Jose can you see

Opportunities have been rare and hard-won for Jose Martinez.

The now-28-year-old was signed by the White Sox as an amateur free agent in February 2006. He toiled in the minors for the next decade, being granted free agency and signing minor league contracts three different times.

At nearly every stop, he hit. In parts of 11 minor league seasons, Martinez owns a .294/.355/.411 career line. And still, the call never came.



When Martinez finally made his MLB debut on September 6, 2016, it was with his fourth different organization. Months earlier, the Cardinals had acquired Martinez from the Royals for cash considerations -- believed in so little by the Royals and the rest of the league that he couldn't even command a player in return.

He's made believers of the league now.

Martinez hit a three-run home run in the third inning, part of a 2-for-4, four-RBI game, to lead the Cardinals past the Diamondbacks 5-3 on Saturday. The homer, off former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke, was his second of the season.

"He's continuing to show us that he's a legitimate force and offensive weapon," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said after Saturday's game.

He's needed to. Even after hitting .309/.379/.518 with 14 homers in 272 at-bats as a part-time player last year, Martinez entered camp this year without a guaranteed spot -- the Cardinals acquired Marcell Ozuna over the winter to pair with breakout star Tommy Pham and high-priced free agent from last winter Dexter Fowler, and Matt Carpenter was slated to handle most of the first base duties.

His early-season performance has quieted those concerns, and the Cards have found ways to get him into the lineup in every game thus far. An injury to Jedd Gyorko has allowed Carpenter to find playing time across the diamond, and Carpenter has also stolen playing time from Kolten Wong at second base to get Martinez at-bats.

Fantasy owners have been wise to keep Martinez in their lineups as well. The question entering the year was less about his ability and more about his playing time on a team with a lot of options.

This opportunity, like all before it, is hard-earned for Martinez. He doesn't plan on letting it go, either.

"The goal is to stay here for the whole year," Martinez said. "I hope I'm not taken out of the lineup. I just want to be out there. I just want to help the team win any way I can, like last year."

Wild Night Across MLB

Walk-off popups, 14-inning games, 20-run outbursts -- it was a crazy day for baseball Saturday.

Three games went into extra innings Saturday, but none was weirder than the ending to the Padres-Astros game. With the game scoreless in the 10th inning, Alex Bregman came to the plate with two outs and a runner on second.

Bregman skied a popup that only went a few feet in front of home plate, but the long run for first baseman Eric Hosmer actually worked in the Astros' favor when Hosmer, running hard, overran the ball and watched as it landed beyond his arched back and outstretched glove. Derek Fisher, running from second on contact, crossed home plate a split-second later, giving the Astros an unusual walk-off win.

Things were more traditional -- but no less exciting -- in San Francisco, where the Giants and Dodgers played 14 innings, using most of their rosters in the process. In fact, after Clayton Kershaw pinch-hit in the 14th inning, the Dodgers had used 24 of their 25 players on the active roster, with only starter Alex Wood -- who was sick and was not even at the stadium, having stayed at the team hotel, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said afterwards -- not appearing in the game in some capacity.

Kershaw hit for Scott Alexander after the Dodgers had taken a 5-4 lead, and Wilmer Font came on in the bottom of the inning to try to preserve the win. Instead, Kelby Tomlinson and Joe Panik singled to bring Andrew McCutchen to the plate.

At that point, McCutchen was 5-for-6 in the game. Disinterested in playing any longer, McCutchen's sixth hit landed a few rows into the left field bleachers, giving the Giants a 7-4 win in the marathon affair.

The Phillies hit more than their fair share of homers Saturday as well, bopping two grand slams en route to a 20-1 win over the Marlins. What's more, the Marlins actually scored first, before the Phillies hung 20 unanswered runs on the board. Maikel Franco led the way with one of the grand slams and six total RBI, and every Phillies batter except pitcher Jake Thompson had at least one hit in the win.

Last but not least, a shrimp alert was sounded in Colorado after Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino walked in the winning run in the 10th inning.

Quick Hits: Anthony Rizzo (back) remained out of the Cubs' starting lineup on Saturday. The Cubs still don't believe that it's a serious issue, but they gave him an extra day of rest rather than risking further aggravation. Rizzo owners should check the Cubs lineup Sunday before reinserting him into their own lineups ... Lost in the shuffle of the strange walk-off, Gerrit Cole fanned 11 batters over seven innings Saturday against the Padres. While Cole didn’t get the win, he was fantastic once again. He held the Padres to just five hits and didn’t walk a batter. He had 20 swinging strikes in his 102 pitches. Cole has allowed one run in 14 innings with a ridiculous 22/3 K/BB ratio over his first two starts with the Astros. No pitcher in franchise history has more strikeouts through their first two starts with the club ... Gregory Polanco was a late scratch from Saturday's lineup due to right foot discomfort. He fouled a ball off the foot in Friday's game, but he didn't leave the game or show any signs of it. The hope is that it's a day to day issue and he'll be back in there Sunday, or in the next few days ... Athletics recalled SS Franklin Barreto from Triple-A Nashville. Barreto will take the roster spot of Chad Pinder, who hit the disabled list with a hyperextended left knee. The top prospect can play all over the infield and should be up to play, not sit on the bench. His 2017 wasn't much to write home about, but he's a better offensive player than that and could be worth a fantasy roster spot if he hits the ground running in Oakland ... Bryce Harper went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Mets. The game was tied at 1-1 when Harper stepped to the plate to lead off the sixth inning against Hansel Robles. He then proceeded to crack his fifth homer of the young season. Alas for the Nationals, Harper's typical brilliance did not result in a win, as the Mets would come pushing back to take the lead for good in the seventh inning. Harper's five home runs are tops in the majors and overall, the all-universe outfielder is off to a rip-roaring start to the season ... Yankees placed LHP CC Sabathia on the 10-day disabled list with a right hip strain. Sabathia sustained the injury during Friday's start against the Orioles. The silver lining, is that an MRI revealed no structural damage, so he shouldn't be looking at a lengthy absence. It's unclear at the moment how the Yankees plan to fill his vacancy in the starting rotation ... Eugenio Suarez knocked in five runs, including a go-ahead three run homer in the eighth inning as the Reds topped the Pirates 7-4 on Saturday. Suarez tied things up with a two-run single in the sixth inning before putting the Reds ahead with his blast off George Kontos in the eighth. The five RBI tied his career-high ... Trevor Bauer allowed just one run on three hits over eight innings in Saturday's 1-0 loss to the Royals. In a beautifully-pitched contest by Bauer and opposing starter Ian Kennedy, it would be Bauer who came up just short. His moment of undoing came in the form of Lucas Duda, who provided the only run of the game with a solo home run leading off the seventh inning. That would be it -- one of just three hits the right-hander allowed on the afternoon -- and that would be enough to saddle Bauer with the tough loss. He finished his eight innings of work striking out seven and walking two. In two starts covering 13 innings, Bauer has now allowed a mere three runs ... Xander Bogaerts blasted a grand slam and drove in six runs on Saturday, pacing the Red Sox offense in a 10-3 thrashing of the Rays. Bogaerts drilled a two-run double as part of a four-run uprising off of Jacob Faria in the first inning. He then put the game out of reach with a grand slam in the second inning that increased the Red Sox' early advantage to 8-2. He also drew a walk in the game for good measure, finishing the afternoon 2-for-3. He's off to a blistering start, slashing .371/.405/.743 with two homers and nine RBI ... Lonnie Chisenhall left Saturday's game with a right calf injury. It's unclear when he sustained it, but Rajai Davis pinch-hit for Chisenhall in the second inning. He was sent for tests after the game, and the team hopes to know more Sunday. A DL stint seems likely.

