PITTSBURGH — It was as if the moment froze in time. Bases loaded, one out, bottom of the first inning on opening day at Citi Field.

New York Mets designated hitter Brett Baty smacked a screaming line drive to center. At first glance, the ball looked to be a routine out, a step closer for Paul Skenes to escape what had been a rough opening ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — I don’t know which baseball truth is more absurd:

That at age 21, Detroit Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle has resembled an All-Star hitter;

Or that because the San Diego Padres have been so good at making Major League Baseball more popular, they have less chance to draft someone as promising as McGonigle.

Let’s start with ...Read more

SEATTLE — The joyful glee was still reverberating through T-Mobile Park when the top of the 10th inning started. A crowd of 43,283 was still celebrating Julio Rodríguez’s game-tying single in the bottom of the ninth off Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith, scoring Cole Young. They cheered, they danced — possibly to stay warm on the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Freeze frame. There’s Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith in his follow-through at the plate, watching the ball travel toward the wall Saturday.

Now, split screen. Pull up an image of the bobblehead the Dodgers gave out before the game, commemorating Smith’s Game 7 World Series-winning home run. It’s a mirror image.

On...Read more

SAN DIEGO — One of the questions that could play a big role in determining the San Diego Padres’ level of success in 2026 is whether Randy Vásquez can continue his ascension from scrappy back-of-the-rotation pitcher to a guy that can be counted on for quality innings start after start.

So what he did by throwing six scoreless innings ...Read more

ATLANTA — The Kansas City Royals know they can count on veteran starter Michael Wacha to deliver a quality start on the mound.

Wacha is as consistent as they come. Last season, the Royals right-hander posted 13 quality starts and a 3.86 ERA in 31 games.

On Saturday, Wacha began the 2026 campaign on a similar note. He held the Atlanta Braves ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Chad Whitson wasn’t close, and Trent Grisham knew it.

With the home plate umpire missing a high 2-2 pitch by 2.7 inches in the third inning of Saturday’s game between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, the Bombers’ center fielder immediately tapped his helmet. Lo and behold, the computer overruled Whitson —...Read more

HOUSTON — For four and a half innings, the magical start to the 2026 Angels season continued, as they could hardly do anything wrong.

And then, in an instant, the 2025 Angels returned.

Everything went wrong over a span of two innings, as a six-run lead turned into a five-run deficit in a game the Angels eventually lost, 11-9, to the Houston ...Read more

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles are still getting warmed up.

After squeaking out a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on opening day Thursday, the Orioles were quiet on offense again Saturday as the Twins strung together a few rallies for a 4-1 victory.

It was a chilly day in Baltimore — the first-pitch temperature of 44 degrees was tied ...Read more

CINCINNATI – On Opening Day, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Major League Baseball introducing the ABS challenge system was going to be “interesting.”

He had no idea how interesting the series was about to get.

ABS fueled Saturday’s 6-5 extra-inning Red Sox loss to the Cincinnati Reds going from bad to worse. Boston ran out of ...Read more

NEW YORK — Only 48 hours after the baseball gods gave us a brief glimpse of summer with a combined 18 runs and 70-degree temperatures, winter crept back in and Citi Field, leaving it devoid of offense.

When the winds blow in from Flushing Bay like they did Saturday afternoon, the ballpark becomes a tough place to hit. Credit the starting ...Read more

The road remains a Rubik’s Cube for the Colorado Rockies. They lost, 4-3, to the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park in Miami on Saturday. Colorado has opened the season 0-2.

That, after finishing 18-63 on the road last season, the worst road record in the majors and the most road losses in a season in franchise history.

Key moments

The Marlins...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Eileen Kalas used to stand by the door as her husband filled up a coffee each morning at the Wawa in Newtown Square. Harry Kalas, his widow said, loved coffee but the legendary Phillies broadcaster was really there for the people.

“That’s what Harry loved, the people,” Eileen Kalas said. “He’d go in there to talk to ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Already struggling with the side effects of a COVID-19 vaccination, Will Warren remembers his day taking a turn for the worse when his crying mother called during the summer of 2021.

It was then that the Yankees starter learned that his cousin, Nathan Griffith, died on July 25. Only 17, Griffith had been fishing with friends ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Dodger Stadium roared at the sound of contact, cheers growing louder as Kyle Tucker’s single made it through the right side of the field and Alex Freeland trotted home to finally break a persistent tie.

In the Dodgers’ 5-4 win, Freeland scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, jump-started the Dodgers’ offense in the ...Read more

SEATTLE — Dan Wilson stood in the dugout, hands jammed into the front pocket of his royal blue hooded sweatshirt to keep them warm on a chilly Friday evening at T-Mobile Park.

The Seattle Mariners manager wore an intense, but satisfied look on his face. His team was finalizing a 5-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians with a solid, though ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres were not down by four runs after a half-inning on Friday, as they had been in the season opener. They got their third hit before the sixth inning. They got a lead and retook a lead.

Then the strength of their team withered and left them still seeking their first victory under new manager Craig Stammen.

The ...Read more

HOUSTON — The last time the Angels won their first two games of a season, Mike Trout was a sophomore in high school.

Thanks to another Trout homer – along with homers from Josh Lowe and Zach Neto – the Angels reached that “milestone” on Friday night, beating the Houston Astros for the second game in a row, 6-2.

A 2-0 record doesn’t...Read more

ATLANTA — Kansas City Royals ace Cole Ragans slipped off the mound in the first inning of Friday evening’s season opener at Truist Park.

The 28-year-old left-hander was facing Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies and lost his footing as he planted toward the ground. Ragans shook it off, and to that point he had retired the first two ...Read more