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Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Diamondbacks play a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Tuesday night...

5 things to watch

How will Mets replace Juan Soto?

Soto left Friday night's game against the Giants in San Francisco ahead of the second inning due to a calf issue. Following an MRI, Soto was diagnosed with a minor calf strain and labeled day-to-day.

The Mets said on Saturday that the plan was to assess Soto in 48-72 hours and then determine next steps. On Monday, they made the next step, placing Soto on the 10-day IL (retroactive to Saturday) and noting that a typical return to play for this kind of injury is two-to-three weeks.

With Soto out, the Mets have multiple ways they can go.

They can use Jared Young (who went 3-for-3 on Sunday) in one of the corner outfield spots, along with Luis Robert Jr. in center field and Carson Benge in the other corner spot.

The Mets could also get Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Jorge Polanco all in the lineup by using Baty in a corner outfield spot while deploying Vientos and Polanco at first base and designated hitter. 

Francisco Lindor is in an offensive funk

Lindor is hitting just .135/.333/.243 with two extra-base hits (both triples) in 48 plate appearances over the first 10 games of the season.

On the plus side, Lindor has drawn a National League-leading 10 walks. And his incredibly low batting average on balls in play (.172) compared to his career BABIP (.291) suggests he has been very unlucky.

On the negative side, Lindor hasn't been hitting the ball particularly hard (34.5 percent hard hit percentage) and has been hitting the ball on the ground a ton (48.3 percent).

Lindor didn't have a full spring training of at-bats due to surgery for a stress reaction to his left hamate bone, so it's possible he's working off the rust.

It should also be noted that the surgery Lindor had is something that sometimes saps power for a period of time upon a player's return. 

The Mets' pitching has been elite

New York has allowed just 32 runs this season, with only the Yankees, Braves, and Reds giving up fewer.

A lot of that has to do with terrific starts to the season from Kodai Senga (3.09 ERA), Nolan McLean (2.61 ERA), and Clay Holmes (1.42 ERA).

The Mets also got a very strong outing from Freddy Peralta (one run in 5.1 innings) in his second start of the year after he was victimized by some bad luck (including a two-run homer that had an xBA of .030) on Opening Day.

If David Peterson rounds into form after allowing six runs (five earned) against the Giants after tossing 5.1 scoreless innings against the Pirates in his first start of the season, New York's rotation will be in great shape.

In the bullpen, four of the Mets' relievers (Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, and Huascar Brazoban) are unscored upon, while Tobias Myers (1.13 ERA and 0.38 WHIP in 8.0 innings) has been a multi-inning weapon.

The D-backs are giving up runs in bunches

The Diamondbacks' run differential was seriously dented when they allowed 17 runs to the Braves last Thursday.

But their pitching hasn't been very good overall, with Arizona allowing five runs or more in six of their 10 games.

Some of that damage came during a season-opening three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers, and the D-backs have faced two other contenders (the Tigers and Braves) since. So it's not like they've been getting victimized by also-rans. 

Against the Mets, Arizona will send out Zac Gallen (3.60 ERA in 10.0 innings), Ryne Nelson (5.79 ERA, four homers allowed in 9.1 innings), and Eduardo Rodriguez (0.00 ERA in 12.0 innings over his first two starts).

Mets must be careful with Corbin Carroll

Arizona has mustered just 35 runs this season, an average of 3.5 per game.

Unsurprisingly given that lack of overall production, key lineup cogs Ketel Marte (.578 OPS), Geraldo Perdomo (.577 OPS), Alek Thomas (.408 OPS), and Carlos Santana (.279 OPS) are off to slow starts.

Offseason acquisition Nolan Arenado (.426 OPS) is also struggling.

One player whose bat is sizzling? Carroll.

The dynamic outfielder is hitting .313/.410/.656 with two homers, two triples, one double, and nine RBI.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Bo Bichette

Bichette is starting to break out.

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

Nolan McLean

McLean has been largely dominant during his first two starts despite not having his best stuff in either one. 

Which Diamondbacks player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?

Ketel Marte

Marte's bat started to wake up on Sunday, as he went 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles. 

Who is he and where did he come from?

He’s Tyler Uberstine, and if you’ve been furrowing your brow at Greg Weissert coming in and letting another inherited runner score, he’s a guy you might want to get to know.

Uberstine, from Santa Monica, California, was selected by the Red Sox in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Northwestern and worked his way up the Major League system after initially stalling in single-A ball for three years. But a switch flipped following his Tommy John surgery and he consistently struck out more than a batter per inning his whole way up the ladder.