The Eagle has landed

The biggest challenge for Seattle left-hander James Paxton at Minnesota's home opener came even before he started pitching on the 38-degree afternoon.

Paxton was standing alone in left field at Target Field, taking a break from his warmup throws for the pregame ceremony Thursday. 

That's when a bald eagle brought in for a flight over the playing field prior to the national anthem apparently became confused.

Rather than soaring to the mound to reach his summoning handlers, the bird's path went toward Paxton, causing him to jerk his body backward to avoid being grazed. Then the eagle, named Challenger, landed in the grass before circling back to find a perch on Paxton's right shoulder . One of the trainers hustled out to lure the bird safely away.

Paxton, coincidentally, is Canadian.

Minnesota fans, meanwhile, might have seen enough of eagles, too. The Vikings lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game in January, then had the Eagles win the Super Bowl in Minneapolis in February.

 A very patriotic moment before the Mariners-Twins game was interrupted on Thursday when a bald eagle, which was supposed to be part of the pregame ceremony, took off and landed on Mariners pitcher James Paxton.

 Paxton handled the incident rather well and better than most of us would have. Also as noted by many on social media, Paxton is Canadian - fans even created "The Maple Grove" for him - so everyone made a similar joke about the eagle granting him American citizenship and about Paxton being too polite about the incident.

The Price was certainly right

When David Price put pen to paper on a seven-year, $217 million contract with the Red Sox, he knew expectations would be through the roof. Which is why when things went south for Price last year, the toughest sports city in America (although you could make an argument for Philadelphia—they did pummel Santa Claus with snowballs that one time) let him hear about it. And Price didn’t take kindly to the criticism, lashing out at media members, the fan-base … even Dennis Eckersley.

They can’t all be winners, right? Ben Affleck starred in Gigli. Robert De Niro made a film called Dirty Grandpa. Nicolas Cage was in … well how much time do you have? The point is, we all deserve a mulligan or two. Whether it was injuries, the stress of being the highest-paid pitcher in major league history, or some combination of the two, 2017 kicked Price’s butt.

Price knows he didn’t handle things well last season and admitted as much in interviews this offseason. But that’s the beauty of spring, isn’t it? Every April is a new beginning, a chance to wipe the slate clean. And that’s exactly what Price has done through two starts. The former Cy Young winner was exquisite on Thursday, limiting his former team, the Rays, to three hits over seven innings of shutout ball in Boston’s home opener. The atrocious conditions at Fenway Park—40-degree temperatures, wind swirling in the outfield—certainly worked in his favor. But let’s not forget the left-hander achieved almost identical results (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 5 Ks) in his previous start last Friday at Tropicana Field, where the stadium temperature is always set to a balmy 72 degrees. Considering how he’s looked in the early going, Price could probably pitch on Mars and still give the Red Sox seven scoreless.

Price will never be a bargain at his $31 million-a-year price tag, but you have to admit, he’s been razor sharp since the end of last season. In fact, Price hasn’t allowed a run since, wait for it … July 22. We know Chris Sale brings the thunder every fifth day but if Price can also return to Cy Young form, Boston is going to be a tough nut to crack in the American League. Of course, for that to happen, the Red Sox’s offense will need to cooperate. For the first eight innings on Thursday, Boston’s bats were nowhere to be found.

The Red Sox knew if they made it to extras they’d be all set—Boston won 15 of 18 extra-inning games last season and edged Miami in a 13-inning affair earlier this week. Trailing 2-0 following a home run by Matt Duffy—that was Duffy’s first long ball since August of 2016 after missing all of last year with an Achilles injury—the Red Sox went to work against Rays closer Alex Colome in the ninth. Hanley Ramirez cut Tampa’s lead in half with an RBI single before J.D. Martinez did his best to sabotage Boston’s comeback bid by grounding into a double play. That set the stage for Xander Bogaerts with two outs and a runner on third. The current league leader in doubles added to his tally with another two-bagger, plating Andrew Benintendi with the game-tying run. Bogaerts needed some help from Mother Nature as the wind carried Xander’s drive all the way to the Green Monster in left field.

Jackie Bradley had a chance to win it in the ninth but was thrown out on a close play at first base to end the threat. As fate would have it, JBJ got another bite at the apple in the 12th. This time he made good, beginning the frame by lacing a double to right field. Four batters later, Ramirez decided to take matters into his own hands, sending the Red Sox home with a walk-off single. It’s certainly been an eventful week for Ramirez, who homered against his former team, the Marlins, on Monday, before snapping a 2-2 tie with an RBI double in Tuesday’s 13-inning victory. Manager Alex Cora has shown confidence in Hanley by batting him third in the order and so far, his trust has paid off.

Thursday extended Boston’s win streak to six while also stretching Tampa’s losing skid to six. The high-powered Red Sox probably should have finished the Rays off sooner, especially with Tampa Bay using Thursday as one of its designated “bullpen days” (I elaborated on this phenomenon in a Dose last month). But a win is a win and the Red Sox can’t complain about their 6-1 start, even if the victories have come against lesser opponents. Boston’s offense has been hit-or-miss but the Red Sox’s starting rotation has been a thing of beauty, producing an absurd 0.86 ERA through seven starts. That includes turns by little-known right-hander Hector Velasquez as well as Brian Johnson, who joined Velasquez in shuttling between the majors and Triple-A last year. With Eduardo Rodriguez slated to debut on Sunday and Drew Pomeranz nearing a rehab assignment, Boston’s rotation will only grow stronger.

