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Red Sox Affiliate Recap (April 7 - 9) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox April 7: The WooSox lost in heartbreaking fashion against the Columbus Clippers 14-10. With the WooSox down the entire game, the bats broke out with a four-run 7th inning due to a double from Mikey Romero that brought in two runs and a three-run homer from Matt Thaiss to put Worcester on top 10-8. That lead would not last long as Columbus scored three runs in the 8th to retain the lead and did not look back as they scored three more runs in the 9th to make it a 14-10 final. Key Performances: Kristian Campbell: 3-for-5, 2B Matt Thaiss: 2-for-2, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB April 8: Patrick Sandoval made his first Red Sox rehab start after almost two years recovering from elbow surgery. Sandoval pitched 3.1 innings, throwing 63 pitches and averaging 92.2 MPH on his fastball and topped out at 93.5 MPH. In 2024, Sandoval averaged 93.7 on his fastball. Worcester defeats Columbus with an 8-5 victory to even the series. Entering the 4th inning with the Clippers up 3-1, the WooSox scored four runs by drawing five walks, bringing in a run on a groundout from Vinny Capra and a sacrifice fly by Kristian Campbell to put Worcester up 5-3. Columbus showed life in the 8th, tying the game up 5-5 however the Sox answered back scoring three of their own. Braiden Ward put the defense to work with a swinging bunt that forced a throwing error by the pitcher so Capra scored a run. Campbell put on another run with a bases loaded hit by pitch while Mikey Romero followed up with a sacrifice fly to make it 8-5. Key Performances: Patrick Sandoval: 3.1 IP, 3 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K Braiden Ward: 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI April 9: The WooSox took a 2-1 series lead after shutting out Columbus 5-0. Anthony Seigler’s walk and stolen base set up a pair of RBI doubles from Vinny Capra and Jason Delay while Braiden Ward followed up with an RBI single to put Worcester up 3-0 in the 2nd inning. In the 5th, Nick Sogard smoked a double to center field and Kristian Campbell brought him in with a bloop single to right field to make it a 4-0 game. Ward stole his 2nd base of the game which set up Mickey Gasper to rope an RBI single to give the WooSox a 5-0 lead. The pitching took care of business, Jack Anderson throwing six scoreless innings and Tyler Uberstine tossing three scoreless to earn his first save of the season. Key Performances: Jack Anderson: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 7 K Tyler Uberstine: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K Double-A Portland Sea Dogs April 7: The Sea Dogs beat themselves up in a 12-7 defeat to the Fisher Cats. Portland got a 2-0 lead in the 1st from a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Nelly Taylor. The unthinkable happened in the top of the 2nd inning, New Hampshire scored eight runs before recording their first hit. After striking out the side in the 1st, Hayden Mullins would walk two guys, give up a run via the sacrifice fly, then walk three straight batters and getting pulled from the game after walking in a run. Jorge Juan would come into the game and not record a single out, instead he would give up five runs including the runs Mullins was responsible for. Juan threw two wild pitches that each brought in a run, hitting two batters with the bases loaded and putting on two more runs. Juan’s night would end after walking in two more runs. Cade Feeney then came into the game and immediately threw a wild pitch bringing in the 8th run of the inning. The Fisher Cats scored their 10th run of the inning after a two-RBI single. Portland slowly cut down the deficit during the game but it was not enough. Key Performances: Will Turner: 2-for-4, RBI, BB Patrick Halligan: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 7 K Max Carlson: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 K April 8: Portland had another devastating 11-3 loss to New Hampshire. Pitching could not get anything going, however, Red Sox top prospect Franklin Arias had himself a nice day, going 2-for-3 with three RBI’s. Key Performances: Franklin Arias: 2-for-3, 3 RBI, 2B Ahbram Liendo: 2-for-4, 2 R, 3B April 9: The Portland Sea Dogs walk it off 4-3 after two tough games against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Tyler McDonough drew a walk and stole a base which set up Nate Baez to bring him in with an RBI single to get an early 1-0 lead in the 1st inning. In the 4th, Drew Ehrhard hammers a two-run homer on the first pitch to put Portland on top 3-0. The Fisher Cats would claw their way back into the game scoring one run in each of the next three innings to tie it up 3-3 entering the 9th. Nelly Taylor hit a hustle double to leadoff the inning, Will Turner walked and both advanced a base as Ehrhard laid down a sacrifice bunt. New Hampshire intentionally walked star prospect Franklin Arias with a chance to get an inning ending double play but that did not work, Ahbram Liendo hammered a single to right field to walk it off for the Sea Dogs. World Baseball Classic standout for Puerto Rico Eduardo Rivera pitched well, throwing 4.1 innings, gave up one run and struck out seven. Key Performances: Eduardo Rivera: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 7 K Cooper Adams: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 5 K, Win High-A Greenville Drive April 7: The Greenville Drive earned their first win of the year by defeating the Hub City Spartanburgers 7-2. The bats were quiet up until the 6th inning after Isaiah Jackson hit an RBI groundout and Mason White hit an RBI double to tie the game 2-2. Jackson would return the favor once again in the 8th inning by hitting an RBI single, White gave Greenville a comfortable 5-3 lead after smashing a two-run homer. In the 9th, top Red Sox prospects Justin Gonzales and Yoeilin Cespedes each earned themselves an RBI, Gonzales hitting a single, Cespedes hitting a double, putting the Drive on top 7-2. Key Performances: Jack Winnay: 2-for-2, 3 BB Mason White: 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI Jojo Ingrassia: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 4 K April 8: The Drive lose 4-1 to the Spartanburgers with the series now being tied. Not a lot went well for Greenville Wednesday night as they would only have one hit as a team (Jack Winnay) and the only run they scored was a sacrifice fly hit by Mason White. Although, a positive from this game is Alex Bouchard throwing 4.1 scoreless innings in his season debut. Key Performance: Alex Bouchard: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 K April 9: The Greenville Drive took a 2-1 series lead as they defeated the Spartanburgers 2-0, highlighted by Juan Valera’s dominant performance. Valera pitched an impressive five innings, gave up two hits and struck out nine batters while only throwing 56 pitches. Valera topped out at 102 MPH on his fastball and 95 MPH on his changeup. Greenville only had three hits, two of which were a Henry Godbout single and Isaiah Jackson RBI triple in the 7th inning that scored their only two runs of the game. Steven Brooks was impressive as well as he pitched the last two innings and struck out six batters. Key Performances: Juan Valera: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 9 K Steven Brooks: 2.0 IP, 6 K Isaiah Jackson: 1-for-3, 2 RBI Single-A Salem RidgeYaks: April 7: The Salem RidgeYaks demolished the Wilson Warbirds 10-2 in the first game of the series. Salem jumped on top in the 4th inning hitting three RBI singles each coming from Starlyn Nunez, Kleyver Salazar, and Ty Hodge to put the RidgeYaks up 4-0. Salem scored five more runs in the 5th inning thanks to some sloppy defense from the Warbirds. Stanley Tucker scored on a wild pitch, Enddy Azocar hit an RBI double, Salazar followed up with an RBI single and would then score on a throwing error after an Anderson Fermin groundout, Hodge ended the five-run 5th inning with an RBI double to put them up 9-1. Avinson Pinto hit an RBI double in the 6th inning to increase the RidgeYaks lead once again, 10-2. Key Performances: Kleyver Salazar: 4-for-5, 3 R, 2 RBI Ty Hodge: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, BB April 8: The Ridgeyaks earned their fourth win on the year and their 3rd straight win after a 6-3 victory against the Warbirds. With the Warbirds getting an early 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning, Salem answered back scoring two of their own in the 3rd inning due to IIan Fernandez hitting a sacrifice fly and Frederik Jimenez scoring on a throwing error to make it a 2-2 game. Ty Hodge ropes an RBI single in the 4th to once again tie the game 3-3. The Ridgeyaks jumped back up and gave themselves a two-run lead after Avinson Pinto reached on a fielder's choice and Jimenez hit a sacrifice fly, 5-3. Hodge earned his 2nd RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly in the 8th, bringing in Andrews Opata who hit a leadoff triple to help make it a 6-3 ballgame. Key Performances: Andrews Opata: 2-for-3, 2 R, BB Avinson Pinto: 3-for-4, RBI Brandon Neely: 2.0 IP, 5 K April 9: The Salem Ridgyaks with their fourth straight game with a close 2-1 victory versus the Wilson Warbirds. 2025 8th round pick Dylan Brown has yet to give up his first run in his first two starts of the season, throwing 3.2 shutout innings and striking out eight batters. Brown got into trouble in the 2nd inning giving up two walks and a single to load the bases with no outs, he would then strike out the next three batters he faced to get out of the jam. David Ortiz's son D’Angelo Ortiz would have a nice day at the plate going 2-for-4, including an RBI single to tie the game 1-1 in the 4th. A couple of stolen bases from Andrews Opata and Anderson Fermin, followed up with a wild pitch, gave Salem a 2-1 lead in the 8th. Wuilliams Rodriguez came back into the game in the 9th earning a win and striking out two batters. Key performances: Andrews Opata: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 SB Dylan Brown: 3.2, 1 H, 0 ER, 8 K Nicolas De La Cruz: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 5K View the full article

