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We started the day on a tragic note, as it was confirmed that several people with MLB ties were part of the Santo Domingo nightclub accident. As we send our condolences to those affected by this tragedy, it is important to take a last moment to remember Octavio Dotel, who was an embodiment of how great this game can be. A consummate journeyman, Dotel pitched for 13 teams over a 15-year career, but will be mostly remembered in St. Louis for his contributions to the 2011 championship team, pitching in twelve games and winning a couple in relief during that playoff run. Even as he never rose to those heights again, he left an indelible mark, and that’s what baseball is all about. Rest in peace, Octavio.
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Today’s Headlines
October in April
There is no such thing as a must-win baseball game in April, but for Atlanta, it sure felt like it. Entering the day with an MLB-worst 1-8 record and facing the rival Phillies, the preseason favorites needed to make a statement and start climbing out of the cellar. The start was not particularly auspicious, with novice left fielder Edmundo Sosa taking a homerun off the board with a nice catch, while ace Chris Sale was far from his best, allowing nine hits and five runs over 4.2 innings, as Atlanta trailed 5-3 by the time he departed. Buoyed by a packed crowd and plenty of energy, Atlanta persevered and took advantage of an uncharacteristically shaky Zack Wheeler, who also allowed five runs. With the game tied in the seventh, Austin Riley came through in the clutch, driving in the game-winning run with a double, as the electric Atlanta faithful finally had something to celebrate. Even as they still have a long way to go, today proved to be a step in the right direction.
We back up ‼️#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/8HE71HF9Xo
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 9, 2025
Paul’s Nemesis
In life, we all have a nemesis—something or someone that always seems to defeat us or at least annoy us. For Paul Skenes, that nemesis has clearly become the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite his youth, Skenes has been widely regarded as one of the best pitchers in baseball, with an array of traits that put him in a position to become an all-time great. His career record now stands at a gaudy 12-4, with a 2.14 ERA, but three of those losses have now come against St. Louis, who handed the righty the worst start of his brief time in MLB. Even as Skenes mostly breezed through the Cardinals, two big innings derailed his effort, leading to a laborious 98 pitches over six frames, with six hits and five runs allowed. On the other hand, Sonny Gray cruised and made quick work of the embattled Pirates, with only three hits and a run allowed over five innings, to earn his second win of the season. With Skenes sharing a division with the Cardinals for the foreseeable future, he may need to find a better plan.
How the Turntables…
Just a week ago, the Cincinnati Reds went through one of the most improbable and frustrating stretches in history, losing three straight games by a 1-0 score. While their offense is still mostly struggling, the baseball gods have decided to be a fair with them, as they have now been on the positive end of games where scoring is at a premium. Following Monday’s 2-0 win over the red-hot Giants, the Reds did one better and now won by a 1-0 final, behind a strong start from Nick Lodolo (six scoreless innings) and three shutdown frames from the bullpen. San Francisco’s starter Landon Roupp was almost as good, but surrendered a lone run in the third via an RBI groundout, which proved to be the decisive blow. The game only lasted two hours and five minutes, which probably made Rob Manfred a very happy man.
The @Reds pitching staff throws a second straight shutout to secure a series win. pic.twitter.com/wDlObLJd0K
— MLB (@MLB) April 9, 2025
Arctic Skubal
Despite the sunny day, game time temperature in Detroit stood around 34 degrees for most of the contest, which appeared to be the perfect conditions for Tarik Skubal to earn his first win of the season. The current AL Cy Young dominated the Yankees to the tune of four singles and no walks allowed over six scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 3.78 after a rough start to his season. Equally as impressive, reliever Brant Hurter came into the game in the seventh and closed the game with three straight zeroes on the board, earning the rare three-inning save in the process. Despite the cold, Detroit’s offense was at its most powerful, with four solo homers setting the tone in the 5-0 win. In the middle of these extreme conditions, New York has now been outscored 11-2 in this series and will now try to avoid the sweep.
Best Moments From Yesterday
A Trout Fan for Life
One of the benefits of playing in a minor league stadium is that the game tends to feel cozier and old-fashioned. With the Angels visiting the Rays, we got a moment that perfectly encapsulated that feeling, as a couple of lucky kids were able to call out for a Mike Trout autograph, with the star obliging. As expected, the reaction from these signatures was priceless and sure to create a lifelong memory.
The perfect reaction to getting Mike Trout’s autograph ❤️ pic.twitter.com/f1b4R20YgU
— MLB (@MLB) April 8, 2025
Lord of the Manor
As the proprietor of one of the coolest names in baseball, Washington’s Brad Lord had added to his lore by making the Opening Day roster despite being the 531st draft pick in 2022 and working a day job as recently as last winter. Today, he received the chance to make a spot start against the mighty Dodgers, and he made the most of it. Lord only went three innings, but he did not allow a run and recorded four strikeouts, including a pair against Shohei Ohtani. While he did not pitch enough to earn the win, Lord set the tone for the blowout 8-2 victory for the Nationals, who will now go for an improbable sweep of LA.
Making his first MLB start, Brad Lord finished with 4 K … including 2 versus Shohei Ohtani. https://t.co/c8nLS8IXmc pic.twitter.com/oyOPeTCfeV
— MLB (@MLB) April 8, 2025
Veen There, Done That
There is not a lot of convergence between the terms “Rockies” and “good news”, but for one moment, it all came together. Having called up top prospect Zac Veen to the big-league squad, there is a glimmer of hope that he can become the home-grown star the team desperately needs, and in his debut, he delivered his first MLB hit on a chaotic play. The ball was retrieved and authenticated, as a core memory was created for the young Zac. Alas, as it usually happens in Colorado, the Rox lost in blowout fashion.
First career hit…Zac Veen style 😎 pic.twitter.com/U9JySdkeNQ
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 9, 2025
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Following Sunday’s in-game injury, the Mariners have announced a more complete diagnosis for outfielder Victor Robles, who is now expected to miss at least 12 weeks with a left shoulder dislocation. The team is hoping the shoulder will heal without requiring surgery, though that will be closely monitored. If surgery is deemed to be necessary, Robles could be out for the season.
⚾ San Diego has placed Jackson Merrill on the 10-day IL due to a right hamstring strain. The move is expected to be precautionary and should not derail much of Merrill’s sophomore season, but it will be interesting to see if the injury has any lingering effects.
⚾ Atlanta has acquired relief pitcher Rafael Montero from the Astros, in a transaction that involved cash and a player to be named later. Montero had a rough 2024 that saw him demoted to the minor leagues, but with Atlanta desperate for pitching reinforcements, they will take a flyer on the veteran.
Articles You Should Read
The Physics of the Torpedo Bat — Alan Nathan, Fangraphs
Explaining Skenes’ Expanding Arsenal — Mike Petriello, MLB.com
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