Cora drew considerable criticism for pulling Chris Sale after only six innings in last week’s season opener, but the first-year skipper has pressed most of the right buttons since as the Red Sox have opened up an early two-game lead in the AL East. The power-hitting Bronx Bombers won’t go quietly but if the first week has taught us anything, it’s that the Red Sox won’t either.

AL Quick Hits: Miguel Cabrera fell rounding first base on a single Thursday against the White Sox and later left the game with left hip flexor tightness. Cabrera said he felt “fine” after the game, suggesting the Tigers took him out as a precaution. Consider the former MVP day-to-day … Mark Trumbo played right field during an extended spring training game on Thursday and will shift to first base for more work on Friday. He should be close to beginning a minor league rehab assignment … Yuli Gurriel has begun a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi. He’s finally nearing 100 percent after undergoing surgery on his left hand in late February. Look for the Astros to activate Gurriel when first eligible next Friday … Trayce Thompson is making the rounds. Two days after the Yankees claimed him off waivers, Thompson was claimed again, this time by Oakland. Thompson will now be playing in the same city as his older brother, Warriors guard Klay Thompson … Paul Blackburn has been transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Forearm tightness has plagued the right-hander since spring training … Phil Hughes made a rehab start for High-A Fort Myers on Thursday. The Twins right-hander is working back from a left oblique strain … Ervin Santana has yet to resume throwing and may need a follow-up on his surgically-repaired right middle finger. The 35-year-old led the Twins in wins (16), strikeouts (167) and ERA (3.28) last season while earning his second All-Star nod … The Mariners were hoping to activate Mike Zunino from the disabled list this weekend, but now it looks like he’ll need more time. Zunino strained his oblique in batting practice last week … Ben Gamel began a minor league rehab assignment with High-A Modesto on Thursday. The Mariners outfielder spent much of spring training recovering from a strained oblique … Seattle manager Scott Servais expects Nelson Cruz to resume baseball activities within the next day or two. The veteran DH landed on the DL with a sprained right ankle earlier this week and should be back when first eligible … Adrian Beltre contributed two hits in Thursday’s win over Oakland. That gives him 3,055 for his career, the most ever for a Latin-American-born player. Rod Carew had been the previous record holder … James Paxton showed impressive poise on Thursday, barely batting an eye when a bald eagle landed on his shoulder during pregame warmups. Explaining his predicament, the left-hander said, “I’m not going to outrun an eagle, so I just thought, we’ll see what happens.” Paxton allowed two runs over five-plus innings in a no-decision against the Twins.

NL Quick Hits: Corey Knebel suffered a painful hamstring injury in Thursday’s loss to the Cubs. He’ll undergo an MRI on Friday and could be facing a lengthy absence. Josh Hader and Jeremy Jeffress will be candidates to fill in at closer for the Brewers while Knebel is on the disabled list … Christian Yelich sat out Thursday’s game against the Cubs due to stiffness in his right oblique. Injuries aside, Yelich has gotten off to a great start with Milwaukee, hitting .385 with a homer and five RBI in 26 at-bats … Jon Lester did the unthinkable on Thursday night—he threw out a runner trying to steal. Watch him bounce this throw to nab Ryan Braun at third base … Nationals GM Mike Rizzo agreed to a two-year extension, keeping him under contract through 2020. He’s served as the Nats’ GM since 2009 … When Steven Souza suffered a strained pectoral muscle in spring training, the Diamondbacks didn’t expect him back until mid-May. Now there’s a chance he could return by the end of the team’s road trip or at the start of Arizona’s next home-stand, which begins on April 17 … Greg Holland fired a scoreless inning Thursday in a tune-up outing for High-A Palm Beach. The All-Star closer is expected to debut with the Cardinals early next week … The Mets continued their hot start by claiming their fifth win in six tries Thursday at Washington. Michael Conforto enjoyed a successful return, homering off Stephen Strasburg in his first game back from shoulder surgery … Did Tim Tebow homer in his debut for Double-A Binghamton? You bet.

Sitting Pretty

The Phillies have been full of surprises, from sitting Odubel Herrera on Opening Day to starting Andrew Knapp over Jorge Alfaro their first two games to benching Nick Williams in three straight games after batting him third on Opening Day. I’m good with all of this, though. I prefer Knapp to Alfaro both offensively and defensively, and in my catcher rankings, I had Knapp 26^th and Alfaro 38^th even though I expected Alfaro to get most of the playing time initially. I’m also really skeptical about Williams, who I had 122^nd in the outfield. At this rate, he’s going to wind up back in the minors soon. It’s great news for Aaron Altherr, who rates as a solid pickup in mixed leagues while playing regularly.

As for Herrera, there’s nothing wrong with sending him a message after he reportedly showed up to camp overweight. The last thing the Phillies want to do is give up on him, but he probably needs to be challenged to play up to his full potential. He’s been a quality regular since the day he entered the league in 2015, but at the same time, he was a better player as a rookie than he was in year three. The Phillies should sit him when he seems disinterested. It’d be a bad idea for mixed leaguers to drop him, but benching him until he warms up would be fine.

American League notes

- Aaron Hicks (intercostal) lasted one day in the regular season before landing on the disabled list for the ninth time since arriving in the majors in 2013. The injuries are a big reason why I wasn’t particularly high on him despite last year’s breakthrough and his status as a regular hitting in the middle of one of the game’s most potent lineups (he was my No. 47 outfielder). With Jacoby Ellsbury (oblique) and Clint Frazier (concussion) also on the shelf, the Yankees turned to Billy McKinney in the outfield, only to place him on the DL after two games with a shoulder injury. Now the Yankees have Miguel Andujar up to DH for a spell. The OBP probably isn’t yet there to make Andujar a real asset for the Yankees, but his power gives him mixed-league potential if he can win regular playing time. That’s likely still a ways off, though.

- The Yankees also picked up Trayce Thompson off waivers from the Dodgers on Tuesday. I assumed he would be long gone before the Yankees’ waiver priority; Thompson was injured and ineffective last year, but he has a 103 OPS+ in 407 at-bats as a major leaguer and he’s solid defensively. That the Royals claimed Abraham Almonte and let Thompson go is truly baffling. Unfortunately, Thompson probably isn’t looking at enough playing time in New York to amass much in the way of AL-only value. He could be on the move again once Hicks and Ellsbury are back.


