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Aneudys Mejia went four innings for Hickory, allowing one run, walking two and striking out five.

Paulino Santana was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. Dewar Tovar homered. Yolfran Castillo was 2 for 4. Marcos Torres had a hit and a stolen base. Daniel Flames was 3 for 3 with a walk.

Hickory box score

Hub City starter Aidan Curry allowed one run on a solo homer by former #5 overall pick Elijah Green, striking out six and walking one in five innings. Bubba Hoopi-Tuionetoa struck out one and walked one in 1.2 shutout innings.

Paxton Kling was 3 for 4 with a pair of stolen bases. Malcolm Moore homered. Chandler Pollard had a pair of hits and a stolen base.

Hub City box score

Frisco starter Josh Trentadue gave up 5 runs in 2.2 IP, striking out five and walking one. Ryan Lobus gave up a solo homer in 2.1 IP, striking out three. Eric Loomis struck out one and walked one in a scoreless inning.

Ian Moller had a pair of hits and a stolen base. Keith Jones II had three walks.

Frisco was trailing 11-8 heading into the ninth, but scored 7 runs in the top of the ninth.

Frisco box score

For Round Rock, Alexis Diaz retired the one batter he faced. Josh Sborz struck out two in a shutout inning. Michel Otanez struck out one in a scoreless inning. Gavin Collyer struck out two and walked one in a scoreless inning. Peyton Gray went two scoreless, striking out two.

Justin Foscue was 3 for 5 with a double and a homer. Alejandro Osuna had a hit, two walks and a stolen base. Cam Cauley had a hit and two walks. Aaron Zavala had a hit.

Round Rock box score

Columbus Clippers 1, Iowa Cubs 8

Clippers fall to 8-8

Columbus jumped out to a 1-0 lead and then gave up eight unanswered runs to get blown out.

Petey Halpin and C.J. Kayfus led the way, both going 2-for-4, with Halpin scoring the team’s lone run.

No one else reached base safely twice, although Travis Bazanna and Kahlil Watson both doubled.

Starting pitcher Pedro Avila allowed three runs on four hits in 3.2 innings with an impressive eight strikeouts and two walks.

Tommy Mace then came in for attempted long relief and it did not go well. Mace was tattooed for five runs on two hits with four walks in just 0.2 innings.

The rest of the bullpen was solid, with Jack Leftwich tossing 1.2 scoreless innings. Cody Heuer also had a scoreless frame and top bullpen prospects Andrew Walters and Franco Aleman both had 1-2-3 scoreless frames with Walters striking out two.

Akron RubberDucks 2, Harrisburg Senators 9

RubberDucks improve to 6-4

Akron made the most of its opportunities, scoring eight runs on seven hits Tuesday while terrorizing Binghamton on the basepaths with seven stolen bases.

Alfonsin Rosario was the top offensive performer, going 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk, also stealing a base.

FONSI 💣

The Eastern League home run leader Alfonsin Rosario launches a solo shot deep into the #QuAkron night!@GuardsInsiderpic.twitter.com/yZHCcGX5s5

— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) April 15, 2026

Wuilfredo Antunez went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base, Angel Genao went 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base, Nick Mitchell went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases, Alex Mooney walked twice and stole a base, Joe Lampe went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base and Jacob Cozart went 1-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly.

Starting pitcher Matt Wilkinson was flat out impressive, allowing one run on six hits in 4.1 innings with five strikeouts and one walk. Through two starts at Double-A, he’s boating a rock solid 2.16 ERA.

Both Jack Jasiak and Matt Jachek allowed three runs in their relief appearances, but Alaska Abney saved the day with a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.

Lake County Captains 13, Fort Wayne Tincaps 4

Captains improve to 5-5

As ecstatic as I am about Lake County’s offense erupting for 13 runs, let’s start with Justin Campbell.

He was Cleveland’s first round competitive balance pick in 2022, the same year they drafted Chase DeLauter, but due to a pair of surgeries, he did not make his pro debut until this season. You never know what to expect with players who have extended delays in their development, but Campbell has passed all tests with flying colors. Cleveland named him Lake County’s opening day starter for 2026 and he’s lived up to the hype with dominant pitching. He’s pumping his fastball in the mid-90s, commanding the strike zone well and utilizing all of his secondaries.

