The Timberwolves announced Monday, April 27 that an MRI revealed Edwards suffered a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise.
This comes as the Timberwolves are looking to close out the Nuggets in Game 5, which is scheduled for Monday night at 10:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. in Denver). Minnesota has taken a 3-1 series lead and got a massive boost from backup guard Ayo Dosunmu, who scored 43 points in Game 4.
Here’s everything you need to know about Anthony Edwards’ status for Monday’s game against the Nuggets:
Is Anthony Edwards playing tonight vs. Nuggets?
No, the Timberwolves have already ruled Edwards out for this game and for others beyond, listing him as week-to-week. The team is expected to provide an update on his progress when it becomes available.
How long could Anthony Edwards be out?
With the caveats that every injury is unique and that different players can react differently to the same ailments, fans can look at one of Edwards’ opponents in the series as a possible barometer for what to expect.
Granted, teams have the luxury of time and patience during the regular season to ensure their players are fully healthy before making a return. The Timberwolves, in this case, do not have that luxury.
Minnesota has taken a 3-1 series lead over Denver, but the second round of the NBA Playoffs will start next week. And if Minnesota advances, it will likely face the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs, a very formidable opponent.
Anthony Edwards injury
The injury occurred with 2:45 left in the first half, when Edwards jumped vertically to defend a Cameron Johnson layup during a fastbreak drive. When Edwards landed, his left knee appeared to hyperextend as his weight came down, and he immediately grabbed at the area, writhing in apparent discomfort. Edwards slapped the court a few times in obvious frustration.
Athletic trainers rushed over as Edwards popped up to his feet. The trainers helped Edwards hobble off the floor, as he did not put any weight on the injured leg.
The trainers helped him toward the tunnel, though they didn’t immediately usher Edwards to the locker room, momentarily examining him in the tunnel.
Anthony Edwards stats
In 61 games this season, Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points (which ranked third in the NBA behind only Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. His field goal percentage (48.9%) and 3-point percentage (39.9%) were also career bests.
In February, he was selected to his fourth consecutive All-Star team.
Former Knicks sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo became the fourth player over the past two playoffs to go down with a season-ending Achilles injury.
DiVincenzo suffered the devastating injury just 79 seconds into the first quarter of Minnesota’s Game 4 matchup with the Nuggets on Saturday night.
The shooting guard lofted up a three, then went down with the non-contact injury as he planted his leg going after the offensive rebound.
He immediately signaled towards the bench and left to the locker room.
DiVincenzo was able to walk off under his own power, but was later shown around halftime leaving the stadium in a wheelchair and a splint.
He was ruled out and the diagnosis was confirmed postgame.
Jalen Brunson and the rest of DiVincenzo’s former Knicks teammates received the news following their victory over the Hawks, and the captain immediately reached out.
“I talked to him, he seems in good spirits,” Brunson said Monday. “He’s formulating a plan and I wish him nothing but the best, it just sucks to see -- after the game that was like the first thing I heard, and I looked it up and saw it.
“That’s my brother, tough to see, but he’ll be back stronger.”
DiVincenzo was capping off another strong season with the Timberwolves, in which he appeared in all 82 regular season games and shot 38 percent from three-point land.
The Cubs welcomed back a member of their Opening Day bullpen before Monday night’s game in San Diego when they activated right-hander reliever Phil Maton from the 15-day injured list.
Maton had been placed on the IL April 10 (retroactive to April 8) with right knee tendinitis. He had posted a 13.50 ERA (six earned runs in four innings) before the IL stint. He threw one scoreless inning in a rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa last Friday.
Maton had been signed to a $6 million deal this past offseason with an $8.5 million team option or $3 million buyout for 2027. His last three relief seasons had been very good, with a combined 3.15 ERA in 202 relief appearances covering 191.1 innings, with 215 strikeouts and only 16 home runs allowed. Hopefully Maton can get back to that level of performance; the Cubs surely need it.
Charlie Barnes, who was recalled Sunday along with Yacksel Rios, was optioned back to Triple-A Iowa. Barnes threw three innings for the Cubs May 13 in Philadelphia, allowing four runs (three earned), the last game the Cubs lost before the 10-game winning streak.
But the Cubs still need more relief help. And so this seems a good place for me to ask you this: Jordan Romano, who had been very good from 2021-23 with 95 saves for the Blue Jays, has been pretty bad the last three seasons for the Jays, Phillies and Angels. This year Romano had a 10.13 ERA and 2.125 WHIP in 11 games (eight innings) for the Angels, who designated him for assignment Sunday.
Once Romano clears waivers, assuming he opts for free agency, worth a flyer? The Cubs can use just about any live arm they can find. Let us know what you think in the comments.
One of the biggest storylines entering the NBA playoffs was whether or not Luka Doncic would have any sort of effect this postseason.
While that answer has remained at zero when it comes to matter on the court as he’s still recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, Doncic is finding ways to contribute in other manners.
At least financially.
Luka Doncic has agreed to pay any fine the NBA levies against Lakers rookie Adou Thiero after he was ejected. NBAE via Getty Images
According to reports, Doncic has agreed to pay any NBA-levied fine given to teammate Adou Thiero after the rookie was ejected in the Game 4 loss.
With just over a minute left in the game, Thiero and Rockets veteran guard Aaron Holiday came face-to-face following a Dalton Knecht three that. After being physical during the box out, the two players began jawing at one another before being separated by teammates.
Typically a situation like this, particularly in the postseason, is nothing to scoff but official James Williams felt differently.
After having already ejected Lakers starting center Deandre Ayton earlier in the game on a call that was questioned by both the Lakers and Rockets postgame, Williams asserted himself and promptly tossed Thiero and Holiday.
Lakers rookie Adou Thiero and Rockets guard Aaron Holiday are both ejected by official James Williams after a slight scuffle late in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s loss.AP Los Angeles rookie Adou Thiero is led off the court by a member of the Lakers staff after he was thrown out Sunday night in Houston.AP
The move confused and angered Lakers head coach JJ Redick and star LeBron James.