Bryan Balzer threw five shutout innings to lead Lake Elsinore's 21-0 rout of Rancho Cucamonga, backed by Kale Fountain's 4-for-5 night with a home run. Matt Waldron delivered five scoreless innings for El Paso in a 6-1 loss. Carson Montgomery allowed just one unearned run over four innings as Fort Wayne edged Lansing, 2-1. In San Antonio, Tirso Ornelas homered, but Victor Lizarraga allowed seven runs in one-third of an inning in a 10-3 loss. Padres Transactions No Roster Moves Waldron Delivers Five Scoreless Innings, But Chihuahuas Fall 6-1 To Albuquerque Matt Waldron was sharp in his start for El Paso, holding Albuquerque scoreless over five innings. He allowed just two hits while striking out three and walking one. Waldron has not allowed a run this season. But the bullpen could not preserve the scoreless tie. Justin Yeager entered in the sixth inning and was charged with four earned runs on four hits while recording just one out, taking the loss to fall to 1-1 on the season. Ethan Routzahn relieved Yeager and surrendered two more earned runs on one hit with a walk over 2/3 of an inning, pushing Albuquerque's lead to 6-0. Jackson Wolf, Alek Jacob, and Logan Gillaspie each followed with a scoreless inning to close the game. Wolf struck out two batters in his inning of work. El Paso's offense was limited to four hits. Jose Miranda provided the team's only RBI with a double, going 1-for-3. Mason McCoy went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and scored the Chihuahuas' lone run. Carlos Rodríguez and Marcos Castañon each singled. Samad Taylor went 0-for-4. Pablo Reyes drew two walks, while Sung-Mun Song and Rodolfo Durán each drew one. Nick Schnell struck out three times in an 0-for-3 night. El Paso fell to Albuquerque, 6-1. Player AB R H RBI BB SO Samad Taylor, OF 4 0 0 0 0 0 Carlos Rodríguez, OF 4 0 1 0 0 1 Sung-Mun Song, 3B 3 0 0 0 1 0 Marcos Castañon, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 1 Pablo Reyes, 2B 2 0 0 0 2 0 Rodolfo Durán, C 3 0 0 0 1 0 Mason McCoy, SS 4 1 1 0 0 2 Jose Miranda, DH 3 0 1 1 0 1 Nick Schnell, OF 3 0 0 0 0 3 Player IP H R ER BB SO Matt Waldron 5 2 0 0 1 3 Justin Yeager (L, 1-1) 1/3 4 4 4 0 0 Ethan Routzahn 2/3 1 2 2 1 1 Jackson Wolf 1 0 0 0 1 2 Alek Jacob 1 0 0 0 0 0 Logan Gillaspie 1 1 0 0 0 0 Tirso Ornelas Homers In Missions' 10-3 Loss To Corpus Christi Victor Lizarraga lasted just one-third of an inning for San Antonio, walking five batters and allowing seven earned runs on three hits. He took the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season with nine runs allowed across only 5 1/3 innings pitched. Fernando Sanchez entered in relief and pitched 2 1/3 innings with five strikeouts, though he walked four. He allowed one earned run on one hit. Johan Moreno also threw 2 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking none while allowing one unearned run on three hits. Andrew Dalquist pitched one scoreless inning with two strikeouts and a walk. Andrew Moore followed with one scoreless inning, recording one strikeout and one walk. Chris Sargent worked the final two innings, allowing one earned run on four hits. Tirso Ornelas led the offense, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run. He was also hit by a pitch. Braedon Karpathios went 1-for-4 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored. Kai Murphy drove in a run, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Romeo Sanabria doubled in a 1-for-5 night. Carson Tucker went 1-for-3 with a walk, and Kai Roberts singled in a 1-for-4 night. Ethan Salas went 0-for-4 with a walk and scored a run. Ryan Jackson went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. San Antonio lost to Corpus Christi, 10-3. Player AB R H RBI BB SO Ryan Jackson, 2B 4 0 0 0 1 2 Ethan Salas, C 4 1 0 0 1 1 Tirso Ornelas, OF 4 1 2 1 0 0 Romeo Sanabria, DH 5 0 1 0 0 2 Braedon Karpathios, 1B 4 1 1 1 0 2 Luis Verdugo, 3B 3 0 0 0 1 1 Kai Murphy, OF 3 0 1 1 1 1 Carson Tucker, SS 3 0 1 0 1 1 Kai Roberts, OF 4 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB SO Victor Lizarraga (L, 0-2) 1/3 3 7 7 5 0 Fernando Sanchez 2 1/3 1 1 1 4 5 Johan Moreno 2 1/3 3 1 0 0 3 Andrew Dalquist 1 0 0 0 1 2 Andrew Moore 1 0 0 0 1 1 Chris Sargent 2 4 1 1 0 0 TinCaps Pitching Limits Lansing To One Run In 2-1 Victory Carson Montgomery started for Fort Wayne and pitched four innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits with three strikeouts and a walk. He pitched the most innings among TinCaps pitchers and has allowed just one run on the season. Kleiber Olmedo relieved Montgomery and threw three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit with no walks or strikeouts. Igor Gil earned the win by pitching the final two innings, recording two strikeouts and two walks while allowing two hits but no runs. The three-man pitching staff combined to allow just one run on five hits across nine innings. Fort Wayne's offense collected seven hits but scored just twice. Rosman Verdugo went 1-for-4 with the team's only RBI and was also hit by a pitch. Kasen Wells went 0-for-3 but drew two walks and scored a run. Lamar King Jr. doubled in a 1-for-3 night with a walk and two strikeouts. Kavares Tears tripled, going 1-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch. Oswaldo Linares doubled and scored a run, going 1-for-4. Carlos Rodriguez, Jack Costello, and Jonathan Vastine each contributed a single. Jake Cunningham went 0-for-3 with a walk, two strikeouts, and a stolen base. The TinCaps' pitching staff did not allow an earned run across nine innings of work. Player AB R H RBI BB SO Kasen Wells, OF 3 1 0 0 2 0 Rosman Verdugo, 3B 4 0 1 1 0 1 Carlos Rodriguez, DH 4 0 1 0 0 0 Lamar King Jr., C 3 0 1 0 1 2 Kavares Tears, OF 3 0 1 0 0 0 Jack Costello, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 0 Jake Cunningham, OF 3 0 0 0 1 2 Jonathan Vastine, SS 4 0 1 0 0 2 Oswaldo Linares, 2B 4 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB SO Carson Montgomery 4 2 1 0 1 3 Kleiber Olmedo 3 1 0 0 0 0 Igor Gil (W, 1-0) 2 2 0 0 2 2 Kale Fountain Goes 4-For-5 With Homer As Storm Rout Rancho Cucamonga 21-0 Bryan Balzer started for Lake Elsinore and threw five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts and three walks. He earned the win to move to 1-0 on the season. Javier Chacon followed with two scoreless innings, striking out three without issuing a walk. Nick Falter closed it out with two scoreless innings, striking out one and walking one. The three pitchers combined for a nine-inning shutout on five hits. The Storm's offense produced 21 runs on 19 hits. Kale Fountain led the way, going 4-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs, and three runs scored. He was also hit by a pitch. Bradley Frye went 4-for-6 with two doubles, an RBI, and three runs scored. Victor Duarte went 3-for-5 with a double, a walk, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Ryan Wideman drove in four runs on a 2-for-4 night that included a double. George Bilecki entered as a pinch hitter and went 1-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs. Kerrington Cross reached base six times, going 1-for-2 with two walks, two hit-by-pitches, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Conner Westenburg went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and Jorge Quintana went 1-for-4 with two walks, an RBI, and two runs scored. Player AB R H RBI BB SO Ryan Wideman, OF 4 1 2 4 0 1 a-George Bilecki, OF 3 1 1 4 0 1 Truitt Madonna, DH 5 1 1 0 1 1 Jorge Quintana, SS 4 2 1 1 2 1 Kale Fountain, OF 5 3 4 2 0 0 Victor Duarte, C 5 3 3 2 1 0 Bradley Frye, 2B 6 3 4 1 0 2 Luke Cantwell, 1B 3 2 0 0 1 1 Kerrington Cross, 3B 2 3 1 3 2 0 Conner Westenburg, OF 5 2 2 2 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB SO Bryan Balzer (W, 1-0) 5 2 0 0 3 4 Javier Chacon 2 2 0 0 0 3 Nick Falter 2 1 0 0 1 1 Padres Top-20 Prospect Performance Kash Mayfield: DNP Ethan Salas: 0-for-4, BB, K, R Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Bradgley Rodriguez: DNP Humberto Cruz: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Ty Harvey: DNP Jorge Quintana: 1-for-4, 2 BB, K, RBI, 2 R Kale Fountain: 4-for-5, HR, HBP, 2 RBI, 3 R Ryan Wideman: 2-for-4, 2B, K, 4 RBI, R Jagger Haynes: DNP Lamar King Jr.: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, 2 K Romeo Sanabria: 1-for-5, 2B, 2 K Truitt Madonna: 1-for-5, BB, K, R Michael Salina: DNP Garrett Hawkins: DNP Kavares Tears: 1-for-3, 3B, HBP Deivid Coronil: DNP Francis Pena: DNP Bryan Balzer: W, five IP, 0 ER, 4 K, 3 BB View the full article

The Minnesota Twins have seemed to have a roster flaw in recent years, with a lack of impact right-handed bats. It is not an issue that has flown under the radar, either. Season after season, the lineup has leaned heavily to the left side, often prioritizing corner outfielders with power from that side of the plate. While that approach can work in a vacuum, it has created a predictable and exploitable weakness when the Twins face quality left-handed pitching. A Multi-Year Trend That Cannot Be Ignored This is not a small-sample-size problem or an early-season overreaction. The Twins have consistently struggled against left-handed pitchers over the last several seasons, and the numbers paint a clear picture. From 2022 through 2025, Minnesota’s production against lefties has been firmly middle of the pack at best and well below average at worst when compared across the league. Among 120 individual team seasons in that span, the Twins ranked near the bottom more often than not. The 2022 club posted a .701 OPS, ranking 77th out of 120. In 2023, there was a modest improvement to a .726 OPS, good for 53rd. The 2024 team took another small step forward with a .732 OPS, ranking 47th. However, that progress stalled in 2025 when the Twins slipped back to a .705 OPS, ranking 72nd. Now in 2026, the issue has become even more pronounced. Entering play on Thursday, Minnesota owns a .636 OPS against left-handed pitching, ranking 18th overall. That total has been greatly helped by positive performances this week against left-handed starters like Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez. However, that number reinforces a pattern that has lingered far too long for a team on the fringes of contention in the AL Central. A Roster Built to Be Platooned The current roster construction only amplifies the concern. Minnesota is overloaded with left-handed hitters who are often best utilized in platoon roles rather than everyday options against all pitching. Players like Kody Clemens, Tristan Gray, Trevor Larnach, James Outman, and Matt Wallner all hit from the left side. Each brings something valuable, whether it is power or on-base ability, but asking that group collectively to handle tough left-handed starters is a difficult proposition. Internally, there is hope that right-handed hitters like Royce Lewis and Luke Keaschall can provide balance and thump in those matchups. Lewis has shown flashes of being a middle-of-the-order force when healthy, but posted a .689 OPS against lefties last season. Keaschall is an intriguing young bat with a career .547 OPS when facing southpaws. Still, counting on them to fully stabilize the lineup against lefties feels optimistic given health questions and limited track records. More importantly, the roster simply lacks enough right-handed depth to build a lineup tailored to attack a high-end southpaw. When a dominant left-handed starter takes the mound, Minnesota often has no choice but to run out a lineup that leans into its biggest weakness. Help Is Coming, But Not the Right Kind At first glance, help appears to be on the way. Four of the organization’s top five position player prospects opened the season at Triple-A, putting them one step away from the big leagues. However, their profiles do not necessarily solve this specific issue. Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez are both left-handed hitters with significant upside. The Twins can reasonably hope that each develops into a hitter capable of holding his own against left-handed pitching, avoiding strict platoon roles. That would mirror the paths taken by Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, who became complete hitters despite batting left-handed. There are encouraging signs, but there are also clear gaps. Last season, Jenkins posted a .730 OPS against lefties compared to a .910 OPS against righties. Rodriguez showed an even wider split in 2025 with a .607 OPS against southpaws and a .950 OPS against righties. Both players have the talent to improve those numbers, but projecting that growth is far from certain. The organization’s best right-handed hitting prospects at the level offer a more direct solution, though they come with their own questions. Gabriel Gonzalez dominated left-handed pitching last season with a 1.022 OPS while also holding his own against righties at .869. Kaelen Culpepper, on the other hand, posted reverse splits with a .700 OPS against lefties and a .905 OPS against righties. Gonzalez stands out as a potential impact bat who could help balance the lineup, but relying on prospects to fix a longstanding major league issue is rarely a comfortable strategy. An Issue That Demands a Clear Answer The Twins have built a lineup identity around left-handed power, but the downside of that approach continues to surface in meaningful ways. Without enough right-handed hitters capable of doing damage, especially against left-handed pitching, the offense becomes easier to neutralize. This is no longer a short-term quirk. It is a multi-year roster-construction problem that has carried over across different versions of the team. Until Minnesota finds a way to add impact right-handed bats or develops internal options who can truly break the mold, opposing teams will continue to exploit this imbalance. What steps should the front office take to resolve this issue once and for all? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View the full article