On Tuesday, he flat out dominated Fort Wayne hitters, tossing 3.0 shutout innings of one-hit ball with three strikeouts and no walks. At this point, he may not be long for Lake County’s rotation because he needs a bigger challenge. He has a 1.23 ERA through three starts and is rocketing up my Guardians prospect rankings.

On the offensive side of the equation, Lake County racked up 13 hits and 11 walks, with every player on the team reaching base at least twice.

Jaison Chourio blasted his first home run of the season, going 2-for-6.

Jaison Chourio wasted no time 💣 pic.twitter.com/P4SjL0EKYN

— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) April 14, 2026

Dean Curley was nearly perfect at the dish, going 2-for-3 with a double and three walks to reach base a whopping five times.

Bennett Thompson also continues to impress with his bat, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two walks while Nolan Schubart went 2-for-5 with his first home run of the campaign.

Aaron Walton reached base three times, going 2-for-4 with a walk, while Jace LaViolette went 1-for-5 with a walk. Luke Hill went 1-for-3 with a walk, a sacrifice fly and three RBIs while Anthony Silva went 1-for-4 with a walk and Maick Collado walked twice.

Melkis Hernandez earned the win in long relief, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits in 3.1 innings pitched.

Kendeglys Virguez impressed with three strikeouts in a 1-2-3 inning while Cam Walty finished off the win with 1.2 scoreless inings.

Hill City Howlers 5, Wilson Warbirds 7

Howlers fall to 6-4

The youngsters teed off for their first home runs of the season in this one.

Juneiker Caceres went 2-for-5 with a bomb, while Dauri Fernandez went 1-for-5 with a three-run blast that almost brought Hill City back into the game.

Other offensive standouts included Robert Arias, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, and Luis De La Cruz, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and two more stolen bases. They need to move De La Cruz up in the batting order at this point. He’s batting .407 with a 1.012 OPS on the young season.

Starting pitcher Aiden Major allowed two runs on two hits in 3.0 innings. He walked two and struck out four.

Unfortunately, reliever Wes Burton simply could not get out of the fourth inning, surrendering five runs in just 0.2 frames on three hits and a pair of walks.

Will McCausland gave the Howlers a great chance to make a comeback with 4.0 scoreless innings of long relief, striking out five and walking two while allowing just one hit.

The Cubs’ 10-4 win over the Phillies Tuesday evening in Philadelphia is, I think, the sort of game this team can begin to produce more often.

Solid starting pitching. (Well, Colin Rea was essentially the starter after Riley Martin opened.)

Six different Cubs had at least two hits. Overall: 15 hits, six walks, two doubles and a home run. This team is capable of this sort of offensive production and I think we’ll see more of it going forward.

Martin dispatched the Phillies on just six pitches in the first inning. As I’ve said, I like what I’ve seen from Martin. He attacks hitters, doesn’t mess around, seems to have good mound presence. I hope he sticks around.

About those six pitches, from BCB’s JohnW53:

Riley Martin’s six pitches were the second fewest known to have been thrown by a Cubs starter.

Frank Castillo threw three pitches to one batter against the Mets on Aug. 10, 1991, then departed with an injured shoulder.

Alec Mills threw seven against the Red Sox on July 2, 2022, and Shawn Boskie threw eight against the Cardinals on June 16, 1992. Both also were injured. Both pitched to two batters.

Drew Pomeranz threw eight as a one-inning opener against the Nationals on Sept. 7 last year. He had thrown nine against the Reds on May 31.

Rea then entered the game and things didn’t go well, at least at first. Two singles and a 442-foot home run by Edmundo Sosa gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead in the second. After that, though, Rea allowed just one other hit in completing six innings, striking out five with no walks. He retired the last 10 Phillies he faced in throwing 87 pitches (58 strikes). Here’s more on Rea’s outing [VIDEO].

And more from John:

The last Cub to pitch six innings in relief was Ben Brown, at home against the Reds on May 31, 2025. He gave up no runs on one hit, walked one and struck out nine.

There had been only three others of at least 6.0 since 2000:
Jamie Arnold, on Sept. 22, 2000, at home vs. the Cardinals (6.2 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 SO)
Eddie Butler, on March 30, 2018, at Miami (7.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 SO)
Alec Mills, on Aug. 14, 2019, at Philadelphia (6.0 IP, 3 R, 4 H [2 homers], 2 BB, 4 SO)

It was also noted on the broadcast was the fact that Rea was the first to go 6 innings in relief with no walks since Rodney Myers on Aug. 31, 1999.

