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Juan Soto’s early exit hangs over Mets’ all-around rout of Giants

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Francisco Alvarez #4 of the New York Mets celebrates trotting around the bases after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on April 03, 2026 in San Francisco, California, Image 2 shows New York Mets' Nolan McLean (26) pitches to a San Francisco Giants batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco, Image 3 shows New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) reacts on a call strike against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park
Mets beat Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — The bats erupted and Nolan McLean dominated, but Friday night was defined for the Mets by who wasn’t on the field following his first at-bat.

Juan Soto, bothered by right-calf tightness, departed after only a half inning, leaving the Mets to wonder when their best player will return.

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Soto singled in the first inning and felt discomfort running from first to third on Bo Bichette’s RBI single. Now the Mets, who snapped a three-game skid with a 10-3 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park, wait on their $765 million outfielder.

“We don’t have much other than what was announced, right calf tightness,” manager Carlos Mendoza said, adding that Soto will receive imaging on Saturday.

What is Mendoza’s concern level?

“There is obviously concern every time you send a player for an MRI and the calf area can be tricky,” he said. “We have just got to wait.”

New York Mets’ Nolan McLean (26) pitches to a San Francisco Giants batter during the fifth inning on Friday, April 3, 2026, in San Francisco. AP

McLean took a perfect game into the sixth but never escaped the inning, his shot at history spoiled by patient at-bats as his pitch count climbed.

The right-hander indicated his cutter was the only pitch he felt comfortable with, forcing him deeper into counts than he would have liked.

He lasted 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs (one unearned) on one hit and two walks with four strikeouts, departing after 93 pitches.

“I was just trying to piece it together,” McLean said. “Nothing felt incredibly great. Everything felt OK toward later in the game, but just kind of the full counts snuck up on me there at the end. I got a little bit fatigued by the end of it.”

Francisco Alvarez of the New York Mets celebrates trotting around the bases after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on April 3, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images

McLean said he didn’t realize he had carried a perfect game into the sixth.

“It didn’t really feel that way just because of how many 3-2 counts and behind on counts I felt like I was,” he said. “So, it kind of felt grindier than what the scoreboard showed.” 

Francisco Alvarez led the Mets’ three-homer attack with two blasts (Marcus Semien hit the other) in the Mets’ best showing offensively since their 11-run outburst against the Pirates on Opening Day.

New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) reacts on a call strike against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alvarez’s bid at a three-homer game included a shot to the warning track in center field in the eighth inning.

The perfect game watch officially began as McLean breezed through the fifth, easily retiring Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee before working the count full to Heliot Ramos. McLean unleashed a hellacious sweeper that nicked the inside corner for a called third strike.

McLean took the mound for the sixth at 67 pitches and walked Harrison Bader, reducing the performance to a no-hit watch. McLean worked the count full to Patrick Bailey and walked him, giving the Giants a rally. Jerar Encarnacion worked a nine-pitch at-bat before flying out, and Willy Adames ended the no-hit drama and McLean’s night with a shot that one-hopped the fence in right center for an RBI double.

Brooks Raley struck out Rafael Devers, but before the lefty could escape the inning, an Alvarez passed ball allowed the Giants’ second run to score.

The Mets countered in the seventh with Alvarez’s second homer of the night and an RBI single by Luis Robert Jr. that extended the lead to 7-2. Mark Vientos continued the party with an RBI single in the inning.

Bichette was among the offensive heroes, with a 3-for-5 performance in easily his best game since arriving to the Mets. The team was without Jorge Polanco, whose left Achilles tendonitis placed him on the bench and raised questions about his near-term availability. Polanco has dealt with discomfort since Sunday, limiting him to the DH spot.   

The Mets sent eight batters to the plate against Tyler Mahle in the first inning and scored twice, but missed an opportunity to break open the game early. Bichette delivered an RBI single, and Robert Jr. walked to reload the bases before Brett Baty hit a comebacker that turned into a 1-2-3 double play.

New York Mets’ Marcus Semien, center, celebrates with Carson Benge, left, after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning. AP

But Semien, who snapped an 0-for-20 a night earlier, slashed an RBI single following a walk to Vientos, extending the Mets’ lead to 2-0. The rally started with consecutive singles by Francisco Lindor and Soto.

Semien struck again in the fourth with a two-run homer to center that gave the Mets a 4-0 lead. The blast was Semien’s first in a Mets uniform. Two batters later, Alvarez cleared the center field fence.

Ramos’ single in the seventh against Huascar Brazoban gave the Giants their second hit. Brazoban recovered to retire Bader, ending the inning.

Luis Arraez delivered a bloop RBI single in the eighth against Richard Lovelady before Baty stroked an RBI double in the ninth. Carson Benge’s RBI fielder’s choice brought in the Mets’ 10th run.

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Angels muster only one hit in extra-innings loss to Seattle in home opener

Seattle Mariners' Luke Raley, right, scores on a triple by Cole Young as Los Angeles Angels.
Seattle's Luke Raley scores in front of Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe on a triple by Cole Young in the 10th inning of the Angels' 3-1 loss Friday at Angel Stadium. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

The Angels' offense was stifled in a 10-inning, 3-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners during their home opener Friday night in front of 44,931 fans at Angel Stadium.

In a scoreless game in the 10th inning, Seattle's Cole Young tripled to the right-field corner off Angels reliever Brent Suter that scored Luke Raley from second base. Two outs later, Suter intentionally walked Julio Rodríguez. Josh Naylor singled in two more runs to make it 3-0.

Jorge Soler drove in Mike Trout on a sacrifice fly to right field in the bottom of the 10th, but that was all the Angels (3-5) could muster after Seattle held them to just one hit and retired the final 21 Angels batters.

