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NEW YORK — It has been more than 8.5 years since Giancarlo Stanton last competed in a Miami Marlins uniform. That is an eternity in the baseball world. So when approximately 20% of "Yankees Trivia" participants selected anybody other than Stanton as the Marlins' all-time home run leader, I gave them a pass. It's understandably difficult to process that a player who was traded away shortly after his 28th birthday had enough time to set that record (among numerous others for offensive excellence). Stanton didn't homer against his former club on Saturday night, but he is well-positioned to earn Series MVP honors after stealing a base to help manufacture a run in the seventh inning and putting the Yanks ahead for good with a two-out, two-run single in the eighth. Although the latter moment proved more consequential, Stanton's success on the bases was particularly noteworthy considering that a series of injuries have sapped his agility. Since 2024, he ranks dead last among MLB players with a 24.3 ft/sec Sprint Speed (min. 100 "competitive runs" tracked by Statcast). He had not even attempted to steal in a regular season game since 2020. With Stanton on first base and the Yankees leading 5-4, he noticed inexperienced first baseman Connor Norby playing far behind him and extended his lead accordingly. He was more than 30 feet off the bag by the time that right-hander Calvin Faucher released the ball. Catcher Agustín Ramírez was slow to notice Stanton in motion, delaying his transition from receiving to throwing and resulting in a glacial 2.44-second pop time. "If they're gonna give it to me, I gotta go get it," Stanton told reporters postgame. "I put that one on me," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. "Just felt like there was less likelihood that he would go," so Norby was directed to back up, maximizing his range to cover a potential ground ball to the right side of the infield. On the next pitch, J.C. Escarra fittingly grounded out to the right side, advancing Stanton to third. Then, a passed ball by Ramírez allowed Stanton to score a crucial insurance run. The three players traded to Miami in exchange for Stanton—Starlin Castro, José Devers and Jorge Guzman—are long gone from the Marlins organization. None of them even work in affiliated baseball anymore. Meanwhile, the Yankees continue to receive good, albeit part-time production from the 36-year-old designated hitter. He has a 125 wRC+ since the trade, not to mention a 147 wRC+ in the MLB postseason, which his new club qualifies for on a near-annual basis. There was a cash component of the deal as well. The Yankees took responsibility for 90% of the $300 million that Stanton was still owed at the time, with the Marlins agreeing to assist with the back end of his contract. Those payments began this year—$10M in 2026, $10 in 2027 and $10M in 2028. In stark contrast, no current Marlins position player makes a salary above $2M (Christopher Morel). In 20 career games against his original employer, Stanton has generally been held in check with a .222/.333/.389 slash line and two long balls. The Yankees narrowly hold the edge in those head-to-head matchups with an 11-9 record. View the full article

As part of the Twins’ 2026 Home Opener, Twins owner Tom Pohlad sat down with the media and discussed the outlook for the upcoming season. Naturally, the conversation turned toward the organization’s young talent and how to keep that group invested long term. “I think, again, what we’ve done from a culture standpoint, the relationships we’re building in the clubhouse, the leadership changes that you’ve seen, particularly with Derek Shelton at the helm, I think those things matter and as we go throughout the year here, there’s going to be more and more opportunities for us to put words into action and ultimately I think that’s what will make the Luke Keaschalls of the world and everybody else want to be a Twin for a lot longer.” When pressed about whether the organization had already approached players about extensions, Pohlad kept things close to the vest. “I’m not going to get into what we have or haven’t done.” Still, he tipped his hand just enough by naming Taj Bradley, Luke Keaschall, and Mick Abel as players the Twins would like to keep around for the long haul. That trio represents three very different extension cases, and each comes with its own set of risks and rewards. Taj Bradley: Electric Arm, Uneven Track Record Bradley has looked like the best pitcher on the roster through the first couple turns of the rotation. The raw stuff has always been there, but now it is jumping off the page. He even became the first Twins pitcher in the pitch tracking era to reach triple digits on a fastball, a milestone that speaks to just how loud his arsenal can be. The Twins believe they unlocked something after acquiring him at last year’s trade deadline. Mechanical tweaks and pitch usage changes appear to be paying early dividends. If that version of Bradley is real, then locking him up before arbitration gets expensive could be a savvy move. But this is where things get tricky. Bradley already has nearly 400 big league innings under his belt, and the results have been inconsistent. A 4.75 ERA paired with a 4.32 FIP, along with a 25.0 K% and an 8.7 BB%, paints the picture of a pitcher who has flashed but not sustained success. Committing long-term to that profile requires a strong belief that the recent changes are permanent, not just a short-term spike. An extension here would be a bet on development. The upside is a frontline starter at a discounted rate. The downside is paying for a version of Bradley that has not consistently existed yet. Luke Keaschall: Dynamic Bat, Lingering Questions Keaschall might be the most exciting player of the bunch right now. He has been electric at the big-league level, showing the ability to hit for average, tap into power, and impact the game on the bases. Early returns in 2026 suggest his bat speed has taken another step forward, which could unlock even more pop. That kind of offensive profile is exactly what teams look to build around. From a team control standpoint, there is less urgency. Keaschall is under control through 2031, which gives the Twins plenty of runway. However, that also creates an opportunity. If the organization truly believes he is a foundational bat, extending him early could buy out arbitration years at a lower cost and potentially secure a few free agent seasons. The hesitation comes from durability and defensive uncertainty. Keaschall has already dealt with multiple injuries, including Tommy John surgery and a broken arm. That is not something to ignore, especially for a player whose value is tied to athleticism and bat speed. There is also the question of where he ultimately plays. He has been a below-average second baseman, and while versatility can be valuable, not having a clear defensive home complicates long-term projections. Extending Keaschall would be a bet on the bat carrying the profile regardless of position. If he hits like a middle-of-the-order threat, it works. If injuries linger or the defensive fit never settles, it becomes more complicated. Mick Abel: High Ceiling, Wide Range of Outcomes Abel might be the most fascinating case of the three. He earned the fifth starter role out of spring training, beating out Zebby Matthews after an impressive camp. The biggest development was improved control, something that had eluded him at times in the upper-minors (10. BB% in 2025). Pair that with his ability to miss bats, and you start to see why the Twins dream on him as a potential front-of-the-rotation arm. That is the version of Abel that makes an extension enticing. If everything clicks, the Twins could be looking at a cost-controlled starter with top-of-the-rotation upside. Those are the types of players organizations try to lock up early, before the price tag reflects the ceiling. But there is a reason he was available in the first place. The Phillies were willing to move Abel in the deal that brought Jhoan Duran to Philadelphia, and part of that calculus was risk. Abel’s control has been inconsistent, and there is still a real possibility that he settles in as more of a back-end starter rather than an ace. The gap between those outcomes is significant, both in value and in how an extension would age. For the Twins, it comes down to confidence in their player development. If they believe the control gains are real, extending Abel early could look brilliant. If not, it is another example of paying for projection rather than production. The Bigger Picture What Pohlad said without saying it is that the Twins are at a crossroads with their young core. Extending players early can be a powerful tool. It builds goodwill, creates cost certainty, and can lock in cornerstone talent before prices escalate. It also comes with risk, especially when the players involved have not fully established themselves. Bradley, Keaschall, and Abel each represent a different version of that gamble. One has electric stuff but an uneven résumé. One looks like a budding star but carries injury and positional questions. One offers frontline upside with a wide range of outcomes. The Twins do not need to rush. But if they are serious about turning words into action, these are exactly the types of decisions that will define what this next competitive window looks like. Which player makes the most sense for an extension? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

After reports last week that the Brewers were nearing an eight-year, $50.75 million extension with shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt, the club announced the deal on Friday afternoon. Pratt’s deal also includes club options for the 2034 and 2035 seasons, which could keep the 21-year-old in Milwaukee for up to the next 10 seasons. “There have been so many people that from our perspective have had nothing but positive things to say about Cooper throughout his tenure as a Brewer, and even before he was a Brewer,” president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. “So all of the arrows pointed in the right direction for us to commit to something like this.” “We're super excited to be able to do this with the Brewers and to be able to hopefully be a longtime Brewer, for sure,” said Pratt, who rejoined the Nashville Sounds over the weekend after traveling to Milwaukee to complete his physical and sign the deal. It’s the second investment the Brewers have made in Pratt, who is ranked by Brewer Fanatic as the club’s No. 4 prospect. Milwaukee crafted its draft strategy around him in 2023, saving its bonus pool money in the first few rounds and convincing him to forgo his college commitment with a $1.35 million bonus as its sixth-round pick. This extension reaffirms what was true three seasons ago: the Brewers are high on Pratt’s makeup. Despite his youth, Pratt has a high baseball IQ and feel for the game, which he pairs with well-rounded athleticism, even if none of his tools have developed into standout skills just yet. He’s already a solid defender, baserunner, and contact hitter. With that profile, it’s unsurprising the club sought to extend Pratt through his prime seasons. The timing, however, was unusual. Pratt was in just three games into his first stint at Triple-A, and the Brewers have a full big-league infield in front of him. He didn’t appear especially close to a promotion and did not need to be added to the 40-man roster until after the 2027 season. The extension forced the Brewers to select Pratt’s contract and option him to Triple-A. Arnold said the contract will not expedite his timeline to Milwaukee, which means Pratt will burn his first option season and spend most of the deal’s first year in the minor leagues. It’s an unusual upfront concession, but Arnold indicated that the length of the contract and Pratt’s potential make it worthwhile. “I think when you talk about a deal that has a potential to last for 10 years, it’s not just something that we want to think about in the moment,” he said. “Certainly, there’s an opportunity there to bring a guy up if we want to, but we don’t have to force it. He hasn’t been in Triple-A that long. We want to continue to let him develop there at his own pace, but we want to take the long view here with Cooper.” While Pratt’s glove at shortstop gives him a high floor and could make him a capable big-leaguer right now, more time in Triple-A may be best for his offensive development. His strong bat-to-ball skills helped him post a 123 DRC+ with Double-A Biloxi last year, according to Baseball Prospectus, but reducing his chases outside the strike zone and leveraging his 6-foot-4 frame for more power will make the difference between a glove-first infielder and one of the sport’s most well-rounded shortstops. “I think that we believe in the bat,” Arnold said. “We believe in the glove, certainly. And again, this guy is really toolsy, too. He’s very athletic. He’s a big, physical kid, so we think there’s a chance to grow into some power, and he can really run. So when you have that kind of athletic foundation, it’s a really good thing.” “There’s always something that you can get better at," Pratt said. "There’s always room to improve at some position of the game. And if I can improve every year at something, then I’ll be perfectly fine.” It was also an unusual deal for Pratt’s agent Scott Boras. His clients are typically known for avoiding extensions, preferring to enter free agency as scheduled to pursue a market-value contract. Pratt’s extension delays his free agency, but in this early stage of his career, he felt that squaring away the business side of the game for up to the next decade would help his on-field focus and development. “That was one of the biggest reasons why I kind of decided to do this,” he said. “I can just play and not have to worry about other stuff, all of the transactional stuff, and just play. When I do get called up to the show, I can just be ready to play in the show and not worry about any other outside things.” “For Cooper, how and why he played had a lot to do with this decision,” Boras said. “What it meant for him to move ahead and to advance to the big leagues, in his mind, quicker. What it meant for him to approach the game in a way that allowed him to develop appropriately.” Boras believes the stability secured by this contract could better position Pratt for that payday down the line. “We want to optimize Cooper,” Boras said. “And I felt after listening to him and his family that this was a deal that will allow him to be his best. And if we make Cooper his best, contractually, the risk on the back side of this will allow us optimization in the next contract. The risk of seven or eight years of play before [free agency] happens is immense. But I also know that the height of his performance, after listening to Cooper, will be enhanced because he made this decision.” The Brewers want Pratt to be a linchpin in their infield for years to come, and Pratt wants to develop into the best player he can be. Both sides feel his contract accomplishes those goals. “I feel like in my heart I made a good decision,” Pratt said. View the full article

