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There were two cool things that happened over the weekend outside of MLB that came to light Monday and are worth mentioning. The first was Olivia Pichardo, who on Saturday became the first woman to pitch in Division I men’s baseball. Pichardo recorded the final out with the bases loaded in Brown’s 16-4 victory over Cornell. She got the only batter she faced to ground out on an 0-1 pitch. Pichardo is a senior from New York City who pitched on Senior Day. Then Sunday, 53-year-old knuckleballer Vincent Towns started for the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars in the Atlantic League. He has worked construction for 30 years after a brief stint in the minors in the San Francisco Giants organization (1991-92).
Today’s Headlines
Padres Rally Again, But Miller’s Scoreless Streak Ends
It turns out the only way to score against Mason Miller is if you get a little help from the umpire. The San Diego Padres‘ closer had his scoreless streak end at 34⅔ thanks to a blown call by an umpire, but he still finished off a 9-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Miller was on in a nonsave situation when Matt Shaw led off the top of the ninth with a dribbler right down the third-base line. Third baseman Ty France let the ball roll and it eventually crossed the foul line before France delicately picked it up. Home plate umpire Dan Merzel called it fair despite a sliver of dirt showing between the ball and the line. The play was not able to be reviewed by replay. Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong followed with singles off Miller, doubling the total of hits the right-hander had allowed in his first 13 appearances, to load the bases. Nico Hoerner’s groundout plated the first run off Miller since Aug. 6 and a wild pitch brought in another. Miller recovered to get a groundout and strikeout for the win. Miller’s streak was the eighth-longest by a reliever since at least 1961. The Padres led 3-0 after the bottom of the first, but trailed 5-3 after the top of the third. It as 5-4 entering the bottom of the fifth when the struggling Nick Castellanos grounded a single to center to score two runs for a 6-5 Padres lead. Ty France tripled home a pair of runs in the seventh and Gavin Sheets tacked on a solo homer in the eighth. France also doubled, stole a base and drove in four.
Home plate umpire Dan Merzel called the ball fair, giving Matt Shaw a single despite it appearing clearly foul
— Talkin’ Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T04:45:22.000Z
Guardians Calling Up 2024 No. 1 Overall Pick Bazzana
The Travis Bazzana era is upon us. The Cleveland Guardians are calling up Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, from Triple-A to make his MLB debut today, according to multiple reports. The 23-year-old Australian second baseman had a slash line of .287/.422/.511 in 24 games this season with two homers, 10 RBIs and eight stolen bases. He will be the seventh top-10 pick to appear in the majors less than two years after the draft. Bazzana is the No. 16 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline.
Murakami Hit MLB-Leading 12th HR In White Sox’s Victory
Does Munetaka Murakami have the staying power to be in a home run race? The Chicago White Sox rookie, who hit 246 homers over eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, hit his MLB-leading 12th homer in an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Murakami’s go-ahead three-run homer came as part of a seven-run seventh inning. Murakami had five seasons in Japan with more than 30 homers, peaking at 56 in 2022. Andrew Benintendi also drove in three runs, including a two-run double before Murakami’s homer. Murakami’s first 12 extra-base hits have been home runs, extending the most in MLB history since 1900.
Tucker Delivers First Walk-off With Dodgers
The difference between Kyle Tucker with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tucker that played for two other teams is that he doesn’t have to be the savior for the two-time defending World Series champs. The funny thing is he might get opportunities to be a hero. The right fielder had his first moment with the Dodgers, delivering a two-run walk-off single to center with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 victory over the Miami Marlins. Tucker’s single capped a three-run ninth by the Dodgers, who have now matched Atlanta at 20-9 for the best record in MLB. Shohei Ohtani doubled in the other ninth-inning run and scored the winner on Tucker’s hit. Liam Hicks hit a three-run homer of Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the fifth inning to put the Marlins up 4-2.
KYLE TUCKER'S FIRST DODGERS WALK-OFF HIT!
Suarez Dominates As Red Sox Win Third Straight
If only this had happened when Alex Cora was managing. Left-handed starter Ranger Suarez allowed one hit and struck out 10 over eight stellar innings as the Boston Red Sox blanked the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 for their third straight victory. The Red Sox are 2-0 since firing Cora and several coaches in a major shakeup on Saturday. The only hit allowed by Suarez was a Jesús Sánchez leadoff single in the fifth inning. Otherwise, he was nearly flawless and looking every bit of the pitcher the Red Sox paid $130 million over five years for. Five Red Sox drove in runs.
