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Spoiler alert: There weren’t going to be many highlights to share from tonight’s St. Louis Cardinals game in Pittsburgh as the Pirates bullpen nearly no-hit the birds. However, the St. Louis Cardinals broke the heart of the Bucks thanks in part to a loud homecoming from JJ Wetherholt and a rally for the ages.

The Pittsburgh Pirates tossed a potpourri of pitchers on the mound for Monday night’s game versus the St. Louis Cardinals and nearly made history. Mason Montgomery tossed 1 inning. He was followed by Justin Lawrence who also served his team with a perfect inning. Wilber Dotel was responsible for the heart of the game and he was also perfect through his 4 innings. It wasn’t until Evan Sisk in the top of the 7th inning that a St. Louis Cardinal reached base and that was Alec Burleson barely beating out an infield hit tapped to third baseman Nick Gonzales.

The Pittsburgh Pirates offense wasn’t exactly on fire either as Dustin May held them to 2 runs on just 7 hits through a solid 6 innings. Dustin May’s start was nearly overlooked when Mangum singled in Gonzales in the bottom of the 1st inning and O’Hearn scored Lowe on a single in the bottom of the 2nd inning to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead. It’s too bad that the Cardinals offense didn’t give him support earlier.

The Cardinals offense was such a dud (for the first 8 innings) Monday night that the TV play of the game was a groundout to third base in the 7th inning. Seriously. That changed in the 9th inning, though, when Pedro Pagés hit a one-out home run into the left field bleachers cutting the Pirates lead in half 2-1.

The Pagés bomb was followed up by JJ Wetherholt who grew up just 18 miles from PNC Park. With many friends and family in the stands to watch, JJ ripped a home run over the right-center field wall to tie the game 2-2. Welcome home, rookie, indeed.

The cardiac Cardinals were not done. Iván Herrera walked and was pinch-run for by Victor Scott II. Alec Burleson then hit a dribbler that hugged the third base line and refused to go fowl for an infield hit. Jordan Walker then walked to load the bases. José Fermín followed that with a blazing double down the left field line to give the Cardinals a 4-2 lead.

Let’s not forget to acknowledge Ryan Fernandez who threw 2 innings without allowing a run to keep the Cardinals within striking distance.

George Soriano was brought in to close out the heart of the Pirates lineup in the bottom of the 9th representing a still-exhausted bullpen. Soriano was nearly lights out with Pittsburgh managing a 9th inning single, but future superstar Konnor Griffin was the final out.

The St. Louis Cardinals will try for an encore Tuesday night when Kyle Leahy takes the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40pm central time again at PNC Park.

The Rays won a well-pitched, sharp defense nail biter tonight in Cleveland, with Steven Matz (seven innings pitched) and Ryan Vilade (three hits, two RBI) leading the way.

If you like quick moving pitching duels, then the first four and a half innings of this game would be your idea of a good time.

The Rays had their work cut out for them, facing Plant City’s own Parker Messnick, a 25-year old lefty who has been phenomenal over his short career.

Steven Matz, pitching for the Rays, came off a terrible start against the Reds but tonight he had overcome whatever had caused him to give up four walks and three homers in just three innings (or maybe his problem last time was simply having to face the 21st century iteration of the Big Red machine).

He scattered two hits until the fifth inning, when he gave up a two-run homer to Daniel Schneemann (fun fact, his last name translates to “snow man.”) You know the baseball truism, “it’s not the home runs, it’s the walks before the home runs?” Tonight that was truly the case. Just before Snow Man’s homer, David Fry had walked on a 10 pitch at bat, with ball four coming after Cleveland challenged a called strike.

The Rays did get one of those runs back in the sixth inning. Yandy Diaz drew a walk, advanced to second on a ground ball and scored on Ryan Vilade’s two out single. This was nice because it cut the Cleveland lead in half, and also led to Messick’s exit from the game.

Matz pitched very well — his final line was seven innings, four hits, two runs and one walk. He only struck out two but being a weak contact guy > being a big K guy, at least sometimes, because a weak contact guy is more likely to get through seven innings.

He was also helped by good defense, with really no “what the heck” plays in the field, and a few very nice outs like this one:

The Rays finally managed to barrel up a few pitches, and take the lead, in the eighth inning. Jonathan Aranda homered on a mistake pitch over the plate.

Junior Caminero hit a 114mph single, after which he was pulled for a pinch hitter, Richie Palacios. Palacios immediately stole second. Although some of us speculated that Vilade, up next, would be replaced by Jake Fraley to face the right handed pitcher, but Cash stuck with Vilade, and Ryan singled Richie home. The Rays took the lead and made their manager’s decisions look like genius. Take that, “Fire Cash” twitter account.

Ian Seymour came out to pitch the eighth, and when he walked the lead off batter and fell behind 2-0 to the next batter, many of us might have been thinking “Um Kevin, seriously? Ian Seymour?” But a fly out and two strikeouts later that, too, looked like a brilliant move.

