The Opener

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world this weekend:

1. Horton to debut:

The Cubs are calling up top pitching prospect Cade Horton this weekend. The 23-year-old was the club’s first-round pick in the 2022 draft and was a consensus top-30 prospect in the sport ahead of the 2024 campaign. He slid down prospect rankings a bit after an injury-marred season last year, but through six starts in 2025 he’s bounced back to peak performance levels. Horton has posted a sparkling 1.24 ERA in 29 innings of work across six starts at Triple-A, and he’s done so while striking out an impressive 30.6% of opponents. Now, he’ll get his first big league opportunity against the Mets and right-hander Tylor Megill (2.50 ERA in seven starts) on Saturday.

2. Quintana to reach milestone:

The Brewers are in Tampa this weekend for a series against the Rays, and tonight’s game will pit veteran southpaw Jose Quintana (2.83 ERA in five starts) against Rays righty Zack Littell (4.61 ERA in seven starts). Quintana, 36, is set to reach a major milestone during today’s start. With 1,998 1/3 innings pitched in his career, the southpaw will reach 2,000 career innings during the second frame of today’s game. The outing will make him just the sixth active player to reach that milestone after Chris Sale joined Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Charlie Morton during his last start with Atlanta. Quintana will be the 450th player in MLB history to reach that mark.

3. AL Central going streaking:

The AL Central sent three teams to the postseason last year (Cleveland, Detroit, and Kansas City), and the beginning of the 2025 season has already raised the possibility of a repeat. Not only have the Tigers emerged as the top club in the American League with a 25-13 start that ties them with the Dodgers for baseball’s best record, but the division once again has three teams in playoff position.

That’s been spurred on by a series of win streaks all around the AL Central. Detroit has won four straight, and the second-place Guardians have won two in a row (and seven of their past ten). Even more impressive are the ongoing streaks in Kansas City (six games) and Minnesota (five games). These hot stretches have allowed the Royals to grab the second-most wins in the AL behind Detroit, while Minnesota has managed to mostly dig itself out of a dreadful start to the season with an 18-20 record that puts them just two games back of a Wild Card spot.

Will any of these clubs be able to keep the good times rolling this weekend? All four are at home. The Tigers host a struggling Rangers club that just shook up its coaching staff. The Royals host a Red Sox series embroiled in drama regarding Rafael Devers’ position. The Twins and Guardians will each take on one of the NL’s top teams, hosting the Giants and Phillies, respectively.

As the 2025 MLB season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Greene to undergo MRI:

Reds right-hander Hunter Greene departed yesterday’s win over Atlanta after just three scoreless frames due to a groin issue. According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Greene is set to undergo an MRI this morning before Reds brass decide how to proceed. Although both team officials and Greene himself expressed some optimism about the right-hander’s condition, a trip to the injured list is always at least on the table when a player heads for imaging of this nature.

The 25-year-old Greene has dominated to the tune of a 2.36 ERA and 3.07 FIP in eight starts this year, and losing him for any period would be a hit to the team’s standing in a tightly contested NL Central. If Greene were to require time on the shelf, Chase Petty seems like the best fill-in option on the 40-man roster. Veteran southpaw Wade Miley could be an option eventually, but he’s yet to resume his rehab assignment after pausing due groin injury two weeks ago.

2. Doubleheader in Colorado:

Tuesday’s postponed game between the Rockies and Tigers will be made up today alongside the teams’ previously scheduled game at Coors Field. Game 1 will begin at 1:10pm local time, with Game 2 following 30 minutes after the end of Game 2. Only tickets for the regularly scheduled game for today will be valid for today’s doubleheader, as noted by Manny Randhawa of MLB.com, and fans will not be required to exit the ballpark between the two games. Game 1 is set to be started by Detroit righty Casey Mize, who has a sparkling 2.70 ERA through six starts this year, and Rockies southpaw Kyle Freeland, who has a 5.70 ERA through seven starts in his ninth year with the club. The Tigers haven’t announced a starter for Game 2, but Colorado will turn to southpaw Tanner Gordon in what will be his season debut and just his ninth MLB appearance. The 27-year-old Gordon has a 4.82 ERA and 22-to-6 K/BB ratio in 28 innings in Triple-A this year.

