Category: Baseball

LOS ANGELES — Matt Olson wishes he could point to something purposeful, a fix or tweak or deliberate change that he made, to help explain his MVP-caliber start. 

He has been one of Major League Baseball’s best first basemen for years, but he’s on a different level to start the 2026 season. The 32-year-old leads MLB in doubles and total bases and the Braves in home runs, RBI, walks, slugging and OPS. 

He leads the National League in FanGraphs’ version of wins above replacement. He’s barreling the ball at the highest rate of his 11-year career, swinging harder than he has either of the past two seasons and producing his lowest whiff rate in five seasons. 

It seems the only thing he can’t do right now is elucidate the main reason why. 

Matt Olson is off to an MVP-caliber season. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

“That’s the hardest question to answer,” Olson told me last weekend while helping the Braves capture their series victory over the Dodgers. “When things are going well, you hit the mistakes. That’s what it feels like. A guy makes a mistake over the plate, you’re barreling it instead of maybe just fouling it off or popping it up or whatever. I haven’t really changed anything. I wish I had a cool answer for you.” 

One explanation for the performance could be his higher attack angle, which, in tandem with his already high quality of contact, is helping his hard-hit balls clear the fence. Prior to this year, Olson’s highest fly-ball rate (34.4%) came in 2023, when he hit a career-high 54 home runs. This year, his fly-ball rate is even higher (35.5%), and his 14 home runs have him on a 52-homer pace. 

Whichever way he’s getting to his production, the Braves will take it. 

A year ago, they won their 30th game of the season on June 13. This year, they reached that mark on May 13 — exactly one month earlier — to become the first team in baseball to 30 wins.

While Olson struggles to explain his own transcendence, it’s no mystery why his team is excelling: The Braves’ pitching staff has the lowest ERA in the sport, and their offense has the highest OPS in the sport. 

Coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons, 37-year-old Chris Sale somehow looks even better. Bryce Elder trails only Shohei Ohtani for the lowest ERA among qualified National League starters, and relievers Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias have combined for a 0.53 ERA at the back end of the bullpen. Offensively, Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II have found their form again coming off the worst offensive seasons of their career, and 25-year-old Drake Baldwin is already one of the top catchers in the league. 

Perhaps above all else, though, Olson looks like an NL MVP contender. 

Are these the two NL MVP frontrunners? (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“It’s tough to make a better case than Ohtani every year,” Braves manager Walt Weiss acknowledged, “but Matt’s been unbelievable, one of the best players in the game. People talk about 2023 when he had 54 homers. I think he’s swinging the bat even better now.”

Earlier this month, Olson joined the 300-homer club and moved into the top 10 on the consecutive games played list. His 1.013 OPS is the highest mark of his career, and he continues to grade out as one of the top defensive first basemen in the sport. 

When I asked utility man Mauricio Dubon if anything stood out about his new teammates, he singled out Olson. His reasoning went beyond the first baseman’s production.

“He’s smart, he’s a workaholic, and it’s contagious,” Dubón told me, pointing out how diligently Olson studies pitchers and gameplans. “You see, ‘Damn, this guy has so many home runs — he just hit his 300-something home run — playing 800 games in a row, and still doing that?’ Yeah, I gotta step on it. For me, that’s the mentality.” 

Dubòn, who was acquired in the offseason for light-hitting shortstop Nick Allen, is hitting above league average for the first time in his eight-year career. He’s among a group of supporting cast members in Atlanta who have helped raise the floor for a Braves team that is bouncing back despite dealing with another plethora of injuries. 

The Braves weren’t planning on Dubón starting 23 of their first 43 games at shortstop. They re-signed Ha-Seong Kim to play the position in December. A month later, Kim slipped on ice and needed surgery to repair a torn tendon in his middle finger. It was an ominous sign for Braves fans who watched injuries play a major role in the team’s fourth-place finish last season. 

Matt Olson has the Braves flying high. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The avalanche continued from there, as pitchers Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep underwent elbow procedures, Joey Wentz tore his ACL, Jurickson Profar was suspended for the year and Spencer Strider suffered an oblique strain all before the start of the season. It felt like 2025 all over again. 

Only this time, the Braves responded differently. Many of their players credit Olson’s leadership and studiousness for helping guide the way. 

There’s an obvious element of leading by example when you’re the sport’s active ironman, but Olson’s teammates point out that he’s also more vocal than it might appear.  

