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After a mixed bag of results during their 6-game stretch on the road to open the 2026 season, the Nationals finally head home for their opening series at Nationals Park. Playing host to the 2025 World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, they are faced with an exciting matchup for their first time playing in front of the Washington faithful.

The Dodgers, per usual, continued to insert high-priced additions onto their already-vaunted roster during the offseason, bringing in a pair of All-Stars in closer Edwin Diaz and outfielder Kyle Tucker. They find themselves once again firmly at the top of just about every MLB power ranking, and opened up the season to a 4-2 record after 3-game sets against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Guardians.

Washington will continue working their 2nd time through the rotation, with a trio of veterans tasked with keeping the Dodgers’ lineup of All-Stars at bay. Offensively, the Nationals will continue to search for viable offensive reinforcements behind the scorching-hot Joey Wiemer as they take on a fascinating group of Los Angeles starters.

Game One – Friday 1:05 PM EST

WSH: RHP Miles Mikolas

LAD: RHP Emmet Sheehan

Mikolas’ 2026 campaign got off to a less-than-ideal start against Chicago, getting tagged for 4 runs across 5 innings of work. The 37-year-old veteran will look to settle into his arsenal and miss more bats in his second start of the season, after generating just 9 whiffs and 4 strikeouts in his last outing. He’ll attempt to improve upon a poor career track record against Los Angeles, with a 1-5 record and 6.20 ERA in 10 career appearances against them.

Sheehan, another youthful asset to a deep Dodgers rotation, had his fair share of ups and downs in his 2026 debut. His 4-pitch mix flashed at times against Arizona, but he lasted just 3.1 innings, ending with 4 earned runs to his name. The Nats could jump on him early and get the home opener crowd behind them, with Sheehan being the least likely Los Angeles starter in the three-game set to work deep into the game.

Game Two – Saturday 4:05 PM EST

WSH: RHP Jake Irvin

LAD: RHP Tyler Glasnow

2025 was a season to forget for Irvin, and his first start of the new year was certainly a step toward making that a reality. He was sharp across 5 innings of 2-run ball against the Cubs, racking up 7 strikeouts to just 4 total baserunners. With 2 of the 3 hits being home runs, the southpaw will have to bear down against the star-studded Dodgers lineup and keep the ball in the yard to keep Washington in the game.

Performance on the field has never been an issue for the oft-injured Glasnow, and that trend continued on March 28th, mowing down the Diamondbacks with a final line of 6 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, and 6 strikeouts. There’s always a question about how his health will hold up, but he’s a formidable opponent regardless. The Nats had his number the last time they faced off, rocking him for 6 runs across 5 innings in his lone appearance against them in a Dodgers’ uniform.

Game Three – Sunday 1:35 PM EST

WSH: LHP Foster Griffin

LAD: RHP Roki Sasaki

Griffin made his triumphant return to Major League Baseball for the first time since 2022, and he had a decent amount of success in his first start back in the bigs. The box score wasn’t anything crazy, but he showcased 5 above-average offerings and held the Cubs to 2 runs over 5 innings. He still holds a sizeable advantage over MLB hitters, simply because of the lack of him available for teams to study, and could parlay his strong 2026 debut into another impressive start.

The former Japanese phenom is still a work in progress for the Dodgers, and has developed a sort of “effectively wild” attack plan. His splitter will be a tough puzzle for the Nats to solve, but working the count could sway the game in their favor. It seems to always be a toss-up as to how Sasaki will look on any given day, and Washington will have to adapt on the fly to one of the game’s most polarizing young arms.

Can Nats Bounce Back From Game 3 Collapse Against Philadelphia?

Momentum was at an early high after the Nationals took the first game of the series against the Phillies, with their record improving to a quick 3-1. However, a melancholic offensive performance in Game 2 and a blown 5-1 lead in Game 3 have them right back at .500. Their next test comes against one of the best top-to-bottom rosters in MLB, and they have the chance to spark major excitement among the fanbase if they can grind out a series win.

Texas Rangers lineup for April 3, 2026 against the Cincinnati Reds: starting pitchers are MacKenzie Gore for the Rangers and Brady Singer for the Reds.

Its the home opener, y’all!!! Let’s rage!!!

The lineup:

Nimmo — RF

Langford — LF

Seager — SS

Burger — 1B

Pederson — DH

Smith — 2B

Jung — 3B

Carter — CF

Jansen — C

3:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -175 favorites.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone hit on several topics as he spoke to the media ahead of Opening Day in The Bronx against the Miami Marlins...