3. Series Preview: Dodgers @ Diamondbacks

A rumble between two of the NL West’s top teams is set to begin in Arizona today when the Dodgers and ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto (0.90 ERA in seven starts) take the field against the Diamondbacks and young righty Brandon Pfaadt (3.79 ERA in seven starts). The Dodgers sit atop the NL West with a 25-12 record after winning each of their last four series, while the Diamondbacks have lost six straight series and are struggling to keep their heads above water with a 19-18 record. That’s dropped Arizona six games back of the Dodgers for the NL West lead. They’re 3.5 games back of both the Padres and Giants, who are in a second-place tie.

A big series against the top dogs in the division could be just what Arizona needs to get back into the thick of the division race alongside San Diego and San Francisco. The D-backs will square off against Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki (3.86 ERA in seven starts), Dustin May (4.36 ERA in six starts), and a yet-to-be-announced starter Sunday. They’ll counter that group with Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodriguez (5.92 ERA in seven starts), Corbin Burnes (3.58 ERA in six starts) and Zac Gallen (4.37 ERA in eight starts), respectively.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Morton gets another chance in the rotation:

The Orioles moved right-hander Charlie Morton to the bullpen last week after he struggled badly in the first month of the season. The 41-year-old has still walked (six) more batters than he’s struck out (five) and allowed a 6.43 ERA in seven innings of work as a reliever, however. It’s hardly an impressive performance, but the Orioles are nonetheless turning to Morton in the rotation once again today as he’s slated to start against the Twins and righty Simeon Woods Richardson (4.03 ERA in six appearances) at 6:40pm local time in Minnesota. With right-hander Zach Eflin seemingly poised to return to the Orioles’ rotation in the near future, it’s possible today’s start could be Morton’s final opportunity to make a good impression in a rotation role for some time.

2. Bregman searching for No. 200:

Over the weekend, a hitter who has the option to re-enter free agency this offseason slugged the 200th homer of his career when Cody Bellinger sent a pitch from Rays righty Taj Bradley into the seats. The milestone achievement was a rare bright spot in the 2025 season for Bellinger, who has struggled to a .205/.281/.389 slash line in his first 33 games in a Yankees uniform. With Bellinger now having reached career homer No. 200, another hitter in the AL East with an opt-out opportunity this winter sits on the cusp of that same milestone: Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman. Bregman hit his 199th homer late last week amid what’s been a brilliant first campaign with Boston that’s seen him hit .315/.393/.580. Will he get his milestone homer against Tyler Mahle (1.19 ERA in seven starts) and the Rangers this evening?

3. Top prospects face off in Colorado:

A pair of rookie hurlers and recent first-round picks are scheduled to face off tonight when the Tigers and Jackson Jobe face Chase Dollander and the Rockies at Coors Field in a game scheduled for 6:40pm local time. Jobe, 22, was selected third overall by Detroit in 2021 and made his big league debut with two scoreless relief appearances last year. This season, he’s in the Tigers’ rotation with mixed results to this point. Jobe’s 3.38 ERA is impressive, but it’s belied by a subpar 17.6% strikeout rate against an elevated 13.7% walk rate which have contributed to a lackluster 4.96 FIP.

Dollander, the No. 9 overall pick in 2023, has faced struggles of his own in his first taste of big league action. He’s fresh off a nice start against the Braves (one run, two hits, three walks, four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings) and will look to build some momentum on the back of that performance. While Dollander is striking out a solid 22.3% of opponents with a much more manageable 8.9% walk rate, he’s also surrendered a whopping eight home runs in just 25 innings this year. Six of those homers were surrendered on the road, so his trouble with the long ball can’t even be attributed to the difficulties of pitching at Coors.

Both Jobe and Dollander were top-10 picks, and both entered the season ranked among Baseball America’s top-10 prospects in the entire sport. That type of showdown is obviously quite rare, making tonight’s performance a fun one to watch — especially for fans who like to keep a close eye on the game’s next wave of young talent.

