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It’s hard to describe this game as anything other than… deflating. While the Rockies entered the day on the verge of being swept, they had also kept the Padres on their toes for three games coming off of a sweep of the Houston Astros at home.

Today is where nothing really went right for the Rockies. I would argue one of only a few occasions that’s happened so far this season. It was certainly one of the harder-to-watch games of the young campaign as the Rockies were swept by the San Diego Padres for the first time in a four-game series since June, 1999.

Johnny Wholestaff

Both the Rockies and the Padres had to turn to their bullpens early this afternoon. Kyle Freeland was warming up in the bullpen for his start today but left with training staff before taking the mound. Freeland was later stated to be dealing with left shoulder soreness.

Right-handed reliever Jimmy Herget was forced into short-notice opening duty and struggled somewhat. He hit leadoff batter Ramón Laureano and gave up a single to Fernando Tatís Jr. Back-back-sacrifices then pushed a run home.

Chase Dollander—after throwing 81 pitches on Thursday—took over for Herget in a single inning of relief. He yielded a leadoff double in the second inning to Ty France, who was driven in by another pair of sacrifices by Padres hitters.

It was Valente Bellozo who was then called in to eat as many innings as he could in the series finale. Bellozo had pitched just once since his heroic efforts in the Rockies’ home opener: being on the receiving end of a walk-off home run earlier in this series. The former Miami Marlin made it through 4.1 difficult innings that put the game out of reach for the Rockies. He gave up eight earned runs on four walks and five hits—three of which were home runs—and recorded just a single strikeout. Bellozo was pulled after 90 pitches and left the bases loaded for lefty Brennan Bernardino, who induced an inning-ending 5-3 double play.

The Padres also leaned heavily on their bullpen after starting pitcher Nick Pivetta left the game in the fourth inning due to elbow tightness.

The offense left San Diego early

The Rockies turned in what was one of their worst performances of the season so far as they were held to just two hit against the combined efforts of the Padres pitching staff with only five baserunners. The Rockies struck out 12 times with two walks and a hit batter.

Miraculously, they were not shut out. The Rockies have actually yet to be shut out this season when at this point last season they were in the middle of being shut out for three straight games by these same Padres.

In the top of the fifth inning, Padres reliever Kyle Hart plunked Ezequiel Tovar square in the back and walked Brenton Doyle to give the Rockies their first baserunners of the game. Backup catcher Brett Sullivan then laced a line drive double to right field to score both runners.

The Rockies wouldn’t have another hit until the top of the ninth inning, when Hunter Goodman wedged a single by third baseman Manny Machado with two outs.

Coming Up Next

Thankfully, the Rockies have a much-needed day off tomorrow before heading to Texas on Tuesday for a rematch against the Houston Astros. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher at this time, but first pitch is scheduled for 6:10 PM MDT.

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Mariners 6, Astros 1

Tiffany’s! Cole Young, +0.10 WPA
Cartier! Luke Raley, +0.10 WPA
Black Starr Frost Gorham! Randy Arozarena, +0.12 WPA
Talke to me Harry Winston, tell me all about it! Logan Gilbert, +0.21 WPA

Game Thread Comment of the Day

The Braves, winners of their first two rubber matches of the regular season, will look to make it three in a row and stand alone as the last major league team to not lose a series this season when they host the Cleveland Guardians for Sunday Night Baseball.

We could be in for quite a pitching duel with Atlanta throwing Chris Sale against Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee in a battle of top-of-the-rotation starters. But these offenses are also quite capable of putting up crooked numbers.

First pitch is at 7:20 p.m. ET. You can watch either on cable (NBC) or streaming (Peacock).

Game Notes

Preview

Starting lineups

Braves roster moves

After a 1-0 loss to the Athletics on Sunday afternoon, the Mets have now lost five games in a row. 

During those five games, they’ve scored a total of nine runs, six of which came in Saturday’s loss. They’ve been shut out twice in the last three days and were outscored 33-12 during their six-game homestand.