“I didn’t get a great explanation on Adou,” said Redick after the game when asked why he was ejected. “I’m sure James [Williams] will give you that.”
“I’m more pissed off about them kicking Adou out,” James said after the game. “I thought that was uncalled for and made no sense. That’s the first time he’s ever been thrown out of a game in his life. I don’t think that was warranted. That was ridiculous.”
Game 5 of the series between the Rockets and Lakers is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. PT on ESPN.
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TORONTO, ON - APRIL 24: Daniel Schneemann #10 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Apr 26, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) sits on the bench before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
A lot of playoff basketball happened yesterday, but perhaps the biggest story was Victor Wembanyama’s triumphant return from concussion protocol. After banging his chin on the court and exiting Game 2, which the Spurs lost, he was cleared to travel with the team but missed Game 3 in Portland, which the Spurs won. He finally returned for Game 4 and helped lead the Spurs to one of the biggest comebacks in playoff history, as they became the first team to win by +15 points after being down by +15 at halftime.
It all started as a feel-good story, with Wemby returning five days after the concussion, which is the beginning of the average return window of 5-7 days. Then, things got interesting immediately after the game. First, while being interviewed by ESPN’s Malika Andrews on the court, he mentioned the Spurs were great at handling his concussion but he was “very unhappy with the way the protocol was handled by other parties,” calling it “funny” before a befuddled Andrews moved on.
"I had lots of emotions in me before the game, obviously excitement. Frustration. I let it all out tonight."@wemby joins @malika_andrews after his Game 4 return 👽 pic.twitter.com/XESKky8EaB
After that had raised some eyebrows, he was unsurprisingly asked to elaborate on what he meant at the start of his press conference in front of a gaggle of curious reporters. After a long, thoughtful pause, he had this to say:
“I won’t get into the details. I don’t want it to become a distraction. Ask me again after the season. All the doctors, especially on the Spurs, but the doctors all around, they were great, took great care of me. But the way the situation was handled was very disappointing. Not on the Spurs. But as I say, I won’t get into details.”
Then, when asked to elaborate more, the feed was suddenly muted to viewers. (And yes, this did in fact happen. I was watching it live on the Spurs’ YouTube page, and my mind immediate said, “Huh, they just muted him”.)
LMFAOOOO
Wemby was about to start talking trash about that NBA and they IMMEDIATELY cut his microphone OFF 😭😭
So is that in fact what happened, or was it just a coincidence that the NBA’s official feed lost sound when it did, then magically recovered for the next question? If it was it intentional, was it because they were afraid Wemby was about to say something he shouldn’t? That then begs the question, what did he say during those seconds when the mic was cut and no one outside the room could hear? Fortunately for us, YouTuber Chaz NBA found feed from a mic from inside the room … and Wemby didn’t say anything that he hadn’t already said: simply that he was fine with the Spurs but not the process (mic cut at the 1:54 mark, you can tell when the sound transitions from clear to distant and echoey).
To be clear, I am not a conspiracy theorist, and maybe the rabbit hole I’m about to dive down is an overreaction, but this still leaves many questions to unravel beyond whether this was intentional or not, so let’s break it down. First, there’s the question who exactly is Wemby upset at? The NBA has clear concussion protocol standards that he followed: he waited 24 hours to return to lite activity and completed the mandatory 48 hours with no contact allowed. He was symptom free by then, so he proceeded through all the cognitive and neurological testing required to be cleared to play. He (and the Spurs) reportedly felt he was ready to go for Game 3 but was not cleared to play, and it took up until an hour before Game 4 before he was finally cleared.
It would be understandable that he’s frustrated it took that long if he felt he could have played sooner, so again, does this answer who he’s upset at? He clearly stated it’s not the Spurs or their doctors, so the obvious answer would be the other party involved: the NBA. So the next question is why, and how much are they actually involved in this process?
This led me to consult with the NBA’s official concussion protocol rule for the zillionth time in the last week, and this jumped out at me in a new light. Under section 5.B.iv, which is the “Return to Participation” section, it says the following:
A team physician has discussed the return-to-participation process and decision with the Director of the NBA Concussion Program. Note that, to promote the consistency of player care, the final return-to-participation decision is to be made by the player’s team physician.
That last sentence is interesting. This “note” seems to put it more the team physician’s hands, even though it’s in conjunction with the “Director of the NBA Concussion Program” (whoever that is). So if the NBA ultimately does have final say, as has been widely reported, why that little note? It adds unnecessary confusion. Regardless, the most likely conclusion is the Spurs’ physician gave him the clear before Game 3 but this so-called Director did not. That would answer what “other party” Wemby is upset with.
Now the question becomes why was there disagreement, and was there more to this than simply two dissenting medical opinions? Was the NBA hoping to extend the series? (Probably not, but if so, it didn’t work.) Are they simply being overly cautious due to the lawsuits the National Football League is facing due to revelations of medical issues head injuries can cause later in life? Quite possibly, as they should, but this not-a-conspiracy-theorist has another thought.
What if the NBA simply didn’t like the optics of Wemby returning from a concussion, sustained in a high profile game on national television, in just three days? The moment went viral and had doctors and “medical experts” from all over giving their own takes and opinions on national television and social media, with most saying he should wait at least a week (despite no two cases being alike and them not having access to him or his medial files).
As previously noted, the average return time from a concussion in the NBA is 5-7 days, and Game 3 didn’t fit that timeline. Game 4 did, but just barely, and it sounds like even then the Spurs and Wemby had to work to convince the league he should be cleared. That brings us to our final question: why did the mic go out during Wemby’s press conference?
As shown above, he didn’t say anything that hadn’t already been said, but was there an agreement between him and the league that he had to stay quiet about the topic if he returned? Did he break a gag order, or did the league feel like he was about to go a step too far when they (allegedly) hit the mute button? We all know that Wemby is confident and brutally honest, sometimes to a fault, and he’s not afraid to speak his mind even if it brings about scrutiny (like his “ethical basketball” comments). Maybe that had the NBA worried. (If there is some sort of conspiracy going on here, maybe Pablo Torre can help us find out, just like when he exposed Kawhi Leonard and Uncle Dennis’ shenanigans.)