NEW YORK — In the two previous Miami Marlins losses of 2026, observers could recognize early what the outcome would be. Saturday night followed a much different script, as a 4-0 lead suggested that they were firmly in control midway through the game evaporated. Alas, largely capitalizing on their visitor's inability to find the strike zone, the Yankees scored nine runs over their final four trips to the plate in a series-clinching victory. Close friends Meyer, Weathers equally underwhelming This was supposed to be the main storyline of the game, right? Marlins teammates from 2023-25, Max Meyer and Ryan Weathers are both under the microscope, as the former tries to preserve his spot in the starting rotation and latter tries to ingratiate himself to a new organization that holds itself to the highest standard. Another interesting twist: Meyer describes Weathers as "one of my best friends last year," so he was excited to see their pitching schedules align this way. Weathers started the night on an impressive note, striking out unorthodox leadoff man Austin Slater on three pitches. However, from that point forward, a Marlins lineup that generally stunk against left-handed starters in 2025 founds its spark. With two outs in the first inning, Heriberto Hernández caught up to a 99 mph fastball and drove it to the right-center gap for a two-run triple. The Marlins stretched their lead to 3-0 in the next inning with an assist from the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system. Slater was initially called out on strikes to end the top of the second, but the 3-2 pitch was overturned to ball four after review. That set up an Agustín Ramírez RBI single. It was an inefficient outing for the talented left-hander, throwing 88 pitches in just 3 ⅔ innings. Meyer held the Yanks scoreless entering the fifth, but that was misleading. He allowed baserunners in all but one of his innings and never really found his rhythm. The bottom of the third was particularly adventurous. The first two batters reached base in front of Aaron Judge, who punished a middle-middle changeup with a 112 mph exit velocity. Fortunately for Meyer, it was directed to center field, so 387 feet later, Jakob Marsee had room to run it down for a long, loud out. Later from the frame, with the bases loaded, Meyer fell behind 3-0 in the count to Giancarlo Stanton, but rallied back to induce an inning-ending popout. More notes and takeaways - The Marlins had nine more hit than the Yankees (15 to six), but their baserunners totals were very similar due to all of the free passes. Going back to Friday's game, the Fish have tied a franchise record by issuing 21 walks in a two-game span. - Agustín Ramírez wasn't gun shy after carelessly getting picked off late in Friday's game. He showed good awareness in the fourth inning, taking third base on Jakob Marsee's single when he noticed that the base was unoccupied. An errant throw allowed him to score on the play. At the plate, he went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks, raising his season wRC+ to 131. - In the second inning, Leo Jiménez recorded his first hit as a Marlin, a soft, well-placed grounder off of Weathers. He added another infield single in the sixth. - Speaking of Weathers, let's do a brief check-in on the prospects who the Marlins acquired in exchange for him. Outfielders Brendan Jones (.750 OPS) and Dillon Lewis (.250 OPS) and infielder Dylan Jasso (.833 OPS) have each begun 2026 with Double-A Pensacola. High-A infielder Juan Matheus went 0-for-4 with four walks in the Beloit Sky Carp's season-opening doubleheader on Saturday. Sunday's series finale is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET, but inclement weather in the forecast puts that start time and the game itself in jeopardy. If they're able to play through the raindrops, the starting pitchers will be Chris Paddack (Marlins) and Max Fried (Yankees). While Paddack was shelled for eight runs (all earned) in his season debut, Fried owns a shiny 0.00 ERA on the heels of back-to-back scoreless starts. View the full article

Jays Centre is counting down the top 20 prospects in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. Check out prior entries in the series here: No. 20 to 16 No. 15 to 11 No. 10 No. 9 No. 8 No. 7 No. 6 The minor league season is finally here, and we have reached the final five of our top 20 prospects. It has been a windy and interesting road from #20-16, #15-11, and then into our top 10 with Jake Bloss, Yohendrick Pinango, Victor Arias, Juan Sanchez, and Gage Stanifer. Now we come to one of the fastest-rising Toronto Blue Jays prospects: Johnny King. No. 5: SP Johnny King – FCL, Dunedin (2025), Vancouver (2026) table.stats { border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center; } table.stats th, table.stats td { border: 1px solid #333; padding: 8px 12px; } table.stats th { font-weight: bold; background-color: #f2f2f2; } IP G GS ERA FIP xFIP K% BB% 61.2 18 15 2.48 3.18 2.88 39.5% 13.9% At just 19 years old, Johnny King is the epitome of a starting pitcher in stature, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 210 pounds. He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2024 MLB draft in the third round, 95th overall. He kicked off his minor league career with a stellar performance in the Florida Complex League last season. He completely dominated hitters across seven games and 24 innings. His ERA was 1.13, with his FIP and xFIP equally standing out at 1.53 and 1.83, respectively. What should be highlighted above all was his propensity to strike batters out. He was one of the best strikeout pitchers in Rookie ball, ending his time there with a 41.8% strikeout rate. He was able to pair that with solid command as well, only walking 7.1% of the batters he faced. King was quickly promoted to Single-A Dunedin and continued to show a top-notch ability to generate whiffs. Over 11 games and 37.2 innings to finish the season, he struck out 38.1% of hitters as an 18-year-old facing mostly more advanced batters. He didn't give up many hits either, only seeing his batting average against rise from .195 at Rookie ball up to .201 at Single A. His ERA and FIP took a jump up, to 3.35 and 4.24, respectively. The main issue with the promotion was that his command routinely slipped at Single A. He had a somewhat concerning 17.1% walk rate, though he was able to finish the season strong, with a 4.2-inning performance, giving up just one hit and zero earned runs, while striking out seven and walking three. What To Like As an 18-year-old last season, King showed a rare ability to have exceptional stuff at such a young age and to be able to command it enough to strike out hitters at Single A. He has a great frame and still projects to get stronger and add velocity on his fastball. He already possesses two plus pitches in his four-seam fastball and curveball. Both were virtually unhittable in 2025, with the fastball having a batting average against of .213 and a whiff rate of 36.3%. The pitch has very good ride up in the zone, and he generates close to 18 inches of induced vertical break on it. The curveball had one of the best whiff rates in the minor leagues at 49.4%, and hitters could only hit .193 off of the pitch. King also gets above-average extension on the pitches, in the range of 6.5 feet. That will give him an exceptional base to pitch from to continue improving his repertoire as he gets older. His third pitch was his changeup, and while decent, it needs some work. It was a good pitch, which he used to limit the success of batters, but he didn't get as many swings and misses on it, with only a 22.2% whiff rate at Single A. It is a great pitching foundation to have two plus pitches to go with a third serviceable one, something not often seen from an 18-year-old. What To Work On As the season wore on, King's command took a hit, and his walk rate was simply worrisome at times. Jumping from 7.1% at Rookie ball up to 17.1% at Single A shows he needs to work on getting batters out in the zone to go with his elite ability to generate swings and misses. His 60% strike rate at Single A was in the 39th percentile in the minor leagues and will need to take a step up if he is to continue to get older hitters out while moving up levels. Another area King will need to focus on in 2026 will be getting hitters back on the ground. When he jumped from Rookie ball to Single A, his groundball rate dropped from 59.1% to 33.8%. He will want to get batters to hit the ball on the ground more like he did at the start of his 2025 season, to help limit damage overall. What Is Next King will begin the 2026 season at High-A Vancouver. It could be a rocky/challenging start given the wild Northwest weather this time of year, but he has the potential to vault up prospect rankings due to his young age and plus stuff on the mound. If everything goes right for him, expect him to spend a couple of months at High A before getting a late-season crack at Double-A New Hampshire. Everything is pointing towards a huge season for him, and he could be the next great pitching prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. View the full article

Box Score SP: Mick Abel 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (69 pitches, 43 strikes (62%) Home Runs: N/A Bottom 3 WPA: Abel (-.23), Taylor Rogers (-.09), James Outman & Victor Caratini (-.08) Win Probability Chart (via BaseballSavant) Abel Gets of to a Slow Start in the Snow Mick Abel took the mound in his first start of the season and his first Target Field start with snowflakes flying and temperatures plummeting. After pitching around a walk and a single in the top of the first, Abel froze up against the Rays hitters in the top of the second. The first baserunner really wasn't his fault, as Royce Lewis couldn't make the charging throw successfully on a Chandler Simpson leadoff swinging bunt, and Josh Bell couldn't dig out the throw in his first chance at first base. With the speedy Simpson now on second, Abel went rogue walking Ben Williamson on four pitches and hitting number nine batter RIchie Palacios on an 0-2 pitch to load the bases. With Yandy Diaz at the plate, another off-speed delivery went astray and plunked in the first run of the ballgame. With the bases still loaded, Jonathan Aranda delivered a missile off the right field wall to plate two more Rays for a 3-0 lead. One day after the Twins bullpen needed to toss 83 pitches, it looked like they were going to have to dig deep again if the Twins were going to make a comeback after Abel spun 57 pitches just to escape the first two innings. Twins Try to Craft a Comeback The Twins hoped to stage another comeback victory, but they faced Steven Matz in the finale of the "week of crafty lefties." With the newly minted Silver Slugger, Byron Buxton, out of the lineup due to last night's pitch off of his forearm, the Twins faced an uphill battle. After a lifeless first inning, the Minnesota bats got some momentum moving in the bottom of the second. Matt Wallner snuck a single up the middle, and Ryan Jeffers worked a walk. Victor Carantini struck out, and Lewis got robbed on a diving catch by centerfielder Cedric Mullins. Brooks Lee returned to the lineup and delivered a clutch RBI single, which Mullins booted to put runners at second and third with two out. The Buxton replacement, James Outman, in all his left-handedness, struck out quickly to make Twins fans wonder what might have been. Small Ball Stings Abel...and Rogers... The Rays immediately regained their three-run lead in the top of the third, as Mullins dropped a successful bunt and quickly stole second base. Simpson threatened to bunt, and opted to lace a single to right instead to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Surprisingly, Simpson didn't attempt to steal, and Williamson shot a grounder to a drawn-in Lee. Lee opted for the double-play, and Mullins scored to make it 4-1 Tampa. Taylor Rogers made his first Target Field appearance in a Twins jersey since 2021 in the top of the fifth inning. The Rays greeted him rudely with a single, a stolen base, a single, a stolen base, and a single to expand the lead to 6-1. ABS...and Matz...Sting Twins After Josh Bell lost a challenge in the first inning in an attempt to avoid a strikeout, Luke Keaschall lost a challenge in the third inning in an attempt to avoid a 1-2 count. This loss really stung when a 3-2 sinker looked to cruise outside of the zone, but strike three was the call, and there was no recourse left for the protesting young Twin. The Twins were going to have to fight the rest of the way with an expanded strike zone and no more challenges. WIth the border of the strike zone fully at his disposal, Matz proceeded to take down ten Twins batters in a row, cruising through six innings on 97 pitches. Rays Keep On Running While the Twins failed to take advantage of the Rays bullpen entering the scene in the bottom of the seventh, the Rays continued to take advantage of Caratini's arm behind the plate. After stealing only two bases in their first seven games, Tampa swiped the fourth base of the evening in the top of the eighth inning. With Palacios now in scoring position, Diaz blasted a ball deep to right-center that went into and out of Outman's glove for a "Buxton on the bench" triple, plating Palacios and adding insurance to insult at 7-1. It's hard to place the blame for this loss upon any one Twin when only Lee, Jeffers, and Banda had positive WPA"s. Luckily only a few hundred fans had to witness it in person, and tomorrow's always another day. What’s Next? The Twins look to take their first series of the season in an Easter Sunday matchup against the Rays. Twins righty Simeon Woods-Richardson (0-1, 3.60 ERA) will get his second start of the season, after taking a hard-luck loss against the Royals earlier in the week. The Rays will counter with righty Nick Martinez (0-0, 3.00 ERA) in the rubber game. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm CDT. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT Kent 0 47 0 0 34 47 Laweryson 0 36 0 10 9 46 Banda 0 12 0 17 15 44 Funderburk 0 0 15 2 0 43 Topa 0 0 13 17 0 40 Orze 0 0 0 37 0 37 Rogers 0 0 4 0 23 18 Sands 0 0 11 0 0 11 View the full article