The Easter bunny had a surprise in store for Uberstine yesterday, as the 26-year-old came in to pitch the sixth inning and made his Major League debut, keeping it a 6-4 ball game against the Padres. He showcased his notable command and got his first Major League strikeout… and his second one, too! This gave the Red Sox the ability to tie the game up in the seventh.

Uberstine was surprisingly thrown back in to start the eighth and gave up his first Major League home run. That put him in a position to take the decision loss in his debut, but the managerial blunder shouldn’t take away what was a pretty good appearance: 2 2/3 innings pitched, 1 run, two strikeouts, three hits, and a walk.

What position does he play?

He’s a right-handed pitcher. He’s primarily been used as a starter since he was drafted, but he can provide multi-inning relief in the situation the Red Sox find themselves in currently, especially with Johan Oviedo, who very much was penciled into that role, going to the IL, and Garrett Whitlock’s wife giving birth to their second child. (Congrats to the Whitlock family!)

Is he any good?

He could be. Uberstine turns 27 on June 1, and so it’s cool to have a homegrown talent this side of 30 that really climbed his way to the Major League roster despite not never blowing anyone away. Now, he did have a health stumble by way of a Tommy John surgery in 2023, requiring him to miss most of that season, but his fastball remains at around 94 miles per hour. Unfortunately, he lacks a bit of command with the heater, which grades out at just 45 on the scouting scale. He also has a five-pitch arsenal, and his sinker tops 90. He’s best known for painting the top of the strike zone, as displayed in the second pitch in this video. His dependability since returning from Tommy John surgery and ability to adjust to batters quickly has likely led to his early-season debut above some other arms in the organization.

Tl;dr, just give me the stats.

Last year, in Double-A and Triple-A, he made 25 appearances, logging 137 strikeouts in 120 innings with a 3.58 ERA, while giving up 16 homers and walking 37 batters.

Show me a cool highlight.

When he has command, he really has it. Here’s another strikeout.

What’s he doing in his picture up there?

Practicing the ridiculous on-base celebration the Red Sox are doing this year, or at least the toned-down version, which our own Maura McGurk is totally right to criticize. I don’t long for others to get on turbulent plane rides, but it was a much better celebration following that trip to Denver.

What’s his role on the 2026 Red Sox?

You’re seeing it right now. He might eat some innings, and he’ll likely induce a lot of swings and misses. Last year, his whiff percentage was 38% in Triple-A. It’s notable that Uberstine was put into a game in which the Red Sox found themselves down by two runs, because getting them through those somewhat-trivial innings may be his primary job at first. It’s also totally likely that, if his impact is just menial, Payton Tolle’s time to rejoin the club in mid-May to buy the team another year of contr…. I mean, to help his development, may signal the end of Uberstine’s time on this squad, barring any sort of injury or horrendous play by any current member of the bullpen. But the best case scenario is that this draft pick carves out his own spot on the roster the same way he’s entered conversations to make his Major League debut in the first place.

Who is he and where did he come from?

He’s Tyler Uberstine, and if you’ve been furrowing your brow at Greg Weissert coming in and letting another inherited runner score, he’s a guy you might want to get to know.

Uberstine, from Santa Monica, California, was selected by the Red Sox in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Northwestern and worked his way up the Major League system after initially stalling in single-A ball for three years. But a switch flipped following his Tommy John surgery and he consistently struck out more than a batter per inning his whole way up the ladder.

The Easter bunny had a surprise in store for Uberstine yesterday, as the 26-year-old came in to pitch the sixth inning and made his Major League debut, keeping it a 6-4 ball game against the Padres. He showcased his notable command and got his first Major League strikeout… and his second one, too! This gave the Red Sox the ability to tie the game up in the seventh.

Uberstine was surprisingly thrown back in to start the eighth and gave up his first Major League home run. That put him in a position to take the decision loss in his debut, but the managerial blunder shouldn’t take away what was a pretty good appearance: 2 2/3 innings pitched, 1 run, two strikeouts, three hits, and a walk.

What position does he play?

He’s a right-handed pitcher. He’s primarily been used as a starter since he was drafted, but he can provide multi-inning relief in the situation the Red Sox find themselves in currently, especially with Johan Oviedo, who very much was penciled into that role, going to the IL, and Garrett Whitlock’s wife giving birth to their second child. (Congrats to the Whitlock family!)

