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It’s Jackie Robinson Day across MLB, and with 15 matchups on the slate, every team takes the field carrying that history, wearing #42 in tribute as we reflect on his impact on and off the diamond.

As the league honors his legacy, we’re breaking down all of the action with our moneyline MLB picks for each matchup by blending today’s action with a nod to one of the most important figures in sports history.

MLB moneyline picks for April 15

Matchup	Pick
Diamondbacks vs Orioles	-151
Guardians vs Cardinals	-102
Red Sox vs Twins	+113
Royals vs Tigers	-126
Nationals vs Pirates	-178
Giants vs Reds	-102
Cubs vs Phillies	+124
Angels vs Yankees	+167
Marlins vs Braves	-167
Rays vs White Sox	-113
Blue Jays vs Brewers	-118
Rockies vs Astros	-179
Mariners vs Padres	-109
Rangers vs Athletics	+108
Mets vs Dodgers	-208

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 4-15.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for April 15

Diamondbacks vs Orioles: Orioles (-151)

Orioles win probability: 59%

The Baltimore Orioles lineup is built to apply pressure from top to bottom, blending power with on-base ability. When they’re clicking, they force opposing pitchers into high-stress innings early, which can neutralize the Arizona Diamondbacks' rhythm on the mound.

The Orioles getting traffic on the bases can help their ability to string together extra-base hits, which becomes a major difference-maker.

Defensively, the Orioles also have the edge in terms of athleticism and range, which can quietly swing momentum by turning potential hits into outs.

Guardians vs Cardinals: Guardians (-102)

Guardians win probability: 49%

The Cleveland Guardians' biggest advantage is pitching depth and run prevention. Getting Slade Cecconi to work efficiently and keep traffic off the bases can force a St. Louis Cardinals lineup that can be inconsistent to string together clean, extended rallies.

That’s where the Guardians typically excel by turning games into low-scoring, high-pressure situations.

Red Sox vs Twins: Twins (+113)

Twins win probability: 46%

Pitching is the key here. If Simeon Woods Richardson can get ahead in counts and limit hard contact, it puts pressure on a Boston Red Sox lineup that can be dangerous but also streaky. 

The Minnesota Twins may be behind the 8-ball against Red Sox starter Connelly Early, but the rookie southpaw hasn't gone deep into his starts, failing to finish the fifth in back-to-back outings. Boston's bullpen has a respectable 3.58 ERA, but the 5.10 xFIP suggests its luck may soon run out.

Royals vs Tigers: Tigers (-126)

Tigers win probability: 55%

Offensively, the Detroit Tigers don’t need to overpower; they just need to stay disciplined. Timely hitting and situational execution can exploit a Kansas City Royals squad that occasionally struggles to put hitters away.

Guys like Spencer Torkelson can capitalize with runners on base, and that’s often enough to swing the game.

Another key factor is game flow. If the Tigers grab an early lead, they can lean on their bullpen to shorten the game and keep Kansas City from finding rhythm late.

Nationals vs Pirates: Pirates (-178)

Pirates win probability: 62%

The Pittsburgh Pirates can manufacture runs with speed, situational hitting, and timely extra-base knocks.

With Mason Montgomery opening ahead of Carmen Mlodzinski on the mound, the Pirates need a composed outing between them. If they can limit damage and avoid big innings, it puts the burden on a Washington Nationals offense that has struggled with consistency. Keeping Washington from stringing hits together is key.

Giants vs Reds: Reds (-102)

Reds win probability: 50%

The Cincinnati Reds thrive on speed and aggression, and they can turn singles into scoring opportunities quickly by pushing the pace on the basepaths. That style can disrupt a San Francisco Giants pitching staff that prefers to stay in control and limit chaos.

Getting players like Elly De La Cruz on base early can immediately put stress on both the pitcher and defense.

Cubs vs Phillies: Cubs (+124)

Cubs win probability: 44%

The Chicago Cubs have a balanced offensive attack that blends power with on-base consistency. This is pivotal against a Philadelphia Phillies pitching staff that can be vulnerable when forced into high-leverage situations. If hitters stay patient and avoid chasing, it opens the door for crooked numbers.

Angels vs Yankees: Angels (+167)

Angels win probability: 38%

Offensively, the Los Angeles Angels have tapped into the long ball in 2026, leading the American League with 26 home runs in 18 games.

