ANAHEIM, Calif. — The traditional thinking said that bringing a lefty reliever to face the Mariners’ heavy left-handed hitting lineup in the top of the 10th made matchup sense.

Also watching the Seattle Mariners fail to do much against lefty starter Reid Detmers for the first seven innings added to the thinking of Angels’ first-year ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Rookie right-hander Nolan McLean has legitimate ace upside. He dazzled in his debut last year and is a favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year this season. In Friday night’s 10-3 loss, the San Francisco Giants witnessed first-hand why McLean is being hailed as next up in Queens.

McLean, boasting a nasty repertoire of six ...Read more

CHICAGO — Derek Hill had a conversation with manager Will Venable before a 10th inning at-bat in Friday’s home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rate Field.

“Skip came out and was like, ‘if they’re playing back, don’t be afraid to drop one down,' ” the Chicago White Sox designated hitter said.

The Sox trailed the Blue Jays ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — If the Twins’ home opener in 2026 will be known for anything outside a power outage that delayed the game by 57 minutes, it’ll be a swing from the No. 9 hitter in their lineup.

Tristan Gray, who made the Twins roster as a backup shortstop, hit a grand slam in the seventh inning for his fifth career homer and it punctuated a ...Read more

DENVER — A trip 5,280 feet above sea level was just what the doctor ordered for the Phillies offense.

Trea Turner entered the series opener against the Colorado Rockies with a .192 batting average over the Phillies’ six-game homestand. But before the first inning was over on Friday, Turner collected two hits, and raised his average to .250....Read more

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh, meet Konnor Griffin and the 2026 Pirates.

The Pirates got the home portion of their schedule and the Griffin era off to a strong start on Friday afternoon at PNC Park in a 5-4 win against the Baltimore Orioles. Griffin reached base twice, including an RBI double, and shone in his major league debut.

It was a far more...Read more

NEW YORK — The Yankees dominated the West Coast. Now they’re getting started in the East.

Behind an early home run from Aaron Judge and a solid outing by Will Warren, the Yankees continued their red-hot start with a 8-2 victory over the Miami Marlins in Friday afternoon’s home opener.

Judge delivered his first multi-hit game of the ...Read more

BOSTON — After their six-game opening road trip, the Red Sox landed in Boston in the early hours of Thursday morning with a 1-5 record that matched the dreary chill and April showers.

But the sun and Sonny Gray broke through the gloom in time for Fenway Park’s home opener on Friday, a jam-packed 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.

It ...Read more

CLEVELAND — Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton exited Friday’s start against the Cleveland Guardians with right forearm discomfort.

Horton left the game mid at-bat in the second inning and immediately headed into the clubhouse. He quickly signaled to the Cubs dugout following a 1-0 pitch to Bo Naylor, prompting a visit from manager Craig...Read more

ARLINGTON, Texas — Eric Nadel is in a group that includes Mel Allen, Bob Uecker, Harry Kalas, Jerry Coleman, Denny Matthews, Red Barber, Ernie Harwell, Jon Miller, Jack Brickhouse, Marty Brennaman, Harry Caray, Jack Buck, and maybe the most revered of them all, Vin Scully.

You’ll notice some of these celebrated figures are retired, or no ...Read more

“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time.” — Terence Mann, “Field of Dreams,” 1989

———

Baseball is impervious to time.

Technology is not.

So I feel for ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Tony Vitello isn’t the only rookie checking off some firsts.

Rookie catcher Daniel Susac made his first start in the majors after making his debut on Wednesday as a defensive replacement, leaving his imprint all over the San Francisco Giants’ 7-2 win over the New York Mets on Thursday evening. At the plate, he collected ...Read more

NEW YORK — Trevor Bauer, who has not pitched for an MLB team since serving a 194-game suspension related to sexual assault allegations, has signed with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.

Bauer, 35, is set to be the Ducks’ opening-night starter on April 21 at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, the team ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The Pirates are promoting Konnor Griffin, the consensus top prospect in baseball, to the major leagues, the team announced Thursday, just in time for Friday’s home opener.

A 19-year-old shortstop, Griffin was selected ninth overall by the Pirates in the 2024 draft out of Jackson Prep High School in Jackson, Miss. Griffin was a ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — There’s a lot of season left and little evidence to go on, but …

Fans are going to ask: What is going on with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bats? About all they’re hitting is the snooze button — snoozing and, on Wednesday, losing 4-1 to the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers’ super-imposing lineup looked ...Read more

The Kauffman Stadium grounds crew worked tirelessly Wednesda to keep the field playable through foggy and rainy conditions.

The Minnesota Twins would have preferred taking a rain check.

Joe Ryan slogged through a four-inning start, giving up five runs and nine hits. The Twins had several defensive blunders. And the team’s slow start to the ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Jackson Merrill practically glows at the ballpark.

He is the youngest San Diego Padres player and the most obviously excited to be playing baseball every day.

He knows the energy he brings is a component of his value. He and the veterans who have encouraged him to embrace a leadership role have said so.

On Wednesday morning in ...Read more