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There have been a few prospects who have started the year strong, and a handful of pitchers who have stood out throughout the minor leagues in the Royals organization in the first month of the season. There are a handful of starters and a couple of relief prospects who have stood out at various levels. Choosing the minor league pitcher of the month was not easy, but I have chosen to highlight Michael Lombardi, who is pitching with Single-A Columbia. He started the year as the #18 prospect in the Royals system and has turned some heads over his first four appearances, two of them being starts. He has thrown 12 1/3 innings and has recorded 24 strikeouts on the season. While his 2.92 ERA might not be the lowest, the strikeout percentage numbers are hard to ignore. Lombardi was drafted by the Royals in the second round of the 2025 draft, so he is pitching in his first professional season this year. He was mostly a reliever in college, pitching at Tulane, but he has been tried as a starter in two of his appearances this year. He’s yet to throw more than 4 innings in a single appearance, but this is not uncommon for young pitchers. At 22 years old, Lombardi has plenty of upside, and the Royals may look to try him as a starter, and if that doesn’t work out, a bullpen role is a very realistic option for him down the line. One thing to keep an eye on is his walk rate, as he has walked 9 batters in the 12 1/3 innings pitched so far this year. If he can reign in the control and still strike guys out at a high rate, the upside is quite high for him. While I chose to highlight Lombardi’s first month, there were a few other names that I wanted to give a shoutout to for their performance over the first month of the season. Honorable Mentions Single-A: Blake Wolters - 5 games, 5 starts, 1-1, 1.66 ERA, 21.2 IP, 24 SO, .179 avg against High-A: Justin Lamkin - 4 games, 4 starts,1-0, 1.02 ERA, 17.2 IP, 24 SO, .153 avg against Emmanuel Reyes - 4 games, 4 starts, 1-0, 1.13 ERA, 16 IP, 12 SO, .154 avg against Yimi Presinal - 7 games, 0 starts, 2-0, 0.84 ERA, 10.2 IP, 12 SO, .156 avg against Double-A: Caden Monke - 8 games, 0 starts, 2-0, 2.51 ERA, 14.1 IP, 22 SO, .128 avg against Triple-A: Eric Cerantola - 11 games, 0 starts, 1-0, 1.54 ERA, 11.2 IP, 17 SO, .233 avg against View the full article

Nashville Sounds’ Prospects in Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospects: Jett Williams #3, Cooper Pratt #4, Jeferson Quero #7, Luis Lara #11, Luke Adams #13, Brock Wilken #15 It was a tepid week for the Sounds’ offense, as the team started out with a seven-run outburst on Wednesday and scored just 17 runs in 5 other games. Jett Williams had one of the highlights of the season so far with his walk-off three-run home run in Wednesday’s contest: The homer was one of three extra-base hits for Williams, who registered a .300/.417/.550 line for the week. Looking deeper at Williams’s plate discipline metrics, his Z-Swing rate (swings at pitches inside the strike zone) has jumped to 65.7% in 2026, compared to 61.2% in 2025 and 50.0% in 2024. Simultaneously, his Z-Contact rate has climbed to a career-high 87.8%. Williams is no longer just being patient for the sake of drawing walks (though his 13.2% walk rate remains excellent). By increasing his swing rate on strikes while maintaining a solid 22% O-Swing (chase) rate, he's demonstrating mastery of the strike zone. This would suggest Williams is identifying strikes earlier and committing to them, which is a hallmark of a prospect maturing out of a passive approach into a selectively aggressive one. The jump to nearly 88% contact on strikes indicates that Williams has likely tightened his swing mechanics, or is seeing the ball significantly better at the Triple-A level. The Brewers often prioritize damage and high-quality contact for prospects at this stage of their development, so it would seem Williams is adjusting to the “Brewers Way” the last few weeks. Luis Lara has already tripled his home run total from all of last year in about a quarter of the time, with this blast over the weekend. A player who was previously seen as a glove-first speedster, Lara has raised his ceiling this year. Usually, when a young player (Lara is only 21) starts swinging for more power, their strikeout rate balloons. Lara's has done the opposite. He's cut his strikeout rate from 16.2% to 12.9%. He's making contact on an absurd 96.2% of pitches he swings at inside the strike zone. Lara has transformed from a slap hitter who steals bases into a legitimate top-of-the-order threat in Nashville. With an elite eye and newly discovered power, he may end up forcing the Brewers' hand for a major-league promotion much sooner than expected. Biloxi Shuckers’ Prospects in Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospects: Jesus Made #1, Blake Burke #14 Though not considered a top prospect, Damon Keith was the Shuckers’ best hitter last week, on his way to earning Southern League Player of the Week honors: It seems like the Brewers may have uncovered something in Keith when they acquired him in late March from the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations. Both Jesus Made and Blake Burke scuffled this week, combining for just nine hits in 44 at-bats atop the Shuckers’ lineup. Both prospects bookended the week with home runs, with Made going yard on Sunday and Burke homering on Tuesday. One of the more impressive parts of Made’s 2026 season is the refinement of his hit tool. Despite jumping two levels in a year, he has significantly improved his contact metrics. Made has slashed his strikeout rate from 20.6% in 2025 to 14.8% in Double-A. His overall contact rate has climbed to 80.6%, proving that his swing is short and efficient enough to handle advanced velocity and breaking stuff. Made is posting a .182 ISO, a significant jump from his .128 mark across MiLB last year. One look at Made this season and you can see that his 6-foot-1 frame has filled out, and his raw power (currently graded 50/60 by FanGraphs) has translated into games. Burke is currently a three-true-outcomes threat who has added bizarrely effective base-stealing (10/11 in attempts this season) to his game, despite a 20-grade speed tool. It's somewhat similar to what Luke Adams did earlier in his pro career. This season, Burke’s pull percentage has spiked to 54.7% (up from 31.7% in 2025). He is clearly looking to turn on pitches and drive them, which explains the high home run volume, but also some of the volatility in his batting average. While Burke’s 11.3% walk rate shows he isn't just hacking blindly, his swing-and-miss issues have persisted at Double-A. His strikeout rate has ticked up to 26.6% this year. To reach the majors as a 1B/DH, he’ll likely need to bring that strikeout rate closer to the 20-22% range to ensure his elite power plays consistently. His overall contact rate has dipped to 69.1%, indicating he is struggling to put the ball in play consistently when he does swing. However, Burke’s average is being dragged down by a low .269 BABIP. Given his power, you would expect more balls to fall for hits, suggesting he might be hitting into some bad luck. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ Prospects in Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospects: Luis Pena #2, Andrew Fischer #8, Marco Dinges #10, Josh Adamczewski #12, Braylon Payne #16 The Rattler’s offense slowed last week, ranking last in runs and OPS among 12 teams in the Midwest League. With a few of the team’s star prospects cooling down amid frigid temps in Grand Chute, we look beyond the Top 20 Prospects to highlight Josiah Ragsdale’s emergence. Ragsdale has gone from a player who hit almost exclusively singles (one XBH in 92 plate appearances) last year to a legitimate extra-base threat. Ragsdale has doubled both his fly ball rate and pull rate this season. However, he has nearly doubled both his strikeout rate and swinging strike rate. He is essentially trading some of his 2025 "contact-first" stability for a more impactful, power-oriented approach. That approach has paid off with a .471 slugging percentage on the season and highlighted by this opposite field home run on Saturday: Bitonti and Fischer each homered twice last week, including Fischer’s walk off blast on Friday. Both players also struck out in 50% of their at-bats this week, including Fischer’s four strikeout performance prior to Friday’s walk-off. Payne was just 2/20 on the week. Wilson Warbirds’ Prospects in Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospects: Brady Ebel #19 The hottest affiliate in the Brewers system last week was the Wilson Warbirds, who smashed seven homeruns on their way to a four win week. Handelfry Encarnacion was the star of the week, with seven hits, three homeruns and 12 RBI. He might also lead all of MiLB in time spent pimping home runs, with some truly bombastic celebrations: Jadyn Fielder carried a 1.396 OPS in four games for the week, highlighted by his first home run at the level. Brady Ebel collected a triple and double among his six hits last week and also drove in six runs. After such a slow start to the inaugural season for the Warbirds’ offense, its good to see them heating up and having fun. Join the Discussion: Are you worried about the high strikeout rates for power-hitters like Burke and Fischer, or are you willing to live with the "Three True Outcomes" if the home runs keep coming? Are you a fan of the over-the-top celebrations we're seeing from guys like Encarnacion, or do you prefer the old-school approach? Also, which "under-the-radar" prospect like Damon Keith or Josiah Ragsdale has impressed you the most so far this season? View the full article

With April officially in the books, let’s take a look at some of the Chicago Cubs' top performing hitting prospects through the first month of the 2026 season. Honorable Mention: Josiah Hartshorn (OF) — Myrtle Beach Drafted as a sixth-rounder out of powerhouse SoCal high school Orange Lutheran, Hartshorn did not play last year after being selected, so 2026 is the first look we get at the outfielder the Cubs went well over slot to sign last year. The good news: He hasn’t disappointed. He is slashing .263/.429/.438 through 22 games while being 1.5 years younger than the Carolina League average. What is most promising is he is doing this while walking more often than striking out. Third Place: James Triantos (2B) — Iowa There really is not a way to sugar coat it, 2025 was a rough year for Triantos. The 2021 second-rounder motored through the minors to make his debut in Iowa in 2024 at just 21, performing well at the highest level of affiliated ball in a 26-game sample. Triantos played all of 2025 at the Triple-A level, but turned in a career-worst season in all three slash line categories. Still just 23, he has rebounded very well in Iowa in 2026, turning in a .305 batting average and .348 on-base percentage that is much more in line with his previous performances. The .467 slugging percentage would also be the highest of his career in full-season ball; his four home runs in just 26 games look very promising for a hitter that has never hit more than seven homers in a full season. Runner-up: Jefferson Rojas (SS) — Knoxville A staple on most Top 100 prospect lists before the season, Rojas started the year in Knoxville after debuting there for 39 games to end 2025. His first taste of AA was a bit of what you’d expect from a 20-year-old at the level, but it seems like this time around he feels much more comfortable. Although he is running a higher strikeout rate and lower walk rate than in previous years, the aggressiveness that implies has led to a .547 slugging for a hitter who has previously hovered around the .400 mark. He went from an extra-base hit every four games to one every other game. That is a pretty good start to the season! Winner: Pedro Ramirez (2B) — Iowa Pedro Ramirez had the best month of any Cubs prospect in April. He slashed .310/.385/.595 with eight home runs and 11 stolen bases in Iowa as a 22-year-old while splitting his time between 2B and 3B. Signed out of Venezuela in 2021, the diminutive utility man has climbed the ladder one rung at a time, spending full-seasons in A, A+, and AA in 2023, 2024, and 2025, respectively, before tackling AAA in 2026. Four years younger than the average Triple-A hitter, he is turning in his best year yet in all three slash categories. Like Jefferson Rojas, he has traded in a slightly higher strikeout rate for a large increase in slugging. He has had 30, 30, and 33 extra-base hits in each of the last three full seasons; in 2026, he has 16 in just 29 games. A switch hitter who provides speed and defensive versatility is a profile that already carries a lot of value. If Ramirez can maintain his improved slugging numbers, he could be an All-Star in the big leagues. View the full article