(I wrote the first few paragraphs on Monday before the Brewers traveled to Boston to play the Red Sox. After doing so well in their first nine games, Milwaukee went stone-cold batting with two outs. Part one of my story includes everything through the table. Part two begins after the table.) It was such a nice day on Sunday that I decided not to worry about the branch that had fallen into my yard (from the neighbor's tree) during the weekend's ice storm; that could wait for another day. Instead, since it was 50 degrees and sunny, I took my cat Hudson and 'grand pup' Ellie outside and let them run around while I listened to the Brewers-Royals game on Sirius/XM. I'm not sure who it was, either Jeff Levering or Lane Grindle, who talked about the Brewers' ability to have success at the plate after two outs. In fact, they said it repeatedly. The Brewers continued to score multiple runs per inning, putting up a twisted digit in three of the nine frames on the way to an 8-5 victory and a series win at Kauffman Stadium. The Brewers went 5-for-14 (.357) in the contest, including two doubles, a triple, and a home run. They also drew four walks (one of them intentional) and plated five runs during those ABs. When I ran the numbers through my abacus, the slash line came out to .357/.500/.857 over 18 trips to the plate. Pretty impressive! Then I checked out the numbers to date for 2026. The Crew is 34-for-105 with nine doubles, two triples, and six homers. Add on 22 free passes and 35 RBI, and you have some gaudy numbers, albeit in a small sample: .324/.441/.619 in 127 plate appearances. Brewers' Two-Out Batting Stats Player AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB Yelich 16 5 1 1 5 1 Turang 7 3 1 1 3 3 Bauers 6 2 1 3 1 Contreras 8 3 3 3 4 Frelick 12 3 2 Ortiz 13 2 1 1 Lockridge 10 4 1 3 2 Rengifo 6 2 1 2 2 Mitchell 7 3 2 1 7 2 Hamilton 4 2 2 3 Perkins 6 1 1 1 1 Sánchez 7 4 3 5 Vaughn 1 Matos 2 Then came the first and only trip of the year to Fenway Park. Milwaukee went from red-hot with two outs to a dismal 1-for-16 in the first two games with Boston. Christian Yelich drew a walk in his only two-out appearance, and Garrett Mitchell went 1-for-1 with two RBIs. Eight other players went a combined 0-for-15, including 'Wild Bill' Contreras, failing to get a base hit in three trips. Perhaps he was distracted by his brother Willson's antics during the game on Monday. Bottom line: It is unrealistic to expect the team to keep hitting at the pace they did over their first three series. Yelich, for example, has a career slash line of .268/.372/.425 with two outs. Let's hope Milwaukee gets back to its exciting brand of heroics with two outs. That type of success makes the Brewers much more fun to watch. View the full article

Twins System Recap: The Mighty Mussels got strong starts on both ends of their doubleheader today. Reed Moring, who was drafted in the 15th round last year, followed up his excellent pro debut with another impressive showing in Game 1. James Ellwanger also delivered a second consecutive solid start in Game 2. Kaelen Culpepper stayed hot for the Saints, reaching base three more times as the DH. Here's info on those performances and much more. View the full article

The Toronto Blue Jays have not gotten off to the start that the fans, players, or management were expecting following last year’s run to the World Series. With a 5-7 record and a laundry list of injuries to the starting rotation, the Blue Jays have been forced to rely heavily on their bullpen in the regular season’s opening weeks. Excluding Tyler Heineman, who has already been used twice this season, the Blue Jays have been forced to use 12 different relievers over the first 12 games. The results have been mixed for the group overall, but two players who have started the 2026 campaign strongly are Tyler Rogers and Louis Varland. While these relievers couldn’t be more different from one another, both have been able to stabilize a volatile group, giving the Blue Jays quality innings as they search for wins. The Blue Jays signed Rogers to a three-year, $37 million contract back in December to help lock down the late innings. Through six games, Rogers has posted a record of 1-0, an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.05. In 6 ⅔ innings, he has struck out five batters and walked three. One of Rogers’ calling cards throughout his career has been his ability to limit hard contact, consistently ranking in the top three percent of Major League Baseball pitchers for average exit velocity allowed. In the right-hander’s past five seasons, his average exit velocities against have been 85.4, 84.2, 84.4, 85.2 and 85.8 mph, with four of those five years placing him in the top one percent. Rogers has kept that up through his opening six appearances, with an 85.2 mph average exit velocity, giving the Blue Jays what they were hoping for when they signed the 35-year-old. Another underlying statistic that continues to back up Rogers’ success is that of the 19 batted balls against him this season, zero have been barrelled by opposing teams. Varland attacks hitters with a high-octane fastball, a knuckle curve and a wipeout slider. Through six games, he is 0-1 with an ERA of 0.00 and a 1.05 WHIP. The 28-year-old has struck out nine batters across his 6 ⅔ innings, picking up where he left off during last season’s run to the World Series. Varland’s fastball velocity ranks in the 92nd percentile in MLB with an average speed of 97.8 mph. This has helped the right-hander to sit in the top eight percent of MLB pitchers in strikeout percentage (36%), routinely missing bats against opposing teams’ best hitters. Varland, like Rogers, has allowed zero barrels this season on 14 batted balls, limiting hard contact every time he’s entered a game. While the Blue Jays haven’t got off to the start anyone was hoping for, Rogers and Varland have come out of the gates on fire, giving the Blue Jays quality outings every time they've taken the mound. View the full article

The 2025 trade deadline was an eventful one for the Twins. By letting go of some key contributors (Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and more), they received a mix of prospects and controllable big-leaguers. One of those players, Taj Bradley, has already been a positive contributor. However, another acquisition from the deadline made the Opening Day roster, and it hasn’t been as fruitful a start for James Outman. Outman was acquired in a trade with the World Series champion Dodgers on July 31, in which the Twins sent Brock Stewart to Los Angeles. Stewart pitched in only four games for the Dodgers post-trade, allowing 2 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. He’d then miss the rest of the season due to a right shoulder injury, which resulted in surgery. As for Outman, he wasn’t much better for the Twins at the back end of last year, hitting .147/.221/.337 in 104 plate appearances across 37 games. The former 7th-round pick struck out 45 times last season, while only walking 8 times. His overall advanced metrics from last year weren’t great, either. His bat speed was around league average at 72.6 MPH, but his expected slugging average, average exit velocity, Squared Up%, Whiff%, and Strikeout% were all scary. His first full season with Minnesota has begun with worse results from Outman, as many Twins fans have noticed. He’s appeared in 11 games but has only amassed 15 plate appearances, hitting .000/.067/.000 with 8 strikeouts. It's been quite a fall from grace for Outman, who was third in NL Rookie of the Year Award voting back in 2023, finishing behind unanimous winner Corbin Carroll and starter Kodai Senga. Outman hit .248/.353/.437 with 23 home runs in 567 plate appearances that year, amassing 3.4 bWAR. The advanced metrics from that year look noticeably better, though Outman did overperform his batting average, slugging percentage, and wOBA by considerable amounts when compared to the expected values. Outman is obviously nowhere near his offensive output from the 2023 season, but let's try to be positive for a moment. He's been bad, sure, but he isn’t playing every day. Byron Buxton locks down the center field spot, as does Matt Wallner in right, with Austin Martin and Trevor Larnach splitting time in left. Outman’s appearances are primarily limited to defensive and baserunning situations in the later innings, which should work to some extent. Outman has been a plus baserunner during his MLB career. He’s shown that this year, stealing two bases already, and has 21 career stolen bases. Defensively, his arm strength is his calling card, as he’s been in the 78th percentile or above in each of his MLB seasons. His other defensive metrics haven’t graded out well as of late, as his OAA has dropped each year since that impressive rookie campaign in 2023. However, Outman is almost certainly still a better defender than Larnach, while Martin is around the same defensively as the former Dodger. If he were out there more often, Outman might be showing more of what he can do. The fact that the Twins have faced a disproportionate number of lefties this spring has only made the job of all their lefty batters harder. What does the path forward look like for the Twins outfield? As stated previously, Outman isn’t playing a whole lot, and that's unlikely to change. Meanwhile, beyond the active big-league roster, the team has fellow trade acquisition Alan Roden and top prospects Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Gabriel Gonzalez waiting for a chance at Triple-A St. Paul. How soon might it make sense to jettison Outman (he can't be optioned to the minors) and turn to one of those guys? In truth, letting Outman keep trying it for a bit makes more sense. The blockage I mentioned above will constrain any new player added to the mix. Roden, Jenkins, Rodriguez and Gonzalez all need playing time. Thus, they're better off in the minors, until something changes. Should one of the big-league incumbents get hurt, the player called up to replace them on the roster is likely to leapfrog Outman into regular duty. Unless and until that happens, though, letting Outman keep sponging up the work of the last position player on the roster is the best move. As ugly as his performance has been, he's only meant to be lightly used, anyway. Still, eventually, he has to do something right, or else be shoved aside in the name of finding wins. View the full article