Is he any good?

He could be. Uberstine turns 27 on June 1, and so it’s cool to have a homegrown talent this side of 30 that really climbed his way to the Major League roster despite not never blowing anyone away. Now, he did have a health stumble by way of a Tommy John surgery in 2023, requiring him to miss most of that season, but his fastball remains at around 94 miles per hour. Unfortunately, he lacks a bit of command with the heater, which grades out at just 45 on the scouting scale. He also has a five-pitch arsenal, and his sinker tops 90. He’s best known for painting the top of the strike zone, as displayed in the second pitch in this video. His dependability since returning from Tommy John surgery and ability to adjust to batters quickly has likely led to his early-season debut above some other arms in the organization.

Tl;dr, just give me the stats.

Last year, in Double-A and Triple-A, he made 25 appearances, logging 137 strikeouts in 120 innings with a 3.58 ERA, while giving up 16 homers and walking 37 batters.

Show me a cool highlight.

When he has command, he really has it. Here’s another strikeout.

What’s he doing in his picture up there?

Practicing the ridiculous on-base celebration the Red Sox are doing this year, or at least the toned-down version, which our own Maura McGurk is totally right to criticize. I don’t long for others to get on turbulent plane rides, but it was a much better celebration following that trip to Denver.

What’s his role on the 2026 Red Sox?

You’re seeing it right now. He might eat some innings, and he’ll likely induce a lot of swings and misses. Last year, his whiff percentage was 38% in Triple-A. It’s notable that Uberstine was put into a game in which the Red Sox found themselves down by two runs, because getting them through those somewhat-trivial innings may be his primary job at first. It’s also totally likely that, if his impact is just menial, Payton Tolle’s time to rejoin the club in mid-May to buy the team another year of contr…. I mean, to help his development, may signal the end of Uberstine’s time on this squad, barring any sort of injury or horrendous play by any current member of the bullpen. But the best case scenario is that this draft pick carves out his own spot on the roster the same way he’s entered conversations to make his Major League debut in the first place.

The Royals announced they have activated Michael Massey off the Injured list and have demoted Nick Loftin to Triple-A Omaha. Massey had missed the first nine games with a calf injury. He spent three games on rehab with Omaha and hit 3-for-12 (.333) With a home run.

Massey is facing an important season after missing much of last year with injury. He hit just .244/.268/.313 with three home runs in 77 games, but came on at the end of the season, hitting .375 in his final 21 games after returning from the Injured List. The Royals signed him to a $1.57 million contract in his first year of arbitration, expecting him to fill in at second base and outfield. Massey shows good power potential for a middle infielder, but has struggled to get on base and has battled a myriad of injuries in his career.

Loftin appeared in four games and hit 2-for-9 (.222) with two walks and a double and struggled defensively in left field in Sunday’s loss to Milwaukee.

The Royals announced they have activated Michael Massey off the Injured list and have demoted Nick Loftin to Triple-A Omaha. Massey had missed the first nine games with a calf injury. He spent three games on rehab with Omaha and hit 3-for-12 (.333) With a home run.

Massey is facing an important season after missing much of last year with injury. He hit just .244/.268/.313 with three home runs in 77 games, but came on at the end of the season, hitting .375 in his final 21 games after returning from the Injured List. The Royals signed him to a $1.57 million contract in his first year of arbitration, expecting him to fill in at second base and outfield. Massey shows good power potential for a middle infielder, but has struggled to get on base and has battled a myriad of injuries in his career.

Loftin appeared in four games and hit 2-for-9 (.222) with two walks and a double and struggled defensively in left field in Sunday’s loss to Milwaukee.

Well, the good news is that the Atlanta Braves still have yet to lose a series here in 2026. By this time last year they were doing nearly nothing but losing, so I will happily take a 6-4 start over that shambolic 2-8 start that they had over the course of their first 10 games in 2025.

Still, there does feel like there were some missed opportunities to get off to an even better start. The split in Arizona comes to mind and the power outage against Seth Lugo and the Royals in their attempt to get a sweep also comes to mind as well. With that being said, winning (or splitting) series on a regular basis will pay off in the long run and since baseball is a marathon rather than a split, it’s more fruitful to look forward than backwards.

So here we are, looking forward to what’s in store for the Braves this week. Interestingly enough, it’s more interleague action as Atlanta will finish their West Coast swing in Anaheim against the Angels before returning home to take on the Guardians for three games. Let’s get into the details, y’all.