Upon arriving at Clemson University in 2021, Billy Amick quickly became one of college baseball’s best hitters. He batted .414/.464/.772 with 13 home runs over 192 plate appearances in 2022. The right-handed-hitting corner infielder transferred to the University of Tennessee for the 2023 season, where he hit a less-impressive (but still excellent) .306/.387/.639 with 23 home runs over 292 plate appearances, playing a role in Tony Vitello’s club winning the College World Series. Sporting a keen approach and plus power during his college career, Amick was projected to be selected in the back half of the first round in the 2024 MLB Draft. Instead, he slipped to the second round, where he was selected 60th overall by the Minnesota Twins. Since joining the organization, Amick has become an afterthought for those who monitor Twins prospects—understandably so. Recent draft selections Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper, Connor Prielipp, Marek Houston, and Riley Quick have excelled in the organization’s minor-league system, entering Top 100 prospects lists and operating as engines for optimism surrounding the club’s long-term success. International free agent signees Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kendry Rojas, Eduardo Tait, and Hendry Mendez have also demonstrated flashes of becoming plus major-league contributors, effectively clogging the available headspace of Twins Territory prospect perverts. The tools for some sort of breakout remain, however, and Amick is beginning to piece them together. Appearing in 18 games with Single-A Fort Myers after being selected in 2024, he hit .222/.351/.413 with three home runs over 77 plate appearances. He then generated a 101 wRC+ with Fort Myers before being promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids in late March 2025. Amick excelled with Cedar Rapids, hitting .310/.418/.455 with four home runs and a 152 wRC+ over 244 plate appearances. The now-23-year-old is again performing well at a higher level this season, hitting .235/.309/.482 with six home runs and a 100 wRC+ over 97 plate appearances with Double-A Wichita. Amick’s impressive Double-A numbers have largely been accumulated since Apr. 18, with four home runs and a 128 wRC+ over 41 plate appearances during that stretch. As he did during his college career, Amick has hit the ball hard and in the air the past couple of weeks, which is always key to unlocking latent power. The 23-year-old's success in Double-A is especially encouraging, given that he is over a year younger than the average position player at the level. High whiff and strikeout rates have been and always will be a concern. He has whiffed 40.5% of the time and struck out 28.9% of the time at Double-A. Still, his swing-and-miss concerns can be forgiven if he hits the ball hard on contact, a trend he has continued during his first month-plus in the high minors. He's not ready to play in the majors right now, by any means. If he makes it, it will be as a late bloomer who turns a corner with regard to contact skills. The risk that he's a poor man's Matt Wallner is real. He plays third base well enough to be more valuable than Wallner defensively, though. Given the club’s long-term uncertainty at both corner infield spots; lack of right-handed-hitting position-player prospects; and Amick’s sustained success between Low-A, High-A, and Double-A the past three seasons, the 23-year-old could climb up the Twins’ top prospects lists, inserting himself into the club’s long-term plans after all. View the full article

Starting pitching has been key to the Kansas City Royals' success over the past two years. In 2024, the Royals ranked second in starting pitching fWAR with a 16.5 mark, behind only the Atlanta Braves (17.4). They also ranked second in ERA (3.55) and fourth in FIP (3.68). That excellent rotation was a big reason why the Royals won 86 games, a 30-win turnaround from the previous season. In 2025, Kansas City went 82-80, a four-win regression from 2024. However, the starting pitching remained a strength of the ballclub. The Royals' rotation ranked 6th in starting pitcher fWAR at 13.8. They also ranked 7th in starting pitcher ERA (3.80) and 10th in FIP (4.00). While that wasn't as elite as the previous season, their rotation was a big reason the Royals had another above-.500 season last year, the first time they have done that since 2014 and 2015. This season, the results have been a little more mixed for the Royals' starting pitching. Going into Monday's games, Kansas City ranks 13th in fWAR (2.7). Royals starters also rank 14th in ERA (4.01) and 16th in FIP (4.16). Granted, that's serviceable, especially with the offense and bullpen trending in the right direction recently. Conversely, the Royals' rotation has shown many flaws recently, especially over the past couple of weeks. Thus, let's see why the Royals' starting pitchers have been struggling as of late, which ones have been particularly bad, and what Royals management could do to address and rectify these recent starting pitching woes. The Royals' Rotation Struggles Over the Past Two Weeks Since April 19th, the Royals' rotation has particularly struggled. Though they rank 19th in SP fWAR with a 0.9 mark, they also rank 25th in ERA (5.16). Their FIP is slightly better at 4.53, ranking 17th. Nonetheless, the Royals' rotation hasn't been as strong as it was at the beginning of the season, when they ranked 5th in SP ERA (3.25), 14th in FIP (3.91), and 11th in SP fWAR (1.9). When it comes to the individual Royals starting pitcher results, here's how they have fared since April 19th, according to Fangraphs. Luinder Avila only had a one-start sample, and he likely will remain in the bullpen for the remainder of the year. However, the other numbers from the Royals' starting pitchers from March 26th to April 18th are intriguing for a variety of reasons. While Wacha has been the worst Royals starting pitcher since April 19th, he was the best Royals starting pitcher from Opening Day to April 18th. In 27 IP, he had a 1.00 ERA, 7.7 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and 3.41 FIP. He experienced some positive batted-ball luck, with a .172 BABIP and 99% LOB%. Those weren't going to be sustainable marks, but it showed that Wacha was at least efficient and crafty enough to eat innings and minimize the runs. Ragans' line is a little more interesting. The ERA was better at 3.78, but his K/9 (8.6) and FIP (5.37) were worse, and his BB/9 (5.4) wasn't much better either. That said, he had a better groundball rate at 46.3%, and his ability to keep the ball on the ground seemed to minimize the LOB% (79.8) and HR/9 (1.6). It would be nice to see if Ragans can get back to those groundball-generating ways, even if it means that his K/9 takes a bit of a hit in the process. Lastly, Cameron's line was pretty similar to his post-April 19th numbers. His ERA was mediocre at 5.40, and his FIP was worse at 5.60. He struggled to strand runners (68.2%), and he had a much harder time generating groundballs as well (25.8%). The positive? He struck out a decent amount (7.7 K/9) and didn't walk a lot either (2.7 BB/9). That said, those K/9 and BB/9 numbers were pretty similar to the ones he produced after April 19th as well. That shows what we're seeing from Cameron may be who he is: a plus-five ERA starting pitcher. Can This Rotation Improve? (Limiting the Walks Will Be Key) The good thing is that Lugo and Bubic have been solid, not just since April 19th but also before then. While neither guy is a frontline ace, they can take the ball and keep the Royals in the ballgame consistently. That's all you can ask from a No. 2-3 caliber starting pitcher. The main question marks are Wacha, Ragans, and Cameron, who arguably were the three best Royals pitchers coming into the 2025 season. On a positive note, it seems like Wacha took a step in the right direction on Monday, as he went seven innings and produced a winning effort. While he gave up a two-run homer to David Fry, he limited the Guardians to just four hits and one walk. While he didn't generate a ton of chase, Wacha did a great job generating chase and limiting hard contact, as illustrated in his TJ Stuff+ summary. With Wacha bouncing back, the honus will now fall on Ragans to do the same, especially in this crucial homestand against the Guardians and Tigers. Cameron was initially slated to get the first shot on Tuesday against Gavin Williams (tough). The St. Joseph, Missouri product has some good stuff on his secondary pitches, but his four-seamer is lackluster. He has an overall TJ Stuff+ of 97, but his four-seamer has a TJ Stuff+ of 92. That has had an effect on his results, both in terms of the four-seamer and overall, as illustrated below in his TJ Stats season summary. However, after Monday's 6-2 win over Cleveland, the Royals announced that Cameron was dealing with lower back tightness and that Stephen Kolek, who is pitching in Omaha on a rehab assignment, will replace him in the rotation. No word yet on whether Cameron will go on the IL or replace someone else on the active roster. Kolek's TJ Stuff+ profile is similar to Cameron's, but Kolek has done a much better job of generating chase and minimizing xwOBACON in Triple-A Omaha this season. If Kolek does well in Cameron's absence, it's possible that the former Padres righty could replace Cameron in the rotation (or at least piggyback with Cameron). Lastly, Ragans will go on Wednesday against fellow Joey Cantillo. Despite Ragans' overall struggles this year, he's been much better at home than on the road. In 12 IP at Kauffman Stadium, Ragans has a 0.75 ERA, 14.25 K/9, 19.00 K/BB ratio, and 1.31 FIP. On the road? In 20.1 IP, he has a 7.97 ERA, 9.74 K/9, 1.10 K/BB, and 9.69 FIP. Thus, the lefty will at least get one start at home this week, where he has seemed to be more comfortable on the mound. With Ragans, it's not a question of stuff, as his TJ Stuff+ marks remain solid despite inconsistent results. That said, despite strong TJ Stuff+ marks, the chase, whiff, and xwOBACON have not been as stellar, as illustrated below. If Ragans can find the zone a bit more (44.2% zone rate), especially with his slider (19.2% zone rate), then I think Ragans can induce hitters to chase more. More chases could lead not just to more whiffs, but also to a lower xwOBACON. If those three trends happen, then it's possible that Ragans will get back to that 2024 form, which he has shown at home this year, sooner rather than later. Overall, the Royals need better performances from Wacha, Ragans, Cameron, and Kolek, especially during this homestand (Wacha is expected to pitch twice; whether Kolek goes twice this week depends on how Tuesday's outing goes). That said, the Royals' rotation overall needs to improve its control, as they have simply walked too many batters over the past two weeks. Since April 19th, the Royals' pitching staff ranks 27th in BB/9 (4.56), tied with Atlanta and ahead of only Houston (5.03) and Arizona (5.33). Wacha and Ragans have been the main culprits. However, Cameron (and now, Kolek), Lugo, and Bubic can certainly do their part to flood the strike zone more consistently as well. All the pitchers in the Royals' rotation have had outings and stretches where they have allowed too many free passes, and it's often bitten them in the butt. The Royals have struggled with BB/9 at home, ranking 27th at Kauffman Stadium compared to 23rd on the road. Could the Kansas City starting pitchers begin to reverse that trend this week? They allowed only one walk among Wacha, Matt Strahm, and Alex Lange on Monday against Cleveland. Thus, the Kansas City pitching staff, starters especially, have gotten off to an encouraging start in this homestand. View the full article

Back in the offseason, the New York Mets signed legendary closer and future Hall of Famer Craig Kimbrel to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training. When he didn’t make the team out of camp, people started to question whether the experiment was worth it and whether he would choose to stay and win a spot. He stuck around and, on April 11, the Mets called him up to see if he could, at least, replicate the form he showed in a brief stint with the Houston Astros after the Atlanta Braves designated him for assignment last year; in Houston, Kimbrel posted a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings, striking out 16 and walking six. That kind of reliever certainly has a home in a major-league bullpen. Is Kimbrel still of at least that caliber? Can Craig Kimbrel Still Get MLB Hitters Out? The Mets knew that the soon-to-be 38-year-old wasn’t a flamethrower anymore, but they believed he could still get MLB hitters out and, so far, they have been proven right. In seven games and 6.1 frames, the right-hander has a 4.26 ERA that comes with a much better 2.04 FIP. He has fanned eight and walked three, with a fastball averaging 93.1 mph. That’s a bit slower than last year’s 93.5 mph on average, but not catastrophically so. Can the Mets, whose bullpen has actually produced a decent 3.69 ERA that ranks ninth in baseball, keep counting on Kimbrel being a serviceable MLB-caliber reliever? Well, yes, but it depends on expectations. If you are expecting Kimbrel to return to being the pitcher that terrorized hitters and posted ERAs below 3.00 year in and year out while flirting with a 40 percent strikeout rate, you will be disappointed. If you lower the bar a bit and simply look for someone who can bridge the gap from the rotation to the leverage guys, then we may have a winner on our hands. Kimbrel can still miss some bats, but there are a few developments to pay attention to. His four-seamer currently has a 29.7 percent whiff rate, which is not bad, and his sweeper is getting swings and misses at a 50 percent rate, which is excellent but likely to go down a bit with a larger sample. The knuckle curve, one of his signature pitches, still hasn’t generated a whiff, though. It’s just 6.1 innings. The sample is tiny, almost too small to matter. But it’s worth monitoring that knuckle curve and its ability to miss bats, as Kimbrel’s success this year could hinge on it. It's important to note, however, that he can still pump his four-seamer up to the 96 mph range up in the zone when he needs to: Kimbrel Is Allowing Too Many Line Drives Another important development around Kimbrel is his groundball and fly ball ratios. From 2011 to 2015, the man with 440 saves was a groundball and strikeout behemoth. Then, from 2016 to this point, he morphed into a fly ball inducer, also with lots of punchouts, of course. This year, he has given up 0.60 groundballs for every ball in the air. That’s actually not that far from the trend that started in 2016, but the problem is that he is surrendering lots of line drives at the moment. A 40 percent line drive rate is just too high to think he can get away with it over a long stretch of games, and if he wants to achieve sustained success this year with the Mets, it will have to come down. If the contact in the air starts going further, Kimbrel is going to become unplayable. For now, all things considered, the profile is good enough for Kimbrel to be a good middle reliever, and that’s not bad considering age and other circumstances. Overall, the Mets should be happy with what they have gotten out of their former nemesis. View the full article