That includes opening last night's game against the New York Yankees with three big flies in the first inning. With Luis Gil looking rough around the edges in his first start of the season, allowing a home run and three walks in four innings, the potential is there for another early Halos lead en route to a victory.

Marlins vs Braves: Braves (-167)

Braves win probability: 61%

The Atlanta Braves benefit from depth. Whether it’s lineup production or bullpen support, they have more ways to sustain momentum throughout the game compared to a Miami Marlins team that often relies on smaller margins.

If Atlanta gets rolling early and forces Miami to play from behind, their combination of power and lineup versatility gives it a clear path to securing the win.

Rays vs White Sox: Rays (-113)

Rays win probability: 53%

Whether it’s a solid start on the mound or a bullpen-heavy approach, the Tampa Bay Rays are well-equipped to mix and match, keeping Chicago White Sox hitters off balance.

Tampa Bay consistently does the little things well by moving runners, taking extra bases, and limiting defensive mistakes, which can be the difference in a tightly contested matchup.

Blue Jays vs Brewers: Blue Jays (-118)

Blue Jays win probability: 53%

The Toronto Blue Jays have a league-best 18% strikeout rate, meaning the lineup sustains pressure from top to bottom, which can wear Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Chad Patrick down over the course of the game.

Patrick is a pitch-to-contact hurler who has found success in limited action to start the season, with a 0.73 ERA across 12 1/3 innings. However, his 4.30 FIP and 9.8% K-rate are worrying. The Blue Jays counter with prized offseason addition Dylan Cease, who gives Toronto the clear advantage.

Rockies vs Astros: Astros (-179)

Astros win probability: 63%

The Houston Astros work counts, hit for power, and punish mistakes. The Colorado Rockies' pitching staff is already poor (understatement), so a productive Houston lineup only makes matters worse.

On the mound, the Astros typically bring a clear advantage, even if Spencer Arrighetti isn't the most reliable arm in their rotation.

Mariners vs Padres: Padres (-109)

Padres win probability: 51%

When the San Diego Padres' middle-of-the-order bats get going, they’re capable of stacking extra-base hits and applying pressure on opposing pitching staffs.

While Seattle Mariners starter Emerson Hancock has thrived this season, his pitch-to-contact approach can result in some ugly results, as evidenced by his 4.90 ERA in 2025.

Rangers vs Athletics: Rangers (+108)

Rangers win probability: 48%

The Texas Rangers turn to Kumar Rocker to right the ship tonight, and he should have help from the lineup. 

Despite losing last night, the Rangers have a decent road record (6-5) and have top performers like Brandon Nimmo, Jake Burger, and Corey Seager, who have combined for 11 home runs this season and have a prime setting at Sutter Health Park to do more damage against A's starter J.T. Ginn.

Mets vs Dodgers: Dodgers (-208) 

Dodgers win probability: 67%

We get a double dose of Shohei Ohtani tonight, as he brings his fastball that has averaged 97.7 mph since last season, placing him in the 98th percentile among MLB starters. That kind of power plays up even more in familiar surroundings, where command and confidence tend to sharpen.

With that arsenal working behind him, Ohtani is well-positioned to neutralize the New York Mets once again and dictate the tone of the matchup from the start. He'll be anchoring the offense, too, so the Los Angeles Dodgers are understandably heavy favorites in Chavez Ravine.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

On a night where Jacob Misiorowski felt like throwing up every time he threw a curveball, most of Brewers’ fandom felt the same way watching the latest Trevor Megill ninth-inning implosion this season that cost the team a chance to end their five-game losing streak.

It was the second straight outing for Megill where he gave up a crooked number in the ninth inning. Last Friday, in a tie game against the Nationals, Megill allowed four runs and struggled to field his position against a number of bunts. He got another opportunity on Tuesday, this time staked to a one-run lead, and allowed three runs.

The Brewers must make a change in the ninth inning.

Manager Pat Murphy was asked if he’d consider making a change and he said yes. When pressed on if he will make that change, Murphy said, “We’ll see. I don’t know for sure. I like to talk to other people about it. I mean, obviously you can’t have a guy go out there six times and three times not to do the job. The way he’s throwing the ball now, he doesn’t deserve it. But he can earn it back. But what are we gonna do? Who’s throwing the ball good back there that deserves it more? So we’ll figure that out. We won’t make those decisions after a heart wrenching loss like this.”