April 6-8: Los Angeles Angels

Current Record: 5-5 Projected Record (via FanGraphs): 72-90

So the Angels are 5-5 so far and they actually don’t look as moribund as a lot of folks expected them to look coming into this season. Granted, this could just be a case of a bad team getting off to a decent start before eventually bottoming out but hey, the Braves can’t choose whenever they play anybody so they appear to be getting the version of the Angels that could be very tricky to deal with.

Of course, when you think of the Angels you think of Mike Trout and unfortunately for them, his status for this series is currently in doubt. Trout got hit on his left hand by a pitch on Sunday and he’s now day-to-day. It’s a shame because so far, he’s actually showed some signs of looking like the old Mike Trout who could put up some gaudy numbers and be an absolute pain for opponents to deal with. Atlanta might dodge a bullet there with Trout but they’ll still have to deal with shortstop Zach Neto, who has gotten off to a very good start to begin the season. First baseman Nolan Schanuel has launched a pair of homers as well so that’s another guy to keep an eye on (in addition to old friends Travis d’Arnaud, Jorge Soler and mangaer Kurt Suzuki as well).

With that being said, the biggest headache for Atlanta in this series may come from the pitching for the Halos. They will have to deal with José Soriano, who has yet to give up a run so far through his first two starts and Reid Detmers has also been a handful for opposing hitters to deal with here in the early goings. The good news is that the Braves will be countering Soriano with Chris Sale on Monday night and as long as both Reynaldo López and Grant Holmes continue their strong starts to their respective seasons then the Braves should be fine when it comes to matching wits on the pitching mound.

Also, we have to mention what Jo Adell did because it’s just sick and I still can’t believe he robbed three homers in a single game. Absolutely incredible stuff.

Game 1: Monday, April 6 at 9:38 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
Game 2: Tuesday, April 7 at 9:38 p.m. ET (BravesVision, Gray TV)
Game 3: Wednesday, April 8 at 4:07 p.m. ET (BravesVision)

April 10-12: Cleveland Guardians

Current Record: 6-4 Projected Record: 76-86

Following a much-needed off day on Thursday, the Braves will be home to take on the Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland’s off to a nice start as well. and they have one player in particular to thank for it: Chase DeLauter. Major League Baseball’s 2026 rookie class has had a lot of hype surrounding it and so far, the young guns look to be living up to the expectations here in the extremely early portion of the season. DeLauter is one of those young guns, as he’s come out of the gates by clubbing five homers, bringing in nine RBI and scoring seven runs, himself. Naturally, when it comes to the Guardians lineup then you have to be concerned with Jose Ramirez could do to you with Steven Kwan lurking as well. However, it’s been guys like DeLauter, Gabriel Arias, Austin Hedges, David Fry and even Rhys Hoskins who have been getting it done to get the season started for the Guardians.

More than likely, the Braves will be seeing Parker Messick, Slade Cecconi and Tanner Bibee during this series and being completely honest here, I do like Atlanta’s chances in these pitching matchups. Now granted, this’ll mean that Bryce Elder will have to keep things going in the right direction and the fifth spot in the rotation will have to deliver a good-to-great start for once but hey, this pitching staff has been puling its weight so far this season and who’s to say that they can’t get it done against this Cleveland team once they come back to town? This is another series that I’d label as “tricky” but the Braves can handle it — especially being at home where they’ve looked comfortable very early on.

Game 1: Friday, April 10 at 7:15 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
Game 2: Saturday, April 11 at 7:15 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
Game 3: Sunday, April 12 at 7:20 p.m. ET (NBC Sunday Night Baseball)

Well, the good news is that the Atlanta Braves still have yet to lose a series here in 2026. By this time last year they were doing nearly nothing but losing, so I will happily take a 6-4 start over that shambolic 2-8 start that they had over the course of their first 10 games in 2025.

Still, there does feel like there were some missed opportunities to get off to an even better start. The split in Arizona comes to mind and the power outage against Seth Lugo and the Royals in their attempt to get a sweep also comes to mind as well. With that being said, winning (or splitting) series on a regular basis will pay off in the long run and since baseball is a marathon rather than a split, it’s more fruitful to look forward than backwards.

So here we are, looking forward to what’s in store for the Braves this week. Interestingly enough, it’s more interleague action as Atlanta will finish their West Coast swing in Anaheim against the Angels before returning home to take on the Guardians for three games. Let’s get into the details, y’all.