“He’s a guy that’s always in the video room looking at pitchers, getting scouting reports,” outfielder Eli White told me. “He likes to relay that to the guys, what he’s seeing, what he’s thinking. But also, he’s a guy that likes the game to be played hard and played with guys treating the game with respect. If he sees something where he doesn’t think somebody’s holding to a certain standard, he’ll let them know — in a good way, in a respectful way, the way you want guys to hold each other accountable.”

Matt Olson is getting credit for his leadership in the Braves clubhouse. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Sometimes, Olson said, it can be as simple as getting on a young guy for not tipping clubhouse attendants appropriately. 

“I’m here when I need to be,” Olson told me. “I think a lot of stuff gets worked out itself, and I think it should be handled in here with the guys first. I’m not the guy to, like, chirp everybody on everything — maybe in a joking manner — but I think by doing that, your voice carries a little more weight. So when something actually does need to be said, people understand, you know, ‘All right, he’s saying something, something’s up.’”

Olson points out that he doesn’t seek out confrontation, and he can count on one hand the amount of times in a season he needs to speak up about someone’s behavior, but he also recognizes that he’s “one of the older guys now.” He feels that’s part of his responsibility. 

“But we’ve got a good group,” said Olson, “so there’s not actually a lot that needs to be said.” 

Talking baseball, meanwhile, is a much more frequent occurrence. 

Having played for the Braves for five seasons, Olson has a better idea now about his teammates’ swings and which players might want his advice.

“We’ve got a few guys that if you go up to them and say, ‘Hey…your back shoulder’s a little low,’ it’ll go right over their head,” Olson explained, “which is great. I honestly envy that big time. But there’s some guys that want to dig into that, and you get a feel for that the more you play with guys. 

“I guess I’m more willing — because I’ve been here long enough and know the guys better — to say stuff to guys. If it’s something glaring on the field, like [pitch] tipping, or this guy’s 80% changeup in a 1-1 count, little things I might find, that kind of stuff can impact a game. And I’m kind of letting everybody know about that because I feel like if you know that it’s going to help us win a ballgame.”

 The best player on the best team in baseball. (Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)

This year, the Braves are doing a lot more of that. 

Despite the injuries, they’re already leading the National League East by nine games. No other team is leading its division by more than 2.5 games. 

Olson, the best player on the best team in baseball, is a major reason why. 

“I can’t point to one thing,” he said. “I think maybe last year the bad season we had left a little sour taste in some peoples’ mouths. When we showed up to spring, everybody was locked in.”
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In “Touching Base,” we check on the top players and topics making headlines around baseball and what comes next.

The MLB weekend slate brings some intriguing regional rivalries, including the first Subway Series of the season. While the Yankees are hopping onto the 7 Train to face the Mets, the Cubs are taking the Red Line to the South Side to face their Windy City counterparts, the White Sox. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will endure some freeway traffic to take on the Angels. 

Let’s take a look at some of the notable MLB teams in action this weekend: 

1. The Yankees top the AL in HR, RBI and OPS. Cam Schlitter feels like a Cy Young candidate. What’s their weakness? 

(Photo by Michael Zagaris/Getty Images)

Kavner: This looks like the team to beat in the American League, but the bullpen and the bottom of the lineup have some weak spots, and now there’s suddenly a lot more pressure on Gerrit Cole to return looking like himself after Max Fried left his start with elbow soreness. Opponents are hitting .260 against David Bednar, Fernando Cruz is missing a ton of bats but also walking too many hitters — a primary reason for his 1.44 WHIP — and Camilo Doval, Jake Bird and Paul Blackburn all have ERAs well over 4.00. They should be able to grab another leverage arm at the trade deadline. 

The other issue is what happens when a pitcher gets past the Ben Rice-Aaron Judge-Cody Bellinger portion of the lineup. While every team would like more offensive depth, the Yankees’ No. 6-9 hitters rank 25th in batting average, 22nd in on-base percentage and 19th in OPS. Those numbers are too low for a team with championship aspirations. They need to find a way to get Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells going. 

2. What’s a fix the Mets can make to at least climb up the NL East standings?

(Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

Thosar: The Mets finally looked like they’re capable of making a run that fans will get behind after sweeping the Tigers at a re-energized Citi Field this week. Much of that energy came from the surprising promotion of top prospect A.J. Ewing, who hasn’t experienced a loss since coming up to the big leagues. The 21-year-old outfielder is enjoying a fast start, batting .333 with four walks, three RBI, three runs scored, one stolen base and four strikeouts in three red-hot games. His confidence while grinding out at-bats has been contagious. The front office making the desperate but necessary decision to promote Ewing was the first real fix this club needed to try and climb back up the NL East standings.  

