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Toledo Mud Hens 3, St. Paul Saints 0 (box)

Toledo’s pitching staff threw a two-hit shutout against St. Paul on Saturday, as the Mud Hens put up three runs in the fifth to secure the win.

It wasn’t a high-offense day with just nine hits between both teams. Ben Malgeri and Gage Workman had multi-hit days with two apiece. Malgeri hit his second triple of the season. Trei Cruz, Cal Stevenson and Max Burt each had one hit, giving the bottom third of the lineup some life.

Cruz led off the deciding fifth inning with a line drive to right-center. It was the third time in five frames that Toledo got the leadoff man on, but this time the Mud Hens strung something together to actually score. Stevenson and Burt made it three singles in a row and brought in the first run of the game. The former grounded it through the right side, but Burt’s ball should have been caught. It was a standard pop-up to shallow right, and no one got there for St. Paul.

Max Clark grounded into what should have been an inning-ending double play. His speed forced a bad throw to first, and Stevenson scored on the error. Clark moved up to second on the throw and went to third on a wild pitch. Workman’s second single of the day brought Clark across. Even on a 0-4 day, Clark managed to do something productive.

Toledo didn’t record a hit for the rest of the day and struck out 12 times overall. That’s not the kind of offensive performance that usually wins ball games, but the pitching staff kept St. Cloud off the bases for most of the evening.

It was a bullpen day for the Mud Hens, which makes the performance all the more impressive. Sean Guenther got the start, and Brenan Hanifee relieved him after two innings. Hanifee threw two frames of his own before turning things over to Matt Seelinger, who got the win. Burch Smith was the only arm to throw a single inning, and Ricky Vanasco got the six-out save.

Vanasco had a team-high four strikeouts, without drawing a single whiff. He landed 10 called strikes, spread relatively evenly across his pitch mix. Vanasco is now up to 8 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. He’s struck out 18 batters and walked just three this season. He’s just painting corners and confusing hitters with good sequencing.

Hanifee had three strikeouts and was missing barrels all day. He drew six whiffs on 13 swings and had five first-pitch strikes. Guenther also landed a good amount of first-pitch strikes — doing so on five of the six batters he faced. His velocity was up from its season, around two miles per hour all-around.

Malgeri: 2-3, 3B, BB, K

Clark: 0-4, R, K

Workman: 2-4, RBI, 2 K

Vanasco (S, 2): 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 2:05 p.m. ET start on Sunday with the Mud Hens leading the series 3-2.

Chesapeake Baysox 4, Erie SeaWolves 1 (box)

Erie struggled to get on base consistently, and Chesapeake did not, leading to a 4-1 loss for the SeaWolves.

The BaySox reached base in every inning but the sixth by way of 10 hits, two walks and a hit batter. Six of those hits came off Erie’s starter, Carlos Pena, who wasn’t bad overall. He struck out six and allowed just one run, but he still took the loss. Walks and leadoff base hits put Pena under stress for most of his 4 1/3 innings. He gave up leadoff singles in three of the five innings he started, but only Frederick Bencosme scored in the fifth.

Sean Hunley relieved Pena and immediately started giving up extra-base hits. A double from Aron Estrada and a three-run home run from Ethan Anderson decided this game. It would’ve been nice to see Pena try to work out of the fifth. He was only at 77 pitches, and Hunley wasn’t too sharp out of the bullpen. He settled down after that, but the damage was already done.

Yosber Sanchez pitched the final two frames for Erie. He gave up a solo home run to Bencosme on his second pitch of the night, but the rest was fine. He hit a batter and gave up a single with two outs in the eighth before retiring the side.

The SeaWolves’ lone run came in the top of the seventh. Joe Campagna reached on catcher interference and moved around the bags on a Bennett Lee walk and Brett Callahan single. John Peck also singled, but Lee was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. Tough break there.

Erie’s other three hits came from Justice Bigbie, Campagna and Chris Meyers — all singles that came before the seventh. The SeaWolves didn’t put up much of a fight in the final two frames, striking out five times. At least they scored the run off our old friend, Micah Ashman.

Bigbie: 1-4, K

Callahan: 1-3, RBI, BB

Pena (L, 0-1): 4.1 IP, 6 H, R, ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 1:05 p.m. ET start on Sunday, with the Baysox leading the series 4-1.

Great Lakes Loons 9, West Michigan Whitecaps 4 (box)

West Michigan tried to fight back after a sloppy start from Rayner Castillo, but the Loons would not be denied, as they scored on every pitcher the Whitecaps threw.

Castillo bounced back from a run in the first with a 1-2-3 second, but he was knocked out with one out in the third after giving up four more runs. A leadoff home run spiraled as Castillo loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk. He induced a pair of soft grounders, but the only play on the first one was at first base. The second should’ve been an out at third, but Samuel Gil didn’t get the ball to Junior Tilien in time for the tag. A two-run single ended Castillo’s day.

Duque Hebbert took over and was fine until the fifth. He gave up a leadoff double to Jose Meza in the fifth and spiraled from there. Are we sensing a theme here? Hebbert hit Nico Perez and threw away the ball on a pickoff attempt. Another double made it 7-1 before he got the final two outs.

Inohan Paniagua and CJ Weins each threw two innings. Paniagua gave up a run on a wild pitch after a double, and Weins gave up a solo homer in the ninth. Just a rough night for the entire staff.

Offensively, the Whitecaps battled, recording eight hits and walking six times. Nine batters left on base is the blemish, though. West Michigan stranded the bases loaded after scoring in the first — Roberto Campos singled in Jackson Strong. They didn’t get another baserunner until the sixth, when Gil led off with a single. A double play ended that threat.

Hunter Dobbins hit a two-run homer in the seventh, but the Whitecaps couldn’t make anything happen after a pair of walks later in the inning.

Garrett Pennington homered in the eighth, but solo home runs aren’t going to erase a four-run deficit. West Michigan had the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth, thanks to a trio of walks, but Pennington couldn’t strike twice, ending the game with the bags full— womp womp.