While Rea was stifling Phillies batters, Cubs hitters went about erasing that 3-0 deficit. Two runs came back in the third. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with a double and went to third on a ground out. Nico Hoerner’s single scored PCA [VIDEO].

Michael Busch singled, but Nico was thrown out trying to take third. Alex Bregman followed that with a single, with Busch stopping at second.

Ian Happ’s double scored Busch [VIDEO].

Happ missed a home run by only a couple of feet. It went to a crew chief review, but a double was confirmed. Still, the Cubs trailed by just one.

They tied the game up in the fifth. Dansby Swanson led off with a walk and one out later, Busch walked. Bregman’s single made it 3-3 [VIDEO].

The Cubs broke the game open in the sixth off reliever Tim Mayza. With one out, Carson Kelly walked and PCA was hit by a pitch. Swanson reached on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases.

Nico gave the Cubs a two-run lead [VIDEO].

Swanson stopped at third, and then Busch walked to load the bases.

Bregman’s single scored two more runs [VIDEO].

The score remained 7-3 Cubs through seven thanks to Rea’s great outing. Jacob Webb relieved Rea and gave up a double to Sosa and an RBI single to Trea Turner to make it 7-4. At that point Craig Counsell called on Caleb Thielbar to face the Phillies’ tough left-handed hitters, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. Schwarber singled, but Thielbar struck out Harper. Then Thielbar threw a wild pitch, advancing the runners to second and third.

Thielbar then struck out Alec Bohm to end the threat [VIDEO].

The Cubs had Daniel Palencia warming up in the ninth for a potential save opportunity, but the offense made the save op unnecessary. Seiya Suzuki led off with a single and Miguel Amaya walked.

Kelly then smashed his first home run of the season [VIDEO].

With a six-run lead, Counsell called on left-hander Ryan Rolison to a success. Rolison gave up a one-out single to Bryson Stott, but then induced this game-ending double play ball [VIDEO].

It was a satisfying win in every way. Here are Counsell’s postgame remarks [VIDEO].

Here are some postgame comments from Nico Hoerner [VIDEO].

As I mentioned above, this is the sort of offense I expect from this team going forward. It was especially good to see two-hit nights from Busch and PCA, two guys who have been really struggling. They’ll be just fine going forward, I think.

The Cubs will play the series finale tonight against the Phillies with a chance to take the series. Shōta Imanaga, who was outstanding last time out against the Pirates (six no-hit innings), gets the call for the Cubs. He’ll have a tough opponent in Phillies lefty Jesús Luzardo. Game time is again 5:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.

Dominic Smith is on quite a run. Through April 14, he has both a wOBA and xwOBA well in excess of .400… but let’s not kid ourselves, what I really mean here is that he is currently third among position players, and fifth in MLB, in WPA. When he hit that walkoff grand slam, it was a really cool moment, but it actually didn’t really matter WPA-wise given that there were none out and the walkoff run was on third. But last night, he amassed an insane 0.75 WPA, with 0.63 of that coming on his game-winning double into the left-field gap that turned a 5-3 deficit into a 6-5 victory a few minutes later. Combine those heroics with him hitting basically everything from a right-hander, and, yeah. Quite a run.

Amazingly, through mid-April of 2021, appearing exclusively as a pinch-hitter, Pablo Sandoval also had quite a run for the Braves. He had a 371 wRC+ in ten PAs, with basically two gigantic hits — a game-winning homer in a tie game late in one, and then a seventh-inning game-turnaround homer (from a 3-2 deficit to a 5-3 lead) eight days later. His WPA through those first few weeks was above 1.00, basically the same as Smith has through the same place on the calendar.

And then, well, those early heroics kind of faded into obscurity. He finished April with a 199 wRC+ (still great, but not exactly the insane start he had), and then never rose above 100 for any subsequent month. He also got a lot less playing (pinch-hitting) time in June and July, and was basically an afterthought by the time the Braves traded him to Cleveland for eventual postseason hero Eddie Rosario. Whatever stories we tell ourselves about the 2021 season, whether about the playoff run, the Trade Deadline acquisitions, the way Ronald Acuña Jr. carried the team before going down with injury and not being on the field as things righted themselves down the stretch — they seem to have overridden Sandoval’s torrid start. The baseball season is long, so it makes sense…

…but you see where I’m going with this.