April 6-8: Los Angeles Angels

Current Record: 5-5 Projected Record (via FanGraphs): 72-90

So the Angels are 5-5 so far and they actually don’t look as moribund as a lot of folks expected them to look coming into this season. Granted, this could just be a case of a bad team getting off to a decent start before eventually bottoming out but hey, the Braves can’t choose whenever they play anybody so they appear to be getting the version of the Angels that could be very tricky to deal with.

Of course, when you think of the Angels you think of Mike Trout and unfortunately for them, his status for this series is currently in doubt. Trout got hit on his left hand by a pitch on Sunday and he’s now day-to-day. It’s a shame because so far, he’s actually showed some signs of looking like the old Mike Trout who could put up some gaudy numbers and be an absolute pain for opponents to deal with. Atlanta might dodge a bullet there with Trout but they’ll still have to deal with shortstop Zach Neto, who has gotten off to a very good start to begin the season. First baseman Nolan Schanuel has launched a pair of homers as well so that’s another guy to keep an eye on (in addition to old friends Travis d’Arnaud, Jorge Soler and mangaer Kurt Suzuki as well).

With that being said, the biggest headache for Atlanta in this series may come from the pitching for the Halos. They will have to deal with José Soriano, who has yet to give up a run so far through his first two starts and Reid Detmers has also been a handful for opposing hitters to deal with here in the early goings. The good news is that the Braves will be countering Soriano with Chris Sale on Monday night and as long as both Reynaldo López and Grant Holmes continue their strong starts to their respective seasons then the Braves should be fine when it comes to matching wits on the pitching mound.

Also, we have to mention what Jo Adell did because it’s just sick and I still can’t believe he robbed three homers in a single game. Absolutely incredible stuff.

Game 1: Monday, April 6 at 9:38 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
Game 2: Tuesday, April 7 at 9:38 p.m. ET (BravesVision, Gray TV)
Game 3: Wednesday, April 8 at 4:07 p.m. ET (BravesVision)

April 10-12: Cleveland Guardians

Current Record: 6-4 Projected Record: 76-86

Following a much-needed off day on Thursday, the Braves will be home to take on the Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland’s off to a nice start as well. and they have one player in particular to thank for it: Chase DeLauter. Major League Baseball’s 2026 rookie class has had a lot of hype surrounding it and so far, the young guns look to be living up to the expectations here in the extremely early portion of the season. DeLauter is one of those young guns, as he’s come out of the gates by clubbing five homers, bringing in nine RBI and scoring seven runs, himself. Naturally, when it comes to the Guardians lineup then you have to be concerned with Jose Ramirez could do to you with Steven Kwan lurking as well. However, it’s been guys like DeLauter, Gabriel Arias, Austin Hedges, David Fry and even Rhys Hoskins who have been getting it done to get the season started for the Guardians.

More than likely, the Braves will be seeing Parker Messick, Slade Cecconi and Tanner Bibee during this series and being completely honest here, I do like Atlanta’s chances in these pitching matchups. Now granted, this’ll mean that Bryce Elder will have to keep things going in the right direction and the fifth spot in the rotation will have to deliver a good-to-great start for once but hey, this pitching staff has been puling its weight so far this season and who’s to say that they can’t get it done against this Cleveland team once they come back to town? This is another series that I’d label as “tricky” but the Braves can handle it — especially being at home where they’ve looked comfortable very early on.

Game 1: Friday, April 10 at 7:15 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
Game 2: Saturday, April 11 at 7:15 p.m. ET (BravesVision)
Game 3: Sunday, April 12 at 7:20 p.m. ET (NBC Sunday Night Baseball)

Some of us hardcore fans track Royals players from the moment they are signed. Some of these players spend some time in Royals blue at the big league level, only to depart, others never make it to Kansas City, but continue their career bouncing around in other organizations.

Some former Royals signed multi-year contracts last winter, including Ryan O’Hearn with the Pirates, Brad Keller with the Phillies, and Mike Yastrzemski with the Braves. Some were former top prospects that could use a change of scenery, like MJ Melendez with the Mets and Nick Pratto with the Rangers. Former first round pick Foster Griffin returned from a stint in Japan to become a sought-after free agent, signing with the Nationals. Some players have changed positions – Fernando Cruz and Erick Mejia were infielders when they were in the Royals farm system, and now they are pitchers.