While the month of April may not have been as memorable for the Boston Red Sox as fans had hoped for, there was more to be hopeful of in the minor leagues. The pitching development infrastructure, which saw an overhaul by Craig Breslow since his hiring following the 2023 season, showed its progress last season, but 2026 has been a whole different animal. Triple-A Worcester alone has seen several of its pitchers get off to great starts that led to promotions to the major-league squad, while the other levels of the organization have seen their own pitchers get off to incredible starts. With that, we’ve narrowed this award down to the three best pitchers in the Red Sox's minor-league system. Special Mention: Portland Sea Dogs No-Hitter On Sunday, April 26, the entire Red Sox organization was dealing with the fallout of the coaching layoffs that had occurred the day prior. Despite the mass changes in staff across all levels of the organization, the Sea Dogs made sure that Kyle Sasala’s first day as acting manager was as special one. Led by Hayden Mullins who tossed five hitless innings, the Sea Dogs went on to pitch a no-hitter and win 3-2. Mullins started the game and allowed two unearned runs that came around to score on a third inning error. Across his entire start he walked five and struck out five before giving way to the bullpen. Caleb Bolden was the first to come on in relief, pitching two hitless innings and striking out three before handing the ball over to Reidis Sena who concluded the no-hitter as he tossed the final two innings. The no-hitter was the ninth in the history of the Portland Sea Dogs. #3: Devin Futrell (Single-A Salem/High-A Greenville) Futrell has been on the receiving end of Boston’s pitching depth across the minor leagues, and not in a positive way. Opening the season with the Salem RidgeYaks due to a lack of room in Greenville, Futrell forced his way up to the Drive after just two appearances in Salem. Since the promotion, his time with Greenville has been just as dominant. Having split April between the two levels, the left-hander made four appearances and tossed 17 2/3 innings as he allowed just one run on six hits and three walks. He also struck out 18 batters. Futrell opened the season on a 13-inning scoreless streak. Futrell has been an arm of interest since his professional debut in 2025, but after holding opposing batters to a .115 batting average and striking them out at a 27.7% rate, he’s continued to show that he is ready for a chance against tougher competition. #2: Jake Bennett (Triple-A Worcester) Bennett had a stellar April with the organization that, when mixed with unforeseen injuries to the major-league squad, led to the left-hander making his major league debut sooner than anyone expected. Pitching in four games, Bennett absolutely was in control as he limited opposing batters to a .161 batting average across 18 innings. During that time, he allowed just two earned runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out 11. What really stood out for Bennett in the month of April was his ability to limit the hard contact. Utilizing a five-pitch mix, Bennett typically led the way with his sinker and four-seam fastball, using the two pitches for 51.7% of his pitches. It led to opposing batters getting a hard hit just 25.5% of the time with an expected slugging percentage of just .198. #1: Anthony Eyanson (High-A Greenville) It goes without saying that Eyanson would be the top pitching prospect for the month of April. Anyone who watched him throughout the month should have had an idea, especially as he put the baseball world on notice with the start to his professional career. Making four starts in April, the third-round pick pitched in a manner befitting of a first-rounder as he allowed just six hits and one earned run across 16 2/3 innings pitched. In that same span he struck out 27 batters while walking none. Following his first professional outing, Eyanson allowed two or fewer hits in each of his outings, including 4 1/3 no-hit innings in his second start. Overall, Eyanson struck out 48% of the batters he faced in April while his strikeouts to walk ratio was infinity thanks in part to his excellent command. On top of that, when batters did manage to put the ball in play against him, Eyanson found a way to keep it on the ground, as he had a 59.4% ground ball rate. The right-hander is now being promoted to Double-A Portland after a fantastic start to his career as first reported by Chase Ford of MiLB Central. View the full article

Despite overflowing rosters and an idle day Sunday - eleven Brewers pitchers await their season debut - the Milwaukee and San Diego front offices agreed that Monday's game would be a seven-inning affair. Or perhaps the Padres simply waved the white flag after a five-run 6th for the Crew produced what would be the final score a half-inning later. Transactions: OF Jackson Chourio reinstated to MLB Brewers from minor league rehab 1B Andrew Vaughn reinstated to MLB Brewers from minor league rehab OF Blake Perkins optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers RHP Quinn Priester returned to MLB Brewers’ 15-day injured list from minor league rehab OF Kay-Lan Nicasia released by AA Biloxi RHP Luke Roupe placed on ACL Brewers’ 7-day injured list retroactive to May 3 RHP Johandry Ramirez placed on ACL Brewers’ 7-day injured list retroactive to May 3 As we aim to do consistently for released players, a post within our Transaction Thread spotlighted Nicasia here. Also, please feel free to see past highlights from Nicasia's pro career when you scroll to the bottom of his linked page listed above. 19-year-old Luke Roupe was drafted in the 17th round last summer out of a North Carolina high school. Johandry Ramirez made five starts among his seven Dominican Summer League appearances in his debut 2025 season, with those starting assignments normally an indication that the organization sees promise for that role in the future. Ramirez is stateside after that one campaign. Hopefully both youngsters will be active before too long. From @Spencer Michaelis' 2025 "Day Two" Draft Recap article: Luke Roupe's repertoire is largely built around his fastball and his curveball. Those two offerings helped him pitch his way to a 2.01 ERA over 62 2/3 innings, striking out 100 along the way. The fastball gets up to 94 MPH and has good carry and is pretty high spin. The curveball spins in the 2400 RPM range, and has some good depth and sweep to it, in the low-80s. Roupe will also mix a sweeper in at times, thrown a bit harder than the curve, and has a changeup that will need development. Committed to South Carolina, Roupe will likely be looking for a pretty big bonus to sign (NOTE: bonus was $225,000). His pitchability and the starting point of his fastball and curveball combination will make him an interesting name to follow. Final: ACL Brewers 12, ACL Padres 0, seven innings Box Score and Game Log All three phases in high gear, as the Brew Crew played error-free ball for a consecutive game. Remaining atop the order, now-18-year-old Cristopher Acosta shifted from shortstop to third base here and stole his first base. The $1.1 million signing from the 2025 class underwhelmed in 50 DSL games, sporting only a .172/.349/.243 line, so his three walks in this box score, along with a base on balls Saturday, have him off to a fine OBP start. Fellow bonus baby Brailyn Antunez has the early lockdown on center field and the #2 spot in the lineup. Along with all others in Monday's lineup (everyone reached base despite the team coming to the plate only in six frames), Antunez' contributions were a single, a walk, two HBP's, two RBI. The buzz around RF Alexander Frias and his LH power bat is real, and he homered for a second straight game, also doubled, walked and stole a base. The other two position players to appear in both games thus far were CJ Hughes, who shifted to shortstop from second base, as the 11th round pick from a California high school clubbed his first professional home run, and Rylan Mills, catcher to first base, singled, walked. May I comment how pleased I am to be a part of the infatuated Brewers farmhand-follower community? Each day, we initiate an "as it happens" thread on our Minor League Forum, and now, given Statcast availability in all the complex league ballparks, our diehards are more than eager to share insights from these games. You are strongly encouraged to visit the 14-post thread here, hardly a difficult chore, and you'll pick up multiple insights beyond what I could add here. You'll learn about RHP's Caleb Nieman and Ma'Kale Holden, who covered all seven innings wonderfully. We await the pro debut of Taiwanese infielder Yu-Lin Liao. Maybe I'm overlooking the obvious, but Baseball Reference isn't properly displaying 2026 stats yet, as Alexander Frias' page shows as an example. Scrolling down reveals splits and such, but we'll be relying on MiLB Player Pages for much of our content for the time being. It's back to a full slate of five games on Tuesday, including a Timber Rattler matinee. We have already kicked off our Tuesday daily thread that includes the tricky to find box score location of the next Arizona game, hosting the Dodgers tykes in Maryvale. Enjoy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View the full article

Once again in 2026, I will be monitoring Miami Marlins predictions from our valued SuperSubs, Fish On First staffers and livestream guests. Individual article pages like this one will be created prior to every Marlins series and featured prominently on the FOF site. Consistent participation is key if you want to win this annual contest. Submissions only take a few seconds. Scoring system A "perfect" series is worth three points: Earn one point for predicting which team will win the upcoming series Earn one point for predicting the precise number of victories for each team Earn one point for predicting the “Series MVP” who accumulated the highest win probability added (WPA) during the series as calculated by FanGraphs (could pick a player from either team) Here is a reminder of what the 2025 season leaderboard looked like. FOF staffer Sean Millerick currently sits atop the 2026 leaderboard, which will be updated between every Marlins series. If you are a SuperSub, leave a comment with your Prediction Time picks on this page, or join the Marlins Discord Server and submit there. We'll feature them on the upcoming Fish On First LIVE episode and track your points throughout the season! Any picks submitted prior to the first pitch of the series opener will be counted. If you are not a SuperSub, please consider signing up here to support the FOF staff. Series preview notes Probable starting pitchers: RHP Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. RHP Chris Bassitt on Tuesday RHP Eury Pérez (MIA) vs. RHP Brandon Young on Wednesday RHP Max Meyer (MIA) vs. LHP Cade Povich on Thursday The Marlins rank 11th in MLB with a 100 wRC+ and 11th in MLB with a 3.91 FIP. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games and have a 11-9 record at home this season. The following Marlins players are on the injured list: Griffin Conine (10-day IL), Pete Fairbanks (15-day IL), Ronny Henriquez (60-day IL) and Adam Mazur (60-day IL). The Orioles rank 13th in MLB with a 99 wRC+ and 22nd in MLB with a 4.48 FIP. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games and have an 6-11 record on the road this season. The following Orioles players are on the injured list: Félix Bautista (60-day IL), Zach Eflin (60-day IL), Ryan Helsley (15-day IL), Yaramil Hiraldo (60-day IL), Jackson Holliday (10-day IL), Heston Kjerstad (10-day IL), Dean Kremer (15-day IL), Ryan Mountcastle (60-day IL), Trevor Rogers (15-day IL), Colin Selby (60-day IL) and Jordan Westburg (60-day IL). View the full article

Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Monday's show was hosted by Jeremiah Geiger and featured panelists Ely Sussman and Isaac Azout. The following topics were covered: Joe Mack makes major league debut What comes next for Agustín Ramírez defensively Chris Paddack expected to make his next start More frustrating in-game maneuvers by Clayton McCullough How Janson Junk and Max Meyer have stepped up this season Level of concern with unproductive outfielders Jakob Marsee and Owen Caissie Previewing and predicting the next series against the Baltimore Orioles You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be Thursday at approximately 10:00 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Orioles series finale. View the full article