That’s certainly an understandable position for Murphy to take. He didn’t want to make a full declaration last night in the heat of the moment after a tough loss but instead wants to talk with his assistant coaches and come to a consensus and a plan for that ninth inning. Plenty fair, but the admission of considering it is enough to recognize that it probably should happen.

Megill, to his credit, spoke to reporters and was quite blunt about his performance.

“Just some dog(expletive) out there. That’s about it. Definitely way better than that. Pitches could be a lot better. Pitch execution could be a lot better. A lot of things could be better,” Megill said.

However, Murphy also raised another good point: Who do you replace him with? Abner Uribe would seem like the obvious candidate, but he gave up a run last night and struggled in the outing before, too. Angel Zerpa, who started strong, has also not looked as good of late. The leverage arms the Brewers have relied upon all seem very unreliable at the moment.

So, while you can move Megill off the closer’s spot, there may not necessarily be a ready-made replacement to take it over.

Murphy also wanted to defend Megill as well and spoke out about the fans booing Megill during that ninth inning.

“But the fans booing him after he saved 30 games for this team. A kid that’s been through all that he’s been through and what he did the year before to help us win the division and then what he did last year, and then came out with an arm injury and still pitched, and pitched one of the biggest innings of (NLDS) Game 5, and for them to be booing him up there. That’s just not, not our best fans. That’s for sure. We have great fans, but let’s remind them of that. Are they OK to be disappointed, but sometimes young men go through tough stuff. I was disappointed. And that those people wouldn’t support him when he’s going through that stuff. Does he probably care? No. Is it expected? That’s fine. But let’s not forget these aren’t machines out there. These are people. I thought that was in poor taste, but I’ve done things in poor taste, too.” Pat Murphy said.

The home fans booing their own players is never a good sign for anyone. The players, the fans, the coaches — no one is happy about the situation.

The only way to solve it, really is to play better and pitch better. Winning cures all.

The best way to get there has got to be to move Trevor Megill out of the closer’s spot for the time being. As Murphy said, he can earn it back, but the key word is “earn.” He’s not pitching well enough to deserve to keep it, despite what he did for the team last season. It’s a new year. The closer position, almost more than any other spot on the team, is a ‘What have you done for me lately?’ kind of position. What Megill did last year was great, no one can take that away from him. But with what he’s done lately, the Brewers need to make a change.

The Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees meet for the third game in their four-game series after splitting the first two. The Angels hit back-to-back-to-back homers while winning on Tuesday. Starting pitchers are scheduled to be Jack Kochanowicz for the Angels and Luis Gil for the Yankees.

How to watch Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Yankees

• Date: Wednesday, April 15

• Time: 7:05 p.m. ET / 4:05 p.m. PT

• Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

• TV Channels: Amazon Prime Video, FanDuel Sports Network West

• Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Los Angeles Angels: 9-9 (No. 3 in AL West)

• New York Yankees: 9-8 (No. 3 in AL East)

Odds

• Spread: New York Yankees -1.5

• Moneyline: New York Yankees -200 (63.9%) / Los Angeles Angels +165 (36.1%)

• Over/Under: 10.0

Starting pitchers

Los Angeles Angels: Jack Kochanowicz (2-0, ERA: 3.24, K: 12, WHIP: 1.26)
New York Yankees: Luis Gil (0-1, ERA: 6.75, K: 2, WHIP: 1.50)

Weather: 78°F at first pitch

Ah, the veteran DFA process for a player without minor league options has come and gone full circle. In the case of Martín Pérez and the Braves, this situation felt like it went from “Huh? He got DFA’d?” to “Okay, maybe he’ll go through the entire waiver wire and not get claimed” to “Oh. He didn’t get claimed but he’s not going to Gwinnett, either. Farewell!” to “Ah, he just signed another minor league deal. He’s back.”

Indeed, Pérez is back with the Braves after having signed a minor league deal with the organization on Wednesday morning. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the first to report the news.