Here’s a compilation of players that once played in the Royals organization either as big leaguers or minor leaguers, that are on MLB-affiliated rosters or in Asia to begin the year. These rosters are as of today, and are subject to change.

Hitters

CJ Alexander, Astros (AAA)

Andrew Benintendi, White Sox

Cavan Biggio, Astros (AAA)

Dairon Blanco, Rangers (AAA)

Mark Canha, Rangers (AAA)

Orlando Calixte, Chunichi Dragons (Japan)

Bobby Dalbec, Yomiuri Giants (Japan)

Paul DeJong, Yankees (AAA)

Cam Devanney, Hanshin Tigers (Japan)

Jared Dickey, Athletics (AA)

Clay Dungan, Padres (AAA)

Nate Eaton, Red Sox (AAA)

Ryan Fitzgerald, Dodgers (AAA)

Adam Frazier, Angels

Freddy Fermin, Padres

Jordan Groshans, Braves (AA)

Randal Grichuk, Yankees

Garrett Hampson, Reds (AAA)

Brewer Hicklen, Braves (AAA)

Nicky Lopez, Rockies (AAA)

MJ Melendez, Mets (AAA)

Callan Moss, Pirates (AA)

Ryan O’Hearn, Pirates

Edward Olivares, Rays (AAA)

Blake Perkins, Brewers

Tommy Pham, Mets (AAA)

Logan Porter, Giants (AAA)

Nick Pratto, Rangers (AAA)

Jakson Reetz, Mariners (AAA)

Franmil Reyes, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (NPB)

Sebastián Rivero, Angels (AAA)

Brent Rooker, Athletics

Esteury Ruiz, Marlins (IL)

Carlos Santana, Diamondbacks

Jorge Soler, Angels

Samad Taylor, Padres (AAA)

Cayden Wallace, Nationals (AA)

Joey Wiemer, Nationals

Mike Yastrzemski, Braves

Pitchers

Jason Adam, Padres (IL)

Dan Altavilla, Twins (AAA)

Nick Anderson, Athletics (AAA)

Scott Barlow, Athletics

Mason Barnett, Athletics (AAA)

Scott Blewett, Cardinals (AAA)

Jonathan Bowlan, Phillies

A.J. Causey, Athletics (AA)

Chandler Champlain, Nationals (AAA)

Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox

Taylor Clarke, Diamondbacks

Dylan Coleman, Yankees (AAA)

Austin Cox, Yokohama DeNA BayStars (Japan)

Fernando Cruz, Yankees

Michael Fulmer, Giants (AAA)

Gerson Garabito, Brewers (AAA)

Robert Garcia, Rangers

Ofreidy Gómez, Mets (AAA)

Foster Griffin, Nationals

Jesse Hahn, Blue Jays (AAA)

Patrick Halligan, Red Sox (AAA)

Hunter Harvey, Cubs

Thomas Hatch, Diamondbacks (AAA)

Taylor Hearn, Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Japan)

Ben Hernandez, Mariners (AA)

Carlos Hernández, Guardians (IL)

Tim Hill, Yankees

Andrew Hoffman, Diamondbacks

Matthew Hoskins, Rays (Low-A)

Jakob Junis, Rangers

Brad Keller, Phillies

Will Klein, Dodgers

Rylan Kaufman, White Sox (AA)

Brooks Kriske, Athletics (AAA)

Jackson Kowar, Orioles (AAA)

Ben Lively, Guardians (IL)

Sam Long, Chiba Lotte Marines (Japan)

Michael Lorenzen, Rockies

Richard Lovelady, Mets

Elvis Luciano, Yomiuri Giants (Japan)

Andrés Machado, Orix Buffaloes (Japan)

Sean Manaea, Mets

Yunior Marte, Reds (AAA)

Yunior Marte, Giants (High-A)

Logan Martin, Giants (AA)

Erick Mejia, Nationals (AA)

Wyatt Mills, Dodgers (AAA)

Noah Murdock, Pirates (AAA)

Connor Oliver, Pirates (High A)

Joel Payamps, Braves

Trevor Richards, Phillies (AAA)

Jarold Rosado, White Sox (AA)

David Sandlin, White Sox (AAA)

Colin Selby, Orioles (IL)

T.J. Sikkema, Red Sox (AAA)

Brady Singer, Reds

Evan Sisk, Pirates (AAA)

Burch Smith, Tigers (AAA)

Collin Snider, Cubs (AAA)

Gabe Speier, Mariners

Josh Staumont, Reds (AAA)

Jacob Wallace, Braves (AAA)

Luke Weaver, Mets

Ryan Weiss, Astros

Kyle Wright, Cubs (AAA)

Ryan Yarbrough, Yankees

Angel Zerpa, Brewers

Tyler Zuber, Marlins (AAA)

Some of us hardcore fans track Royals players from the moment they are signed. Some of these players spend some time in Royals blue at the big league level, only to depart, others never make it to Kansas City, but continue their career bouncing around in other organizations.