MIAMI -- Aaron Nola is still a good pitcher. Maybe there was some doubt when the 32-year old came into Monday’s bout against Miami with a 6.03 ERA in six starts in 2026. He was also coming off a two-game stretch against the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves that saw him allow 11 earned runs and seven walks across nine combined innings. It seems he just needed a trip to south Florida to get back on track. Nola shut out the Marlins over six innings in a 1-0 Phillies win. He struck out five and didn’t allow a walk. All five hits the right-hander surrendered were singles -- some aided by poor defense by shortstop Trea Turner. Only one Marlins baserunner got into scoring position: Jacob Marsee moved to second base on a Kyle Stowers groundout in the sixth. “He’s always been able to really spin the ball,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said postgame. “And it's unique how he can get in the low 70s, but the amount of spin and break that he's able to put on it … he executed well and was able to move the ball around.” The Phillies bullpen continued carving through the Marlins lineup, allowing just two hits and no runs over the next three innings. As good as Nola was on Monday, he was only one pitch better than Marlins starter Janson Junk. Junk’s only run allowed was a solo home run to Bryce Harper in the third inning. Harper, (2-for-3 with a double) was the only Phillies batter to get an extra-base hit against Junk. The 30-year-old right-hander allowed five hits and zero walks, and struck out a season-high six hitters. Harper continued his tear against the Marlins as his home run was the 17th of his career at loanDepot park and his 39th against Miami overall. Junk has excelled in his role at the back end of Miami’s rotation, capitalizing even further on last year’s breakout season that saw him post a 2.68 ERA in the first half. He has a similar mark of 2.82 in seven starts this year. He’s allowed one run in his last three starts, one of which was a shutout against a Los Angeles Dodgers lineup that's second in the majors in batting average and OPS. “Overall, I thought it was solid. I left the game in a good spot and a chance to score some runs.(Relief pitcher John) King coming in and getting out of the inning for me was big time. Just unfortunate we couldn't come away with it.” Joe Mack debut: The No. 3 prospect in the Marlins organization made his Major League debut on Monday night. Batting 7th and catching, Mack went 0-for-3 with a fielder's choice. Mack told reporters postgame that every Phillies hitter offered him some type of congratulations as they stepped to the plate for the first time. "Yeah, that was really cool. They'd say hey to the umpire and then tell me congrats," Mack said. He also was able to make small talk with Bryce Harper while standing at first base, which the 23-year-old rookie will remember forever. Mack had several family friends and family in attendance for his start, and they will be there throughout the home stand. Notes: John King has stranded 16 of 18 inherited runners this year. Connor Norby subbed in at third base in the ninth inning. It was his second inning in that spot this season. Pregame, Clayton McCullough told reporters that he expects Mack to receive a solid amount of playing time. Liam Hicks will most likely start behind the dish against left-handed starters and will be at 1B/DH against righties. Agustin Ramirez, who was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville, will continue to see reps at catcher to further his development. View the full article

Kevin Alcántara is, at least superficially, posing a good problem for the Chicago Cubs. He's on a power binge for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs this spring. Let's dig into his numbers, and the choices the Cubs have with him. Background If you've been tracking Alcántara's career closely, you already know what his ceiling looks like, but you also know ho9w stubbornly far beneath it he's remained over the last few years. What was missing, to achieve that metaphorical ascent? A literal one. That's what Alcántara's achieving this spring. He's finally launching the ball. There's no slug on the ground, so he's taken his swing and his batted-ball profile to where there's a ton of it. Season Avg. LA Ground % Line Drive % Fly Ball % Pop Up % Pull % Center % Oppo % 2024 5.3° 51.7 25.3 18.4 4.6 48.3 21.8 29.9 2025 9.5° 46.2 24.9 23.3 6.3 40.3 23.7 36 2026 16.9° 32.8 15.6 39.1 12.5 35.9 39.1 25 Alcántara slugged just over .700 on contact in each of his two previous season stints in Triple-A. This year, that number is a mind-boggling (and, admittedly, unsustainable) 1.078. He's become an elite producer of power, at least at the Triple-A level. There's just one problem, and it's exactly what you'd guess, if you've been tracking Alcántara's career closely. Season O-Swing Z-Swing Z-Contact Whiff Rate 2024 32.1 62 80 31.8 2025 31.7 61.3 82.7 30.5 2026 35.1 61.1 73.6 38.6 To get to his power, Alcántara has sacrificed contact, in a profile that had no room for that tradeoff. He's striking out at a rate that would preclude a player from succeeding in the majors, and he's doing it against worse pitchers than they have in the majors. The implication, then, is that he'd strike out over 40% of the time in the big leagues. That's Brett Jackson territory. Alcántara still has to find the happy medium, where he's lifting the ball but can also control the strike zone and make consistent contact. Still, it's exciting to see just how much power he can generate when things go well. He’s also an absolute ball hawk in the outfield, as his 60-grade fielding tool is the highest on his MLB Pipeline scouting report. So what choices do the Cubs have? Let’s go over them. Promote Alcántara They could promote ‘The Jaguar’, but that comes with some complications. A couple of moves have resulted in a domino effect that makes this guy’s point of entry a little tougher. For one, the team locked down one of the best third basemen in the game, Alex Bregman, for the foreseeable future. That pushes sophomore Matt Shaw into (mostly) a corner outfield role. When Shaw is in right field, Seiya Suzuki takes up the DH spot, and then there’s no room for Alcántara. Of course, Alcántara would be behind Moisés Ballesteros on anyone's DH depth chart, anyway, even if Suzuki weren't in the picture. With Ian Happ, Suzuki, Shaw and Ballesteros all playing reasonably well, there's no short-term path to playing time with the parent club. Have Him Change Positions This is a nice little dream, but not much of a potential reality. Alcántara doesn't have any of the skills to play an infield position other than first base, and all of those spots are locked down, anyway. If he could become a solid first baseman, he would fit neatly with Michael Busch as a platoon partner, but that puts a lot of pressure on him to mash lefties and make more contact. It's also far from a guarantee that he can simply slide to that very different position and be above-average. His best defensive fit could be as a platoon partner for Pete Crow-Armstrong, but Crow-Armstrong is the best defensive center fielder in baseball; you usually don't platoon players with that much value in their glove. Keep Him In Iowa For a Little Longer This is the obvious course of action. Beyond simply keeping their powder dry, letting Alcántara continue amassing playing time in Iowa encourages him to keep developing, and avoids ruffling the feathers of any veterans. Happ and Suzuki are both due to be free agents this fall, and it would be no surprise if both land elsewhere. If even one does, playing time will be available in 2027's Cubs outfield, and if Alcántara keeps fixing holes in his game, he could be a candidate for that job. While the team is healthy, though, keeping him in Iowa lets everyone involved stay in rhythm and play every day, and gives Alcántara time to solve that glaring swing-and-miss problem, if possible. Trade the Surplus The last option is to trade Alcántara. Obviously, it’d be great to have a talent of his caliber at Wrigley, but right now, there's almost no chance he would be better than Happ, Suzuki or even Shaw. Power brings mass appeal in 2026, and this guy has plenty of it. The strikeouts have been an issue, but there are plenty of teams who might give up something to gamble on the power potential in Alcántara's bat, especially given his solid defensive platform. Before dealing him, the team would have to feel some confidence that they could re-sign either Suzuki or Happ, or that Shaw can be a regular in a corner come next season. They can't afford to go spend major free-agent dollars on multiple corner bats this winter, and the class looks thin, anyway. For now, Alcántara is an intriguing, enigmatic piece of the Cubs' organizational puzzle. His prospect stock could still skyrocket or plummet, but at the moment, it's holding in a middle range. The upside has never been more apparent. Neither have the warts ever been more prominently on display. There are a lot of ways to resolve this, but for now, the team's plan seems to be to do the obvious thing: wait and see what comes next, from Alcántara and others. View the full article

As the calendar turns to May, minor league players are starting to find a rhythm. Early-season noise starts to fade, and what remains is a clearer picture of who is making real adjustments and turning tools into production. This is often the point at which prospects either stabilize or begin to separate themselves. For several of the Twins’ top prospects, that separation is already taking shape. Strong underlying approaches are now translating into box score results, and a handful of names are forcing their way into bigger conversations within the organization. Whether it's former top picks showing why they were so highly regarded or emerging talents finding another gear, the system is beginning to generate some real momentum. OF Walker Jenkins– St. Paul Saints How He Got Here: Since being selected fifth overall in the 2023 draft, Jenkins has looked every bit like the advanced bat scouts envisioned out of high school. His climb to Triple-A before his 21st birthday speaks to both his polish and upside. When he has been available, the production has followed, highlighted by a career OPS north of .850 and strong underlying metrics against upper-level pitching. The challenge has been staying on the field. Various lower-body injuries have limited his total games played, slowing what could have been an even faster rise. Even so, he still managed to be one of the most productive hitters in the system last year. Hitting the Hot Button: Jenkins was locked in at the plate over the past week. Entering play on Sunday, Jenkins had gone 7-for-16 (.438) with four doubles and a home run over his last seven days. He drew four walks to help him get on base nearly 53% of the time and posted a 1.401 OPS. On Friday, he tied the Saints franchise record with three doubles in one game. The momentum hit an unfortunate pause, though, when he exited Sunday’s game after colliding with the outfield fence. He has a Grade 2 sprain of the AC joint in his shoulder and is likely to miss several weeks. C Khadim Diaw– Cedar Rapids Kernels How He Got Here: Diaw’s track record is as much about perseverance as it is about performance. When healthy, he has consistently hit, dating back to his college days, where he showed a strong combination of contact ability and on-base skills. Injuries have interrupted that trajectory at multiple points, but each return has brought more of the same offensive profile. After impressing in summer leagues and pre-draft workouts, the Twins invested a 2024 third-round pick in his bat. His first full professional season has followed a familiar pattern with flashes of production mixed with missed time, but the underlying approach continues to stand out. Hitting the Hot Button: Few hitters in the system have been tougher to retire recently than Diaw. He strung together a remarkable stretch of plate appearances where he reached base a dozen times in a row, combining consistent contact with a disciplined eye. A standout midweek performance saw him reach base five times in a single game. For the season, he is slashing .279/.426/.349, with four extra-base hits and a 26-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio, even while facing older pitchers in 65% of his plate appearances. The blend of patience and contact is turning heads. OF/1B Jaime Ferrer– Cedar Rapids Kernels How He Got Here: Ferrer entered pro ball with a solid offensive foundation after being selected in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Florida State. His debut offered glimpses of that potential as he posted a .748 OPS in 24 games. However, his first extended run at High-A exposed areas that needed refinement. In 101 games, he hit .216/.296/.339 (.634) with 27 extra-base hits and 84 strikeouts compared to 23 walks. The Twins challenged him by sending him back to the same level to start 2026. Hitting the Hot Button: That decision is already paying dividends, with adjustments to his approach and swing decisions that have helped unlock a more complete offensive profile. Ferrer has been one of the most productive hitters in the Midwest League to start the season. A breakout game on Saturday featuring two home runs (in the same inning) highlighted his growing power, but the broader story is his improved plate discipline and overall offensive balance. In 25 games this season, he is hitting .319/.449/.611, with six home runs and three doubles. His ability to produce against older pitching (1.160 OPS) only adds to the intrigue, suggesting real growth rather than a small sample spike. The common thread with this group is impact through adversity. Each player has dealt with interruptions or developmental hurdles, yet all three are showing the ability to adjust and produce when given the opportunity. That combination of resilience and performance is exactly what organizations hope to see from players pushing toward the next level. Of course, what happened to Jenkins is exactly what everyone hopes not to see. What stands out about this trio of prospects? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

