The Opener

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.

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

1. Ragans nursing groin issue:

The Royals swept their doubleheader against the Rockies yesterday, but the pair of wins came at a cost when southpaw Cole Ragans was pulled from his start after just three innings due to left groin tightness. The lefty is set to undergo additional testing today to determine the severity of the issue, at which point we’ll likely know more about if he’s going to miss significant time or be back on the mound in relatively short order. Ragans has pitched to a lackluster 4.40 ERA across his six starts this season, but the underlying metrics look phenomenal nonetheless as he’s struck out 35.9% of his opponents while walking just 7.0%, leaving him with a 2.69 FIP. That wouldn’t be easy production to replace at the front of the rotation, though Luinder Avila and Noah Cameron are in Triple-A and already on the 40-man roster as potential depth options.

2. Will the Mets’ streak continue?

The Mets have won seven games in a row, giving them an 18-7 record overall that’s good for the best in baseball. They hold a relatively commanding five-game lead over the Phillies in the NL East currently that’s all the more impressive given the early point in the calendar, and at 6:45pm local time this evening they’ll go for eight straight wins when they take on the Nationals. Right-hander Kodai Senga will be on the mound and looking to build upon a brilliant first four starts this year during which he’s posted a 0.79 ERA and a 2.89 FIP while striking out 23% of his opponents. Opposite Senga on the mound will be Nationals righty Jake Irvin, who has offered D.C. solid mid-to-back of the rotation results so far with a slightly above-average 3.68 ERA across five starts but a somewhat lackluster 4.66 FIP in 29 1/3 innings of work.

3. Pitchers’ duel in Los Angeles:

A match-up between two of the league’s top starters is always intriguing, but tonight’s game between the Pirates and Dodgers in L.A. figures to stand out even among other potential pitchers’ duels. At 7:10pm local time, Dodgers righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto will take the mound opposite Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes. The two most talented rookie pitchers in all of baseball last year are now emerging among the early potential front-runners for this year’s NL Cy Young award. Yamamoto has put the shoulder injury that cost him much of his debut season entirely behind him as he’s posted a microscopic 0.93 ERA in five starts, pairing it with a 2.02 FIP and 35.2% strikeout rate. Skenes, meanwhile, is building on last year’s dominant NL Rookie of the Year campaign with a 2.87 ERA, a 2.00 FIP, and 25.4% strikeout rate in his own five starts to this point in the season.

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

1. Doubleheader in Kansas City:

Yesterday’s game between the Rockies and Royals was postponed due to weather and will be made up today in a doubleheader. The makeup game will take place immediately after the previously scheduled game, which is set to begin at 1:10pm local time. According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, fans who have tickets to today’s game are welcome to attend both games while fans who had tickets to yesterday’s game will receive a credit for the value of their tickets that can be applied to tickets and suite rentals, though they’ll need to purchase tickets for today’s game in order to attend the doubleheader.

Today’s first matchup is between Rockies righty German Marquez and Royals ace Cole Ragans. Marquez had his last fully healthy season in 2022 and so far this year the rust has showed; he’s been torched for an 8.27 ERA in four starts. He’ll look to get things back on track against Ragans, who finished third in AL Cy Young award voting last year and has started his 2025 season with a 3.58 ERA and a phenomenal 36.8% strikeout rate. Game 2 features Colorado rookie Chase Dollander making his fourth career MLB start against veteran Michael Lorenzen, who has pitched to a 4.57 ERA in 21 2/3 innings of work this season.

2. Will McKenzie be traded?

The Guardians made the tough decision to designate righty Triston McKenzie for assignment earlier this week. The news was simultaneously surprising and in some ways a long time coming, as McKenzie last pitched a full season in back in 2022 and has largely been ineffective since then. Despite his 5.46 ERA in 97 1/3 innings over the past three years, however, McKenzie is still just 27 years old and looked like a potential front-end starter back in 2022. He avoided surgery following a 2023 UCL injury but has never recaptured his pre-injury form.

McKenzie is nearing the point where he’ll need to be placed on waivers to be claimed by any of the league’s other 29 clubs, so if the Guardians hope to work out a trade involving their talented but struggling righty, they’d need to do so soon. Any acquiring club would need to be willing to commit an active roster spot to McKenzie, who is out of minor league options. He’s being paid $1.95MM this year and has two additional seasons of club control.