Boston, MA – As fans prepared for the home opener between their beloved Boston Red Sox and the visiting San Diego Padres, there was a consistent feeling shared between them. “You have to win today.” The sentiment, shared between several fans who were waiting in anticipation for the game at the Section 10 podcast pregame show, was not surprising. The Red Sox returned home with a 1-5 record after the first week of the season, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros. Everyone, from pundits to the players, was growing impatient despite being just six games into the campaign, which can be traced back to the team's rollercoaster offseason. “It’s clear [Craig] Breslow had a plan for what he wanted. But it’s also obvious it didn’t go how he wanted. You lose [Alex] Bregman and replace him with [Caleb] Durbin. Now after saying you wanted to add power, you go and switch it to [the team] being all about run prevention,” one fan passionately said when asked about their thoughts on the team's direction. Others in the area agreed, wondering why the team didn’t make a bigger push for a player like Pete Alonso or how Masataka Yoshida remained with the team despite the outfield already having a logjam for playing time. Despite the tough start to the season, though, there's no lack of belief in the team. “It’s kind of disappointing, but at the same time it’s only been six games. They still have over 150 games to go and now they’re back at Fenway. Hopefully they can get some momentum,” another fan shared. “Garbage, but garbage can always be taken out to the curb, and you can start clean and fresh. Have to start playing better, there’s just been a lot of bad starts happening at the same time. I’m not worried — there’s a lot of baseball left to be played." One player who has struggled mightily in the early going is offseason trade acquisition Caleb Durbin, the infielder entering the day as the only qualified hitter in the majors without a hit. Fans were growing impatient with him, and it showed as some booed the infielder upon hitting into a double play in his first at-bat that he didn’t immediately run on. The play in question resulted in what looked to be a foul ball that went a grand total of one foot in front of the plate that the ump signaled was actually fair. During his next time up, fans were playfully teasing him from the stands. “Are you a man or a mouse, Durbin? Prove them wrong, Durbin,” one fan could be heard yelling. Another joined in, claiming that “IKF [Isiah Kiner-Falefa] will replace you mid-game if you don’t get a hit.” Durbin’s second at-bat was more productive, as he hit a single to drive in Jarren Duran and give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. The entire team entered the day under fire, and they responded to the call. Starter Sonny Gray delivered in his Fenway debut, tossing six dominant innings. Allowing just two runs on four hits, he struck out three and didn’t walk a batter as he allowed the Red Sox offense a chance to finally break through in the bottom of the sixth inning. And break through they did, crushing two home runs in the frame and handing the Red Sox a 5-2 lead. The bullpen, led by Greg Weissert, Justin Slaten and Aroldis Chapman, tossed three scoreless innings as the Red Sox won their home opener and snapped their five-game losing streak. Fans cheered with excitement but weren’t ready to say things were turned around just yet. One fan pointed out that the team continued to make the same mistakes that have been issues the past few seasons, while another reminded everyone that “It’s only one game; love seeing them win, but they have to do this consistently,” A loss in the subsequent contest certainly didn't help to rattle any nerves, but the friendly confines of Fenway have clearly woken this team up from their early season slumber. Hopefully, the rest of the homestand will prove just as productive as the first game against the Padres. View the full article

Jase Bowen and Jose Miranda powered El Paso, while Albert Fabian, Ryan Jackson, and Carson Tucker sparked San Antonio. On the mound, Marco Gonzales gave El Paso five steady innings, Triston McKenzie added two scoreless frames, and Kash Mayfield and Isaiah Lowe combined for six strong innings for Fort Wayne. Jose Verdugo collected two hits for the Storm, and Carlos Rodriguez led the TinCaps. Bowen Drives In Four, Miranda Hits Grand Slam In Chihuahuas Win Box Score The El Paso Chihuahuas broke through quickly in a 10-5 win over Tacoma on Thursday at Cheney Stadium. El Paso scored four times in the first inning, all on Jose Miranda’s grand slam to left after Jase Bowen singled and both Nick Solak and Rodolfo Durán walked. Tacoma answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning, but the Chihuahuas moved back in front in the second. Samad Taylor singled, stole second, and scored on Bowen’s double, then Sung Mun Song followed with an RBI single to make it 6-4. Bowen finished 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, a home run, four RBIs, and four runs scored. Song went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, while Miranda drove in four runs. Taylor scored twice, walked twice, and stole a base, and Mason McCoy added a hit, a run scored, and a stolen base. Bowen added to the lead with a solo home run in the seventh, then delivered a two-run triple in the eighth for Rancho Cucamonga’s biggest late blow. Song followed with another RBI single in the inning to stretch the lead to 10-4. Marco Gonzales started for El Paso and worked five innings, allowing four runs with no walks and four strikeouts. Triston McKenzie followed with two scoreless innings, walking three and striking out two. Garrett Hawkins struck out one in one inning, and Ethan Routzahn allowed one run in the ninth. Fabian Homers, Missions Draw 15 Walks In Win Over Tulsa Box Score The San Antonio Missions built an early lead, then held off a late push for an 11-9 win over Tulsa on Friday at ONEOK Field. San Antonio struck in the second inning when Carson Tucker doubled home Romeo Sanabria, then Albert Fabian followed with a three-run homer to left center to make it 4-0. The Drillers got one run back in the third, but the Missions answered again in the fourth. Francisco Acuna walked, moved to second on a disengagement violation, and scored on Ryan Jackson’s two-run double, which also brought home Kai Murphy for a 6-1 lead. Fabian finished 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and a walk. Jackson went 1-for-5 with a double, three RBIs, and a walk, while Tucker had two doubles, scored twice, and drove in a run. Murphy scored twice, walked three times, drove in a run, stole a base, and was also caught stealing. Acuna scored twice and drew three walks, and Chris Sargent added a hit and an RBI. The Missions broke the game open in the seventh with five runs. Sargent’s RBI single started the inning, then Murphy, Jackson, Sanabria, and Braedon Karpathios each drew a run-scoring walk as San Antonio pushed the lead to 11-2 against the Tulsa bullpen. Miguel Mendez started for San Antonio and worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run, two walks, and two strikeouts. Sadrac Franco gave up three runs in 1 1/3 innings with no walks and one strikeout, and Michael Flynn recorded the final two outs for the save. King Jr. Drives In TinCaps’ Lone Run In Loss To Great Lakes Box Score The Fort Wayne TinCaps matched Great Lakes for most of this game, but the Loons pushed ahead in the seventh and held on for a 2-1 win Friday at Dow Diamond. Fort Wayne was limited to four hits, two by Carlos Rodriguez, who finished 2-for-3 with a walk. Alex McCoy added a double, Kasen Wells singled and scored the club’s only run, and Lamar King Jr. drove in the TinCaps’ lone tally while drawing two walks. The TinCaps fell behind in the fifth when Great Lakes got a solo home run, but they answered in the sixth. Wells opened the inning with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, and advanced as Zach Evans and Rodriguez drew walks. King then worked a bases-loaded walk to force in Wells and tie the game at 1-1. Fort Wayne could not push across another run after loading the bases in that frame. In the seventh, Midland moved in front when Logan Wagner doubled, Jose Meza singled and stole second, and Victor Rodrigues drew a walk that brought home the go-ahead run. The Loons added pressure in the inning, but Braian Salazar helped keep it a one-run game with a double play that erased a runner at the plate. Kash Mayfield started for Fort Wayne and threw three scoreless innings, allowing no hits, two walks, and striking out four. Isaiah Lowe followed with three innings, allowing one run, no walks, and striking out four. Salazar gave up one run in one inning, and Clay Edmondson struck out one in a scoreless eighth. 66ers Hand Storm Shutout Loss Despite Verdugo’s Two Hits Box Score The Lake Elsinore Storm were held to three hits in a 16-0 loss to Inland Empire on Friday at ONT Field. Jose Verdugo had the only notable offensive performance for the Storm, going 2-for-3, while Kerrington Cross added a hit. Lake Elsinore’s best scoring chance came in the fifth inning when Cross and Verdugo singled with one out, but the 66ers kept the Storm off the board. Inland Empire struck for two runs in the first, then added five more in the second. Jaron Elkins, Emil Morales, and Landyn Vidourek all reached before the lead grew to 5-0 on a single to center. The 66ers made it 7-0 later in the inning, then pushed across another run in the third after Elkins walked, stole second, and moved to third on a throwing error before scoring on a sacrifice fly. The 66ers added four runs in the fourth, helped by two sacrifice flies and a passed ball, then scored twice in the fifth and two more in the eighth. Kruz Schoolcraft started for Lake Elsinore and lasted one inning, allowing six runs, four walks, and one strikeout. Jesus Tillero threw five scoreless innings for Inland Empire with eight strikeouts. Nick Falter gave the Storm two scoreless innings, allowing one hit, one walk, and striking out three. Lake Elsinore pitchers issued 12 walks, and the defense committed six errors and three passed balls in the game. View the full article