Now, New York heads to Los Angeles for a three-game series against the NL West-leading Dodgers who entered Sunday winners of seven out of their last eight games.

Despite the state of the team right now, the Mets are staying the course and believe greener pastures are on the horizon.

“You just gotta stay consistent, you gotta stay positive with the guys,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “There’s a lot of good hitters there and it’s just a bad stretch. You gotta continue to trust the players there – they’re really good – and continue to work with them.”

Unfortunately, those hitters couldn’t come through on Sunday for Freddy Peralta who threw a gem without having his best stuff. 

The Mets’ ace went six innings and allowed a run on four hits while walking three and striking out six. He threw one bad pitch, an 0-2 curveball to Nick Kurtz who launched it into right field for a solo homer in the third inning which was the difference in the game.

After that, the right-hander allowed just one more hit and retired eight of the last nine batters he faced.

“For some reason they weren’t swinging at the low changeups,” Peralta said about his outing. “But we made adjustments and we got better as the game was moving on and that’s what I’m happy with because we were able to make adjustments.”

As for the Mets hitters, they were unable to figure out Athletics starter Aaron Civale, who retired 13 in a row at one point, or the rest of the bullpen and scratched together four hits, half of them by Francisco Lindor.

“Today some balls were hit hard and we had a little bit of bad luck,” said Bo Bichette. “But overall I mean this team is really talented so we’re gonna score runs, but just overall everybody needs to have better at-bats and compete better. But we’ll be alright.”

The absence of Juan Soto in the lineup has exacerbated New York’s struggling offense. It was able to tread water for the first few games without him, but has been unable to pick up the slack since.

Still, one player, no matter how important, cannot be the team’s saving grace all year. At some point, other players need to step up as well.

“Nobody will deny the absence of Soto in the lineup, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have the capacity to score runs,” Mendoza said. “It’s a tough stretch for the hitters but we continue to have confidence in the players that are active and their abilities to get out of a slump.

“Obviously it won’t be easy to replace Juan, but at the same time we have the resources necessary to get hits and score runs and we will do it.”

One player who has been great all year for the Mets is Luis Robert Jr. who got the day off on Sunday after playing in five straight games. New York continues to be cautious with Robert whose season ended last year with a hamstring injury and who has had a history of injuries in his career.

Asked why Robert, who is slashing .319/.458/.447 in 47 at-bats this season, didn’t pinch-hit late in the game on Sunday, Mendoza said he wasn’t available to play in the field and would only have got an at-bat with the game on the line.

“Tough homestand overall offensively,” the skipper said.

It’s still early enough in the season for anybody to start panicking, but with such high expectations for the Mets this year and such a disappointing season last year, everything will be magnified.

Nevertheless, New York deserves a little more time to try and get things right before getting too worried. It’s a long season after all.

“I know we are way better than this and we have a great team and we believe in each other and I know that we are gonna do better,” Peralta said. “The time is gonna come. I know that there’s a lot of people who want us to win and we want to win too. But sometimes baseball is tough and we gotta get through this and these moments and I know we have a great team.”

Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field was better than Saturday in every single way.

First, the weather was more than 30 degrees warmer — 80 at game time, a nice day to have in mid-April.

And the Cubs came from behind with good relief work and some excellent baserunning, tying the game in the eighth. Then Carson Kelly’s single walked it off in the ninth for a 7-6 win over the Pirates.

80-degree temps in April generally come with strong winds blowing out at Wrigley and this day was no exception. Six miles per hour, as reported in the boxscore? I think not, as howling winds made the flags look like this pre-game (Bluesky link):

It got so windy that they took the team flags down from the board. Jameson Taillon got taken deep by Oneil Cruz on the third pitch of the game. That one definitely had some help from the wind.

Then in the second, Taillon loaded the bases with two out, one of those outs thanks to a ball-four call that Kelly got overturned [VIDEO].

