: 0-2, K
• P Jack Wenninger: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• P Jonathan Pintaro: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• P Ryan Lambert: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• P Daniel Duarte: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (6-6

BINGHAMTON 4, AKRON 1 (BOX)

Jacob Reimer and Eli Serrano III both collected big hits as the Rumble Ponies evened the season at 6-6. The Binghamton pitching staff struck out ten while giving up four hits and six walks in the win.

• 2B Marco Vargas: 1-5, RBI, K, SB
• 3B Jacob Reimer: 1-4, R, 2B, BB, SB
• CF Eli Serrano III: 1-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K
• RF Jose Ramos: 0-4, 2 K
• LF D’Andre Smith: 0-3, BB, K, SB
• C Kevin Parada: 1-2, R, 2B, 2 BB, SB
• 1B Nick Lorusso: 0-3, R, BB, K
• DH Matt Rudick: 0-2, 2 BB, K
• SS Wyatt Young: 1-4, RBI, 2 K
• P Joander Suarez: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
• P Brian Metoyer: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• P Gabriel Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• P Carlos Guzman: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (3-9)

GREENSBORO 3, BROOKLYN 2 (BOX)

Hoss Brewer gave up two runs in the Cyclones loss to the Grasshoppers. Mitch Voit hit a home run, but the rest of the Brooklyn offense was more or less asleep, with just two hits on the day.

• SS Mitch Voit: 1-3, R, HR, RBI, BB
• 2B Antonio Jimenez: 0-4, E
• DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-4, 2 K
• CF John Bay: 1-3, R, 2B
• C Ronald Hernandez: 0-2, RBI, BB, E
• 3B Colin Houck: 0-4, 3 K
• 1B Yohairo Cuevas: 0-3, K
• LF Kevin Villavicencio: 0-3, K
• RF Diego Mosquera: 0-2, K
• P Wyatt Hudepohl: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
• P Bryce Jenkins: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• P Hoss Brewer: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• P Joe Charles: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• P Juan Arnaud: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (6-7)

ST. LUCIE 6, DAYTONA 4 (BOX)

St. Lucie jumped out to an early lead, but had to claw back after Joel Lara gave up three earned runs in the bottom of the third. Conner Ware was the star of the bullpen, tossing five innings of relief while allowing just one run on two hits and four walks, while striking out seven.

• SS Elian Peña: 1-4, R, BB, K
• 3B Sam Robertson: 1-4, R, BB, K, SB
• LF Randy Guzman: 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, E
• DH Julio Zayas: 1-5, R, RBI, K
• 1B AJ Salgado: 1-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, K
• RF JT Benson: 0-4, 2 K
• C Chase Meggers: 2-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, K
• 2B Branny De Oleo: 0-4, 2 K
• CF Sam Biller: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K
• P Joel Lara: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• P Caden Wooster: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• P Conner Ware: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K

Rookie: FCL Mets (0-0)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Ronny Mauricio

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Colin Houck

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Saturday’s MLB slate is one of the deepest of the week, with a full board and plenty of spots where the market hasn’t fully caught up.

Early in the season, pricing can still lag behind form, pitching matchups, and lineup trends — and that’s where value shows up. Rather than chasing big favorites, we’re targeting moneyline edges where the numbers and game scripts don’t quite align.

Find out more in my MLB picks for April 18.

MLB moneyline picks for April 18

Matchup	Pick
KC vs NYY	-161
CIN vs MIN	-143
NYM vs CHC	-116
SF vs WSH	-103
TB vs PIT	-152
CWS vs ATH	-161
DET vs BOS	-167
MIL vs MIA	-111
BAL vs CLE	-132
STL vs HOU	-149
TEX vs SEA	-137
ATL vs PHI	-127
LAD vs COL	-278
TOR vs AZ	+105
SD vs LAA	-116

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 4-18.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for April 18

Royals vs Yankees: Yankees (-161)

Yankees win probability: 59%

The New York Yankees have the clear edge in both lineup and bullpen, and this is the kind of spot where they usually take care of business at home.

Reds vs Twins: Twins (-143)

Twins win probability: 54%

Minnesota is the more complete team right now, with the better pitching matchup and a lineup that’s been more consistent top to bottom.

Mets vs Cubs: Cubs (-116)

Cubs win probability: 51%

The Cubs are simply playing better baseball (not by much), while the Mets continue to shoot themselves in the foot early in the season. 

Giants vs Nationals: Nationals (-103)

Nationals win probability: 48%

Washington has been more competitive than expected, and getting the Nationals at near even money against a shaky Giants team is worth a shot, especially given their edge on offense. 