It’s still very early in the season, but it doesn’t take long for certain patterns to start showing up. And for the Minnesota Twins, one of those patterns is already becoming pretty clear. The starting rotation has struggled to work efficiently through lineups, and as a result, they are not pitching deep into games. That’s something we’ve seen from this team in previous seasons and now appears to be carrying over into the early part of this year. So far, Taj Bradley’s outing on Thursday stands out for one simple reason, as it was the first time a Twins starter has completed six innings. Even that came with some context that is worth paying attention to. Bradley needed 100 pitches to get through those six innings, and what makes that number even more notable is how his outing finished, as he threw just 21 pitches combined across his final two innings. So while he was able to give the Twins some length, it was not exactly efficient length, and that distinction matters. When you zoom out and look at the rest of the rotation, the trend becomes even more noticeable. Joe Ryan went four innings on Wednesday, Bradley, in his first start, made it through just four and a third, and Bailey Ober also gave the team four innings in each of his two starts. Mick Abel, who wasn’t technically making a start, still serves as another good example. He needed 81 pitches to record just 10 outs out of the bullpen, which further reinforces the point that this has been a group-wide issue rather than a one-off performance. Individually, those outings might not raise too many alarms, especially this early in the season when pitch counts are still being built up and teams are generally cautious with their starters. But collectively, it starts to paint a much more concerning picture. Right now, the Twins have been able to manage it because their early schedule has included a couple of off days, which has helped keep the bullpen relatively fresh. That cushion isn’t going to last much longer, with no off day now until April 16th. That’s where this starts to become a real concern, because a lack of efficiency from your starting pitchers doesn’t just affect their individual outings, it has a ripple effect across the entire pitching staff. If your starters are consistently giving you four or five innings instead of six, you’re asking your relievers to cover at least four innings on a regular basis, and over the course of a long season, that kind of workload adds up quickly. Even in the short term, it can start to create problems. Relievers need rest and time between outings to stay sharp and healthy. If they're being used heavily night after night, you either run out of available arms or you end up putting pitchers into situations where they are not at their best. Neither of those outcomes is ideal, especially for a bullpen that already has some question marks. It’s also important to point out that this issue doesn’t fall entirely on the starting rotation. Defense plays a significant role in all of this, and when routine plays are not converted into outs, innings get extended, which leads to more pitches, longer at-bats, and ultimately shorter outings for your starter. Wednesday night in Kansas City provided a clear example of how quickly that can spiral. There was a tailor-made double play ball hit right to Victor Caratini at first base. It should have resulted in two quick outs and an inning that was firmly under control. Instead, there was a throwing error, and rather than having two outs and nobody on, the Twins suddenly found themselves with no outs and two runners on base. From there, things continued to unravel. A walk followed, and then a strikeout that should have ended the inning if the double play had been turned. But instead, the inning stayed alive. Bases loaded with one out, and the next at-bat resulted in a grand slam. The Twins lost that game by four. Moments like that highlight just how costly inefficiency can be, even when it is not entirely self-inflicted by the pitcher. One missed play can turn into an extended inning, that extended inning turns into a higher pitch count, and that higher pitch count leads to an earlier exit, which then forces the bullpen to cover even more ground. That’s where everything starts to connect. The rotation needs to be more efficient, not just for their own sake, but to protect the rest of the pitching staff. There are areas where the starters themselves can improve, such as getting ahead in counts, putting hitters away more quickly, and avoiding unnecessary walks, all of which can help keep pitch counts down and allow them to work deeper into games. At the same time, the defense needs to support them by making routine plays and avoiding mistakes that extend innings. Those small moments can have a much larger impact over the course of a game. Right now, it’s a combination of factors, with some of it falling on the pitchers and some of it not. But the end result is the same: the Twins are not getting enough length from their starting rotation. And while it may not feel like a major issue just yet, it’s the kind of trend that can become a problem in a hurry, especially as the schedule tightens and the games start to stack up. If the Twins can’t start getting deeper outings from their starters, the strain on the bullpen will only increase. Over the course of a long season, that’s not a path that usually leads to success. View the full article

The injury nightmare continues. The Toronto Blue Jays have announced that starting catcher Alejandro Kirk will be heading to the injured list with a fractured left thumb. Kirk has also been diagnosed with a dislocation in his thumb and is set to meet with a doctor in the coming days to plan out next steps. Kirk sustained the injury during the 10th inning of Friday’s 5-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox. With one out and the tying run on third base, Austin Hays foul-tipped a Jeff Hoffman splitter down onto Kirk’s catching hand, which resulted in the fracture. Kirk left the game immediately and was replaced by Tyler Heineman. Through five games this season, Kirk is batting .150 with one home run and two RBI’s across 20 at-bats. The 27-year-old is coming off a strong 2025 season, during which the catcher was named an All-Star for the second time in his career. In 130 games last season, he batted .282 with a career-high 15 home runs and 76 RBI’s. In a corresponding move, the Blue Jays announced that they called up Brandon Valenzuela from Triple-A Buffalo. The 25-year-old was acquired last season at the trade deadline for infielder Will Wagner. In four games this season with the Bisons, Valenzuela has hit .200 with one home run and four RBI’s. Valenzuela does bring offensive upside to the Blue Jays, as he is coming off a season in which he hit .224 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI’s split between both Double-A and Triple-A. In Kirk’s absence, Heineman and Valenzuela are expected to get the lion's share of playing time behind the plate as the Blue Jays try to survive the early-season injury bug. In 2026, Heineman has three hits across seven at-bats as the 34-year-old looks to build on his career year in 2025. The switch-hitting Heineman appeared in 64 games, batting .289 with three home runs and 20 RBI’s. Heineman is starting and batting ninth during the second meeting of the Blue Jays and White Sox’s three-game series. More to come... View the full article

The Twins' rotation isn’t going deep into games, and it’s already starting to put pressure on the bullpen. With outings from Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, and Mick Abel falling short on length, this is a trend that could become a real problem if it continues. View the full article

On a veteran-laden team such as the San Diego Padres, it might be tough to figure out when it is appropriate to challenge a call under MLB's new automated ball-strike system. But the Friars have a bit of a secret weapon. That would be catcher Luis Campusano, who played most all of last season at Triple-A, which had ABS. So, he was comfortable with the system and was the most experienced player on the Padres' Opening Day roster with it. He was a source of wisdom on best practices—situational awareness, counts, no-doubters—on when to tap the helmet and ask for a video replay of the pitch to see whether is was a ball or a strike. Through their first six games, the Padres have neither been great nor horrible with the challenges they have requested. Friars hitters are 2-for-4, while the catchers are 4-for-7. But maybe the Padres should be challenging a bit more. First-year manager Craig Stammen said during the season-opening homestand that he would prefer not to finish the game with any challenges remaining. Two games in particular stand out in that regard: Opening Day and the series finale vs. the San Francisco Giants. The Padres didn't have a single challenge in the opener, perhaps a nod to Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal, the winner of the last two AL Cy Young Awards; likewise, they had just one in that Giants game. Digging into some of the metrics on Statcast, the Padres have an offensive challenge rate of 3.4%, which ranks 17th in MLB, and an expected challenge rate of 5.7%, which ranks fourth. Hence Stammen's prompt of trying to get his hitters to be more aggressive with the challenges. As of this writing, the Minnesota Twins led MLB with 12 offensive challenges, winning nine times, and a whopping 10.2% challenge rate. Superstar third baseman Manny Machado and second baseman Jake Cronenworth each turned a called strike into a ball, while superstar right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and shortstop Xander Bogaerts each unsuccessfully challenged a called third strike. Defensively (catchers and pitchers), the Friars rank eighth at 2.1% in challenge rate and 15th in expected challenges at 2.1%. So, the catchers are doing what they should be doing, but also nothing more. The Twins and Chicago White Sox have an MLB-best 10 defensive challenges, with the Minnesota successful seven times and the White Sox just four. Campusano has been responsible for flipping a walk by getting a strike on a challenge and also flipping a ball into a strikeout. No. 1 catcher Freddy Fermin has yet to do either. But Fermin has gone 2-for-3 in challenges to Campusano's 2-for-4. Campusano challenged three times in his first start, successful on his first two before missing. Let's review how the Padres' 11 challenges in their first six games of the 2026 season unfolded: Challenge 1: March 27 Scenario: Top of the third inning, game tied 0-0, runner on second, two outs, 1-1 count. The call: Padres starter Michael King's 81.5 mph sweeper to the Tigers' Gleyber Torres was called a ball, low. Result: Padres catcher Luis Campusano challenged and ABS showed half of the ball was in the zone, shifting the count from 2-1 to 1-2. Torres struck out swinging on the next pitch. Challenge 2: March 27 Scenario: Top of the fourth, game tied 0-0, bases empty, two outs, 3-1 count. The call: King's 93.6 mph four-seamer to the Tigers' Spencer Torkelson was called a ball, on the lower outside corner. Result: Campusano challenged and the pitch was shown to have just clipped the bottom of the zone, erasing a walk and turning the count to 3-2. Torkelson struck out swinging on the next pitch. Challenge 3: March 27 Scenario: Top of the ninth, Tigers lead 5-2, bases empty, one out, 3-2 count. The call: Padres reliever David Morgan's 81.1 mph curveball to the Tigers' Kerry Carpenter was called a ball, low. Result: Campusano challenged and the pitch was shown to be less than 0.1 of an inch below the zone, confirming ball four and the walk. Challenge 4: March 28 Scenario: Bottom of the sixth, Padres lead 3-0, runners on first and second, two outs, 2-2 count. The call: Tigers reliever Connor Seabold's 96.1 mph four-seamer to the Padres' Jake Cronenworth was called a strike, at the bottom of the zone. Result: Cronenworth challenged and the pitch was 2.2 inches below the zone, reversing a strikeout and making the count 3-2. Two pitches later, Cronenworth grounded out to shortstop. Challenge 5: March 28 Scenario: Bottom of the seventh, Padres lead 3-0, bases empty, no outs, 2-2 count. The call: Seabold's 94.3 mph four-seamer to the Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. was called a strike, at the bottom of the zone, for a strikeout. Result: Tatis challenged and the pitch barely clipped the bottom of the zone, confirming the strikeout. Challenge 6: March 28 Scenario: Top of the ninth, Padres lead 3-0, runner on first, two outs, 0-1 count. The call: Padres closer Mason Miller's 86.9 mph slider to the Tigers' Kevin McGonigle was called a ball, high. Result: Padres catcher Freddy Fermin challenged the most of the pitch was shown to have hit the top of the zone near the outside corner, changing the count from 1-1 to 0-2. McGonigle struck out swinging to end the game on the next pitch. Challenge 7: Monday Scenario: Top of the third, Giants lead 1-0, runner on first, one out, 1-0 count. The call: Padres starter Walker Buehler's 76 mph knuckle curve to the Giants' Willy Adames was called a ball, low. Result: Campusano challenged and the pitch was confirmed a ball, 1.4 inches below the zone, keeping the count at 2-0. Four pitches later, Adames struck out looking, a call that was upheld after Adames challenged. Challenge 8: Monday Scenario: Bottom of the fourth, Giants lead 3-0, runner on first, no outs, 1-0 count. The call: Giants starter Landen Roupp's 91.8 mph sinker to the Padres' Manny Machado was called a strike, on the inside corner. Result: Machado challenged and the pitch was overturned to a ball, shifting the count from 1-1 to 2-0. Two pitches later, Machado grounded out to Roupp. Challenge 9: Tuesday Scenario: Top of the third, Giants lead 4-0, runner on first, two outs, 0-2 count. The call: Giants starter German Marquez's 86.1 mph knuckle curve to the Giants' Casey Schmitt was called a ball, just high and outside. Result: Campusano challenged and the pitch just clipped the outside corner, striking out Schmitt instead of a 1-2 count. Challenge 10: Tuesday Scenario: Bottom of the eighth, Giants lead 8-3, bases empty, two outs, 1-2 count. The call: Padres reliever JT Brubaker's 81.8 mph curveball to the Padres' Xander Bogaerts was called a strike at the top of the zone for a strikeout. Result: Bogaerts challenged and the strikeout was confirmed to end the inning. Challenge 11: Wednesday Scenario: Top of the third, Padres lead 1-0, bases empty, two outs, 0-1 count. The call: Padres starter Nick Pivetta's 95 mph four-seamer to the Giants' Rafael Devers was called a ball, high. Result: Fermin challenged and the pitch was confirmed a ball, 1 inch above the zone, keeping the count at 1-1. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Devers struck out swinging. Summary The Padres haven't exactly been shy about challenging calls, but they're also not approaching this system with reckless abandon, either. This is a veteran ballclub with a lot of players getting grandfathered into a new era of technology, so perhaps it's not too surprising to see some hesitancy from the stalwarts. Expect this team to get more aggressive as they become more comfortable with ABS. View the full article