Mariners starter Bryan Woo gave up that one hit, struck out six and walked one over seven strong innings. Seattle relievers Matt Brash, Andres Muñoz and Gabe Speier were just as dominant, combining for six strikeouts and no walks over three no-hit innings.

“[Woo] is one of the best starters in the league. He was on his game tonight,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “He pitched well and when a guy like that pitches well you just got to do your best in battle and I feel like our guys were battling, just couldn’t muster anything up."

Read more:Five-run third inning sinks Angels in series finale loss to Cubs

Angels starter Reid Detmers also had a strong game, giving up three hits, with four strikeouts and four walks over 6⅔ innings.

"It was a well-fought game and obviously we didn’t come out on the winning side, but we’ll go get them tomorrow," Detmers said.

Suzuki thought Detmers was in control and executed pitches well. He was getting ahead in the count of batters and putting them away, while also inducing soft contact, which allowed him to go deep into the game.

“He pitched his butt off,” Suzuki said. “It was nice to see him rebound from the last one and really have a good start."

In the first inning, Trout stared down Woo before taking first base after a sinker hit the star outfielder’s left shoulder. The blow came after the right-hander threw a four-seam fastball that nearly missed Trout's face.

“Anytime you get thrown up-and-in and then you get hit on the next pitch, you’re gonna be upset,” Trout said.

Angels star Mike Trout is hit by a pitch during the first inning Friday against the Mariners.
Angels star Mike Trout is hit by a pitch during the first inning Friday against the Mariners. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

The first hit came in the bottom of the third after Oswald Peraza sent a bloop single to right field. Woo cleared the base paths after picking off the runner for the second out of the inning. Zach Neto grounded out to stop the Angels’ offense.

threw a fastball behind Rodríguez to open the top of the fourth inning. The outfielder stared down the left-hander and later grounded out to first baseman Nolan Schanuel. Seattle threatened to break the tie after Naylor reached first and Randy Arozarena followed with a single to right field.

Neto threw out Brendan Donovan at third to record the second out and Detmers struck out J.P. Crawford to end the inning.

Trout almost ended the pitchers' duel in the bottom of the sixth inning after sharply hitting a fly ball to left field but Arozarena tracked it down.

“I thought I got enough, for sure,” he said. “I hit it off the end a little bit but I thought I got enough — it is what it is.”

Suzuki also believed Trout hit the ball hard enough for a home run.

“I didn’t really see what the exit [velocity] or anything like that was, but I thought it came off his bat pretty well," Suzuki said. "Obviously the wind kind of hung it up there, but I thought it was a great pass.”

After a one-out walk to Crawford in the top of the seventh, Detmers picked off the runner but gave up a single to Victor Robles. The hit concluded his night after 104 pitches. He walked off to a round of applause from the crowd, but he didn't notice.

“I was in my zone, so I mean, it was a good game,” said Detmers, who lowered his ERA to 2.38.

Reliever Chase Silseth struck out Young to end the seventh.

In the eighth, Drew Pomeranz gave up a one-out walk to Cal Raleigh and a single to Rodriguez but retired Naylor and Arozarena on a fly ball and a groundball, respectively.

In the ninth, Jordan Romano threw a fastball that looked like it hit Leo Rivas, but the call was overturned after a challenge confirmed it hit the bat. The right-hander struck out Rivas and Crawford and got pinch-hitter Raley to line out.

With two outs and two strikes, Trout struck out to send the game to extra innings.

Read more:C.B. Bucknor's week gets worse: Umpire leaves game with injury days after ABS and replay reversed his calls

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Mets offense explodes, Nolan McLean perfect through five in 10-3 win over Giants

Nolan McLean pitched into the sixth inning with a perfect game and the Mets bats launched three home runs as they defeated the Giants, 10-3, on Friday night in San Francisco.

Friday's 10 runs scored is the most the Mets have driven in since the 11 they put on Opening Day. The 10 runs are more than the Mets offense scored in their last four games combined. 

The combination of McLean and four relievers allowed just five hits. The Mets put up 15 hits, with each batter reaching base at least once. 

Here are the takeaways...

-The Mets offense had struggled mightily since Opening Day, but the lineup would get started early on Friday. Three straight hits from Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Bo Bichette drove in the game's first run. After Luis Robert Jr. walked the bases loaded, Giants starter Tyler Mahle got what he needed with double play from Brett Baty. Mark Vientos walked, giving way to Marcus Semien with the bases loaded and two outs. Semien lined a single to drive in the second run of the inning, but Robert Jr. held up at third when he should have scored. Carson Benge struck out swinging to end the inning.

That extra run didn't matter much as the Mets offense continued to break out of their funk.

Vientos hit a leadoff single in the fourth and Semien followed up with a two-run shot, his first home run as a Met to put the team up 4-0. Two batters later, Francisco Alvarez hit a solo shot that landed in the same place as Semien's, straight away center field. 

-Alvarez would hit a second solo home run in the seventh, but not to be outdone, Robert Jr. poked a single to drive home Lindor and Vientos, two batters later, looped a single to score Bichette and put the Mets up 8-2. 

-As for McLean, the young right-hander was perfect through four innings. He tossed 54 pitches to that point, hurt by a few 3-2 counts a couple of times through the order, but it didn't deter him. McLean would get through five perfect innings before Harrison Bader worked a leadoff walk in the sixth. McLean walked the next batter, and after a fly out, Willy Adames knocked McLean out of the game with a run-scoring double.

Brooks Raley entered to try and limit the damage in relief of McLean. After striking out Rafael Devers, a wild pitch allowed the Giants' second run of the inning to score. Luis Arraez grounded out to end the inning and close the book on McLean's night.

The talented right-hander got through 5.1 innings pitched (93 pitches/51 strikes), allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit and two walks while striking out four.