Rays vs Pirates: Pirates (-152)

Pirates win probability: 61%

See Paul Skenes.... bet Paul Skenes... and hope the Pirates bats show up for him.

White Sox vs Athletics: Athletics (-161)

A's win probability: 60%

Neither team provides much confidence, but the White Sox away from home are worse than they are in Chicago. 

Tigers vs Red Sox: Tigers (-167)

Tigers win probability: 62%

Detroit has the pitching advantage here, and the Tigers have been far more reliable at preventing runs than Boston.

Brewers vs Marlins: Marlins (-111)

Marlins win probability: 50%

This is a coin-flip type game, but Miami’s pitching gives the home side a slight edge in what should be a low-scoring matchup.

Orioles vs Guardians: Guardians (-132)

Guardians win probability: 54%

Cleveland’s pitching and ability to make hay at home should be enough here, especially against a volatile Orioles staff.

Cardinals vs Astros: Astros (-139)

Astros win probability: 55%

Houston is the more disciplined and explosive team at the plate and typically capitalizes in situations where St. Louis tends to let games slip away.

Rangers vs Mariners: Mariners (-137)

Mariners win probability: 54%

Most of the edge in the batter's box goes to Texas, but the Mariners pitching is top-notch, and I like Kirby a little bit more than Eovaldi in this spot. 

Braves vs Phillies: Phillies (-127)

Phillies win probability: 52%

Normally, I'd take the high-powered Braves, but the pitching matchup favors the Phillies, and I expect them to tag Chris Sale early and often. 

Dodgers vs Rockies: Dodgers (-278)

Dodgers win probability: 71%

The odds speak for themselves. 

Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks: Blue Jays (+105)

Blue Jays win probability: 46%

Call this the Mad Max bounce-back game. The Diamondbacks' offense is inconsistent, so I look for the veteran pitcher to come up big. 

Padres vs Angels: Angels (-116)

Angels win probability: 50%

The Angels have plenty of power in their lineup, and they are playing at home. German Marquez boasts a 5.54 ERA and 1.69 WHIP. That should be all they need to pick up the win. 

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Today I want to check in on several of Memphis Redbird hitters through the Statcast lens. Fortunately for prospect hounds, the International League is fully wired up with pitch and hit tracking machines so there is a wealth of data available for the prospects at the highest level. The only other minor league team with this data provided publicly is the Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals, so there is a bit of a gap as prospects advance through the middle two levels. The Memphis squad has played 18 games (as of Friday), so while the sample size is relatively small, we are starting to aggregate some real data to break down. Today, I will focus on hitters only, and with apologies to Cesar Prieto and Colton Ledbetter, the players I feel are the four best hitting prospects in Memphis: Joshua Baez, Leo Bernal, Jimmy Crooks, and Blaze Jordan. 

Blaze Jordan

Jordan’s 2025 was a mixed bag as he torched Double-A to the tune of a 167 wRC+ for 44 games in the Red Sox system. He was promoted to Triple-A at the beginning of June and held his own until being flipped for Steven Matz at the trade deadline. The narrative behind his breakout season was short-circuited by a dreadful stint in Memphis that led to him being left off the 40-man roster and unprotected in the Rule 5 draft. Jordan has long been considered a plus power bat, but has struggled with plate discipline and elevating the ball, so how has he performed thus far in 2026? 
Jordan is off to a scalding start with a 179 wRC+ through 58 plate appearances in Memphis and there are certainly some changes to his underlying metrics.

Jordan is still swinging at everything and making good contact. The big jump has come in his exit velocity numbers. His max exit velocity of 113.3 MPH would rank 25th in the MLB just ahead of Jo Adell. His average exit velocity jump of 6 MPH takes him from being well below average to well above-average. Despite a high chase%, Jordan has made an above-average amount of contact thanks to an incredible 94.9% contact rate on pitches inside the strike zone. 

Jordan continues to have a fascinating profile. If you had told me he was off to an amazing start, I would have assumed he had cleaned up his plate discipline or started hitting more fly balls… Instead, he has doubled down on the two things he is great at, hitting the ball hard and making a ton of contact. It doesn’t seem like a profile that will play at the major league level where he will be exploited by pitchers with better command, but it is hard to argue with the results thus far. Jordan seems like the perfect candidate to get some at-bats for the Cardinals later this summer to give him a sense of the adjustments needed to hit major league pitching and an offseason to work on improving his approach. Despite the flaws, it has been a very encouraging start to the year, and Jordan’s stock is on the rise. 

Jimmy Crooks

Crooks had a solid, if unspectacular, 2025 season in Memphis. His contact rates backed up enough to create some doubt as to whether he could get to his solid power. So far, 2026 has been a mixed bag.