Any and all conversations about the Mets resembling a playoff contender begin with their underperforming offense. Some of their bad outcomes are self-inflicted, like expecting center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and infielder Jorge Polanco to stay healthy. But others are downright perplexing, like third baseman Bo Bichette forgetting how to hit, and the young core in Brett Bay, Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez unable to find consistency in what is now their fifth season in the major leagues. Bichette went from boasting a 129 OPS+ last year to recording a 62 OPS+ in over 40 games this year. If Bichette can get back on track, Francisco Lindor can return from his calf injury soon, and the young Mets can do their part, the Mets can attempt to crawl out of their hole. 

3. Speaking of the NL East, the Braves feel like they could run away with the division. What’s been behind Atlanta’s hot start?

 (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Thosar: The Braves have the best pitching staff in the National League, which is a supreme success given that the rotation looked out of commission before the season even began. First it was Spencer Schwellenbach who went down with injury. Then it was Hurston Waldrep, Joey Wentz, and eventually Spencer Strider. The Braves are running away with the division despite all of that, rocking the second-best rotation ERA (3.04) and third-best bullpen ERA (3.10) in MLB. Beyond the continued excellence from future walk-in Hall of Famer Chris Sale, nobody expected right-hander Bryce Elder to be this terrific. The Braves starter owns a 1.81 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, outperforming his 3.09 FIP and suggesting he’s run into some good luck. In reality, the pitching staff didn’t even need to be this dominant given how dangerous the offense has been. 

First baseman Matt Olson is leading the lineup’s ascendency with an NL-leading 184 OPS+ and 2.4 fWAR. The 32-year-old’s 14 home runs are tied for the fourth-most in the majors. Right behind him is catcher Drake Baldwin, who’s following up his 2025 NL Rookie of the Year award with a standout sophomore season. Baldwin’s 37 runs scored lead MLB, and his 155 OPS+ trails only the A’s Shea Langeliers’ 173 OPS+ among all big-league catchers. Those two bats in particular have helped Atlanta possess the best offense in baseball. The Braves lead MLB in average (.271), slugging (.252), OPS (.786), runs scored (237), and RBI (232). Their combination of high contact and elite power is menacing, and it all looks sustainable for this battle-tested team. 

4. The White Sox are hanging tough in the AL Central. Should the South Siders be thinking about the postseason?

(Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Kavner: The fact that we’re talking about this at all a year after they won 60 games and two years after the worst season in modern baseball history is an incredible achievement in itself. The surprise signing of Munetaka Murakami has provided a real jolt — they’re 22-21 entering their three-game series against their Northside neighbors and would currently hold the second wild-card spot in the uninspiring American League — and their success to this point goes beyond the powerful and polarizing NPB sensation. The Miguel Vargas offensive breakout is finally upon us, Colson Montgomery now has 32 homers in 113 career games, and Davis Martin has a 1.62 ERA through eight starts. They’ve also gotten to this point without standout catcher Kyle Teel, who should be returning soon. 

If they find a way to sneak into the playoffs, that’s an unbelievable success. But they’re not going to mortgage their future to make it happen, and this isn’t a team built to make a deep run in 2026. This year is still about development for their intriguing young talents, and I can’t imagine the White Sox will sacrifice them for “win-now” moves. It will, however, be interesting to see what, if anything, they do with Murakami. If they’re unable or unwilling to extend him, they have to at least listen to offers from contenders while his value is this high. 

5. Blake Snell’s return gives the Dodgers a boost, but are they facing some tough decisions?

(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times

Kavner: They will, and really those roster decisions already began earlier this week when Mookie Betts was activated and they optioned Alex Freeland. On the pitching side, an even tougher call looms when Tyler Glasnow is ready to return, even with their six-man rotation. Most likely, one of Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan or Roki Sasaki will have to move to the bullpen, get optioned to Triple-A or be placed on the injured list. 

Based on performance thus far, the most obvious decision would be sending Sasaki either to the minors or back to the bullpen, but the Dodgers don’t sound inclined to do either. They’ve been adamant that they believe the best thing for his development is to have him continue making starts in the majors. He has performed better lately, but it’s hard to make a case that he’s more deserving of a rotation spot than Wrobleski, who had a 0.56 ERA through his first five starts, or Sheehan, who has a 3.38 ERA over his last five starts. Still, it seems most likely that the odd man out will be either Wrobleski, who proved last October that his stuff can play up in a relief role, or Sheehan, who has had trouble holding his velocity through starts. They’ll “kick the can down the road” on that decision, as they like to put it, as long as possible. 