-In the top of the first, Soto was replaced in left field by Tyrone Taylor. Soto suffered a tight right calf seemingly when he was going first to third on a base hit. Taylor finished 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

-Vientos, making his fourth straight start, is making the case to stay in the lineup. The young slugger went 2-for-3 with two walks and reached base four times. It's just the third time in his career he's reached four times in a game.

Game MVP: Marcus Semien

The veteran infielder was struggling, but his two-run shot opened up the game for the Mets to win this game. Semien finished 3-for-5 and drove in three runs.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets continue their four-game set with the Giants on Saturday night. First pitch is set for 9:05 p.m. on SNY.

Clay Holmes takes the mound for the second time this season. Landen Roupp will take the mound for San Francisco.

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Mike Trout hit by pitch near head in Mariners-Angels game

Mike Trout was not entirely pleased with reaching base in the fashion that he did during the Los Angeles Angels' home opener on Friday, April 3.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo threw a 95 mph pitch that hit Trout high on the shoulder in the bottom of the first inning. That came after a high pitch that made Trout duck back.

Trout was seen glancing over at Woo with a look of disapproval before making his way over to first base.

More: Angels could be required to add Anaheim to name due to California legislation

Later in the game, Angels pitcher Reid Detmers nearly hit Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners, the pitch going behind his legs.

After nine scoreless innings of play, the Mariners outscored the Angels 3-1 in the 10th inning to secure the victory.

Trout told reporters that Woo apologized to him later in the game, per The Athletic.

Trout, the three-time MVP, has already produced six hits, two home runs, six runs scored and three RBI through the first seven games of the season.

Outside of the pitch to Trout, Woo had a solid outing on the mound. He allowed just one hit and a walk, while striking out six in seven innings pitched.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Trout hit by pitch near head in Mariners vs Angels game

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Knicks Notes: Rotation tweaks, OG Anunoby's All‑Defense push and Mike Brown's playoff belief

A few notes from the Knicks' win over Chicago on Friday...

ROTATION CHANGE?

Mike Brown went with Jeremy Sochan as his backup center against the Bulls. He was pleased with Sochan's effort.

"It allowed us to do a lot of things like switch pick and rolls," Brown said while giving Sochan the Defensive Player of the Game nod. "It brought a different element to our game. Not just offensively with the speed, but defensively with switching a lot of things and just keeping the ball in front of us."

An interesting wrinkle to Sochan's rotation minutes? Neither Jose Alvarado nor Mohamed Diawara played in the first three quarters of Friday's game.

Afterward, Brown was asked about Alvarado's role with the team. It's a "priority" to play Miles McBride and Landry Shamet at the guard spots off the bench right now, Brown said.

"We think Jose has done a fantastic job for us," Brown said. "… Deuce is getting healthier and Landry's getting healthy and trying to find minutes for those guys -- both of those guys are capable of playing that (backup guard) spot -- is going to be a priority because they've proven themselves this year for us."

Speaking of McBride's health, he was asked about tweaking his groin/ab muscle last Sunday against Oklahoma City. McBride reiterated that the tweak against OKC is part of the process as he returns from sports hernia surgery.

"It's just kind of like a tweak; it's a painful tweak," McBride said. "(It's) like someone stabbing your groin, hip and ab at the same time. It's not fun. I'll get back right. All glory to God."

Apr 3, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) drives past Chicago Bulls guard Collin Sexton (2) in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Apr 3, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) drives past Chicago Bulls guard Collin Sexton (2) in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

ANUNOBY'S ALL-DEFENSIVE CASE

Brown was surprised to hear that OG Anunoby has only made one All-Defensive team in his career (second team in 2022-23).

"It's bulls--t, and I can say that with a straight face 'cause he's a great defender and he does a lot of different things that people don't see on that end of the floor for us and for other teams he played for," Brown said. "But more importantly, his versatility is just off the charts and you can do a lot of things with your defense because of him. In my opinion, he deserves First Team All-Defense this year -- and hopefully the powers that be will see it that way, too."

Anunoby agreed with the idea that he should have been named to more than just one All-Defensive team at this point in his career.

"I think I should've gotten it more, for sure," Anunoby said. "I think I should've gotten it last year. I think I should get it this year. That's definitely a goal of mine, coming into the season, especially defensively, being on the first team or second team -- hopefully first."

McBride was also surprised to hear that Anunoby has only made one All-Defensive team in his career. McBride calls Anunoby the "nickel" corner of the Knicks' defense, pointing out that he guards players both bigger and smaller than him.

"I think that speaks to his motor, his work ethic," McBride said. "He super important for us."

BROWN REMAINS CONFIDENT IN GROUP

The Knicks reached 50 wins on Friday night. They've won 50 or more games for three consecutive years. It's the first time a Knicks team has done that since the club had four straight 50-plus-win seasons from 1991-92 to 1994-95.

In a big-picture sense, this season is another in a great run for New York. But this year's team has been inconsistent on both ends of the floor. It has lost three straight to teams above .500.

It's hard to know what to make of the team with four games left before the postseason. What does Brown think about where his team is at the moment?

"You always want your team to be playing at the highest of high cylinders," Brown said before Friday's game. "Do I think we're there right now? No. Do I have belief in this team? Yes, I do. I've seen us play really good basketball throughout the course of the year. Even in games where there's quote-unquote manufactured pressure (such as the NBA Cup). We've played really good basketball.

"I like what we have in that locker room and I like the things that we've done this year, but I expect more from myself first and everybody else second."

Brown noted that his team has performed mostly well in games against Boston, the Thunder and in the NBA Cup. That means something to the head coach.

"All games you want to win, but when you go into Boston, it's different than maybe going into another arena," he said. "Or if you go into OKC, it's different than going into another arena. Those types of games, there's a lot of manufactured pressure just because they're good teams and it’s on national TV and all that good stuff. So to get that (environment) and to be able to perform at a pretty good level -- you embrace that opportunity. You want to win all games, but to win those games -- our guys have done (well) in those situations over the course of the year.