It was no surprise that Cash went to Bryan Baker to close out the 3-2 game, but for a few miserable minutes that, ironically, looked like the one move that was going to bite the team in the rear. After getting the dangerous Jose Ramirez out, Baker allowed hits to the next two batters, putting men on second and third with just one out. But Baker reached back for that something extra, and struck out the next two batters.

Here is how the game ended:

That’s five in a row, and wins in nearly every game against an American League team. Suddenly I think interleague play is the worst!

The Dodgers continue their series against the Miami Marlins with the middle game on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Shohei Ohtani takes the mound on Tuesday, needing six more innings to get back on the ERA leaderboard for at least another day. The Dodgers mulled flipping Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow in the rotation such that Ohtani could pitch on Wednesday, the day before a team off day, but decided to stay in order after Glasnow pitched eight scoreless innings last Thursday in San Francisco.

Janson Junk starts for Miami. Among the 138 pitchers with at least 20 innings this season, Junk’s 15.5-percent strikeout rate ranks 116th, so expect a lot of balls in play.

Tuesday game info

• Teams: Dodgers vs. Marlins
• Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
• Time: 7:10 p.m.
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Chicago Cubs (17-11) at San Diego Padres (18-9), April 27, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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ARLINGTON, Texas — Jasson Domínguez is back in a Lamborghini after crushing it in a Corolla.

And while the luxury car may just be a rental, Domínguez is looking to make the most of it.

The 23-year-old outfielder — who, upon being optioned to Triple-A on the penultimate day of spring training, compared going back to the minors after spending last year in the majors like driving a Corolla after being in a Lamborghini — was called up to join the Yankees on Monday before they eventually placed Giancarlo Stanton on the 10-day injured list with a “low-grade” right calf strain.

How long of a run Domínguez gets remains to be seen — the Yankees might need to open a roster spot as soon as Friday if Anthony Volpe is deemed ready to return from the IL, and Stanton may not be a long-term absence — but at least for this series against the Rangers, Domínguez has a chance to prove he belongs again.

“Down there in Triple-A, that’s what you work for,” Domínguez said Monday before serving as the designated hitter and going 1-for-4 in a 4-2 win at Globe Life Field. “You want to get back to the majors. Now that I’m here, trying to enjoy my time and help the team.”

Domínguez, who was squeezed out of an everyday role in the second half last year and then faced the same situation to start this season with Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger both back in the fold, has impressed everyone around the Yankees with how he has handled the situation.

“Phenomenal,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He deserves a lot of credit. I think one thing the last four months has revealed is Jasson Domínguez’s character. Because when we did some of the things we did this winter, there was all the talk and writing on the wall maybe that he was going to potentially start in Triple-A. All he did was come and work. Showed up early to spring training ready to go, had a good spring and then has gone down to Triple-A.

“As a young player, when you’ve been here and had some success at the big league level and you got to go back, a lot of times you see guys struggle and not do well or pout a little bit. He hasn’t done any of that. He’s worked hard, he’s performing and he deserves to be here right now.”

Entering this season, the two biggest weaknesses in Domínguez’s game were hitting right-handed against lefties and playing consistent defense in left field.

He has made real strides on the former — hitting .389 (7-for-18) with a 1.172 OPS — while the latter remains a work in progress.

“He’s been raking at Triple-A,” Aaron Judge said. “I think he was definitely upset not making the team out of camp. I think he’s going to show up here ready to prove some people wrong and send a message, so I’m excited about it.”

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS

Domínguez’s success against left-handers is important because it would make him more viable on the big league roster full time.

The Yankees already have enough left-handed hitting outfielders, but if Domínguez proves his gains from the right side are real, he could vie for the fourth-outfielder role currently held by Randal Grichuk.

“There’s very good reasons on the team for me to go to Triple-A. I understand it,” Domínguez said. “It’s been good. Trying to get better at the things I have to get better [at].”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided some injury updates prior to Monday’s game in Texas… 

Anthony Volpe

The Yankees still don’t know if Volpe will be ready to rejoin the team when they take on the Orioles over the weekend.

Volpe is set to continue his rehab in Double-A on Tuesday and Wednesday, then they’ll see how he’s feeling from there. 

The young slugger has been swinging a hit bat thus far during his rehab, hitting .308 with a homer and three RBI across eight minor league games. 

He’s played shortstop in all of those games, and has committed just one error. 

Volpe has missed the first few weeks of the season as he continues working his way back from shoulder surgery he underwent in October. 

Carlos Rodon

There had been some thought that with Luis Gil being sent down, Rodon would be ready to return the next time the team needs a fifth starter on May 5. 

However, Boone quickly shot down that idea.

The left-hander is set to make his second rehab outing on Thursday, jumping up to Double-A after a successful High-A outing on Friday.

He allowed just one hit and struck out four across 4.1 scoreless innings. 

Rodon reached up to 65 pitches (43 of which were strikes), so the hope is that he’ll be able to stretch out to around 75 in this next outing. 

He’ll likely need a couple of more appearances before coming back. 