3. Beltway Series sweep on the line:

The Orioles have been among baseball’s most disappointing teams this year, with a 9-14 record that puts them dead last in the AL East. That’s been even more apparent during this week’s Beltway Series against the Nationals, where they’ve dropped the first two games in the three-game set. Washington is hardly a powerhouse, sitting two games below .500 and 6.5 games back of the Mets in the NL East, but they’ll nonetheless enter tonight’s game (scheduled for 6:45pm local time) with a chance at a sweep. Talented southpaw MacKenzie Gore will be on the mound for D.C. after looking excellent in his first five starts of the year. He’ll be facing fellow southpaw Cade Povich, a former top prospect who has struggled to a 6.38 ERA in is first four starts of the 2025 campaign.

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. Kurtz to make MLB debut:

It’s an exciting day for fans of the Athletics. Top first base prospect Nick Kurtz is poised to make his big league debut during tonight’s game against the Rangers, scheduled for 7:05pm local time. Kurtz, 22, was the club’s first round pick, No. 4 overall, in last year’s draft and has done nothing but rake in pro ball. Though he has just 32 minor league games under his belt, he’s hit an incredible .336/.432/.689 in that time. That production follows a remarkable career at Wake Forest, where he batted .333/.510/.725 in his three seasons with the Demon Deacons.

Now, Kurtz will get the opportunity to prove himself in the majors for an A’s team that has stumbled out the gate to a 10-13 record but already has plenty of exciting offensive talent. Kurtz needs to be added to the 40-man roster today, although the club already has a vacancy so only a corresponding active roster move will be necessary to add him to the mix. With Kurtz bursting onto the scene at first base, the A’s will give breakout slugger Tyler Soderstrom and designated hitter Brent Rooker time in the corner outfield to get the trio of sluggers into the lineup.

2. Puk seeking additional opinions:

Diamondbacks southpaw got an MRI on his ailing elbow yesterday, and the news on that front appears to be worrisome. While manager Torey Lovullo didn’t give much of a concrete update to reporters, he did note that Puk is seeking additional opinions (link via Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic). That’s a foreboding update given that Puk is dealing with elbow inflammation. Acquired at the 2024 trade deadline, Puk has given the D-backs a sensational 1.78 ERA in 35 1/3 innings dating back to last July. The former No. 6 overall pick has fanned 40% of his opponents with the Snakes against a 5.1% walk rate. Jalen Beeks is the only lefty in the Arizona pen at the moment with Puk out of commission, though both Joe Mantiply and Kyle Nelson are in the mix as depth options at Triple-A.

3. Seager, Leclerc undergoing testing:

A pair of notable injuries occurred during yesterday’s game between the Rangers and Athletics. Texas shortstop Corey Seager exited early with tightness in his right hamstring, while A’s right-hander Jose Leclerc exited after just seven pitches due to shoulder soreness. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters (including Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News), that Seager is set to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of his hamstring ailment. The news appears more worrisome for Leclerc. A’s skipper Mark Kotsay told reporters (including MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos) that while the righty is set to undergo additional testing, the injury seems to be “more of a strain than soreness.” 

An injured list stint for their player would be a frustrating development for both clubs; Seager has been the Rangers’ best player since signing a ten-year, $325MM contract prior to the 2022 season. If he needs an IL stint, the Rangers would likely bring utilityman Ezequiel Duran back into the fold after recently optioning him to Triple-A.

Leclerc, meanwhile, was signed to a hefty one-year deal ($10MM) to serve as star closer Mason Miller’s primary set-up man. That hasn’t come to fruition early in the year, though perhaps some of Leclerc’s struggles — six runs on 13 hits and five walks in nine innings — can be attributed to this shoulder injury. The right-hander’s average fastball is sitting at a career-low 94.2 mph — down 1.1 mph from 2024 and down 2.6 mph from its peak.

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

1. Who’s starting in Atlanta?

The Braves had to unexpectedly place Spencer Strider on the injured list yesterday when he suffered a hamstring strain while playing catch. Strider had been slated to make his second start of the season today against the Cardinals and right-hander Andre Pallante. It’s a frustrating problem to have, particularly at a moment where depth starters like AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep are unavailable after making starts at Triple-A within the past few days.