As the 2025 season continues, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day today:

1. Merrill to return:

The Padres have been without star center fielder Jackson Merrill for the past month, but as noted by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the 2024 Rookie of the Year runner-up traveled to meet the team in New York yesterday and is expected to be in the lineup today against righty Clarke Schmidt. Merrill was white hot in the season’s first ten games, slashing .378/.415/.676 in 41 plate appearances. The 23-11 Padres have been relying on bench pieces Brandon Lockridge and Tyler Wade in center field during Merrill’s absence. The latter has hit quite well, whereas the former has struggled considerably. A corresponding 26-man roster move will be necessary to bring Merrill back into the fold.

2. Hernandez to undergo MRI:

Dodgers slugger Teoscar Hernandez departed yesterday’s win over the Marlins due to what the club termed “tightness” in his left hamstring. Hernandez will undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the issue, as noted by The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. It won’t be known whether Hernandez will require a trip to the injured list until after the results come back, but Ardaya did note that manager Dave Roberts called the injury “a little concerning.” Hernandez enjoyed a banner year with the Dodgers last season and has improved on those numbers in 2025, hitting .305/.323/.586 with nine doubles and nine homers in 32 games. If he does require a trip to the injured list, James Outman and Esteury Ruiz are candidates to join the outfield mix alongside Michael Conforto and Andy Pages.

3. MLBTR chat today:

All of the league’s teams have now played at least 20% of their schedule, but there’s still plenty of baseball left to go and nearly three months remaining until the trade deadline on July 31. Whether you’re looking ahead to the deadline or still trying to sort between the contenders and pretenders, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Cubs await Imanaga imaging:

The Cubs already lost one ace lefty this year when Justin Steele underwent elbow surgery last month. Now, they’re facing another injury scare for their other top southpaw. Shota Imanaga departed in the sixth inning of his start against the Brewers yesterday due to what was immediately termed by the Cubs a hamstring strain. Imanaga is undergoing tests and imaging ahead of Chicago’s decision regarding a trip to the injured list. With Steele and Javier Assad already on the shelf, a third injury in the rotation would put the team’s depth to the test. Jordan Wicks and top prospect Cade Horton are available at Triple-A, while Chris Flexen could step from his role as a long reliever into the rotation, as Colin Rea did when Steele went down a few weeks ago.

2. Blue Jays 40-man roster moves incoming:

Over the weekend, the Blue Jays reportedly signed a pair of right-handers to major league deals: Spencer Turnbull and Jose Urena. The moves should give Toronto bolstered pitching depth once added to the roster. Both are capable of pitching either in the rotation or out of the bullpen. In the meantime, the Jays will need to officially announce the signings and make the corresponding 40-man roster moves that will come with that announcement. Max Scherzer, Nick Sandlin, and Erik Swanson are all currently on the 15-day injured list, though the timetable for their returns isn’t fully clear. If the Jays don’t want to move any of that trio to the 60-day injured list, they’ll either need to designate someone for assignment or work out some sort of trade that clears 40-man roster space before Turnbull and Urena can officially be brought into the fold.

3. Series Preview: Padres @ Yankees

An interleague series between two teams firmly in the mix for the playoffs this year is set to start this evening, when the Padres head to Yankee Stadium at 7:05pm local time. San Diego right-hander Nick Pivetta has enjoyed a brilliant season so far (1.78 ERA in six starts), though now he’ll be tested by Aaron Judge and the rest of the Yankees lineup while squaring off against Carlos Rodon (3.43 ERA in seven starts). Tuesday’s game is expected to pit former Yankee Michael King (2.09 ERA in seven starts) against Clarke Schmidt (5.52 ERA in three starts) after Schmidt’s start was pushed back over the weekend. The series will close out with Dylan Cease (5.61 ERA in seven starts) against Yankees ace Max Fried (1.01 ERA in seven starts). Cease’s ERA went soaring to 7.98 when the A’s pounced on him for nine runs on April 8, but he’s dropped that earned run average in each of his four subsequent starts. Can he make it five in a row? The 22-11 Padres currently sit a half-game behind the division-leading Dodgers and one game ahead of the third-place Giants. The 19-15 Yankees hold a two-game lead in the American League East.