Pennington: 2-5, HR (2), R, RBI, K

Dobbins: 2-4, HR (1), R, 2 RBI, 2 K

Castillo (L, 0-2): 2.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps and Loons play at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the Loons leading the series 4-1. Just watch golf instead.

Daytona Tortugas 8, Lakeland Flying Tigers 4 (box)

Caleb Leys’ second appearance did not go as well as his first, and the Lakeland Flying Tigers never really bounced back from a seven-run second inning. It’s their first loss of the season.

After Bailey Horn worked a 1-2-3 first while on a rehab assignment, Leys gave up five runs on four hits in the second. Four extra-base hits in five batters is never good, and catcher interference piled on before he could get out of the inning. Carlos Rodriguez wasn’t much better in relief of Leys, giving up three more hits, including a ground-rule double and a triple. Just like that, it was 7-0 in favor of Daytona.

Beau Ankeney tripled to lead off the second, looking to spark a rally, but nothing happened after he scored on a sacrifice fly.

Carson Rucker did the same in the fourth, scoring on a groundout, but Daytona was more than happy to trade runs for outs after scoring an eighth run in the top of the fourth off a Jorger Petri wild pitch.

Not much happened after that. Zach MacDonald got hold of one in the seventh for a two-run shot, cutting the deficit to four runs. But Lakeland couldn’t string anything together offensively after that — a single here, an error there, but no more runs.

Despite the wild pitch, Petri was probably Lakeland’s best arm of the day. He struck out four and went three full innings. Donye Evans wasn’t bad either, throwing two hitless frames. Pedro Garcia struck out the side in the ninth. All three drew five or more whiffs — Garcia did so on seven swings for a 71% rate.

Rainer: 0-3, 2 K

MacDonald: 1-4, HR (2), R, 2 RBI, 2 K

Ankeney: 1-3, 3B (1), R, BB

Leys (L, 0-1): 0.2, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Petri: 3.0 IP, R, ER, 0 BB, 4 K

Evans: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K

Garcia: 1.0 IP, BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 12:00 p.m. ET start in Lakeland on Sunday, with the Flying Tigers leading the series, 4-1.

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The Tampa Bay Rays have the brooms ready at the Trop, trying to complete a three-game sweep of the AL East-leading New York Yankees.

New York does seem to have the right guy going to break the skid, with ace Cam Schlittler getting the start.

My Yankees vs. Rays predictions and MLB picks ride with Schlittler, especially with an unsettled starting proposition for the home team.

Who will win Yankees vs Rays today: Yankees moneyline (-147)

Cam Schlittler has been dynamite on the road, going 2-0 without surrendering a run over 11 2/3 innings. He’s only surrendered three hits against 15 strikeouts, and opponents are batting just .079 against him.

In one start at Tropicana Field last year, Schlittler gave up just a hit over 6 2/3 scoreless innings and fanned eight in a game the New York Yankees eventually won in extra innings.

Tampa has Drew Rasmussen slated to start, but that’s in flux with the birth of his second child. Jesse Scholtens was recalled from Triple-A Durham if he’s a no-go.

That’s an advantage for the Yankees.

COVERS INTEL:Through three starts, Cam Schilttler leads all starting pitchers with a 0.48 WHIP. He’s the only pitcher on that first page of leaders to not allow a walk yet this season (16 2/3 innings).

Yankees vs Rays Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-107)

The Tampa Bay Rays rank ninth in the majors in scoring, putting up 4.6 runs per game, but they will be running into a buzz saw in Schlittler, so I anticipate that number coming in low.

Rasmussen has allowed just two earned runs in two starts, but Tampa's bullpen has cratered after he’s finished his five innings, allowing 15 more runs in relief, and losing both games he’s started.

New York’s bats haven’t lifted off yet (16th in scoring), but this Rays bullpen is second-worst in the majors with a 6.04 ERA. This might be a good jump-off point.

Yankees vs Rays odds

• Moneyline: Yankees -138 | Rays +115
• Run line: Yankees -1.5 (+120) | Rays +1.5 (-140)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Yankees vs Rays trend

The Yankees lead the majors in fewest runs allowed per game at 2.79. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Rays.

How to watch Yankees vs Rays and game info

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PHOENIX — Alex Anthopoulos, Atlanta’s president of baseball operations, was waiting to cross the fairway with fellow patrons at the Masters golf tournament Thursday when a fan recognized him from across the ropes.

“Hey Alex, “Why don’t you lend the Falcons, Walt? He could help ‘em out.’

Anthopoulos: “Hey, that’s a hell of an idea. He could be the next Deion [Sanders]."

Even the Falcons chimed in on Atlanta manager Walt Weiss by tweeting: “Come put on the pads, Skip."

Weiss, 62, the former All-Star shortstop and American League Rookie of the Year, who played 14 years in the major leagues, won three pennants and the 1989 World Series with the Oakland A’s, and managed four years with the Colorado Rockies, still can’t believe one incident has overshadowed everything he has accomplished in his career.

Come put on the pads, Skip pic.twitter.com/A2XtqeWiaj

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) April 8, 2026

All he did was react to a baseball brawl that broke out between Atlanta and the Los Angeles Angels, running out of the dugout, flipping his hat off, and dropping down like he was on the football gridiron, tackling Angels DH Jorge Soler, 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, and wrapping his arms around him.

“That's a big man," Weiss said. “I just felt I’ve got to get him off his feet because he's going to hurt somebody. And so that was my instinct, just to get in there and get Jorge off his feet, because he was on a war path."

Weiss may be 62 years old, and is 6-foot and 180 pounds, but he hits the gym every day, is a highly trained martial artist who has a black belt in taekwondo and training in MMA, including jiu-jitsu.

“If there was ever a manager who was prepared to break up a fight like that, it’s Walt,” said Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, who managed Weiss in Oakland. “He’s got the guts. And he has no fear.”

La Russa still remembers trying to break up a brawl in 1980 when he managed the Chicago White Sox against the Milwaukee Brewers when Ben Oglivie charged the mound after being hit by a pitch thrown by White Sox pitcher Mike Proly. La Russa wound up with a dislocated shoulder.

“When you get into one of those things, it’s scary as hell,” La Russa said. “You get worried about injuries on both sides. “But Walt put a stop to it. It reminded me of Stew [Dave Stewart] and [Pat] Corrales. You don’t mess with those guys.”