- No one but a diehard fan of one of the two teams is choosing to watch a Royals-Tigers matchup unless it’s the only game going, but that was the case on Tuesday afternoon. Besides all of the bad offense on display, it’s rather striking how old these two rebuilding clubs are. Of the 18 position players starting, there’s only one guy -- Nicholas Castellanos -- one can safely say will be starting for a team five years from now. Miguel Cabrera will be 40 at that point. Mike Moustakas and Whit Merrifield might still be starters at 34, though I wouldn’t want to bet on it. I’m not very high on Jeimer Candelario as a long-term prospect, though I could be proven wrong there. I still think Jorge Soler might be the second-best long-term pick of the entire group, but then he might find himself as a DH in Japan if things don’t come together for him this season. The Royals still don’t seem interested in giving him the benefit of the doubt.

- Encouraging for the Royals is that Kelvin Herrera has looked a lot more like he did two years ago after last year’s forearm issues. Still, I’ll be hesitant to push him too far up in the closer rankings; a free agent at season’s end, he’s very likely to be traded and it might be to a team that would use him as a setup man.

- The Rangers were already short an outfielder when they lost Delino DeShields Jr. to a fractured hamate bone last week. Really, the entire organization seemed ill-prepared to deal with any challenges this season. Now they’ll probably have to give Jurickson Profar some outfield time after refusing to do so this spring. He should be starting in left over Ryan Rua, who wouldn’t seem to have much of anything of offer a major league team (Willie Calhoun should be starting over both, but that’s a month away from happening). Drew Robinson will play center in place of DeShields, giving him a fair amount of AL-only value for a spell.

- With a couple of off days and a pair of games in NL parks, the Mariners didn’t have a lot to lose by putting Nelson Cruz on the 10-day DL to take care of his minor ankle sprain. Daniel Vogelbach will pick up some extra at-bats in his place next week.

- It doesn’t bode well for the Angels rotation that Matt Shoemaker has followed Andrew Heaney (shoulder) to the DL with another forearm strain. The club called up Parker Bridwell in his place, but I’d much prefer to see what Nick Tropeano could do in Shoemaker’s spot. Tropeano, back from Tommy John surgery, was rather impressive this spring and struck out 68 in 68 1/3 innings as a starter in 2016. He’ll be an interesting sleeper when his time comes.

- Blake Parker notched the Angels first save of the year, but he gave up a run in the process. On Monday, he came into a 7-3 game in the ninth and was pulled after allowing a run, setting up a save for Keynan Middleton. Parker struggled this spring, too, and while I think he’ll be fine, his status as the Angels’ closer is awfully shaky at the moment. With Cam Bedrosian pitching earlier in games and not really impressing himself, Middleton would seem to be worth a flier. Middleton did a rather nice job as a rookie last year, posting a 63/18 K/BB to go along with his 3.86 ERA in 58 1/3 innings.

National League notes

- Oh no, Kenley Jansen. Through two outings, he’s had more homers allowed (two) than swings and misses (one). His velocity was down his first time out, and though it came back some Monday, he still didn’t have much movement on his cutter. Jansen says he’s completely fine physically, and there’s no reason not to believe him. If it’s all mechanical, and it probably is, his problems could go away in an instant. I’m still nervous; what he brought to the mound Monday just wasn’t major league quality stuff. But I’d hold and hope for the best rather than sell low.

- If Jansen does end up needing to be replaced for a spell, Josh Fields would seem to be about as good of a choice as any to fill in as the Dodgers’ closer. I like Scott Alexander as the team’s second-best reliever, but he’s been wild and it’s best to have him available to play matchups with anyway. I think Fields and Tony Cingrani would be the favorites for saves initially.

- St. Louis and Anaheim had long been the two most likely destinations for Greg Holland, and he finally caved in and took a one-year deal from the Cardinals last week, ending all the speculation over whether Luke Gregerson, Dominic Leone or maybe even Jordan Hicks would wind up as the team’s closer. It’s great news for those who drafted Holland even as he lacked a team at the end of the spring; he’s expected to be ready to pitch next week and he should find himself closing not long afterwards.

- Jedd Gyorko’s DL stint due to a hamstring strain temporarily solves the Cardinals’ infield crunch that saw both Gyorko (who had the second-highest WAR on the team last year) and Kolten Wong sit out two of the team’s first four games. Obviously, Wong is the primary beneficiary, since Jose Martinez is getting treated as a regular regardless. Wong is coming off a very good offensive season in which he posted a .376 OBP (the 11 intentional walks helped there). He clearly deserves to start, at least against righties. However, since the Cardinals are treating him as a part-timer and hitting him at the bottom of the order, there wouldn’t seem to be any fantasy value to be found here when everyone is healthy.

- Is Gregory Polanco a best-shape-of-his-life guy gone good? The early results are very encouraging, as he’s followed a strong spring by collecting a homer, three doubles and six walks in four regular-season games. Those six walks are one more than he had over 36 games in the second half of last year. Like many, I thought Polanco was destined for big things last year, but he struggled to make any sort of hard contact early and spent much of the season fighting injuries. Now that he’s healthy and seemingly stronger than ever before, one wonders just what his ceiling could be. 28-30 homers seems realistic, but the batting average needs to follow; his high mark in four seasons is .258. I still don’t see why he can’t hit at least .280 or so. I had him ranked 18^th among outfielders at the end of the spring, and he could steadily move up from there.

- Joe Musgrove was a surprise addition to the Pirates’ disabled list on Monday because of a muscle strain in the shoulder that limited him this spring. Unfortunately, it’ll be Steven Brault, not Tyler Glasnow, taking his rotation spot for now. Brault is fine; he can be a serviceable fifth starter for a major league team. But, obviously, I’m much more interested in Glasnow’s upside. He fared well in his first relief appearances, throwing two scoreless innings while pitching at 94-98 mph.

- Trea Turner hitting sixth for the Nationals was quite the nasty surprise. If I had projected him to bat sixth all season long, he’d be a second-round pick in my projections, which is a far cry from the No. 2 player overall. There are two faint silver linings. As a No. 6 hitter, he should be especially aggressive when it comes to stealing bases in a way he wouldn’t have been with Bryce Harper up at the plate. The other is that if you’re going to hit sixth in an NL lineup, Washington’s is definitely the one in which to do it. Still, batting sixth means 10 percent fewer plate appearances than batting second, which hurts a bunch. It might be temporary, but we’ll see. As annoying as it is for fantasy purposes that Turner is hitting sixth, it’s not necessarily a bad tactic for the Nationals. I’ve always liked the idea of batting basestealers lower in the order, where the hitters behind them are more likely to hit singles than doubles and homers and caught stealings aren’t quite as costly.