So, what do you think? Different role (main DH against right-handers versus main pinch-hitter in a ruleset that didn’t yet have the DH in the National League) taken into account, or not — do you think the legend of Dominic Smith, Braves Hero will only grow, or will it fade like Sandoval’s early-2021 start, in a way where he literally did not factor into the team’s eventual turnaround and postseason success?

The Orioles entered spring training with a majority of their roster already set. The most surprising move came when Baltimore optioned Dean Kremer to Norfolk at the beginning of the season. The O’s signed Chris Bassitt to a one-year deal, and the front office decided to roll with Bassitt and Zach Eflin as the fourth and fifth starters.

Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish were cemented atop the rotation. The team made a significant commitment to trade acquisition Shane Baz, and Mike Elias inked Bassitt and Eflin to one-year deals. Kremer had a minor-league option remaining, and Baltimore already had one of last year’s starters in the bullpen with Tyler Wells.

The move came as a surprise, but it made sense. Kremer holds a career 4.26 ERA over 127 games. Of those 127 appearances, all but three came as a starting pitcher. Baltimore knew it would need more than five starters to get through a season, and the team declined to mess with Kremer’s process by sending him to the bullpen.

Some hoped that Kremer’s delayed start to the season could offset his traditional struggles at the beginning of the year. Kremer holds a winning or .500 record in every month aside from March/April. His 6.12 ERA and 1.465 WHIP over 114.2 innings are by far his worst totals.

Baltimore made it 15 games before summoning Kremer from the minors. Eflin underwent Tommy John surgery after suffering a devastating injury earlier this month. Surprisingly, the Orioles turned to Cade Povich and Brandon Young before handing Kremer the ball on Monday.

Povich and Young both took full advantage of their first 2026 opportunities. Young shutout the White Sox over five innings in a spot start on April 6. His reward? A return to Norfolk. Povich limited Pittsburgh to two runs over 5.2 innings of mop-up duty on April 5, and he earned his first win of the season with 6.2 innings of one run ball against the Giants. His reward? A return to Norfolk.

The moves made sense. The Orioles wanted a fresh arm in both circumstances. Povich stuck around to make one start, but Baltimore needed another starter for Monday. Baltimore optioned Povich and summoned Kremer on regular rest.

Mike Elias likely mapped out these moves before the games even took place. Elias had to be thrilled watching the two young pitchers flourish, but he planned to option the pair regardless of whether they pitched spectacular, horrific, or anywhere in between.

That’s fine, but what’s next? Kremer struck out nine and did not walk a batter in five innings, but he also allowed three home runs. The 30-year-old appears set to make his second start when his turn comes up in Cleveland.

There is no such thing as too much pitching depth. There’s no problem here, and Kremer has earned his place in the rotation. He was the sixth starter on the depth chart at the beginning of the season, and he’s the fifth starter now that Eflin went down. The question becomes whether Povich and Young belong at Triple-A, or if their talent demands a place on the roster right now.

Baltimore sent Brayden Smith, a 13th-round Draft pick in 2025, to St. Louis to acquire Nick Raquet. With Keegan Akin and Dietrich Enns both on the injured list, the Orioles clearly felt a need to bolster their left-handed relief options. Raquet did not make a strong first impression.

The lefty allowed three runs in a three-run loss to San Francisco during his only appearance. Grant Wolfram has emerged as Baltimore’s primary southpaw, but it remains to be seen whether Raquet can be trusted in a leverage situation. Povich looks like the more reliable lefty right now.

Akin is set to begin a rehab assignment today. It makes sense to keep Povich in a starter’s routine and utilize him if when another injury takes place. That being said, the Orioles appear motivated to do whatever helps the team right now.

Baltimore designated former top pitching prospect Chayce McDermott for assignment earlier this week because the team lacked confidence in his ability to contribute this season. McDermott had an option remaining and could have continued working on his development as a reliever at Norfolk, but the Orioles elected to use the 40-man spot on guys like Raquet and Jayvien Sandridge instead.