Ever since it was mentioned that right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. might not be hitting leadoff for the San Diego Padres this season and that first-year manager Craig Stammen was going to tinker with the top half of his lineup, conversations have stirred from barstools and coffee shops in La Jolla to those down in Chula Vista. The question being asked: What is the best lineup for the Friars? While the experiment in spring training was interrupted by the World Baseball Classic, Stammen and the Padres have had two weeks of the regular season to work it out on the fly. And although days off, slumps, hot streaks and injuries will certainly play a role, there are signs of stability forming in the top five spots, even with the offense still trying to find some consistency. For now. In the first 12 games of the season, the top five has had six combinations involving eight players. Before Wednesday, the only players to appear in the top five in every game are ones you would expect: Tatis and third baseman Manny Machado. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts has done so in all but one game. Machado was given his first day off in the series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The others to make appearances are left fielder Ramon Laureano, center fielder Jackson Merrill, second baseman Jake Cronenworth, designated hitter Miguel Andujar and first baseman Gavin Sheets. The evolution has been interesting to watch. It felt like Stammen was the exclusive voice putting together the first five lineups. Then, in the sixth game, the series finale vs. the San Francisco Giants, Stammen credited bench coach Randy Knorr with the batting order that produced a 7-1 win. Since then, Stammen's comments have indicated a more collaborative process. There have been two constants throughout: Tatis has hit either first or second, and Machado third or fourth in every game he has appeared. Those are the no-brainers. Who fits in around them is where the real experimentation has happened. Prior to the series against the Colorado Rockies, Laureano started the last four games in the leadoff spot, followed by Tatis, Merrill and Machado. This feels like the regular top five for the time being. Sheets replaced Machado in the cleanup spot Wednesday, with Andujar getting the start at third and batting sixth. Bogaerts has hit fifth in three of those four contests, with Andujar holding down the fort in the other. Where is Cronenworth? After leading off in three straight games on the opening homestand, the veteran infielder has been eighth or ninth in the last six games, the same spots he was in for the very first two games of the season. That is more because Cronenworth can be more effective at getting on base for the top of the order once the lineup flips. How the first five aligns also doesn't seem to matter whether there is a right-hander or left-hander on the mound to start the game. The Padres have faced four left-handed starters, with Tatis leading off three times and Laureano the other. Merrill and Cronenworth were the only left-handed hitters in the group of eight to bat in the top five before Sheets made his initial appearance Wednesday. Merrill has been in the middle of some rallies by the Friars thus far, while Cronenworth has yet to get rolling. In fact, no one in the Padres' lineup has been rolling, not even in the bottom half. Still, Machado said as recently as Tuesday that he liked the at-bats the Friars were having even if they didn't produce much. That could be the reason why Laureano has emerged as the leadoff hitter for four straight games. Tatis told Stammen in the offseason that he wasn't fond of the leadoff spot, yet that is where the manager had the superstar in his first two lineups. Tatis has hit seven times in the No. 2 spot, which seems to be where he will settle as the Friars try to get more run production out of their most talented position player. Merrill has split his time fairly evenly between third (six) and fourth (five), with Machado being in the cleanup spot in six times and No. 3 the other five. All of that has pushed Bogaerts from the No. 2 slot, where he was the first two games of the year and four times overall, down to fifth for seven games. The only time Bogaerts didn't hit in the top five was when he hit sixth against Boston Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez with Andujar, who has a strong track record against southpaws, in the No. 5 slot. One other interesting piece of the lineup construction has been the usage of Nick Castellanos. The first baseman-outfielder picked up after he was released by the Philadelphia Phillies in spring training has started just five of the first 11 games. Three of those have come as the designated hitter, while he made his first career start at first base and his first since 2022 in left field. He also has come off the bench as a pinch-hitter in three games. Castellanos' starts have come in spurts, not in the lineup for the first two games, then in for three straight, benched for two more, then another two starts in a row before going back to the bench. The series opener against the Rockies also marked the 13th lineup combination in as many games, so expect this long-running experiment to continue deep into the dog days of summer. View the full article

Owen and Jesse recap the Blue Jays' series loss to the Dodgers, including Josh Fleming's role in the game one blowout, Max Scherzer's forearm tendinitis in game two of the series, and the breath of life in game three from George Springer and Davis Schneider. The guys talk about the drama surrounding Shohei Ohtani and finish by previewing the next series against the Twins. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jays-centre-podcast/id1846108462 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Bi7SzfpcqMo5xYWnbCeoL Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-jays-centre-podcast-300304824/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/2qk9wqxd Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayscentre View the full article

MIAMI, FL — The final stage of Kyle Stowers' recovery from a right hamstring strain begins Friday night when he is scheduled to play his first minor league rehab game with Triple-A Jacksonville. Stowers left Miami on Thursday afternoon to meet up with the Jumbo Shrimp in Norfolk, Virginia, where they're in the middle of a series against the Baltimore Orioles' AAA affiliate. Even with their All-Star-caliber hitters like Stowers, the Marlins value positional flexibility. The 28-year-old outfielder was seen earlier this week participating in defensive drills at first base, an experiment which has been in the works since November, according to Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. "Kyle potentially had a skill set to maybe do that," McCullough said regarding the idea to develop Stowers at the position. "It wasn't about this being a full-time first base and we're looking to transition. I think over the course of the year, it's something that you can pull off, and it's a day to get you off your feet a little bit. A different type of workload over there within a game." Stowers has never played first base in the minor or major leagues, though he totaled 23 games of experience as a college player during the summers of 2017 and 2018. The Marlins mainly used him in left field last season, where he had two defensive runs saved and five outfield assists. He was named a National League Gold Glove finalist at the position. First base has generally been a weakness for the Marlins throughout the past few seasons. They signed free agent Christopher Morel to be their main option there entering 2026, but on Opening Day as Morel was taking batting practice, he suffered a left oblique strain, knocking him out for 4-6 weeks. He is currently in Jupiter progressing and taking part in baseball activities. In the absences of Stowers and Morel, Connor Norby has received most of the playing time at first. Through 11 games, Norby is slashing .206/.357/.353/.710 with one home run and two RBI. Liam Hicks is off to an incredibly hot start, but his primary position is catcher. The Marlins have gotten good offensive contributions from outfielders Griffin Conine, Jakob Marsee and Owen Caissie against right-handed pitching. Stowers being able to handle first would open the possibility for him to share a lineup with Hicks, Conine, Marsee and Caissie later this season. "I want to keep Kyle in games," McCullough said. "We have some really good outfielders that I think would help us. It's a way that it can maybe keep him in games as well." This rehab assignment is expected to be longer than usual. Stowers originally injured his hamstring very early in spring training, then re-aggravated it on March 20 in West Palm Beach against the Houston Astros. Although it was diagnosed as a minor (Grade 1) strain, he needs time to get his timing right and his physical conditioning up to major league standards. Barring setbacks, he should be reinstated from the IL during the week of April 20. View the full article

The guys break down the Brewers' road trip to Kansas City and Boston, what to make of Garrett Mitchell's hot start, and how the team should handle Brandon Sproat's early struggles. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View the full article

As the unheralded Eric Orze closed the door on the Detroit Tigers Thursday afternoon, the Minnesota Twins found themselves above .500 for the first time since June of last year. The four-game sweep of their AL Central rivals has the skeptics and haters scrambling for an answer. "Obviously, it's a small sample size, and you'd be foolish to draw any season-long conclusions from four games," said Preston Schreiber, 42, of Prior Lake. "But it's still a sweep over the best team in the division. They beat [Tarik] Skubal and [Framber] Valdez with their inexplicable roster of plodding lefty outfielders. I can only assume that the Tigers have one of those wasting illnesses people got on the high seas in the 1700s, and they're covering it up. I have no other explanation." Minnesota's starting pitching led the charge during the sweep, which isn't surprising from Joe Ryan and the red-hot Taj Bradley, but more baffling for the unproven Mick Abel and the soft-tossing Bailey Ober. "Did Ober throw over 90 mph at all on Wednesday?" asked Kraig Jansson, 51, of Centerville. "I don't think he did? And he had a 6-0 lead to start the 2nd! What is going on? I'm scared, I'll just be honest here. I'm scared and I don't know what to do." At least one fan thinks there's more to the situation than just a run of decent play and a scuffling opponent. "I just got done watching the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament," said Sydney Nathe, 33, of Paynesville. "They were constantly running ads for Impractical Jokers, on TruTV or whatever. I don't know anyone who watches it. I don't think anyone ever has, if we're keeping it real. But from the commercials I saw, this Twins streak seems like the kind of hijinks the Jokers get up to." Twins Daily reached out to TruTV for a response, but we were told only that an all-new season of pranks, laughs, and crack-ups was coming soon to your local cable or satellite provider. "Their website says they've filmed almost 300 episodes," said Nathe. "That can't be right. Why is this happening?" Image license here. View the full article

Taj Bradley isn’t just off to a strong start; he’s showing signs of becoming a true difference-maker in the Twins’ rotation. With elite swing-and-miss stuff and improving command, he might be exactly what Minnesota has been missing. View the full article

Transactions: LHP Shane Drohan optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers INF Ethan Murray placed on AAA Nashville’s 7-day injured list C Andrick Nava activated by AAA Nashville from Development List You’ll also find some health updates on RHP Jacob Morrison, RHP Melvin Hernandez and INF/OF Eduardo Garcia thanks to @ARobsBrewCrew in the Minor League Forum. Game Action: Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 6, Gwinnett 3 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: Leonard Homers Twice in Sounds Win Over Gwinnett While Nashville out-hit the Stripers 13-to-6 and also won the strikeout battle with 13 Ks for Sounds’ pitchers, they nearly got too far behind as RHP Coleman Crow allowed 3 runs in the 5th inning to trail 3-1 before allowing a leadoff walk and double in the bottom of the 6th inning. Thankfully Crow (5 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 7 Ks in relief) buckled down to register back-to-back Ks and a pop out to escape that 6th inning jam and SS Jett Williams (2-for-4, walk), OF Luis Lara (3-for-4, walk, SB) and Nashville’s offense immediately responded to tie the game half an inning later, with some help from a Gwinnett error. Obviously, starting RHP Logan Henderson (3 1/3 scoreless, hitless innings with 5 Ks and 2 BB in 53 pitches) and 2B Eddys Leonard (2 solo homers to give Nashville leads of 1-0 and 4-3) were the standout performers in this contest. OF Greg Jones (2-for-5, RBI), DH Ramon Rodriguez (2-for-4, double) and RHP Will Childers (retired both batters faced to lift his scoreless inning total to 4 this season, after 5 scoreless innings in MLB Spring Training) keep quietly getting the job done. Sounds’ Extras: This was Henderson’s third outing in 10 days, after a 45-pitch effort on March 31 for Nashville and a 35-pitch spot start for the Brewers on April 4. After the Stripers ran wild on C Jeferson Quero (1-for-4, walk) and the staff on Tuesday (10 stolen bases), they only had one steal in this contest. The two teams combined to go 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position and strand 16 baserunners, but Gwinnett hurt themselves with 2 errors, an ill-timed wild pitch (extending the Sounds’ lead to 5-3 in the top of the 9th inning) and a balk. Friday’s outlook: Though he was reportedly working through some bicep/tricep muscle soreness, LHP Robert Gasser (5 2/3 scoreless innings with 11 Ks in his last outing) is expected to make his first start since March 27, per the linked game report. Nashville aims to even the series at two games apiece. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Biloxi 15, Pensacola 3 Box Score and Game Log Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Shuckers Score 15 Runs in Blowout Victory over Blue Wahoos As you’ve read, 22-year old 1B Blake Burke (3-for-5, 2 HR, double, 4 RBIs, SB) and 18-year old SS Jesus Made (3-for-6, 2 triples, 4 RBIs) continue to sizzle, leading the charge in this game to bring Biloxi back into the series after dropping the first two games. 22-year old RHP Ryan Birchard’s first career AA start (2nd appearance) was initially nerve-wracking as he allowed 4 walks and an infield single in the first 2 frames to trail 1-0, but he settled in nicely to retire his last 4 batters faced. Having a 6-1 lead can apparently calm a pitcher’s nerves. There are plenty more offensive highlights on the Shuckers’ ‘X’ feed, as you’d expect when 2B Dylan O’Rae reaches base 4 times and has 2 RBIs, 3B Eric Brown Jr. reaches base thrice with 3 RBIs and every Biloxi starter reaches via hit or walk in their big win. The good guys even stole 6 bases in the contest. Shuckers’ Extras: RHP Brett Wichrowski conceded 2 solo homers, but those were his only true blemishes in 5 innings of solid relief work (2 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 Ks). RHP Sam Garcia also tossed a 1-2-3 final inning to bounce back from a rough first outing of 2026 back on April 5. This was Mike Boeve’s first career Minor League appearance in the outfield since being drafted in the second round in 2023. If he keeps hitting (1-for-3, 2 walks, SB), the organization will find a way to get him on the field. Per the game log, only one baseball made found its way out to him in left field (a 7th inning single), so I guess the baseball gods decided to ease him in. The offense dominated despite red-hot OF Damon Keith (1.343 OPS through 23 PAs) getting a rest day. He had exited Wednesday’s contest in the 5th inning for a pinch runner after legging out an infield hit. Hopefully he’ll be back in action quickly. Friday’s outlook: 21-year old RHP Bishop Letson looks to bounce back from his last start (1 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 1 K) and lead Biloxi to a 2-2 series tie. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Quad Cities 11, Wisconsin 1 Box Score and Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Wisconsin Falls at Quad Cities After Wisconsin lashed Quad Cities 9-1 on Wednesday, I guess the River Bandits decided to return the favor. Starting 19-year old RHP Ethan Dorchies (2 1/3 IP, 5 R, 7 H, 0 BB, 2 HBP, 2 Ks) faced 11 batters in the first inning, but did eventually get out of it and even retire 5 straight Quad Cities batters at one point, before exiting after an infield single. The Timber Rattlers nearly made a game of it when DH Marco Dinges singled and OF Josh Adamczewski walked to open the 4th inning with 2-on, nobody out, trailing 5-1, but Quad Cities went to their bullpen to escape that jam unscathed. In fact, they retired 10 straight Timber Rattlers before Wisconsin had a 2-on, 1-out opportunity in the 7th inning while still trailing 5-1 (a ground ball double play ended that threat). Timber Rattlers’ Extras: Kudos to RHPs Yerlin Rodriguez (2/3 scoreless IP), Quinton Low (2 scoreless IP, 3 Ks) and Michael Fowler (1 2/3 scoreless IP, 4 Ks) for solid bullpen work. Unfortunately, RHP Bryan Rivera (1 1/3 IP, 6 R, 4 H, 3 BB, 1 K) couldn’t join them in that vein. Somehow 4 Wisconsin errors did not result in any unearned runs. Quad Cities was clean on the defensive side of the ball and even turned 3 double plays and had an outfield assist in a solid all-around game for them. Wisconsin’s offense produced just 4 singles, 3 walks and an 0-for-6 effort with runners in scoring position, as they’re saving up runs for the remaining 3 games of the series. Friday’s outlook: 20-year old RHP Bryce Meccage will try to bounce back from his first outing (2 2/3 IP, 3 R, 1 K) and lead Wisconsin to a 3-1 series lead on the road. Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Salem 2, Wilson 1 Box Score and Game Log Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Warbirds Drop Third Straight to Salem The Warbirds certainly had their opportunities in this contest, going 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position, including coming up empty on bases loaded, nobody out opportunities in the 2nd and 7th innings. Striking out 18 times versus just 5 Ks for the RidgeYaks was the big difference in this tight 2-1 contest. 19-year old RHP Miqueas Mercedes (4 1/3 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 Ks in 75 pitches) put in his second solid start of 2026, while RHP Garrett Hodges (3 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 1 K in 48 pitches) took the tough luck loss. After a wild pitch gave Salem its first lead at 2-1 in the bottom of the 8th inning, 3B Filippo Di Turi did well to throw out a baserunner at home to keep it a 1-run contest. Unfortunately, a 3-up, 3-down top of the 9th inning followed to end it. Warbirds’ Extras: The team’s 4 singles came from their 5 thru 9 batters in the lineup, as Wilson’s 1-5 hitters combined to go 0-for-17 with 4 walks and 13 strikeouts. OF Luiyin Alastre and 1B Eric Martinez each reached via a hit and a walk. Martinez’s infield single did score a run to produce a brief 1-0 lead, though it was unearned due to a Salem error. Friday’s outlook: 19-year old LHP Enderson Mercado is scheduled to make his first start (second appearance) of 2026 (3 1/3 IP, 4 R, 4 Ks in his first outing), as the Warbirds need a win to prevent Salem from winning this week’s series. We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Friday, Wilson gets the action started at 5:35pm CST, followed by Nashville (6:05pm), Wisconsin (6:30pm) and Biloxi (6:35pm). The Milwaukee Brewers host the Nationals at 6:40pm. 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