- A.J. Cole couldn’t have left the door any more wide open for Jeremy Hellickson than by allowing 10 runs in 3 2/3 innings in his season debut Tuesday. Hellickson makes for a fine pickup in NL-only leagues.

- After repeatedly bypassing him in previous seasons, the Giants made the right call in selecting Hunter Strickland as their interim closer with Mark Melancon (forearm) landing on the disabled list. Melancon is expected back in a couple of weeks, but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Strickland ends up leading the Giants in saves this year.

- I’m pleased to see the Reds treating Jesse Winker as much more than a fourth outfielder. It’s definitely bad news for Adam Duvall, who would have been out of the lineup for the second time in four games Monday if not for Scott Schebler suffering a minor hand injury. Duvall hit 64 homers the last two years and he has a homer and five RBI in four games this year, but it might be that he’ll lose too much playing time to be of use in mixed leagues.

- The Cubs were set to face their third lefty in six games before Tuesday’s game was rained out. Interesting is that Ian Happ was out of the lineup for all three of those games, while fellow lefties Kyle Schwarber and Jason Heyward were each in the lineup for two of the three games. I’m fond of Happ the player, but he was getting a little over hyped for fantasy purposes this spring.

- The Marlins are probably going to be rotating from player to player with little rhyme or reason all year, but it was still odd to see them bench Cameron Maybin the first two games in favor of Garrett Cooper and then, just a few days later, sit the right-handed Cooper against back-to-back lefties on Monday and Tuesday. Another surprise: Derek Dietrich, a career .235/.308/.357 hitter versus southpaws, has started and hit second against all four lefties the Marlins have faced. And one more: Tomas Telis, who was expected to be the primary backup to the injured J.T. Realmuto behind the plate, hasn’t started any of the Marlins’ six games with Realmuto out, as the team has preferred the defense of Chad Wallach and Bryan Holliday. None of this really matters much at all, but the Marlins are going to be a mess all year.

- He’s no Ronald Acuna, but Preston Tucker has ample power and would be a pretty interesting fantasy outfielder if he could establish himself as a regular for the Braves. Of course, his time in the lineup is expected to end when Acuna arrives in a week or two, but if the Braves can find a taker for Nick Markakis later on, Tucker could get an extended look and post fine HR and RBI numbers batting behind Freddie Freeman.

Didi does double duty

Didi Gregorius was the 11th shortstop off the board in the average Yahoo draft this spring despite batting .287 with 25 home runs and 87 RBI in 136 games last season at age 27. It’s a deep position -- probably deeper than it has ever been -- but thousands of fantasy owners are experiencing buyer’s remorse about passing on Didi after what he did on Tuesday in the Bronx.

With fog and cold mist blanketing Yankee Stadium all afternoon -- not the most ideal conditions for offense, especially power -- Gregorius went 4-for-4 with two home runs, a double, eight RBI, and three runs scored in the Yankees’ 11-4 home-opener rout of the visiting Rays.

His eight RBI are the most by a Yankees shortstop in the 116-year history of the franchise, and also the most by any Yankees hitter since Alex Rodriguez drove in 10 runs on three homers and a single back on April 26, 2005 against the Angels. It’s not easy to set records in pinstripes.

Gregorius also drew a walk in Tuesday’s game -- his third walk of the season -- and he’s now sporting a .444 batting average, .524 on-base percentage, and 1.111 slugging percentage through 21 plate appearances this season. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton don’t have that kind of stat line, though of course it is extremely early. Stanton actually went 0-for-5 with five strikeouts in Tuesday’s game, what was his Yankee Stadium debut.

Gregorius can be a 30-homer guy this year, and batting near the heart of the Yankees’ explosive lineup should give him a decent shot at 100 RBI. Gleyber Torres -- the team’s big shortstop prospect, ranked No. 3 on Chris Crawford’s latest Top 10 -- figures to break in at second base.

Lamb Diagnosed With Shoulder Sprain

Diamondbacks third baseman Jake Lamb fell hard on his left shoulder twice in Monday night’s marathon game against the Dodgers, first on a great diving catch in foul territory in the top of the ninth inning and then again while sliding into home plate in the bottom of the 15th. He looked to be in pain as he came off the field after that second incident and sure enough the Diamondbacks placed Lamb on the disabled list Tuesday with an AC sprain in his left shoulder.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters that he’s hopeful Lamb can be back in 10 days, but it’s probably going to be more like three weeks -- or maybe even five or six.

Lamb broke out in 2016 with an .840 OPS, 29 home runs, and 91 RBI in 151 games and then rattled off an .844 OPS with 30 home runs and 105 RBI over 149 games in 2017. Even with new humidor at Chase Field this season, he came in as a highly valuable option at the hot corner.

Deven Marrero started at third base for the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night against the Dodgers, but Lovullo said he plans to mix and match in Lamb’s absence. Daniel Descalso could see some action there and so could Ketel Marte, with the hot-hitting Chris Owings getting more time at second base.

Marrero is a former top prospect -- the Red Sox selected him 24th overall in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Arizona State University -- but the 27-year-old infielder entered play Tuesday with a weak .209/.260/.310 career batting line in parts of four major league seasons.

Shoemaker’s Forearm Issues Resurface

Angels starter Matt Shoemaker was sidelined for the entire second half of the 2017 season due to a forearm strain that eventually required surgery, and now he’s back on the disabled list with an injury that sounds very similar. More tests are coming, but it figures to be another lengthy absence for the 31-year-old right-hander, who also missed the end of the 2016 season with a skull fracture sustained when he took a come backer off his head in early September.

Shoemaker earned a win in his 2018 regular-season debut Friday in Oakland, though he did surrender three earned runs on four walks and four hits over just five innings in the outing.

Taking his place in the Angels’ rotation will be 26-year-old right-hander Parker Bridwell, scheduled to slot in this Friday at home against the Athletics. Bridwell posted an impressive 3.64 ERA and 1.198 WHIP over 121 innings (20 starts, one relief appearance), but he struck out just 73 batters for a K/9 of 5.4. The lack of swing-and-miss stuff will probably keep him irrelevant in most standard mixed fantasy formats, though AL-only leaguers may want to take a look.