If this process sounds familiar, it’s because we saw it play out a bunch of times with Jesse Chavez near the end of his career. I’m not saying that Martín Pérez is the new Coach Hat Man around here but it’s at least good to know that he’ll be sticking around in the minors for the time being. Pérez was pretty effective as a fifth starter for the Braves as he produced an ERA of 3.14 and a FIP of 4.07 across 14.1 innings of work and three appearances. Those numbers aren’t spectacular but for a fifth starter, that is perfectly fine.

For the time being, it seems like he’ll be staying active at Gwinnett while serving as organizational depth in case the Braves need him for a start or two — then he’ll either pitch his way into staying in the rotation or we’ll just have to do this merry-go-round all over again at some point down the road. We’ll see what happens.

The San Diego Padres improved to 11-6 on the season with their sixth consecutive win last night. The Padres combined a solid start from Michael King with just enough offense off Seattle Mariners starter Bryan Woo to take the first game of the three-game series, 4-1. Xander Bogaerts drove in three of the four runs scored for San Diego and finished the night with three hits. Jackson Merrill also logged three hits in the game. King allowed just one run over six innings, and the bullpen trio of Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam and Mason Miller secured the win. The start from King was good to see after Padres fans learned prior to the start of the game that Nick Pivetta was going to the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation. The move allowed San Diego to bring Matt Waldron up from Triple-A El Paso and he was joined by Alek Jacob who also joined the MLB club. The Padres will look to continue their winning ways in the second game of the series against the Mariners today at 6:40 p.m.

Padres News:

• Mason Miller has been the most dominant pitcher in the game since he joined the Padres at the trade deadline a season ago. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball points to some minor changes to his mechanics that have allowed him to be even more effective this season.

• Reports have come out that San Diego is interested in bringing in free agent pitcher Lucas Giolito. In a recent interview the right-hander said he has been staying busy throwing bullpens to be prepared for when he gets signed by a team and with Pivetta and Joe Musgrove on the IL, the Padres need another arm.

• Craig Stammen has had an interesting start to his managerial career with the Padres. He has shown he is not afraid to change the lineup, to give veterans days off or to play his superstar right fielder at second base. Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune says that is because Stammen is not managing scared.

Baseball News:

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed a leadoff homerun to start the game against the New York Mets, but then settled in and shutdown the Mets offense to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win.

• The Los Angeles Angels hit back-to-back-to-back home runs as part of a five-homer effort to beat the New York Yankees, 7-1.

• After hitting his first home run on Monday, Byron Buxton added two more on Tuesday and helped the Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox.

• Dominic Smith hit a walk-off home run to help the Atlanta Braves earn a win earlier in the season and he was the hero again on Tuesday with a three-run double to help the Braves complete a comeback win over the Miami Marlins.

• Detroit Tigers closer Kenley Jansen moved into third place on the all-time saves list with his 479th save on Tuesday.

Welcome back to A Pod of Their Own, an all-women led Home Run Applesauce podcast where we talk all things Mets, social justice issues in baseball, and normalize female voices in the sports podcasting space. 

This week, we begin by discussing the Mets’ current losing streak and evaluate our level of concern about the offense, which has been struggling mightily during this stretch.

Next, we talk about how nobody (except the Dodgers) really looks all that formidable across the league. We also highlight two excellent pieces of baseball reporting from the past week: a piece by Alden Gonzalez of ESPN about the tragic death of a Dominican teenager at the hands of a corrupt system and a story by Sam Blum at The Athletic about corruption of a different stripe—a sham frozen yogurt company that managed to scam the Angels and Diamondbacks out of millions of dollars.

Finally, we wrap things up with Walk-off Wins, where each of us talks about what’s making us happy this week, baseball-related or otherwise. 

You can listen or subscribe to all of our wonderful Home Run Applesauce podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on the Stitcher app, Spotify, or listen wherever you get podcasts. You can also support our work by subscribing to our Patreon, which will get you bonus episodes, access to our Discord server, livestream experiences, an exclusive monthly playlist, and more!

You can follow A Pod of Their Own on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky (@apodoftheirown) and you can follow Home Run Applesauce on Twitter and Instagram (@HRApplesauce). You can also follow our co-hosts on Twitter and Bluesky: Allison McCague (@PetitePhD), Maggie Wiggin (@maggie162), and LindaSurovich (@LindaSurovich). You can also email the show at aa.apodoftheirown@gmail.com. 