When the Kansas City Royals signed 16-year-old Kendry Chourio out of Venezuela for $247,500 in January of 2025, few could have predicted just how quickly the right-hander would rise through the system. Less than a year later, he has already earned a spot on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects and is ranked number 75 on Baseball America’s list, up seven spots in just three to four months, further cementing his status as one of the most exciting young pitchers in baseball. Chourio began the 2025 season in the Dominican Summer League, quickly proving that he belonged far above his age group. Across the DSL and the Arizona Complex League, he allowed just seven earned runs in 28 2/3 innings while walking only one batter, an eye-popping display of command for a teenager. By midseason, the Royals promoted him to Single-A Columbia. Facing older, more polished hitters, Chourio ran into some challenges, but his strike-throwing remained exceptional. In six starts, he walked only four and struck out 24, finishing with a 5.16 ERA. What makes Chourio so intriguing is his combination of advanced pitchability and a dynamic arsenal. His fastball sits between 94 and 97 mph comfortably with natural cut, and his curveball in the upper 70s generates swings and misses while maintaining sharp downward action. He complements those offerings with a fading changeup that sits around 86-87 mph and shows plus potential. He can also flash a low to mid-80s slider, giving him a mix of weapons that is rare for a pitcher of his age. Scouts rave about his ability to sequence pitches and read hitters, a skill that is often years away for other teenage arms. Chourio’s delivery is simple and repeatable, his lean frame athletic and increasingly strong. He commands the strike zone with a poise and confidence that belies his youth. That command, combined with his velocity and movement, gives him a profile that could project as a frontline starter if he continues on this trajectory. Advanced metrics show that Chourio’s season pitching percentiles include below-average wOBA (40th percentile), strikeout rate (55th percentile), whiff rate (31st percentile), CSW percent (40th percentile), swing percent (26th percentile), and SwStr percent (42nd percentile) per FanGraphs. However, he posted a strong ground-ball rate in the 80th percentile and an excellent walk rate in the 74th percentile, at just 7.1 percent, highlighting his ability to control the strike zone and keep hitters on the ground. The early returns in 2026 have only added to the excitement. In a spring breakout game, Chourio threw two innings, allowed one hit, struck out three, and touched 97 mph on the radar gun. Shortly after, he made his official MLB debut, tossing three innings while giving up four hits and two earned runs, walking one batter and striking out four, throwing 59 pitches with 39 for strikes. Both outings reinforced what scouts had been saying for months. He has the ability to miss bats, attack the strike zone, and adjust to more advanced competition. Given his age, Chourio is already well ahead of what is typical for a pitcher on a similar path. The Royals plan to help him refine his secondary pitches, pitch inside with confidence, and manage high leverage situations, all while continuing to build strength and durability. According to Prospect Tilt, he has the potential to be a top-three pitching prospect heading into 2027, underscoring just how high his ceiling might be. Chourio is not being rushed, but the organization is not holding him back either. His rapid rise through the minors in 2025 proved he can handle aggressive promotions, and if he continues to perform, he will move quickly toward the majors. The Royals estimate his call-up time around 2029, but everything he has shown so far suggests he could arrive sooner if development continues at this pace. With a mid to upper 90s fastball, three advanced secondary pitches, elite command, and a rare feel for pitching at such a young age, Kendry Chourio is more than just a prospect to watch. He is becoming a name that will be heard across baseball for years, and if everything clicks, he could be the next ace in Kansas City. View the full article