"So my belief is, (with) this group going into the playoffs when it's real, that our guys will rise to the occasion."

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4-4: Chart

Apr 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez (44), right, hugs shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) after scoring during the tenth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images

Seattle Mariners 3, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 1

Chicken katsu sliders from Marination: Brendan Donovan (+.07 WPA)

Sweeping sliders from lefty pitchers against these Mariners: Julio Rodriguez (-.16 WPA)

Game Thread Comment of the Day:

We venerate and appreciate a dog who would’ve hated this game going long but we loved seeing be celebrated with a win.

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Michkov leads the Flyers past the Islanders 4-1, tightening the Metro playoff race

NEW YORK (AP) — Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Islanders 4-1 on Friday night to move within one point of the Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Travis Sanheim and Alex Bump had a goal and an assist each and Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia. Dan Vladar finished with 20 saves. The Columbus Blue Jackets are also tied with the Flyers with 88 points.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin made 17 saves in his 10th straight appearance, but the Islanders lost their third straight in a tightly contested Eastern Conference playoff race.

Michkov fired a shot from behind the goal line off Sorokin’s pad early in the second period to give the Flyers a 3-0 lead.

Tippett opened the scoring, completing a forehand-backhand move off a pass from Sanheim with less than seven minutes remaining in the first period.

Bump extended the Flyers’ lead to two goals when he caught Sorokin out of position and sent a wrist shot just inside the post.

Pageau scored off a feed from Mathew Barzal with less than five minutes remaining in the second period to pull New York within 3-1.

Sanheim scored midway through the third period to restore Philadelphia’s three-goal lead and put the game out of reach.

BLUES 6, DUCKS 2

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Dylan Holloway scored a pair of power-play goals, Robert Thomas had a goal and two assists, and St. Louis kept its slim playoff hopes alive with a win over Anaheim.

Pius Suter and Colton Parayko each had a goal and an assist for St. Louis and Jonatan Berggren added a goal. Joel Hofer stopped 24 shots for the Blues, who pulled to within three points of the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference with seven games left.

Ryan Poehling had a goal and an assist, and Jeffrey Viel scored for the Ducks, who remain tied with Edmonton for first place in the Pacific Division but have lost four straight games. Lukas Dostal stopped 23 shots.

St. Louis extended a 3-2 first-period lead with two goals in the second. Tyler Tucker corralled a rebound behind the goal line and flicked a pass to Suter, who snapped a shot past Dostal for a 4-2 lead at the 3:08 mark. Parayko’s shot from the right circle beat Dostal glove-side for a 5-2 lead with 3:10 left.

Holloway’s power-play goal in the third made it 6-2.

The teams combined for five goals in the first period.

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Diamondbacks Offense No Shows; Sewald Gives Up Back-To-Back Jacks In L

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 03: Raisel Iglesias #26 and Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate a 2-0 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Game Summary

Another Friday night, another tough loss. This week’s episode featured outstanding starting pitching from the hologram himself, Eduardo Rodriguez, as well as some incredible defense. Unfortunately, the offense didn’t come along for the ride and is now riding a streak of 3 runs scored in 27 innings since that 3-run go-ahead bomb off the bat of the rarely-seen-again Jose Fernandez. Sewald will get plenty of hate for his role in this outcome, but feel free to let me know the last time a team won a game when scoring 0 runs.

Eduardo Rodriguez truly does look like a new pitcher after the WBC and this offseason where he lost 30 pounds (per the Apple TV broadcast tonight). He was extremely efficient, needing 90 pitches to go 7 strong innings and rarely feeling like he was in trouble. The defense made a couple spectacular plays to back up ERod and our setup man, Juan Morillo. Corbin’s leaping grab in the first and Alek’s diving play in the 8th highlighted everything the Diamondbacks were hoping for when building out this roster this offseason: run prevention.

Unfortunately, the other side of the run prevention coin is run generation, and the Serpientes just couldn’t get anything going on that front, feeling like they were stuck in mud all night. Feel free to fact check me on this, but I don’t believe a single Diamondback reached third base all night. Grant Holmes was very effective and the 8-9 tandem of Suarez and Iglesias is top-shelf, but the Snakes just didn’t seem like they were able to make anyone work for their outs and they missed the few mistake pitches they were given. The lineup is extremely top-heavy right now, and if the Big 3 don’t do damage (combined 4-28 in the last 3 games), this team doesn’t have anyone left to reliably pick up the slack. When will Torey and the Front Office start pulling levers to try and jolt the offense? Too early to make big changes or should we just let it ride and hope to a return to the mean for our scuffling offense?

For the final bit, I’ll write about Paul Sewald. His velocity was down at 90mph on his two meatballs that were turned into the go-ahead home runs. I’m not gonna kill Torey for turning to him. The results have been there early on in the year and you gotta fire the bullets you have. However, this was the risk of building out the roster in the way Hazen did. We have a roster that’s costing almost as much as last year’s record-setting payroll, but we’re still here relying on Paul Sewald or a guy who signed a minor league contract to close out games for the foreseeable future. How much leash does Paul have? Is Loaisiga just going to be same story different character?