The Brewers' pitching staff was dominant throughout the first week. Jacob Misiorowski looked like an ace in both his starts. Brandon Woodruff is back and healthy. Kyle Harrison is on the list for most impressive after just one start, and Chad Patrick did his job on Saturday! View the full article

TRANSACTIONS No transactions. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul, Worcester Box Score For the second straight day, the Saints were unable to play due to weather conditions being non-good. Friday’s game has officially been canceled for two reasons. First, the Saints and WooSox aren’t on each other’s schedule again this year, and second, International League rules do not allow doubleheaders on back-to-back days. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 1, NW Arkansas 2 Box Score Ty Langenberg made his Double-A debut on Friday night in Wichita. He gave up two runs (1 earned) on five hits over four innings. He had three strikeouts and no walks. Ricky Castro struck out two batters over two perfect innings. Sam Ryan had two walks in a scoreless inning. Ruddy Gomez walked two over two scoreless innings. Down 2-0 after three innings, the Wind Surge got on the board in the fourth inning. Kyle DeBarge singled and later scored on a Billy Amick single. DeBarge received his 2025 Minor League Gold Glove Award before the game. The Wind Surge had five hits and seven walks. Jose Salas went 1-for-1 with two walks. He also stole two bases. Amick, Hendry Mendez, and Ben Ross each had a single and a walk. KERNELS CHRONICLE Cedar Rapids 2, Peoria 8 Box Score The Kernels played their season opener on Friday night. When the Kernels came to bat in the bottom of the second inning, they were down 2-0. When they came to the plate to start the bottom of the fourth inning, they were down 8-0. But Cedar Rapids did win the final five-and-a-half innings 2-0! Dasan Hill made the start for the Kernels. He worked a 1-2-3 first inning but gave up two runs in the top of the second. He struck out two in a scoreless third frame. The fourth inning began with a walk and two stolen bases. After a groundout, Hill gave up a single and reached his pitch count. Eston Stull came in and gave up a single but got a pop up, just one out from getting out of the inning with the score 3-0. Unfortunately, it was followed by a three-run homer. 6-0. And then there was a walk, and then another home run, and the score was 8-0. Hill was charged with four runs on five hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings. He had two strikeouts. Stull was charged with four runs on three hits in 2/3 of any inning. We’ll see how things match up at the end, but it’s hard to believe that tonight’s Pitcher of the Day might have been a Kernels pitcher. Eli Jones came on and tossed five shutout innings. He gave up one hit and walked one batter. He had four strikeouts. Jones was the Twins seventh round pick in 2024 out of South Carolina. He struggled last year to a 2-10 record with a 4.89 ERA in Fort Myers. In the bottom of the fourth, the Kernels scored their two runs. Eduardo Tait reached on an error to lead off the inning. Khadim Diaw doubled him to third base. Brandon Winokur walked to load the bases. After one out, Jacob McCombs was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run of the Kernels’ season. After a second out and a pitching change, Caden Kendle walked to drive in the second run. The Kernels managed just three hits and had five walks. Jacob McCombs was twice hit by a pitch. Kendle walked twice and stole a base. Khadim Diaw walked once to go along with his double. Jay Thomason also had a double and a stolen base. MIGHTY MATTERS Game 1: Ft. Myers 0, Clearwater 2 Box Score They had to wait an extra day to play their season opener. Unfortunately, the Mussels offense was not too busy in this game. Things started alright. Dameury Pena led off with a walk. But the next two batters struck out and Pena was thrown out attempting to steal second for the third out. With two outs in the third inning, Byron Chourio singled, but was forced out at second pitches later. So the Mussels left just one runner on base in the game. Joel Garcia was given the opening game nod. The right-hander gave up two runs (1 earned) on four hits, a walk, and two hit batters. He had four strikeouts. 2025 draft pick Kolten Smith, a right-hander who pitched at Georgia, threw three perfect innings in his professional debut. He had three strikeouts. Game 2: Ft. Myers 2, Clearwater 0 Box Score As we learned from Game 1, it can be hard to win a baseball game when your team has just one hit. But that’s just what the Mussels did in the second game of the doubleheader. That’s right. They were one-hit in game one and lost. They were one-hit in game two, and it was enough for the win. We’ll get to “The Hit” in a bit, but the Mussels tossed a shutout. Let’s talk pitching. James Ellwanger pitched for the Twins in the Breakout game during spring training, but Friday he made his first official professional start. He did well. He tossed the first three innings. He gave up two hits, walked one, and had four strikeouts. Fellow 2025 draft pick Reed Moring. He was the Twins 15th round pick out of UC-Santa Barbara. He threw the final four innings and gave up just one hit. He had no walks and struck out seven batters. With one out in the bottom of the first, right fielder Jayson Bass walked and stole second base. Quentin Young came up and drilled a triple to drive in the first run. Ryan Sprock followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. And that was it for the scoring in Game 2. Harry Genth walked twice in the game. PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day Khadim Diaw (Cedar Rapids): 1-for-3, 2B(1), R, RBI, K. Pitcher of the Day Eli Jones (Cedar Rapids): 5 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 4 K, 54 pitches, 39 strikes (72.2%) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on our Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did today. #1 - OF Walker Jenkins (St. Paul) - DNP #2 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - DNP #3 - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - DNP #4 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-4, R, K #5 - LHP Connor Prielipp (St.Paul) - Didn’t pitch again #6 - LHP Dasan Hill (Cedar Rapids) - 3 1/3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 61 pitches, 38 strikes (62.3%) #7 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - DNP #8 - LHP Kendry Rojas (St. Paul) - Injured List (hamstring) #9 - SS Marek Houston (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-5, K #10 - RHP Charlee Soto (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List #11 - RHP Riley Quick (Ft. Myers) - DNP #12 - RHP Andrew Morris (St. Paul) - DNP #13 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - 0-for-3, BB, 2K. #14 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Ft. Myers) - Game 1: 0-for-3, 2K, Game 2: 1-for-3, 3B(1), R, RBI, 2K. #15 - RHP Marco Raya (St. Paul) - DNP #16 - OF Hendry Mendez (Wichita) - 1-for-3, BB, 2K #17 - 2B/OF Kyle DeBarge (Wichita) - 1-for-4, R, BB, 2K (led off, played 2B), #18 - RHP C.J. Culpepper (Wichita) - 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4K, #19 - C Khadim Diaw (Cedar Rapids) - 1-for-3, 2B(1), R, BB, K #20 - RHP James Ellwanger (Ft. Myers) - 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 57 pitches, 31 strikes (54.4%) UPCOMING PROBABLES Saturday: Worcester @ St. Paul (2:07 pm CT) - RHP Zebby Matthews NW Arkansas @ Wichita (4:05 pm CT) - Peoria @ Cedar Rapids (1:05 pm CT) - RHP Adrian Bohorquez Clearwater @ Ft. Myers (DH @ 5:05 CT) - CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 3-4 St. Paul Saints: 3-2 Wichita Wind Surge: 1-1 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 0-1 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 1-1 Please feel free to ask questions about the teams, the rosters, and discuss today’s games, or anything else Twins minor-league related! View the full article

Should we be surprised that the Milwaukee Brewers are leading MLB in stolen bases? Probably not. After all, the Crew finished second in MLB last year with 164 steals, 30 behind the Tampa Bay Rays. It is more the frequency—and the success rate—that the Brewers are swiping bases. After six games, the Brewers had 15 steals in 16 tries. The Colorado Rockies (double-checks notes, yes, the Rockies) are second with nine in 12 attempts. Those are the only teams to have double-digit attempts entering the weekend. At this rate, 2.5 per game, the Brewers are on pace for 405 steals, which would easily break the MLB record of 347 set by the 1911 New York Giants. But, of course, it is too early to even consider that. We are talking about six games. David Hamilton, thought to be the utility infielder entering the season, is the early ringleader of this band of thieves. The former Brewers prospect who was shipped away before the 2022 season and then brought back in the six-player Caleb Durbin trade with the Boston Red Sox this spring has four stolen bases, tied for the MLB lead. Hamilton has started four times, three at third base and another at shortstop, and is just off to a 2-for-12 start, meaning he has twice as many steals as hits. Hamilton has also walked four times. Center fielder Garrett Mitchell is right behind with three steals, which is the same or better total than 14 teams. Is it just because Hamilton is a better base stealer than Durbin is? Or Mitchell than Blake Perkins? That might be part of the answer. Hamilton swiped 55 bases over the last two seasons with the Red Sox, getting 33 in 98 games (317 plate appearances) in 2024 and 22 in 91 games (194 PAs) in 2025. Durbin, meanwhile, had a minor-league reputation of being a base-stealer, getting 31 in 105 games in 2022, 36 in 69 games in 2023, and 31 in 90 games in 2024. But it was in the 2024 Arizona Fall League where he really stood out. In just 24 games, Durbin swiped 29 bases in 30 attempts. But Durbin didn't flash that ability in his only season with the Crew. He tried to steal just 24 times and was successful 18 times in 136 games. Maybe Durbin didn't have the green light to run? Or maybe he didn't feel comfortable running as a rookie? Durbin tried to steal after getting his first hit with the Red Sox this year. It could be a change in mindset, too, for the Brewers in 2026. Especially now, with not having the injured Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn, manager Pat Murphy may have decided to be more aggressive without two of his more dependable power hitters. It could also be a tool to get the Crew's offense ignited early in the season. Remember, the Brewers didn't hit their stride last year until around Memorial Day weekend and needed 11- and 14-game winning streaks to win the NL Central by five games. The Brewers entered this weekend averaging 7.5 runs per game, again an unsustainable rate. But that could help players loosen up in the early stages of the season, hoping that more power follows later on. Mitchell is another interesting case. Speed is definitely part of his talent toolbox. He has 26 steals in his 146-game start-and-stop four-plus-year career in the majors and 41 in 158 minor-league games. That 41 is more indicative of the type of trouble Mitchell can create on the basepaths when healthy. He has begun 2026 with three steals in five games, including two in the second game of the season against the Chicago White Sox, the same game Hamilton stole a pair. That game saw the Crew steal seven times against the White Sox, including another pair by Joey Ortiz. They all came against catcher Reese McGuire, who had been in camp with the Brewers this spring before opting out of his contract just before Opening Day, so maybe they knew they could run wild. McGuire would have begun this year as a backup at Triple-A Nashville had he stayed with the Crew. Nick Fortes, whom the Tampa Bay Rays acquired for his defense last year, allowed a pair of two-steal games when he was behind the plate in the second series of the season. Whatever the reason, the aggressiveness to begin the season has been noticeable and helped the Brewers be one of three MLB teams to jump out to a 5-1 start. View the full article

