The Opener News & Rumors

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.

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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.

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The Dodgers walked off the Marlins on Monday night. Manager Dave Roberts emptied his bench to spur the comeback. Catcher Dalton Rushing pinch-hit for Santiago Espinal, walking and scoring the game-tying run. If the game didn’t end on a base hit by Kyle Tucker, the defensive alignment would’ve been interesting in extras. Roberts confirmed to reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic) that it would’ve been Rushing at first base, Max Muncy at second base, and Freddie Freeman at third base.

1. Bazzana gets the call

The Guardians are expected to promote second baseman Travis Bazzana for Tuesday’s matchup against the Rays. The top overall pick in the 2024 draft was off to an excellent start at Triple-A, posting a 152 wRC+ across 117 plate appearances. MLB Pipeline ranks Bazzana as the No. 1 prospect in the Cleveland organization and No. 16 overall. The infielder is slated for everyday reps at the keystone, where the club has struggled to find consistent production. Utilityman Daniel Schneemann has hit well in minimal time at the position, but Juan Brito has struggled to a .176/.250/.255. Brayan Rocchio wasn’t much better, though he’s heated up since moving to shortstop after the Gabriel Arias injury. Bazzana should have plenty of runway to stake his claim to the second base gig.

2. Yesavage makes his return

Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage is slated to make his season debut against the Red Sox. The 2025 postseason star has been sidelined with a shoulder impingement. Yesavage hasn’t exactly dominated during his rehab assignment, posting a 7.50 ERA in 12 innings between Single-A and Triple-A, but the punchouts have been there (28.6% strikeout rate). Yesavage will rejoin a Toronto rotation desperate for healthy arms. The club just lost Max Scherzer to forearm and ankle injuries. He joins Jose Berrios, Shane Bieber, and Cody Ponce on the IL. Yesavage maxed out at 71 pitches during his rehab stint, so he shouldn’t be expected to go more than five innings in his return. He’ll face off against another exciting young AL East arm, with Payton Tolle on the other side.

3. Vargas on improbable run

Diamondbacks utility player Ildemaro Vargas has gone from versatile journeyman to one of the best hitters in the league this season. The 34-year-old just launched four home runs and knocked in 12 en route to NL Player of the Week honors. Vargas is slashing an absurd .367/.383/.722 through 82 plate appearances. He’s riding a 20-game hit streak. Vargas has already matched his career high with six home runs, a mark he set back in 2019 in his first stint with Arizona. It’s hard to imagine Vargas continuing this torrid stretch, but the underlying stats largely back it up. He ranks in the 99th percentile for xBA and in the 89th percentile for xSLG.

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What a finish to the Mexico City series. The Padres went into the seventh inning up 7-2 on Sunday. The Diamondbacks took the lead with a six-run rally, fueled by a Tim Tawa grand slam, then tacked on four more in the eighth inning. The Diamondbacks are off Monday as they head back to the U.S. but the Padres host the Cubs in San Diego tonight.

1. Torkelson ties Detroit record

First baseman Spencer Torkelson extended the Tigers’ lead in the seventh inning on Sunday with a solo shot off righty Pierce Johnson. The blast bumped his home run streak to five games, tying him with Hank Greenberg, Rudy York, Vic Wertz, Willie Horton, and Marcus Thames for the franchise record. The most surprising part of the run might be Torkelson’s slow start coming into it. He had a .566 OPS with zero home runs before going deep on Wednesday against Chad Patrick and the Brewers. Torkelson now has an .836 OPS, a good reminder of how quickly numbers can flip this early in the year.

2. Tracy earns first MLB win

Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy is on the board as a big league manager. Boston beat the Orioles 5-3 behind a strong outing from young left-hander Connelly Early. It’s the 500th managerial win of Tracy’s career, with the first 499 coming at various stops in the minor leagues. Tracy took over for former skipper Alex Cora, who was unexpectedly fired on Saturday, along with several other coaches. The Red Sox were off to a 10-17 start under Cora. Boston now heads to Toronto for a three-game set.

3. Miller extends scoreless streak

Closer Mason Miller retired the side in order against the Diamondbacks on Saturday. The uneventful save gave him 10 on the year, three more than any other reliever. It also pushed his scoreless streak to a franchise-record 34 2/3 innings. “Big load off, for sure — I think we can stop talking about it now,” Miller told reporters, including AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. “Just keep pitching, see how long we can go.” The righty is up to eighth on the all-time list for scoreless inning streaks by relievers since 1961.

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Right-hander Mason Miller pushed his scoreless innings streak to 33 2/3 on Thursday against the Rockies. He’s now tied with Cla Meredith for the franchise record. Miller will have a tough task this weekend in hitter-friendly Mexico City.

1. Phillies’ losing streak

The NL East is dealing with another winless run. First, it was the Mets, who lost a dozen in a row. Now, it’s the Phillies. The club has dropped nine straight after an extra-innings loss on Thursday against the Cubs. Chicago started the streak with a pair of wins in Philadelphia, then swept the team across four games at Wrigley Field this week. The Phillies started the season with a 6-4 record. They’ve gone 2-13 over the past 15 games. Philadelphia now takes on first-place Atlanta.

2. Mexico City matchup

Our first MLB World Tour series of the season will be this weekend. The Diamondbacks and Padres will face off for a two-game set at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú in Mexico City. With the stadium sitting well above sea level, offenses have seen a boost in past series at the venue. The Padres and Giants combined for 37 runs over two games in 2023. The Astros and Rockies put up 26 runs across a pair of matchups in 2024. German Marquez and Zac Gallen will square off on Saturday.

3. Phillips to retire as a Red

Second baseman Brandon Phillips will sign a one-day contract with Cincinnati today, the team announced. The three-time All-Star last played with the Red Sox in 2018. He’ll ink a ceremonial deal with the Reds to officially retire with the club. Phillips spent 11 of his 17 MLB seasons in Cincinnati. He was a steady contributor for a squad that was regularly in the postseason during the early 2010s. Phillips provided both power and speed at the top of Cincinnati’s lineup, delivering three consecutive 20/20 campaigns from 2007 to 2009. The first year in that run saw Phillips set career highs with 30 home runs and 32 steals. He finished his career with 211 home runs and 209 steals across 1,902 games.

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