In late October 2000, New York City was the epicenter of the baseball world, as the New York Yankees and New York Mets faced off in the 2000 World Series.

With the two teams set to face-off in a three-game series at Citi Field beginning on Friday night (watch Game 2 of the series on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app), here’s a look-back at the 2000 Subway Series.

Yankees Win Game 1 In Extras

Irony from the jump.

The Mets sent Al Leiter, who spent the first two-plus seasons of his MLB career with the Yankees (1987-89), to the mound for Game 1 in Yankee Stadium, and the left-hander carved up his old team the first two times through the order.

Leiter kept the Yankees off the board through the first five innings, giving up just four baserunners on three hits and one walk. Then, the Yankees broke the ice in the bottom of the sixth inning.

After two of the first three runners of the inning got on base, left fielder David Justice laced a two-run double to left-center field, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead. With that said, after six scoreless innings from Andy Pettitte, the Mets got to the Yankees’ left-hander in the top of the seventh. After back-to-back singles and a walk, pinch hitter Bubba Trammell leveled the score at 2-all for the Mets with a two-run single. Two batters later, Pettitte was relieved by right-hander Jeff Nelson, who gave up a go-ahead single to second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo.

The Yankees didn’t plate a run in the seventh or eighth innings, but they managed to send the game to extra innings on a Chuck Knoblauch sacrifice fly in the ninth. Both teams went scoreless in the 10th and 11th innings, with the Yankees stranding two runners in both innings and also doing so after tying the game in the ninth.

In the bottom of the 12th, the Yankees finally got the winning run home, as second baseman José Vizcaíno hit a walk-off single with two outs in the inning.

The 2000 World Series marked the first time that two New York baseball teams met in the World Series since 1956, when the Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in seven games. (Photo by Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X61664 TK1 R13 F14)

Vizcaíno finished with a game-high four hits for the Yankees, who won 4-3.

A Contentious Game 2

Yeah, drama was aplenty in Game 2.

In the top of the first, Mets star Mike Piazza broke his bat on a foul ball, and part of the bat went to Yankees starter Roger Clemens, who hurled that piece of the bat down the first-base line where Piazza was standing at the time. Both benches cleared temporarily, but no one was ejected, and the inning resumed moments later, with Piazza grounding out to end the inning.

The Yankees went 4-2 against the Mets in the 2000 regular season. (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X61660 TK2 R7 F28)

That skirmish has continually distracted from the memory of Clemens dominating the Mets in Game 2 from start to finish. The eventual seven-time Cy Young Award winner pitched eight scoreless innings, posting nine strikeouts and only surrendering two baserunners (two hits).

As for the Yankees’ bats, they went right to work on Mets left-hander Mike Hampton, with first baseman Tino Martinez and catcher Jorge Posada each driving in a run on a single in the bottom of the first. Third baseman Scott Brosius then led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run. A fifth-inning Paul O’Neill single, a seventh-inning sacrifice fly from Brosius and an eighth-inning RBI single from Martinez — who, along with Yankees star shortstop Derek Jeter, had a game-high three hits — would give the Yankees a 6-0 lead entering the ninth inning.

But then it got dicey for the Yankees — like, wildly dicey.

Nelson began the ninth inning for the Yankees and proceeded to give up a single, a two-run home run to Piazza and then another single, forcing manager Joe Torre to go to Mariano Rivera, who also struggled. While Rivera got out two of the first four batters that he faced, MLB’s eventual all-time saves leader (652) proceeded to give up a three-run homer to center fielder Jay Payton, making it a 6-5 game.

All that said, Rivera got infielder Kurt Abbott to strikeout looking to end it, with the Yankees evading a catastrophe, winning 6-5 and taking a 2-0 series lead to Queens.

The Mets Wake Up

One could argue that the ninth inning of Game 2 gave the Mets some momentum that they capitalized on in Game 3.

The Metropolitans struck first in Game 3, as third baseman Robin Ventura hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the second. Granted, the Yankees tied the game with a third-inning RBI double from Justice and took the lead in the fourth on an RBI triple from O’Neill.