Young looked like the starter that threw an immaculate inning against the Mets last July. He likely sits one slot below Povich on the depth chart, and Norfolk’s roster features multiple starters that could earn a promotion in the second half. If Wells, Albert Suárez, or another reliever begins to struggle, when does Young get another look.

Both of these guys were inconsistent last season, but they can only take the next step if given an opportunity. What happens if the rotation manages to stay healthy and these two continue to look the part at Norfolk? Do either Kremer or Bassitt find themselves with a short leash? If not, how long before the Orioles give Povich and/or Young the chance to make an impact out of the bullpen?

Yesterday, the Phillies traded Griff McGarry to the Dodgers for international bonus pool money, plus either a PTBNL or more cash considerations. It was the second time the Phillies parted with him: this past December he went to the Nationals in the Rule 5 Draft, but was returned to the Phillies before Opening Day. The former fifth round draft pick had been in the Phillies organization since 2021, but didn’t play for the big league club. McGarry may still very well have a big league future, but it’ll be in Tinseltown, rather than the City of Brotherly Love.

Today’s question is: what do you think of the McGarry trade?

Astros fans, who do you blame for the slow start to the season?

I’ve written several times that I’m not ready to panic just yet, but I’d be lying if I said there isn’t some real concern. After all, this team currently holds the worst record in Major League Baseball, and the issues aren’t isolated to just one area. The shortcomings are showing up across the board, but none more glaring than with the pitching staff.

Shortstop Carlos Correa recently summed it up well, saying this is a good baseball team playing bad baseball. That sentiment feels accurate. The talent is there. This is still a roster capable of making a playoff run. And despite the rough start, they’re only three games out of first place. It’s early, very early, and there’s plenty of time to right the ship.

Even after being swept by both the Colorado Rockies and the Seattle Mariners, this team leads Major League Baseball in runs scored. The offense has started to click, thanks in large part to a healthy Yordan Alvarez and a resurgent Christian Walker.

But the positives on offense haven’t been enough to outweigh the issues elsewhere.

Injuries have certainly played a role. Key players like Jeremy Peña, Hunter Brown, and Cristian Javier have all missed time. Still, Correa and others in that clubhouse have been adamant about not using injuries as an excuse.

And frankly, the numbers back that up.

The problems start with the pitching staff.

When your bullpen has logged more innings than your starting rotation, that’s a massive red flag. The Astros currently own the worst ERA and WHIP in baseball, the highest opponent batting average, and they lead the league in walks allowed. That’s a recipe for disaster. Add in an eight-game losing streak, the longest since 2013, when the franchise lost over 100 games and it paints a troubling picture.

One of the biggest surprises has been Bryan Abreu.

When Josh Hader went down, there wasn’t much panic. The assumption was simple: Abreu, widely considered one of the best setup men in baseball, would step in and handle closing duties without missing a beat.

Instead, the opposite has happened.

Rather than shutting the door, Abreu has struggled mightily, failing to get out of jams, putting runners on base, giving up home runs, and blowing leads. His ERA ballooned north of 20. For a team already struggling on the mound, that’s been a crushing blow.

So again, the question remains: who’s to blame?

Is it general manager Dana Brown for not doing enough to reinforce the pitching staff, particularly after losing Framber Valdez in free agency, by adding veteran starters?

Do you point the finger at manager Joe Espada? As Correa said, this team is playing bad baseball, and the manager is often the first to take the heat. Then again, in today’s analytically driven game, how much control does the manager really have when front offices heavily influence daily lineup decisions?

Or do you chalk it up to injuries and trust that this team will eventually bounce back?

Maybe the blame falls squarely on the struggles of Abreu and a pitching staff that simply hasn’t delivered.

However you see it, one thing is clear: the Astros have work to do and the clock is already ticking. I mentioned it before, but Lucas Giolito is still out there and could add immediate help to the rotation. Are they willing to add or are we headed towards a fire sale?

So, Astros fans, who do you blame? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

When Mick Abel hit Willson Contreras, the first baseman joined Yandy Diaz, Dillon Dingler, Connor Nordy, and Isaac Paredes to lead all of MLB with four hit by pitches. So far in the season, Contreras has been hit once each by the Reds, Brewers, Cardinals, and Twins.