Some former Royals signed multi-year contracts last winter, including Ryan O’Hearn with the Pirates, Brad Keller with the Phillies, and Mike Yastrzemski with the Braves. Some were former top prospects that could use a change of scenery, like MJ Melendez with the Mets and Nick Pratto with the Rangers. Former first round pick Foster Griffin returned from a stint in Japan to become a sought-after free agent, signing with the Nationals. Some players have changed positions – Fernando Cruz and Erick Mejia were infielders when they were in the Royals farm system, and now they are pitchers.

Here’s a compilation of players that once played in the Royals organization either as big leaguers or minor leaguers, that are on MLB-affiliated rosters or in Asia to begin the year. These rosters are as of today, and are subject to change.

Hitters

CJ Alexander, Astros (AAA)

Andrew Benintendi, White Sox

Cavan Biggio, Astros (AAA)

Dairon Blanco, Rangers (AAA)

Mark Canha, Rangers (AAA)

Orlando Calixte, Chunichi Dragons (Japan)

Bobby Dalbec, Yomiuri Giants (Japan)

Paul DeJong, Yankees (AAA)

Cam Devanney, Hanshin Tigers (Japan)

Jared Dickey, Athletics (AA)

Clay Dungan, Padres (AAA)

Nate Eaton, Red Sox (AAA)

Ryan Fitzgerald, Dodgers (AAA)

Adam Frazier, Angels

Freddy Fermin, Padres

Jordan Groshans, Braves (AA)

Randal Grichuk, Yankees

Garrett Hampson, Reds (AAA)

Brewer Hicklen, Braves (AAA)

Nicky Lopez, Rockies (AAA)

MJ Melendez, Mets (AAA)

Callan Moss, Pirates (AA)

Ryan O’Hearn, Pirates

Edward Olivares, Rays (AAA)

Blake Perkins, Brewers

Tommy Pham, Mets (AAA)

Logan Porter, Giants (AAA)

Nick Pratto, Rangers (AAA)

Jakson Reetz, Mariners (AAA)

Franmil Reyes, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (NPB)

Sebastián Rivero, Angels (AAA)

Brent Rooker, Athletics

Esteury Ruiz, Marlins (IL)

Carlos Santana, Diamondbacks

Jorge Soler, Angels

Samad Taylor, Padres (AAA)

Cayden Wallace, Nationals (AA)

Joey Wiemer, Nationals

Mike Yastrzemski, Braves

Pitchers

Jason Adam, Padres (IL)

Dan Altavilla, Twins (AAA)

Nick Anderson, Athletics (AAA)

Scott Barlow, Athletics

Mason Barnett, Athletics (AAA)

Scott Blewett, Cardinals (AAA)

Jonathan Bowlan, Phillies

A.J. Causey, Athletics (AA)

Chandler Champlain, Nationals (AAA)

Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox

Taylor Clarke, Diamondbacks

Dylan Coleman, Yankees (AAA)

Austin Cox, Yokohama DeNA BayStars (Japan)

Fernando Cruz, Yankees

Michael Fulmer, Giants (AAA)

Gerson Garabito, Brewers (AAA)

Robert Garcia, Rangers

Ofreidy Gómez, Mets (AAA)

Foster Griffin, Nationals

Jesse Hahn, Blue Jays (AAA)

Patrick Halligan, Red Sox (AAA)

Hunter Harvey, Cubs

Thomas Hatch, Diamondbacks (AAA)

Taylor Hearn, Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Japan)

Ben Hernandez, Mariners (AA)

Carlos Hernández, Guardians (IL)

Tim Hill, Yankees

Andrew Hoffman, Diamondbacks

Matthew Hoskins, Rays (Low-A)

Jakob Junis, Rangers

Brad Keller, Phillies

Will Klein, Dodgers

Rylan Kaufman, White Sox (AA)

Brooks Kriske, Athletics (AAA)