Look for A Pod of Their Own in your feeds every week and don’t forget: there’s no crying in podcasting!

Good morning everyone! Happy Jackie Robinson Day. Today, players around the sport will wear the number 42 in honor of one of the game’s greatest players and bravest men to take the field.

Yesterday, the Mariners fell to the Padres 4-1 in the first of a three-game set. They’ll look to get back in the win column this evening with Emerson Hancock taking the mound.

If you’re local to the Seattle area, don’t forget to join the Lookout Landing community at the Mariners watch party tomorrow, taking place at The Rebel in Wallingford!

In Mariners news…

• In case you missed it, the M’s placed veteran outfielder Rob Refsnyder on the paternity list and called up Patrick Wisdom to take his spot.
• Julio Rodríguez is following in the footsteps of Mariner greats before him — such as Ken Griffey, Jr. and Randy Johnson — by picking up a photography hobby (well, videography in his case, but just roll with it).
• J.P. Crawford showcased his value as a bottom-of-the-order table setter in this recent series against the Astros, writes Brent Stecker.
• A Thurston County grandmother is looking for plus-ones to Mariners games following the death of her son, and you could be lucky enough to join her!
• Max Ellingsen wrote up his report on the Mariners’ No. 2 prospect, left-hander Kade Anderson.
• All of you corporate workers out there will get a kick out of the Mariners attempting to guess what various corporate acronyms stand for.
• LL commenter ShayMailloux1988 wonders why there are so many teams sitting at .500 to start the season.
• The Meet at The Mitt podcast is now on Reddit!
• Speaking of, John Trupin and Isabelle Minasian recorded an episode straight off the high of the four-game sweep of the Astros (Spotify link; Apple link).

Around the league…

• Orioles manager Craig Albernaz suffered at least seven fractures in his cheek and a broken jaw when he was hit in the face by a line drive during Monday’s game against the Diamondbacks.
• MLB players are just like us, using group chats to communicate with one another. Andy McCullough at The Athletic dove into how players use modern modes of communication to speak to one another, and how trades impact the group chat dynamic. ($)
• The Penn Museum has announced that former Phillies reliever Brad Lidge is joining their Board of Advisors.
• It sounds like Astros starter Tatsuya Imai is struggling with the adjustment to American baseball.

• Last night, the UCLA college baseball team wore retro No. 42 jerseys in honor of Jackie Robinson.

The story of Tuesday had to be a rough first inning for Atlanta Braves top prospect Didier Fuentes. More importantly the way he bounced back in a big way after facing that adversity to give Gwinnett seven solid innings. We also saw Sean Murphy start his rehab assignment, Aiven Cabral pitch a gem, and Herick Hernandez continued to make hitters struggle to make contact.

Memphis Redbirds 4, Gwinnett Stripers 3

• Brett Wisely, 2B: 2-4, HR, 2B, R, RBI
• Jim Jarvis, SS: 1-3, BB, R, RBI, 2 SB
• DaShawn Keirsey Jr., CF: 2-4, 2B, R
• Didier Fuentes, SP: 7 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Box Score

Statcast

Memphis scored four in the first and the Stripers were in comeback mode for the rest of the night, before falling just short at 4-3. It was Didier Fuentes’ night, which means he struggled out of the gate. He allowed those four first inning runs, though only three were earned, including a homer. However he settled down and went six additional innings without allowing a run. He allowed just three hits and no walks over his final six innings and picked up a total of five strikeouts on 13 whiffs. This ability to bounce back from adversity is definitely a plus for the talented young prospect, especially while facing a good lineup featuring a number of Cardinals prospects. Anderson Pilar pitched the eighth and didn’t allow a base runner, as the Stripers only needed two arms on Tuesday.

Once again Jim Jarvis stayed hot, but the story for the Striper lineup was actually his double play partner. Second baseman Brett Wisely was two for four with a homer and double, picking up a run scored and one batted in in the process.

Jarvis reached base multiple times again, going one for three with a walk, two steals, a run scored, and one batted in. Center fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. also had a multi-hit game, going two for four with a double, and scoring one of the Stripers runs. The only other hit was a Jair Camargo single.