Corrales, who was managing Cleveland and had a brown belt in karate, charged the mound and went after Stewart in the infamous brawl against Oakland on July 1, 1986. He jumped up and tried to kick Stewart in the chest. Stewart, who was also trained in martial arts, knocked Corrales to the ground with one punch to the jaw.

So, just what Stewart’s reaction to his former A’s teammate?

“I was surprised to see Walt do that," Stewart said. “Most definitely a different breed of manager.

“That MMA came out.”

Oh, did it ever.

“Walter is an outstanding person, a quiet guy, but don’t press the wrong [expletive] button on him," said Rene Lachemann, who coached Weiss in Oakland and was on his coaching staff in Colorado. “You better be careful. He can hurt you."

Oh, like the time a pitcher yelled at Weiss when he was playing for the A’s, telling him to get back into the dugout after striking him out. Weiss picked up the clubhouse phone after the game, summoned the pitcher, and told him to meet him in the parking lot to settle their differences. The pitcher never showed up.

Or the time Weiss was managing the Rockies and overheard GM Jeff Bridich berate one of his coaches. Weiss stood up, got into Bridich’s face and told him, “You better get out of here before something bad happens to you."

“I’m telling you, you don’t mess with Walter," Lachemann said. “He’s quiet, but you push that button, you’re going to be sorry you did."

Atlanta’s players already are well-aware that Weiss has little patience for those who violate his cardinal rules. You better be on time. You better hustle. You better respect the game.

“He's an amazing person, and makes things simple," Atlanta second baseman Ozzie Albies says. “If you just play hard, play it right, he won't need to tell you anything."

And if you don’t, well, you’re going to find yourself inside Weiss’ office and hear about it, just as he had to remind one of his star players last week.

“I wouldn’t mess with him," Atlanta infielder Kyle Farmer said. “He’s out of my league. It’s kind of wild, honestly, seeing him in the gym. It’s like he’s got tennis balls behind his elbows. He’s got triceps for days."

And when Weiss is in the gym, blasting Led Zepelin over the speakers, it’s best to leave him alone.

“I call it my, 'Adult Swim,'"Weiss says. “That’s the time I get alone."

Weiss’ takedown of Soler exemplifies why he was the perfect choice to follow in the footsteps of Bobby Cox and Brian Snitker.

Despite a dizzying array of injuries in spring training, and facing a gauntlet of 13 consecutive games without a day off to open the season, Atlanta is sitting in first place in the NL East with a 9-6 record. It’s a far cry from a year ago when the team lost its first seven and finished with a 76-86 record, missing the postseason for the first time in eight years.

Weiss is clearly his own man, and has a different style than Cox and Snitker - serving eight years as a bench coach under Snitker - but possesses those same fundamentals, beliefs and leadership skills.

“Snit was different than Bobby, and Walt is different than Snit," Anthopoulos said, “but all three are highly respected and all share similar values with high character and integrity. Snit took some of those things from Bobby, and Walt will take some of those from Snit. And if Walt can come close to having even half the success as either of them, he’s going to be great."

Really, there have been no surprises with Weiss in charge, well, except for the fact that he downs chocolate milk like water. And there’s that superstitious ritual where he must eat a pizza before each series Atlanta plays, no matter what city they’re in.

“I didn’t know those things about him," Anthopoulos says, “but otherwise, the exact same guy."

He was one of the game’s most fiery competitors as a player and had La Russa convinced he’d make an ideal skipper.

“I always believed he’d be a great manager," La Russa said. “I used to tease him that he’s got more guts than brains, but he’s really a sharp guy. There’s nothing about the challenge that he isn’t prepared for mentally and physically.

“He was the same as a player. He had a real toughness to him, and loved the expectations and pressure of competing. If he could have stayed healthy, there’s no doubt to me that he would have been a Hall of Fame shortstop."

Says Weiss: “I feel honored to have played for Tony. I learned a lot about the game my first six years in the leagued playing for Tony. He’s a very close friend, and still to this day, he’s a sounding board for me."

Weiss, who became an instructor and special adviser in the Colorado Rockies’ front office for seven years after he retired as a player, first became manager in November, 2012, when Dan O’Dowd hired him to replace Jim Tracy after the Rockies’ worst season in franchise history.

The trouble was O’Dowd was soon demoted, and Weiss never felt the same support from Bill Geivett and Jeff Bridich, who later became in charge. He stayed for four years, going 283-365, and while owner Dick Monfort wanted him to continue, Weiss resigned because of his strained relationship with Bridich.

“To be honest with you," Weiss tells USA TODAY Sports, “I never felt like I had any support. Matter of fact, it felt like I was working against them. They knew I was Dan’s guy. So it was a really, really difficult situation. He wanted his own people. He did not want me there.

“But look, I probably wouldn't be sitting here today if I didn't have that opportunity in Colorado, as tough as it was. So, yeah, I'm grateful for that."

And already, he feels more comfortable and confident than he ever did with the Rockies.

“It’s just such a different scenario, here," Weiss said. “Here, the GM picked me, and has been nothing but supportive. Alex is a pleasure to work for. He just has an unbelievable feel, man. An unbelievable feel for situations. A great ability to read the room, to read people. It’s almost uncanny."

Weiss has had his opportunities to leave as Atlanta’s bench coach the past eight years. He turned down a job interview in Detroit before they hired AJ. Hinch, and in Miami before hiring Skip Schumaker. Sure, he was always open to managing again, but he was also quite content working in Atlanta and being Snitker’s right-hand man.

“I was really enjoying my time here," Weiss said. “I played here. I had a connection here, emotionally. And I loved working for Snit. It was going to have to take something really, really good for me to leave.

“I didn't have to manage again. That wasn't my goal. I always said, “Hey, if the right thing comes up, I’d do it again, but I’m not pursuing it.’ I would have loved to be Snit’s bench coach for another 10 years.

“But once Snit stepped down here and decided he was done, and his job became available, then it got my juices flowing. Just with this group of guys, and my connection to this organization, I really wanted to do it."