That leaves the club likely to be forced to go with a bullpen game today; righty Scott Blewett tossed 43 pitches his last time out for the Orioles and could perhaps be counted on for two or three innings of work. Recently recalled right-hander Michael Petersen last pitched on Thursday, so he could throw multiple innings as well. If Atlanta decides they need another potential multi-inning option, they could turn to southpaw Dylan Dodd, who has pitched in relief this year but has plenty of experience as a starter. Dodd pitched an inning of work on Sunday and could give the Braves a multi-inning look from the left side, though a roster move would be needed to call him up from Triple-A.

2. Bello to make season debut:

Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello was slowed by shoulder soreness in camp and ultimately began the season on the injured list alongside Lucas Giolito and Kutter Crawford. In the meantime, the Red Sox have had to cycle through depth options like Richard Fitts, Sean Newcomb, and Hunter Dobbins to piece together starts at the back of their rotation. Fortunately, a bit more certainty is on the way, with Bello slated to be activated for this evening’s game against the Mariners. Seattle is likely to counter with young right-hander Bryce Miller. Opposite Miller, Bello will look to build on the steady production he has offered the Red Sox over the past two years, when he posted a 4.37 ERA and 4.36 FIP across 58 starts. The righty looked good in the second half last year, with a 3.47 ERA over his final 13 starts.

3. MLBTR chat today:

Each MLB team is now around 15% of the way through their season, and some expected contenders like those in Atlanta and Baltimore have struggled while more surprising teams like the Giants have done quite well for themselves. 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 today:

1. Arraez collision aftermath:

A scary incident happened at last night’s game between the Astros and Padres, as Luis Arraez had to be carted off the field following a collision with Houston second baseman Mauricio Dubon. Arraez remained down on the field for several minutes, but the Padres thankfully announced that he was in stable condition after he was transported to a local hospital. He returned to the Padres’ clubhouse last night, and while he remained in Houston overnight for observation, it appears as though he’s avoided any severe injuries. Arraez is expected to join his teammates in Detroit for their series against the Tigers later today if he’s remained well overnight. The Padres can rely on a combination of Yuli Gurriel and Gavin Sheets at first base for any games Arraez misses.

2. Carpenter nursing hamstring issue:

Tigers slugger Kerry Carpenter exited last night’s game against the Royals due to soreness in his hamstring. Carpenter is set to be evaluated further today to determine his status, but if Carpenter is out of commission for more than a day or two that could be a major concern for his team. Manuel Margot, Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling, and Wenceel Perez are all already on the injured list, leaving the club’s outfield depth stretched significantly. Brewer Hicklen is the only player on the 40-man roster who could be called up to replace Carpenter, though Hicklen would likely serve in a bench role with Justyn-Henry Malloy getting more reps in the starting lineup. Non-roster options in Triple-A include Ben Gamel and Akil Baddoo, both of whom are hitting well.

3. Series Preview: Phillies @ Mets

The Phillies are headed to Queens for a clash between the NL East’s two best teams that’s scheduled to begin at 7:10pm local time. The only clubs with winning records in the division at the moment, Philadelphia (13-9) currently trails New York (15-7) by two games. Right-handed workhorse Aaron Nola is poised to take the mound for Philadelphia and will look to get his season on track after stumbling to a 6.65 ERA in his first four starts. Meanwhile, Mets righty Tylor Megill will look to build on his hot start (1.40 ERA). Southpaw Cristopher Sanchez (2.96 ERA) and righty Griffin Canning (3.43 ERA) are set to square off tomorrow, and the series will wrap on Wednesday with Phillies ace Zack Wheeler (3.73 ERA) and Mets southpaw David Peterson (3.27 ERA) on the mound.

As the 2025 regular season continues, here are a few things we’ll be keeping an eye on this weekend:

1. Diamondbacks heating up:

Arizona got out to something of a slow start this year, quickly falling to fourth place in the crowded NL West with a 5-6 record. They’ve caught fire since, however, winning seven of eight games — including each of their past five. Their next test will come in the Friendly Confines, as the team is headed to Chicago for a three-game set against the Cubs that begins at 1:20pm local time this afternoon.