Loss Probability and Box Score

Outside the Box Score

  • Drake Baldwin’s single in the top of the 1st was a perfectly placed check-swing squibber that fell dribbled perfectly between ERod, Ketel, and Santana. 
  • Matt Olson’s flout in the 1st inning was came courtesy of an absolutely amazing defensive play by Corbin in right field. Olson laced a 2-1 cutter into right that looked like it might be a homer off the bat. The camera switched to follow Corbin and you could tell he was tracking it and thought he had a shot at it, then he leapt into the air and snagged the ball out of the air from the middle of the warning track. Likely not a home run saving catch, but getting to that spot and leaping up on a 98mph line drive was still a very impressive feat.
  • Corbin followed up his amazing defensive play with a less-than-amazing at bat. He swung at 3 straight sliders in the dirt and walked back to the dugout the first strikeout victim of the night.
  • Nolan Arenado made really solid contact on his line drive in the second inning (103.3mph exit velocity!) but it was a little too close to the Braves left fielder who was able to come up with a diving catch to rob Nolan of a needed base hit. It’s a shame that his highest exit velocity to this point in the season resulted in an out, but that’s how it goes when you’re slumping.
  • The pitchers were dealing through the first third of the game. ERod needed only 34 pitches to get through his first 3 innings while Grant Holmes only needed 38 pitches for his 3 innings. Holmes’ pitch count was inflated greatly by Tim Tawa’s plate appearance with 2 outs in the third. Tawa worked a great 9-pitch AB that resulted in a walk and was the first baserunner the Snakes had all night.
  • Grant Holmes recorded a wild line out fielding Ketel’s 103mph liner back up the box. Holmes looked like he barely flinched as the ball went almost directly into his glove. The camera never even saw the ball so I half expected Holmes to just double over thinking he just got drilled in the chest. Crazy catch.
  • ERod hurt himself in the 6th inning when he reached up to field a bouncer back up in the middle. He reached up and the ball bounced off his glove and as soon as ERod knew he didn’t field it cleanly he hit his glove in frustration because it killed the momentum of the ball and resulted in an infield single to put runners at the corners and 1 out with Matt Olson coming to the plate. ERod proceeded to get Olson  to strike out on a check-swing appeal, then got Austin Riley to harmlessly groundout to Geraldo Perdomo. Huge momentum swing to keep the Braves off the board in that high leverage spot.
  • Ketel Marte got the first hit for the Snakes in the 6th inning, drilling a liner the opposite way over Austin Riley at third for a 1-out single. That was right after Riley stole a hit from Tawa by making a running, bare-handed catch and throw to barely nip Timmy at first.
  • Alek Thomas made an incredible diving/sliding catch to rob a double from Drake Baldwin in the 8th. With 2 outs, Baldwin looked like he hit a sure gapper but AT kept closing and laid out at the last possible second and kept the ball in his glove through a little barrel roll to bring the good guys up to the plate in a still scoreless game. What. A. Play.
  • Sewald allowed back-to-back jacks to start off the ninth on a pair of 90mph fastballs in the middle of the zone. In Spring, he had been getting velocity back up to 92 range, but it was not there tonight.

Comment of the Game

The GameDay Thread was a humming along all night, finishing at 247 comments at time of publishing. Tonight’s COTG goes to Dano with this anti-AppleTV statement:

Coming Up

The Diamondbacks face the Braves for the third game of this series and still trying to get their first win of the set tomorrow afternoon with a 4:15pm start time on FOX. Right-hander Bryce Elder (1-0, 0.00) will take the mound for the Braves and the immaculate Michael Soroka (1-0, 0.00) takes the ball for the good guys. Another national telecast, let’s hope the boys don’t embarrass themselves!

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Opening week was a bit of a mess

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: Randy Vásquez #98 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after inducing a ground ball to end the top of the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park on March 28, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The 2-4 record at the end of the first week of the 2026 season reflected less than good execution on multiple levels for the San Diego Padres. The starters had one excellent performance from Randy Vasquez (six innings pitched, no runs and eight strikeouts) and an acceptable one from Michael King but Nick Pivetta, Walker Buehler and, especially, Germán Márquez left fans a bit panicked the first time through the rotation.

The defense wasn’t especially stellar overall, either. Miscommunications, bad routes, throwing to the wrong base and errors/dropped balls contributed to both the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants tallying runs they shouldn’t have.

Then there was the offense.

Until the 7-1 win in the final game against the Giants, the offense was sorely lacking. They barely avoided a shutout with a ninth inning home run by Jackson Merrill in first game versus the Giants and were unable to score more than three runs in five of the six games.

Shortstop Xander Bogaerts was quick to note that the Tarik Skubal they saw on Opening Day was not even the best Tarik Skubal. Logan Webb is the ace for the Giants and he was inconsistent until later in the game that the Padres lost 9-3.

Even the bullpen, definitely the strength of this team, had multiple hiccups over the first five games. First year manager Craig Stammen will learn as the season goes along, and bullpen management is the toughest part of his on-field job, but he made a few questionable decisions himself.

All this to say, things need to get cleaned up.

The road trip through Boston and Pittsburgh promises some rough weather but the Padres have to play better, despite the circumstances.

One other bright spot was the second start for Nick Pivetta in the win on the final day of the home stand. Throwing 82 pitches over five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, Pivetta looked the part of the ace he was for the Padres in 2025. You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief in San Diego.

Mason Miller

The Padres closer broke his consecutive hitless streak at 11.1 innings with a single in his save against the Giants on Wednesday. But he also extended his scoreless streak to 24 innings with that second save of the season.

Miller also debuted his new walk-out music as the Padres called on him to finish the 3-0 win against the Tigers on March 28. The start of the 1990s ńu-metal hit, “Blind,” by Korn played at the start of the ninth while Miller made his entrance and the lights went out at Petco. The new song is a hit with fans and quickly went viral all over baseball.

New attendance record at Petco Park

The Friar Faithful set a record during the first homestand of the 2026 season. Over the six sold-out games, the Padres averaged 43,665 per game and their total attendance set a new record for the franchise. It is the first time in history all the games of an opening series have sold out. They are once again second only to the Dodgers in attendance so far for the season. The 45,673 crowd that attended Opening Day was the largest of any in Petco Park history.

