Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.
Monday marked a rather unique anniversary in MLB history. It was the date of the first game in the current iteration of the Milwaukee Brewers, who opened the 1970 season by hosting the California Angels. But did you know that up until the wee hours of April 1 that year, the team was still the Seattle Pilots and on pace to play their second season at Sick’s Stadium? It was quite a tumultuous time. This article by the Baseball Hall of Fame sums up the entire scenario. So if you have ever wondered why there seem to be some similarities in the uniforms of the Brewers and the Seattle Mariners, especially in the past, now you know why.
Don’t forget to watch every game with the Pitcher List community on Playback!
Today’s Headlines
Finnegan Guts Out 5-out Save vs. Dodgers
Teams are always worried about pitcher workloads, especially early in the season. But that didn’t matter to Kyle Finnegan. The Washington Nationals‘ closer took the ball for the third straight day and recorded a five-out save to hand the Los Angeles Dodgers their second loss in a row 6-4. Finnegan came on with runners on first and second and with a 6-3 lead in the eighth inning. He surrendered an RBI single to Will Smith in the eighth, then walked Shohei Ohtani with two outs and a runner at second in the ninth before getting Mookie Betts on a grounder to second to earn a save for the third day in a row. James Wood hit a two-run homer for the Nationals, while Ohtani went deep as part of a 3-for-4 night for the Dodgers.
Resilient Mariners Upend Astros
A day after a key contributor sacrificed his body for a spectacular catch that will sideline him indefinitely, the Seattle Mariners bounced back from a walk-off loss to notch a comeback victory. Jorge Polanco singled home a pair of runs with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Mariners opened an early showdown series by beating the Houston Astros 4-3. Mariners ace Logan Gilbert allowed just one hit in 5.2 innings, striking out seven and walking two. Ryan Bliss hit a two-run homer in the fifth for the Mariners, but the Astros rallied on Jose Altuve’s homer in the sixth to break up Gilbert’s no-hit bid and tacked on two more in the top of the eighth thanks to an error.
Jays Celebrate Vlad Jr.’s Deal With Win
Can a huge contract signing by your best player be a catalyst for a team? Well, for at least one day it was for the Toronto Blue Jays. While the i’s are still being dotted and the t’s crossed on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s reported 14-year, $500 million contract extension, the Jays went out and snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Boston Red Sox 6-2 to open a four-game series at Fenway Park. George Springer went 4-for-4 with three RBIs to back right-hander José Berríos‘ strong start. Berrios allowed four hits and one run over seven innings for his 100th career victory. Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela made a couple of standout defensive plays, including a huge sliding catch at the wall in right-center.
Lindor Reaches 1,500 Hits In Mets’ Victory
Round numbers are nice as they help put a player’s career into perspective. People talk about legacies when a player reaches certain plateaus. Francisco Lindor was the center of attention after notching his 1,500th career hit in the New York Mets‘ 2-0 triumph over the Miami Marlins. He did so in a terrific way, getting singles in his first three plate appearances, reaching the mark in the fifth inning. While halfway to 3,000, that is a total unlikely to be reached. Lindor is 31 and in his 12th season. He would need eight-plus seasons of 183 hits, his career-best, to reach 3,000. But Lindor should reach 2,000 hits, however.
Greene Stymies Red-Hot Giants
Slowly, Hunter Greene is becoming that guy everyone hoped he would be when the Cincinnati Reds drafted him No. 2 overall in 2017. The fireballing right-hander scattered four hits over a career-best 8.2 innings as the Reds snapped the San Francisco Giants‘ seven-game winning streak with a 2-0 road win. Greene struck out seven and walked one, coming one out shy of his first complete game. Greene was lifted after walking Matt Chapman to put runners on first and second, but Tony Santillan retired Heliot Ramos to secure the Reds’ victory.
Dodgers Visit White House
The Los Angeles Dodgers were welcomed to the White House following their World Series championship in 2024. It appeared that all members of the traveling party were in attendance, including players who had been critical of the current president. In addition to issuing the president a jersey and receiving plaudits, the team also had a tour of the Oval Office. There did not appear to be any signs of a protest for the administration temporarily removing a Jackie Robinson page on a government website, only to be restored following public outcry.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Once Homeless, Now Homering
You might have never heard of Yohel Pozo before. You might never again. But considering what the new St. Louis Cardinals catcher has gone through, including living in his car, this homer in his return to MLB sure was a thrilling moment.
Beautiful Snow?
Weather always plays a role in early-season games. At first pitch for the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees game at 3:10 p.m. ET, it was 38 degrees with a 16 mph wind. During the game, there were snow flurries, which gave the game a little extra character. The other two games in this series will also be afternoon games.
Is there a site more wondrous than a snowy ballgame?
— Michael Clair (@michaelclair.bsky.social) 2025-04-07T20:08:39.590Z
Back-to-Back Bader
One diving catch in a game is terrific. Two is even better. But if you make them on consecutive hitters? That is what Minnesota Twins left fielder Harrison Bader did against the Kansas City Royals.
Soderstrom Blasts Pair
Move over, Aaron Judge. You have to share your spot atop the MLB home run leaderboard. None other than Tyler Soderstrom of the Athletics is tied with the New York Yankees slugger with six after hitting a pair in a 5-4 loss to the San Diego Padres.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Astros right-handed starter Spencer Arrighetti is heading to the 15-day IL after sustaining a broken right thumb when he was struck by a ball in the outfield during batting practice. Arrighetti was playing catch at the time.
⚾ Red Sox catcher Connor Wong will be placed on the 10-day IL after breaking his left pinkie. His glove hand was hit by the Blue Jays’ George Springer.
⚾ Mariners right fielder Victor Robles went on the 10-day IL with what is currently being called a dislocated left shoulder. More testing needs to be done to determine the full extent of the injury. Robles injured himself by crashing into the netting down the right-field line in San Francisco while making a ninth-inning catch.
⚾ The Milwaukee Brewers, in desperate need of starting pitching help, acquired right-hander Quinn Priester from the Red Sox in exchange for prospect outfielder Yophery Rodriguez, a Competitive Balance A draft pick, and a player to be named later. Priester started this season in Triple-A but is likely to be thrust into the Brewers’ rotation during their series in Colorado that begins today. Seven starters on the Brewers’ 40-man roster are on the injured list, with left-hander Jose Quintana building up in the minors for another start or two.
⚾ Baltimore Orioles right-handed starter Albert Suarez, on the injured list since March 30, will miss multiple months with a right subscapularis strain. Meanwhile, the O’s acquired right-handed reliever Grant Wolfram, who had been designated for assignment, from the Brewers for minor-league outfielder Daz Cameron.
⚾ St. Louis Cardinals catcher Iván Herrera will miss at least a month with a bone bruise to his left knee.
⚾ Sam Menzin, who resigned last week as assistant general manager of the Tigers, was about to be fired following an investigation into improper workplace conduct.
Articles You Should Read
Red Sox’s Duran shares suicide attempt in docuseries — Ian Browne, MLB.com
Cubs must do everything to extend Tucker now that Vlad Jr. is off the table — Matt Snyder, CBS Sports
The physics of the torpedo bat — Alan Nathan, FanGraphs
Vest’s “crazy ride” has taken him to vital role in Tigers’ bullpen — Chris McCosky, Detroit News
For baseball-loving sisters, major-league careers honor family history — Evan Drellich, The Athletic
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