No one can accuse Ryan Jeffers of being selfish. Though he'll sometimes hide himself away to undergo treatment during open clubhouse times, when he's near his locker, he's as generous with the media as any member of the team. He's conscientious about meetings and collaboration with his pitchers and coaches. He gives everything he can to the team, in the pursuit of wins. That said, he's always been refreshingly frank about the realities of the game and its economics. Jeffers was an underslot signing as a second-round pick in 2018. He didn't make more than $1 million in a season until 2023. He understands that he's very lucky to have earned nearly $20 million playing baseball, but he's also aware that he becomes a free agent this winter—and that that's his chance to secure generational wealth for his family. The way arbitration works and the opportunity to hit paydirt in free agency motivated his push to play more over the last two years. The same factors have influenced the way he's remade his game over the same span, and especially since the end of the 2024 season. For instance, in concert with the Twins, Jeffers made a change last summer that he believes turned him into one of the game's best receivers. It's a fairly simple one: he went exclusively to a right-knee-down catching stance. "Since July 1 of last year, when I went to right-knee-only, I've been third in baseball [in overall catcher defense]," Jeffers said Wednesday, citing the Twins' internal metrics. He's not just saying he's been better; he's positioning himself in the broader context of the league. And the data bears him out. Jeffers said he and the team agreed on the change because his framing numbers weren't where either party felt they should be, going back to the beginning of 2024. In particular, he was losing too many strikes just inside the zone, partially because he was uncomfortable with the variety of setups he was trying to use behind the plate. The league has trended toward putting the left knee down more often, and Jeffers was doing the same, but his body works a bit differently than do other catchers'. He's akways been acutely aware of his size—not just his sheer dimensions, but the proportions of his body. "I think most guys are more comfortable left-knee-down, but for me, right-knee-down is way better," he said. "I just feel like I can move better, present the ball better." It helps, Jeffers noted, that right-knee-down is the preferred stance any time a runner is on base, because it's easier to throw from that stance than when starting with the left kinee down. Still, most catchers find that the left knee being down leaves their glove arm freer to move and receive the ball smoothly. Jeffers prefers the stability he feels with the right knee down. Of the 60 catchers who have caught at least 2,500 tracked pitches since the start of last July, only four have used the left-knee-down stance less often than Jeffers—and he's been better since making the change. Here are two curves and tables, comparing Jeffers's strike rate on called pitches near the edges of the strike zone to that of Alejandro Kirk and to the league average. The top graphic is from the start of 2024 through the end of June 2025. The bottom is since July 1 of last year. There's been an across-the-board improvement. Jeffers was, previously, about average at keeping strikes that were clearly inside the zone but near the edge strikes, but below-average on and just off the edges. Now, he's average on those pitches comfortably inside the zone, and above-average on the coin-flip calls and those just off the fringes. The Statcast framing data doesn't quite line up with what Jeffers and the Twins are looking at, but he went from 54th of 55 qualifying catchers in the year and a half before going exclusively right-knee-down to being 6th of 57 qualifiers since. Even more importantly—or at least more visibly, and firing up everyone involved, including Jeffers—he's turning out to be the master of the challenge system. That's no surprise. "I think our catchers have done a really good job," manager Derek Shelton said of the early returns on the ABS system at the start of this homestand. "I think we went into spring training, knowing—because the one thing I will note, not talking about last year, but I give the Twins a lot of credit with last year in spring training—is they paid attention to it, knowing that it was probably coming in. and we knew coming in that Jeffers had done a good job during spring training [of 2025]." Though it couldn't be implemented right away in games that counted, Jeffers did dedicate himself to learning the system and anticipating the best ways to use it last spring. He talked about its eventual installation throughout last season. One reason why being so much more comfortable physically in the right-knee-down setup mattered was because it allowed Jeffers to hone his eye for the edges of the zone, an advantage he's now able to press by challenging when the umpire doesn't bite on a pitch he knows caught a corner. He's been gearing up for this for a long time, and he's been an eager and excellent user of the system since Opening Day. Jeffers ended four Tigers at-bats by appealing called balls with two strikes late in the games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, getting overturns each time. He's flipped eight calls for third strikes this season, which not only paces the league, but leads the next-best catchers by five. Flipping pitches to finish off strikeouts and even end innings is a very obvious way for that skill to shine through, but it's not just about the outs themselves. "But what that also does is, it saves pitches, and then it could possibly save who you’re using in the bullpen, or what the actual strategy of the game [looks like]," Shelton said Wednesday. "So when you're managing the game, you think, ‘I like these matchups,’ and then all of a sudden, that pitch flips one way or another—we don't have ABS and it ends up becoming a ball, then maybe that guy doesn't go through that stretch." Jeffers believes his acuity and restraint—for instance, the Twins lost their first challenge in the first inning Wednesday night when Austin Martin wasted one at the plate, so Jeffers waited until the eighth inning to mount challenges that got Cody Laweryson two outs in that frame—will be viewed as a high-value, marketable skill this offseason. You can bet that his agent, Scott Boras, will include it in his binder of information about his client, even if that binder is now digitally delivered, rather than a physical tome. His usage of the system only boosts Jeffers's popularity with his pitchers, of course, but the affinity there runs deeper than the challenge system, or than framing in general. Taj Bradley credits Jeffers with helping him go into starts with a clearer, more detailed plan of attack against opposing batters. "I think he calls a good game," Bradley said after his 10-strikeout performance against the Tigers Tuesday night. "He does his research and his reports and stuff like that, and we sat down before the game and we talked through it, so it's not a surprise what he's calling, why he's calling it, and it's just confidence in everything he puts on the [PitchCom] buttons." It's not hard, when considering the mechanical changes he's made in setting up to receive the ball and the deftness he's shown with the system already, to see why Jeffers believes he can hit the market as an in-demand, high-end defensive backstop. Nor, based on his track record, is he a glove-only catcher. Still, to get paid the way he envisions, he'll need to show the league that he's a true two-way threat. In terms of results, he's off to a slow start, batting .226/.351/.290. The process numbers paint a finer portrait, though—and his solid games Tuesday and Wednesday night started to reward the good work. Most notably, he cracked an opposite-field two-run double against Tarik Skubal Tuesday night, the game-breaking strike. eHl3T0RfWGw0TUFRPT1fVUFsV1hGWUVWQWNBV3dSWFVnQUhDQUZRQUZrTVUxWUFWd1pRQVZWUlVGVUFCQVFI.mp4 "The Jeffers at-bat was an unbelievable at-bat," Shelton said after that game. "I mean, to foul balls off—I thought he'd taken some really good swings earlier on the fastball and got underneath it a little bit—but to go two strikes and just flatten himself out and hit that double down the line, that was a really, really good at-bat." That's a good summation of what happened, and describes something that Jeffers has changed this year that could help him do it more consistently. The slider from Skubal was actually down and out of the zone, on the outer part of the plate. Since the start of 2025, Jeffers only has four hits on pitches in that area, and this one is the only extra-base hit. Even last year, he couldn't have gotten to this ball the way he did Tuesday night. To understand why, take a look at how he was oriented when he made contact with the pitch. The flattening out Shelton is talking about is, in part, his bat path. Jeffers's swing tilt on this pitch was 29°, which is unusually flat for a pitch down around or below the knees. To hit the ball low and away, though, you have to be able to stay somewhat flat, so the barrel of the bat can reach far enough to hit the ball solidly. That's a long way of saying what every baseball fan already knows: it's hard to hit the ball down and away. At the very least, doing so usually requires anticipation and commitment. For Jeffers, though, there's been another element, too. He changed his stance this year, getting more upright in the box to start and striding longer. In this table, the distance between his feet is official, as reported by Statcast; his stride length is an estimate based on Statcast's visualization of his stance and swing. Season Dist. Between Feet (in.) Stride Length (in.) (est.) 2023 35.3 12.1 2024 37.9 11.1 2025 36.2 14.8 2026 32.0 19.4 A longer stride means Jeffers is getting into his legs more flexibly within his swing. It costs him a bit of power, based on the approach he's used the last year-plus (more on that momentarily), but it allows him to hit the ball sharply to the opposite field in a way he couldn't do as well in 2025. He's more adaptable. He can adjust and, yes, flatten himself out, because by sinking deeper into his legs, he gains the option of swinging flatter on low pitches and still reaching them with the barrel. Most of the time, of course, his plan is not to be in a 1-2 count, and thus, to let that pitch go and wait on a better one to hit. He came up with a huge hit against the two-time defending Cy Young Award winner, but the hope is that he won't always be in such a defensive position in the box. That starts with being patient. Jeffers swung at the first pitch in the at-bat roughly 30% of the time over his first five big-league seasons, but last year, that number fell to 19.1%. It's just 21.1% so far this year. Overall, Jeffers is swinging less, accepting walks, and trying to stay in counts where he can hunt for meatballs. So far, he's not generating the power that could turn him into an especially high-end free-agent prize. He only hit nine home runs last year, as he changed his approach a bit and gave up some pull power to get on base more. Unlike some players, he doesn't swing noticeably harder or catch the ball farther out in front of himself when he's ahead in the count. To get back to slugging the way he did two years ago, that might need to change. For now, though, Jeffers is happy with the swing decisions and the contact he's finding with the swing he's engineered. The results, he believes, will come. The Twins don't need Jeffers to hit 30 home runs. What he did at the plate last season was plenty, especially given how good a defender he's become at the most defense-forward position on the diamond. A catcher who adds value via run prevention and gets on base at a .350 clip, as Jeffers has done since the start of last year, can be extremely valuable even with below-average power. Though he has plenty of his own reasons to do it all, the team can be pleased with each of the adjustments he's made. They'll make Jeffers rich, but first, they'll also help the Twins win some extra games in 2026. View the full article

New Brewers infielder David Hamilton is a pest, once he's on base. He's dangerous there. He's already stolen four bases this year, an extension of a long track record of aggressiveness in that department. The last thing you should ever want to do is put Hamilton on base for free. He doesn't hit for much power, and he swings and misses a fair amount, so the thing to do is to just go right after him. Fortunately for the Brewers, pitchers aren't doing that this year. They used to do it; they did it all last season. But they've stopped. Here's a scatter plot of hitters by the percentage of pitches seen that were in the strike zone and the rate at which they swung in 2025. Here's the same chart for 2026. From 52% last year, the percentage of pitches that have been in the zone to Hamilton has plummeted to 44% so far in 2026. It's a huge difference, and although he's reduced his swing rate accordingly, he's not being meaningfully more patient in the zone or any better at not chasing. He's just had a lot more junk at which to not swing. As a result, in 36 plate appearances, he's walked a whopping nine times. His on-base percentage is .485. It's hard to figure out why the league isn't being more aggressive with Hamilton. He's actually reduced his bat speed this year, and he's letting the ball travel about 3 extra inches into the hitting zone. A deeper contact point makes him less likely to whiff, all else equal, and his slashing style and speed do make him feel a bit dangerous. Sixteen of his 36 plate appearances have come with runners on base, which somewhat reinforces the newish notion that protection—the influence of teammates on the way a given batter is pitched—comes from in front of you in the batting order, rather than behind you. On the other hand, Hamilton has already faced left-handed pitchers in 10 plate appearances. Last season, he only saw a southpaw 20 times, in 194 trips to the dish. If nothing else, you'd think a fellow lefty would be comfortable going right after Hamilton, both because he's unlikely to punish you with power left-on-left and because a speed demon is a bit less of a threat once on base when the pitcher on the mound is able to stare right at them during their set. Nonetheless, the numbers are right in front of us. The sample is tiny, but Hamilton is seeing a lot of pitches miss the zone, and he's not helping hurlers out. They'll have to show him, instead, that they can throw strikes, and once they do, he's likely to punish them a bit more, after all. The Brewers have a dynamic offensive weapon on their hands, in the person of their versatile and lightning-fast utility infielder. View the full article

It's time for the first of many Miami Marlins player interviews that we will be bringing you on Fish Unfiltered this season. AJ Ramos, Isaac Azout and Kevin Barral analyze a busy week for the Marlins against the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds (3-4 combined record in those series). Then, catcher Liam Hicks sits down with Isaac and Kevin to explain his excellent offensive performance early in 2026, the team's proficiency with the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system, receiving pitch calls from the dugout and much more. You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Entering Friday, Hicks is slashing .314/.390/.600 with a 173 wRC+ and just as many walks as strikeouts. He has driven in 13 runs already, tying a career-high for most over any 12-game span. The Canadian's versatility makes him useful on a daily basis, as he has made five appearances (two starts) at first base when he isn't behind the plate. Still pre-arbitration-eligible, the former Rule 5 draft pick is under Marlins club control through the 2030 season. View the full article

Hitting is problem-solving. After all, you're standing there in a box, not allowed to move beyond it, armed with a seemingly powerful but unwieldy club, and you've got a projectile coming at you at bone-breaking speed. You can't be sure where it'll be when it passes you, or even that it won't come find that spot between your third and fourth ribs that leaves you wincing every time you run for a week. You can't do more than guess (albeit in an educated way) which way the thing might swerve en route. If you don't find ways to consistently whack that projectile off into corners and empty spaces, you lose your job. You've got a problem, all right. You'd better have some ideas to solve them. The above are some of the problems of sheer difficulty in hitting well. The reactive nature of the exercise, the excellence of modern big-league defense, and the nuances of situations pose plenty of difficulties. There's another problem every hitter eventually runs into, too, though: to attack pitches and be as dangerous as possible in the box, eventually, you have to risk hurting yourself. In fact, as the league has become increasingly fast and ferocious, those types of injuries are becoming more common. Higher pitch velocities mean that hitters have to swing faster, too, and for many, rotating fast and explosively enough to win your showdown with a pitcher eventually means losing a battle with the integrity of your own muscle tissues. Over the last decade, strains to key muscles in the torso have become much more common in hitters. Last season, in fact, was a bonanza for these things—oblique strains, intercostal strains, abdominal strains, and so on. In May 2025, Miguel Amaya became one of the victims of that trend. He was hurt, by coincidence, on a throw in Cincinnati, but the way he pushed his limits with his swing speed contributed to the damage. That injury derailed Amaya's season. He missed nearly three months, then sprained his ankle in his first game back in August. It was a disaster—not just because it stopped him cold during a great season, but because it's had a noticeable, even eye-popping hangover effect this spring. Last year, Amaya's average swing speed was 72.2 miles per hour. That's above-average, especially for a catcher—those guys are selected for defense, after all. It formed a downward trend, from 73.7 MPH in 2023 and 72.9 in 2024, but it was still a strong number. Of course, nearly all of the swings making up that average came before he suffered that oblique strain. This season, Amaya has served in a similar role as the one he had last year, splitting time with Carson Kelly. He's been very patient—much more so than in the past, with his swing rate nosediving from 54% to 38%—so he's only lodged 29 competitive swings on the season. In them, though, he's averaging just 68.4 MPH of bat speed. He's topped out just over 76 MPH. Every possible sign says Amaya has gone from a plus to a minus with regard to bat speed. He's lost a ton of it. Obviously, that doesn't mean he can't be at least somewhat effective. Firstly, to support that claim, we can point to the fact that he's batting .294/.400/.529 this year. Swinging less is as good as swinging slower is bad; it can produce walks and put you in hitter-friendly counts. Once you have the advantage on the pitcher, maybe you can sit on a certain pitch type, and the feeling that the pitch might swerve in the wrong direction on you goes away. If Amaya squares the ball up much better because his swings are more on target, he can make up for this big loss of bat speed. Slower swings are also, by and large, more likely to result in contact, as are shorter ones. Amaya's bat path has been flatter and more direct this year, so he's found some hits in two-strike counts. He's not hitting the ball hard as often, but he can make up for that with a better-organized approach. The other caveat that matters is that Amaya might yet recover the lost bat speed. The samples here are tiny; he could warm up with the weather and get back to cutting it loose. However, for any catcher moving into their late 20s and for any player coming off a severe injury to their torso, a loss of bat speed shouldn't surprise us—and it's best to assume that it will be at least partially permanent. Amaya can still be a very useful player for the Cubs, but he might have to learn to do it as a slower swinger. It's just the next problem to solve. View the full article

Leading up to the 2026 MLB Draft, Fish On First brings you a series of scouting reports on top prospects in this draft class who could realistically wind up in Miami. Overview Position: SS Height: 6’3″ Weight: 185 pounds School: Gulliver Prep (FL) Commitment: Miami Jacob Lombard is a 6’3”, 185-pound shortstop who plays at Gulliver Prep School in Miami, Florida. Lombard is one of the top hitting prospects in this draft class. He’s also considered one of the top high school prospects in the 2026 draft class (second-ranked overall prospect and top-ranked prospect in Florida, according to Perfect Game). Among all draft-eligible players, Lombard is ranked fourth by MLB Pipeline and eleventh by Baseball America. Lombard is signed to play college baseball at the University of Miami. Lombard comes from an excellent baseball family. His dad, George, played six seasons in MLB. He’s currently the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers. Jacob’s older brother, George Lombard Jr., was a first-round pick by the New York Yankees in the 2023 MLB Draft. According to MLB Pipeline, George Jr. entered this season as the top-ranked prospect in the Yankees organization. At the plate, Lombard has the ingredients to be a very productive hitter at the next level with excellent tools and a high baseball IQ. His plate discipline and approach are at a much higher level than most of the prep prospects in this draft class. However, he does have some swing-and-miss to his game and struggled with high velocity over the summer. Lombard has already started to fill in his frame by adding solid weight. His power has improved and that tool received a 60 grade from Pipeline. Defensively, Lombard shouldn’t have any issues sticking at shortstop. He’s an excellent athlete with soft hands and great range. His arm strength does have some room for improvement, but that should continue to come as he matures physically. Lombard is also one of the fastest runners in this draft class. According to Perfect Game, he was clocked running a 6.11 60-yard dash. Strengths Elite speed Plus power potential Advanced plate approach and discipline High baseball IQ Weaknesses Has struggled with high velocity in the past Needs to improve arm strength Pro Comparison: Jeremy Peña Projection: Top 10 pick Bottom Line While it's convenient that the Marlins happen to be Lombard's hometown team, his inclusion in this series is based on his immense talent alone. The Marlins will have the 14th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. In recent years, they have struggled with identifying the right prep players in the middle of the first round (Kahlil Watson in 2021, Noble Meyer in 2023 and PJ Morlando in 2024). However, Lombard is a blue-chip prospect who could be an excellent addition to Miami’s farm system. More 2026 MLB draft profiles OF AJ Gracia View the full article

Welcome to Shape of the Blue Jays, my column where I dig into Statcast numbers to analyze recent pitch shape and swing shape trends for Toronto Blue Jays players and discuss how they have impacted their performance. Click here to read the last edition. Quick Hits: Prospects With the back end of the bullpen set to be a revolving door until the pitching staff is fully healthy, the status of various arms at Triple-A Buffalo should be of prudent short-term interest to the fanbase. LHP Adam Macko has begun his season with four scoreless appearances (5.1 IP) out of the bullpen, striking out six and walking two. Macko has leaned heavily on his fastball, which has averaged 95 mph with 16.3" of iVB. Opponents have managed a .175 xwOBA against it and swung and missed a third of the time. RHP Chase Lee, one of the later spring training cuts, has also been called on for multi-inning appearances out of the bullpen in the early going (4 G, 6.2 IP). He has given up two earned runs and an additional three unearned. Lee, whose walk rate has typically hovered just above 5%, has been fighting his command somewhat, with four free passes issued so far. The zone rate on his sinker was 62% in the majors last year. It has tumbled to 30% so far with Buffalo. Andrés Giménez Andrés Giménez collected three hits during the Dodgers series. On the season, he has been one of the few bright spots offensively, slashing .267/.313/.444, thanks in large part to considerable improvements in contact% (55th to 74th percentile), K% (70th to 90th percentile), and squared-up% (35th to 86th percentile) compared to 2025. He's putting the bat on the ball more often and making more flush contact when he does. His zone contact% usually sits in the low 80s. It's up to 93.4% in 2026. Andrés Giménez Bat Tracking, 2025 vs 2026 Split Bat Speed Fast Swing% Swing Length Contact Point (rel. to home plate) Stance Angle Attack Direction 2025 69.3 7.1% 7.0' 2.2" 10° open 3° oppo 2026 66.8 2.7% 6.9' 0.1" 2° close 5° oppo A quick look at Giménez's swing mechanics shows a drop of more than 2 mph in average bat speed from last year and a fast swing rate of just 2.7%. I feel like this might be a byproduct of something more intentional. Bat speed accelerates throughout the swing, and he's now letting the ball travel farther than usual. In addition, he's more closed in his stance than last year. These two changes have allowed him to use the whole field more and hit for a higher average. Giménez hasn't hit a ball 110 mph since 2021 and has never recorded a hard hit rate better than the 36th percentile in a season, so it seems he's leaning into a contact-focused gameplan. Andrés Giménez stance comparison, April 2025 (left) vs. April 2026 (right) Kevin Gausman Kevin Gausman has been nothing short of electric to watch in his first three starts (2.08 ERA, 17.1 IP). The veteran leads qualified AL starters in strikeout rate (40.7%) and didn't walk his first batter of the season until Tuesday night against the Dodgers. He has made one straightforward adjustment in 2026: The splitter is now his primary pitch to both lefties and righties, although it's very close to an even 50/50 with the four-seamer against righties so far. This is the most frequently he has thrown it in his career. Kevin Gausman career pitch usage by season (Statcast) Gausman has very slightly raised his vertical release point to its highest average since 2022. This has helped the splitter play up, as it has a more north-south profile than we've come to expect. More drop, less arm-side tail, and more vertical separation from his fastball, which has averaged roughly an inch more of iVB than 2025. This results in more uncompetitive swings from hitters who are sitting on the heater. The splitter has dumbfounded righties this season, who are striking out in 50% of their plate appearances against him. Kevin Gausman Splitter Specs, 2025 vs. 2026 Year MPH iVB Arm-side HB Vert. Release 2025 84.9 4.5" 15.5" 5.6' 2026 84.2 2.9" 13.8" 5.8' Kazuma Okamoto His first couple of weeks in the big leagues have tested Kazuma Okamoto (.239/.314/.391, 109 wRC+). Everything the Jays thought about his ceiling is still intact, if not better than expected: He has a 75th-percentile barrel rate (11.5%), 71st-percentile bat speed (73.4 MPH), 91st-percentile xwOBACON (.482), and he hit a 420-foot home run to the opposite field against the A's last weekend. The trouble has been getting bat to ball. He's striking out nearly 30% of the time and making contact in the zone only 77% of the time. The recurring question about hitters coming over from NPB is how they'll handle high velocity because it isn't as prevalent in Japan. Okamoto hasn't had much trouble there, but is running a swing-and-miss rate over 50% on secondaries. My hunch is this trend will reverse course for the better soon enough. Swinging and missing wasn't a part of his game with the Yomiuri Giants, so hopefully it's merely a part of the adjustment period. Okamoto seems to be pressing when he's up in big spots, which would only support that theory. I do wonder if the Jays will try to optimize his swing to reduce strikeout probability: His bat path is flat, but he has a high attack angle and a shallow contact point, indicating he's trying to be early and lift the ball. A 6° attack direction to the pull side is also consistent with the early reports that he's a pull-air guy. He does have one of the longest swings in the game at 7.9 feet, and he doesn't really shorten up with two strikes either. If he can find a way to decrease his margin for error without losing bat speed, results should soon follow. All visuals and figures courtesy of Baseball Savant and FanGraphs. Up to date as of April 9, 2026. View the full article

Connelly Early has made two starts on the season and, for the most part, has been just as good as the front office hoped he would be when they put him in the starting rotation over Johan Oviedo at the conclusion of camp. His first start against the Reds saw him post 5 1/3 innings pitched while giving up one earned run, issuing two walks, and striking out six. His second outing against the Padres wasn’t quite as clean, as he gave up two earned runs four walks, and four strikeouts over four frames. He admitted after that start that he was having trouble gripping the ball due to the cold that set in during the weekend of the home opener. If we dive into his two starts, we start to get a clearer picture of the pitching program Andrew Bailey has Early working on. Early is featuring his four-seam fastball 34% of the time, his changeup 24%, curve 17%, slider 14%, sinker 9%, and sweeper 2% so far this season. That four-seam isn’t going to overpower anyone most of the time -- it averages 93.8 mph -- but he can ramp it up to 97 at times. His changeup should operate as his true-out pitch while he relies on the curve and slider to keep hitters from guessing between his top two options. His fastballs, both the four-seam and the sinker, fill up the zone while he’s able to nibble around the edges of the plate with his changeup. There are things to be concerned about when you dive under the hood of Early’s first two starts, though. The most glaring thing, and it was likely aided by the cold weather during his first home start of the year, is that he’s struggling with his command early in the season. His breaking balls can be effective set-up pitches, but only when they are thrown for strikes earlier in the count. In two starts, he’s been struggling to locate them. In four starts in 2025, he issued four total walks. So far in 2026, he’s already at six walks. Once again, four of those walks came in the game against the Padres where he was struggling to grip the ball, but it’s something to keep an eye on throughout the season. Early’s Savant page is mostly blue, which should give all of us a bit of pause for concern. His expected ERA, 5.12, ranks in the 27th percentile, and his expected batting average, .246, ranks in the 43rd percentile. He’s inducing a good amount of chases outside the zone (32%), but his whiff rate is a paltry 21.2%. What all of this tells us is that Early has gotten fairly lucky with balls put in play and, somehow, has been bailed out by the defense behind him to keep his actual numbers down. That’s not to say that Early is going to implode during his next few starts, but the fact that he’s pitching so far above his expected numbers does suggest that hitters are seeing him better this year now that the scouting report is out on him. Remember, Early was incredibly impressive during spring training, earning his way into the starting rotation. In his two starts this season, he’s been effective but has struggled with location and consistency, much like every young starter does. The bright side is that he’s set to pitch in more inviting weather in his next start in St. Louis, and Busch Stadium is a pitcher-friendly park, so he has the opportunity to bounce back in a big way against a rebuilding team. View the full article

The Marlins lead the National League in overturned calls through the ABS challenge system. Catcher Liam Hicks tells Fish Unfiltered how the team trains for that behind the scenes.View the full article

On a day when the Minnesota Twins completed a sweep of the Detroit Tigers, things went quite well for the Fort Myers Might Mussels too. A Top 2025 draft pick tossed four scoreless innings on Thursday. On Friday, prospect fans will be excited to see the top pitchers selected by the Twins in the 2025 draft. TRANSACTIONS LHP Aaron Rozek signed a minor-league contract with the Twins on Thursday and was assigned to Double-A Wichita. The Mets selected Rozek in the Minor-League portion of the Rule 5 draft in December. He went to spring training in St. Lucie but was released in late March. SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 3, Toledo 5 Box Score John Klein made the start for the Saints and had a really nice start. He gave up only a solo home run in four innings. He struck out three and walked none. Grant Hartwig came on and gave up three runs in the fifth inning and another run in the sixth. It could have been worse. Walker Jenkins threw out a runner at home to cut off one run. The four runs came on five hits and a walk. Eduardo Salazar came on and got the next five outs, issuing only a walk. Zak Kent gave up two hits and a walk in the eighth, but no more runs crossed the plate. The Saints got on the scoreboard first. With one out in the top of the second inning, Orlando Arcia hit his second double of the season. Two batters later, he scored on a single by Eric Wagaman. Down 4-1, Kaelen Culpepper led off the top of the sixth inning with a single. With two outs, Alan Roden doubled to drive him in and cut the deficit in half. Alex Jackson hit his first home run of the season in the seventh inning. The Saints had seven hits and three walks. Culpepper went 2-for-3 with a walk and his first double. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 2, Arkansas 5 Box Score Wichita began the game by taking the lead in the top of the first inning. Kyle DeBarge led off with a single. He stole second base (his fifth steal of the year). Two ground balls later, he scored to give the Surge a 1-0 lead. C.J. Culpepper tossed four scoreless, no-hit innings. On Thursday night, he got the first two batters out, but two walks, two hits, and two runs later, the first inning ended. In total, Culpepper gave up three runs on three hits in four innings. He walked four and had three strikeouts. Ricky Castro and Jarret Whorff each gave up one run on one hit over two innings. Both walked none and had two strikeouts. Down 4-1 through six innings, Garrett Spain hit his first homer in the Twins organization. But that was it for the Surge run scoring. Wichita had six hits and two walks in the game. They also had 13 strikeouts. Andrew Cossetti went 2-for-4 in the game. Ben Ross added his third double. KERNELS CHRONICLE Cedar Rapids, Beloit (Postponed) Box Score Rain and wet weather conditions caused the postponement of Thursday night’s game in Beloit. The teams will hope to play two games on Friday. MIGHTY MATTERS Game 1: Ft. Myers 2, Jupiter 0 Box Score There wasn’t much offense in this game, but fortunately, James Ellwanger and Kolten Smith didn’t need more than one run of support to win Thursday’s first game. Ellwanger started and tossed four scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, walked one, and had five strikeouts. Control has typically been his issue. In this game, he needed just 50 pitches to complete four innings. 64% of those pitches were strikes. Kolten Smith pitched a perfect fifth inning, so he gets credit for his first pro Win. Adam Falinski struck out three over the final two innings to record his first pro Save. Smith likely would have gone longer, but there was a 50-minute rain delay. Jorel Ortega and Dameury Pena started the game with back-to-back walks off of the Marlins top prospect Thomas White. Quentin Young grounded into fielder’s choice, and a throwing error allowed Ortega to score. The score remained 1-0 through five innings. In the sixth inning, Ian Daugherty led off with a single. He stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out Bryan Acuna walked. Byron Chourio turned a double play into just a fielder’s choice, allowing the Mussels second run to score. In Game 1, the Mussels had four hits and walked eight times. Rehabbing Jorel Ortega went 1-for-2 with two walks. Dameury Pena was 2-for-2 with a walk. Yilber Herrera walked twice. The team was 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left nine one base. Game 2: Ft. Myers 7, Jupiter 2 Box Score Game 2 was another close game until the Mussels broke it open with a four-run seventh inning. The Mussels took the first lead in the top of the third frame. Bryan Acuna led off with a slow roller to third base. He went to second on a throwing error. With one out, Quentin Young lined a single to left but it was hit too hard so Acuna could only advance to third base. Ryan Sprock singled to center to drive in Acuna with the first run. Reed Moring started for Ft. Myers. He tossed four scoreless innings. He gave up three hits, walked three, and struck out five batters. Jake Murray came on to start the fifth inning. Nine pitches later, he had walked the first two batters. He then struck out PJ Morlando, a top Marlins prospect. That was followed with a third walk. Xavier Kolhosser came on with the bases loaded. He gave up a sacrifice fly that tied the game before ending the inning with a strikeout. With the game tied in the top of the sixth, Yilber Herrera led off with a walk, stole second and went to third on a throwing error. After Harry Genth was hit by a pitch, again, Herrera scored on a fielding error. Irvin Nunez followed and was also hit by a pitch to lead the bases. Acuna drove in Genth with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. Ryan Sprock was hit by a pitch to start the top of the seventh inning. Herrera struck out, but he challenged the pitch and it was overturned and instead he walked. Ricardo Pena singled, and Sprock scored. Herrera scored on a Harry Genth double. Genth stole third base. After Byron Chourio walked, both runners scored on a single to center by Irvin Nunez to make it 7-1. Mitch Mueller tossed the final two innings. He gave up one run on two hits. He had three strikeouts and walked none. The Mussels had 10 hits, five walks, and were hit by a pitch four times in this game. Eduardo Beltre went 2-for-3 with a walk. Acuna was 2-for-4. Harry Genth went 1-for-2. He was hit by a pitch twice, doubles, and stole three bases. Sprock, Chourio and Nunez each had a single and a walk. Herrera walked twice. PLAYERS OF THE DAY Hitter of the Day Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul): 2-for-3, BB, R Pitcher of the Day James Ellwanger (Fort Myers): 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, BB, 5 K, 50 pitches, 32 strikes (64.0%) 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) - 0-for-3, BB, 2 K, Assist (batted second, played CF, all 9 innings) #2 - IF Kaelen Culpepper (St. Paul) - 2-for-3, BB, 2B(1), R (batted first, DHd) #3 - OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (St. Paul) - Did Not Play #4 - C Eduardo Tait (Cedar Rapids) - No Game. #5 - LHP Connor Prielipp (St.Paul) - Did Not Pitch #6 - LHP Dasan Hill (Cedar Rapids) - No Game #7 - OF Gabriel Gonzalez (St. Paul) - 0-for-3, BB (batted third, played LF) #8 - LHP Kendry Rojas (St. Paul) - #9 - SS Marek Houston (Cedar Rapids) - No Game. #10 - RHP Charlee Soto (Cedar Rapids) - Injured List #11 - RHP Riley Quick (Ft. Myers) - Did Not Pitch, scheduled to make pro debut on Friday. #12 - RHP Andrew Morris (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch #13 - 3B/CF Brandon Winokur (Cedar Rapids) - No Game. #14 - 3B/SS Quentin Young (Ft. Myers) - Game 1: 0-for-4, 3 K (batted third, played 3B), Game 2: 1-for-4, 3 K (batted third, played SS) - CS(2,3), E(5). s #15 - RHP Marco Raya (St. Paul) - Did Not Pitch #16 - OF Hendry Mendez (Wichita) - 0-for-3, BB, RBI, K (batted third, played LF) #17 - 2B/OF Kyle DeBarge (Wichita) - 1-for-4, R, K, SB(5) (led off, played 2B) #18 - RHP C.J. Culpepper (Wichita) - 4 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 71 pitches, 44 strikes (62.0%) #19 - C Khadim Diaw (Cedar Rapids) -No Game. #20 - RHP James Ellwanger (Ft. Myers) - 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, BB, 5 K, 50 pitches, 32 strikes (64.0%) UPCOMING PROBABLES Friday: St. Paul @ Toledo (12:37 pm CT) - LHP Connor Prielipp (0-0, 1.23 ERA) Wichita @ Arkansas (7:05 pm CT) - RHP Sam Armstrong (0-1, 6.00 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Beloit (DH @ 4:00 pm CT) - RHP Adrian Bohorquez (0-0, 7.36 ERA), LHP Dasan Hill Ft. Myers @ Jupiter (5:30 CT) - RHP Riley Quick (first pro start) CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 7-6 St. Paul Saints: 4-7 Wichita Wind Surge: 2-4 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 3-2 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 4-2 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

Recent history tells us that the Miami Marlins are difficult to predict, but that won't stop us from trying. Welcome to a new season of Prediction Time. Once again in 2026, I will be monitoring the prognostications from our valued SuperSubs, Fish On First staffers and livestream guests. Individual article pages like this one will be created prior to every Marlins series and featured prominently on the FOF site. Consistent participation is key if you want to win this annual contest. Submissions only take a few seconds. Scoring system A "perfect" series is worth three points: Earn one point for predicting which team will win the upcoming series Earn one point for predicting the precise number of victories for each team Earn one point for predicting the “Series MVP” who accumulated the highest win probability added (WPA) during the series as calculated by FanGraphs (could pick a player from either team) Here is a reminder of what the 2025 season leaderboard looked like. FOF staffer Kevin Barral currently sits atop the 2026 leaderboard, which will be updated between every Marlins series. If you are a SuperSub, leave a comment with your Prediction Time picks on this page, or join the Marlins Discord Server and submit there. We'll feature them on the upcoming Fish On First LIVE episode and track your points throughout the season! Any picks submitted prior to the first pitch of the series opener will be counted. If you are not a SuperSub, please consider signing up here to support the FOF staff. Series preview notes Probable starting pitchers: RHP Chris Paddack (MIA) vs. RHP Keider Montero (DET) on Friday RHP Janson Junk (MIA) vs. RHP Casey Mize (DET) on Saturday RHP Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs. LHP Tarik Skubal (DET) on Sunday The Marlins rank fifth in MLB with a 113 wRC+ and 13th in MLB with a 3.82 FIP. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have a 1-2 record on the road this season. The following Marlins players are on the injured list: Maximo Acosta (10-day IL), Ronny Henriquez (60-day IL), Adam Mazur (60-day IL), Christopher Morel (10-day IL), Esteury Ruiz (10-day IL) and Kyle Stowers (10-day IL). Griffin Conine (left hamstring discomfort) is expected to join them shortly. The Tigers rank 10th in MLB with a 106 wRC+ and 18th in MLB with a 4.03 FIP. They are 2-8 in their last 10 games and have a 2-1 record at home this season. The following Tigers players are on the injured list: Beau Briske (60-day IL), Bailey Horn (15-day IL), Jackson Job (60-day IL), Troy Melton (60-day IL), Reese Olson (60-day IL), Trey Sweeney (10-day IL) and Justin Verlander (15-day IL). View the full article