Biloxi Shuckers 4, Columbus Clingstones 2

• Lizandro Espinoza, CF: 2-3, HR, BB, R, RBI, SB
• David McCabe, DH: 1-3, BB, R
• Herick Hernandez, SP: 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K

Box Score

The Herick Hernandez experience was on in this one. Hernandez mixed making guys swing and miss and missing with his command as he threw 46 of his 81 pitches for strikes, picking up four walks and seven strikeouts on 13 whiffs. Hernandez, who allowed a homer, was charged with three runs – though none of those were earned. Luis Vargas was next and allowed the fourth run to score during his inning and two thirds. Blayne Enlow pitched a scoreless inning and a third, while Blane Abeyta and Ryan Bourassa each threw a scoreless frame to complete things from the pitching side.

Columbus struggled to get the offense going in this one, which made this game feel like it was more out of reach than the final 4-2 score indicates. As a team they managed just three hits, from only two players, plus five walks. Lizandro Espinoza and David McCabe essentially were the offense. Espinoza homered, singled, walked, stole a base, scored a run, and batted one in as he reached base three times in his four trips to the dish.

McCabe singled, walked, and scored a run. Those two accounted for all of the Columbus hits and 40% of the walks, with Archer Brookman, Jordan Groshans, and Luke Waddell each having a walk as well.

Jersey Shore BlueClaws 12, Rome Emperors 1

• Isaiah Drake, LF: 1-4, R
• Owen Carey, RF: 1-3, BB, RBI
• Colby Jones, 3B: 1-4, 2B
• Jeremy Reyes, SP: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 BB 4 K

Box Score

This one was over early on, as Jersey Shore struck for two in the first and never looked back on their way to what looked like a 12-0 shutout, before Rome was able to punch in a run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Jeremy Reyes started for Rome and lasted just three and a third, allowing four runs on seven hits and a pair of walks. On the positive side he had four strikeouts and eight whiffs. David Rodriguez got the next inning and two thirds, allowing two runs (one earned), before Jacob Wallace went a scoreless frame – the lone Rome pitcher not to have anyone score on him last night. The game broke open when Trent Buchanan came in for a third of an inning and gave up four runs. The night was finished off by Logan Samuels allowing an unearned run in an inning and two third and finally Jacob Kroger allowing a run in his inning of work.

The offense never got started for the Emperors, as they scored their lone run with one out to go in the game after totaling just three hits in the game. Isaiah Drake, who scored the only run, Colby Jones, who had a double for the lone extra base hit, and Owen Carey, who also walked and batted in the run, were the three players to record hits. John Gil, Cody Miller, and Mason Guerra each joined Carey in drawing walks. A rehabbing Sean Murphy was hitless in two at bats, with one strikeout, before being removed from the game – something normal for rehabbing players in the Braves system.

Augusta GreenJackets 4, Fayetteville Wood Peckers 2

• Tate Southisene, 2B: 0-3, BB, R, RBI, 2 SB
• Nick Montgomery, C: 2-4, 2B, R
• Aiven Cabral, SP: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
• Styven Paez, RP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K

Box Score

Aiven Cabral turned in a great start in this one. A late pick from Mike Glavine’s Northeastern squad last team, Cabral allowed a run on four hits and two walks over six innings for a quality start. Cabral struck out eight and picked up 14 whiffs in the process.

Styven Paez relieved Cabral and in his inning and two thirds, he didn’t allow a hit or run, though walked two and picked up a pair of strikeouts on seven whiffs. Jaylen Paden went the final inning and a third for the save, though the undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech did allow a solo homer in the ninth inning.

The story of the Augusta offense was a pair of recent high draft picks who struggled here last year, but are off to strong starts this year. Catcher Nick Montgomery, an overslot fifth rounder from 2024, was two for four with a double and a run, as he is looking far more advanced with both the bat and behind the plate than he looked just last year. Last year’s first round pick, Tate Southisene, was hitless in three at bats, but walked, scored a run, batted one in, and also stole two bases. Southisene continues to look great following a big week for himself last week. Luis Guanipa and Alex Lodise were each hitless in four at bats, with each picking up a pair of strikeouts. The recently activated Juan Mateo had a single in four at bats, and came home to score a run.

Welp, just when it seemed like the Yankees bats were waking up with their 11-10 walk-off win in the series opener against the Angels, they immediately went back to sleep scoring just one run in a listless middle-game loss. It never helps when your starting pitcher gives up back-to-back-to-back home runs in the first inning, but the offense has yet to score a run for Ryan Weathers in any of his four starts.