Injury updates
  • Matt Waldron has started two games for the El Paso Chihuahuas, going a total of seven innings with no runs allowed and nine strikeouts. He is using all five of his pitches while relying heavily on his sinker and knuckleball for outs. In his second start he finished four innings and 61 pitches as he builds up to a starter workload.
  • Jason Adam pitched a simulated game on March 31 in Lake Elsinore and threw 1.1 innings in a rehab outing with El Paso on March 28. He is scheduled to pitch in back-to-back games today and tomorrow in Tulsa, Okla. for the San Antonio Missions. He is eligible to return to the major league roster Monday.
  • Griffin Canning pitched a three-inning simulated game in Lake Elsinore on March 30, throwing 50 pitches. He will start the San Antonio versus Tulsa, Okla. game on Saturday, his first start in a regular game as he builds up and tests his repaired Achilles.
  • Yuki Matsui is in Arizona facing hitters in extended Spring Training. He has not had an appearance in a minor league game yet.
  • Joe Musgrove resumed playing catch during the Padres opening week of games and has not thrown off a mound as of yet.
  • Sung-Mun Song has played in five games with the El Paso Chihuahuas with a .211 average and .529 OPS with six strikeouts and three RBI. He has played 2B, SS and 3B on defense with the Chihuahuas.
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Blowout! A’s Demolish Astros 11-4 in Divisional Matchup

SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 03: Tyler Soderstrom #21 of the Athletics runs to third base during the game between the Houston Astros and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Friday, April 3, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Eakin Howard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

We got our second win of the season folks! The A’s throttled the Astros on Friday evening, opening their home stand with a win against a squad that is expected to compete for the division crown.

More to come…

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Jorge Polanco’s balky Achilles keeps him out of Mets lineup

New York Mets second baseman Jorge Polanco (11) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after he flies out for the final out of the tenth inning at Citi Field, Sunday, March 29, 2026,
New York Mets second baseman Jorge Polanco (11) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after he flies out for the final out of the 10th inning at Citi Field, Sunday, March 29, 2026.

SAN FRANCISCO — Jorge Polanco’s left Achilles is becoming a real pain for the Mets. 

After progressing in recent days, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, the first baseman’s ankle discomfort resurfaced on Thursday, removing him from Friday’s starting lineup. 

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It was the second time in four games that Polanco, who has been used as a DH since Sunday, was absent from the starting lineup. 

“I am not going to say concern, but it’s a day to day,” Mendoza said before the Mets’ 10-3 win over the Giants. “He’s got days where he feels it more and for the past couple of days he was in a pretty good place until [Thursday] night.” 

Polanco hasn’t played first base since last Saturday because of the discomfort, which Mendoza is terming as tendonitis. Brett Baty got the start at the position on Friday, but Mark Vientos and Jared Young have also received starts there. 

Mendoza said he’s been pleased with Vientos’ development at the position. 

New York Mets second baseman Jorge Polanco (11) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after he flies out for the final out of the 10th inning at Citi Field, Sunday, March 29, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

“[Thursday] night the way he moved, a couple of plays there,” Mendoza said. “He’s moving around well, not only when he’s fielding the baseball, but just how he’s receiving the throws. He’s looked really good there.” 

David Peterson committed an error fielding a toss from Vientos on a ball that appeared thrown behind the left-hander, and Mendoza indicated it’s part of the “learning curve” for Vientos. 

“[Vientos] made a hell of a play there,” Mendoza said. “You have got a moving target and you just continue to practice that.” 

Carson Benge (0-for-4, one RBI) received his first career start in Oracle Park’s vast right field, which includes various angles due to the ballpark’s unique layout. Mendoza said the rookie worked with outfield coach Gilbert Gomez before Thursday’s series opener to become acquainted with the various nuances. 

The Mets entered play sixth in MLB and second in the National League with 71 strikeouts by their pitchers. The team’s 3.02 ERA was sixth in MLB and tied for fifth in the NL. 

The Mets entered play sixth in MLB and second in the National League with 71 strikeouts by their pitchers. The team’s 3.02 ERA was sixth in MLB and tied for fifth in the NL. 

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Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets Player Grades: Another Winning Entry in the Lottery Sweepstakes

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 3: Cody Williams #5 of the Utah Jazz shoots a free throw during the game against the Houston Rockets on April 3, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Utah Jazz’s eight-man skeleton crew space walked to another important loss, falling to Houston 106-140 on Friday night. It’s the latest stage in the team’s moon shoot to mediocrity, losing 12 out of the last 13 games, as it navigates a tricky trajectory between competing and not winning. With a Kings loss tonight, the Jazz and Sacramento will have identical records (21-57) as each team races to plant its flag on the fourth worst record in the league. For the Jazz it’s a vital effort as they try to secure the best odds possible in the upcoming lottery, hopefully landing a star who will help them re-enter the atmosphere next season as a playoff contender. As a fan, there are times when you can’t help but cheer on the grit and fight of the group of largely second- and third-unit players who are steering the team through the last games of the season. But there are other times (tonight is one example) when you have to remind yourself that in space no one can hear you scream.

Kyle Filipowski – B+

Kyle’s decisiveness in driving to the basket was on display tonight, including a couple of spin moves in the paint which left the defender in a whirl. He had the highlight of the night, defying gravity to pass the ball off the glass to himself in midair for a dunk. His three-point shot was off tonight, going 0-4, but he was active on the boards, grabbing 7 rebounds to go along with his 17 points. Like most of the team, he struggled to contain Durant and Sengun without fouling and ended up fouling out in the 4th Quarter.

Ace Bailey – B

Ace had a hard time getting into a rhythm in the first half, starting the game with a travel, a missed jumper and a turnover and picking up two early fouls. He made some adjustments at half-time and ended the game with 22 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and a block. It wasn’t his best shooting night from three, going 2-8, but his mid-range game continues to impress as he skillfully finds his spot within the arc.