Nobody argues against juggling bullpen backenders on and off the roster as much as we at Mets Roster Central do, but there's a reason they do it, and sometimes it works out. Transactions, 5/3/2026 COMING Cleared Waivers and Assigned to Syracuse Relief Pitchers Carl Edwards, Jr. R/R DoB: 33484 High Level: MLB (2026) The upside of pushing a veteran player through a DFA odyssey hardly seems worth it. Maybe you get a fresh arm for a day or two, but that doesn't necessarily mean a better arm, or even the right one for the day. The downside should be obvious — the lack of continuity effected by the roster churn, half your relievers often sleeping with one eye open, the undermining of the yo-yo-ed players morale, and the diminished status of players with fans, who are looking to bond with these players but find out the team only considers them day workers. Beyond that is the inability of a player to grow in his job as he makes adjustments from appearance to appearance. You pitch two back-end innings and give up three runs, or you pitch two shutout innings and strike out four — either way you're back on plane to Syracuse or wherever. Or possibly grabbed off waivers by Tampa Bay But the un-necessary trip through the waiver wire for Carl Edwards, Jr. has led to no such tragedies. Nobody with a motive to grab him had a roster spot to spare, and so Carl heads to Syracuse, and hopefully soon returns to build on his 1.50 ERA and 11(!!) strikeouts in six innings. That is ... if he doesn't refuse the assignment and become a free agent, which wouldn't be that crazy a move when banished to AAA by the team with the worst record in the league. This, of course, is yet another reason why Reliever Roulette is a game for fools. Your 2026 New York Mets Starting Pitchers Clay Holmes Nolan McLean Freddy Peralta David Peterson Christian Scott R/R DoB: 1993-03-27 R/R DoB: 2001-07-24 R/R DoB: 2996-06-04 L/L DoB: 1995-09-03 R/R DoB: 1999-06-15 Relief Pitchers Huascar Brazobán Craig Kimbrel Sean Manaea Tobias Myers Brooks Raley Austin Warren Luke Weaver R/R DoB: 1989-10-15 R/R DoB: 32291 R/L DoB: 1992-02-01 R/R DoB: 1998-08-05 L/L DoB: 1988-06-29 R/R DoB: 1996-02-05 R/R DoB: 1993-08-21 Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders Devin Williams Francisco Alvarez Luís Torrens Bo Bichette Vidal Brujan Andy Ibáñez MJ Melendez R/R DoB: 1994-09-21 R/R DoB: 2001-11-01 R/R DoB: 1996-05-02 R/R DoB: 1998-03-05 S/R DoB: 1998-02-09 R/R DoB: 1993-04-03 L/R DoB: 1993-11-29 Infielders Outfielders Marcus Semien Mark Vientos Brett Baty Carson Benge Austin Slater Juan Soto Tyrone Taylor R/R DoB: 1990-09-17 R/R DoB: 1993-12-11 L/R DoB: 1999-11-13 L/R DoB: 2003-01-20 R/R DoB: 33951 L/L DoB: 1998-10-25 R/R DoB: 34356 Also on 40-Player Roster Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers Tylor Megill Kodai Senga Jonah Tong Alex Carrillo Reed Garrett Joey Gerber Justin Hagenman R/R DoB: 1995-07-28 L/R DoB: 1993-01-30 R/R DoB: 2003-06-19 R/R DoB: 1997-06-06 R/R DoB: 1993-01-02 R/R DoB: 1997-05-03 R/R DoB: 1996-10-07 On 60-Day Injured List with torn right UCL. On 15-Day Injured List with Lumbar Spine Inflammation With Syracuse With Syracuse On 60-Day Injured List — right UCL surgery and nerve relocation surgery. With St. Lucie on Rehab Assignment On 60 Day Injured List with fractured rib. Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders A.J. Minter Dedniel Núñez Jonathan Pintaro Dylan Ross Hayden Senger Francisco Lindor Ronny Mauricio L/L DoB: 1993-09-02 R/R DoB: 1996-06-05 R/R DoB: 1997-11-07 R/R DoB: 2000-09-01 R/R DoB: 1997-04-03 S/R DoB: 1993-11-14 S/R DoB: 2001-04-04 With Syracuse on Rehab Assignment On 60-Day Injured List — right UCL surgery. With Syracuse With Syracuse With Syracuse On 10-Day Injured List with Strained Left Calf On 10-Day Injured List with fractured right thumb. Infielders Outfielders Jorge Polanco Nick Morabito Luis Robert, Jr. Jared Young S/R DoB: 1999-11-13 R/R DoB: 2003-05-07 R/R DoB: 1997-08-03 L/R DoB: 1995-07-09 On 10-Day Injured List with right wrist contusion. With Syracuse On 10-Day Injured List with Lumbar Spine Disc Hernitaion On 10-Day Injured List with torn left meniscus. Deslgnated for Assignment Eric Wagaman R/R DoB: 35656 DFA'd, 2026-05-02. Your Mets Coaching Staff Manager Bench Coach Pitching Coach Hitting Coordinator Third Base Coach First Base Coach Bullpen Coach Ass't Pitching Coach Carlos Mendoza Kai Correa Justin Willard Jeff Albert Tim Leiper Gilbert Gomez José Rosado Dan McKinney DoB: 1979-11-27 DoB: 1989-07-14 DoB: 1990-09-09 DoB: 1992-08-16 DoB: 1996-07-19 DoB: 1992-03-08 DoB: 1974-11-09 DoB: 1989-06-06 Hitting Coach Strategy Coach Catching Coach Coaching Assistant Bat'g Practice Pitcher Equipment Manager Bullpen Catchers Bullpen Catchers Troy Snitker Danny Barnes J.P. Arencibia Rafael Fernandez Kevin Mahoney Kevin Kierst Eric Langill Dave Racaniello DoB: 1988-12-05 DoB: 1989-10021 DoB: 1986-01-05 DoB: 1988-08-03 DoB: 1987-05-11 DoB: 1964-07-09 DoB: 1979-04-09 DoB: 1978-06-03 Your Mets Training Staff Director of Player Health Head Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Reconditioning Coordinator Reconditioning Therapist Head Performance Coach Assistant Performance Coach Performance Coordinator Soft Tissue Specialist Brian Chicklo Joseph Golia Bryan Baca Sean Bardanett Josh Bickel Dustin Clarke Tanner Miracle Jeremy Chiang Hiroto Kawamura DoB: 1972-07-17 DoB: 1978-??-?? DoB: Circa 1980 DoB: 1988-06-23 DoB: 1996-??-?? DoB: 1987-??-?? DoB: 1991-??-?? DoB: ????-??-?? DoB: 1962-07-19 View the full article

On Monday afternoon, before the start of the Royals' seven-game homestand against Cleveland and Detroit, the Royals announced on social media that relief pitcher Carlos Estevez will begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Omaha. Estevez has made only one MLB-level appearance this season, on the road against Atlanta on March 28th. In 0.1 IP, he allowed six runs on four hits and two walks while not registering a single strikeout. He also gave up a home run and currently has a 162.00 ERA, 18.00 WHIP, and 60.10 FIP. During the Braves game, the 33-year-old reliever was hit in the foot by a comebacker and, as a result, was placed on the 15-Day IL due to a left foot contusion. There was a lot of buzz surrounding Estevez this spring, as his four-seam velocity sat under 90 MPH for most of Spring Training. While he's been traditionally a slow starter when it comes to ramping up for the start of the season, the subpar velocity captured the eye of concerned Royals fans. While his velocity was slightly better against Atlanta than what he showed in the spring, it was still down compared to his historical velocity trends. Not much has been shared about Estevez since going on the IL, though it was reported that he got sick, which bumped his rehab assignment back. In bullpen sessions back in Arizona, Royals GM JJ Picollo, in an interview with the Cody and Gold radio show on 96.5 FM on April 29th, said the velocity looked much better and was more in line with what the Royals saw a season ago, during his first season in Kansas City. Estevez is in the last year of a two-year deal he signed with the Royals last offseason. In 67 appearances last year, he posted a 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and saved 42 games, which led all of baseball. It was the first time a Royals closer had led the league in saves since Dan Quisenberry back in 1985. Currently, Lucas Erceg has been receiving a majority of the save opportunities with Estevez on the IL. In 15 appearances, the 30-year-old righty has a 3.77 ERA and 1.40 WHIP and has nine saves with two blown saves this season. A setup man in 2025, Erceg saved 14 games with the Royals and Athletics in 2024. 11 of those saves came with Kansas City after being acquired at the Trade Deadline. View the full article

Despite a weekend scare, Jackson Chourio is also returning to the Milwaukee Brewers' offense. Chourio, an outfielder, and first baseman Andrew Vaughn were activated from the 10-day injured list Monday and were in the lineup for Monday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Outfielder Blake Perkins was optioned to Triple-A Nashville and outfielder Greg Jones was designated for assignment to make room on the 26-man roster. Also, right-handed starter Quinn Priester was pulled from his rehab assignment while still remaining on the 15-day IL. The return of Chourio and Vaughn, who hit in the top half of the batting order, is a much-needed boost for an offense that has been missing a spark. Chourio was a surprising IL placement on Opening Day. He sustained a fractured left hand while playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, but the injury didn't appear to bother him as he continued to play after sitting out two games. The injury popped up during the Brewers' final exhibition games just days before Opening Day. Chourio then fouled a ball off his left ankle Saturday during a rehab assignment game for Nashville, which put his expected return Monday in doubt. But he went through running drills and was deemed fit enough to be activated. Vaughn joined Chourio on a rehab assignment last week as he recovered from hamate surgery in his left hand. Perkins was returned to Nashville, where he started the season. The defensive-minded center fielder has been the odd man out with a healthy Garrett Mitchell able to patrol center field and the emergence of Brandon Lockridge. But the switch-hitting Perkins mustered a measly .109/.212/.174 slash line in 19 games. Jones was a minor-league free-agent signing this offseason and appeared in 11 games since coming up April 14. He also struggled at the plate, going 2-for-21 (.095). If he passes through waivers, he could return to Nashville. View the full article

Prior to Sunday’s matchup with Toronto, Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll met with reporters and shared updates on several injured players across the organization. Among those, David Festa’s status stood out for all the wrong reasons. Festa had been building toward a return after dealing with a shoulder issue during Spring Training, but that progress hit a snag. Following his third live batting practice session, he experienced renewed discomfort, forcing the organization to halt his ramp-up and reassess. The timing is unfortunate, as he appeared to be nearing a minor league rehab assignment before this latest development. He has yet to pitch in a game this season, and the road back has already been complicated. Festa was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome late in 2025 and then dealt with right shoulder impingement earlier this year. Each step forward has required patience, and now that patience will be tested again. The situation leaves the Twins balancing short-term needs with long-term value. When healthy, Festa still projects as a meaningful piece of the organization’s pitching depth. Entering last season, he was arguably the team’s top pitching prospect. However, shoulder concerns can quickly alter timelines, and the team may need to remain flexible about how they eventually deploy him. There is at least some reason to believe a different role could unlock more consistency. Over the past two seasons, Festa has posted a 5.12 ERA alongside a more encouraging 4.27 FIP, backed by a 25.7% strikeout rate and an 8.3% walk rate. Those underlying metrics hint at a pitcher whose arsenal could benefit from shorter bursts, where his stuff may play up, and the physical demands are easier to manage. Even so, any conversation about role changes is secondary right now. The Twins are focused on getting Festa back to a place where he can throw regularly without setbacks. That means taking a deliberate approach and avoiding any temptation to accelerate the process. There is still a path for Festa to contribute in 2026, but it will depend on how his body responds in the coming weeks. Whether he ultimately returns as a starter or shifts into a relief role will sort itself out over time. For now, the objective is straightforward. Get healthy and stay healthy. For a team already navigating questions about its pitching depth, every update carries weight. This one may not be what Minnesota hoped for, but it does not close the door. If Festa can resume his progression without further interruption, he still has a chance to factor into the picture later this season. View the full article