With around 20% of the MLB regular season now in the books, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on heading into the weekend:

1. Hoglund to debut:

The A’s have gotten off to a nice start this year with a 17-15 record, tying them for second place in the AL West with the Astros, just two games behind the Mariners. It’s a massive turnaround for a team that lost 205 games across the previous two seasons, but lackluster starting pitching has held them back somewhat to this point in the season. The club’s 4.88 FIP from their starters is the third-worst figure in baseball, ahead of only the Angels and Orioles.

Reinforcements will be necessary if the A’s hope to continue competing, but help could be on the way as soon as today. The Athletics are calling up prospect Gunnar Hoglund for his big league debut, and MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos specified yesterday evening that he’ll be tasked with starting tonight’s game against the Marlins. The game is scheduled for 7:10pm local time in Miami and will see Hoglund square off against an as of yet unannounced Marlins pitcher. Hoglund is already on the A’s 40-man roster, though a corresponding move will still be necessary to make room for the righty on the active roster.

2. Buehler undergoing testing:

The Red Sox rotation got healthier with the returns of Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito, but it appears that healthy group of arms may be relatively short lived. As noted by Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, Walker Buehler was scratched from his scheduled start for today due to some “discomfort” in his shoulder.

Buehler underwent testing in Boston yesterday. The results have not yet been made clear, but manager Alex Cora told reporters (including Joe Braverman of WEEI) that team trainers believe the issue isn’t “too alarming.” Cora added that Buehler making a start this weekend remains a possibility and that any IL stint would be a relatively short one. Even so, losing Buehler for any period of time would be a frustrating turn of events, given that the right-hander has bounced back from early-season struggles to post a 2.59 ERA in his last four starts.

3. Series Preview: Cubs @ Brewers

The Cubs have raced out to a 19-13 record to this point despite a difficult schedule that included series against the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Padres. Chicago only just had their first series of the season against the NL Central this week, where they beat Paul Skenes to take two of three against the Pirates. Today, they’ll be faced with a tougher challenge from within their division when they head to Milwaukee to face the Brewers.

The NL Central champions in each of the past two seasons (and three of the past four), Milwaukee has opened the 2025 season with a 16-16 record. They’ve lost six of their past ten games against the Giants, Cardinals, and White Sox. Even so, a sweep of the Cubs this weekend would be enough to catapult them right back into the mix for the NL Central lead, as both teams would leave the series with identical 19-16 records. The series kicks off this evening with a pair of young righties battling it out: 25-year-old Ben Brown takes the mound for the Cubs against 24-year-old Quinn Priester, whom the Brewers just acquired from the Red Sox last month. Jameson Taillon and Jose Quintana are slated to face off tomorrow in a clash of steady veterans, and the series wraps on Sunday with a duel between each team’s top starter: lefty Shota Imanaga and right-hander Freddy Peralta.

Here are three things we’ll be watching around baseball as the calendar flips to May.

1. A potential IL stint for Justin Martinez:

Diamondbacks righty Justin Martinez had one of the most disappointing outings of his young career on Wednesday, giving up a home run and two walks before exiting the game. It was only the second time he had ever been removed mid-inning before recording an out. After the contest, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo told reporters, including Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, that Martinez could go for testing on his right arm and that a stint on the injured list is a possibility.

It’s not yet clear where Martinez’s injury is located (if he is indeed injured at all), but his velocity has dropped substantially over his past few appearances. Early in the season, he was averaging triple digits with his sinker, but his velocity was down to the 97-98 mph range in two appearances over the weekend. Last night, his sinker was averaging just 93.5 mph, according to Baseball Savant. Earlier this week, Martinez told MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert that he wasn’t concerned, saying, “My arm feels good.” Yet, given his dramatic decline in velocity, it’s no wonder the Diamondbacks are worried about a potential injury. Presumably, the team will provide more updates if and when Martinez goes for imaging.

2. MRI for Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. exited early on Tuesday and sat out Wednesday’s series finale against the Orioles with what was originally deemed “right flank discomfort” and later clarified to be an oblique issue (per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). Chisholm himself has downplayed the severity of the injury, but manager Aaron Boone isn’t quite as optimistic. The skipper told reporters (including Chris Kirschner of The Athletic): “[Chisholm is] in pretty good spirits. He just told me, ’I’m fine.’ I don’t know about that.” Boone suggested that despite Chisholm’s good spirits, an IL stint might be in order. According to Greg Joyce of the New York Post, Chisholm was still feeling sore on Wednesday, and an MRI today will help the Yankees determine next steps.

