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It was a relatively busy Thursday this week, with ten games on the slate compared to only nine in the last two Thursdays combined, and the action did not disappoint. A matinee slugfest at Yankee Stadium was the main headline of the day, until a rookie southpaw stole the show for Cleveland at Camden Yards. Let’s get into it.
Today’s Headlines
Messick Just Misses a No-No
Cleveland rookie starting pitcher Parker Messick (8 IP, 9 K, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB) was fantastic on Thursday night in the Guardians’ 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles, taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning in an electric performance in what was only the 25-year-old left-hander’s eleventh career start.
After José Ramírez gave Cleveland an early 2-0 lead with a two-run first-inning blast to deep right center field off Baltimore starter Shane Baz, Messick went on to fire 112 pitches over eight masterful hit-less innings of work. He did give up two hits in the ninth before departing the game, and the two runners he left on base in the ninth inning when he exited the game came around to score — one on a sacrifice fly by Gunnar Henderson and the other on an RBI double by Pete Alonso. This left Messick with two earned runs on the night, but other than that the Orioles could not figure him out whatsoever. Armed with five different pitches that all grade out above-average, the breakout for Messick looks to be for real.
Steven Kwan and George Valera had RBI singles in the fifth and sixth innings respectively for Cleveland, with Kwan’s ultimately being the difference in the game.
Trout and Judge Trade Blows (Again)
In one of the more memorable series ever by a visiting player in Yankee Stadium, Mike Trout hit his fifth home run in four days to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 11-4 victory over the New York Yankees, salvaging a series split.
Aaron Judge cut an early 2-0 deficit in half with a solo home run in the first inning, with Giancarlo Stanton then putting the Yankees up 3-2 with a third inning two-run shot of his own. That was the last time the Yankees saw a lead in the game, though, as Max Fried was not his usual sharp self, allowing five runs over five and one-third innings. The damage continued after he left the game, with the Yankee bullpen surrendering a home run to Mike Trout in the seventh inning, before a Jo Adell grand slam in the eighth blew the game wide open.
The Angels will have a fun flight back to Los Angeles after that one and will look to keep the momentum rolling against a hot San Diego Padres at home this weekend. The Yankees will look to bounce back as they welcome the Kansas City Royals to town for a three-game home set.
Rain Delays Lead To Thrilling Walk-Off
Thursday’s game between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park in Detroit was initially delayed due to rain, and then saw several stoppages late in the game to allow for further rain to pass. Those fans who stayed were rewarded with the most exciting win of the Tigers’ young season, a 10-9 war of attrition victory that was capped off by a walk-off single by Colt Keith, who had not even started the game.
Trailing 6-2 heading into the seventh inning, the Royals scored six runs with the help of a three-run Salvador Perez homer, stunning the rain-soaked fans in Detroit by taking an 8-6 lead. Each team would tack on an extra run in the ensuing innings before we arrived at the bottom of the ninth, with Detroit now trailing 9-7. Gleyber Torres and Kevin McGonigle were each able to reach base before Riley Greene delivered a clutch two-out double to drive them both in and tie the game. Colt Keith, who had entered the game only a couple innings earlier as a pinch hitter, stepped up to the plate versus Kansas City reliever Lucas Erceg, and laced a line drive into right field. Riley Greene had to use every bit of his plus speed to beat a strong accurate throw by Jac Caglianone, and the Tigers sent their soggy fans home happy.
Cy Young Miller?
Only nine relief pitchers have won the Cy Young award in the history of baseball, and while there are still plenty of games left to be played this year, Mason Miller is already sparking some discussion on whether he could become the tenth. He closed out yesterday’s 5-3 victory for the San Diego Padres over the Seattle Mariners by striking out the side, a feat he’s now accomplished in a ridiculous six out of nine appearances. He has 23 strikeouts in only nine and one-third innings on the year, has not yet given up a run, and has allowed only two total base runners, with one walk and one hit a piece. Given that no reliever has won the Cy Young since Eric Gagne in 2003, and that Miller’s sample size is still only nine-plus innings of work, it’s still way too early to place him atop the NL Cy Young leaderboard, but it’s certainly a story worth keeping an eye on. Dating back to last season, his active scoreless innings streak is now at 30 and two-thirds innings.
By The Numbers
446 The home runs hit by Mike Trout and Giancarlo Stanton in Thursday’s game between the Angels and Yankees each traveled 446 feet, making Aaron Judge’s 410-foot shot look relatively light in a ridiculous show of power between the sluggers.
61 Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton each homered in the same game for the Yankees for the 61st time. Thursday’s loss marked only the eighth time that the club lost in such games.
18 Parker Messick generated a league-leading 18 swing and misses in his win over the Orioles, further indicating how dominant of a performance it was.
119 The fifth-inning double off the bat of Pittsburgh Pirates‘ outfielder Oneil Cruz in yesterday’s 8-7 extra innings loss to the Washington Nationals was registered at 119 mph, making it the hardest hit ball of the young 2026 season. Cruz also owned the hardest hit ball in the 2025 season (and ever since Statcast began registering the data in 2015) with his 122.9 mph home run last May.
0 The number of visiting players who had homered in four straight days in Yankee Stadium, prior to Mike Trout accomplishing the feat this week.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Ashcraft Gender Reveal Done Right
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft, in the midst of an early season breakout on the mound, took the bump on Thursday with more than just the game on his mind. With his expecting wife and their family members in the stands, he used catcher Joey Bart for an assist in breaking some cool news to the family.
McGonigle Impresses With Arm
Detroit Tigers‘ rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle has been impressing everyone with his approach at the plate and instincts on the field, and he added another highlight to the early-season reel with a laser of a throw from several feet behind and to the foul side of third base, gunning a relatively speedy Maikel Garcia down in the process.
Caglianone Cannon
Speaking of young players with strong arms, 23-year-old Kansas City outfielder Jac Caglianone unleashed this cannon from right field on Thursday to nail Detroit’s Dillon Dingler at the plate.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Atlanta selected the contract of RHP Ian Hamilton from Gwinett Stripers (Triple-A)
⚾ Atlanta sent RHP Spencer Strider on a rehab assignment to Rome Emperors (High-A)
⚾ Atlanta designated RHP Osvaldo Bido for assignment
⚾ Chicago Cubs sent LHP Matthew Boyd on a rehab assignment to Iowa Cubs (Triple-A)
⚾ Los Angeles Dodgers traded RHP Axel Perez to the Baltimore Orioles for RHP Chayce McDermott
⚾ New York Mets traded LHP Richard Lovelady to Washington Nationals for cash
⚾ New York Mets sent LHP A.J. Minter on a rehab assignment to Brooklyn Cyclones (High-A)
⚾ Toronto Blue Jays sent RHP José Berríos on a rehab assignment to Dunedin Blue Jays (Single-A)
Articles You Should Read
“It It Legit? 4/16/26: Randy Vasquez and Oniel Cruz” — Patrick Fitzgerald, PitcherList
“Ben Rice is Laying Waste to the American League” — Dan Szymborski, FanGraphs
“The Seven Pitches of Seth Lugo” — Kiri Oler, FanGraphs
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