Giancarlo Stanton's hot start

Everybody knows this isn’t sustainable. But the Yankee slugger starting the season with 10 hits in his first 20 at-bats with two doubles, a home run, and a 270 wRC+ is still something to take notice of, especially as Stanton has represented a key cog in the lineup the past two years when he’s healthy. 

“He’s just kinda been on everything,” Boone said of Stanton’s .500 start through his first five games. “Recognizing pitches well. He’s really good at devising a game plan that he wants to use against a particular pitcher and staying disciplined to that. 

“But I just feel like he’s been getting himself into a really good position to hit at-bat after at-bat. Really, since his first day of being in a game during spring training. I felt like the consistency of at-bats have been there.”

The production has been there for Stanton ever since he returned to the lineup last season after dealing with elbow issues, as he hit 24 home runs with 66 RBI and posted a 158 wRC+ over 77 games last season.

The skipper said a lot of that comes with the off-the-field work of a true professional.

“I have so much respect for him,” Boone said. “He’s just such a stud in our room. I just have a lot of respect for the person and the way he goes about things. The thing he’s been through that get him to different places. 

“You go back to the end of ‘24 and the playoff run… and then really last year, he mighta been as good as ever when he came back from June on, he was just such a massive presence in the middle of our order.”

Boone added that despite Stanton getting on in age, he turned 36 last November, “he’s still so good and in a lot of ways better.” What’s behind the slugger staying good?

“He’s very cerebral and very analytical about how he goes about processing and doing things and preparing,” the skipper added. “And I think he’s got really great at the preparation game. For him personally, what does he need to mentally, physically to be ready to go up and produce in a game. 

“And he is just so mentally tough and disciplined to what he has to do you really sense that and feel that being around him the last several years.”

Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole updates

Rodon, who suffered a setback with a hamstring issue as he rehabs from offseason elbow surgery, said he hopes to throw off the mound again on Saturday, per SNY’s MLB Insider Chelsea Janes.

The lefty would be doing so less than a week after feeling that hamstring discomfort, and he added that if that session of around 50 pitches goes well, he might be headed for a rehab assignment soon after.

Boone said that it wasn’t really much of a setback for Rodon, but it all depends on how he responds to the throwing session.

“It is just a matter of when he can run and cover and field his position and things like that,” the manager said about the next steps. “He’s able to keep his arm going through this, so [the hamstring issue] is minor enough that that’s the case, so it’s a good thing.”

On Cole, Boone said he did not know when his minor league rehab start would begin, and seemed to indicate it would not be imminent for the former Cy Young Award winner.

“He just did a one-up, live the other day, so I don’t have anything on the horizon for that,” the manager said.

When asked about his conversations with the right-hander, Boone said the reports have been positive.

“It’s going well, he looks great, every bullpen, every live, every game that I’ve seen from him has been really, really encouraging,” he said. “Now it’s just continuing to stack those days and be disciplined to the timeline, and then eventually we will start that clock of building him up.

“But I don’t have that plan in front of me right now.”

Evaluation on 5-1 start

“The execution on the mound has been phenomenal, that’s one takeaway,” Boone said when asked to assess the season’s early, early goings. “I feel like the guys are playing clean behind that, too. And I feel like if we do those couple of things, with what I think our offense will be over the long haul, then we have the chance to be really good.

“But it’s a week of games, and I’d say that if we were off to a rough start, it’s a week of games. You wanna rack up wins when you game. But it’s been really good to see the level of execution by really our entire staff.”

Anthony Volpe progressing

Volpe made it through a live batting practice ok as he continues to rehab in Florida from offseason shoulder surgery.

Boone said that the shortstop is on track to return to New York in the middle of April and begin a minor-league rehab assignment around then, but he did not have a date for a potential return.

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Rookie sensation Nolan McLean takes the mound as the New York Mets face the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Friday night.

At 3-4, both teams are looking to reach .500 on the young season.

See what I’m taking with my Mets vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks for Friday, April 3.

Who will win Mets vs Giants today: Mets (-127)

Nolan McLean is one of the best prospects in the sport, and his 107 Stuff+ and .173 xBA in his debut are positive indicators of success.