While Crooks is off to a great start from a results perspective having already hit 4 home runs and carrying a 156 wRC+, his contact and chase rates have both moved in the wrong direction. It is too early to worry, but you would feel a little more excited about the fast start if there were underlying changes to support the improved offense. Crooks’ elevated 33.3% strikeout rate is driven by nine strikeouts in 15 at-bats against southpaws. He has a slightly higher hard hit rate and barrel%, but despite the gaudy hitting line, Crooks has been generally the same hitter he was in 2025. 

I would really like to see Crooks improve his chase rate moving forward, which should elevate his borderline unplayable contact rate. Only ten major leaguers ran contact rates in the 60s last season and none as low as 65%. There is still plenty of volatility in the data this early, so we are definitely not in the panic zone yet. The average to slightly above-average power is already there, and Crooks has a knack for making high-quality contact when he does connect. Despite his lack of speed, ZiPS projects him to run above-average BABIPs as the foundation of his offensive profile. 

Leo Bernal

Unlike Jordan and Crooks, Bernal did not have prior Triple-A experience, so there is much less data in his baseline to compare to. 

Bernal is having a little trouble chasing too often, but is making contact at an above-average rate. While his average and 90th percentile exit velocities are not exciting, his max exit velocity is above-average, which is a great sign, especially in such a small sample size. Despite the underwhelming .236/.295/.327 slash line, Bernal’s start from an underlying metrics perspective may be the most encouraging. Unlike Crooks, he is maintaining a solid plate approach and contact rate in his first taste of Triple-A as a 22-year-old. FanGraphs has him rated as having average raw power (50 grade), but his max exit velocity of 112 MPH hints that there could be more in the tank. Switch hitters and catchers have the reputation of taking longer to develop offensively, and Bernal is both of these. He has plenty of time to solidify himself as a core piece of the future, but you would like to see more consistent power as he settles into the Triple-A environment. 

Joshua Baez

Baez was the player I was most excited to get data on coming into the year following his epic breakout in 2025. The big question we want to get answered is how his contact rates would hold as he faced more advanced pitching.

Baez is surviving, but he is showing why the Cardinals made the correct decision in letting him start the season in Triple-A despite the torrid Spring Training. His exit velocity numbers are just average so far and his contact rate has backed up significantly from the average rate he carried in 2025. After running a 59% contact rate in big league spring training, the continued low contact rate in Memphis at least warrants an eyebrow raise. We are still early enough to brush this off as an early-season adjustment period, but with Baez’s history, it is absolutely something to keep an eye on to see if he can right the ship. Triple-A pitchers have attacked Baez with over 40% breaking balls thus far (MLB average is roughly 30%) and Baez has only managed a 56% contact rate. He is doing most of his damage on fastballs with an 80% contact rate, and both of his home runs have come on heaters. 

I think Baez may be pressing a bit coming off of his electric spring training. He has a reputation for good swing decisions and may just be a tad overly aggressive in the early going. I would like to see if a more disciplined approach could unlock the power he displayed in 2025. 

All things considered, my opinion of these four has not changed in a meaningful way based on this small sample size. I am encouraged by Jordan and Bernal’s starts and would like to see some improved discipline from Baez and Crooks. All four could impact the Cardinals in 2026 and their performance has direct implications for the roster going forward. That matters not just for development, but for how the Cardinals approach roster decisions this season. Bernal and Crooks performing well could push one of Pedro Pages or Yohel Pozo out the door. If Baez looks ready, he could get a look in center field or make a Lars Nootbaar trade more attractive even if the Cardinals are in the playoff hunt this summer. Blaze Jordan is still getting reps at first base and third base where the Cardinals lack right-handed power. Whether they make it to St. Louis this year or not, the progress, or lack thereof, of this quartet will have a material impact on the shape of the roster moving forward.

There really isn’t much good around the Phillies right now. The best thing to say about today is that Cristopher Sanchez gets the start.

Too bad he’s been shakier than normal of late.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• The team is off to a pretty rough start (to say the least). Which things are actually worth worrying about long term ($)?
• Honestly had no memory of Adolis Garcia making a baseball trek through Japan, but here we are, learning new things every day.

MLB news:

• The sale of the Padres is about complete with an agreement expected to be in place by the end of next week ($). It’s going to be expensive.
• Garret Anderson, longtime outfielder for the Angels, passed away suddenly at age 53. Always liked that guy.
• The Rockies are trying something new this year where their pitching coach is “suggesting” pitches from the dugout ($).
• Extensions for young players are all the rage at the moment. However, are we reaching a point where it’s not good?