It was a full day of action around the league, so let’s see how the games involving the Yankees’ AL rivals shook out.

Minnesota Twins (11-7) 6, Boston Red Sox (6-11) 0

A day after Garrett Crochet got rocked in his worst start with the Red Sox, the Twins again thoroughly outclassed their opponents to continue their surprisingly hot start to the season. This time it was Mick Abel — headliner in the trade that netted the Phillies closer Jhoan Duran at last year’s Deadline — and Byron Buxton who stole the headlines. Abel authored the best start of his major league career, twirling seven scoreless innings allowing four hits and no walks to go along with ten strikeouts.

Buxton meanwhile was a one-man wrecking crew, going 4-for-5 with a pair of solo home runs. The first was to lead off the third — a 401-foot moonshot to left — followed by a mammoth 438-foot missile to left-center in the sixth.

The Twins tagged Sonny Gray for five runs on nine hits in four innings. Brooks Lee also left the yard to lead off the fourth, and three batters later Trevor Larnach drove in a pair with a single.

Toronto Blue Jays (7-9) 9, Milwaukee Brewers (8-8) 7

What looked like a pitchers’ duel pitting Kevin Gausman against the flame-throwing Jacob Misiorowski didn’t quite deliver on that billing, Gausman allowing three runs on six hits and three walks in five innings while Misiorowski allowed two runs on five hits and no walks across 5.1 innings, both striking out five. Instead, this contest was all about late-game chaos that continued into extra-innings, the Blue Jays riding clutch hitting to tie and then win the game.

Jake Bauers opened the scoring in the fourth with a three-run blast after Brice Turang led off with a single followed by a Gary Sánchez walk. Andrés Giménez responded with a two-out solo shot an inning later, and Daulton Varsho cut the deficit to one with a solo homer of his own in the sixth. The two sides traded runs in the seventh and eighth, Sánchez crushing his fifth home run of the year only to see it canceled out by an RBI groundout from Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

That brought Toronto to the ninth trailing by a run, only for Trevor Megill to blow the save. Eloy Jiménez drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on a Davis Schneider double, and scored the game-tying run on a single by offseason signing Kazuma Okamoto. Giménez followed with an RBI groundout and Ernie Clement extended their new-found lead to two with a single.

To their credit, the Brewers immediately fought back, leveling the score on a two-out, two-run double by ex-Yankees farmhand Brandon Lockridge. Garrett Mitchell drew a walk to load the bases, but Louis Varland entered the game and put out the fire by striking out Joey Ortiz to send the game to extras.

In the tenth, Vladito slugged a one-out double to drive home the automatic runner, Jesús Sánchez then being issued an intentional walk to set up the killer two-run double by Myles Straw. Varland remained in the game, and though he allowed a pair of two-out singles to William Contreras and Turang to draw Milwaukee within two, he struck out Sánchez to end the game, single-handedly stranding five runners in 1.1 innings.

Houston Astros (7-11) 7, Colorado Rockies (6-11) 6

The Astros’ nine-day nightmare is over, Houston snapping their eight-game losing streak with the narrowest of victories over the Rockies, who had just swept them last week. Colorado actually scored the first three runs of the game, Hunter Goodman smashing a two-out solo shot in the first and Jake McCarthy a two-out, two-run triple in the second after Jordan Beck and Kyle Karros reached on consecutive two-out singles. Christian Walker crushed a solo shot in the second to get the Astros on the board, but it was the third inning that decided the outcome of this contest.

Michael Lorenzen gave up six runs in the frame, but only one of them was earned as Willi Castro committed a pair of back-breaking errors at second on a Jose Altuve pop up and Joey Loperfido soft liner. It wasn’t the only bit of shoddy defending that prolonged the frame and allowed runs to score, Karros failing to make a throw on a fielder’s choice and Ezequiel Tovar failing to make a play on a grounder that was generously scored a single. Yordan Alvarez drove in a pair with a double and Cam Smith another on a single as the only truly clean hits of the frame.

The Rockies didn’t go down quietly, Jordan Beck adding a solo shot in the fourth and Goodman his second of the night to lead off the fifth, while a Troy Johnston RBI single in the eighth made it a one-run game. They had other opportunities to score, but Mickey Moniak popped out to strand the bases loaded in the fourth and Beck struck out with a pair on to end the game.