3. Opt-out opportunity for veterans on minor league deals:

The collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLBPA allows Article XX(B)-designated free agents (those with at least six years of service time who finished the previous campaign on a major league roster or injured list) three chances to opt out of minor league deals they may have signed, presuming they signed those deals at least ten days before Opening Day and they haven’t been added to their team’s 40-man roster. One of those opt-outs is today, May 1. Some notable veterans who could exercise their opt-outs include Eloy Jiménez (Rays) and Andrew Chafin (Tigers). Yasmani Grandal, who signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox after Opening Day, also reportedly has a May 1 opt-out in his deal.

As the 2025 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Witt reaches 20-game hit streak:

Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. may not yet be replicating the absurd heights he reached during his MVP runner-up campaign last year, but he’s still off to an excellent start. The soon to be 25-year-old is hitting .316/.385/.474 with nine steals and an MLB-leading 12 doubles. After a relatively slow start in the season’s first couple of weeks, Witt’s last 20 games have been particularly sensational; he’s batted .356/.424/.521 while getting at least one hit in each game. That 20-game hit streak is the longest of the 2025 season, and today he’ll try to keep it going against the Rays and right-hander Drew Rasmussen.

2. Youngsters getting promoted:

Speaking of the Royals’ matchup with Rasmussen and the Rays this evening, they’ll be sending a rookie to the mound opposite Tampa’s hard-throwing righty. Southpaw Noah Cameron is reportedly poised to make his MLB debut in this evening’s game, which is scheduled to begin at 7:05pm local time in Tampa. Cameron was generally solid in 25 starts between Double-A and Triple-A last year, and to this point he’s posted a 3.22 ERA in five starts at the level this season with a 30.3% strikeout rate. That excellent start was enough to earn him a look at the big league level as a spot starter while ace southpaw Cole Ragans nurses a groin injury.

Meanwhile, two prospects figure to make their own MLB debuts today when the Reds promote right-hander Chase Petty and infielder Tyler Callihan. Those promotions will come in advance of today’s doubleheader against the Cardinals. Petty, 22, is a top-100 prospect acquired from the Twins in the Sonny Gray trade a few years back. He’s slated to pitch opposite St. Louis lefty Steven Matz after posting a 3.52 ERA in his first five starts of the year at Triple-A. As for Callihan, the third-rounder of Cincinnati’s 2019 draft has just begun his age-25 season and has torn the cover off the ball in his first taste of Triple-A, with a .311/.432/.553 slash line in 28 games (including a brief four-game look there late in 2024).

3. Notable returns in Los Angeles, Boston:

Two starting pitchers who haven’t pitched since the 2023 season are slated to return to the big leagues today. The Dodgers are welcoming Tony Gonsolin back from the injured list following rehab from Tommy John surgery that’s kept him sidelined 20 months. He’ll face the Marlins in his return game at Dodger Stadium, which is scheduled for 12:10pm local time and will feature Miami righty Cal Quantrill on the mound opposite the 2022 All-Star.

Meanwhile, Lucas Giolito will finally make his Red Sox debut after signing with the club during the 2023-24 offseason but undergoing elbow surgery during spring training. Giolito is poised to take on the Blue Jays in Toronto, with the game scheduled for 7.07pm local time. The Jays have not yet announced who will take the mound opposite Giolito in this evening’s game.

As the 2025 regular season continues, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day today:

1. Arraez to be activated:

Padres infielder Luis Arraez has spent more than a week on the concussion list after a collision at first base led to him being carted off the field in Houston. Per Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase, Arraez is expected to be activated prior to tonight’s home game against the visiting Giants, set for 6:40pm local time. It’s a boon for the Padres’ lineup. While Gavin Sheets has performed well amid a move from DH to first base while covering for Arraez, that left more at-bats for Oscar Gonzalez and Tirso Ornelas, both of whom have looked generally overmatched so far this season. Gonzalez is hitting .256/.273/.279 in 44 plate appearances, and Ornelas has delivered just a .071/.188/.071 slash in a smaller sample of 16 plate appearances (1-for-14 with two walks). An active roster move will be necessary to activate Arraez.