Today’s matchup will see right-hander Corbin Burnes try to right the ship after struggling to a 5.28 ERA in his first three starts with Arizona. Chicago counters with Colin Rea, who began the season in the bullpen but has moved into the rotation following Justin Steele’s injury. Rea struck out five Dodgers across 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his first start last week and will continue to stretch out as he shifts back into a starting role. Saturday will see Burnes’ co-ace, Zac Gallen, try to recover from his own uneven start to the season (4.64 ERA) opposite Cubs youngster Ben Brown. Sunday’s series finale will be a battle of mid-rotation veterans as Merrill Kelly takes on Jameson Taillon.

2. Top prospect debut for Twins:

The Twins are reportedly poised to promote top infield prospect Luke Keaschall to the majors prior to today’s game in Atlanta, which begins at 7:15pm local time. A 40-man roster move will be necessary to bring Keaschall into the fold. A consensus top-60 prospect in the sport, the 22-year-old has gotten off to a decent start at Triple-A with a .261/.379/.348 slash line in 14 games. The 2023 second-round pick posted a fantastic .303/.420/.483 slash line last year between the High-A and Double-A levels. Plate discipline and plus contact skills are Keaschall’s calling cards. He’s walked in 13.6% of his professional plate appearances against just a 17.5% strikeout rate.

Keaschall has split most of his time between second base and center field during his time in the minors, though he has experience at first and third base as well. His MLB debut will come amid a rash of injuries for the Twins, who have sluggers Matt Wallner and Royce Lewis on the injured list while shortstop Carlos Correa and utilityman Willi Castro are facing day-to-day maladies. Fellow infielder Jose Miranda was optioned to Triple-A after getting out to a bleak .167/.167/.250 start in his first 36 plate appearances.

3. Brewers change it up at third base:

The Brewers are also set to bring up a promising young talent from their system. Caleb Durbin, acquired from the Yankees in exchange for Devin Williams this offseason, is reportedly headed to the big leagues in place of struggling infielder Oliver Dunn, whom the Brew Crew already formally optioned to Triple-A Nashville. Durbin doesn’t come with the same level of national fanfare that Keaschall brings, but Milwaukee will hope he can make an impact all the same.

A compact speedster standing at 5’7″, Durbin has elite bat-to-ball skills and strong plate discipline but lacks power. He’s hitting .278/.316/.481 on the young season and is fresh off a 2024 campaign that saw him slash .275/.388/.451 with a 13.1% walk rate and tiny 9.9% strikeout rate in 406 plate appearances across three minor league levels (Class-A, Double-A, Triple-A). Brewers third basemen are batting .150/.188/.233 this season, so it’s a low bar to clear for Durbin as he looks to cement his place in the Brewers’ long-term plans.

4. Pitchers’ duel in Texas:

The Dodgers and Rangers are meeting in Arlington for a three-game series this weekend, and Game 1 of the series (scheduled for 7:05pm local time) will feature two of the league’s most talented pitchers. Texas is sending Jacob deGrom to the mound, and the soon-to-be 37-year-old hurler will look to get his season back on track after three uncharacteristic starts where he’s posted a pedestrian 4.30 ERA while striking out just 20.6% of his opponents. There’s no need for a bounceback from Dodgers star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has begun the season with a dominant 1.23 ERA and a 33.7% strikeout rate in four starts.

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

1. Quero to make MLB debut:

The White Sox are poised to promote top catching prospect Edgar Quero to the majors for his big league debut. A corresponding 40-man roster move will be necessary to bring Quero up from the minors, so the club will have to either designate a player for assignment or transfer one of their players to the 60-day injured list, though they have no obvious candidates for the latter.

Quero, 22, is a consensus top-100 prospect who’s gotten off to a hot start at Triple-A, with a .333/.444/.412 slash line in 63 plate appearances. That solid bat is the main attraction when it comes to Quero, as he’s regarded as a below-average defender behind the plate and a lackluster baserunner. Even so, the switch-hitter’s knack for contact, impressive plate discipline, and power potential make him an intriguing prospect even if Kyle Teel is the more well-regarded of Chicago’s two touted catching prospects. (Teel, conversely, is out to a rough start in Charlotte, slashing .196/.328/.393 with a 31.3% strikeout rate.) Quero’s first game will come against the Athletics in Chicago, and is scheduled for 1:10pm local time.