Brice Sensabaugh – B+

Brice continues to play with an edge, using his 235 lb frame to battle in the paint and scrap for loose balls. He also showed his playmaking ability, doling out a team high 5 assists, including a 2nd Quarter steal and pass to Ace for three. The development of his mid-range game and drives to the basket show the work he’s put in to expand his offensive skills. He finished the game with 20 points, 3 rebounds and a block, but also had a team high 6 turnovers.

Cody Williams – A

Cody’s impact on the game is light years from where it was at the beginning of this season. He recorded a double double tonight, leading the team with 27 points and 11 rebounds. He was particularly active on the offensive glass, snagging 5 offensive rebounds. His confidence in his mid-range game and in driving to the basket is at an all-time high. In the 1st quarter he even pulled off a Kareem-like hook shot. Once he adds a consistent three- pointer, he will be a tough player to defend.

John Konchar – C+

A rough shooting night for John, going 1-7 from the field and 1-4 from three-point territory. He was his usual scrappy self on defense, grabbing 2 offensive rebounds, creating 2 steals and blocking a shot. He also showed off his playmaking skills, dishing out 3 assists, including a no look pass to Cody for a basket in the third quarter. But his struggles in scoring hurt the Jazz in trying to compete with a red-hot Rockets squad.

Kennedy Chandler – C-

As the only true point guard in the rotation, Kennedy had an opportunity to display the ball-handling and scoring skills that have earned him a second 10 day contract. Unfortunately, it was not his night as he struggled mightily from the field, going 1-9 for 2 points and sitting on the bench the entire 3rd Quarter.

Oscar Tshiebwe – A-

Short of growing a few inches, it’s hard to see what else Oscar can do to avoid being sucked into the gravitational pull of another long stint in the G League. His scoring is much improved (15 points tonight to go along with 10 rebounds) and he vacuums up offensive rebounds like an overcharged Roomba. His effort is never in question, running the length of the floor to put home a lob from Kennedy in the 4th Quarter. His one weakness is being overpowered and outmaneuvered by bigger, stronger players and he faced one of the best tonight in Sengun.

Bez Mbeng – C-

Bez must feel like he’s still floating in zero gravity after being signed to a 2 year contract by the Jazz earlier this week. Unfortunately, the offensive onslaught from the Rockets quickly brought him back to earth. The defensive effort was certainly there—he recorded 2 steals and a block—but like the rest of his teammates, he had no answers for Sengun, Durant and company, who swarmed the court like a Klingon war party. To make matters worse, Bez was 0-4 from the field, on a night when the Jazz needed all the scoring they could get.

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Day’Ron Sharpe wants to keep on ‘showing growth’ next season after return from surgery

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Day'ron Sharpe #20 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after he slams the ball over Rayan Rupert #32 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half when the Brooklyn Nets played the Memphis Grizzlies Monday, March 9, 2026
Sharpe Nets

Despite a season-ending surgery, Day’Ron Sharpe had a career year. 

But he’s intent on honing his body to be even better in 2026-27. 

“Everything’s been going pretty good post-surgery, just rehabbing now, trying to stay in shape and stuff like that so I have a good summer,” Sharpe said. “I’d say I feel like I could do better, but I’ve shown growth this season. So it’s just all about showing growth and getting better overall. 

“From Year 1 to now, I feel like this season was another year of growth, so I’m just trying to build off that and continue to show growth in my career.” 

Day’ron Sharpe of the Brooklyn Nets slams the ball during the first half when the Brooklyn Nets played the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at Barclays Center. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Speaking to the local media for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his left thumb, Sharpe was coming off his best season. 

Sharpe averaged career highs of 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and shot a team-best 60.1 percent overall. He’d always struggled finishing around the rim amid taller centers, but he took a quantum leap in that category as well. 

He’s worked to reshape his body over the years, dropping baby fat and leaning out. But Sharpe will look to take another step toward that end. 

“My body still has been one of my biggest things,” said Sharpe, 24. “So just my body in general because I want to be more explosive next season. I’m trying to dunk on guys more next season. 

“My 3-pointer — I believe I can shoot the ball great — so just keep building my confidence in that area and just being more comfortable with the ball in my hands. The style of basketball we play, we run a lot of split game, so just being more comfortable with the basketball in my hand so I can make better decisions when I have the basketball in my hand.” 

Part of that focus on reshaping his body was to make himself more explosive vertically, to dunk on one end and to protect the rim on the other. 

But it’s also to enable him to play more extended minutes, and possibly vie with Nic Claxton for a starting role. 

“I’d say both,” Sharpe said. “Me working on my body helps me be more vertical overall, just losing some weight, also. And then the style of basketball I play, for me to be able to play that style of basketball for longer periods of time. So I’d just say both.” 

Since joining the Nets, Sharpe has been a backup, but as he has consistently improved, he’s become more and more of a viable contender for the starting job. 

After inking Sharpe to a team-friendly two-year, $12.5 million contract last summer, the Nets hold a $6.25 million team option for next season. But he’s outperformed his contract, despite the abbreviated campaign. 

Would he negotiate a long-term extension this summer? 

“I don’t know,” Sharpe said. “Whatever the team has in plan for me, that’s what they got.” 

Sharpe’s offensive rebound percentage (18.5) is the best in league history for players who’ve logged 200 games. But he’s rebounding out other parts of his game. 

Day’ron Sharpe of the Brooklyn Nets reacts after he slams the ball over Rayan Rupert of the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, March 9, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post

“It’s been his work ethic and how much he’s matured, and credit to him to put the work in and being consistent, how he’s changed his body,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “Very happy. Not just the work ethic and the production, but also the type of person that we have in the locker room. Day’Ron has got a big personality, fills the room, everybody loves him and that’s important for a group. And he cares and he wants to compete and he wants to get better. The sky’s the limit for him. 

