Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.
Now that most, if not all, Opening Day starters have taken their second turn, we can really start to get into the ebbs and flows of the regular season. Sure, a chunk of teams have yet to play their first home game, which some will do Friday, with the rest taking care of that next week. But players are settling into their routines and fans are getting used to all their new players. Wednesday was yet another full schedule, with plenty of things to talk about.
Today’s Headlines
Yankees Starters Continue To Dominate
If the New York Yankees‘ starting rotation can keep this up, they might finally end that World Series drought. Rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler pitched 6⅓ shutout innings, allowing just two hits, in another standout performance by the rotation as the Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 5-3. Schlittler hasn’t allowed a run in two starts, covering 11⅔ innings, while improving the rotation’s ERA to 0.53 in 33.2 innings. Schlittler didn’t issue a walk and struck out seven. Paul Goldschmidt provided most of the offense, belting a three-run homer in the sixth inning, his first blast of the year, while Ben Rice tacked on an insurance run in the ninth with his first homer of the season.
The First ABS Finish
It was only a matter of time before the automated ball-strike system came into play as the final act of a game. It happened in Wednesday’s Rangers-Orioles game. Baltimore reliever Albert Suarez, just called up Wednesday, threw a 1-2 four-seamer to Evan Carter that was up and on the outside edge of the plate. It was called a ball by home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez. Catcher Samuel Basallo challenged and the replay showed it was a strike. And thus, we had MLB history with the first game-ending ABS challenge. The play completed the Orioles’ 8-3 win over the Rangers. Taylor Ward, Leody Taveras and Jeremiah Jackson each drove in two runs for Baltimore.
Sandy Is Dandy, Marlins Are 5-1
Anyone who told you they weren’t a little concerned about the state of Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara following his comeback season of 2025 was probably not looking at the results he turned in. Alcantara put up a 5.36 ERA in 31 starts in his first season back since having Tommy John surgery following the 2023 season. Well, Alcantara is dismissing those concerns to begin 2026. The right-hander tossed MLB’s first complete game and first shutout of the season, allowing three hits and striking out seven as the Marlins beat the Chicago White Sox 10-0. It was the second Maddux (complete game, less than 100 pitches) of Alcantara’s career. In two starts thus far, Alcantara has allowed just one unearned run in 16 innings. Liam Hicks hit his third homer of the season, a two-run shot, as part of a 3-for-4, four-RBI game for the Marlins, who also two two RBIs from Owen Caissie and Javier Sanoja. Hicks is the early MLB RBI leader with 12. The Marlins improved to 5-1.
Sandy Alcantara completes a 93-pitch SHUTOUT! 👏
Carroll Squashes Skubal
It took left-handed batters until August of last year to hit a home run off reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. But it only took until the Detroit Tigers left-hander’s second start as a two-time Cy Young winner for a lefty to take him deep in 2026. That would be star left fielder Corbin Carroll, the Arizona Diamondbacks‘ No. 2 hitter who went yard off Skubal in the first inning, the only run of the game. The D’backs beat the Tigers 1-0 to complete a three-game sweep and send Detroit to their fourth straight loss. The left-handed-hitting Carroll took an 0-2 four-seamer and went the opposite way to left-center, barely clearing the wall and going 410 feet for his second homer of the year. Right-hander Zac Gallen went six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out two. Skubal finished seven innings, allowing six hits and striking out three.
Sick Sale Stifles A’s
The only sign that Atlanta left-handed starter Chris Sale wasn’t himself against the A’s was that his velocity was down slightly. Don’t tell that to the A’s. Sale allowed just one hit over six innings as Atlanta took the series finale 5-1. Sale was perfect through 3.2 innings before Shea Langeliers took Sale’s 91.1 mph fastball deep for his MLB-leading fifth homer. But that would be the extent of the offense vs. Sale and the Atlanta bullpen, which allowed three hits in three scoreless innings. Sale’s battery mate, catcher Drake Baldwin, factored into all five Atlanta runs, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and four RBIs.