2. Hancock returning to majors:

Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock has one MLB start under his belt this year, and it could hardly have gone worse. When he faced the Tigers on March 31, Hancock was shelled for seven hits (including a home run) and a walk in an outing that saw him record just two outs. He ultimately surrendered six runs and walked away with an ugly 81.00 ERA and 27.01 FIP before being optioned to the minors. With George Kirby still on the injured list and Seattle in need of a fifth starter, Hancock gets an opportunity for redemption today against the Reds in Cincinnati. The former No. 6 overall pick has been as a serviceable depth starter for the Mariners in the past, with a career 4.71 ERA in 15 starts entering this season. He also has a solid Triple-A track record — a 3.46 ERA in 19 starts/104 innings pitched. Will he be able to turn things around this afternoon?

3. Tensions high in Nationals, Pirates finale:

It’s been a rough series between the Pirates and Nationals. On Tuesday, a fastball got away from right-hander Mitch Keller and struck shortstop Paul DeJong in the face, breaking his nose and sending him to the injured list. That was followed by a wild outing from Nationals reliever Jorge Lopez, who hit Bryan Reynolds before another pitch got away from him and ran up-and-in on veteran Andrew McCutchen, who was forced to dive to the ground to avoid being plunked. That incited a benches-clearing incident that ultimately ended with Lopez being ejected (video link).

As noted by Jessica Camerato of MLB.com, Lopez apologized for the situation after the game and McCutchen’s own postgame comments suggested that he does not believe the pitch from Lopez was intentional. Still, benches-clearing incidents typically leave both teams on high-alert for potential issues for the remainder of the series. It also remains to be seen whether Lopez will be further disciplined by the league beyond his ejection.

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. Strider to return from IL:

The Braves officially welcomed right-hander Spencer Strider back from the injured list earlier this morning in preparation for his start against the Blue Jays later today. It will be Strider’s first big league start in just over a year after he underwent UCL surgery in April of last year, causing him to miss nearly the entire 2025 season. The righty was among the very best pitchers in baseball from 2022 to 2023, with a 3.36 ERA, a 2.43 FIP, and a 37.4% strikeout rate in 318 1/3 innings of work.

During the 2023 campaign, Strider led the majors in strikeouts and wins while leading his league in FIP en route to a fourth-place finish for the NL Cy Young award. A performance on that level would go a long way to helping the Braves, who have stumbled out of the gate to a 5-12 start, get back into the race for the playoffs. Strider’s first opponent will be Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt, who has looked excellent through his first three starts of the season with a microscopic 0.98 ERA in 18 1/3 innings.

2. Schmidt to return from IL:

Strider isn’t the only righty returning from the injured list today. The Yankees are expected to activate right-hander Clarke Schmidt from his own IL stint. Schmidt opened the season on the shelf due to rotator cuff tendinitis, but the issue was a fairly mild one as he’s back in action after just a couple of weeks. That’s great news for a Yankees rotation that lost ace righty Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery before the season even began and will also be without reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil for at least the majority of the first half. Marcus Stroman recently went on the injured list as well due to a knee issue, leaving the Yankees with a patchwork rotation that features Carlos Carrasco, Will Warren, and Allan Winans alongside Max Fried and Carlos Rodon.

Schmidt should help stabilize things in his age-29 campaign. The righty made just 16 starts last year due to injury but was brilliant in those limited appearances, with a 2.85 ERA and a 26.3% strikeout rate across 85 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander’s first start back from the injured list will come at Yankee Stadium against the Royals. His opponent will be southpaw Kris Bubic, who excelled in a relief role last year and has found great success after moving to the rotation so far, with a 0.96 ERA and 2.59 FIP across 18 2/3 innings of work.

3. Rockies youngster to make MLB debut:

When the Rockies placed Kris Bryant on the injured list yesterday, they selected the contract of catcher Braxton Fulford to replace him on the roster. The 26-year-old was a sixth-rounder in the 2021 draft but spent the majority of last year at the Double-A level. With just 15 games of experience at Triple-A, Fulford had yet to make his big league debut. That’s set to change, however, as manager Bud Black told reporters (including MLB.com’s Andres Soto) last night that Fulford will make his big league debut in today’s game against the Dodgers. Assuming Fulford is starting behind the plate, he’ll catch longtime Rockie German Marquez in the first MLB game of his career. Currently, Fulford is the third catcher on the Rockies’ roster alongside Jacob Stallings and Hunter Goodman, but it’s possible a strong performance out of the gate could earn him more playing time going forward.