In January, as their search for an established big bat to boost their offense seemed stalled again, the Kansas City Royals suddenly gave manager Matt Quatraro a three-year contract extension. Clearly calculated to help sustain the franchise renaissance triggered in the fall of 2022 by the replacement of head baseball man Dayton Moore with J.J. Picollo, and then manager Mike Matheny with Matt Quatraro, the extension kicks in next season. On its face, the deal gives Quatraro, whose 2023 Royals lost 106 games only to shockingly end the club’s pitiful 35-year absence from the playoffs in 2024, a big vote of confidence and some job security. But as an old baseball saying goes, managers are hired to be fired, a fate that Ned Yost, despite leading Kansas City to two straight World Series and winning one, might have met after his Royals never again had a winning season and lost over 100 games in each of the last two years before he retired. And major league history is replete with examples of managers axed well before their multi-season contracts expired. So, just how secure is Quatraro? Perhaps not as much as his extension suggests. What Could Happen This Season to Threaten Matt Quatraro’s Royals Future? Probably not much … with the emphasis on “probably”. At least in the short term, skippering the Royals to two consecutive winning seasons (2024 and 2025) after they hadn’t posted one since 2015 puts Quatraro on good ground. Only a monstrously catastrophic season, like the Chicago White Sox suffered by losing 121 times in 2024, could compel Picollo to fire the only manager he’s hired since taking the club’s reins from Moore. And that’s not likely to happen. Barring the uncanny string of injuries that dealt the starting rotation such a collective blow last year, Kansas City’s starters appear set to give this club plenty of chances to win. The bullpen might be a different matter. The major league season is so new, and the sample size consequently so small, that trying to draw any firm conclusions about the relief corps is folly. But Quatraro’s bullpen management has been an oft-criticized aspect of his in-game decision-making, and his recent ill-fated decision to summon Carlos Estévez to protect last Saturday night’s slim ninth-inning 2-0 lead against Atlanta further fueled that fire. Predictably bad after his disconcerting Cactus League performances, Estévez choked up the lead and a walk-off grand slam that handed the Braves a 6-2 win and Quatraro a blistering dose of criticism. Not unless the Royals miss the playoffs by a half-game or a full game, though, will that gut-punch loss make a difference in the season. But an accumulation of additional questionable bullpen decisions in high-leverage, late-game situations won’t help Quatraro or his club. (Fortunately, he has Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm to fall back on should Estévez not regain his major league-leading 42-save form of 2025). Then there’s the offense, a sore spot the Royals can’t seem to solve. Yes, they battered Minnesota for 13 runs in Wednesday night’s Kauffman Stadium fog, but because the season is so young, there’s more than enough time for the bats to soften. It won’t be Quatraro’s fault if they do, but big league managers too frequently suffer from their players’ faults and flaws. Finally, a return to mediocrity will spell trouble for Quatraro. No one blames him for his club’s franchise record-tying 106 losses in 2023 — after all, the Royals conceded even before the season began that it would be an “evaluation” year, and Quatraro had never managed in the big leagues before. But a trip to the playoffs, two straight winning seasons, and some important offseason acquisitions tend to irreversibly raise expectations. So, finishing well below .500 in 2026 — an unlikely event, to be sure — will move Quatraro toward shakier ground. This season, then, could prove pivotal for Quatraro. Although the three-year contract extension he received this winter demonstrates the club’s confidence in its skipper, front office faith in big league managers can be stunningly fragile. So fragile, in fact, that his contract extension notwithstanding, Quatraro’s seemingly secure seat in Kansas City’s dugout could heat up before this season ends. View the full article

Twins System Recap: James Ellwanger made his official pro debut today, but it was another 2025 draftee who stole the show in Fort Myers. Reed Moring, the 15th-round pick of that class, had an incredible pro debut. Hear all about his performance in addition to the other stars of the day, plus more Twins prospect talk. View the full article

The Chicago Cubs wrapped up their second home series of the season earlier this week, taking two of three from the Los Angeles Angels. This early season bout between interleague non-rivals has two points of trivial significance. The first being that the Angels were the Cubs’ opening series of the 2016 season, although that one was in Anaheim. Ten years later, the Cubs are back in a competitive window and have taken advantage of perennially rebuilding Angels squad to jump start 2026. The second point, one that I will be diving into here, has to do with the Angels’ DH: old friend Jorge Soler. The Cuban outfielder and designated hitter defected from Cuba in 2011 and made his debut for the Cubs as a 22-year-old in 2014. He was one of the first prospects called up that would eventually lead them to the 2016 World Series. He was also part of a massive trade following the 2016 season; just over a month after the championship was won, Soler was traded to the Kansas City Royals for their two-time All Star closer Wade Davis, who was hand-picked to replace Aroldis Chapman. At the time, Davis was coming off a year where he transitioned into being a full-time closer, saving 27 games and posting an elite-level ERA of 1.87. Though Davis was a one-year rental, the Cubs needed a proven, high-leverage arm at the back end of the bullpen to properly defend their title. Davis ended up being worth every penny during his lone season in Chicago. He saved 32 games with a 2.30 ERA, struck out 79 hitters in under 60 innings pitched, and made his third consecutive All-Star team. Most notably, he carried the team on his back for 2 1/3 innings to close out game 5 of the NLDS versus the Nationals. After the season, he signed a three-year contract with the Rockies, where he pitched about as well as you’d imagine for a Colorado reliever not named Brian Fuentes. Although the Cubs did not repeat as World Series champs in 2017, that season represents the last time the Cubs had a closer with 30 saves. It has been eight campaigns and counting that the Cubs have been looking for an anchor in the ninth inning. To give them credit, they signed frequently injured flamethrower Brandon Morrow to replace Davis, and he did save 22 games while battling injuries in 2018. In 2019, Craig Kimbrel came aboard in what would eventually become the last major free agent splash orchestrated by Theo Epstein. Kimbrel’s 23 saves in 2021 before his deadline trade to the White Sox represents the highest of any Cubs’ closer since Davis in 2017. His 3.22 ERA with the Cubs from 2019-2021 was a far cry from his time in Atlanta and Boston, but he’s still the only player to lead the Cubs in saves for more than one year since the Hector Rondon days. His tenure remains somewhat forgettable since it happened during the span that we saw the championship core eventually disband, but he was at least a reliable ninth-inning fireman. After Kimbrel was traded and the Epstein era officially ended, we began to see the Jed Hoyer bargain-bin bullpen approach, which is still alive today. After the 2021 roster blow up, it did not make sense to pay for any difference-making relievers. Then. 37-year-old David Robertson joined the bullpen in 2022, saving 14 games, which lead the team, before being traded to the Phillies. That started the Cubs trend of bringing in a few different veterans with closing experience and hoping one of them can hold onto the job. Former Orioles closer Mychal Givens, as well as Chris Martin, were also in the bullpen that season. In 2023, former closer Brad Boxberger and former-top-prospect-turned-reliever Michael Fulmer were meant to compete for the closer job; instead, it ended up going to the first in-house candidate since Hector Rondon. Adbert Alzolay saved 22 games with a 2.67 ERA, and gave the fans a reason to be excited about the 2024 bullpen. The optimism lasted a few weeks, as Alzolay was booted from the closer role before the calendar even turned to May. Arm issues took him out for the rest of 2024 that he suffered in May, and he has not pitched in the majors since. The 2024 Cubs saves leader ended up being veteran Hector Neris with 17, but there was another homegrown reliever making his presence felt: right-hander Porter Hodge. Hodge converted nine saves with a 1.88 ERA in 43 innings and was giving fans the same sense of optimism heading into last season. Instead, the injury bug bit yet again and he regressed to an ERA over 6.00 in only 33 innings. Hodge was never penciled in as the closer, however, as the Cubs made a trade with the Astros to acquire two-time All-Star Ryan Pressly. The problem with Pressly was that he was 36 years old and undeniably washed by the time he made his way to Chicago. After being pulled from the closer role in early May, he was eventually released before the trade deadline. He totaled five saves in his last season before retiring. Now, the buck seemingly has stopped here with the 2025 Cubs saves leader and 2026 WBC champion Daniel Palencia. Team Venezuela’s closer was a mid-range prospect for the Cubs after being acquired in the 2021 Andrew Chafin trade and pitched sparingly in the majors from 2023-2024. As aforementioned, he was not meant to be the closer last season, but Craig Counsell trusted Palencia’s triple-digit fastball enough to replace the out-of-gas Pressly. For the 2025 postseason, he was used as the first reliever out of the pen, with Brad Keller closing out the games. With Keller on the Phillies, Palencia is the only reliever with any closing experience for 2026. Over the first six games of the season, he has no saves (hasn’t had an opportunity) but has not allowed a run in four innings pitched. In those appearances, he has shown more confidence and poise on the mound, which could be attributed to closing out the WBC for Venezuela’s upset win. That injury bug remains a pesky problem, but there's no denying that Palencia has the bravado to finally cross that 30-save threshold... assuming the Cubs can give him enough opportunities to get there. View the full article