Contreras has had a mixed bag with HBPs. In his first season with the Cubs he was hit 4 times in 283 plate appearances (76 games) Then 3 times in 428 plate appearances (117 games). Nothing too interesting.

In 2018 he recorded his highest playing time total until the 2025 season: 544 plate appearances (138 games). And he’s up to 13 HBP.

Drops down to 9 the next season in 409 PAs (105 games).

And that’s where the story starts to get interesting.

In 2020, in 225 plate appearances (57 games in the short season) he was hit 14 times!

Then he was hit another 14 times in 2021 in 483 plate appearances (128 games). More than double the games but the same number of times hit.

You can watch these over and over and over. He’s taking pitches off that front arm. Is he leaning into it? I mean, maybe? He does often turn the shoulder but that’s also what you see guys evading the ball do.

We’ll keep going.

In 2022, his final season in Chicago, Contreras was his 24 times. Not leading the league but adding 10 to his previous personal…best. The Brewers hit him 3 times that year. As did the Reds, Pirates, and Cardinals (two in one game!). The only AL team to hit him? The Yankees.

He decides to replace Yadier Molina in St. Louis and spare himself a few HBPs. And he drops to 13 (495 PAs, 125 games) and 12 (358 PSs, 84 games) in his first two years in Missouri. With one season injury-shortened though, you can guess what is coming next. 23 HBP! In 2025, his final season in St. Louis, we see the future Red Sox first baseman take 23 pitches off his body. 563 PAs, 135 games.

Interestingly, in 2025 the Red Sox hit him twice. And he was then traded there. So that at least follows his own choice to sign in St. Louis after taking a few off the “chin.”

Red Sox fans have gotten to see some of the classics too. The teams that hit him a lot — which is partially due to playing time because they’re NL Central teams and his career was spent in the NL Central until 2026. But also The Brewers hit him 4 times last year.

In the opening series there’s a very typical shoulder move.

March 28th, 2026:

Then there was a but of an incident with the Brewers. He really thinks that one was on purpose. Right? He looks mad. And this one is more of the scraper type of HBP than his classic shoulder bruise. This is grazing the hand. Was this avoidable, or at least moreso than others?

April 6th, 2026:

In his return to St. Louis it’s a quick reception and then a pretty solid plunking. And remember he played with Kyle Leahy. This is a former teammate. Famously, the pitcher of St. Louis didn’t care for Contreras as a catcher. But this is a pretty standard (for him) pitch to the arm. He wears an elbow guard. He’s ready for these.

April 11, 2026:

Right now, depending on playing time, Contreras could be heading for a new HBP record. But he’s quickly running out of NL Central games and opponents. The teams that know him. The teams that might really dislike him. So maybe it’ll turn out that his shoulder was a nice target for guys who wanted to settle a grudge. Or is it his OBP secret sauce?

