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The automated ball-strike system was certainly the talk of all the national writers following the first five days of the regular season (remember, it started Wednesday with the San Francisco Giants hosting the New York Yankees). As MLB.com’s Mike Petriello, the guru of Statcast, pointed out, 54% of all challenges (94 of 175) were overturned, with fielders (think catchers, but also a few pitchers) nailing 63% (61 of 97) challenges. Only five pitchers challenged, with two successful. Hitters weren’t as successful at 42% (33 of 78). The Houston Astros were the only team not to overturn a call, going 0-for-6, while the Texas Rangers were the only team besides the Astros not to win a defensive challenge. Offensively, seven teams went 0-fer. And as new Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton found out, you can’t win an argument with a robot. ABS challenges were a big story in one game Monday (see below), the second day this season with a full 15-game schedule. By the way, with Monday’s results, there are no undefeated teams just four games into the season. All five teams that were 3-0 lost.
ABS outcomes so far .. about a 50/50 overturn rate, fielders (almost all catchers) way better than batters. All as expected, really.baseballsavant.mlb.com/abs
— Mike Petriello (@mikepetriello.bsky.social) 2026-03-30T13:03:03.185Z
Today’s Headlines
Giants Score More Than 1 Run, Win Game
Tony Vitello and the San Francisco Giants will not go 0-162. But the first-year manager, who came straight out of college, had to sweat out victory No. 1. Right-hander Landen Roupp allowed two hits over six shutout innings and Harrison Bader hit a solo homer as the Giants withstood a ninth-inning rally to beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 for their first win in four games this season. The Giants had scored just one run in a season-opening three-game sweep by the New York Yankees. They tripled that total in four innings against right-hander Walker Buehler, who was making his Padres debut. Bader punished a hanging curveball from Buehler for a third-inning solo homer, then Patrick Bailey and Casey Schmitt singled home runs in the fourth inning. That set up Roupp, who walked two and struck out seven. The Padres, stymied by the Detroit Tigers in their first series, were scoreless and down to their final strike in the bottom of the ninth when Jackson Merrill launched a two-run homer to right off right-hander Ryan Walker.
Raleigh Walks Off Yankees, Who Go 5-for-5 In Challenges
You have to wonder how some of these umpires are going to react with having being exposed by ABS. The New York Yankees went 5-for-5 in challenges — all by hitters — of calls by home plate umpire Mike Estabrook. But while the Yankees defeated Estabrook 5-0, they couldn’t beat the Seattle Mariners, who walked off New York on Cal Raleigh’s single down the right-field line to score Leo Rivas from third base with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 2-1 victory. José Caballero challenged two pitches in a second-inning plate appearance, including one that turned a 3-2 strikeout into a walk. In the fourth, three Yankees successfully challenged Eastabrook calls. Ben Rice took a 1-1 pitch that was called a strike but reversed with a challenge. Giancarlo Stanton avoided a strikeout by challenging a 1-2 called strike, then singled. Then Jazz Chisholm Jr. Jr. challenged a first-pitch strike, but he eventually struck out. Last year, Estabrook ranked 77th out of 92 umpires for call accuracy behind the plate at 93.53%.
No. 1 For Reds’ Burns
After making 13 appearances, including his MLB debut, in 2025 and going 0-3, Chase Burns finally broke through into the win column. The Cincinnati Reds‘ right-hander allowed one hit over five shutout innings in a 2-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving him his first MLB victory. Burns walked three and struck out seven. Reds rookie Sal Stewart reached base three more times, scoring on Eugenio Suárez’s fourth-inning single, while Suarez came around to score on Will Benson’s triple.
Ponce Injures Right Knee, Undergoes MRI
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed starter Cody Ponce, who signed a three-year, $30 million contract in the offseason, underwent an MRI exam on his right knee following the 14-5 loss to the Colorado Rockies. In the top of the third inning, Ponce went to field Jake McCarthy’s chopper to his left when he appeared to hyperextend his right knee. He limped a few steps from the infield grass before crumbling to the dirt. He was carted to the clubhouse.
