Continuing Coverage of MLB Baseball

April 1, 2026 MLB Players of the Day

American League

The score was already 8-1 in favor of the Royals when Jonathan India stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the sixth inning. With one swing, the journeyman second baseman cleared the bases with a grand slam to left field, propelling Kansas City to a 13-9 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins, improving to 2-0 at home and 3-2 overall.

India had already driven in one run in the third inning with an infield single. He finished 2-for-5 with five RBI.

The Royals have take two straight from Central division rival Minnesota (1-4) and will be seeking the three-game sweep when the series concludes Thursday at Kauffman Stadium.

AL Streaks: Astros, won 5; Red Sox, lost 5.

National League

Sandy Alcantara threw a three-hit complete game shutout on Wednesday in Miami as the Marlins blanked the White Sox, 10-0.

Alcantara allowed only singles, fanned seven and issued no free passes, improving to 2-0 on the year without allowing an earned run. His first win came on opening day, March 27, a 2-1 win at Colorado where he went seven innings, allowing four hits and struck out five. The Rockies’ only run was unearned.

In Wednesday’s game, Liam Hicks launched a second inning, two-run homer after driving in a pair in the first with a single in support of the Marlin ace.

Miami improved to 5-1 and leads the National League East by a game over the Braves. The Marlins take a day off Thursday prior to opening a series in New York Friday with the Yankees.

NL Streaks: Diamondbacks, won 3; Reds, Mets, Nationals, lost 2.

March 31, 2026 MLB Players of the Day

American League

The Yankees remained tied with Toronto at 4-1 after another commanding performance by ace starter Max Fried resulted in a 5-0 road win for the New Yorkers at Seattle.

Fried notched his second win of the season without a loss, tossing seven innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits, walking one and fanning six. Fried’s shutout performance was his second of the year. He has not been scored upon in 13 1/3 innings of work this season, his first start a 7-0 Yankees win as he went 6 1/3 innings without allowing a run. The Yankee shutout was the third in New York’s first five games. Their pitching staff as allowed just three runs over five games, all on the road.

The series has split, a game apiece with the rubber match set of Wednesday, 4:10 pm ET in Seattle. The Yanks return home for their season opener on Friday, April 3, facing the Miami Marlins.

AL Streaks: Rangers, Astros, won 4; Red Sox, lost 4.

National League

Just in case there’s any doubt that LA’s Shohei Ohtani won’t put in a strong bid for his third straight NL MVP and fifth MVP award overall, his first pitching start of the 2026 season should remove any doubt and maybe raise interest in a possible Cy Young award.

Ohtani tossed six innings of one-hit shutout ball Tuesday, leading the Dodgers to a 4-1 win over the visiting Cleveland Guardians.

Ohtani threw 87 pitches of which 54 went for strikes, fanning six while issuing three walks. The only hit allowed was a second inning double by Ryhs Hoskins, who was left stranded. After that, Ohtani pretty much issued the “lights out” directive.

At the plate, Ohtani went 1-for-4, with a walk and a strikeout, no runs or RBI. Max Muncy socked a sixth inning solo shot after the Dodgers had plated one in the 4th inning and added two more in the 8th. Cleveland was finally able to score a run in the top of the ninth, but left runners stranded as the game came to a close. The Dodgers improved to 4-1, dropping the Guardians to 3-3. The series is tied at one apiece and concludes Wednesday in Los Angeles.

NL Streaks: Diamondbacks, Giants, won 2; Padres, lost 2.

March 30, 2026 MLB Players of the Day

American League

White Sox leadoff hitter, Miguel Vargas, went 2-for-4, drove in six runs with a 3rd inning single, a 4th inning grand slam and a sac fly in the 6th, sending the Chicago squad to a 9-4 victory over the Miami Marlins Monday for their first win of the 2026 season. The result was also Miami’s first loss, after a 3-0 start.

Third baseman Vargas, a native of Havana, Cuba, went hitless in Chicago’s first two game, but found his stroke Sunday, stroking two singles in five at-bats, and continued hot on Monday, providing the bulk of the offense. Vargas batted .234 with 16 homers and 60 RBI in his first full season with the Sox in 2025.

The White Sox are 1-3 and continue their series in Miami on Tuesday.

AL Streaks: Rangers, Astros, won 3; Athletics, lost 4.

National League

Corbin Carroll did his damage early in Arizona’s 9-6 thrashing of the visiting Tigers, giving the Diamondbacks their first win of the season in their home opener.

Carroll tripled in Ketal Marte in the first and later scored on a fielder’s choice. In the second, Carroll stroked a 403-foot home run to right center with two aboard, giving the D-Backs a 5-0 lead. Arizona tacked on three more runs before the Tigers finally pushed across six runs in the 7th, but, by then it was too late. Arizona capped off the scoring with a solo homer by second baseman IIdemaro Vargas in the seventh.

The Tigers and Diamondback continue their series Tuesday in Phoenix.

NL Streaks: Reds, won 3; Phillies, lost 3.