Dodgers First To Start Three Straight Japanese Pitchers
When Yoshinobu Yamamoto took the mound as the starting pitcher against the Cleveland Guardians, he made MLB history. With fellow right-handers Roki Sasaki (Monday) and Shohei Ohtani (Tuesday) starting the previous two days, Yamamoto became the third straight Japanese-born pitcher to start a game for the same team, a first in MLB.
By The Numbers
31 Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes had a 31-inning scoreless streak vs. the Cincinnati Reds snapped when he surrendered a run in the fourth inning. The Pirates won 8-3
5 Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams notched his fifth career double-digit strikeout game, getting 10 in a 4-1 win over the Dodgers.
15 The Milwaukee Brewers are off to a torrid start on the bases, with 15 steals in six games, a franchise record, after two more thefts in an 8-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
8 The Kansas City Royals‘ Nos. 6-9 hitters drove in eight runs, including a Jonathan India grand slam, and went 10-for-16 in a 13-9 win over the Minnesota Twins.
Best Moments From Yesterday
It’s SuperClarke
A’s center fielder Denzel Clarke became a highlight-reel regular last season as a rookie with his homer-robbing catches and overall defensive wizardry. Clarke turned in another one early in 2026 against Atlanta’s Drake Baldwin.
Denzel Clarke robs Drake Baldwin with a phenomenal catch.
— Baseball GIFs (@baseballgifs.bsky.social) 2026-04-01T18:19:30.687Z
Another First
Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford has been having a pretty good first week as an MLB player. The latest entry on his rookie diary was a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning that gave the Phillies a 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals.
Full Canvas Of Skills
We often talk about pitchers being painters when they hit the corners of the strike zone. But Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease truly is a painter and provided this piece of art for manager John Schneider.
Now hanging in John Schneider’s office is a painting by up-and-coming Toronto artist… Dylan Cease. #BlueJays
— Keegan Matheson (@keeganmatheson.bsky.social) 2026-04-01T15:36:44.120Z
Early-Season Issues
San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman had some choice words for first baseman Casey Schmitt following this play. Chapman said after the game that he and Schmitt worked things out.
“Catch the fucking ball.”Matt Chapman wasn’t happy with Casey Schmitt after he let his throw to first get by him
— Talkin’ Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-04-01T22:16:20.000Z
Caption This
Can you guess what happened here? (The video below provides the context.)
baseball is beautiful
— Talkin’ Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-04-01T17:59:46.000Z
Umpire rules that Bryce Harper pushed the runner's arm off the base. Instead of it being three outs, the game is tied
— Talkin’ Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-04-01T17:48:09.000Z
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor had to leave the Brewers-Rays game after taking a foul ball off the mask.
⚾ Royals right-handed closer Carlos Estévez went on the 15-day injured list with a bruised right foot, an injury sustained on a comebacker Saturday. The move is retroactive to Sunday. Right-hander Steven Cruz was called up from Triple-A.
⚾ MLB revealed the draft pools and slot assignments for each team, with the No. 1 overall pick budgeted for $11,350,600, the largest since the bonus pool started in 2012. The Pirates have the biggest draft pool at $19,130,700. The value of each pick increased 2.5% over last year, showing growth in MLB revenue. The draft is July 11-12.
⚾ Some might remember the weekly TV series “This Week In Baseball” hosted by the great Mel Allen. MLB is bringing it back in social-media form, appearing on Twitter each Friday.
⚾ Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas was shut down due to a setback from his recovery from a ruptured left patellar tendon.
⚾ Right-hander Jedixson Paez, a Rule 5 draft choice who made three relief appearances for the Chicago White Sox, was designated for assignment. Right-handed reliever Lucas Sims was called up from Triple-A.
⚾ Left-handed starter Jake Eder was traded by the Washington Nationals to the Dodgers for cash. Eder had been DFA’d. The Dodgers transferred right-handed reliever Jake Cousins to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man roster.
⚾ The Blue Jays returned right-hander Angel Bastardo, a 2024 Rule 5 pick who missed 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery, to the Red Sox.
Articles You Should Read
How Soto helped Robert get comfortable in New York — Tim Britton and Will Sammon, The Athletic
New Angels manager Suzuki shows flexibility in early moves — Jeff Fletcher, Orange County Register
Why the Padres bet on themselves — and won — Marc Normandin, Baseball Prospectus
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