Gerrit Cole

Taking the ball the day before Rodon will be Cole. 

The Yanks continue playing things safe with their ace on his road back from Tommy John, but he is set to shift his rehab back to Somerset on Wednesday. 

Cole began the assignment there before being bumped down to High-A last week, where he allowed two runs across 4.1 innings of work. 

He’s now allowed five runs (four earned) over his first two appearances. 

Rodon is expected back first, but Cole will also likely require a handful more outings before the Yanks are comfortable working him back into the mix. 

The Pittsburgh Pirates have had a lot to celebrate recently. The team entered play April 27 at 16-12, just two games back of the NL Central lead in the most competitive division in baseball to start the year. They're coming off a series win over division rival Milwaukee and reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes is looking dominant as ever after his lackluster Opening Day start.

However, the Pirates wanted to take the celebrations up a notch, and since rookie Konnor Griffin's 20th birthday was April 24, the team made sure to bring the celebration to the locker room ... by ordering a bounce house.

As evidenced by the video, this wasn't the first time the Pirates had considered getting a bounce house in the locker room. Skenes had thought of that very act not long ago. Now, the Pirates have seen it through.

How did Konnor Griffin perform on his birthday?

Griffin balled out on his birthday, so perhaps the bouncy castle will become a new tradition.

The highly-touted rookie went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI and his first major league home run in Pittsburgh's 6-0 win over Milwaukee.

Konnor Griffin stats

Although Griffin went bananas on his birthday, the top prospect has struggled to start his big league career, slashing just .224/.286/.316 with one home run through 22 games.

Griffin remains one of the fastest players in baseball though, boasting a sprint speed in the 99th percentile of the league and one of the best bat speeds in baseball as well.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Konnor Griffin gifted a bounce castle for 20th birthday

Juan Soto’s return to the Mets was much anticipated last week, but it has hardly jump-started an ailing lineup.

A team in need of juice isn’t receiving it.

Soto is 3-for-15 (all singles) in his five games since returning from a right calf strain, and his nakedness within the lineup is evident: he’s drawn six walks over that stretch as opponents hardly seem intimidated by the options behind him.

“You can make a case, right?” manager Carlos Mendoza said when asked about teams pitching around Soto. “You pitch around him, and that is kind of what we’re seeing here.”

It certainly hasn’t helped that Francisco Lindor strained his left calf last Wednesday only four innings into Soto’s return from a nearly three-week IL stint.

Lindor, who has been relegated to a walking boot, won’t be back anytime soon.

Bo Bichette has served as the leadoff hitter, removing him from the spot behind Soto in the batting order.

It has left Mendoza to tinker with Luis Robert Jr. and Francisco Alvarez behind Soto.

Neither has produced enough to dissuade pitchers from working around Soto.

After the Mets got swept in a doubleheader Sunday against the Rockies — and scored one run over the 18 innings — Soto was careful to avoid pointing fingers, but it was clear he understood how exposed he’s appeared in the lineup.

Another key component, Jorge Polanco, is on the IL with a right wrist contusion.

The Mets signed the veteran Polanco largely as a lineup replacement for Pete Alonso, who served as Soto’s primary protection last season.

Even before the wrist injury, Polanco was hobbled by Achilles bursitis.

He owns an ugly .532 OPS over 61 plate appearances, primarily as the DH. 

“I can’t tell you they are pitching around me,” Soto said. “I had a couple of pitches today to do damage and I couldn’t come through. Definitely, they don’t want to give up extra-base hits, so definitely they are being a little careful, not only with me, but with other guys you have to be careful with in this lineup. It’s part of the game.”

The Mets entered Monday last in MLB with a .625 OPS and it wasn’t particularly close; the equally disappointing Phillies were ranked one spot ahead of them with a .656 OPS.

When Soto returned Wednesday, the hope was that he would provide pop to a sorely deficient lineup. Soto delivered a career-high 43 homers last season, when he finished third in the National League MVP voting.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS

Soto has homered only once in 46 at-bats this season.

If it’s any consolation to the Mets, last season Soto homered only three times before April 30, over 112 at-bats.

Soto’s scarce power would be easier for the Mets to digest if there were other big bats in the lineup.

But Alvarez (four) is the only Mets player with more than two homers. Soto (.831) and Alvarez (.760) are the only Mets regulars with an OPS above .700.

“It’s just a matter of time that they are going to wake up and bring the best out of themselves,” Soto said. “I know they are trying their hardest to be their best and be out there and perform. But sometimes things don’t go your way. That’s where you are professional: Keep your head up and keep moving forward.”

In the meantime, Mendoza — fighting to keep his job amid a slide in which the Mets have lost 15 of 17 games — is searching for his own answers.

“It’s hard to explain when you have that many guys that are going through it at the same time,” Mendoza said. “It’s just not a good showing — not good at-bats up and down. You have a guy here and there, but we are not hitting the ball hard consistently and it’s hard to explain, because usually you get three or four guys going through it, but you get four or five guys that can carry you, but right now it’s hard to describe.”