Transactions: SS Cooper Pratt’s contract selected by MLB Brewers and optioned to AAA Nashville RHP Joe Corbett reinstated to AAA Nashville from Development List RHP Melvin Hernandez of Low-A Wilson transferred to Development List INF/OF Demetrio Nadal of Low-A Wilson transferred to Development List INF/OF Eduardo Garcia placed on AA Biloxi’s 7-day injured list RHP Nick Merkel placed on AA Biloxi’s 7-day injured list OF Steward Berroa of AAA Nashville designated for assignment by MLB Brewers Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 7, Charlotte 6 Box Score and Game Log Via the Sounds’ website, game details and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Adams, Quero Home Runs Lift Sounds Past Knights At the link above, you’ll find an excellent game write-up by Cory Hilborne, including videos of 1B Luke Adams’ grand slam (snapping his 0-for-15 start to the season) and C Jeferson Quero’s 2-run blast, a reference to this being RHP Coleman Crow’s first AAA Win and even the excellent home crowd size of 7,892. The 25-year old Crow tossed 90 pitches over his 6 innings of work (2 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 Ks), with his velocity peaking at 93.3mph as he mixed in a significant number of low-to-mid 70s mph curve balls. He exited with a 7-2 lead before 29-year old RHP Joe Corbett (1 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 0 BB, 1 K) got his first taste of affiliated baseball after spending the 2023-2025 seasons in Mexican League or the independent American Association. Sounds’ Extras: 2B Ethan Murray contributed 2 hits, OF Luis Lara had 3 walks and a stolen base, while RHP Will Childers earned his first save of 2026 while topping out at 96.1mph. We’re grateful to the Knights for attempting a double steal of second and home to interrupt their string of 4 consecutive hits off of Corbett, running into a critical second out at home in their 3-run 7th inning. Charlotte out-hit the Sounds 12 to 6 and went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position, but the long balls (Nashville 2, Knights 0) were the key difference in this contest. Saturday’s outlook: 25-year old LHP Tate Kuehner (5.2 IP, 1 R, 5 Ks in his last outing) looks to lead Nashville to a series-clinching victory. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Biloxi 7, Rocket City 6 (in 10 innings) Box Score and Game Log Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Burke's Historic Effort Powers Shuckers to Extra-Innings Win on Opening Day 1B Blake Burke clearly enjoys hitting in the Southern League, going with a two-true-outcome approach on Opening Day: 2 homers, 3 Ks. He now has 13 blasts in 38 career games for AA Biloxi. Former 2nd round draft pick DH Mike Boeve is determined to re-establish his prospect status after a late 2024 injury (.886 OPS that year) and difficult 2025 recovery season (.676 OPS). A 3-for-4 first game of 2026, including a 2-run blast and a stolen base certainly indicate that the 23-year old is on course. Starting 23-year old RHP Brett Wichrowski had a solid outing, striking out 6 and inducing 6 ground outs (vs. 0 fly balls) over 4 innings and 64 pitches (2 R, 1 H, 2 BB). He exited with a 5-2 lead, handing over to too-exciting middle relievers RHP Ryan Birchard (3 IP, 1 R, 0 H, 6 BB, 4 Ks) and LHP Jesus Broca (1 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 0 Ks). Despite the walks, Birchard still turned some heads, with Curt Hogg posting on sky.social about his “big league stuff right now” and “up to 24 inches of vert on his cut-ride heater”. An error and a wild pitch enabled the good guys to push the winning run across in the top of the 10th inning, as Biloxi scored without needing a hit in that pivotal final frame. We obviously need to reproduce LHP Mark Manfredi and make his duplicates available in Biloxi and Nashville. The 26-year old dominated, striking out 5 of 6 batters faced to deservedly earn the Win – 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB in 27 pitches (19 strikes). C Matthew Wood contributed a single, 2 walks and solid defense. Shuckers’ Extras: Biloxi out-hit Rocket City 11-3, but went 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 baserunners. 2B Dylan O’Rae had a 2-for-5 evening in the leadoff spot, which was a welcome comeback after missing the 2025 season due to injury (although he did play in the Arizona Fall League last October). 18-year old super prospect SS Jesus Made went 1-for-5, was caught stealing and ground into a double play, but Minor League Forum contributors could not stop talking about his near-grand slam on a golf shot which landed foul in the 4th inning. Saturday’s outlook: 21-year old RHP Bishop Letson (#9 BrewerFanatic prospect; 2.40 ERA with 49 Ks in 41 1/3 High-A/AA IP last year) aims to lead Biloxi to a series-clinching victory. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Rainout: Beloit at Wisconsin Chris Mehring added some more context on what’s in store for tomorrow. Saturday’s outlook: RHPs Bryce Meccage (4.35 ERA in 70 1/3 Low-A IP in 2025) and Ethan Dorchies (3.40 ERA in 82 Low-A/High-A IP last year) are the scheduled starters for Wisconsin’s Opening Day doubleheader. There will not be a game on Easter Sunday, so the originally-scheduled 3-game series boils down to this twin-bill. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Wilson 2, Fayetteville 0 Box Score and Game Log Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Warbirds Score Late to Capture Inaugural Victory If you had 19-year old starting RHP Miqueas Mercedes (5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 Ks) throwing 81 pitches on Opening Day on your bingo card, congrats to you. And a big congratulations to the Wilson franchise and Manager Eddy Morgan on their first Win in affiliated baseball. RHP Tyler Renz and LHP Jose Meneses continued Mercedes’ exceptional work, striking out 8 Fayetteville hitters in 4 innings on bullpen work, while working around a single and 3 walks. Forum followers noted Meneses as throwing about 92mph, but baffling hitters with “good life” on his offerings. As readers would have noted from the linked game report and box score, neither team could buy a run despite 78-degree weather and a 14mph wind blowing out to left field. The squads combined to go 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position, striking out a combined 30 times in the game while stranding 16 baserunners. No hits were needed for Wilson to push 2 runs across in the top of the 9 inning, as 3B Filippo Di Turi walked and scored on an OF Luiyin Alastre ground out, while C Yannic Walther walked and DH Jadyn Fielder came home on an errant pick off throw. Warbirds’ Extras: OF Handelfry Encarnacion delivered Wilson’s first-ever hit, a double within 1-one, 1-out in the first inning, while OF Jose Anderson also doubled with 1-out in the bottom of the 6th inning. Four Woodpeckers’ errors vs. zero for the Warbirds were the big difference as the teams managed to register only 6 hits total. It was also noted in the Forum that the Carolina League has apparently scrapped hitter timeouts this year, which might explain two batter timer violations by Wilson batters. Saturday’s outlook: 20-year old RHP Jarrette Bonet, signed in July 2025 as a non-drafted player out of San Jacinto College, is scheduled to make his organizational debut, seeking to lead Wilson to its first-ever series victory. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Saturday, the Timber Rattlers kick off 5 games of Minor League action at 1:10pm CST followed by Wilson at 6:05pm and Nashville and Biloxi – both at 6:35pm. The Milwaukee Brewers’ doubleheader also starts at 1:10pm CST. 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

Spring training 2020 was three weeks old when it was ordered shut down due to the COVID-19 virus that first sprang up in North America in late January. While the rest of the world was trying to figure out how the virus started and how to combat it, MLB was trying to cobble together a schedule for the rest of the baseball season. The virus, which has killed slightly over 7.1 million people worldwide, wreaked havoc on everything, even sports. On a personal note, I lost two close friends and my father-in-law, who was a healthy 89-year-old who went into the hospital on a Wednesday and died four days later. Sometimes, traumatic events hit far too close to home. The MLB honchos were trying to figure out the best way to start the season with equal input from the MLBPA. After nearly five weeks of negotiations, the owners voted unanimously to impose a 60-game plan, just hours after the players had rejected that same schedule. The schedule had the teams playing 10 games against each of their divisional opponents and playing 20 interleague games. The season started on July 23. That day, it was announced that the playoffs for the year would include 16 teams total, eight in each league. The top two teams in each division would make the cut, along with the remaining two best records in each league. Despite outbreaks on two teams and positive tests for players on several other squads, only two games were not played. Detroit and St. Louis were the only two teams not to play 60 games. Two dozen players, including Milwaukee's Lorenzo Cain, opted not to play during the season, although the outfielder played the first five games of the year before opting out for the rest of the season. Cain did not comment, but in a statement to the press, general manager David Stearns said, "We fully support Lorenzo's decision and will miss his talents on the field and leadership in the clubhouse." Isan Díaz of Miami and Nick Markakis of Atlanta opted out initially, but elected to rejoin their respective teams. Brewers pitcher Shelby Miller opted out before the season began. In order to make the stadium experience more 'normal,' cardboard cutouts of fans were placed in the seats, and simulated crowd noise was also played at the venues. Several teams allowed fans to buy cutouts of themselves. ESPN bought pics of Chipper Jones and his son, Shea, and placed the counterfeit Chipper and his bogus boy at Citi Field in New York during a Braves-Mets contest. Despite a subpar 29-31 record, the Brewers nabbed the eighth and final seed in the National League but were promptly dispatched in two games by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who boasted the best record in baseball with 43 wins. The Dodgers defeated the number two seed Atlanta in seven games in the NLCS at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, while top-seeded Tampa Bay (40 wins) edged Houston in seven contests for the American League pennant at Petco Park in San Diego. For the first time all season, a limited number of fans were allowed to attend the NLCS games. The Dodgers beat Tampa Bay in the World Series, played at Globe Life Field, in six games, claiming the team's seventh World Series championship. A limited number of fans, numbering about 11,000 each contest, were allowed in the stadium for the games. Notably for the Brewers during the season, pitcher Devin Williams was named the National League Rookie of the Year and to the second team All-MLB squad after his fine 0.86 FIP and 1,375 ERA+ (that is not a typo). Closer Josh Hader led the NL with 13 saves and set a major league record when he pitched in 12 straight games (11 2/3 innings) without giving up a hit. He then gave up seven hits in his next five outings. On a serious note, coach Pat Murphy suffered a heart attack at a team workout in early August and received a stent. He returned to the Brewers in mid-September. "The part you take for granted sometimes until you don't have it anymore is the connection [with the team], being together," Murphy said. "That's what it's all about. That's why I do it." 2020 was a messed-up season for sure, but the world returned somewhat to normalcy, and so has baseball. We are a resilient people. What are your memories of the season? Please comment below, and thanks for reading. View the full article