Who knows if Wemby will be asked about it again after the season, as he suggested. Maybe it will never come back up, or maybe he’ll endure a fine and speak out someday. There’s no telling at this point, but there sure are a lot of coincidences and unanswered questions here that will leave us wondering. The good thing is, assuming the Spurs take care of business and finish off the Trail Blazers, we don’t have to worry about any what-ifs coming from this incident.
Wemby is the potential face of the league who has a mind and a mouth and is not afraid to use them. That is undoubtedly good for him and the league, but also means there may be more times where they’ll have tell him to be quiet, and this could be the first in a long line of “Wemby vs. The Establishment” moments. Only time will tell.
While the Portland Trail Blazers threw intrigue into the mix with their Game 2 win, the San Antonio Spurs have restored order to the proceedings in this first round.
My Trail Blazers vs. Spurs predictions and same-game parlay expect the series to end in five games, thanks, in part, to Stephon Castle on Tuesday, April 28.
Our best Trail Blazers vs Spurs SGP for Game 5
SGP leg #1: Spurs -12
The San Antonio Spurs were down 17 at half in Game 4 and won by 21. A 38-point swing can and should not go unmentioned. The Spurs are better than the Portland Trail Blazers at everything, and with Wemby a full game back, the Spurs will not falter early again.
What you saw from San Antonio for the final 24 minutes in Portland is what you'll get from it for a full 48 at home, with a chance to win its first playoff series in close to a decade.
SGP leg #2: Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes
Stephon Castle can do it all for the Spurs, including hit shots from deep. The young PG has hit 9 of 21 shots from beyond the arc in this series, 42.9%, and cleared this prop in three of the four games.
Having Wemby on the floor only increases Castle's chances of wide-open looks, and he can knock down at least two of them to cash this leg of the SGP.
SGP leg #3: Stephon Castle Over 17.5 points
Castle may be the perfect complement to Victor Wembanyama, able to score on his own but also excelling at facilitating for others.
His scoring has come in handy in this series, scoring at least 16 points in each game and averaging 21.8 points per 34 minutes.
That is an odd stat, but it is an intentional one. When Castle has played at least 34 minutes, he has cleared this points prop. I expect him to reach those minutes as Portland throws everything it has at the Spurs.
See our full Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 5 preview
Get Douglas Farmer's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Trail Blazers vs Spurs predictions for Game 5.
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Apr 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Hey look, Roman Anthony’s back! That’s nice. The Sox are in Canada for the first time this year to take on the Blue Jays tonight at 7 p.m. Here’s who’s playin’ behind Ranger Suarez:
As for the World Series American League Champions, Dylan Cease leads the Blue Jays on what I understand to be Ernie Clement jersey night (not a joke):
A Monday night tripleheader of NBA playoff games on NBC and Peacock wraps up with the Denver Nuggets trying to stave off elimination by the injury-depleted Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round series.
The odds are stacked against Denver: Teams that lead 3-1 in a best-of-seven series have 95.6% of advancing to the next round (285-13). But the last two rallies from a 3-1 deficit were managed by the Nuggets in the 2020 playoffs — over Utah in the first round and the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Timberwolves have won Game 5 in the previous three playoff series that they took a 3-1 lead. But Minnesota will be without the starting backcourt of Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards after both guards were injured during the 112-96 victory in Game 4.
The end of the game also featured a bench-clearing altercation between Denver center Nikola Jokic and Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels. The NBA fined Jokic and Julius Randle for their actions.
See below for additional information on the Timberwolves-Nuggets game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets game preview:
In the absence of DiVincenzo (ruptured right Achilles suffered less than 2 minutes into the first quarter) and Edwards (bone bruise and hyperxtended left knee), guard Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench to score a career-high 43 points in Game 4.
"With the magnitude of the playoffs, this ranks No. 1," Dosunmu said. "I’m living in the moment, and this sounds clichéd, but I won’t take this for granted."
Minnesota likely will need more solid performances from Dosunmu to close out Denver and to go deep in the playoffs. DiVincenzo (who had been one of four players to start all 82 regular-season games) underwent season-ending surgery Sunday, and Edwards will be out for multiple weeks.
"Losing those two guys was really tough," Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said. "Tough emotionally for the guys. We regrouped well. I thought the key was just hanging in there until we get to halftime and kind of reset things. We really had a team effort, everybody chipped in."
The Nuggets will need improvement from Jokic, who is having the least efficient series of his playoff career (which covers 98 games). The three-time MVP who is a finalist again this season, is shooting 39.1% from the field and 18.5% on 3-pointers. He made only 7 of 26 field goals in Game 3, his career-low (26.9%) for a playoff game (he'd never made fewer than 47% from the field or 22% on 3-pointers).
Jokic has struggled with 3-point shooting since returning from a 16-game absence in January for a left knee injury.
“It’s a little bit of everything," Jokic said after Game 4. "I’m not shooting the ball really well, especially from the 3. (Minnesota center) Rudy (Goebert) is doing a good job with being physical, testing the officials, contesting shots. He’s a really good defender. And not just him, they play very good … they’re big, long, tall, handsy, trippy, they’re bumping you.”
Denver’s offense has plummeted over three consecutive losses, averaging 102 points per game (27 below the average in winning the 13 previous games in a row).
“It’s honest conversations," Denver head coach David Adleman said about the team's response to the slump. "Because that’s all you got. There’s a million narratives out there, people write stories, there’s social media, there’s all the crap. But it’s about us in the room, bottom line.’’
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 22: Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after striking out during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field on April 22, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
PITTSBURGH — So much for the Flyers’ commanding lead.
They have themselves a series.
The Flyers suffered a 3-2 loss Monday night to the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Game 5 of this best-of-seven first-round playoff matchup.
Rick Tocchet’s club now heads home with its series advantage whittled down to 3-2. The Flyers knew eliminating a team like Pittsburgh was going to be a challenge.