In advance of making his Marlins debut on Monday, catcher Joe Mack speaks with the media about his journey to the majors, the moment he received the news of his call-up and more.View the full article

Alex and Maddie sit down to discuss how the Red Sox have been performing in the first full week in a post-Alex Cora world. They go in-depth on the leaks that have come out since the firing and discuss how there is a need for leadership in the clubhouse that Trevor Story isn't able to fill. They talk through Ceddanne Rafaela's response to Story's lack of hustle during the Astros series, and break down the comments that Willson Contreras made about the young players on the team, and Marcelo Mayer's response to it. Finally, they break down potential names that could be traded away should the season go belly up sooner than later. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talk-sox-podcast/id1783204104 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qPrPXEngu0CxgTmlf0ynm Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-talk-sox-podcast-244591331/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/4tmd121v Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talksox View the full article

Expected to be a key contributor to the Boston Red Sox's bullpen, left-hander Danny Coulombe has mostly been solid, with one minor blowup. But now, he will be lost for the near future. Coulombe was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday with cervical spasms. Left-hander Alex Gamboa was called up from Triple-A Worcester to make his MLB debut. Left-hander Patrick Sandoval was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room for Gamboa on the 40-man roster. Coulombe is the eighth pitcher to currently be on the Red Sox's injured list. His overall numbers don't look great, but his 5.63 ERA in eight innings over 12 appearances is skewed by an April 23 outing vs. the New York Yankees. That is when he allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning of a 4-2 loss. The 29-year-old Gamboa has made three starts at Worcester this season, allowing nine runs on 17 hits and five walks against 15 strikeouts in 13 innings. He was signed as a minor-league free agent this offseason after being released by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He appeared in just eight games (two starts) at Triple-A last year. View the full article