2. Gibson to make season debut:

Five weeks after he signed with the Orioles on a one-year deal, Baltimore is welcoming veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson back into its rotation today. He’s already on the 40-man roster, but a corresponding move to clear room on the active roster for the 37-year-old will still be necessary. Gibson is set to begin the 13th MLB season of his career tonight against the Yankees and southpaw Carlos Rodon, who sports a solid 3.50 ERA through six starts to this point in the year.

Gibson carries a career 4.52 ERA and a 4.68 mark over the past three seasons, but his ability to eat innings and keep his team in games has still made him a valuable back-end starter. That includes his previous stint in Baltimore, when he helped the 2023 club make it to the postseason by acting as a veteran leader in the rotation (33 starts, 192 innings, 4.73 ERA). Now that the Orioles have slid to fifth place in the AL East, will Gibson once again be able to help left them to the postseason?

3. MLBTR chat today:

The month of April is coming to a close. Some expected contenders like those in Atlanta and Baltimore have struggled considerably (though the Braves have now won eight of their past 10). Meanwhile, the Giants stand as the most surprising division leader, currently holding a 19-10 record that ties them with the Dodgers for the NL West lead. There’s still plenty of baseball left to go. If you have questions about which starts to believe in or are already looking towards July’s trade deadline then MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

As the 2025 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Glasnow undergoing testing:

Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow exited yesterday’s start prior to the second inning due to what the club referred to as “discomfort” in his throwing shoulder. Glasnow noted after the game that the soreness is something he’s been dealing with recently due to changes to his delivery. He was slated to undergo testing last night, so more information should be available today.

Losing a starter of Glasnow’s caliber is always difficult, but it’d be particularly frustrating for the Dodgers, given the timing. Los Angeles has been using four starters since Blake Snell landed on the IL, but with Tony Gonsolin nearing a return, they surely hoped to be back up to five starters in the near future. Glasnow hasn’t been his best self to this point in the year. He’s posted a lackluster 4.50 ERA with a 5.38 FIP, and it’s not hard to imagine a trip to the IL to rest his ailing shoulder helping him get back on track.

2. Cardinals roster move incoming:

The Cardinals are reportedly poised to select the contract of Jose Barrero today. Barrero, 27, has parts of four MLB seasons under his belt and most recently played for the Reds back in 2023. He’s struggled to hit in the majors over the years but has played quality defense both at shortstop and in center field, and it’s that strong glove that’s convinced the Cardinals to call him up for their bench mix. Thomas Saggese was optioned to the minors to make room for Barrero on the active roster, but a 40-man roster move will still be necessary to officially add him to the roster. With no obvious 60-day IL candidates currently available, the most likely avenue to open up a roster spot for Barrero would be designating a player for assignment.

3. Series Preview: Yankees @ Orioles

A series that many fans in New York and Baltimore circled as a clash between likely playoff teams is scheduled to begin at 6:35pm local time this evening, but the situation facing the Orioles as the division-leading Yankees arrive in Camden Yards is far different than most anticipated. The O’s have struggled to a 10-17 record and are coming off a sweep at the hands of the AL-best Tigers. The Yankees, meanwhile, have arguably exceeded the expectations placed on the team after losing Juan Soto to free agency and Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery. They’ve picked up nine wins in their last 13 games, propelling them to a 17-11 record overall.

The looming three-game set has far more stakes for the Orioles than it does for the Yankees. New York would surely like to pad its two-game cushion over the second-place Red Sox, but another sweep would put Baltimore ten games below .500 before the month of May even begins. The series starts with Yankees youngster Will Warren on the mound opposite longtime NPB ace Tomoyuki Sugano as both compete in their first full big league seasons. Carlos Rodon will take on a yet-to-be-determined Orioles starter in Game 2 of the series. Baltimore lefty Cade Povich is scheduled to take on Yankees veteran Carlos Carrasco in Game 3.