National League Quick Hits: J.T. Realmuto (back) is aiming to join the Marlins around April 19-20 … Christian Villanueva slugged three home runs Tuesday in the Padres' defeat of the Rockies … Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun hit back-to-back homers in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Brewers rallied to beat the Cardinals on Tuesday … Bryce Harper belted his fourth home run in three games Tuesday night in Atlanta … Wil Myers (back, triceps) was absent from the Padres' starting lineup on Tuesday night against the Rockies … Matt Harvey pitched five innings of one-hit ball as the Mets shut out the Phillies … Ryan Braun hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth as the Brewers earned a comeback victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday … Jeff Samardzija (pectoral) threw 30 pitches off the mound on Tuesday … Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs Tuesday as the Braves walloped the Nationals … Jack Flaherty was dominant in his season debut Tuesday against the Brewers, racking up nine strikeouts over five innings of one-run ball … Cardinals placed infielder Jedd Gyorko on the 10-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain … Zack Godley worked seven innings of one-run ball Tuesday in a win over the Dodgers … Scott Schebler was absent from the Reds’ lineup Tuesday due to a sore elbow … Austin Hedges (back) was scratched from the Padres’ lineup Tuesday for the second straight day … Johan Camargo (oblique) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Thursday with High-A Florida … Kurt Suzuki (hand) said he should be available for Wednesday's series finale against the Nationals … Jason Vargas (hand) is scheduled to throw a 90-pitch simulated game on Saturday in Port St. Lucie … Anibal Sanchez could start for the Braves on Saturday in Colorado … Mets setup man Anthony Swarzak (oblique) is expected to miss at least a couple weeks … Pat Neshek was scheduled to undergo an MRI on his right shoulder Tuesday … Wei-Yin Chen (elbow) is hoping to join the Marlins' rotation around April 27-30 … Michael Lorenzen (shoulder) has yet to begin a throwing program … Giants left-hander Will Smith (elbow) threw a 20-pitch simulated inning on Sunday … Giants signed outfielder-turned-reliever Jordan Schafer to a minor league contract.

American League Quick Hits: Shohei Ohtani slugged a three-run homer in his first plate appearance at Angel Stadium and finished 3-for-4 in Tuesday’s win over the Indians … Mariners placed designated hitter Nelson Cruz on the 10-day disabled list with a right ankle sprain … Josh Reddick hit a two-run homer and a grand slam Tuesday in the Astros’ defeat of the Orioles … Hanley Ramirez delivered a two-run double in the top of the 13th inning to propel the Red Sox past the Marlins on Tuesday … Mike Zunino (oblique) has resumed swinging a bat … Josh Donaldson (shoulder) returned to third base Tuesday and homered for the second time in as many games … Carlos Correa (toe) had a huge day at the plate in Tuesday's victory over the Orioles, going 2-for-2 with a homer, three runs scored and three RBI … Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that Jacoby Ellsbury, who is on the disabled list with an oblique strain, will be shut down for a couple of days due to a new hip issue … Jake Junis was fantastic in his season debut Tuesday, allowing just three hits over seven-plus scoreless innings as the Royals shut out the Tigers … Blue Jays shortstop Aledmys Diaz left Monday night’s game against the White Sox due to back spasms, after going 3-for-3 with a homer, a double, three RBI, and two runs scored … Lucas Duda was held out of the Royals’ lineup Tuesday against the Tigers due to right hamstring tightness and is not expected back until the weekend … Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that Clint Frazier (concussion) has been running the bases and tracking pitches … Athletics starter Paul Blackburn is still feeling tightness in his right forearm … Yankees claimed outfielder Trayce Thompson off waivers from the Dodgers … Rangers signed catcher Cameron Rupp to a minor league contract … Angels acquired right-hander Akeel Morris from the Braves for a player to be named or cash considerations.

Astros already in orbit

It’s a scary thought, but the Astros might be a better all-around team this year than they were when they won 101 games during the regular season last year. Just something to ponder after Charlie Morton carved up the Orioles for six scoreless innings as part of a 6-1 victory in the team’s home opener on Monday.

The Astros wore some slick gold-themed jerseys for the occasion, which included an emotional pre-game ceremony and a (lengthier-than-intended) banner unveiling. The defending World Series champions are off to a 4-1 start on the year.

Morton held the Baltimore lineup to just three hits and a pair of walks while striking out six batters. He had 17 swings and misses in his 91 pitches, matching a career-high. He topped out at 98.7 mph on his fastball, holding the velocity spike he showed in 2017.

Long considered a potential breakout candidate, Morton has showcased some of the nastiest stuff in the majors since joining Houston. The 34-year-old posted a 3.62 ERA and 163/50 K/BB ratio over 146 2/3 innings during the regular season last year before providing some heroics during the team’s World Series run.

I ranked Morton as my No. 40 fantasy starting pitcher when we did our staff rankings way back in February. I was actually the highest on him among our staff, but he could end up making us all look as silly. You know, sort of like he does with opposing hitters these days.

The Astros have now made it through one turn in the rotation and boy has it been impressive. Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers, Gerrit Cole, and Morton have combined for a dominant 1.78 ERA and 36/9 K/BB ratio in 30 1/3 innings. Throw in what many believe is the best lineup in the majors and we’re talking about a possible juggernaut here. They really mean that #NeverSettle thing.


Talking About Tyler

Reds right-hander Luis Castillo was a popular name in fantasy drafts this spring. Despite his shaky season debut against the Nationals over the weekend, the enthusiasm is deserved. However, it turns out there’s another exciting young arm to watch in the Cincinnati’s rotation.

Tyler Mahle was impressive in his season debut Monday against the Cubs, allowing just one hit over six scoreless innings as part of a 1-0 victory. Sitting in the mid-90s with his fastball, he struck out seven  — two swinging, five looking — while walking a pair and hitting a batter. The 23-year-old induced 10 swings and misses in his 86 pitches, so while he wasn’t blowing people away, he did an excellent job locating his pitches. It was an eye-opening performance against a deep Chicago lineup.

Selected in the seventh round of the 2013 draft, Mahle put up a strong 2.06 ERA and 138/30 K/BB ratio in 144 1/3 innings over 24 starts last season between Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville. He earned his first call-up in late August and posted a 2.70 ERA in four starts down the stretch, though it came with a shaky 14/11 KBB ratio in 20 innings. Still, the control and the command was obviously a strength in the minors. And he showed it off in Monday’s start.

Like with any young pitcher, Mahle has some work to do. He mainly relies on his fastball and slider, so trusting his changeup will be the key to him neutralizing left-handed batters. Those in mixed fantasy leagues could do worse than to pick him up now and track his progress.

 


Holland Almost Ready

The new Cardinals’ closer is nearing his arrival. Fresh off agreeing to a one-year, $14 million deal with St. Louis on Opening Day, Greg Holland is expected to join the active roster for next Monday’s game against the Brewers.