“There’s no way that group’s going to go away,” Tocchet said before the game. “No chance.”
The Flyers showed some resolve, but they couldn’t overcome multiple deficits. They erased a 2-0 hole in the second period on goals from Alex Bump and Travis Sanheim.
Kris Letang, though, responded to regain the Penguins their lead before intermission. Pittsburgh closed the door in the third period.
“They’re an experienced group that has been in this situation before,” Cam York said before the game. “They’re not just going to go away easy. I think we wanted them to go away a little bit easy last game and that obviously wasn’t the case. … We’ve got to bring our A-plus game to take these guys out.”
The Flyers dropped consecutive games for just the second time since Feb. 26.
On Letang’s goal, the Flyers’ netminder tried to glove a high shot. The puck ended up ricocheting off the boards and then Vladar’s skate as Pittsburgh took its lead back.
The Penguins struck just 2:45 minutes into the game. Elmer Soderblom scored from the slot after Anthony Mantha had a textbook forecheck on Rasmus Ristolainen.
Vladar gave his team a really solid third period, but the Flyers couldn’t rally.
Arturs Silovs, making his second straight start for Pittsburgh, stopped 18 of the Flyers’ 20 shots.
He denied Porter Martone with under a minute to go.
The Flyers’ league-worst power play went 0 for 2 and is just 2 for 15 in the series.
The 22-year-old said he was “stoked” to play and he looked it. His second-period goal came just 12 seconds after Connor Dewar had the building abuzz. The Penguins’ fourth-line winger took advantage of the Flyers failing to clear the zone and cushioned his team’s lead to 2-0.
But Bump quickly quieted the crowd with an excellent move to the net.
The rookie winger was noticeable from the onset. On his first shift, he fired a shot and had a hit.
Bump did exactly what the Flyers were hoping for in his postseason debut. He’ll definitely always remember PPG Paints Arena. His first goal in both the regular season and playoffs came here.
• Sidney Crosby exited briefly in the second period when a shot from his teammate nailed his left leg.
The future Hall of Fame center returned and assisted Letang’s go-ahead goal.
Crosby has put up back-to-back multi-point efforts after recording just an assist through the first three games.
• The series shifts back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 26: Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Cam Sanders (64) during a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 26, 2026, at American Family Field in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Pirates added pitching depth over the weekend to help their bullpen during an extended stretch without an off day.
Pittsburgh recalled right-handed reliever Cam Sanders during the Milwaukee series and remains with the Pirates for the first of four against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Braxton Ashcraft was placed on the bereavement list as a corresponding move. Ben Cherington said the expectation is that Ashcraft will return to the Pirates during the Cardinals series.
Ashcraft is in line to start on Tuesday night at PNC Park.
Sanders joins the team for the second time this season, looking for a longer stay than before.
He pitched two innings on Sunday in a 5-0 loss to the Brewers. Sanders didn’t allow a run on one hit, one walk, and struck out one hitter.
Sanders’ previous outing on April 18 was a struggle. He failed to record three outs and allowed four runs on three hits and a walk against Tampa Bay. Both outs were strikeouts, but promoted Sanders to be sent back down the next day.
The Pirates play their seventh of a 13-game stretch without an off day, concluding on Sunday hosting the Reds.
The team will have the first three Mondays of May off.
The 16-12 Pirates face an important early-season stretch against the Cardinals and Reds in a jam-packed NL Central as all five teams are over .500.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 19: Yunior Marte #41 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s another Monday off day for the San Francisco Giants, and another mega recap of a busy weekend for the Minor League Baseball affiliates. Let’s jump into the action for the four teams that are in-season.
All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.
News
The Giants ended an experiment, by releasing High-A Eugene catcher Diego Cartaya. Cartaya had once been one of the best prospects in all of baseball while with the Dodgers, but fell on very hard times. The Giants signed him to a Minor League deal late last year and had him start this season in High-A, hoping to fix the hole in his swing that had developed in the upper Minors. That sadly didn’t happen, as he hit just 3-28 with 23 strikeouts this year.
Taking his place behind the dish for Eugene is Luke Shliger, who was activated off the 7-Day IL. Most excitingly, Eugene also activated LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL) off the IL.
Some prospects also took home some hardware, as Eugene RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL) and Low-A San Jose RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL) were named the Pitchers of the Week in the Northwest League and Cal League, respectively. Way to go!
AAA Sacramento (14-11)
Friday: Sacramento River Cats beat the Albuquerque Isotopes 4-3 [box score] Saturday Game 1: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Albuquerque Isotopes 5-3 (7 innings) [box score] Saturday Game 2: Sacramento River Cats beat the Albuquerque Isotopes 9-2 (7 innings) [box score] Sunday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Albuquerque Isotopes 8-6 [box score]
It feels like Sacramento has really settled into being a standard AAA team, which is to say everyone is playing well enough to feel like quality insurance options should the team need them, but nobody is really making a name for themself as a player to watch as they push for a roster spot.
First baseman Bryce Eldridge (No. 1 CPL) is, of course, always a player to watch, and he salvaged a good-not-great showing with his final plate appearance of the 4-game weekend, when he bopped a 2-run home run in the 9th inning on Sunday.
Bryce Eldridge smashes his third home run of the year for the Triple-A @RiverCats 🚀
For the weekend, Eldridge hit 5-13 with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts, which raised his OPS to .874 and his wRC+ to 136. Crucially, he entered the off day and the next series with some much-needed momentum, as all his hits came in the final 2 games … after being held hitless on Friday and Saturday’s opener, Eldridge was mired in a 6-game slump where he’d hit just 1-21 … so seeing him go 5-9 to end the weekend was a very welcome sight. As was having just 2 strikeouts in 16 plate appearances over the weekend, which lowered his K rate to 29.5%. Getting closer to moving out of red flag territory on that front.