Still, there were no guarantees he’d be Snitker’s replacement. When the San Franciso Giants fired Bob Melvin and interviewed Nick Hundley, Weiss could have gone to San Francisco to be Hundley’s bench coach if he gotten the job instead of Tony Vitello. He might have followed Hundley to San Diego, too, if Hundley wound up with the managerial job instead of Craig Stammen.

Weiss instead waited at home in Colorado, and five weeks after Atlanta’s season was over, he was informed that he was Anthopoulos’ choice, and back as an MLB manager 10 years after last leading the Rockies.

“I don’t think he was really optimistic," Anthopoulos said. “When I called him to let him know on Zoom, he seemed shocked.”

While the season is just two weeks old, Weiss looks like the right choice. He refused to let his team have a letdown despite the ruthless adversity they suffered in spring training. They lost Spencer Strider to an oblique strain. Starters Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep went down with elbow injuries. Catcher Sean Murphy was sidelined with a hip labral tear. Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim tore his finger tendon. Outfielder Jurickson Profar was popped a second time for PEDs and is done for the season. And they opened the year with that grueling 13-game stretch without a single off day while teams like the Yankees had four during the same period.

Yet, here is Atlanta, having outscored the opposition by a whopping 40 runs, the best run-differential in baseball. The pitching staff, despite the missing key pieces, is yielding an MLB-best 2.25 ERA with three shutouts, including a 1.30 ERA by the bullpen.

“We all know what Bobby [Cox] represented, the fundamentals, and how to play the game, and play it right," La Russa said. "Well, it’s the same with Walt. Even in Colorado, you saw how hard those guys played hard for him. You’re seeing it now.

“Walt is going to make that organization proud. He’s got the brains. He’s got the guts. He’s got no fear.

“Believe me, they hired the right guy."

During Saturday’s win in St. Louis, the Red Sox scored a season high seven runs. So with that established, let me stop and ask you a question: What player in a Boston uniform was most responsible for this offensive outburst?

Perhaps it was Willson Contreras, who went 2-4 with 3 RBI against his former team. Or maybe you’d give the nod to Jarren Duran, who picked up his first multi-hit game since Opening Day and seems to be a spark plug for this offense whenever he gets going. Heck, if you wanted to get cute, you could even say Ceddanne Rafaela, who was on base twice in the final three innings, including a line drive RBI single in the ninth that knocked in the first of the five runs forfeited in the final frame by the Cardinals.

But do you know who I’m going with as an answer to this question? Ranger Suarez. Why? Because the biggest reason the Red Sox lineup woke up and managed six consecutive singles in that ninth inning is because they were facing a reliever whose career might be in crisis if he doesn’t figure things out soon. Matt Svanson, the man on the mound for the meltdown, has now pitched in seven games so far this year, and he’s given up at least three runs in four of those outings. His ERA on the season is up to 15.58.

You know the old adage of how good pitching generally beats good hitting? Well I’d argue the opposite is also true. Bad lineups generally smack around bad pitching.

So from a Red Sox perspective, the biggest hero of the night is the guy most responsible for putting this puddle of pitcher on the mound. And well, the only reason the Red Sox offense got to face this guy is because they were winning a game where the Cardinals had already leaned heavily on their high leverage relievers in recent days. And guess what? They weren’t winning this game because of their offense.

I know that sounds silly given it’s the game where the Sox scored a season high seven runs, but at the end of eight innings, the score was still only 2-1. The entire foundation of this victory is the six scoreless frames tossed by Ranger Suarez, who in some ways made his real Red Sox debut in this outing.

If the Sox’ starter went say the same six innings, but instead allowed two or three men to cross the plate, this lineup doesn’t sniff seven runs! The Cardinals manage it completely differently with a lead. But they didn’t one. They were down because of what Ranger Suarez did, and now they’re thinking “it’s a long season, and we’re going to have to beat Chapman anyway, so let’s just call off the dogs and let it burn. We’ll get ’em tomorrow.”

This is how you get a fool’s gold seven run game.

But here’s the good news for this offense: Tonight’s formula is repeatable! Not down to every detail of course (guys with double digit ERAs tend to be endangered species in the MLB ecosystem), but the general framework is actually the exact blueprint for this squad to win the division. Get a good start from the starter, get a lead, and then get to face the soft underbelly of the opponent’s bullpen.

Even though this lineup isn’t good — and oh boy might it stink! — the Sox probably don’t have to score all that much to have lots of leads in the middle innings. In fact, even though the Sox scored just three runs on Tuesday, five runs on Wednesday, two runs on Friday after an off day Thursday, and two runs in the first eight innings on Saturday, the starter walked off the mound in each of those four games with a lead. If the rotation is really this good, and it might be, that’s a winning formula.

The single best way to improve your offense is to face weaker pitching, and this rotation might actually be good enough to ensure that generally happens in the second half of most games. You’ve got to love baseball!

One last thought here because I think Alex Bregman and Ranger Suarez are forever linked as two possible paths the Red Sox could have taken last winter, and Saturday was a big day on both fronts. Here’s Bregman with a game tying single in the for Cubs in their afternoon game:

These are the types of hits Alex Bregman gets, and these are the hits the Red Sox desperately need right now. But you know what? When you add up everything on Saturday’s scorecard, what Ranger Suarez did for his offense in the ninth inning (getting them in position to face Matt Svanson) was more valuable than what Bregman did for his offense in the ninth inning. (And that’s a pretty impressive bar considering Bregman came through with a clutch, two out, two strike, game tying RBI knock).

This is the calculus we’re going to keep revisiting. That second week of January changed everything when it comes to how these Red Sox are built, and for at least one Saturday night, it was actually for the better. We’ll keep checking back in.

The Dodgers have opened up their second homestand on a strong note after a successful road trip where they averaged 8.67 runs per game and took five of six contests. While players such as Andy Pages and Freddie Freeman flourished over the six-game stretch, Max Muncy looked as if to be starting the season on an opposite note.

Muncy had only four hits and two walks across 25 plate appearances away from home and was out of the starting lineup in the series finale against the Washington Nationals, and returned home hitting just .216 with a .623 OPS. In his first game back at home, Muncy lit a spark and had a monstrous three-home run game, the last of which being a walk-off home run to give the Dodgers an 8-7 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday.