San Diego Padres (11-6) 4, Seattle Mariners (8-10) 1

Michael King turned in six sharp innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits and two walks against five strikeouts to gain the upper hand over Bryan Woo and his seven innings of three-run ball on eight hits and a walk. Seattle struck first, Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley reaching on a pair of one-out singles followed by a J.P. Crawford hit-by-pitch to set up a sac fly from Dominic Canzone.

San Diego responded with three runs in the third. Ramón Laureano reached on a one-out triple and scored on a Fernando Tatis Jr. single. Jackson Merrill then singled and stole second to put a pair in scoring position, Xander Bogaerts cashing them both in with a bloop single to center.

Bogaerts drove in his third run of the contest in the eighth with a single after Merrill led off with a double. Mason Miller extended his scoreless streak to eight games to open the season, locking down what is already his fifth save.

Other Games

Detroit Tigers (8-9) 2, Kansas City Royals (7-10) 1

Cole Ragans an Framber Valdez put on a show, the former tossing six scoreless innings allowing one hit and four walks while the latter went seven innings, allowing a run on three hits and two walks. Kansas City held a 1-0 lead for most of the game, singles by Salvador Perez and Starling Marte and a Jonathan India walk loading the bases in the second to set up a Carter Jensen RBI ground out. But then Detroit finally broke through in the eighth, scoring two off reliever Nick Mears as Zach McKinstry led off with a double, rookie phenom Kevin McGonigle drew a walk, and Dillon Dingler drove them both home with a double.

St. Louis Cardinals (9-8) 6, Cleveland Guardians (10-8) 5

The start of this game was all about the solo home run, José Ramírez and Daniel Schneemann leaving the yard in the first and second only to have them canceled out by Iván Herrera in the first and JJ Wetherholt in the third. The rookie Wetherholt looks like the real deal, adding a two-run blast in the eighth after Cleveland scored three in the top-half of the frame on an RBI double by George Valera and two-run double by Angel Martínez. Cleveland closer Cade Smith was the most valuable reliever in each of the last two seasons, but he has struggled to start 2026. He came within one out of locking down the save, but a fielding error by second baseman Juan Brito on a Masyn Wynn grounder kept the inning alive for Yohel Pozo to send the game to extras with an RBI double. After the Guardians went down in order in the top of the tenth, Tim Herrin uncorked a first-pitch wild pitch to allow the automatic runner to advance to third, and on the next pitch Nathan Church walked it off with a sac fly.

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It's a full slate of MLB matchups today, and our baseball experts have their MLB best bets ready to roll.

Check out our favorite MLB picks for April 15, priced at Polymarket — which allows baseball fans coast-to-coast to participate in the action.

MLB expert picks for today

Pick	Odds
Josh Inglis: TOR ML	-133
Neil Parker: PHI ML	-133

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Josh Inglis' expert pick: Blue Jays moneyline

Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket

Betting is a beautiful thing. I hated the Blue Jays yesterday, but with a putrid Milwaukee bullpen and a starter in Chad Patrick (who is luckier than a first-timer in Vegas), Toronto should be trading at -150 with Dylan Cease on the bump. The Jays piled up seven runs on the bullpen last night, and the blown saves are stacking up for the Brewers... across multiple names. They had one of the best pitchers in baseball last night leave with a lead, and today, that lead might not exist. The Jays are hurt, but they also have one of the best bullpen ERA's in baseball over the last week.

Neil Parker's expert pick: Phillies moneyline

Price: 57¢ (-133) at Polymarket

Philadelphia lefty Jesus Luzardo's 6.23 ERA is quite misleading: His 2.82 xERA and 1.65 xFIP suggest he has been much better than that crooked number, and both his .359 BABIP and 46.5% strand rate are unsustainably bad. The Phillies also finished the 2025 season ranked fifth in wOBA against left-handed pitchers, so I’m expecting Cubs southpaw Shota Imanaga to have trouble navigating their lineup tonight. A soft schedule has inflated Imanaga's numbers to start the campaign, and the Phillies have also been unlucky, sporting the second-lowest BABIP against LHP so far in 2026.

More MLB best bets for today

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