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Yeah, I know. It’s early. I am the biggest proponent of teams not overreacting to small sample sizes to begin a season. If the same stretch happened in July, you might not notice it as much. But there is one thing that has caught my eye. The NL Central standings. Entering Sunday (and ending the day, too), all five teams had double-digit win totals and the only division in which every team was above .500. Most teams have yet to get into the teeth of divisional play. For instance, the Milwaukee Brewers have yet to play another Central team and won’t until facing the Pittsburgh Pirates this coming weekend. Still, in a division that some folks like to take a poke at due to the performance of some teams (namely the Pirates), it is a nice turn of events. How long will it last? Check back in a few weeks.
Today’s Headlines
Mets Turn It Sideways To 11: Cubs Rally, Walk Off New York
You might be impressed to find out the Chicago Cubs have won five in a row. Don’t be. Three of those came this weekend against the New York Mets. Yes, the Mets are the new laughingstock of MLB. LOLMets. Two outs away from snapping a double-digit losing streak, the Mets coughed up the tying run in the bottom of the ninth and lost their 11th straight on Nico Hoerner’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning in a 2-1 loss to the Cubs. The 11 consecutive losses matches a streak from late in the 2004 season in which the team finished 71-91. There was hope in this one, though. MJ Melendez hit a solo homer in the fifth, the only run of the game until the bottom of the ninth. Against Mets closer Devin Williams, Ian Happ had a leadoff single and was replaced by pinch-runner Scott Kingery. After a strikeout, ex-Met Michael Conforto pulled a meatball of a four-seamer on the first pitch down the right-field line, easily scoring Kingery with the tying run. The Mets failed to score in the top of the 10 despite the automatic runner. In the bottom of the 10th against right-hander Craig Kimbrel, automatic runner Pete Crow-Armstrong went to third on a wild pitch and scored one out later on Hoerner’s sac fly to right. The Mets have scored two runs or less in nine of the 11 losses.
Reds Come To Life Late, Foil Twins In 10th
Held to three hits and one run through eight innings, the Cincinnati Reds pulled an Undertaker (mandatory WrestleMania reference) and rose from the mat. Scoring three runs in the top of the ninth and three more in the 10th, the Reds pulled off an improbable 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Leadoff singles in the ninth by Spencer Steer and Tyler Stephenson and a one-out walk from Dane Myers loaded the bases and set up TJ Friedl’s bases-clearing double to give the Reds a 4-3 lead. The Twins didn’t quit, though, as James Outman and Austin Martin doubled in the bottom of the ninth to force extras. But momentum was clearly on the Reds’ side. With the automatic runner on second, the Reds used two errors on the same play to score the go-ahead run, an intentional walk and the lone hit of the inning, a Rece Hinds double, to put together another three-run inning.
Moniak Fuels Rockies Rare Feat Against Dodgers
The signs of progress with the Colorado Rockies can be summed up thusly: With their 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Rockies have won back-to-back games against the Dodgers for the first time since Oct. 2-4, 2022. Mickey Moniak hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Rockies tacked on three runs against struggling Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz in the eighth. After Moniak’s homer put the Rockies up 5-4, the Rockies added another on Hunter Goodman’s double and Tyler Freeman’s RBI single. Against Diaz in the eighth, a single, a walk and a bunt single loaded the bases, then Edouard Julien drove in two with the third hit off Diaz, who was chased from the game. Moniak added a RBI groundout for a 9-4 lead.
Murakami Homers Again As White Sox Win
You think some front offices are having some regrets over Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami? The Chicago White Sox first baseman homered in his third straight game for the second time this young season, powering a 7-4 win over the Athletics. Murakami, whose power wasn’t doubted but his ability to make consistent contact was, homered in his first three MLB games, then repeated it this weekend. His two-run blast in the fifth inning, which went 425 feet, helped the White Sox take a 7-1 lead. Murakami has eight homers this season, his first in the U.S. after a career in Japan.
By The Numbers
10 Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez became the first player to hit 10 homers this season when he drilled a solo home run in a 7-5 loss in 10 innings to the St. Louis Cardinals.
32.2 Closer Mason Miller struck out two of the three batters he faced in a perfect ninth inning in the San Diego Padres‘ 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Miller extended his scoreless streak to 32.2 innings, one inning shy of the club record held by Cla Meredith. Miller has struck out 27 of the 38 batters he has faced this season.
25 Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo turned in his 25th quality start since the beginning of the 2025 season in a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers. Woo allowed two runs on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts over seven innings.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Pure
There is a good story behind this. What it is, I don’t know. Just enjoy Jake Mangum of the Pittsburgh Pirates throwing a ball into the stands to the boy, who gives the girl (sister or friend?) in the Mangum jersey and the ensuing embrace.
Worth The Wait
Ryan Ward is 28. He was drafted in the eighth round in 2019. After 696 games and seven seasons in the minors, Ward made his MLB debut with the Dodgers. He singled in his second at-bat for his first hit.
What’s The Sign For Proposal?
You see this in the minors a few times a season, but in the majors? Guardians catcher Austin Hedges proposed to his girlfriend, Lexi, with a scoreboard message and in full uniform following the game. She said yes.
Austin Hedges proposed, in full uniform, after today's Guardians game ❤️
They’re The Same Catch
Break out the meme from “The Office,” where Pam says, “They’re the same picture.” Then you see what Guardians left fielder Angel Martínez did to Taylor Ward of the Orioles. Twice. In the same game.
Finishing The Twin(s)bill
Your Sunday wouldn’t have been complete without knowing this.
RT @twinstv: The update you've all been waiting for!
— Minnesota Twins (@twinsbaseball.bsky.social) 2026-04-19T18:53:14.000Z
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Diamondbacks left fielder Corbin Carroll left the game vs. the Blue Jays after the fifth inning due to tightness in his lower back.
⚾ Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman went on the paternity list, while outfielder Ryan Ward, the 2025 Pacific Coast League MVP, was called up from Triple-A to make his MLB debut.
⚾ Astros outfielder Joey Loperfido went on the 10-day injured list with a strained right quad. Right-hander Jayden Murray was called up from Triple-A.
Articles You Should Read
50 years later, Rick Monday recalls his iconic saving of the American flag — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times
Hancock’s transformation has given Mariners a good problem — Adam Jude, Seattle Times
New hitting coach a blessing to Padres’ Laureano — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