It took a long time to get resolved, but the Cardinals have looked like the most likely landing spot for quite some time now. The team’s closer situation was an open question for most of the spring. Veteran reliever Luke Gregerson entered camp as the favorite, but he ended up injuring his hamstring. Dominic Leone emerged as the front-runner from there and soon became a popular selection in fantasy drafts, but now he’ll slide into a set-up role. With young Jordan Hicks lighting up radar guns, the Cardinals could have a lethal late-inning crew.

In his first season back from Tommy John surgery, Holland saved 42 games (tied for the most in the NL) for the Rockies in 2017 while compiling a 3.61 ERA and 70/26 K/BB ratio over 57 1/3 innings. His second half wasn’t nearly as good as his first, but he declined a $15 million player option for 2018 and a $17.4 million qualifying offer from the Rockies in hopes of finding a lucrative multi-year deal on the open market. It didn’t happen, but the 32-year-old now hopes to prove his worth and try again next offseason.

NL Quick Hits: Bryce Harper slugged a three-run homer and drew four walks Monday against the Braves … Charlie Blackmon hit his MLB-leading fourth homer Monday against the Padres … Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Justin Turner (wrist) won’t begin swinging a bat until next week … Daniel Murphy (knee) has progressed from treadmill to on-field running … Gregory Polanco doubled and drew four walks Monday versus the Twins … Kenley Jansen blew a save chance Monday after giving up a three-run homer to Chris Owings … Paul DeJong went 3-for-4 and slugged a three-run homer in Monday’s victory over the Brewers … Ian Desmond (knee) homered and knocked in three runs in his return to the Rockies’ lineup Monday … J.T. Realmuto (back) has begun catching drills … Wil Myers hit a homer Monday before leaving the game with a triceps issue, though X-rays showed no structural damage …

The Diamondbacks outrighted outfielder Yasmany Tomas to Triple-A Reno after he cleared waivers unclaimed … Colin Moran slugged a grand slam in Monday’s win over the Twins … The Nationals placed catcher Matt Wieters on the 10-day disabled list with a mild left oblique strain … The Pirates placed right-hander Joe Musgrove on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder strain … Jedd Gyorko left Monday’s game with a strained right hamstring … The Mets will skip Seth Lugo in the rotation after Monday’s game against the Phillies was postponed due to snow … Steven Souza (pectoral) threw from 90 feet and hit in the cage Monday … Tyler Chatwood tossed six innings of one-run ball in a loss to the Reds on Monday … Austin Hedges was scratched from the Padres’ lineup on Monday due to upper back tightness … Jason Vargas (hand) threw a 65-pitch indoor simulated game on Monday … Jordy Mercer is day-to-day after X-rays were negative on his right pinkie finger … Dinelson Lamet recently underwent an MRI on his right elbow, but the Padres aren’t ready to discuss the results … Scott Schebler was a late scratch from Monday’s lineup with a sore right elbow … The Dodgers signed right-hander Daniel Hudson to a minor league contract …

AL Quick Hits: In what we promise is not a misprint, Edwin Encarnacion hit an inside-the-park home run Monday against the Angels … Carlos Correa is day-to-day after leaving Monday’s game with discomfort in his left big toe … Josh Donaldson (shoulder) hit his first homer of the season Monday against the White Sox and could return to third base duties on Tuesday … Mookie Betts went 2-for-5 with his first homer of the season in Monday’s win over the Marlins … Brian Dozier hit his third homer in his last two games on Monday against the Pirates … The Mariners are still debating whether to place Nelson Cruz (ankle) on the disabled list … Troy Tulowitzki underwent surgery Monday to remove bone spurs in both of his heels and is expected to miss about eight weeks … Michael Brantley (ankle) is scheduled to play in an extended spring training game Tuesday … Jordan Montgomery will start against the Rays on Tuesday after Monday’s scheduled home opener was snowed out … The Astros placed first baseman Yuli Gurriel on the 10-day disabled list with a left hand injury …  Wellington Castillo socked two solo homers Monday against the Blue Jays … Lance Lynn gave up five runs in four innings and tied a career-high with six walks in Monday’s loss to the Pirates … The Orioles signed outfielder Michael Saunders to a minor league contract … Russell Martin hit a go-ahead two-run homer against the White Sox on Monday … Jed Lowrie hit a go-ahead two-run double in Monday’s win over the Rangers … Lucas Duda is considered day-to-day after leaving Monday’s game with right hamstring tightness … Delino DeShields underwent surgery Monday to repair a fractured hamate bone in his left hand … 44-year-old Bartolo Colon tossed six innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against the Athletics on Monday … Francisco Liriano allowed just one run over 6 2/3 innings against the Royals on Monday in his Tigers debut … Andrew Heaney (shoulder) is expected to throw 80-90 pitches in a minor league rehab game on Friday … Tim Lincecum (hand) threw a bullpen session Monday … Brian Johnson spun six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Marlins on Monday … The Rangers sent first baseman Tommy Joseph outright to Double-A Frisco … The Royals claimed outfielder Abraham Almonte off waivers from the Indians … The Angels announced plans to move prospect Jahmai Jones from the outfield to second base …

On the wings of Angels

Shohei Otani

To say that Shohei Ohtani had a tumultuous spring training would be a massive understatement. The 23-year-old came over from Japan with a tremendous amount of fanfare and sky-high expectations. Prior to the start of spring training, he was being drafted as an ace in many fantasy leagues, going inside the top 15 starting pitchers.

Then, the Cactus League happened. Ohtani only appeared in two games as a pitcher, surrendering nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits in just 2 ⅔ innings. He wasn’t any better on the back fields or in minor league play either. He was so bad, that many believed that the Angels would actually start him out in the minor leagues to allow him to settle in and get his feet under him before joining the Angels’ rotation.

The Angels stuck to their plan though. Some players rise to the occasion on the biggest stage and the early returns paint the picture that Ohtani is exactly that type of guy.

He took the hill for the Angels on Sunday, making his MLB pitching debut against the Athletics. He was amped up in the first inning, touching 99.6 mph with his fastball as he set down the side in order, two of them via strikeouts.

Ohtani then came back out in the second inning and fanned Khris Davis. After that, he gave up a one-out single to Matt Joyce. Stephen Piscotty followed with a single of his own before Matt Chapman unloaded on a 0-1 pitch for a three-run homer. Just 1 ⅓ innings into his MLB career and Ohtani was already on the ropes.