The early results so far are indicative of the offseason regiment that Muncy underwent this past offseason, which included losing 17 lbs, and he is feeling much healthier than he was at the end of the World Series, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

“Most importantly, I feel like my feet are moving on every ground ball,” Muncy said. “That’s something I’ve always struggled with in the past. I just get stuck a little bit, and that puts me in bad positions on certain hops, but I feel like everything is moving fluidly and I just feel healthy.”

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It took two weeks of regular season play for Shohei Ohtani to hit his first home run in front of the home crowd, and it came via a leadoff shot in Saturday’s win against Texas that also extended his league-leading on-base streak to 45 games.

Courtney Hollman of MLB.com notes that play-by-play announcer Stephen Nelson alluded to Dave Roberts predicting that Ohtani’s first extra-base hit and RBI at home would come on Saturday.

“I know Ohtani doesn’t have an extra-base hit or an RBI yet here at home,” said Roberts (via Nelson on the air). “Kinda crazy. But trust me it’s coming, and I think it’s coming tonight.”

After a rough pair of starts to open the season, Emmet Sheehan managed to toss a quality start and earn the win on Saturday by allowing three earned runs while striking out six and walking one over six innings.

Sheehan was utterly dominant against the majority of Texas’ lineups, with the only mistakes being a pair of home runs from Brandon Nimmo. He noted to Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA that he’d prefer to have those mistake pitches back, but felt better on the mound compared to his two previous starts.

“There’s some pitches that I wanted to have back there, but delivery-wise, throw-wise, everything felt a lot better. The stuff was playing and I was executing a lot better today, so definitely a step in the right direction.”

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Sunday’s full 15-game MLB slate features plenty of strong spots that Polymarket traders may not have fully accounted for.

There are big names on the mound and teams finding their offensive rhythm, while others are still trying to settle in.

Find out more in my MLB picks for Sunday, April 12. 

MLB moneyline picks for April 12

Matchup	Pick
Diamondbacks vs Phillies	+117
Giants vs Orioles	-113
Twins vs Blue Jays	-100
Angels vs Reds	+104
Athletics vs Mets	+144
Marlins vs Tigers	+156
Yankees vs Rays	-138
Nationals vs Brewers	+178
White Sox vs Royals	-150
Red Sox vs Cardinals	-100
Pirates vs Cubs	+113
Rockies vs Padres	-178
Rangers vs Dodgers	+122
Astros vs Mariners	+138
Guardians vs Braves	-150

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 4-12.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for April 12

Diamondbacks vs Phillies: Diamondbacks (+117)

Diamondbacks win probability: 46%

This is one of the clearest mismatches on the board when you look at the mound.

Zac Gallen gives Arizona a real edge, and the Diamondbacks have been more consistent than the Phillies.

Giants vs Orioles: Orioles (-113)

Orioles win probability: 53%

San Francisco has actually held up well on the road so far, but Baltimore has been slightly more consistent and gets the benefit of being at home, which matters in a matchup that feels this even.

With no major edge on the mound, I’ll side with the Orioles bats. 

Twins vs Blue Jays: Twins (-100)

Twins win probability: 50%

Taj Bradley has been sharp, while Max Scherzer is prone to the long ball.

Minnesota has been steadier, and this pitching matchup favors them right now. In a near pick’em, backing the pitcher in better form is the right move.

Angels vs Reds: Angels (+104)

Angels win probability: 49%

José Soriano has been lights out, while Cincinnati’s offense has been inconsistent.

This should be a close one, but Los Angeles and Soriano have the edge over Andrew Abbott. 

Athletics vs Mets: Athletics (+144)

Athletics win probability: 41%

The Athletics can hit, and that matters in this matchup.

With Freddy Peralta on the mound, the A’s have enough offense to create problems, especially against a Mets lineup that has been inconsistent.

Marlins vs Tigers: Marlins (+156)

Marlins win probability: 39%

This line leans heavily on Tarik Skubal’s abilities, but Sandy Alcantara has been dealing thus far.

Miami has been competitive all season, and Detroit can't seem to cross the dish. Take the better bats in this one. 

Yankees vs Rays: Yankees (-138)

Yankees win probability: 58%

The Yankees have the deeper lineup and more ways to win this game.

Tampa Bay is always formidable at home, but New York’s offense gives them an edge over nine innings. In a matchup like this, the more complete team usually finds a way.

Nationals vs Brewers: Nationals (+178)

Nationals win probability: 36%

Washington can hit, and the numbers back it up. The Nationals have been more productive offensively than Milwaukee, making this price too high.

The Brewers’ 23% strikeout rate limits their lineup, while the Nationals have more than enough offense to prevail.

White Sox vs Royals: Royals (-150)

Royals win probability: 60%

Kansas City has been the better team and now faces a Chicago side without a confirmed starter.

The White Sox haven’t traveled well, and those struggles should continue against Bobby Witt Jr. and the Royals. 

Red Sox vs Cardinals: Cardinals (-100)

Cardinals win probability: 50%

St. Louis has been playing some of the best baseball in the league, while Boston’s bats rank 23rd in wRC+.

That lack of production has shown up on the road, and those woes will likely continue this afternoon. 

Pirates vs Cubs: Pirates (+113)

Pirates win probability: 47%

Pittsburgh has been one of the better early-season teams, and that can continue here with Jameson Taillon carrying a 5.11 xFIP.

The Pirates’ offense ranks in the top 15 in wRC+, giving them the edge in what’s essentially a coin flip game.

Rockies vs Padres: Padres (-178)

Padres win probability: 64%

Kyle Freeland has been good, but this San Diego lineup owns a .785 OPS across 194 career at-bats against the veteran lefty.

The Padres’ offense is heating up and can be trusted to carry this matchup.

Rangers vs Dodgers: Rangers (+122)

Rangers win probability: 45%

Jacob deGrom gives Texas a chance against anyone, and that includes a strong Dodgers team.

Los Angeles is raking, but Roki Sasaki is off to an ugly start, and his 4.37 xFIP suggests his woes could continue today. 