After that, Taillon threw ball one to Brandon Lowe and then laid one right down the middle of the plate that Lowe did not miss. It still had some help from the wind, but Lowe had a grand slam and the Pirates led 5-0. More on the slam from BCB’s JohnW53:

The grand slam off Taillon was the fifth he has served up among 174 career homers allowed.

It was the first at home. The others were at Cincinnati, in 2018, while with the Pirates, then as a Cub in 2023 at Philadelphia and Detroit, and on June 28, 2024, at Milwaukee.

The slam today was the 40th homer off him since then.

Credit to Taillon: He settled down after that, at one point retiring eight straight Pirates. That streak was ended by Lowe’s second homer of the game in the fifth — and that one had no help from the wind at all.

Meanwhile, the Cubs were inching their way back into the game. They had two solo homers in the third. First, Dansby Swanson [VIDEO].

Two outs later, Moisés Ballesteros [VIDEO].

At that point it was 5-2 and, well, early enough that a comeback was certainly possible. The Cubs got a one-out double from Kelly in the fourth, but he was stranded. Lowe’s second long ball made it 6-2 in the top of the fifth, but the Cubs got that run back in the bottom of the inning. Nico Hoerner led off with a single and went to third on a single by Ballesterois.

Alex Bregman scored Hoerner with this sac fly [VIDEO].

So now it’s 6-3, and, well, Cubs pitching is holding the Pirates down. Again, props to Taillon for sticking it out through the sixth and striking out 10. Here are the 10 K’s [VIDEO].

Here’s more on Taillon’s afternoon [VIDEO].

And more on Taillon from John:

Jameson Taillon is the first Cubs starter since 1901 to pitch exactly 6.0 innings, give up three home runs and strike out 10.

Kerry Wood went 6.0 with three homers and eight strikeouts at Toronto on June 13, 2003.

Yu Darvish went 6.0 with three homers and nine strikeouts at Cincinnati on Aug. 9, 2019.

Taillon gave up six runs on six hits and two walks; Wood, five runs on seven hits and two walks; and Darvish, four runs on four hits and no walks.

Riley Martin threw a scoreless seventh and was replaced after he allowed a one-out single in the eighth. I like what I’ve seen from Martin so far — he doesn’t mess around, goes right after hitters and has a good pitch mix. Always good to have another useful left-hander in the pen.

Meanwhile, the Cubs chipped away in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to some heads-up baserunning. Swanson led off with a walk. One out later, he took third on a double by Nico. Miguel Amaya, batting for Ballesteros, walked to load the bases.

Then this happened [VIDEO].

That is just outstanding baseball sense from Swanson. Seeing that Lowe fell over after catching Bregman’s popup, he broke for the plate. The Pirates, not expecting that, didn’t come close to throwing him out and it’s now 6-4. You don’t see too many sacrifice flies to the second baseman. All credit to Dansby for making that happen.

Ethan Roberts relieved Martin in the eighth, hit the first batter he faced, but then set down two Pirates in a row to end the inning.

Then the Cubs tied the game with even more heads-up baserunning. Seiya Suzuki led off the eighth with a walk. Kelly and Pete Crow-Armstrong struck out, but Swanson also walked.

Michael Busch, given a day off from starting as he’s been in a horrific slump, batted for Matt Shaw, and Swanson did it again [VIDEO].

Busch’s single scored Suzuki easily, but when Bryan Reynolds’ throw to second got away, Swanson picked right up on that and scored the second run of the inning, tying the game. Can’t say enough about how aware Swanson is and how smart he is. That’s two runs basically stolen in this game by Swanson because he was heads-up on the basepaths. Great stuff.

Daniel Palencia retired the Pirates scoreless in the ninth, despite a two-out walk to Cruz, who wore the Cubs out all weekend. Cruz stole second and took third on a passed ball, but Palencia struck out Lowe on a 99 mile per hour fastball to set up the dramatic finish to this game.