That gives the New York Mets a leg up in the starting pitching department against Tyler Mahle, who had a worrisome 92 Stuff+ and fourth-percentile barrel rate in his San Francisco Giants debut.

The Giants have been anemic at the dish (64 wRC+ and .255 wOBA against RHP). They’re the weaker club, and we’re getting a shortened price since they’ve won three of their last four while New York has dropped three straight.

COVERS INTEL: Mahle’s underlying peripherals were terrible in his debut. He ranked in the 15th percentile or worse in average exit velocity, chase rate, and whiff rate.

Mets vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-104)

These two offenses have had a slow start to the season, and a matchup at the pitcher-friendly Oracle Park likely results in a low-scoring game.

The Giants have an 80 wRC+ en route to a 2-3-2 O/U record, while the Mets have an 88 wRC+ and are 2-5 O/U.

Both bullpens have a SIERA under 3.90 and have most of their best arms well-rested. They’re throwing behind starting pitchers projected to have an ERA below 4.00 this season.

Mets vs Giants odds

• Moneyline: New York -110 | San Francisco +100
• Run line: New York -1.5 (+130) | San Francisco +1.5 (-150)
• Over/Under: Over 7 (-113) | Under 7 (-107)

Mets vs Giants trend

The Mets have hit the Under in five of their last six games. Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Giants.

How to watch Mets vs Giants and game info

Mets vs Giants latest injuries

Mets vs Giants weather

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Things haven’t quite gone as planned for Marcus Semien to start the season. 

The veteran is coming off back-to-back down offensive years with the Rangers, but the Mets landed him this offseason with the hope that he had a little something left in the tank. 

He showed signs of life with four extra-base hits over his 15 spring appearances, but hasn’t quite been able to carry that production over to the early part of the regular season. 

Semien has recorded just three hits through the Mets’ first seven games.

His first two knocks were a sun-aided, Oneil Cruz botched hustle double and a single off the pitcher’s glove on Opening Day, then he picked up another infield single on Thursday. 

His latest hit snapped a dreadful 0-for-20 skid at the plate. 

Semien’s also drawn just three walks, and he’s struck out eight times over his first 28 plate appearances. 

Certainly not the start the Mets or the 36-year-old were hoping for, but neither side is growing concerned yet.

“It’s taking some time, but definitely no panic in me,” Semien told Mike Puma of the NY Post. 

“It's just [six games], I am not worried about him,” Carlos Mendoza added. “I feel like [pitchers] are attacking him, they are getting ahead of him and then they are making him chase, but I feel good with him at the plate."

After all, it hasn’t just been Semien stuck in this early-season funk.

The Mets as a team have yet to find their footing offensively, averaging just 2.0 runs per game and hitting .107 with runners in scoring position since scoring 11 times on Opening Day. 

While it’s been hard of late, the skipper has been encouraged by his team's at-bats. 

“We’re creating traffic,” Mendoza said. “That’s the one thing with our offense because we’re deep and we’ve got guys who are going to get on and we’re going to create opportunities -- more times than not those guys will come through.”

Semien and the Mets will look to get going Friday night against the Giants. 

The Royals are underway — and the early storylines are already taking shape.

In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, hosts Jacob Milham and Jeremy “Hokius” Greco, joined by Max Rieper, break down the Kansas City Royals’ recent series against the Minnesota Twins and what it reveals about the team’s early-season identity. From bullpen inconsistencies to encouraging signs in the starting rotation, the crew analyzes where the Royals stand and what needs to improve as the season unfolds.

A major focus of the discussion centers on roster construction and flexibility, particularly in light of injuries like Carlos Estevez landing on the IL. The hosts explore how Kansas City can adjust, including creative solutions involving emerging talent such as Jac Caglianone and the evolving roles of key contributors across the roster. They also examine early performances from players like Kyle Isbel and Lane Thomas, and what those trends could mean moving forward.

Looking ahead, the episode dives deep into the Royals’ farm system and top prospects for 2026, highlighting names like Dennis Colleran Jr. and Ramon Ramirez, along with broader organizational strategies for developing and integrating young talent. The conversation emphasizes the importance of depth and timing as the Royals aim to balance present competitiveness with future upside.

The episode also touches on MLB’s evolving technology, including the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) challenge system, and how it’s impacting gameplay, strategy, and fan experience. Blending analysis, insider perspective, and personality, this episode delivers a comprehensive look at the Royals’ present and future.

Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online:

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– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com
– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social

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– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod

As of last night, the Double-A Chesapeake season got under way. The highest-level Orioles affiliate that you don’t have to leave Maryland to watch is always a place with prospects to watch, at least as long as the Orioles farm system is well-stocked with prospects worth watching.

This affiliate had a lot going for it all through last season, starting with several players who are now in Norfolk, including pitching prospect Trey Gibson and outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr., all the way to the end with some late-season promotions of pitchers like Luis De León and the since-traded (for Shane Baz) Michael Forret. It didn’t really translate to wins and losses for the Baysox team itself, as they ended up with a 59-77 record a year ago.

Orioles top 30 prospects

• LHP Luis De León
• 2B/OF Aron Estrada
• RHP Tyson Neighbors
• OF Thomas Sosa
• C/1B Ethan Anderson
• SS Griff O’Ferrall

With Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers graduating out of prospect status in the early days of the 2026 MLB season, the Orioles system is now down to just one player on the current MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects list. That’s outfielder Nate George, who will be beginning the season at Frederick.

One of the key stories for the organization as this year goes along is whether they can develop some more of their talent into top prospects who will either contribute to the MLB club or headline trades for established stars. If this happens, Chesapeake will probably be a place that plays witness to it. The highest-placed prospect here, De León, is now the #2 prospect in the Orioles system, and the top pitcher in the system. Can the Orioles finally develop a homegrown player into a useful starting pitcher for the MLB team?

Estrada, my current favorite outside of the top-tier prospects, is young, having just turned 21 in January. He just keeps getting interesting results while being a young guy for the levels he’s played. This included last year when, at Aberdeen, a place that was cursed for hitters, Estrada was able to bat .284/.369/.429 before getting promoted to Chesapeake. The scouting world isn’t sure what position he’ll be able to play at higher levels and he will have to keep proving the doubters wrong by hitting at each level also.

Sometimes guys like that end up like Trey Mancini. Sometimes they end up like Connor Norby. Sometimes they end up like Frederick Bencosme, a Baysox teammate who, if you remember that you’ve heard his name before just now, you’re an Orioles prospect sicko.

Neighbors is one of the players the Orioles got in the O’Hearn/Laureano trade with the Padres last year. He is, in fact, the closest to the majors from that trade. The reliever had a 0.59 ERA in 12 games after that trade. I hope he’s in Norfolk before long. The team has generally been aggressive in moving its older prospects. This is the age 23 season for Neighbors, which is old to be at Double-A and still be much of a prospect.

The Orioles have been aggressive in promoting Sosa, who only turned 21 in January, despite Sosa never really hitting good at any of the stops lower in the minors. The outfielder with big power potential has been more in what is often described as “holding his own,” which is what you get when you have a player who’s young for the level (he’ll be close to 2.5 years below the average player at Double-A) who is able to avoid completely collapsing numbers. He hit .222/.309/.407 for Aberdeen last year. It’s not good, but it’s good enough for the team to move him up and keep waiting for the breakout at the next level.

Anderson and O’Ferrall were each part of the high picks in the 2024 draft who encountered serious struggles at High-A last year. Anderson is a first baseman/catcher with no power (four homers in 90 games last year) and O’Ferrall is a shortstop/second baseman with no power (four homers in 121 games).

Starting on the injured list

• RHP Braxton Bragg (Tommy John)
• RHP Juaron Watts-Brown (shoulder)
• RHP Patrick Reilly (Tommy John)

When the break camp rosters for the minor league teams were announced, I was surprised that Watts-Brown wasn’t listed on the Chesapeake roster. Now I know why: He’s hurt. I hope he’s recovered soon and can get back to it, because I was excited for hyphenated Team Brown.

Bragg did not have his Tommy John surgery until the end of July last year, so it’s unlikely that he’ll pitch with this affiliate this year. Absolute best case scenario might be if he is able to do a rehab outing or two before Low-A Delmarva’s season ends. Reilly, on the other hand, had his surgery in the middle of May. A return to the Double-A level before this minor league season is through is more realistic, if not guaranteed. Both of these guys were showing some real promise last year before the elbow ligaments went pop. There’s a reason why the acronym TINSTAAPP – there is no such thing as a pitching prospect – is said frequently enough to be understood.

Others who may arrive later

Pretty much anybody who’s starting the year assigned to High-A Frederick, whose roster I’ll be previewing on Monday, is a possibility to make it to Chesapeake at some point during the season. That starts with the guy who is now the #1 prospect in the system, George. It also includes high 2025 draft picks Ike Irish, Wehiwa Aloy, and Joseph Dzierwa. A pitcher, Dzierwa put on a showcase in the Spring Breakout prospect game last month.

Potentially, Vance Honeycutt, who dropped off the radar after flopping at High-A last year, could make his way up a level if his spring home run prowess translates in any way to regular season improvement. Honeycutt or any of the guys from the previous paragraph advancing depends on them actually showing well in Frederick. That’s not guaranteed for anyone, but hopefully it’ll happen for at least a couple of them.

First Half Record: 45-22 (1/6, Eastern League Northeast Division)

Second Half Record: 45-24 (1/6 Eastern League Northeast Division)

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies began the season with a higher concentration of Mets top prospects than any other team in the system, beginning the year with Jett Williams, Jonah Tong, Nolan McLean, Ryan Clifford, and Nick Morabito all rostered there. Their standout performances, combined with other farmhands stepping up, led the Rumble Ponies demolishing the division in the first half. The team won the Eastern League Northeast division by 10.0 games over the Hartford Yard Goats, their 45 wins were tied with the Erie SeaWolves for most in the league in the first half, and their .672 winning percentage was best in the Eastern League.

During the first half, and in second half, some of those players eventually were promoted and moved on, but they were replaced by other top prospects, such as Carson Benge, Jacob Reimer, Jonathan Santucci, and Will Watson. Their standout performances along with other previously unheralded players stepping up led to Binghamton making mincemeat of the competition once again. The Rumble Ponies ended the second half with a nearly identical 45-24 record, winning the second half by 7.0 games over the Somerset Patriots. Once again, their 45 wins led the Eastern League, this time the only team to win 40 or more games in the second half.

Binghamton’s 90 wins established a new season high, beating the prior record of 86, set in 2023. Their 90-46 overall record was second-best in all of minor league baseball, with only the 92-39 West Michigan Whitecaps outplaying the Ponies. Their record was the best of any Mets minor league affiliate since Capital City Bombers went 90-51 in 1998 and their .661 winning percentage was the highest of any Mets minor league team since the 1986 Columbia Mets went 90-42, good for a .682 winning percentage.

The Rumble Ponies met the Somerset Patriots in the Eastern League Division Series and swept them in the best-of-three series, 3-1 and 5-4. Facing the Erie SeaWolves in the Eastern League Finals, the Rumble Ponies lost the first game in a 14-5 blowout, but rallied in Game Two to win 5-4, and then won decisively in the clinching Game Three 8-2. With the win, Binghamton won their first Eastern League championship as the Rumble Ponies and their fourth overall, having won prior as the Binghamton Mets in 1992, 1994, and 2014.

Michael Collins will be taking the reigns as team skipper, replacing Reid Brigniac, who was hired by Tampa Bay to coach the Triple-A Durham Bulls. Joining him will be Mariano Duncan, who will be serving as bench coach, Matt Carasiti, who will be serving as pitching coach, and Rachel Folden, who will be serving as hitting coach. Duncan served as 2025 bench coach, while Carasiti will be replacing 2025 pitching coach Dan McKinney and Folden will be replacing 2025 hitting coach Nate Irving.

The 2026 season will be Michael Collins’ first in the organization. Prior to joining the Mets, he spent the last eight with the Houston Astros, acting as their catching coach. Additionally, he managed in the San Diego Padres organization, managing the DSL Padres, AZL Padres, Fort Wayne TinCaps, and Lake Elsinore Storm between 2012 and 2017. Collins, who is Australian-American and was raised in Australia, also managed the Canberra Cavalry in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 Australian Baseball League seasons.

Mariano Duncan will be returning for his eighth year in the Mets organization, and his fifth season serving as Binghamton Rumble Ponies bench coach. Additionally, he served as bench coach for the 2021 Brooklyn Cyclones and the 2019 Kingsport Mets.

The 2026 season will be Matt Carasiti’s first with the Mets, and his second season overall as a coach. In 2025, he served as pitching coach for the Everett AquaSox, the Seattle Mariners’ High-A affiliate.

The 2026 will also be the first season in the organization for Rachel Folden. She spent the prior five seasons with the Chicago Cubs, serving as Triple-A Iowa Cubs hitting coach in 2025, Double-A Tennessee Smokies hitting coach in 2024, minor league hitting coordinator in 2023, and Arizona Complex League hitting coach in 2021 and 2022.