Astros vs Mariners: Astros (+138)

Astros win probability: 42%

Seattle starter Logan Gilbert is off to a shaky start and looks overpriced, especially after allowing a .705 OPS across 164 at-bats against this Astros lineup. 

Houston is likely going with a bullpen game, and its arms can carry this matchup.

Guardians vs Braves: Braves (-150)

Braves win probability: 60%

Chris Sale gives Atlanta the edge on the mound, while Tanner Bibee’s 56% hard-hit rate is a concern.

The Braves’ bats have been more consistent, and that will carry them at home.

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.

It's midseason in high school baseball, so let's look at players who are producing results at a high level. Forget about rankings, radar guns or who has scholarship offers. These are the players making an impact.

No one has been better than sophomore pitcher Tyler George of Santa Margarita. With a 7-0 record, 0.85 ERA and just two walks in 41 1/3 innings, the 6-foot-5, 190-pound 16-year-old has shown what a top pitcher is supposed to look like.

Few saw this coming — except for his freshman coach last season, Mike Hiserman, who said, "He was the most fundamentally sound all-around freshman baseball player I've ever coached. Was good at everything yet still immensely coachable. You tell him something once and he does it."

George said he has focused on mixing up his pitches — fastball, curveball, slider, change-up.

Read more:Prep sports roundup: Orange Lutheran defeats Norco to win Boras Classic South

"Just not overthrowing the ball, not throwing as hard as I can but hitting the spots and having a feel for my off-speed pitches," he said.

He threw all nine innings during a 1-0 win over Mater Dei that was full of drama.

"It was a lot of fun," he said. "The adrenaline was running. It was cool."

His brother, Hayden, is a freshman pitcher at UCLA, and he said Bruins coach John Savage has been asking Hayden about him, which is a good sign when he becomes available to talk to recruiters in the summer.

• Dustin Dunwoody, Royal: Armed with an overpowering fastball, Dunwoody is 7-0, has an 0.18 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings.

• Brady Murrietta, Orange Lutheran: The senior catcher keeps throwing out baserunners trying to challenge him. He's also terrific on throws to the plate, picking up the hop and making the tag. And don't forget his clutch hitting. He leads the team in RBIs with 12.
  
• Troy Randall, Corona Santiago: The junior third baseman is hitting .460 with 29 hits and also has given up just two hits in 12 innings in a relief pitching role.
  
• Jake Kim, Harvard-Westlake: The junior has displayed power and consistency, making him one of the toughest outs in the Wolverines' lineup. He has 22 hits, a .500 batting average and four home runs.
  
• Malakye Matsumoto, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame: With 22 hits and 17 RBIs, the senior third baseman has been delivering for 14-3 Notre Dame.
  
• Tate Belfanti, Cypress: The junior left-hander has 53 strikeouts in 28 innings while going 5-0.
  
• Jake Ange, Thousand Oaks: The junior was a starter for the basketball team and has come out and hit seven home runs, including a game in which he hit two grand slams.
  
• Dylan Seward, Norco: The junior shortstop has been producing since he was a starter as a freshman. He has 26 hits, 16 RBIs and makes the plays when the ball is hit in his direction.
  
• James Tronstein, Harvard-Westlake: The senior shortstop has 26 hits, including four home runs, as the Wolverines' leadoff hitter.
  
• Gary Morse, Orange Lutheran: The 6-foot-8 pitcher is 3-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 30 innings for the No. 1 team in Southern California.
  
• Caleb Trugman, Ayala: The two-way player has 23 hits and is 6-0 pitchers and an 0.76 ERA.
  
• Xavier Cadena, El Dorado: The outfielder has hit five home runs, driven in 19 runs and is batting .373.
  
• Carson Sheffer, Oaks Christian: The senior catcher continues to be stellar behind the plate while also contributing 22 hits, including seven doubles.
  
• Landon Hovermale, Norco: A model of consistency, the left-handed Hovermale is 6-0 with an 0.95 ERA and has walked just four batters in 36 2/3 innings.
  
• Jackson Sellz, El Camino Real: The junior keeps throwing complete games for the defending City Section champs. He's 6-0 with a 1.20 ERA and five complete games.
  
• Jayden Rojas, Bell: The senior third baseman is batting .466 with 27 hits for 17-2 Bell. As a pitcher, he's 4-0 with a 1.04 ERA.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Good morning, baseball fans!

The San Francisco Giants are wrapping up another week of baseball today, which means it’s time to discuss our favorite highlights of the week!

This week, I’m giving the honors to Rafael Devers’ three-run home run in Wednesday’s 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Philies!

Devers faced off against Phillies starter Aaron Nola in the bottom of the sixth innings with Willy Adames on second after a double, and Luis Arráez on first after a walk. Devers came up with a big swing to deep centerfield to knock in three of his four RBI of the night.

I don’t have a video of just that play, but here’s the game highlights from the team’s YouTube account. Enjoy!

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants wrap up their series against the Baltimore Orioles this morning at 10:35 a.m. PT.

When the Colorado Rockies left Coors Field on Wednesday night they were on top of the world. They had started the week having avoided a sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday and proceeded to rattle off three more wins to sweep the usually dominant Houston Astros. It was the Rockies’ first sweep at home since 2024 and with a record of 6-6, it was the latest the Rockies had been at .500 in a season since 2022.

Making things better, it seemed the offense had finally clicked. The Rockies scored a total of 27 runs—one more than they had scored over their first eight games of the season—with a mix of home runs, competent small ball, and aggressive base-running. Combined with shockingly competent pitching from both the rotation and the bullpen, suddenly it felt like the Rockies could do anything.

To make things even more exciting, the Rockies then announced this week that the Denver Broncos majority owners—the Penner Sports Group—had purchased a 40% minority state in the Rockies organization.

The week ended on a sour note as the Rockies proceeded to lose three straight to the San Diego Padres, including back-to-back games via walk-off multi-run home runs. On Saturday, the Rockies lost with old friend Germán Márquez on the mound despite hitting multiple home runs after what has been a rare dud from the pitching staff. Now the Rockies are a loss away from a sweep heading into this afternoon.

With that being said, here’s what our staff here at Purple Row had to say this week:

To Read: Rockpiles

• Monday: TJ Rumfield made his mark during his first week in the big leagues | Sam Bradfield
• Tuesday:The Colorado Rockies embrace pitch “suggestions” | Renee Dechert
• Wednesday:The aggressive nature of the Rockies’ offense | Skyler Timmins
• Thursday:Antonio Senzatela is thriving in the bullpen | Cory Cohen
• Friday:“Golden” Sugano fitting in nicely in Colorado | Joelle Milholm
• Saturday:The Rockies’ offense needs a monster—and Charlie Condon might be it | James Riggenbach

To Read: Other

• Weekly Pebble Report:Cole Carrigg is honing his professionalism | Sam Bradfield, Skyler Timmins, & Evan Lang
• Coors Field News:Colorado Rockies 2026 walk-up songs | Renee Dechert
• Purple Row Community:A refresher on the Purple Row Community Guidelines | Purple Row Staff
• Rockies News:Colorado Rockies add new minority owners Greg and Carrie Penner | Renee Dechert

Weekend Discussion Topics

The Rockies have experienced highs and lows over the first few weeks of the 2026 campaign. What are your thoughts on the season so far? Would you make any changes to the roster? And what are your thoughts on the seismic news of the Rockies bringing in new minority owners Greg and Carrie Penner on board? Let us know in the comments!

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

Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 3, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 2

It was a very good night for Levi Wells, who retired the first 13 batters he faced. The 14th batter reached on an error by the rehabbing second baseman, Jackson Holliday. The 15th batter doubled, putting runners on second and third with one out in the fifth. After a strikeout, Levi allowed his second hit of the game, a single to score both runs. He exited with one out in the sixth inning with the final pitching line of 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K. He threw 86 pitches, 64 for strikes.

All three Norfolk runs came via home run. Westin Wilson hit a two-run homer in the second inning and Creed Willems had a solo shot in the seventh. Wilson’s homer came when he pinch-hit for Sam Huff, who was pulled out of the game with the news that Adley Rutschman was headed to the IL. Huff is a catcher but was slated to DH last night.

Enrique Bradfield, Jr. went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Holliday singled and was hit by a pitch. Willems had a single to go with his homer.

Box Score

Double-A: Chesapeake Baysox 4, Erie SeaWolves (DET) 1

This game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, when Ethan Anderson hit a home run with Frederick Bencosme (walk) and Aron Estrada (double) on base. In the seventh inning, Bencosme had a home run of his own. Anderson, Estrada, and Bencosme all had multi-hit games.

It was a bullpen game in Bowie, and a good one. Christian Herberholz started and struck out five batters in three shutout innings. He was followed by Yaqui Rivera (3 IP), Micah Ashman (2 IP), and Tyson Neighbors (1 IP). The only run scored in the seventh inning and was unearned after a batter reached on catcher’s interference.

Box Score

High-A: Frederick Keys 11, Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) 2

It was a fun night to be a Key! Ike Irish, Colin Tuft, Wehiwa Aloy, and Vance Honeycutt all hit their first home runs of the season. The Keys got on the board in the first inning with the Irish blast, and ended up scoring in six out of nine innings. Four of those were multi-run innings.

In addition to his homer, Honeycutt walked twice and had 4 RBI as the leadoff batter. Aloy had two hits. Tuft had three. Every hitter in the lineup had at least one hit, and eight of them reached base at least twice.

Not to be outdone by the offense was starting pitcher JT Quinn. In 4.2 shutout innings, Quinn allowed just two hits without a walk. He struck out 10 batters, seven of which were swinging.

Box Score

Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Augusta GreenJackets (ATL) 4

The Shorebirds got the win, but Esteban Mejia did not have a good night. In just two-thirds of an inning, Mejia allowed four runs, walked one, and threw three wild pitches. He exited having allowed three runs with 34 pitches. It was a terrible showing by the prospect. Hopefully there are no injury concerns.

The bullpen picked up the slack with 8.1 innings with just one run allowed. Hunter Allen picked up the win with three innings pitched. He allowed just one run but walked four.

All three runs allowed by Mejia in the top of the first inning were canceled out by a three-run bottom of the first by the Shorebirds. After two walks and a single, DJ Layton cleared the bases with a triple. Delmarva pulled away with four runs scored between innings four through six. Layton had a two-hit game and Cobb Hightower picked up three singles.

Box Score

Today’s Schedule

• Triple-A: Norfolk vs Jacksonville, 1:05. Starter: Brandon Young
• Double-A: Chesapeake vs Erie, 1:05. Starter: Sebastian Gongora
• High-A: Frederick @ Winston-Salem, 2:00. Starter: TBD
• Low-A: Delmarva vs Augusta, 2:05. Starter: Christian Rodriguez

Jeimer Candelario is waiting for the phone to ring. He’s a fallen Angel.

Pirates 4, Cubs 3.

Edward Cabrera opposed Braxton Ashcraft. Both threw well enough, Ashcraft getting the upper hand this time around, with help from O’Neil Cruz, who had a Game. Two of the Cubs’ runs came in on groundouts, by Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson. The third was driven in by Alex Bregman, with two out in the bottom of the ninth. The game went to extras.

Alas, the Cubs fell, and they’ll have to salvage one game today, and turn over a new loaf for the next mini-series, Monday against the Phillies.

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.

• Jason Mackey (MLB.com): ‘We know we’re a good team’: Pirates channel proper perspective after win over Cubs. “We don’t have to prove anything,” Reynolds said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Quantifying Hope: Cubs enter weekend trailing Pirates by 10 points. “… this series could really create a little upheaval if one team is able to sweep, as it’s the only divisional matchup taking place.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs’ Jed Hoyer not second-guessing how team handled Cade Horton: What we’re hearing. “… I just think that is the nature of pitching in 2026.” Bleacher Nation has more.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs lose after Craig Counsell pulls Shota Imanaga from no-hitter: ‘Easy decision’. “There’s danger in making that a 120-pitch outing in his third start of the year.”
• Gordon Edes (Chicago Sun-Times {$}): Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera adds to rotation’s domination. “So far, the Cubs’ starting rotation, though reeling from the loss of Cade Horton for the season, has dominated opponents.”
• Jacob Zanolla (Bleacher Nation): Cubs’ starting rotation helping team stay afloat amidst offensive struggles. “It would be fair to expect the starting pitching to take a step back in terms of performance after losing both Boyd and Horton, but that hasn’t been the case.”
• Kyle Williams (Chicago Sun-Times {$}: Cubs’ Nico Hoerner staying true to himself, which leads to early-season success. “I’ve had stretches where I’ve thought of hitting for power as taking chances and big swings. That’s taken me away from some of my strengths,” he said.