Wetherholt Homers In Pittsburgh Return As Cards Rally
Growing up in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mars, Pa., JJ Wetherholt was a diehard Pittsburgh Pirates fan and even had a birthday party at PNC Park. So that made his first trip to the Steel City as an MLB player that much more special. Well, he put a cherry on top of the experience by hitting a homer in his first game. Not only a homer, but he sparked a four-run ninth-inning rally with that blast, helping the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-2 victory. With one out, Pedro Pagés and Wetherholt hit back-to-back solo homers to tie the game 2-2. Two walks around a single loaded the bases when José Fermín lined a two-run single down the left-field line to put the Cardinals up 4-2. In a bullpen game, the Pirates held the Cardinals without a hit until Alec Burleson’s infield single with two out in the seventh inning.
Rice, Judge Go Back-To-Back In Yankees’ Win
Ben Rice held a first-place tie for the New York Yankees‘ lead for home runs this season for a grand total of five pitches. But that will happen when superstar Aaron Judge is your teammate. Rice and Judge went back-to-back in the third inning, sending the Yankees on their way to a 4-2 road win over the Texas Rangers. With two outs in the third, Rice’s 10th of the season was a two-run opposite-field blast to left-center for the first runs of the game, then Judge hit a 3-2 line drive over the left-field fence for his 11th and a 3-0 lead. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a no-doubter in the fourth, his third this year, for a 4-0 lead. Left-handed starter Max Fried had enough to keep the Rangers at bay, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out five in six shutout innings.
By The Numbers
5 In his second MLB start, Minnesota Twins rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp struck out five in five innings, allowing just one hit and two runs, while walking three in an 11-4 win over the Seattle Mariners, snapping a five-game losing streak.
11-for-20 Ryan Vilade of the Tampa Bay Rays has 11 hits in his last 20 at-bats, including going 3-for-4 with two RBIs in a 3-2 win over the Guardians. Vilade had the go-ahead single in a two-run eighth inning.
17 The Padres have won 17 of their last 21 games after a 2-5 start.
Best Moments From Yesterday
He Dropped It, Then Stole HR Ball From Girl
In another case of a bad actor, a Cleveland Guardians fan flubbed catching Daniel Schneemann’s fifth-inning homer, then compounded his miscue by taking the ball from a young girl. The girl, wearing some oversized sunglasses, appeared to be crying. Fortunately, someone associated with the Rays, the Guardians’ opponent, took care of the girl and her brother, both of whom brought their gloves to the game, by giving them each a ball. Mom posted a note about the incident after the game.
Guy drops a home run ball then takes it from a young girl
— Jomboy Media (Unofficial) (@jomboymedia-mirror.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T00:29:40.000Z
RT @JomboyMedia: A message from mom(h/t @Ry_Bass)
— Talkin’ Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T03:41:42.000Z
Better Late Than Never
Why it took this long, we don’t know, but Hyesong Kim of the Los Angeles Dodgers finally received his 2025 World Series ring in a clubhouse ceremony. Kim was at Triple-A when the Dodgers had their ring ceremony, but was called up a few days later. Three weeks later, he now has the ring.
A Toy For The Kid
How did the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrate Konnor Griffin’s 20th birthday after returning home? Superstar pitcher Paul Skenes got Griffin a bounce house and plopped it in the middle of the Pirates’ clubhouse.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Blue Jays right-handed starter Max Scherzer went on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm tendinits and left ankle inflammation. Right-handed reliever Chase Lee was called up from Triple-A.
⚾ Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is heading to the 10-day IL with a strained right calf.
⚾ Chicago White Sox outfielder Tanner Murray’s season is likely over after dislocating and sustaining a fractured left shoulder in Sunday’s game. His projected recovery time is four to six months. Murray was placed on the 10-day IL.
Articles You Should Read
One thing is crystal clear after Cora firing: Spotlight now turns to Breslow — Peter Abraham, Boston Globe
Which teams have figured out ABS challenges and which ones are still trying? — Zack Meisel, The Athletic
Tucker’s former Cubs teammates still stunned by his Dodgers contract — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