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies will be opening the 2026 season against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Delta Dental Stadium tonight. Here’s their full Opening Day roster.

Pitchers

• Felipe De La Cruz
• Saul Garcia
• Brendan Girton
• Kevin Gowdy
• Carlos Guzman
• Douglas Orellana
• Zach Peek
• Gabriel Rodriguez
• Jonathan Santucci
• Ben Simon
• Zach Thornton
• Matt Turner
• Will Watson
• Jefry Yan

Catchers

• Kevin Parada
• Chris Suero

Infielders

• Nick Lorusso
• Jacob Reimer
• JT Schwartz
• Marco Vargas
• Wyatt Young

Outfielders

• A.J. Ewing
• Jose Ramos
• Matt Rudick
• Eli Serrano III
• D’Andre Smith

The Cubs will be part of their second home opener of 2026, after their own last Thursday, as Friday’s game will be the first 2026 game for the Guardians at Progressive Field.

For more on the Guardians, here’s Quincy Wheeler, manager of the SB Nation Guardians site Covering The Corner.

Hello Cubs fans!

Welcome to Cleveland for our home opening series. Guardians fans are excited to welcome their hometown club back after a very successful opening road trip against the Mariners and Dodgers that has seen the Guards find a way to a 4-3 record. Some things to monitor as you watch:

* Weather, as always, is the big factor. You are aware of this as residents or observers of the Great Lakes region experiencing April. Both Friday and Saturday have shower and thunderstorm chances late, at the moment. Looks like they should be able to start and possibly finish Friday’s game but Saturday’s may be more questionable. Rain clears out for Sunday – BUT it will be frigid. Such is life, but enough of meteorology for the moment.

* You will see Joey Cantillo, Slade Cecconi and Parker Messick in these three games. Cantillo had an uneven debut for 2026, but he’s a metrics darling. He’s a lefty, but actually has performed better against right-handed hitters than lefties so far. Cecconi flashed new pitch shapes and pitch mixes that had fans excited in Spring Training but he was apparently pretty ill for his first start of 2026. We will see how outing number 2 goes. Finally, Messick just finished dominating the Dodgers so that’s exciting for us. He has a magic changeup, so watch out for that. Metrics don’t love Messick as much as they do the other two, but the lefty’s got a bulldog mentality that seems to do a lot for him.

* It’s been a fitful start for the Guardians’ offense that has yet to see Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan and Kyle Manzardo (2025’s top hitters) take off. Instead, veteran Rhys Hoskins, rookie Chase DeLauter, and utility man Daniel Schneemann were the early stars. DeLauter’s health is always a topic of conversation here and he fouled a ball off his bad foot a couple days ago, so we will see if we can get him back for Opening Day at Progressive Field. If the Guardians can manage to get SOMETHING from Manzardo, Bo Naylor and their defensive-first middle infielders (Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio), they are a formidable offensive force. However, the cold, the rain and the wind may make scoring runs a challenge for everyone this weekend.

If you’re in Cleveland for the series, welcome! I always park down 4 blocks or so on Carnegie Street and walk a little bit to the games to get cheaper parking (I take my kids and have never felt unsafe doing so). I recommend the Killer Kilbane dog from Happy Dog, but there are a lot of great eating options, or, to save money, pack a soft-side cooler and bring an unopened bottle of water. Finally, the best deal in the ballpark for my money is the kid’s ice cream dish behind home plate. $5 but plenty of ice cream. Enjoy!

Fun facts

The Cubs were 3-1 at Cleveland when it mattered most, in the 2016 World Series, but they are 8-12 there in the regular season, compared to 11-8 at home. The Cubs’ 19-20 overall record is despite having outscored the Guardians by 27 runs, 186-159.

The Cubs have lost five in a row at Cleveland, two in 2021 and three in 2024. They won all three games vs. the Guardians last year at Wrigley Field.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Friday: Cade Horton, RHP (1-0, 2.84 ERA, 0.789 WHIP, 4.43 FIP) vs. Joey Cantillo, LHP (0-0, 4.91 ERA, 1.909 WHIP, 2.90 FIP)

Saturday: Shōta Imanaga, LHP (0-1, 7.20 ERA, 1.600 WHIP, 4.17 FIP) vs. Slade Cecconi, RHP (0-1, 12.46 ERA, 2.077 WHIP, 7.32 FIP)

Sunday: Edward Cabrera, RHP (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.333 WHIP, 2.00 FIP) vs. Parker Messick, LHP (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.833 WHIP, 1.50 FIP)

Times & TV channels

Friday: 3:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Saturday: 6:15 p.m. CT, Fox-TV (regional — coverage map, scroll to the bottom of that link)

Sunday: 12:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Prediction

I called for two of three in each of the Cubs’ first two series and was right once.