The other hitter in Sacramento who isn’t far from getting the call to the bigs is catcher/left fielder Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL), and he had another fine weekend, hitting 5-11 with a double, 2 walks, 2 stolen bases, 2 strikeouts, and an error. Rodríguez is up to an .878 OPS and a 136 wRC+, but it’s the way that he’s doing it that surely is exciting the Giants. While he hasn’t been displaying a lot of power (he has 2 homers and 6 total extra-base hits in 93 plate appearances), he’s simply been the contact maven that he was advertised as, posting a .346 batting average and a 9.7% strikeout rate, numbers that rank 6th and 5th, respectively, out of 81 qualified hitters in the Pacific Coast League.
How to find time for Rodríguez in the Majors is certainly a puzzle. If Daniel Susac’s injury lingers, the Giants could have Rodríguez replace Eric Haase, but he won’t be usurping Susac anytime soon. The Giants have been playing him at both second base and left field lately, but Luis Arráez is doing exactly what San Francisco has asked, while Heliot Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee have been two of the team’s hottest hitters lately (behind only Casey Schmitt, who is blocking both Rodríguez and Eldridge’s opportunity at DH). So it will probably take an injury for Rodríguez, who turned 24 on Thursday, to make his debut.
Injuries are definitely what it will take for center fielder/right fielder Grant McCray to get back to the Majors anytime soon, as he was already passed over in favor of Jared Oliva on the Opening Day roster, and then Drew Gilbert and Will Brennan when the team had injuries. His season has been quite a struggle, but he did make some noise on Friday when he smashed his 1st home run of the season.
Over the course of the weekend, the lefty hit 2-10 with 4 strikeouts and committed an error. It’s really been a dismal season at the plate for the 2019 3rd-rounder, who has a .636 OPS and an 84 wRC+. But even those numbers make things look rosier than they are, as his success has largely been propped up by an absurd 19.6% walk rate. Simply put, McCray isn’t doing any damage when swinging, Friday’s big fly notwithstanding … of the PCL’s 81 qualified hitters, McCray’s .194 batting average is 75th, while his .083 isolated slugging is 67th. He has cut back on the strikeouts, though, lowering his rate from 27.1% last year to 23.9% this year, and crucially dropping his swinging strike rate from 14.0% to 9.1%. It seems he’s being a bit too passive at the plate.
Second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) also went deep, as part of a weekend where he hit 4-16 with a solo blast, a double, a walk, a hit by pitch, a strikeout, and an error.
Furman’s debut pass through AAA has been a smashing success, as he has a .905 OPS and a 150 wRC+, with just a 12.8% strikeout rate. Given his relative inexperience (he has just 44 games at AA and AAA combined) and the fact that he’s not on the 40-man roster, Furman is likely a bit behind Rodríguez should the Giants need a second baseman, but it wouldn’t be tremendously surprising if he’s given a chance to win the job next year, as Arráez is only on a 1-year deal.
Third baseman Buddy Kennedy and shortstop/third baseman/left fielder Thomas Gavello also went deep. Kennedy hit 2-10 with a 3-run blast, a double, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts, moving his OPS to .907 and his wRC+ to 144; Gavello went 1-10 with a solo bomb, a walk, and 4 strikeouts, and now has a .620 OPS and a 54 wRC+.
On the pitching front, Friday saw a much-needed excellent start from RHP Trevor McDonald (No. 12 CPL), who had his best outing in a very long time. The versatile righty was dynamic through 5 shutout innings, offering up just 2 hits (both singles) and 2 walks, while striking out 3 batters and living off of soft contact. It wasn’t the best strike-throwing display for McDonald, who threw 70 pitches with 43 strikes, but he kept hitters off balance all day.
McDonald had a brilliant start to Spring Training and looked close to locking down an Opening Day roster spot before completely falling apart. His last few outings of the Cactus League were disasters, and he opened the AAA season with 4 consecutive rough outings. Hopefully his 5th is the start of the course correcting, because neither RHP Carson Seymour nor LHP Carson Whisenhunt (No. 8 CPL) has stamped their name on the 6th starter role. Let’s see if McDonald, who now has a 5.40 ERA and a 5.61 FIP on the year, can start to make a run for it.
Saturday’s pair of starters were not nearly as good as McDonald, but they managed to be nearly as effective. LHP Seth Lonsway took the mound for the opener and struggled with command, walking 4 batters in 5 innings and hitting another, while throwing 42 of 76 pitches for strikes. But Lonsway only allowed 3 hits and just 1 run, while striking out 3. The 27-year old 6th-round pick from the 2021 draft has 4.50 ERA and a 5.87 FIP on the year … he’s only allowed 16 hits in 16 innings, which is impressive in the PCL, but he also only has 5 strikeouts.
In Game 2 it was fellow funky LHP John Michael Bertrand, who had a very funny line. Bertrand went 6 innings and gave up 9 hits, but all 9 of those hits were singles. He also walked 2 batters, yet the only run he allowed was unearned, due to a Rodríguez error. Not every day you give up 11 baserunners and 0 earned runs! Bertrand, who struck out 5, has a 4.57 ERA and a 6.35 FIP on the season. Both he and Lonsway are being used as starters in Sacramento, but it feels likely that if they make the Majors it will be as multi-inning relievers.
Not a very good weekend for the relievers on the 40-man roster. LHP Sam Hentges and RHP Joel Peguero (No. 27 CPL) continued their rehab assignments, with mixed results. Hentges gave up 2 earned runs while recording just 2 outs on Friday, but bounced back with a 6-pitch perfect inning on Sunday. Peguero gave up just 1 baserunner in his lone inning of work, but that baserunner was a solo home run.
RHP Spencer Bivens had another tough outing, giving up 3 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) in an inning of work, with a strikeout, raising his ERA to 5.40 and his FIP to 6.36. RHP Tristan Beck allowed 3 hits, 1 walk, 4 runs, and 2 earned runs in just 1.1 innings, with 1 strikeout, and now has a 3.48 ERA and a 3.03 FIP. RHP Dylan Smith struck out 2 batters with 1 walk in a scoreless inning on Friday, but ceded 3 hits, 2 walks, and 3 earned runs in 1.1 innings on Sunday, with 1 strikeout, raising his ERA to 3.24 and his FIP to 3.81.