Michael Conforto batted for Amaya and doubled. Scott Kingery ran for him. Bregman hit a ball to short and beat Konnor Griffin’s throw, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Ian Happ hit into a force play, with Kingery taking third. Suzuki walked to load the bases.

Take it away, Carson! [VIDEO]

Like I said — great weather, solid relief pitching, timely hitting and outstanding baserunning gave the Cubs this win, salvaging the final game of this series.

And one more note from John:

According to my research, this is the Cubs’ 998th regular-season walk-off win since 1876, first year of the National League.

It is their 900th of the Modern Era, which began in 1901.

It is their 795th at Wrigley Field, their home since 1916.

I still am not worried about this team, though there are some things that need shoring up. Consider: The Nationals just finished a sweep of the Brewers — in Milwaukee. There have been some very odd results early in this season, good teams like the Blue Jays, Mariners and Phillies have struggled, as have the Cubs. It is still VERY early.

Speaking of the Phillies, the Cubs travel to Philadelphia for a one-series, three-game road trip beginning Monday evening. Javier Assad will start the series opener for the Cubs and Cristopher Sánchez goes for the Phillies. Game time Monday is 5:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.

A pair of Mets southpaws were back in action with Low-A St. Lucie on Sunday afternoon as they continue working their way back from respective injuries.

A.J. Minter and Nate Lavender took the mound for their second appearance. 

Minter again cruised his way through a perfect inning of work, throwing just seven pitches and striking out a batter in the top of the seventh. 

He used his full arsenal and topped out at 94 mph on his fastball.

Lavender was also effective, striking out one as well as he worked around a single in a scoreless inning of his own. 

He touched 93, but mainly sat around 92 mph on his fastball. 

The pair have now combined to allow just one hit while striking out five in two appearances back with St. Lucie. 

Both are expected to require lengthy minor league rehab stints. 

Minter is returning from a season-ending lat injury suffered early on last year, but is expected to play a significant role in New York’s bullpen when he returns. 

Lavender is still progressing his way back from Tommy John surgery, and will likely start the year down in Syracuse but figures to make his major league debut at some point.

The 26-year-old pitched to a 2.98 ERA across three levels in his last healthy campaign.

Putting the two of them alongside fellow lefty Brooks Raley in the Mets' bullpen could allow Carlos Mendoza to be agressive and creative with his usage. 

After a 1-5 home stand, the Nationals got off the mat in a big way with a sweep in Milwaukee. The Nats looked like the better team throughout the weekend series against a team that won 97 games last year and dominated the Nats in the season series. This was actually the Nats first sweep in Milwaukee since all the way back in 2006.

This game showcased who the Nats have been so far. The starting pitching was decent, if homer prone. The bullpen gave fans heart problems and the offense was electric. That is who the Nats have been so far. It is a great watch for neutral fans, even if it is stressful for Nats fans.

The Nats offense got off to a slow start in this one. Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff retired the first nine Nats he faced. However, James Wood got the party started in the top of the fourth with a majestic pull side homer. We are used to seeing Wood go backside, but on this pitch he got his hands inside and powered a ball into the upper deck.

After his sluggish start, Wood has woken up in a big way. His OPS is now over 1.000 and Wood has 5 homers and 14 RBI’s from the leadoff spot. When Wood is seeing the ball well, there are few players as scary as him at the plate. After that homer, the Brewers mostly pitched around Wood, even intentionally walking him once.

On the mound, Zack Littell was solid when he was not giving up home runs. He went five innings, allowing three runs, all on solo homers. Home runs have always been an issue for Littell, but he did not let the solo shots bother him too much.

Heading into the 7th, it was 3-2 Brewers, but the Nats offense woke up. They had a huge top of the 7th once Woodruff departed. Abner Uribe is one of the most underrated relievers in the league, but he was no match for this offense. 

This was a true rally, where the Nats were stringing hits together. Jacob Young started things off with a double that turned into three bases with an outfield error. Then Jose Tena delivered a huge pinch hit knock to drive him in. 