The Guardians are a better team than either the Nationals or Angels. And as noted by John, the Cubs have lost five straight games in Cleveland.

Nevertheless, I persist. The Cubs will win two of three.

Up next

The Cubs travel to Tampa to face the Rays in a three-game series beginning Monday afternoon. The first game of the series is the Rays’ home opener and the first game back at Tropicana Field after its renovation following the damage done there by Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

A tough away series awaits Missouri baseball this weekend as the Tigers’ travel to Kentucky Proud Park for a three-game set against No. 24 University of Kentucky. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT on Friday, followed by a 1 p.m. CT start Saturday and a noon CT finale Sunday. All three games will be streamed on SECN+.

Kentucky enters the series at 22-6 overall and 14-1 at home, while Missouri is 17-13 and 1-5 on the road. This series will set up an early April test for the Tigers, who are seeking redemption after a sudden loss to their rivals, Kansas. 

Pitching for the Tigers on Friday, April 3, will be Josh McDevitt, who is the Tigers’ most reliable pitcher, with a 3.93 ERA. McDevitt worked through three and a half innings against Texas A&M, on Friday, March 27, only allowing one run in. 

Mizzou Batters to Look Out For This Series 

Jase Woita, a Star

The most consistent hitter for the Tigers this season has been Jase Woita. He currently has a batting average of .354, with an elite OPS of 1.070 over 99 at bats. Woita has been a powerhouse for the team, with a 1.000 fielding percentage on top of his offensive play. During the first game against Auburn, Woita forced extra innings with his powerful single, keeping the game alive. 

Tyler Macon

Tyler Macon is close behind with a .360 batting average. He has a .952 OPS in 89 at-bats and has been a reliable run producer with 25 RBIs. Much of Missouri’s success this season has come from his ability to generate offense with singles and doubles.

Macon extended his hitting streak to 10 games during the series against North Dakota State and went 2 for 4 in the opener.

Cameron Benson

Cameron Benson rounds it out for the Tigers in third, as a very reliable presence for the lineup. He is batting .318, with an OPS of .933. Benson drove in four runs in the first game of the UIC series. 

Other Strong Offensive Notes 

Kam Durnin has continuously hit it off for the Tigers’, batting .319 with back-to-back singles during the first game of the Tennessee series. Juliomar Campos has only had 17 at-bats, but hit his first collegiate home run against Kansas on Tuesday, March 31, and will have lots more to show for during the remainder of the season. 

Pitching Remarks 

Javyn Pimental has been the team’s most efficient pitcher, allowing few baserunners and keeping hitters in check. His ERA stands at 3.33, and last pitched during the opener against Auburn, where he shook the crowd by allowing no runs and only three hits over six innings. 

Last but not least, Eli Skidmore has had 10 appearances this season, with his current ERA of 3.07 and a record of 2-0. Skidmore used just three pitches to get out of the eighth inning against Illinois, and will continue to shine this season. 

KU Game Highlights

A long awaited home game for the Tigers’ slipped away in a sudden loss to in-state rival Kansas on Tuesday, March 31. Missouri struggled to bring about timely hits which allowed the Jayhawks to pull through for their victory. 

The Tigers’ star player of the day was Macon, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Despite his efforts, Missouri was unable to bring runners home when needed most. On the mound was Pimental, who delivered a solid start and held Kansas to just three runs over six innings and struck out five batters. 

Skidmore went to battle as a reliever, but the Jayhawks’ rallied during the eighth inning. This loss was Missouri’s fifth in a row, but the upcoming series against Kentucky will hopefully provide another chance for the Tigers’ to secure a victory once again.  

Final Note

Missouri has not won in Lexington since April 28, 2018 so the Tigers’ will be looking to change that this weekend, while facing a top-25 team nationally in college baseball. 

With one of the Tigers’ best pitchers set to be on the mound for game one, this will hopefully set the tone early as they head into the next two games of the series. 

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