The non-rostered depth options weren’t great, either, as neither RHP Gregory Santos nor LHP Juan Sánchez (No. 41 CPL) were at their sharpest. RHP Trent Harris (No. 29 CPL) however, was, as he retired all 5 batters he faced, with 3 strikeouts.
Richmond’s magical season just keeps on going. The Squirrels ran their winning streak to 4 games, and pushed their record to 17-3, and they did it with their usual theatrics: twice they entered the 9th inning with fewer runs than their opponent, only to successfully mount a comeback.
Friday’s walk-off was particularly heroic, as the Squirrels were down to their final strike, and still trailing, and didn’t even have the tying run on base. But third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL), playing in his 1st game of the season after returning from a hamstring injury, and 0-4 with 3 strikeouts on the day, kept the game alive with a double on a 2-2 pitch.
Parks Harber has his first Douple-A hit in the ninth and represents the tying run 👀 pic.twitter.com/vA87Dg7PAW
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 25, 2026
Richmond then pinch-hit with catcher Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL), who fell behind in the count 0-2, then fouled off a pitch, then blasted a 2-run home run to end the game. What excitement!
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 25, 2026
Cavanaugh didn’t play on Saturday, but followed up the heroics on Sunday by hitting 1-3 with a walk and a stolen base as his magnificent season continues, following his 2025 breakout. Cavanaugh isn’t playing full time, as he’s splitting catching duties with Adrián Sugastey, but in 53 plate appearances is posting a blistering 1.137 OPS with a 196 wRC+. Perhaps most impressively, after posting a 27.4% strikeout rate across all 4 A-ball affiliates last year, Cavanaugh has dropped that number to 19.7% this season.
As for Harber, he wasn’t done with the theatrics, as he played the hero in Sunday’s walk-off, when he singled home the winning run in the 10th inning.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 26, 2026
Harber’s numbers weren’t great over the weekend, as he hit 5-14 with 7 strikeouts, but that’s to be expected from someone making both his season and AA and season debut, against pitchers who are fully up to speed. It’s just great seeing him back on the field and making an impact.
Also playing a heroic role was shortstop Maui Ahuna (No. 23 CPL), who was responsible for sending Sunday’s game to extra innings. Richmond trailed by a run in the 9th inning, with 2 outs and the bases empty. But Ahuna rapped a double, stole 3rd, and scored on a wild pitch, sending the game to the 10th where Harber would walk it off. Ahuna hit 3-8 with a double, 2 stolen bases, and 1 strikeout over the weekend, and now has an .826 OPS and a 116 wRC+ in his debut AA season. There’s still a ton of swing and miss in his game (30.3% K rate, 18.1% swinging strike rate), but it’s been a very successful season for him.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 26, 2026
Speaking of successful seasons, Richmond’s corner outfielders, Jonah Cox and Scott Bandura, continued their excellent seasons. Cox hit 4-10 with a home run, a double, a walk, a stolen base, and 2 strikeouts, which saw his OPS climb to 1.167 and his wRC+ to 205, to make no mention of the organization-leading 12 stolen bases in just 18 games. It’s been a stunning start to the year for the A’s 6th-round pick in 2023, after he was decidedly average offensively in High-A a year ago. The numbers will surely regress, but still … we’re seeing a lot of encouraging signs with the bat for someone whose calling cards are his glove and his cleats.
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 26, 2026
As for Bandura, he went just 1-9 with 5 strikeouts on the weekend, but smashed a 2-run home run, drew 5 walks, and stole a base. He now has a .971 OPS and a 152 wRC+ on the season and, after posting a 30.6% strikeout rate during his 45-game stint with Richmond last year, is all the way down to 17.5% this season, despite the weekend swing-throughs. We’re seeing some really big improvements in contact on the farm.
THE RAIN CAME SO SCOTT BANDURA BROUGHT THE THUNDER ⛈️
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) April 25, 2026
Bandura and Cox have starred this year, but get a little overlooked by the star prospect they flank, center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL). Davidson returned to the lineup after missing a few games with a forearm issue, but he really struggled, hitting just 1-8 with a sacrifice fly and 5 strikeouts. Between the injury and parental leave, Davidson hasn’t been able to really get into a rhythm yet this year, and has just a .688 OPS and a 69 wRC+.
There were a pair of dynamic pitching performances from under-the-radar prospects. On Saturday it was RHP Darien Smith, who started the game and tossed 6 brilliant innings, allowing just 5 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run on a solo home run. Smith, who needed just 72 pitches to get through his 6 innings (though just 45 of them were strikes), also struck out 5 Somerset hitters.
The 26-year old undrafted free agent, who is in his 2nd season, has made 4 starts this year and has allowed 0 or 1 run in each of them, and has just a 1.35 ERA and a 3.86 FIP. He doesn’t have the most dynamic stuff — he averaged 8.7 strikeouts per 9 innings between Low-A and High-A last year, and is at 8.6 this season — but he simply doesn’t allow many batters to reach base. In 20 innings this year, Smith has ceded just 10 hits and issued 5 walks.
But the biggest pitching performance came from Sunday’s piggybacking starter, LHP Cesar Perdomo. The 24-year old took over to start the 5th inning, and pitched all the way through the 10th. He gave up just 1 hit (a single) in his 6 innings, while walking 2 and striking out 4. Most importantly, Perdomo didn’t allow any runs to cross the plate … not even the Manfred Man in extra innings. Perdomo has been excellent in 3 of his 4 outings this year, resulting in a 2.16 ERA and a 3.53 FIP … numbers that are better than his High-A stats were last year. Like Smith, Perdomo doesn’t strike out a lot of batters (he has just 8.1 Ks per 9 innings this season), but he just doesn’t allow a lot of damage. It wouldn’t be too surprising if he finds his way to AAA late in the season.