Food For Thought:

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. Thanks for reading.

The majority of the New York Yankees’ wins early in the 2026 season have come due to their outstanding pitching. Yes, the offense has had its fine moments, including averaging well over seven runs a game in a series win over the Marlins to kick off April, but for the most part, it’s been an underwhelming start. Now, it’s easy to talk about the short sample size that 15 games represent — you could claim that for such a short span of time, nearly any team is able to look like one of the best or the worst offenses in the sport, regardless of how great it actually is. While all of that is true, there are reasons behind perhaps an extra layer of concern in the back of most Yankee fans’ minds since not all struggles come in the same manner.

Remember when Aaron Judge forgot how to hit for the start of the 2024 season, wrapping up April with a .207 batting average in 31 games? Well, despite the end of that horrific run raising plenty of people’s anxiety levels hoping for him to break through, no one was actually concerned about Judge. He was still Judge. What makes the early struggles of 2026 so worrisome is that, for the most part, we’re witnessing reasonable concerns ahead of the season coming to fruition. Let’s run through some of these problems:

For starters, even with the two runs batted in from José Caballero in Saturday’s 5-4 loss against the Rays, the left side of the infield has been the closest thing to automatic outs that you may find up at the plate. Caballero and Ryan McMahon have gone 9-for-76 with exactly one extra-base hit. Sure, no hitter will continue to put up numbers even remotely similar to this, but it’s also true that the expectation level was quite low for these two positions to begin with. If we go back to the start of 2024, McMahon has a .698 OPS, and that’s having spent the bulk of that period in Coors Field. In an ideal universe, particularly for a contender, Caballero fills the role of a versatile piece off the bench capable of impacting games on the basepaths with his running ability. Being thrust into a starting spot due to Anthony Volpe’s injury might be too much to handle. And that doesn’t even dive into what to expect from Volpe, somewhat of a polarizing figure in his time as a Yankee.

Moving forward, other concerns include Trent Grisham’s inability to do anything other than pile up a few walks, as evidenced by his performance against the Rays on Saturday, when he went 0-for-3 with a pair of free passes. In year seven of his career last season, Grisham delivered a completely new level of production, at least over a full season. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume a significant amount of folks are simply expecting him to revert back to his 2024 self. In actuality, Grisham did show a sustainable path to produce at a solid level, but the longer the wait for him to deliver in 2026, the louder those questions will be.

There is also Jazz Chisholm Jr., a player notorious for inconsistencies throughout his career, whose plate discipline numbers early in 2026 have not matched what we have seen from him since becoming a Yankee —striking out over 30 percent of the time and refusing to walk. However early it is in the 2026 season, it’s quite difficult to completely disregard these shortcomings when they come in such familiar ways.

Meet the Mets

Folks, the vibes: they are bad. The Mets dropped their fourth straight game yesterday after Kodai Senga got knocked around by the Athletics to the tune of seven runs in 2 1/3 innings against the Athletics. To be fair, the bats did subsequently show the most life they’ve shown in quite some time, as home runs from Bo Bichette, Francisco Alvarez, and Jorge Polanco made it a 7-6 ballgame heading into the 8th inning. But Luke Weaver then got beaten up for the second straight outing, surrendering four runs—including a three-run homer from Tyler Soderstrom, his second bomb of the day—to send the Mets right back into the abyss. The final score was 11-6, and now they will simply try to stave off a series sweep.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, NY Post, MLB.com, Newsday, Daily News

Prior to the game, the Mets called up veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel, who ended up contributing a scoreless inning in yesterday’s game. Richard Lovelady was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Francisco Lindor made another mental gaffe yesterday, and the Mets are struggling to explain why there have been so many of them from their star shortstop so far this season.

Devin Williams and Luke Weaver may be suiting up for a team doesn’t have a lot working for them right now, but they do have one thing on their side: the power of friendship.

Around the National League East

The Phillies fell behind early, but home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper propelled them to a 4-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

Starting pitcher Janson Junk surrendered five runs in the first three innings against the Tigers, and the Marlins never got much offense going and subsequently fell 6-1.

The Braves bats were shutout by the Guardians pitching staff in a 5-0 loss.

Nationals starter Foster Griffin didn’t allow a hit against the Brewers until the sixth inning yesterday, and Washington defeated Milwaukee 3-1.

Michael Harris II was placed on the paternity list prior to Atlanta’s game yesterday.

Around Major League Baseball

Adley Rutschman will miss some time with the Orioles due to left ankle inflammation.

Baltimore is not the only club who will be without their primary backstop for a while, as the Diamondbacks are placing Gabriel Moreno on the injured list due to a back issue.

Following a rough start on Friday, Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai is getting examined for right arm fatigue.

Blue Jays DH George Springer left yesterday’s game after fracturing his toe on a foul boul.

One more injury note: Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña also left last night’s game due to knee tightness.

Finally, a non-injury piece of news: Fernando Tatis Jr. made his first career start at second base yesterday.

Don’t look now, but former Met Michael Wacha has a 0.43 ERA after tossing eight scoreless innings for the Royals yesterday.

José Ramírez’s homer against Atlanta yesterday gave him at least one home run against all other 29 MLB team.

The White Sox are promoting pitching prospect Noah Schultz to make his major league debut this week.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Brian Salvatore and Chris McShane discussed the recent bullpen woes in the latest episode of Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World Series.

This Date in Mets History

On this date in 1962, the Mets enjoyed a ticker tape parade following their first game in franchise history the day earlier.