Jackson Kowar, Orioles (AAA)

Ben Lively, Guardians (IL)

Sam Long, Chiba Lotte Marines (Japan)

Michael Lorenzen, Rockies

Richard Lovelady, Mets

Elvis Luciano, Yomiuri Giants (Japan)

Andrés Machado, Orix Buffaloes (Japan)

Sean Manaea, Mets

Yunior Marte, Reds (AAA)

Yunior Marte, Giants (High-A)

Logan Martin, Giants (AA)

Erick Mejia, Nationals (AA)

Wyatt Mills, Dodgers (AAA)

Noah Murdock, Pirates (AAA)

Connor Oliver, Pirates (High A)

Joel Payamps, Braves

Trevor Richards, Phillies (AAA)

Jarold Rosado, White Sox (AA)

David Sandlin, White Sox (AAA)

Colin Selby, Orioles (IL)

T.J. Sikkema, Red Sox (AAA)

Brady Singer, Reds

Evan Sisk, Pirates (AAA)

Burch Smith, Tigers (AAA)

Collin Snider, Cubs (AAA)

Gabe Speier, Mariners

Josh Staumont, Reds (AAA)

Jacob Wallace, Braves (AAA)

Luke Weaver, Mets

Ryan Weiss, Astros

Kyle Wright, Cubs (AAA)

Ryan Yarbrough, Yankees

Angel Zerpa, Brewers

Tyler Zuber, Marlins (AAA)

The Cubs continue their early-season interleague tour through American League divisions. They began with an AL West club (Angels), played an AL Central team (Guardians) over the weekend, and now it’s an AL East matchup with the Rays, who come into this series with the same record as the Cubs — 4-5. But Tampa Bay has played all nine of its games on the road so far, scheduled that way to make sure the renovated Tropicana Field was ready to go. The Rays will be the last of MLB’s 30 teams to play their home opener this year.

As you likely know, BCB’s Ashley MacLennan also writes for the SB Nation Rays site DRays Bay. Here’s Ashley with some comments on the Rays for us.

The start of the 2026 season hasn’t really gone the way the Rays had hoped, though of course the very small sample size is at play. One of the highlights of the season so far, though, has been the return of Shane McClanahan, the All-Star pitcher the Rays had to live without for two seasons. In his one start this year against Milwaukee he looked really good, despite the Rays not being able to get much run support to get him the win.

Drew Rasmussen has also had a good start to the year so he’ll be a pest to Chicago bats. The fielding for the Rays has been a difficulty so far, with plenty of errors and inconsistent results. They’ll hopefully get their feet under them soon, but right now they’ve had struggles with keeping game leads and providing their pitching staff run support when needed.

Chandler Simpson, as always, will be one to watch out for if he gets on base, as he has incredible speed and great steal instincts and he’s not afraid to be aggressive.

Fun facts

The Cubs have played only 25 previous games against the Rays. They have played fewer against only one current team: 24, vs. the Athletics. They also have played 25 vs. the Orioles.

The Cubs are 11-14 overall against the Rays, but only 2-6 at Tampa, where they lost three straight in 2008, split two games in 2017 and went 1-2 in 2024. Last year, the Cubs won two of three at Wrigley Field.
…
This will be the Cubs’ third consecutive series against an American League team, their longest such stretch of the season.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Monday: Jameson Taillon, RHP (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.286 WHIP, 4.47 FIP) vs. Shane McClanahan, LHP (0-1, 3.86 ERA, 1.071 WHIP, 3.40 FIP)

Tuesday: Matthew Boyd, LHP (1-1, 6.75 ERA, 1.179 WHIP, 1.90 FIP) vs. Drew Rasmussen, RHP (0-0, 1.80 ERA, 0.700 WHIP, 4.08 FIP)

Wednesday: Colin Rea, RHP (0-0, 4.26 ERA, 1.421 WHIP, 3.18 FIP) vs. Joe Boyle, RHP (0-0, 3.18 ERA, 0.882 WHIP, 1.68 FIP)

NOTE: Colin Rea is not officially listed as the Wednesday starter as of the time this series preview posted, but it does seem likely that he’ll be the guy on Wednesday.

Times & TV channels

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

Tuesday: 5:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Wednesday: 5:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Prediction

I keep saying “two of three” and at some point, I’m going to be right. Maybe this time.

Up next

The Cubs have Thursday off, then return to Wrigley Field for a three-game series against the Pirates beginning Friday afternoon.