High-A Eugene (16-5)
Friday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops 9-4 [box score] Saturday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops 5-2 [box score] Sunday: Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops 3-1 [box score]
Just as the big news in Richmond was the return of Parks Harber, the big news in Eugene was the return of LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 11 CPL). Bresnahan, who was the 4th pitcher listed on our community prospect list, but is the top pitcher on a lot of national Giants prospect lists, started the season in extended spring training due to a minor injury. But on Sunday he made his season debut, and his High-A debut.
It wasn’t great from a statistical standpoint, but it certainly wasn’t awful, either. The soon-to-turn 21-year old, who was taken in the 13th round in 2023 by the Guardians and traded to the Giants in the Alex Cobb deal, went 3.2 innings in his season debut, and gave up just 2 hits (both singles) and 2 walks, but got tagged for 2 runs. Not surprisingly given the rust, he struggled with the strike zone, throwing just 32 of 56 pitches for strikes.
But it was a very encouraging outing for the reigning Cal League Pitcher of the Year, who struck out 4 batters. Bresnahan retired the 1st 10 batters that he faced, before allowing all of his baserunners in a 4th inning that he wouldn’t make it out of (he also left with just 1 run in, but the bases loaded and 2 outs, before RHP Ryan Vanderhei hit a batter to let a run score).
All things considered, a very nice start to the year for Bresnahan, and it will be fun watching him settle into this level.
Speaking of settling in, LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL) is still searching for a way to do exactly that. He had a nearly identical outing to Bresnahan on Saturday, at least on paper: 3.2 innings, 2 hits, 2 walks, 2 runs, 5 strikeouts, with 47 of 78 pitches for strikes. Just like Bresnahan, De La Torre was on fire to open up the game, cruising through 3 scoreless innings and retiring the 1st 8 batters that he faced. Trouble struck in the 4th, though, when he issued both of his walks and then a 2-run double, which ended his night. Still, a big step in the right direction for LDLT, who has just a 7.50 ERA and a 5.86 FIP this young season.
RHP Hunter Dryden had his worst outing of the year on Friday, though it was still solid (and similar to Bresnahan and De La Torre’s): 4.1 innings, 2 hits, 2 walks, 2 earned runs, and 4 strikeouts. Dryden entered the year having allowed just 1 run in 3 starts, so this was definitely not a good game when judged against the high bar he set, but the 2024 17th-round pick has a delightful 1.88 ERA on the year (though just a 4.27 FIP). Dryden is walking a ton of batters, but hitters are generally useless against him when they do swing: in 14.1 innings this year, the soon-to-turn 24-year old has struck out 18, while allowing just 5 hits.
Eugene only played 3 games this weekend, but they used 4 starters, as RHP Yunior Marte (No. 25 CPL) was the piggybacking starter on Saturday. And he shined the brightest of the 4, tossing 5 shutout innings while allowing just 1 hit and 2 walks, and striking out 6 batters. Marte threw 41 of 65 pitches for strikes as he mowed down the Hops batters, and lowered his ERA to 1.89 and his FIP to 3.41. The strikeout and walk numbers aren’t gaudy — 17 and 8, respectively, in 19 innings — but, like Dryden, he’s just not allowing any damage when people swing (he’s given up just 8 hits and 0 home runs).
On offense, the biggest day belonged to left fielder Lisbel Diaz (No. 32 CPL), who hit 2-5 with a pair of home runs on Friday, knocking in 3 runs. What a gorgeous swing he has.
The fireworks were scheduled for after the game, but Lisbel Diaz brought them early. 2 HR in 3 innings will play any day#RootedHerepic.twitter.com/d8kQhvNBxC
Diaz — who sat on Saturday, and went 1-4 with a strikeout and a caught stealing on Sunday — isn’t having a great year, as he has just a .675 OPS and a 77 wRC+, and is still in search of his 1st walk. But there are some nice signs, certainly: despite not being the biggest player, and just being 20, he’s shown off some good power this year, with a .236 isolated slugging rate that ranks 6th out of 57 Northwest League hitters (minimum: 50 plate appearances). He’s also struck out just 10.0% of the time this year, a fabulous mark even for a player who has always limited strikeouts. If he can get his batting average up — it’s just .218 — he could end up having a nice year.
Center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 5 CPL) also went deep (breaking a tie in the 9th inning!) for the Emeralds during a so-so weekend in which he hit 2-10 with a solo blast, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, an outfield assist, and a caught stealing. The 2024 4th-round pick has been Eugene’s best performer this year, as he has a .940 OPS and a 158 wRC+, but the 30.0% strikeout rate and 16.1% swinging strike rate paint a picture of a power hitter who still has a lot to work on.
Speaking of players with a lot to work on, it was a tough weekend for third baseman Walker Martin, who hit just 2-12 with 6 strikeouts, while committing 3 errors. The team’s 2nd-round pick in 2023 has shown a power improvement this year, and has a .794 OPS and a 125 wRC+, but his 28.6% strikeout rate and 9 errors in 16 games is fairly concerning.
Shout out to catcher/first baseman Ty Hanchey who had a nice end to the series, hitting 3-11 with a home run, a double, and 3 strikeouts, raising his OPS to .784 and wRC+ to 112. Hanchey is a little bit more organizational depth than prospect — he’s a 26-year old UDFA in his 4th pro season (though he missed all of last year due to injury) — but catchers always have a chance to prove themselves, and Hanchey should get a little more run now with Diego Cartaya released.
No-no no mo’!
7.1 hitless innings just weren’t enough to keep the Ems down. Ty Hanchey hits a no-doubt HR in the 8th to tie this game up at 2#RootedHerepic.twitter.com/rDopsyobNm
Friday: San Jose Giants lost to the Ontario Tower Buzzers 7-3 [box score] Saturday: San Jose Giants lost to the Ontario Tower Buzzers 7-4 [box score] Sunday: San Jose Giants lost to the Ontario Tower Buzzers 18-9 [box score]
It’s been a great season for the Baby Giants, but it certainly wasn’t a great weekend, as they lost all 3 games. Their starters got absolutely rocked, and the offense was more mediocre than great, and was held without a single home run.
Shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL) has cooled down following his utterly absurd start to the season, but he’s still hitting quite well, and the weekend was an example of his no-longer-Barry-Bonds-but-still-damn-good current state. The just-turned 19-year old switch hitter went 5-12 over the weekend with a triple, a walk, a hit by pitch, a stolen base, 3 strikeouts, and 2 caught stealings. It’s now a 1.066 OPS and a 163 wRC+ for Level, who has probably been the MVP of the farm system so far this season, and certainly looks like he’ll have vacated his post in San Jose by the time Josuar González (No. 2 CPL) and/or Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) are ready to inherit it.
First baseman Hayden Jatczak also continued his obliteration of the Cal League, with a pair of games that were excellent in very different ways. After sitting on Friday, Jatczak had 5 plate appearances on Saturday … and 0 official at bats, as he drew 4 walks and hit a sacrifice fly. He followed that up by emphatically putting the ball in play on Sunday, hitting 3-5 with a double and a strikeout. Jatczak has a 1.013 OPS and a 163 wRC+ in this, his debut season, with an elite walk rate (23.6%) and a very good strikeout rate (18.0%). I’m curious how long he’ll stay in San Jose, and when the Giants will start trying to see what is a more appropriate level for the 24-year old UDFA.
Isaiah Barkett showed off a little bit of everything over the weekend, starting with his defensive versatility: he played Friday at second base, Saturday in right field, and Sunday at third. He hit 3-9 over the trio of games with 2 doubles, 3 walks, a sacrifice bunt, and a strikeout. Last year’s 10th-round pick is quietly having an awesome debut season, as the 22-year old righty is sporting a .999 OPS and a 157 wRC+, with a brilliant 11.1% strikeout rate.
The pitching was mostly bad, as evidenced by the 32 runs that San Jose allowed in 3 games. But there were a few standout performances nonetheless. The biggest such day belonged to RHP Ubert Mejias, who had a sensational showing on Saturday. Mejias entered with 2 outs and a runner on 2nd base in the 2nd inning, and proceeded to retire 14 consecutive batters. 14! That streak finally ended when he gave up a solo home run, before getting 2 more outs and calling it a day.
In all, it was 5.1 brilliant innings for Mejias, with that home run being the only baserunner he allowed, all while striking out 9 hitters. Talk about dominant! Home runs have been the only issue for the 25-year old Cuban this year … in 15.1 innings across 5 outings, he’s struck out 19 batters, while giving up just 9 hits and 4 walks. But 3 of the 9 hits he’s allowed have cleared the fence, which has resulted in a 2.93 ERA and a 5.81 FIP. This is Mejias’ 3rd pass through San Jose — he was in the rotation in 2024, before switching to long relief a year ago — so it’s probably a make-or-break season for him.
RHP Mauricio Estrella had a nice game on Friday, allowing just a single in 3 shutout innings, while striking out 3. The just-turned 22-year old is also at the level for the 3rd time, though he pitched there very sparingly in 2024 and 2025, amassing just 26.1 total innings. He’s been awesome so far this year, with a 2.45 ERA, a 2.04 FIP, and, most impressively, 15 strikeouts and 0 walks in 11 innings. What a beautiful thing!
Friday and Sunday’s starters — RHPs Braydon Risley and Cody Delvecchio, respectively — had so-so outings but showed off their strikeout stuff. Risley, July’s 19th-round pick, struck out 7 batters in 4 innings, while giving up 3 hits (including 2 doubles), 1 walk, and 1 hit batter, with 2 earned runs. The just-turned 21-year old community college draftee has a 3.38 ERA and a 4.84 FIP through 4 games, with a delightful 20 strikeouts against 4 walks in 13.1 innings. Delvecchio, a 12th-round pick a year ago, K’d 6 batters in just 3.1 innings, but also allowed 6 hits (including a home run), 1 walk, and 3 strikeouts. The UCLA product’s numbers are similar to Risley’s: a 3.60 ERA, a 4.96 FIP, and 19 strikeouts against 4 walks in 15 innings.
But pour one out for the ERAs of RHP Melvin Pineda (5 baserunners and 4 earned runs in 0.2 innings on Friday; 7 baserunners and 7 earned runs in 1 inning on Sunday, raising his ERA to 15.12), LHP Ricardo Estrada (7 baserunners and 3 earned runs in 1.2 innings, raising his ERA to 11.70), RHP Alix Hernandez (6 baserunners and 3 earned runs in 1.2 innings, though his ERA is a still-delightful 2.70), RHP Jose T. Perez (6 baserunners and 5 earned runs in 1 inning, raising his ERA to 10.80), and RHP Fernando Vasquez (7 baserunners and 3 earned runs in 1.2 innings, raising his ERA to 11.74). Here’s to bounce-back games for all of them!
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 15: Mason Montgomery #46 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at PNC Park on April 15, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitching Matchup: Dustin May (3-2, 5.84 ERA) vs. Mason Montgomery (1-0, 3.97 ERA)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the St. Louis Cardinals this afternoon at beautiful PNC Park.
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ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 25: Jorge Mateo #2, Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 and Martín Perez #33 of the Atlanta Braves look at a tablet during a pitching change in the eighth inning during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good evening, folks! There’s no game tonight as the Braves are getting a rare off day in the middle of a homestand. There’s still some stuff to talk about and this is your chance to chat about anything you want (that makes sense for a baseball blog site, haha).
What I’m watching tonight
Game of the night for me is Angels at White Sox and it’s solely because of Munetaka Murakami. I’ve been a fan of his since his time with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of NPB and it’s been a joy to see him make a splash in the big leagues with Chicago. Hopefully it’ll continue!
Let’s remember some guys
Brandon Gaudin mentioned this during Brian Snitker’s Hall of Fame ceremony and the Braves shared the stat out today. It’s absolutely mind-boggling but it also makes sense considering how long Snit has been with the franchise.
In honor of Brian Snitker’s longevity, I invite y’all to join me in Remembering Some Guys in the comments section. I’ll start: Willie Harris.