Due to inclement weather, the Royals pushed back their Friday series-opening game against the Milwaukee Brewers to Saturday. They will now have a split doubleheader on Saturday against the Brewers, starting at 1:10 p.m.. The Royals are currently 3-3 entering the Brewers series, and the offense has gone through its share of ups and downs through their first six games. Once again, the Royals are making contact and hitting the ball well, ranking 10th in batting average. Furthermore, they have done a better job of getting on base and hitting home runs, two areas of inconsistency a season ago. They rank 15th in OBP and 16th in home runs hit. Last season, they ranked 22nd in OBP and 26th in home runs hit. However, one area of relative weakness is runs scored. They rank 21st in baseball with 23 runs scored. They are tied with some big names such as the Phillies and Dodgers. However, for a Kansas City team with playoff aspirations, it needs to score more runs than the 651 it accumulated a year ago, which ranked 26th in baseball, according to Fangraphs. One key player to the Royals' offense this season is Salvador Perez. The Royals' primary catcher and captain will be entering his age-36 season and is coming off a season in which he hit .236 with a 95 wRC+. While those are slightly below-average marks, he did hit 30 home runs and collected 100 RBI. It was the third season he has collected 100 or more RBI, and his 30 home runs were his most since 2021, when he hit a Royals franchise record 48. It's been a much slower start for Salvy in 2026, though. In six games and 25 plate appearances, the Royals captain is hitting .208 with a 74 wRC+. He has a home run, two runs scored, and an RBI. That said, his OBP is only .240, and his OPS is .615, 114 points lower than what he produced in OPS in 2025. So what's been Salvy's issue? A lot can be credited to his trend in bat speed, and how that's affected his ability to square up the ball early in the season. Thus, let's take a look at Perez's bat tracking data via Statcast, explore some of his other Statcast percentiles, and what they could mean for Salvy's outlook for 2026. Salvy's Bat Speed is Good, But Has Declined The table below lists all the bat tracking data of Royals hitters with 1 or more plate appearances this season. While one can see Perez's data, it also includes all other Royals hitters who have seen an at-bat in 2026. Salvy's row is highlighted for reference purposes. When it comes to average bat speed, Salvy ranks 7th of 13th qualified Royals hitters with a 72 MPH average bat speed. His hard-swing percentage also ranks 7th at 20%. He does this despite having a swing that is the second-longest on the team at 7.9 feet. Only Jac Caglianone has a longer swing at 8.4 feet. Even though he is not Top-5 in bat speed, he is top-3 in squared-up percentage with a 42.4% mark through six games. Only Kyle Isbel (62.5%) and Isaac Collins (43.8%) have higher squared-up rates than Salvy. In terms of blast percentage, Perez lags a little bit at sixth with an 18.2% mark. That said, his blast rate is higher than Maikel Garcia's (12.5%) and Vinnie Pasquantino's (9.4%). While the bat tracking metrics aren't bad by any means, one would expect more from a team's cleanup hitter. That said, how does his bat tracking data compare to a season ago? Well, let's take a look at that below. Last year, Salvy ranked 7th in average bat speed, but his 72.9 MPH bat speed was 0.9 MPH higher than his mark a season ago. His 30.5% hard-swing rate was also 10.5% higher, and his swing length has remained the same at 7.9 feet. That said, how do his squared-up and blast rates fare from a year ago? Honestly, he's actually performing better in those categories than a year ago. Perez's squared-up date in 2025 was 32.5%, and his blast% was 17.5%. For context, his squared-up rate is 9.9% higher this year, and his blast rate is 0.7% higher as well. Thus, while the overall results haven't been good over six games, the bat-tracking data show that despite a slight decrease in bat speed, his ability to connect with the ball hasn't changed much compared to 2025. What Do the Other Statcast Percentiles Look Like? For his other Statcast metrics, I used TJ Stats to illustrate how Perez has performed this year in key offensive categories and how they compare to last season. Here's a look at his 2025 Statcast percentile via TJ Stats. Even though he had a .311 wOBA, his xwOBA was much better at .383. In fact, the latter ranked in the 91st percentile while the former ranked in the 43rd percentile. Thus, there was a tremendous discrepancy between Perez's batted-ball skills and the actual results. Honestly, the skills Salvy showed, especially in terms of batted-ball ones, were still incredibly elite. He ranked in the 88th percentile in PullAir%, 91st percentile in barrel rate, 88th percentile in Max EV, and 77th percentile in 90th EV. When Perez connected with the ball, he often had power behind it and pulled it in the air, which is what one wants to see from a power hitter in the cleanup spot. Here's an example of Perez absolutely launching one last year against the Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli, to the Royals' Hall of Fame. Now, let's take a look at what Salvy has done through 25 plate appearances this season, via TJ Stats. In some categories, Perez has seen some regression. His Pull Air% is slightly down at 19.1% (1.4% difference), and his 108.5 Max EV is 6.3 MPH lower than his 2025 mark. Furthermore, his 9.5% barrel rate is 4.9% lower than his 2025 barrel rate and ranks only in the 57th percentile. While that's not bad by any means, it's not the elite ranking that Royals fans were used to seeing from Salvy in the past. That said, there are some areas where we have seen some early improvement from Perez. His 12% K% is 7.7% better than a year ago, and his 17% whiff rate is 9.9% better as well. He's doing this despite having a similar swing% this year (57.3% to 57.4% in 2025). Thus, Salvy is doing a better job of making contact at the plate this year, even if it has been at the sacrifice of some power initially. At the very least, that shows that he's seeing the ball better and that he's doing enough to put the ball in play. Furthermore, Perez's expected numbers aren't down either. His .354 xwOBA isn't as impressive as his .383 mark in 2025. However, it still ranks in the 65th percentile, and his xwOBA is 89 points higher than his actual wOBA. Salvy is still hitting the ball hard and showing power potential. His lone home run of the year, in Atlanta against Reynaldo Lopez, illustrates that and can be seen in the clip below. When it comes to the Statcast percentiles, there are some signs of regression, especially in terms of exit velocity and barrels. That said, it's still early in the year, and his improvement in contact skills this year could help him gain more power over the course of the year, especially as the weather heats up and he gets more settled in at the plate. Final Thoughts On Salvy's Start? Overall, I do not think there's much for Royals fans to worry about with Salvy this year. Yes, the average, OPS, and wRC+ are down. However, those are results, and we have had such a small sample size. It's hard to justify those results as an indicator for future success when there are fewer than 30 plate appearances (especially with a proven veteran like Perez). The bat speed is a tad concerning, but I think the slight decline is more due to settling into a new season than a sign of age-fueled decline. The squared-up and blast rates show that Perez is still connecting with the ball decently at the plate, despite the slight regression in the speed of his swing. My guess is that we will see an uptick in Salvy's swing speed soon, especially once he gets into a more set routine and gets more days at DH or 1B. Unfortunately, Perez wasn't able to get that on Thursday due to the Carter Jensen "tardiness" situation. Granted, I think the situation was way overblown by the national media and probably not handled the best by the Royals (did we really need Jensen and Vinnie to be making statements to the media about it?). What should've been a "there was a personal issue, and we've handled it internally" from Matt Quatraro at the postgame presser has spun into a national story, even getting coverage on TMZ (which is wild). Conversely, I understand the Royals' frustration with Jensen because Salvy needs to save his energy for his bat, especially as the club's cleanup hitter. More days behind the plate are only going to affect that ability, and that doesn't help their playoff chances. Thus, it will be interesting to see if, once the fog from this fiasco clears, we see more days from Jensen behind the plate to give Salvy a spell while keeping his bat in the lineup. The metrics and Statcast data are fine for Perez. However, the Royals also need to keep him fresh and healthy, and more time at first base and as a designated hitter is necessary to accomplish that goal. Once he gets those "off days", I guarantee that we will not just see the bat speed, exit velocity, and barrels improve, but the average, OPS, and wRC+ as well. View the full article

The Toronto Blue Jays have spent much of the last half‑decade reshaping their roster around a clear defense-first philosophy. Basically, it is just as valuable to save runs as it is to score them. That philosophy has been most visible in the outfield, where elite defenders like Kevin Kiermaier and Daulton Varsho have been central to the club’s identity after years of watching fly balls fall in front of slower, bat‑first corner outfielders. As Varsho eyes free agency after the 2026 season, the question facing the Jays is no longer whether he is an excellent defender (that much is clear), but whether a team built for the future needs a Gold Glove‑calibre outfielder enough to justify a significant long‑term investment. Varsho’s value has always been rooted in his glove. Since arriving in Toronto in a trade with Arizona, he has statistically been one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball (based on Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric). Even in an injury‑shortened 2025 season, Varsho’s OAA totals ranked him among the best outfielders in the league, reinforcing the idea that his defensive impact is both real and repeatable. That performance followed a 2024 campaign in which he won the American League Gold Glove in centre field, solidifying his reputation as the best defender the Jays have employed at the position since the days of Devon Whyte. (Although some fans would point to the defensive exploits of Kiermaier and Kevin Pillar.) Offensively, Varsho has always required context. His batting averages in Toronto have been modest, and his on‑base percentages remain below league average, which has made him an easy target for criticism in a market that remembers the run‑scoring peaks of earlier Blue Jays teams. However, focusing only on batting average obscures the broader picture. Varsho brings legitimate left‑handed power, and in 2025, he took a meaningful step forward by slugging .548 with 20 home runs in just 71 games. The data also showed strong barrel rates and expected power metrics. FanGraphs and Statcast indicators suggest that the power surge was not purely a small‑sample mirage, even if projection systems still expect him to settle in as roughly a league‑average hitter overall. When you pair that level of offense with elite defense in centre field, the result is a three‑to‑five‑win player in healthy seasons. That’s a stat that is not easy to replace. Toronto’s commitment to defense has also been shaped by the changing environment at Rogers Centre. A couple of seasons ago, the Blue Jays completed major renovations that altered the outfield dimensions and wall heights, bringing the alleys closer while raising walls and later reducing foul territory along the lines. Players have openly discussed how those changes affect routes, caroms and plays near the walls. Varsho told The Globe and Mail in 2024 that outfielders must now “play goalie” on balls hugging the boundaries rather than taking traditional paths to the ball. These adjustments did not necessarily make fly balls harder to see, but they did increase the demands on outfield defense. In that way, having a defender with elite instincts and closing speed is not merely a nice-to-have but a way to prevent damage when balls get into the outfield. New research from MLB.com ranked every MLB outfield by fielding difficulty using Statcast data from the last five seasons, and Rogers Centre ranked among the more “outfielder‑friendly” ballparks. That was attributed to the roof, minimal wind and consistent visual backdrop, factors that make it easier to track fly balls compared to open‑air parks with variable sun and weather. Pillar was consulted as part of MLB.com's research, and the former Blue Jay singled out Toronto, along with Texas and Arizona, as teams whose parks have darker backgrounds that help outfielders pick up the ball more quickly. At first thought, Rogers Centre's high ranking might seem to undercut the argument for paying a premium for elite outfield defense. Yet, the same study reinforces why Varsho’s skill set still matters so much. Rogers Centre's ranking focused primarily on fly‑ball visibility and catch difficulty, not on wall interactions or the consequences of misplays in the gaps and corners. Toronto's stadium may be forgiving when it comes to tracking routine fly balls, but its geometry creates more high‑leverage plays along the walls and in tight foul areas, where a single misstep can quickly add extra bases. Moreover, with teams playing half their games on the road, other stadiums like Coors Field, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Oracle Park, and Kauffman Stadium will still pose challenges beyond those of the friendly confines of the Dome. On top of that, with many pitch-to-contact arms on Toronto’s staff, the team’s defense is increasingly important. Balls in play need to be converted into outs. Removing a Gold Glove‑level centre fielder from the picture would risk eroding one of the few clear edges the Blue Jays have carved out in an increasingly tough American League East. With that said, there are plenty of arguments against a long, expensive commitment. Varsho will be entering his thirties during his next contract, and speed‑based defense often ages less gracefully than a power bat. Think of Vernon Wells. His 2025 season also included shoulder surgery and a hamstring strain, reminders that durability is not guaranteed. Toronto’s payroll picture is crowded, with major long‑term deals already on the books and luxury‑tax considerations looming. Overpaying for defense at the expense of middle‑of‑the‑order offense would also risk repeating past mistakes. The Jays’ pursuit of Kyle Tucker this offseason suggests the organization is interested in a middle-of-the-order bat in the outfield. Where does that leave the Varsho? The organization doesn’t need to choose between offense and defense, but the Blue Jays do need to be disciplined about how they value each. Varsho makes the most sense on a medium‑term investment that captures his prime defensive years without assuming he will remain an elite centre fielder deep into his thirties. A four‑ or five‑year extension at a reasonable average annual value would preserve the team’s defensive approach while leaving room to pursue offensive upgrades elsewhere. In the end, the debate over Varsho is less about whether his defense is valuable, because all available evidence says it is, and more about how that value fits into Toronto’s broader competitive window. Even in a park ranked as one of the easier places to catch fly balls, a pitching staff that elicits contact in the air means elite outfield defense still matters. The Blue Jays may not need to prioritize defense to the exclusion of all else, but as long as they believe run prevention paves a path to winning, a Gold Glove‑calibre centre fielder like Daulton Varsho remains a core piece rather than an expendable one. View the full article

Patrick Corbin and the Toronto Blue Jays have come to terms on a one-year, $1 million contract. Corbin can earn an additional $1 million in incentives. The left-hander will head to Single-A Dunedin to ramp up after missing spring training. Corbin, 36, threw 155.1 innings for the Texas Rangers in 2025, pitching to a 4.40 ERA and 4.75 xERA. While it's been years since he was more than an innings eater, he has been one of the game's more durable arms over the past decade. Toronto signed Corbin in the wake of a serious injury to Cody Ponce, who sprained his ACL during his Blue Jays debut. While the team once seemed to have a surplus of starters, they're now facing a shortage in the rotation. Corbin won't be ready to help out right away, but the Jays clearly understand that there's no such thing as too much starting pitching. View the full article

Moments before the White Sox walked off the Blue Jays on Friday, Alejandro Kirk exited after taking a foul tip off his left thumb. The All-Star catcher went for X-rays, and the team will presumably provide an update on Saturday. It's not yet clear if Kirk will need to miss time, but if he does, it will be a huge blow to both Toronto's offense and defense. Tyler Heineman has been more than capable as Kirk's backup, and Brandon Valenzuela should be ready for his first taste of the majors, but Kirk is a middle-of-the-order bat and one of the best defensive catchers in the game. The Blue Jays are already dealing with a depleted starting rotation, and losing a talented game-caller and pitch-framer like Kirk would only exacerbate any problems the pitching staff might have. View the full article