A’s 2, Rangers 1

• One step forward, one step back for the Ranger offense.
• On the heels of an eight run outburst against the hated A’s on Monday, the Rangers followed that up with one run and four hits on Tuesday.
• But first things first. The pitching.
• MacKenzie Gore’s fourth outing for the Texas Rangers was a reminder as to why he was able to be acquired for a quantity-over-quality prospect package. The broadcast has touted Gore as a legitimate top of the rotation starter — Dave Raymond referred to him early in this game as “an ace on a team with two veteran #1s” — and the potential is definitely there.
• But Gore’s inconsistency and spates of wildness have held him back during his career, and we saw that on Tuesday.
• Things started calmly enough. Gore started things off with a three pitch strikeout of Shea Langeliers as part of a 1-2-3 first. A leadoff walk in the second to Tyler Soderstrom was erased by a Max Muncy GIDP, and after retiring the first two batters in the third, Gore had faced the minimum and just needed to retired ninth place hitter Denzel Clarke for another 1-2-3 inning.
• Things went sideways from there, though. Clarke doubled, and then a four pitch walk to Langeliers was followed by a five pitch walk to Nick Kurtz, loading the bases. A line drive single by Jacob Wilson brought home two A’s runs before Gore got out of the inning by getting Soderstrom to ground out on the seventh pitch of that at bat.
• Though that Wilson single plated the only two A’s runs in the game, Gore never really got back on track after that. He got himself in trouble to start the fourth with a five pitch walk to Muncy and a four pitch walk to Austin Wynns. A sac bunt, a 6-2 out at home, and a Clarke K got him out of the inning unscathed. Gore couldn’t make it out of the fifth, however, as a K-single-K sequence was followed up by an eight pitch walk to Soderstrom, ending Gore’s day
• Gore only allowed three hits, but he issued six walks, tying his career high for walks in a game. He also needed 94 pitches to get through just 22 batters while getting just seven swings and misses.
• To his credit, Gore did a good job minimizing damage, and put the Rangers in a position where they could have won the game had the offense not taken a powder. But this is the sort of performance that has me thinking we should tap the brakes on anointing Gore as an ace.
• The good news from the pitching front was that Robert Garcia gave the Rangers 1.2 scoreless innings, with three Ks and a walk, and Tyler Alexander struck out two in getting the final four outs of the game.
• The bad news from the pitching front is that two Rangers pitchers left the game due to physical issues. Chris Martin came in in relief of Gore in the fifth, got Muncy to strike out, but then didn’t come out for the sixth due to arm soreness. Luis Curvelo, meanwhile, had to come out after two pitches, the second of which was way wild and was followed by him throwing his glove and grabbing his right arm. It looked serious, and post-game it was reported it was a biceps issue, though Skip Schumaker said Curvelo felt fine after the game.
• So we are in wait and see mode in regards to 25% of the Ranger bullpen. The Curvelo ailment could just have been a cramp or something similar that turns out to be a non-issue going forward, or it could not be.
• As for Martin, the Rangers have used him judiciously of late — he hasn’t pitched in back-to-back games since games 2 and 3 of the season, and he was making his third straight appearance when he was working on two days rest. The injury issues Martin dealt with last year make you concerned about how much he can be relied upon in 2026. Between the arm soreness and the rough start to the season, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Rangers erred on the side of caution and put Martin on the 15 day injured list.
• As for the offense, they were once more stymied by a lefthanded starter. The Rangers scored a run in the first on a Brandon Nimmo leadoff double and a Jake Burger single. They got just two more hits the rest of the game — a Danny Jansen leadoff single in the fifth, and a Josh Jung one out double in the seventh.
• In fairness, Andrew McCutchen was robbed of a homer in the fourth, with Denzel Clarke making a leaping grab at the wall to save what would have been a game-tying bomb.
• So far this season, the Rangers are slashing .250/.323/.422 against righthanded pitchers and .185/.243/.280 against lefties.
• MacKenzie Gore’s fastball reached 97.6 mph, averaging 95.8 mph. Chris Martin threw one fastball, at 95.7 mph. Robert Garcia’s fastball touched 96.2 mph. Tyler Alexander hit 93.3 mph with his fastball.
• Brandon Nimmo’s first inning double was 106.4 mph. Jake Burger had a 101.1 mph line out. The should’ve been home run stolen from Andrew McCutchen was 100.9 mph.
• Onwards and upwards.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran made an obscene gesture to a fan during the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, April 14, flipping off a fan as he jogged back to the dugout at Target Field.

Duran said the fan made a comment that crossed the line.

"Somebody just told me to kill myself," Duran told reporters after the game. "I'm used to it at this point, you know? I mean, I'm going to flip somebody off if they say something to me, but it is what it is. I shouldn't react like that, but that kind of stuff is still kind of triggering."

Duran has been candid about his mental health struggles, revealing in a 2025 Netflix documentary about the Red Sox that his on-field difficulties during the 2021 and 2022 seasons led him to a dark place where he contemplated and attempted suicide.

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The incident on Tuesday is not the first time Duran has had a run-in with a fan over the subject. Earlier this season, a Cleveland fan made an inappropriate comment referencing his mental health struggles in the middle of the seventh inning and was ejected from the game.

"Honestly, it's my fault for talking about my mental health because I kind of brought in the haters. So I've just got to get used to it," Duran said. "I was just trying to hold it in and not really bring that up to the team. I mean, we're trying to win a game. I shouldn't even bring that up to anybody. It just happens."

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he had not seen the gesture or any video of it. Duran finished hitless in four at-bats against the Twins and the Red Sox fell to 6-11 on the season with the loss.

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If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time day or night, or chat online.

Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.

This story was updated to change a video.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jarren Duran makes obscene gesture after fan's offensive comment