Rather than fall apart though, he showed tremendous resolve. Ohtani rallied to get Jonathan Lucroy and Boog Powell on a pair of ground balls to end the second inning. They were the first two of a string of six straight hitters that he’d retire before Matt Joyce walked in the fourth inning. After that, he set down another eight in a row before departing after the sixth inning.

While he was holding the Athletics’ offense at bay in the middle innings, the Angels’ offense battled back for their right-hander. They pushed a pair of runs across in the top half of the fifth inning to give the Angels’ a 4-3 lead, putting Ohtani in line for a victory.

They would add on to that lead with three more in the seventh, and four relievers combined to fire three scoreless innings, making Ohtani victorious for the first time stateside. All told, he surrendered just those three consecutive hits in the second inning and the Joyce walk in the fourth while striking out six.

In starting on Sunday, Ohtani accomplished something that has rarely been done in the big leagues. He became the first player to start on Opening Day as a non-pitcher, and then start one of the team’s first 10 games of the season. The last player to do so? Babe Ruth with the Red Sox in 1919.

Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia was certainly impressed by what he saw from Ohtani. "I think you saw the talent and you saw him being able to put pitches together," Scioscia told reporters. "You can see how he can get hitters out, not just the velocity but all his pitches. He used everything. Outside of one stretch of three hitters in the second inning, that's about as well as you can pitch."

His next start will be appointment viewing for many baseball fans and fantasy owners alike. It’ll be especially interesting because it will be a rematch against these same Oakland Athletics that saw him up close on Sunday. If he can dominate them once more, even after they just saw him, it could bode well for his long-term viability and success in the big leagues.

Smoak Monster

Justin Smoak had an afternoon to remember on Sunday in Toronto, single-handedly powering the Blue Jays to a come-from-behind victory over the Yankees.

The Blue Jays trailed 4-1 entering the home half of the seventh inning. There, Josh Donaldson coaxed a leadoff walk out of Yankees’ reliever Tommy Kahnle and Smoak made him pay, crushing a two-run homer over the wall in center field to cut the Jays’ deficit to 4-3.

The score would remain 4-3 into the eighth inning, where Russell Martin singled and Aledmys Diaz doubled, putting two runners in scoring position with only one out. Yankees’ hurler David Robertson got Devon Travis to ground out on the first pitch, bringing Josh Donaldson to the dish. Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone opted to walk Donaldson intentionally, despite the righty-on-righty matchup, opting instead to pitch to the left-handed slugging Smoak.

Smoak made him pay. After fouling off three tough two-strike pitches, Smoak clobbered a grand slam over the center field wall, putting the Jays’ ahead to stay. It was the second grand slam of Smoak’s career and came on a pitch that he was looking for in that situation. Smoak admitted after the game that after fouling off a pair of curveballs, he was looking for a fastball from Robertson and happened to guess correctly.

As far as Boone goes, the Yankees’ rookie manager stands by his decision to walk Donaldson and attack Smoak instead. "You've got to tip your cap there," Boone said. "Smoak worked a heck of an at-bat off him, fouled off some really tough pitches and then finally got one. He ends up having a huge day against us, obviously. I'm comfortable with the matchup. Didn't get it done today." Prior to that at-bat, Smoak had been 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in his limited sample against Robertson for his career.

Smoak also singled and drew a walk in the contest, finishing his monster night 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and six RBI. The Blue Jays will certainly take it, as they were able to salvage a four-game split from their season-opening series. As for Smoak, the 31-year-old is off to terrific start to his 2018 season, hitting .467/.529/1.000 with two homers and eight RBI.

Jose Berri-0-s

Jose Berrios put on a mighty impressive show in Sunday’s victory over the Orioles. The 23-year-old right-hander recorded his first career complete game and shutout, limiting the O’s to just three hits and a walk while striking out six.

Berrios sent down the first eight hitters that he saw on Sunday before allowing a two-out double to Chance Sisco in the third inning. He then set down the next 17 in a row before the O’s put together a couple of hits and a walk in the ninth inning. Even then, Berrios remained in control and battled back to retire Jonathan Schoop and Adam Jones with the bases loaded to secure the shutout.

Berrios needed just 107 total pitches to complete his masterpiece, 71 of them thrown for strikes. It was an outstanding debut for Berrios who is already looking like one of the top overall pitchers in the league. He’ll try to extend his dominance when he takes on the Mariners on Saturday.

American League Quick Hits: Kenyan Middleton was called upon to relieve Blake Parker in the ninth inning on Sunday, recording the final two outs against the Athletics to secure his first save. He may have already usurped the closer’s role from Parker and needs to be owned in all formats… Sunday’s scheduled tilt between the White Sox and Royals was postponed due to rain. It’ll be made up as part of a doubleheader on April 28… Mark Trumbo (quad) is nearing a minor league rehab assignment… Mike Zunino (oblique) is expected to return from the disabled list as soon as he’s eligible...Andrew Heaney (shoulder) threw 69 pitches in an exhibition game without any issues on Sunday… Michael Fulmer suffered a tough-luck loss on Sunday, allowing just four hits over eight innings of one-run ball against the Pirates… Brian Dozier clubbed a pair of home runs in a victory over the Orioles… Evan Gattis had three hits and three RBI, leading the Astros to victory over the Rangers… Gerrit Cole fanned 11 over seven innings of one-run ball against the Rangers in his Astros’ debut… Mitch Haniger blasted his second homer in a victory over the Indians… Tigers’ outfielder Victor Reyes suffered a lacerated forearm due to a collision with teammate Jose Iglesias. He’s considered day-to-day…The Mariners are still awaiting the MRI results on the injured right ankle of star slugger Nelson Cruz… Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a homer as the Tigers fell to the Pirates on Sunday night to drop both games of the doubleheader.

National League Quick Hits: Michael Conforto (shoulder) could be activated from the disabled list as early as Thursday. He’ll hit against Jason Vargas in a simulated game on Monday… Anthony Swarzak is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his injured oblique on Monday and is likely heading for a trip to the disabled list… Trevor Williams no-hit the Tigers through six innings in Sunday’s victory… Felipe Rivero picked up a pair of saves on Friday, striking out five in his two innings of work… Dillon Peters fired six scoreless innings as the Marlins shut out the Cubs… Paul DeJong homered twice on Sunday, powering the Cardinals to victory over the Mets… Gio Gonzalez allowed one run over six innings while striking out seven in a win over the Reds… Bryce Harper launched a pair of homers, powering the Nationals to a one-run win over the Reds… Rich Hill shut out the Giants over six innings on Sunday to earn his first victory of the season.