“We’ve been working with him playing longer stretches, and when Nic’s been out, he’s been able to do it. 

“Those experiences are important. And it’s not just me saying it, it is within those two that are our centers and the anchor of defense. When they’ve played very well, our defense has been very good. There’s areas of improvement from efficiency to percentages and shots, but I’m not really worried because if he continues with this trend, everything is going to work out very well.”

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Joel Embiid makes his return, still ’pissed off’ he missed Wednesday’s win

Apr 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) controls the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

There’s always a little drama in Philadelphia.

The Sixers on Friday overcame a slow start to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-103 at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The win, their eighth victory in their last 11 games, improved their record to 43-34. They sit in the sixth seed and final guaranteed playoff spot with five games remaining.

But Joel Embiid, who shook off early struggles to have a solid overall game, was still unhappy with the team’s decision to not allow him to play in Wednesday’s win over the Wizards in D.C. The star center was dealing with an illness in the Sixers’ loss to the Heat in Miami on Monday. The team then listed him as out Wednesday after he didn’t participate in shootaround that morning.

That led Embiid to confuse everyone on April Fools, a day where his Tr-oel persona usually shines. He made multiple posts signifying his desire to play that night in the nation’s capital.

It was president of basketball operations Daryl Morey who seemingly made the call. Gina Mizell of The Inquirer cited a phone call with Morey to get Embiid’s definitive status.

And it was Morey who Embiid deferred to during his postgame availability Friday:

“I was pissed off. I wanted to play basketball. I wasn’t allowed to play basketball, so I think this is more of a question for Daryl Morey and whoever makes the decisions. Going into Miami, I was pretty sick, but I understood how important the game was and I still want to go out there and give us a chance to try to do something. … Felt a little better going into Washington. Definitely much better than I felt against Miami. Woke up [Wednesday], didn’t sleep until like 5 or 6 in the morning, with that, I couldn’t make it to shootaround. And then after that I found out online that I wasn’t playing that night. So, that kind of caught me off guard and that pissed me off. But then again, I guess they make the decisions, so it doesn’t matter what I think or not. I just got to follow. So, to answer your question, it’s more of a question for Daryl and them. I don’t know what’s going on. I just want to play basketball.”

It sounds like Embiid’s frustration comes in part because he found out about his playing status on social media. At the same time, this is his version of events and surely the team tried to get a hold of him before officially declaring him out.

Ultimately, this could be nothing. Embiid wanted to play. He missed shootaround (and they were playing an aggressively tanking team), so he was ruled out. Could there be a disconnect there between Embiid and the front office? Maybe, but this is also the kind of thing that could just as easily blow over.

While it seems highly unlikely Embiid would be available for both legs of a back-to-back, the former MVP didn’t rule out playing Saturday night against the Detroit Pistons.

“There’s a chance,” Embiid said. “I don’t know. I guess these guys decide to let me play or not. So, whatever they tell me, I guess I got to follow.”

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Ozzie Guillen fights back tears after finding out White Sox are retiring his number

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Ozzie Guillén, World Series winning manager with the Chicago White Sox, lifts the World Series trophy during a ceremony commemorating the 2005 Chicago White Sox team at Rate Field on July 12, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. , Image 2 shows Ozzie Guillen
Ozzie Guillen

Ozzie Guillen couldn’t believe it.

As he was on the Chicago Sports Network during the broadcast of a White Sox’s 5-4 win over the Blue Jays on Friday in Chicago’s home opener, Guillen was joined by Scott Podsednik.

Podsednik, best known for his All-Star and World Series title season of 2005 with the Guillen-managed White Sox, opened an envelope on-air, suggesting he didn’t know what it was.

Ozzie Guillén, World Series winning manager with the Chicago White Sox, lifts the World Series trophy during a ceremony commemorating the 2005 Chicago White Sox team at Rate Field on July 12, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Getty Images

Guillen, who was eagerly looking over Podsednik’s shoulder for an attempt at a clearer view of the letter, was then shocked to learn of what it contained.

“The Chicago White Sox announce today,” Podsednik began before he paused and appeared to look over in Guillen’s direction.

Podsednik’s voice continued, as it now echoed throughout Rate Field, “That 2005 World Series winning manager Ozzie Guillen will be honored on Saturday, Aug. 8.”

Guillen interjected, “Another bobblehead?” with a chuckle.

Podsednik continued, “With a special ceremony retiring his No. 13 uniform.”

Guillen immediately began to feel the emotions, which coincided with the crowd unleashing a round of cheers and applause for the former manager, who is now 62.

“Where’s my wife?” Guillen asked, overcome with emotion, as she immediately entered the set, and the two embraced.

Guillen, a native of the 2026 World Baseball Classic Champion Venezuela, remains a very popular name in Chicago years after his tenure.

He managed the White Sox from 2004 to 2011, winning Manager of the Year and leading the team to their first World Series in 88 years in 2005.

Then Chicago White Sox General Manager and Executive Vice-President Kenny Williams and manager Ozzie Guillén, who is draped in the flag of Venezuela, celebrate during the team’s 2005 World Series victory parade in Chicago. Getty Images

With the White Sox, Guillen went 678-617 with one title and two playoff trips; the run also included four seasons of at least 88 wins.

Guillen later managed the Marlins for one season in 2012.

As a player, the former shortstop was a three-time All-Star with the White Sox in 1988, 1990 and 1991.

He also won a Gold Glove in 1990 and was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1985.

Guillen played for the Sox from 1985 to 1997, and enjoyed stints with the Orioles, Braves and Rays, retiring after the 2000 season.