Wiemer Ties Record, Can’t Turn It Up To 11
Joey Wiemer is one of those players you would like to see succeed because he is a fun guy. But the 2020 fourth-round draft pick is on his sixth franchise, showing the talent but not the production. Well, at least he now has his name in the MLB record book. The Washington Nationals‘ outfielder had two singles to extend his streak for reaching base to start the season to 10, tying Carlos Delgado of the 2002 Toronto Blue Jays for the record. The Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 13-2. The streak came to an end when pitcher Taijuan Walker made a nice play going to his right to snag a grounder and easily throw Wiemer out at first. Wiemer needed a replay reversal after initially being ruled out when he hit a grounder to first baseman Bryce Harper and racing down the line. He tied the record with a soft single to center. Wiemer, who went 3-for-3 with a walk in each of his first two games, saw his batting average drop to .800 after going 2-for-4.
Most Consecutive Plate Appearances Reaching Safely to Start a Season, since 1951: 2026 Joey Wiemer: 10 *active2002 Carlos Delgado: 101956 Yogi Berra: 92021 Yermin Mercedes: 82017 Jeremy Hazelbaker: 81993 Geronimo Pena: 81983 Steve Henderson: 8
— Sarah Langs (@slangsonsports.bsky.social) 2026-03-30T23:31:44.426Z
Brewers Prospect Pratt Gets 8-Year Contract
Cooper Pratt, a shortstop in the Milwaukee Brewers‘ system, has played just three games at the Triple-A level, but already it is a banner season for one of the team’s top prospects. Pratt has reportedly signed an eight-year contract worth either just over $50 million (USA Today’s Bob Nightengale) or $51 million (The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal). That contract includes two option years, with Matt Trueblood of Brewer Fanatic reporting the current value at $15 million each year. Pratt will need to be added to the 40-man roster once the contract becomes official.
By The Numbers
1,500 With his seventh and final strikeout vs. the Yankees, Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo reached 1,500 career strikeouts. He debuted in 2017.
6 Left-hander Kris Bubic became the third straight Kansas City starter to go at least six innings as the Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 3-1.
1 New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor led off the game with a triple against the St. Louis Cardinals, his first after not having one in 732 plate appearances in 2025. That and 2020 are the only seasons he doesn’t have a triple. The Mets won 4-2.
3 With Roki Sasaki, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto scheduled to start the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ three games vs. the Cleveland Guardians, they would become the first three Japanese-born pitchers to start for the same team in any three consecutive games, much less a single series.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Honoring Gore
The family of the late Terrance Gore helped the Kansas City Royals start the season before their home opener. Son Zane threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Hug Watch In San Diego
Infielder Luis Arraez, who signed with the Giants in the offseason, returned to San Diego to play the Padres, the team he played most of the last two seasons for. Arraez greeted his former teammates in the only fashion he knows.
Luis Arraez hug cam
— Baseball GIFs (@baseballgifs.bsky.social) 2026-03-31T02:24:28.621Z
Corbin Go Fast
If Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks was a car, what kind of car would he be? Doesn’t matter, just watch him speed around the bases for this triple in the bottom of the first inning.
SO. FAST. ⚡️
First Immaculate Inning
Staying with the D’backs, if you had Michael Soroka on your 2026 bingo card as the first pitcher this year to throw an immaculate inning (nine pitches, nine strikes), congratulations! The last of those gave him 10 for the game.
IMMACULATE INNING FOR MICHAEL SOROKA
— Talkin’ Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-03-31T03:49:03.000Z
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Atlanta optioned right-hander Didier Fuentes to Triple-A as they called up veteran left-hander Martín Pérez. Fuentes, Atlanta’s No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is being built up as a starter and will return to MLB.
⚾ The Brewers acquired outfielder Luis Matos from the San Francisco Giants for cash. Matos was designated for assignment last week. Crew left-hander Sammy Peralta was DFA’d. The Giants acquired right-hander Dylan Smith, who had been DFA’d, from the Detroit Tigers for cash. Shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald was DFA’d by the Giants.
Articles You Should Read
Giants chairman Q&A Part 1: Hiring Vitello, payroll, real estate — Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic
New Dodgers closer Diaz establishing his place (and sound) in revitalized bullpen — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times
Royals’ owner knows clock is ticking on determining team’s future home — David Skretta, Associated Press
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