After Nasim Nunez made the second out, the Nats offense went into over drive. Curtis Mead made the Brewers pay for walking Wood by driving in the go-ahead run. Then, the Nats got another run in after they executed a steal of home on a first and third play. That was a play they could never get right last year, but they have done it right twice this season.

Just playing good offensive baseball has been the name of the game. The base running was not good yesterday, but it was fixed in this game. The broadcast made a comment about how Corey Ray said he was up all night upset after the base running mistakes. It is clear those got fixed, which you love to see.

However, this would not be a Nats game without a bullpen meltdown. After Ken Waldichuk got two outs in the 7th, he suffered an arm injury with the count 2-0 on the third batter. Unfortunately, Cole Henry was not able to pick him up. He walked that batter and then the guy after that. After falling behind Gary Sanchez, he left a cutter over the plate, which the veteran destroyed.

This could have demoralized the Nats offense, but there is no quit in this group. The offense just keeps coming in waves and they are getting production from throughout the lineup. 

Keibert Ruiz was the hero in this one. He replaced Drew Millas, who was pinch hit for. Then, in the 8th inning, he got a chance to deliver with men on second and third with one out. For a second straight game, the Nats catcher delivered with a massive hit up the middle to give the good guys the lead.

Ruiz’s overall offensive numbers have not been great, but he has delivered in clutch situations on a couple of occasions. His ability to put the bat on the ball serves him well with runners in scoring position. The Nats have not gotten outstanding play from their catchers, but Ruiz has certainly been the better of the two.

The game still felt totally up for grabs with the Nats bullpen having to get six more outs. However, PJ Poulin and Gus Varland finished off the Brewers in shockingly easy fashion. They retired six straight and closed the door on this one to give the Nats the sweep.

It was Varland’s first career save, and he stepped up with Clayton Beeter unavailable. When Varland is on his game, his stuff looks really crisp. The consistency is not always there, but I am bullish on him.

This was a huge statement series for the Nats, who improved to 7-8. They head to Pittsburgh to face a young and hungry Pirates squad for four games. It will not be easy, but if anyone could solve this Pirates pitching staff led by Paul Skenes, it would be these scrappy Nats.

It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! The third week of the season has seen the Yankees hit their first real snag of the season, as they dropped four of five games, including three straight, to cap off their first home stand of the season. Despite these hiccups on the field, however, the social media game remained strong. What was the team up to this week? Let’s find out!

Congrats, Derek!

It is a great pleasure for me to remind the world that Dan Hurley and the University of Connecticut lost the Men’s NCAA National Championship last Monday. Why does that matter? Well, as a Villanova alumnus, I think that’s all that matters, but for those of you seeking a Yankees connection, Derek Jeter is a Michigan fan.

The Game Belt

Despite their losses this week, the Yankees still had a couple of game belts to give out. First, we had Giancarlo Stanton earn the belt last Saturday for his work as a speed demon en route to the Easter Vigil victory over the Miami Marlins.

Then, of course, we had the Amed Rosario game.

Honestly, Big G seems more excited for Rosario receiving the belt than he did for himself!

Happy Birthday!

The Rodón family celebrated a birthday this week.

Rain Delay Wholesomeness

This past Friday, the Scranton RailRiders had a rain delay, and decided to take this picture of Spencer Jones hanging with the clubhouse crew. Except, I’m going to be honest with you, my eyes do not at all go to Spencer Jones or the clubhouse crew in this picture; rather, the more I look, the more absurdity I see.

Ouch!

Yankees 2022 legend Matt Carpenter posted a highlight of him pitching in youth baseball this week and, uh, I certainly sympathize with him on that hop.

Ichiro’s Statue

Over the weekend, the Seattle Mariners unveiled a statue of Ichiro Suzuki outside their stadium, and, uh, broke it during the unveiling. Ichiro, quickwitted as always, immediately joked that he “didn’t think Mariano would come out here and break the bat,” to which the Yankees replied on Twitter: