The Opener News & Rumors

Kyle Schwarber has entered the chat. The Phillies’ DH has five home runs in his last four games, propelling him to the top of the league leaderboard. Schwarber is now tied with Aaron Judge with 16 home runs. Munetaka Murakami is one back after “only” homering once over the weekend.

1. Olson moves into the top 10

Braves first baseman Matt Olson was in the lineup for the 823rd consecutive game on Sunday. He moved into the top 10 on the all-time leaderboard, breaking a tie with Gus Suhr (h/t Sarah Langs of MLB.com). Olson’s streak dates back to May 2021. If he can keep it going this season, he’ll pass Eddie Yost (829) and Stan Musial (895) to move to eighth place. The 32-year-old Olson is unlikely to chase down Cal Ripken Jr., but he’s been a remarkably consistent presence in the Atlanta lineup. The veteran has posted a 117 wRC+ or better in each of his first four years with the Braves.

2. “Tater” launches first home run

Tigers infielder Gage Workman broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning on Sunday against the Royals with a two-run homer off Nick Mears. It was the first long ball as a big leaguer for the 26-year-old, whose middle name is synonymous with home run. Workman was a fourth-round pick in 2020. Detroit lost him in the Rule 5 draft last year, but he failed to stick for too long with the Cubs and White Sox. Workman has put together some strong campaigns in the minors, including an 18-homer, 30-steal season at Double-A in 2024. He’s getting a chance in the big leagues with Kerry Carpenter on the IL. “He has crushed Triple-A pitching pretty much all season and has earned his right to be on a callup list whenever the opportunity came open,” manager A.J. Hinch told reporters, including Jason Beck of MLB.com. 

3. Orioles struggling against southpaws

Baltimore will welcome the Yankees to Camden Yards for a three-game series. The Orioles will have two shots to beat a left-handed starter for the first time this season. Per Roch Kubatko of MASN, the club is 0-9 with a .569 OPS against southpaws this season. Ryan Weathers will get the ball for New York on Monday. Max Fried is lined up for Wednesday. Baltimore has multiple lefty mashers performing below career norms. Pete Alonso is hitting .195 with two home runs in 45 plate appearances vs. lefties. He has an .828 OPS against them for his career. Taylor Ward had a massive .311 ISO against lefties last season. That number is down to .167 this year. All sample sizes are relatively small right now, and even more so for handedness splits, but it’s been a slow start for the Orioles against lefties.

Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee, Imagn Images

Munetaka Murakami blasted his 15th home run of the season in yesterday’s 12-8 White Sox loss to the Mariners, and set some big league history in the process.  As per MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, Murakami is the first player to ever hit a homer in eight consecutive series-opening games — Hall-of-Famer Eddie Murray held the previous mark of seven games.

1. Cubs cruising, Reds reeling

April ended with Cincinnati holding a one-game lead over Chicago for first place in the NL Central, but the two clubs’ fortunes have drastically changed in May.  The Cubs completed a four-game sweep of the Reds on Thursday and then extended their overall winning streak to 10 games in yesterday’s 7-1 rout of the Rangers.  On the other hand, the Reds continued their winless month with a dismal 10-0 loss to the Astros on Friday, as Cincinnati has now dropped eight in a row.  The NL Central remains the only division entirely above the .500 mark, but the Reds’ 20-19 record puts the team in last place.

2. The Miz brings the velo

Not to be overlooked in the NL Central race, the Brewers have won seven of their last 10 to improve to 20-16, and Jacob Misiorowski delivered a gem of a start in Friday’s 6-0 shutout of the Yankees.  Misiorowski allowed only two hits and two walks over six scoreless innings while striking out 11, and displayed unreal velocity with 10 different pitches that reached at least 103mph.  Misiorowski’s three offerings of 103.6mph were the fastest pitches on record from a starting pitcher since Statcast began recording velocity in 2008, and Misiorowski has now thrown 11 of the 14 fastest pitches from a starter during the Statcast era.  (Hat tip to MLB’s Sarah Langs.)  Two more impressive young arms meet today as the series continues in Milwaukee, as New York’s Cam Schlittler gets the start against the Brewers’ Kyle Harrison.

3. Snell to make 2026 debut

Blake Snell has yet to pitch this season due to shoulder fatigue, but the Dodgers will activate the southpaw to start against the Braves tonight in a battle of NL division leaders.  While the Dodgers clearly haven’t been held back by an avalanche of injuries to starting pitchers over the last few years, the revolving door continued on Friday when Tyler Glasnow was placed on the 15-day IL due to lower back spasms, opening up a spot for Snell in the rotation.  Glasnow may only miss the minimum 15 days, as L.A. manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including The Athletic’s Katie Woo) that Glasnow might have been able to pitch through the back problem but the club chose to be cautious.

The Yankees are expected to recall outfielder Spencer Jones. His arrival, along with the presence of Aaron Judge, will make New York the first team with two position players 6’7″ or taller, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com. Maybe the Knicks should give them a call.

1. Diaz reaches 1K

Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz bounced a double over the wall in the ninth inning against the Red Sox on Thursday. It was the 1,000th hit of the 34-year-old’s career. Diaz became the 20th Cuban-born player to reach the milestone. “I really didn’t think I was going to get to this point,” Diaz told reporters, including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, through an interpreter. “So just to be in that list of guys, and obviously the Cuban names as well, is such a great honor.” Diaz didn’t become a full-time player until his late 20s, but he’s put together several productive seasons with the Rays. He’s hit at least .281 in each of the past four years and secured a batting title in 2023.

2. Lodolo to make season debut

Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo is set to start on Friday against the Astros. The 28-year-old opened the season on the injured list due to a blister. Finger-related injuries have been a persistent problem for Lodolo. He missed time in 2024 with a blister. He had two stints on the IL last season, first for a blister, then for a finger sprain. Lodolo was excellent in three rehab outings, posting a 1.50 ERA with a 38.6% strikeout rate. The lefty was a key contributor in Cincinnati’s rotation last season. He delivered a career-high 156 2/3 innings of a 3.33 ERA. His strikeouts ticked down, but he also trimmed the walk rate to an elite 4.8%.

3. Snelling reaches the big leagues

Top prospect Robby Snelling will make his big-league debut tonight against the Nationals. The young lefty put together a stellar 2025 campaign, capped off by a dominant stretch at Triple-A. Snelling has continued to pitch well at the highest minor league level this year, piling up 44 strikeouts in 29 innings. It seems unfair that Jacksonville opponents have had to deal with Snelling, Thomas White, and Braxton Garrett. The 22-year-old gets a surprisingly tough draw in his first career start. Washington ranks fifth in OPS and fourth in wRC+ against southpaws this year. The club is fourth in scoring.

Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images

Reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes flirted with history again on Wednesday. The big righty was perfect through 4 2/3 innings against the Diamondbacks, until he couldn’t make the play on a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. roller up the third base line. Nolan Arenado followed with a clean single, then Skenes retired the next 10 hitters.

1. Cubs walk it off again

A Michael Busch bases-loaded walk pushed across the winning run for the Cubs in the 10th inning last night. It was their third straight walk-off victory in an important NL Central battle against the Reds. Chicago has won seven in a row. Cincinnati is now last in the division after dropping the first three games of the series. The Reds’ 20-17 record would pace the AL Central, but it’s not enough to get out of the basement on the NL side. With a win on Thursday ahead of a nine-game road trip, the Cubs can go more than a month without losing at Wrigley Field.

2. Rays getting national spotlight

Tampa Bay shut out the Blue Jays on Wednesday behind a strong outing from Shane McClanahan. Ian Seymour slammed the door for his first career save. The Rays have now held opponents to three runs or less in 13 consecutive games, a new franchise record (per MLB). The streak will be on the line against the Red Sox on Thursday evening, with the nation watching. The matchup will be broadcast on ESPN, marking the Rays’ first regular-season game on the network since 2021 (h/t Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). “It’s kind of like the ‘first time, long time’ caller on a talk radio station,” broadcaster Karl Ravech said. “It’s the first time, long time for the Rays on a national game for us.”

3. Reynolds joins elite company

Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds singled in the third inning of Wednesday’s matchup against Arizona, giving him 1,000 hits in his career. The 31-year-old is now the fifth Pittsburgh player to record 1,000 hits, 200 doubles, and 140 home runs (h/t Jason Mackey of MLB.com). Pirates legends Roberto Clemente, Andrew McCutchen, Dave Parker, and Willie Stargell round out the group. Reynolds has been a remarkably steady presence in the Pittsburgh lineup since becoming a full-time player in 2021. He’s reached 145 games and 600 plate appearances in five straight years. Before a lackluster 2025, Reynolds had been at least 10% better than league average at the plate during that stretch.

Photo courtesy of Matt Marton, Imagn Images

The Cubs walked off the Reds for the second straight game on Tuesday. Chicago has won seven in a row, and the streak is even longer at home. The Cubs haven’t lost at Wrigley Field since April 11 against the Pirates.

1. Benches clear in Detroit

Tigers lefty Framber Valdez gave up back-to-back home runs to open the fourth inning against the Red Sox on Tuesday. His next pitch hit Trevor Story right between the numbers. Both sides streamed out of the dugout, though the incident didn’t escalate much beyond that. Valdez claimed innocence afterward, but few were convinced. “It’s pretty indisputable,” Story told reporters, including Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. “We play a really good brand of baseball here,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “That didn’t feel like it.” (h/t Chris McCosky of the Detroit News) No word yet on a suspension for Valdez, but it’s likely coming.

2. Pagan leaves with leg injury

Reds right-hander Emilio Pagan entered in the bottom of the ninth inning of a tie game against the Cubs last night. He threw one pitch and immediately came up limping. The closer went to the ground, reaching for his hamstring. Pagan had to be carted off the field. He’s headed to the injured list, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. Right-hander Pierce Johnson will come off the bereavement list to take Pagan’s spot. Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft are the leading candidates to assume the closer role. Santillan picked up a career-high seven saves in 2025.

3. Paddack designated for assignment

The Marlins DFAed veteran righty Chris Paddack on Tuesday. He was hammered for seven earned runs in 2 2/3 innings over the weekend, pushing his ERA above 7.00. Paddack joined the club on a one-year, $4MM deal in February. He lasted just seven starts. Miami has a pair of big-name pitching prospects on the verge of reaching the majors in Robby Snelling and Thomas White. One of their Triple-A teammates might get the call first, though. Lefty Braxton Garrett is working his way back from elbow surgery. He’s posted a 2.30 ERA over six starts with Jacksonville. Garrett put together a solid 2023 campaign with the Marlins, but went down with the elbow issue after seven starts in 2024. Garrett’s previous MLB experience might give him the upper hand when it comes to replacing Paddack in the rotation.

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White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami slugged a two-run homer off Jose Soriano last night, moving him back into a tie with Aaron Judge for the league lead. Murakami also roped a double later in the game. It was the first two-bagger of his career. Murakami was the last qualified hitter without a double, per MLB.

1. Bello to pitch behind an opener

The Red Sox will use reliever Jovani Moran ahead of struggling starter Brayan Bello on Tuesday against the Tigers. Bello has been pounded for 16 earned runs in his last three starts. He’s completed five innings just once this season. “Right now, it’s anything we can do to get him going, like I said the other day, and get to be Brayan Bello, we’re gonna try,” interim manager Chad Tracy said (h/t Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com). Starting the left-handed Moran will give Boston a platoon advantage over some of Detroit’s key bats at the top of the lineup (Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene, Colt Keith). It will also shield Bello from the side of the plate he’s struggled against the most to begin the year. Lefties are slashing .414/.485/.828 against him.

2. Ohtani no longer hitting tonight

The Dodgers went into Monday’s matchup against the Astros intending to have Shohei Ohtani serve as the DH in his start on Tuesday. During a hitless night for the two-way star, manager Dave Roberts changed course. “Just kind of seeing how it’s playing out, I think it’s best for everyone,” Roberts told reporters, including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. “Definitely not (based on) results. It’s a little bit more body language and just watching the player.” This will be the third time Ohtani will pitch and not hit this season. He’s 0-for-15 at the plate in May.

3. Cameron scratched, Kolek to start

Royals left-hander Noah Cameron will not make his scheduled start tonight against the Guardians due to back tightness. The club announced righty Stephen Kolek will get the ball instead. Cameron put together a pair of solid outings to open the season, but he’s struggled recently. The lefty has been knocked around for 17 earned runs over his last 21 innings. It’s unclear if the back injury will send Cameron to the injured list. Kolek opened the season on the IL with an oblique strain. He’s pitched well while rehabbing at Triple-A, posting a 2.76 ERA across four starts. Kolek is likely to step into Cameron’s rotation spot if an IL stint is needed.

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Longtime Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling has passed away at the age of 87, first reported by WFAN Sports Radio. He was the voice of the club from 1989 to 2024. Sterling’s “The Yankees win!” call was one of the more iconic post-victory catchphrases in the sport.

1. Mack heading to Miami

The Marlins are expected to call up catcher Joe Mack for his big-league debut on Monday against the Phillies. The 23-year-old backstop is a consensus top 100 prospect and one of the more promising bats in Miami’s system. Mack has hit at just about every level of the minor leagues, but his most intriguing attribute, considering team context, might be his defense. Mack has a huge arm and has earned strong marks for framing and blocking. FanGraphs gave him a 60 current grade as a defender. The Marlins have struggled mightily behind the plate and in controlling the running game, as Darragh McDonald broke down last week.

2. Petty back with Reds

The Reds are planning to recall right-hander Chase Petty to start against the Cubs, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Petty’s 2025 debut didn’t go as planned, but a six-inning sample isn’t enough to determine his MLB future. The righty was pounded for nine earned runs in his first career start. Petty finished his brief big-league stint with a 19.50 ERA over three appearances. He had more walks (8) than strikeouts (7) and allowed three home runs. Petty’s 10.4% walk rate at Triple-A this year is a slight concern, but he’s punching out minor leaguers at a strong 27.4% clip. Cincinnati is heading to Chicago for a fascinating four-game series against the division-leading Cubs.

3. Cubs streaking again

Speaking of those Cubbies, the team has ripped off five wins in a row after sweeping the Diamondbacks over the weekend. Chicago had a 10-game winning streak come to an end in Los Angeles last weekend, but the club is back on track with another stretch of victories. The NL Central is turning into one of the more compelling battles in the league. Every team in the division is comfortably over .500 after the Pirates swept the Reds over the weekend. Pittsburgh’s 19-16 record would be good enough for first place in the AL Central and the AL West. Instead, the Pirates are in last place in the NL Central. Cincinnati is two games back of Chicago and can make a move up the standings this week.

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April is in the books, and a pair of rookies are atop two league leaderboards. Reds first baseman Sal Stewart paces all hitters with 29 RBI. White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami is tied with Yordan Alvarez and Aaron Judge for the home run lead. This is the first time since RBI became a stat in 1920 that two rookies were leading those categories heading into May (h/t OptaSTATS on X).

1. Philly, Shugart get two walk-off wins

Philadelphia swept a doubleheader against the Giants on Thursday. Justin Crawford beat out an infield single to knock in the winning run in the first game. Alec Bohm delivered a sac fly in extra innings to seal the second game. Right-hander Chase Shugart earned the victory in both contests. He came on to strike out Matt Chapman in the top of the ninth inning of Game 1, making him the pitcher of record when Bryson Stott tied it, then Crawford won it. Shugart wriggled out of a first-and-third, no outs situation in the top of the 10th inning in Game 2. A sac bunt and a deep drive to center field in the bottom of the frame clinched his second win of the day. Interim manager Don Mattingly is off to a 3-0 start.

2. Bennett to get the ball for Boston

Left-hander Jake Bennett was scratched from his Triple-A start on Wednesday so he could be an option for the big-league club this weekend. With Garrett Crochet hitting the IL yesterday, Bennett is a logical choice to start tonight against the Astros. The 25-year-old was acquired in the offseason from the Nationals for fellow prospect Luis Perales. MLB Pipeline ranked Bennett at No. 18 in Washington’s system last season. He ranked sixth with the Red Sox following the trade. Bennett lost all of 2024 due to injury, but returned last year and put together a strong campaign. The lefty posted a 2.27 ERA in 75 1/3 innings spanning three levels. Bennett has allowed just two earned runs over five starts at Triple-A this year.

3. Opt-out day for Article XX(B) players

We’ve reached May 1, the second of three opt-out dates for Article XX(B) free agents. The designation typically applies to players with at least six years of MLB service time who signed minor league deals at least 10 days before the start of the season. The uniform opt-out dates are five days before Opening Day, today, and June 1. Players may also have opt-outs on other dates negotiated into their contracts, but these are the three specific days that apply to the Article XX(B) group. If an opt-out is triggered, teams have two days to add the player to the 40-man roster. If they decline, the player can become a free agent.

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Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz drew a walk against right-hander Michael Wacha in the fourth inning of Wednesday’s game. The free pass pushed his streak to 18 games with a walk. Kurtz is now tied with Barry Bonds for the third-longest run since 1900 (h/t Martin Gallegos of MLB.com). Ted Williams is next on the list at 19 games.

1. Dominguez leaves after HBP

Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez was knocked out of Wednesday’s contest after taking a Nathan Eovaldi cutter to the elbow. He was replaced by Max Schuemann in left field. Dominguez underwent initial X-rays and is now headed back to New York for more imaging, per Erik Boland of Newsday Sports. It’s a tough blow for the former top prospect, who has struggled to gain his footing as a big leaguer. The returns of Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham this offseason helped push Dominguez off the Opening Day roster. An injury to Giancarlo Stanton afforded him another opportunity with the big-league squad. He was recalled on Monday and started all three games against Texas. Dominguez went 1-for-9 before the elbow injury.

2. Dobbins activation Thursday

Cardinals right-hander Hunter Dobbins is expected to be activated for a start today. The 26-year-old is making his way back from a torn ACL and has been on the 15-day IL all year so far. Dobbins came over from the Red Sox in the Willson Contreras trade, along with prospects Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. He was solid in his first taste of the majors with Boston, delivering a 4.13 ERA across 13 appearances (11 starts). St. Louis moved several veteran players in the offseason, bringing back a slew of prospects. Dobbins will be the first of the group to debut with the club. The Cardinals have been more competitive than expected this year, but finding out what they have in the players acquired last winter will be a key storyline to watch as the season unfolds.

3. Palencia could return without rehab

The Cubs’ banged-up bullpen could get back a key piece on Friday. Closer Daniel Palencia has a chance to return for the series against the Diamondbacks, reports Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. The righty has been sidelined with what was initially labeled an oblique injury, then was updated to a lat strain. Chicago is also missing Hunter Harvey, Caleb Thielbar, Ethan Roberts, and Riley Martin. Porter Hodge is done for the year. Phil Maton returned this week after missing time with a knee injury. Manager Craig Counsell has mixed and matched in the ‘pen with Palencia out. It was lefty Hoby Milner who recorded the final out on Wednesday against the Padres. He’s the fifth different Cubs reliever to pick up a save this season.

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Rays third baseman Junior Caminero seems to have avoided serious injury after fouling a ball off his face on Tuesday. He reached for a Tanner Bibee breaking ball and nicked it, sending it straight down. The ball careened off the plate and struck Caminero in the jaw (h/t Talkin’ Baseball for the video). He was able to finish the at-bat, but was removed on defense.

1. Pitcher-only Ohtani deals again

For the second time this season, Shohei Ohtani did not hit in a game he pitched. The right-hander fired six innings of one-run ball against the Marlins. After reaching six innings just four times last year (including the playoffs), Ohtani has completed six frames in all five starts so far. The outing against Miami actually raised his ERA from 0.38 to 0.60. Ohtani was pitching on regular rest for the first time this season, which was part of the reason he wasn’t in the hitting lineup. “I’m always going to respect the decision regardless whether I’m pitching or doing both,” Ohtani told reporters through an interpreter (h/t Alden Gonzalez of ESPN). “I also understand the importance of getting to the end of the season with everybody healthy.”

2. Yankees pitching prospect to make debut

Right-hander Elmer Rodriguez is expected to be promoted for his MLB debut against the Rangers on Wednesday. The 22-year-old is among the top pitching prospects in New York’s system. Rodriguez came over from the Red Sox in the Carlos Narvaez trade. Boston has already reaped the rewards of the deal, with Narvaez developing into a viable everyday backstop. Now it’s the Yankees’ turn to find out how they fared in the trade. Rodriguez climbed from High-A all the way to Triple-A in 2025. He’s delivered a 1.27 ERA across four starts with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season.

3. Mattingly off to 1-0 start

The Phillies cruised to a shutout win over the Giants behind seven strong innings from Jesus Luzardo. It’s the first victory for interim manager Don Mattingly, who took over after Rob Thomson was fired on Tuesday. Mattingly is now 10 wins shy of reaching 900 victories as a big-league manager. He led the Dodgers to five straight winning seasons from 2011 to 2015. Los Angeles won three consecutive division titles in that stretch, but postseason success eluded the club. Mattingly’s run with the Marlins wasn’t as successful. Miami finished above .500 just once during his seven seasons in charge, and that was the shortened 2020 campaign. Mattingly will be tasked with turning around a Philadelphia squad that is currently tied with the Mets for the worst record in baseball.

Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images