John Schneider has a track record of playing match-ups late in games, whether on offense or defense. Removing Tyler Heineman late in the final game of the Blue Jays' series with the Twins seemed uncharacteristic. Moments before, Heineman had the bases loaded and wasn’t able to capitalize. It was a leverage moment, especially on an afternoon when the offense had been uneven and opportunities had been scarce. When Schneider lifted Heineman immediately afterward, he was sending a quiet but unmistakable message: Results matter right now. It wasn't personal, but it was pointed. Managers do not make those moves casually with veterans unless they feel the margin for error is gone. Sure, Heineman did exactly what veterans do after a moment like that. He owned it. He said the at‑bat was bad. He backed his manager publicly. He said all the right things because, frankly, he usually does. That part is genuine, and people around the clubhouse will tell you it always has been. Yet, the timing of Heineman’s poor performance and a surging Brandon Valenzuela are doing him no favours. Heineman is an important veteran presence in the clubhouse. He plays for a manager who is a former catcher, and most of the time, they seem aligned. Heineman’s job is not to be a superstar. It is solely to back up Alejandro Kirk and not make egregious mistakes. Late in the April 3 10-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox, when Kirk went down with his thumb injury, Heineman needed to suit up and enter the game on defense in a tight situation. On a routine play behind the plate, he rushed a throw and air‑mailed it, allowing a runner to advance and ultimately score the decisive run. It cost the team a potential win during a bad stretch. That moment lingers because it violated one of the unspoken rules for a backup catcher: If the bat isn’t carrying you, the defense absolutely cannot cost your team runs. At the time, the Jays were trying to survive an ugly stretch of games. Things have been improving over the past few series, but Heineman has not been as consistent as he was last season. It’s why the substitution against the Twins didn't feel random. The safety net that Heineman is supposed to provide hasn’t been airtight, and the Jays have paid for it a couple of times on the scoreboard. Last season, when Heineman was hitting nearly .400 early, mistakes like that would have been absorbed and forgotten because he was giving runs back at the other end. This year, with the offensive cushion gone, every error carries full weight. And once a player’s mistakes are remembered as “the ones that cost us games,” the leash shortens quickly, whether anyone says it out loud or not. That’s the undercurrent right now. Not a loss of trust in Heineman as a professional, but a recognition that the thing he’s supposed to guarantee – clean, no‑drama innings – has slipped just enough to matter. In a roster crunch with Valenzuela ascending and Kirk nearing return, those moments don’t disappear. If this were Heineman and a fringe third catcher, that at‑bat probably doesn't send him to the bench. But Valenzuela is not just filling space. He’s catching well, earning praise for his defense, and giving the staff reasons to believe big moments won’t overwhelm him. When a manager believes the alternative is viable, a player's leash shortens. That’s baseball reality, not commentary on character. Heineman knows exactly what’s at stake. He knows Kirk is coming back. He knows Valenzuela is pushing. He knows he doesn't have the safety net of a minor league option. Veterans don’t need those things spelled out. Last year’s Heineman did not need to carry the offense; he simply needed to avoid being a liability, and he exceeded that bar. His strong start in 2025 mattered because it bought him credibility inside the organization. Coaches trusted him more. Pitchers leaned on him. This season, the contrast is undeniable. The batting average is down. The OPS has fallen sharply. Opposing pitchers have attacked him earlier in counts and with fewer mistakes. The numbers do not flatter him. Pitchers continue to speak highly of the way he prepares. His game calling remains sharp. When John Schneider talks about professionalism and readiness, Heineman’s name surfaces even on nights when the box score is ugly. That matters, especially in a season where stability has been in short supply. Veteran catchers do not stick around this long by accident. However, the primary difference between last year’s catching picture and this year’s is not Heineman himself. It is Brandon Valenzuela. Valenzuela was not called up to force any decisions. He was called up to survive. Instead, he has defended at a level that immediately plays in the majors and has shown enough offensive adaptability to matter. Early home runs, quality at-bats, and visible adjustments have changed the conversation around him from placeholder to potential piece. More importantly, the staff has praised his defensive work behind the plate. His receiving, framing, and pitcher comfort, the areas that usually expose young catchers, have looked advanced for someone this early in his career. That alone could force the front offices to rethink plans. This is where things stop being theoretical. When Alejandro Kirk returns, the Blue Jays will have three catchers who all make sense in different ways. Kirk remains the centrepiece. His rehab is progressing on schedule, and once activated, the expectation is that he resumes the majority of catching duties fairly quickly, even if the team is careful with his workload early. The issue beyond that is that Heineman is out of minor league options. Valenzuela is not. Heineman still brings real value beyond the stat sheet. He mentors, and he accepts role changes without friction. He shoulders responsibility publicly and shields younger players from unnecessary scrutiny. His reaction to being benched earlier this season spoke volumes about why managers trust certain veterans even when the numbers sag. That kind of presence is not insignificant, especially in a clubhouse that has absorbed injury after injury. But roster decisions are not made on intangibles alone. Once Kirk returns, Toronto has several realistic paths, none of them painless. The Jays can keep Heineman as Kirk’s backup and option Valenzuela back to Triple A, prioritizing short-term stability and veteran continuity. That is the safest move in the moment, but it risks slowing a development curve that appears ready for major league reps. They can pivot toward youth, keep Valenzuela, and designate Heineman for assignment, betting that youth, control, and upside outweigh comfort. This aligns with long-term planning but risks removing a trusted presence from a pitching staff that has valued continuity. They could temporarily carry three catchers, sacrificing bench flexibility and buying time until Kirk is fully ramped up. This is workable in short spurts but rarely sustainable, and it complicates in-game decision-making. They could also explore trades, either now or closer to the deadline, leveraging depth to avoid a binary choice. That option depends heavily on market timing and interest. When Kirk returns, the Blue Jays will no longer be in survival mode behind the plate. They will be in selection mode. Whatever Toronto chooses, Heineman’s professionalism has already justified his place in the conversation. Whether his future is in Toronto or somewhere else, that is the mark of a veteran who did his job well even when the job kept changing. Sometimes the hardest roster decisions involve players who do everything right when nobody is watching. Those decisions usually say far more about an organization’s direction than any batting average ever could. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Affiliate Overview (May 1 - May 3) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 3-3 Season Record: 18-14 Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees): 2-5 Season Record: 13-14 High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers): 2-4 Season Record: 13-14 Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Wilson War Birds (Milwaukee Brewers): 2-4 Season Record: 12-15 Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 18-14 Series Opponent: Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals) Series Standing: 3-3 May 1: Worcester cruised to a 10-5 win behind an outstanding performance from Mickey Gasper. Isaac Coffey took the mound to start Friday’s game for Worcester but turned in a subpar performance. Through four innings of work he let up seven hits and five runs and didn’t record a single strikeout. Coffey’s ERA jumped to 4.61 through seven appearances this season. Eduardo Rivera took the next three innings, and continued to show why he’s one of the Red Sox best arms in the farm system. He let up a single hit and struck out five, earning the win. Kyle Keller and Tommy Kahnle split the final two innings, each giving up a walk but preventing the Red Wings from making a comeback. The WooSox looked excellent at the plate as all hitters got on base at least once. Mickey Gasper got things started with a solo homer in the first inning. Nick Sogard followed this up with an RBI of his own, driving in Matt Lloyd on a single in the second. In the fifth, Vinny Capra hit a solo shot, his fourth of the year, to cut the deficit to two runs. Worcester broke out in the seventh with five runs. Sogard drove in Braiden Ward, then was driven in on a double by Capra. Gasper then roped a single to left field to get Capra across the plate. Finally, Allan Castro doubled, driving in Gasper and Anthony Seigler. In the ninth, Lloyd capped off the win with a two run single that scored Gasper and Castro. Gasper went 4/5 with two RBIs as he bumped his batting average to .302 amid an excellent season. May 2: The WooSox lost 7-5 in a tightly contested battle. Michael Sansone started the game for Worcester and lasted five and ⅓ innings. However, it wasn’t the smoothest of sailing for the lefty, who allowed six runs on six hits. He K’d five but allowed two homers as Rochester grabbed the lead, giving Sansone the loss. Jacob Webb took the last two and ⅔ innings and allowed one more run on a solo shot, but was otherwise solid, racking up two strikeouts. Despite the shaky pitching performance the WooSox made a valiant effort at the dish. Down 4-0 in the fourth inning, Allan Castro launched a home run to drive in himself and Mikey Romero and bring the game within two. An inning later, Nathan Hickey hit a solo shot to give Worcester a shot. In the next inning, Hickey reached on an error as Romero and Vinny Capra crossed the plate, giving the WooSox a one run lead. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to defeat the Red Wings, as they fell in a close game. May 3: The WooSox lost their second in a row 6-3 in the series finale. Seth Martinez took the first three innings on Sunday afternoon, allowing one run on two hits but preventing any further damage. Jack Anderson got the ball next but his outing wasn’t as smooth as Martinez’s. He K’d three but allowed four runs and nine hits. He allowed two home runs in the sixth inning before he was subsequently pulled. Tayron Guerrero got the last two innings, but couldn’t turn in a clean sheet. The 35-year-old journeyman punched out two but it wasn’t enough to suppress Rochester’s offense as they tacked on one more run. Anthony Seigler stood out at the plate, recording three hits in four at-bats and accounting for an RBI and a run. He got Worcester’s offense going with an RBI single in the fourth that drove in Vinny Capra, then crossed the plate himself on an Allan Castro sac fly in the seventh. Capra was also solid at the dish, hitting his tenth double of the year as well as a single. Nate Eaton drove in the WooSox remaining run with an eighth inning sac fly that drove in Braiden Ward. Worcester only drew one walk, totaling eight baserunners overall. They were effective with RISP, going 3/8, but it wasn’t enough to claim the series win. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 13-14 Series Opponent: Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees) Series Standing: 2-5 May 1: Portland was crushed 13-3 as the pitching staff was nothing short of disastrous. John Holobetz posted a 2.45 ERA through the month of April, but his first outing of May was a turn in the wrong direction. Over just three and ⅔ innings, Holobetz allowed nine hits and 10 runs (three unearned) as he couldn’t contain the Patriots offense. Joe Vogatsy came in to try and slow the bleeding, and he did just that. He allowed three baserunners over two and ⅓ innings, while striking out three. Unfortunately, any chance of a comeback was stymied by a poor performance from Reidis Sena. Sena allowed three more runs over the last two innings of the game. He walked five and allowed two hits as he struggled to give the Sea Dogs offense a window to get back into the game. As poor as Portland’s pitching was, its offense was just as bad. The Sea Dogs only generated nine baserunners on five hits and four walks. The offensive struggles continued as Portland hasn’t scored more than nine runs all season long. On Friday they struck out a total of fifteen times. The only runs of the night came from the long ball. In the sixth, Johanfran Gracia, nicknamed “The Username,” clubbed his second home run of the year with a two run blast that scored Max Ferguson. Then, in the ninth, Will Turner also homered. His second shot of the year was absolutely demolished, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Sea Dogs from suffering defeat. May 2: The Sea Dogs fell yet again by double digits, losing 11-0. It was more of the same on Saturday for Portland, a poor pitching performance followed by an even weaker offensive showing. Jedixson Paez turned in a solid two and ⅔ innings to start the night for Portland, his longest appearance of the season. He allowed one run on a hit and a walk, but kept the Patriots potent offense at bay. Shea Sprague made his first appearance in Portland, but it was nothing short of a catastrophe. Over just one and ⅓ innings he gave up seven runs, two walks, and eight runs as Somerset pulled way ahead. Calvin Bickerstaff picked up some of the slack, but it wasn’t enough. Over three innings of work he gave up two more runs on five hits, allowing two home runs. Lastly, Caleb Bolden turned in an inning of nearly flawless work. He let up just one hit, but it wasn’t enough to rectify a terrible day from those before him. The Sea Dogs hitters failed to show up yet again, amassing just five hits and not drawing a single walk. Brooks Brannon had the best day by far, going 2/4 with a double and a single. Franklin Arias was another highlight as he added on to his spectacular season with a double, his fifth of the year. Marvin Alcantara and Ahbram Liendo each added a single, but aside from them it was all quiet at the plate for Portland. May 3: Portland’s bats finally woke up as they crushed Somerset 11-4 behind 10 K’s from Mullins. Justin Slaten pitched the first inning of the contest on a rehab assignment and he looked great. He allowed one hit but punched out two as he made his first rehab appearance. Hayden Mullins then took the bulk of the game, going six innings. He earned the win for his appearance as he allowed two runs on two hits. He struck out a spectacular 10 batters, tied for the most in his career. Cade Feeney took the next inning, allowing one run on two hits, and Max Carlson finished out the afternoon allowing one last run on a solo shot. On offense, Will Turner got the first runs on the board for Portland with a bases loaded two-run single in the third. In the fourth inning, the Sea Dogs executed a rare double steal of home, as Tyler McDonough dashed home while Caden Rose took second. Then, Abraham Liendo drove in Rose with a single as Portland extended the lead to three. In the fifth, Johanfran Garcia hit his third homer of the season all of which have come in the past week. One batter later, Nelly Taylor hit a solo shot of his own as Portland went back-to-back. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Garcia came up big once again with a bases-clearing double. He then scored on a single from Ronald Rosario as Portland capped off an 11-run afternoon. Garcia was the clear stand out from Sunday’s game with four RBIs on 2/5 hitting. High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 13-14 Series Opponent: Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers) Series Standing: 2-4 May 1: The Drive lost 7-1 despite another dominant start from Anthony Eyanson. Of the 15 batters Eyanson faced, he struck out seven of them. He allowed three walks, the first of the season, on calls that caused some controversy on X/Twitter. Aside from the three walks, he only allowed one other baserunner on a single. Eyanson lowered his High-A ERA to an astounding 0.44 as he has only given up one run through 20 and ⅓ innings. Following the series finale on Sunday, Eyanson was officially called up to Double-A Portland. Brandon Neely came in the fourth, but wasted Eyanson’s start. Across two innings he gave up eight hits and six runs, digging the Drive into a hole too deep to climb out of. Joey Gartrell took the next two and ⅓, allowing one more run on three hits but limiting the damage. Finally, P.J. Labriola pitched the final inning, allowing two hits and no runs. The Drive struck first in the second inning on an Antonio Anderson single that drove in Freili Encarnacion. Unfortunately for Greenville it was a short-lived lead that they couldn’t reclaim. In addition to his single, Anderson also recorded his third double of the season as he was the only member of the Drive to record more than one hit. Hudson White and Yoeilin Cespedes also had one double apiece. The only other Greenville players to get a hit were Adonys Guzman, Yophery Rodriguez, and Encarnacion, all of whom recorded a single. May 2: The Drive fell again 6-2 as they struggled with runners on base. Devin Futrell put together an excellent start and lowered his ERA to 1.26 as he continues to thrive in Greenville. Through five and ⅔ innings he allowed three hits and walked two. Hub City only scored once as Futrell put five batters away on strikes. Similarly to Friday, an excellent start from a Greenville pitcher was spoiled by a poor bullpen performance. Danny Kirwin took the next two innings and entered with a save opportunity. He exited the game with a blown save and the loss as he let up four runs (two unearned) on four hits. To finish out the game, Matt McShane put together a decent one and ⅓ innings. He gave up a walk, a hit, and a run as the game got out of reach for Greenville. The Drive drew an astounding nine walks in Saturday’s contest as they totaled 15 baserunners, but were unable to convert their men on base into runs. Justin Gonzales continues to be a monster for the Drive, he tripled in the first inning and was driven in on a double by Henry Godbout. Gonzales scored again in the fifth on a single by Gerardo Rodriguez as Greenville nabbed the lead. However, that was all the offense Greenville could muster as they left nine runners in scoring position. Rodriguez and Godbout recorded two hits each but it just wasn’t enough to amend the poor bullpen performance. May 3: The Drive lost their fourth in a row as they dropped the series finale 7-5. Marcus Philips made the start, making his way through four and ⅔ innings. It wasn’t the easiest outing as he let up five runs on four hits and three walks. On the bright side, he struck out five batters. Luis Cohen recorded his third loss of the season for his poor outing on Sunday. Through just two innings he let up another four hits and two runs, only striking out one as Hub City pulled ahead. Griffin Kilander had the best performance by far, K’ing two and walking one over the final two and ⅓ innings of the contest. Kilander impressed in his first appearance since being called up from Low-A Salem. Sunday marked an improvement from the plate from recent contests, but it still wasn’t enough to defeat Hub City. Down 5-0 in the fifth, Justin Gonzales reached third on a fielder's choice and throwing error as Yophery Rodriguez scored. Then, Gonzales scored on a Henry Godbout groundout. In the sixth, Mason White tied the ballgame with a three run homer that just snuck over the right field wall. Unfortunately for Greenville, they couldn’t eke out the win as they fell yet again. Isaiah Jackson was the only Greenville player to record more than one hit as he tallied a double and a single. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 12-15 Series Opponent: Wilson War Birds (Milwaukee Brewers) Series Standing: 2-4 May 1: Salem was crushed 11-2 as they barely generated any offense. Christian Foutch started the game and struck out seven across three innings. Unfortunately, he let up two hits and three walks that resulted in two runs scored for the War Birds. Jose Bello took the next two and ⅓ but wasn’t in good shape, earning the loss. He gave up five runs (three unearned) and three hits as his ERA jumped to 4.00. The only bright spot for Bello came as he punched out five batters. Nicolas De La Cruz pitched the next one and ⅓, striking out three but giving up another two runs on two hits, including a home run. Harry Blum got the final one and ⅓ and posted a similar stat line to De La Cruz. Blum also let up two runs on two hits with one walk and striking out two. Salem’s offense was quiet to say the least. Only seven runners reached base as the RidgeYaks went down on strikes 13 times. Their only runs came on a Starlyn Nunez single in the third that scored Ilan Fernandez and a Skylar King solo homer in the fourth. Kleyvar Salazar was the only other RidgeYak to record a hit as the offensive struggles continued to pile up for Salem. May 2: The offensive woes just kept coming for Salem as they fell 10-0 on Saturday. Dalvinson Reyes got Salem started but limped through three and ⅓ innings. He allowed four hits and five runs (one unearned) while walking and striking out three. However, Barrett Morgan righted the ship with his outstanding performance. Morgan turned in three and ⅔ innings of one hit ball, allowing one walk as well. He struck out seven of the thirteen batters he faced as the pitching staff finally came through for Salem. Unfortunately Morgan’s momentum didn’t extend to Adam Bates’ appearance. Bates allowed four hits and gave up more runs in just one inning of work as his ERA ballooned to 13.81. If Friday’s offensive performance was bad, Saturday’s was downright horrible. Ilan Fernandez and Anderson Fermin were the only players to record a hit with a single apiece. The RidgeYaks did draw seven walks, but went 0-for-5 with RISP. Additionally, they struck out 13 times as they just couldn’t put the ball in play. Not a single RidgeYak is batting over .265 over a month into the season. May 3: Salem put together a good all-around performance, but it wasn’t enough to get the win as they lost 4-3 in extra innings. Leighton Finley pitched five solid innings in his start, allowing three hits and two unearned runs as he kept his ERA to an excellent 1.45. He walked three and struck out one as he stymied the red-hot Wilson offense. Jason Gilman kept the momentum going with three hitless innings. He allowed two hits and a walk as he struck out two. As the popular saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and Salem’s best pitching appearance all weekend was spoiled by a poor outing from Wuilliams Rodriguez. He allowed a walk-off two run blast in the bottom of the tenth as Wilson defeated Salem in the season finale. The RidgeYaks were noticeably better from the plate on Sunday. Enddy Azocar drove in D’Angelo Ortiz and Ilan Fernandez on an RBI-double in the third as Salem jumped out to a 2-run lead. In the top of the tenth with the game tied 2-2, Luke Heyman reached base on an error as Andrews Opata scored. The one eyesore on the box score was the 13 strikeouts recorded by Salem, especially in contrast to only four walks drawn. Despite the loss it was a significant improvement from the past few days. Fernandez went 4/4 with a run and Skylar King went ⅔ as the RidgeYaks started to get past their offensive woes. View the full article

Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 2-4 Runs Scored Last Week:13 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 21 Standings: 5th in AL East 10 GB First Place Transactions: 04/29/26: Red Sox recalled OF Nate Eaton from Worcester Red Sox. 04/29/26: Red Sox placed LHP Garrett Crochet on the 15-day injured list retroactive to 04/26/26. Left shoulder inflammation. 04/30/26: Red Sox optioned OF Nate Eaton to Worcester Red Sox. 05/01/26: Red Sox recalled LHP Jake Bennett from Worcester Red Sox. Scores: Game 28 (4/27): BOS 5, TOR 0 Game 29 (4/28): BOS 0, TOR 3 Game 30 (4/29): BOS 1, TOR 8 Game 31 (5/01): BOS 3, HOU 1 Game 32 (5/02): BOS 3, HOU 6 Game 33 (5/03): BOS , HOU 3 Series Breakdown/Highlights Blue Jays Series: The Red Sox never really looked overmatched by Dylan Cease during the first game of the series. Ranger Suarez was magical for the Sox, tossing eight scoreless innings, giving up only one hit while striking out 10 on the night. The offense seemed to be firing on all cylinders against one of the better starters in the league and maybe, just maybe, there was some hope for a turnaround on the horizon. Then games two and three happened. The offense fell back into their ways of not working at-bats, leaving the top half of innings in 10 pitches or less on more than one occasion. Trey Yesavage out-dueled Payton Tolle, who was clearly laboring through arm fatigue after pitching just four days prior, in game two. Then, game three gave us another forgettable outing from Brayan Bello, who looks like a shell of the Bello we saw last season. Astros Series: The Fenway Greens were out in full force during game one of the series. The game was circled on some people’s calendars solely because the pitching matchup had ‘TBD’ for the opener instead of Garrett Crochet. He landed on the 15-day IL with left shoulder inflammation and LHP Jake Bennett was called up to make the start. He pitched well, tossing five innings one one-run baseball while striking out three. Jarren Duran’s bat seemed to finally be waking up as he was good for all three runs the Sox scored in the victory after he put a three-run home run into the seats behind the home bullpen. On Saturday though, Connelly Early looked far from sharp. He surrendered five earned runs over four innings, mostly due to the fact he couldn’t command his pitches at all during the outing. In the final game of the series, Duran was responsible for the lone run with another home run, but Zack Kelly allowed two runs in extra innings to let the game slip away. Ranger Suarez was pitching well, striking out three through four innings but as he walked off the field after the fourth, he seemed to tell Andrew Bailey that he wasn’t going back out. It later was revealed that he was removed due to right hamstring tightness. The bigger story of the entire series was that the Red Sox couldn’t do anything with runners in scoring position. The Astros were begging them to score runs in both game two and three and the Red Sox just couldn’t do it. The bases were loaded multiple times in both games and the team couldn’t do anything to get runners across. Website Highlights Chad Tracy Knows the Red Sox’s Immediate Bullpen Answers Lie in Worcester by Nick John Red Sox Copium: Can an MLB Team Fire Its Manager and Still Make the Playoffs by Maddie Landis Pitching at a Premium: Do the Red Sox Have Enough to Survive Crochet’s Shoulder Injury? by Ryan Salvaggio Brayan Bello’s Struggles Won’t be Easily Fixed by a New Red Sox Coaching Staff by Alex Mayes Looking Ahead May 4: Red Sox (Payton Tolle) @ Tigers (TBD): 6:40 PM EDT May 5: Red Sox (Brayan Bello) @ Tigers (TBD): 6:40 PM EDT May 6: Red Sox (TBD) @ Tigers (TBD): 6:40 PM EDT May 7: Rays @ Red Sox: 7:10 PM EDT May 8: Rays @ Red Sox: 7:10 PM EDT May 9: Rays @ Red Sox: 4:10 PM EDT May 10: Rays @ Red Sox: 1:35 PM EDT View the full article

New York Mets Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 3-3 Runs Scored Last Week: 26 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 27 Standings: 5th in NL East (12-22) 8.0 GB of 1st Place Transactions: New York Mets placed RHP Kodai Senga on the 15-day injured list retroactive to April 27, 2026. Lumbar spine inflammation. (2026-04-28) New York Mets recalled RHP Christian Scott from Syracuse Mets. (2026-04-28) New York Mets signed free agent SS Jamari Baylor to a minor league contract. (2026-04-29) New York Mets sent LF Tommy Pham outright to Syracuse Mets. (2026-04-29) New York Mets designated RHP Carl Edwards Jr. for assignment. (2026-04-30) New York Mets placed CF Luis Robert Jr. on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 27, 2026. Lumbar spine disc herniation. (2026-04-30) New York Mets recalled RHP Austin Warren from Syracuse Mets. (2026-04-30) New York Mets recalled 1B Eric Wagaman from Syracuse Mets. (2026-04-30) New York Mets claimed 2B Andy Ibáñez off waivers from Athletics. (2026-04-30) New York Mets activated 2B Andy Ibáñez. (2026-05-01) New York Mets optioned 1B Eric Wagaman to Syracuse Mets. (2026-05-01) New York Mets signed free agent RHP Jack Weisenburger to a minor league contract. (2026-05-02) New York Mets designated 1B Eric Wagaman for assignment. (2026-05-03) New York Mets placed SS Ronny Mauricio on the 10-day injured list. Left thumb fracture. (2026-05-03) New York Mets selected the contract of 3B Vidal Bruján from Syracuse Mets. (2026-05-03) New York Mets sent RHP Carl Edwards Jr. outright to Syracuse Mets. (2026-05-03) Scores: Game 22 (4/28): NYM 8, WAS 0 Game 23 (4/29): NYM 2, WAS 14 Game 24 (4/30): NYM 4, WAS 5 Game 25 (5/1): NYM 4, LAA 3 Game 26 (5/2): NYM 3, LAA 4 (10) Game 27 (5/3): NYM 5, LAA 1 Series Breakdown/Highlights Nationals Series: After getting swept by the Rockies at home, the Mets welcomed their first NL East matchup of the season into Citi Field. Game one was probably the most all-around win for the Mets this season. Clay Holmes was untouchable on the mound, going six scoreless innings and the bullpen twirled three shutout innings to shut out the Nationals. Offensively, the Mets were cooking. After a big fourth inning error by the Nationals, the Mets scored seven runs in the frame, capped off by a three-run home run off the bat of Juan Soto, his first since returning from the IL. The Mets won 8-0, and they had two games to take the series. Of course, they did not. Game two was the exact opposite of game one. David Peterson could not get out of his own way, giving up seven earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched. He left the game with the bases loaded and two outs, giving the ball to Sean Manaea. Manaea gave up an RBI hit by pitch and then a grand slam to break the game open. On offense, the Mets recorded ten hits, but only two runs. They lost 14-2. That set up Freddy Peralta for the rubber match. The biggest issue with Peralta this season has been the length of his outings. This time, he went six innings giving up three runs, only one earned after his own throwing error in the second inning led to two Nationals runs. The Mets gave their bullpen a lead, however it did not last. Luke Weaver grooved a middle-middle changeup that was sent into the bullpen for a two-run home run to put the Nationals up 5-4. That was the final out as the Mets could not score the tying run in the eight and ninth innings with the runner in scoring position. The Mets lost another series. Angles Series: The Mets headed back out west for some Late Night Baseball in Anaheim. Game one certainly went well; Christian Scott gave up three runs, but was not overall bad. After a Bo Bichette comebacker hit the Angels pitcher Jose Urena, forcing him to be removed from the game, the Mets opened up the floodgates to score four runs. By the skin of their teeth, the Mets bullpen was able to lock down the 4-3 win. Game two was a bit rocky. The Angels got out to an early 1-0 lead that never should have been. A single by Jo Adell sent home a run, but upon looking at the video, it showed that Jorge Soler was tagged out at third to end the inning before the run scored. The Mets did not challenge. After Angels manager Kurt Suzuki did not pull his starter, Reid Detmers, in the seventh inning, the Mets were able to come back the 3-1 hole that Nolan McLean put them in with his shortest outing of the season. That score would hold up into extra innings, where with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Oswald Peraza blooped a walk-off RBI single for the Angels and the Mets lost 4-3. Thankfully, New York was able to bounce back and take the series against the Angels in Game 3. Clay Holmes gave up one run in 6.2 innings of work, solidifying him as the current ace of the staff. On the back of two two-run homers off the bat of Vientos, and an RBI double (and great defense) by Carson Benge, the Mets won their first series since taking three of four against the Giants in early April. Website Highlights Francisco Alvarez Has Crashed Back Down To Earth After Hot Start Christian Scott Returns To the Mets' Mound With A Chip On His Shoulder New York Mets Pitchers Of The Month: April 2026 Looking Ahead May 4th: at COL (5:40pm EST) May 5th: at COL (8:40pm EST) May 6th: at COL (3:10pm EST) May 7th: OFF May 8th: at ARI (9:40pm EST) May 9th: at ARI (7:15pm EST) May 10th: at ARI (4:10pm EST) View the full article

The Minnesota Twins' starting rotation was supposed to be a strength coming into 2026. On paper, it still is. And through the first stretch of the season, the numbers back that up. The Twins currently rank 5th in baseball in starting pitcher fWAR and sit in the top half of the league in ERA. But the way it has come together has looked very different than expected. Injuries to Pablo López and David Festa created immediate uncertainty, and questions around velocity and performance for Bailey Ober and Zebby Matthews only added to it. Outside of Joe Ryan, there were more question marks than answers heading into Opening Day. A month into the season, though, the results have been better than many expected—not dominant across the board, but steady enough to keep the team afloat while things sort themselves out. With that in mind, here is a confidence ranking of the current Twins starting rotation. 1. Joe Ryan* With López sidelined, Ryan stepped into the ace role like everyone expected and has continued to deliver in the way he always does. He owns a 3.76 ERA on the season, almost perfectly in line with his 3.79 career mark, and he leads the team in fWAR at 1.1. The strikeout rate has dipped slightly and his ERA+ is down a bit from last year, but the overall profile has not changed much. Ryan continues to give the Twins a dependable outing almost every time he takes the mound. He has allowed more than two earned runs in just two of his seven starts, and there is a level of long-term consistency that the rest of the rotation has not matched. With free agency approaching, his long-term future in Minnesota may be uncertain. His role as the most trusted arm in the rotation is not. Of course, after Sunday, there's a massive caveat to all of this, of the kind you never want attached to the person at the top of this kind of ranking. Ryan left his start against the Blue Jays with elbow soreness, throwing another long shadow of uncertainty over this unit (and the team of which it's a part) at a terrible moment. He's still the most trustworthy pitcher in the group, but we'd have said the same thing of Pablo López three months ago, too. 2. Taj Bradley There was plenty of hype surrounding Bradley coming into the season, and so far, he has managed to exceed it. The 2025 trade deadline acquisition has been one of the most reliable starters on the staff, leading the team with 41 innings pitched while posting a 2.85 ERA and a 25.2% strikeout rate. Outside of one rough outing against his former team on April 24, he has consistently limited damage and kept the Twins in games. He's quickly gone from a high-upside addition to someone the Twins can count on every fifth day, which is not always an easy transition to make. At the young age of 25, there's plenty of upside remaining for the right-hander, too. 3. Bailey Ober If Bradley brought the most excitement into 2026, Ober entered the season with the most uncertainty. After a difficult finish to 2025 that included a 6.30 ERA from June on, along with a hip injury and declining velocity, expectations were understandably low. The velocity concerns have not disappeared, either, as his fastball is averaging just 88.2 mph. Even so, Ober has found a way to put together a solid start to the season. Through six outings, he holds a 3.94 ERA and has done a much better job limiting damage. One of the biggest differences has been his ability to keep the ball in the park. After allowing 30 home runs last year, he has given up just three through 32 innings so far. He's not overpowering hitters or piling up strikeouts, but he has adjusted his approach, induced weaker contact, and avoided the big innings that hurt him last season. 4. Connor Prielipp It may feel early to have Prielipp this high, but the early returns make it understandable. The sample size is still small, which makes this ranking more about projection than a full body of work. Even so, he has shown enough to stand out. He has allowed two earned runs in each of his starts, including one outing where he gave up just a single hit over five innings. What stands out most is the quality of his stuff. Prielipp has shown the ability to miss bats and generate movement, and he looks comfortable attacking hitters at the major-league level. When you pair that with his pedigree as one of the top pitching prospects in the organization, it's easy to see why confidence is already building. 5. Simeon Woods Richardson This is where things start to shift in the opposite direction. Not long ago, Woods Richardson was viewed as one of the more dependable options in the rotation. He was not dominant, but he consistently gave the Twins competitive innings and avoided major blowups. That version has not been there to start 2026. He has allowed four or more earned runs in four of his first seven starts and carries a 6.49 ERA. Just as concerning is the drop in strikeouts, with his rate sitting at 10.6%. The consistency that once defined him has not shown up, and without it, it becomes much harder to trust what each outing might look like. There is still plenty of time for things to shift, and this group will likely look different as the season goes on. For now, though, this is where the confidence levels stand. What do you think? Who do you trust most in this rotation right now, and who are you still unsure about? Leave a comment below and start the conversation! View the full article