Mets first baseman Todd Zeile evened the score at 2-all in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI double, and they took the lead for good in the eighth on an RBI double from left fielder Benny Agbayani. Later in the inning, Trammell drove in another run on a sacrifice fly, and Armando Benítez shut the door on a Game 3 win for the Mets in the top of the ninth.

The Mets won 94 games in the 2000 regular season, while the Yankees won 87 games. AFP PHOTO/Don EMMERT (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)

As for the pitching performances, right-hander Rick Reed got through six innings for the Mets, while the Yankees stayed with Orlando Hernández (AKA “El Duque”) through 7 ⅓ innings and had him throw 134 pitches; the right-hander was credited for all four earned runs. 

The Yankees Send The Mets Back To Bed

The air in Shea Stadium evaporated on the first pitch.

Jeter smacked the first pitch thrown by Mets’ starter Bobby Jones into the left-field seats, giving the Bronx Bombers the early edge. The following inning, Brosius drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, with the Yankees tacking on a third run in the third on an RBI ground out from second baseman Luis Sojo.

Those three runs would be all the Yankees needed.

Now, the Mets did promptly respond, as Piazza hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third, but it would be the last runs scored in a 3-2 Yankees victory.

Derek Jeter hit .317 in the 2000 MLB playoffs. (Photo by Al Tielemans /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X61704 TK4 R13 F24 )

For the Yankees, starter Denny Neagle lasted just 4 ⅔ innings, but David Cone, Nelson, Mike Stanton and Rivera combined for 4 ⅓ scoreless innings of relief and gave up just three total baserunners (two hits and one walk) — and Rivera got a two-inning save.

Yankees Pull Off The 3-Peat

The Yankees didn’t just win the 2000 Subway Series: They won it in Queens.

Center fielder Bernie Williams brought in the first run of the game on a solo home run in the top of the second, but the Mets scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning on an infield error off the bat of Leiter and then an infield hit by Agbayani. Later, “The Captain” evened the score at 2-all, as Jeter hit a solo homer in the sixth.

The Mets rode with Leiter until the cows came home, as the southpaw was still on the mound with two outs in the ninth inning, but Sojo delivered the final blow for the Yankees, hitting a go-ahead, two-run single, which knocked Leiter out of the game; he threw 142 pitches. Meanwhile, the Yankees got seven innings from Pettitte, who threw 129 pitches.

Rivera closed out Game 5 for the Yankees in the bottom of the ninth, putting a bow on the first three-peat in MLB since the Oakland Athletics accomplished the feat from 1972-74, and it remains the sport’s most recent three-peat.

The Yankees won four World Series in five years from 1996-2000. (Photo by Ken Sawchuk/Newsday RM via Getty Images)

Jeter was the 2000 World Series MVP, as the Hall of Fame shortstop — who’s sixth in MLB history with 3,465 career hits — went 9 for 22, hit two home runs and finished the series with a .409/.480/.864 slash line. Meanwhile, O’Neill finished the Subway Series with nine hits and posted a .474/.545/.789 slash line; Brosius finished with a .308/.389/.538 slash line; Martinez hit .364; Pettitte pitched a combined 13 ⅔ innings over his two starts, recording a 1.98 ERA.

For the Mets, Zeile had a team-high eight hits, while Piazza had two home runs and a series-high four RBIs; Leiter pitched a combined 15 ⅔ innings.

A five-game, best-of-seven series is what it is: a convincing series win for the victors. With that said, all five games in the Subway Series were decided by two or fewer runs, the Yankees out-scored the Mets 19-16, and it marks the only time that the two teams have squared off in the World Series.

This was the closest thing the New York sports world has received since the Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants did battle in countless World Series before the Dodgers and Giants moved to the West Coast.

The Red Sox just can’t help themselves. Ever since they traded Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers for peanuts in 2020, the organization has become a magnet for public drama. It stems from their wide-ranging incoherence and inability to have a feel for when to implement high-profile decisions.

This past weekend, the Red Sox struck both of those tones when chief baseball officer Craig Breslow fired manager Alex Cora and five members of his coaching staff. The dismissals came hours after the Red Sox clobbered the Baltimore Orioles in a 17-1 win on Saturday at Camden Yards. Yes, the Red Sox had a disappointing 10-17 start, but this was bad timing. The team’s punchy offensive output behind their ace’s strong shutout outing that afternoon had created, at the very least, optimism. The clubhouse finally saw a formula that could help get them out of the AL East basement. 

Despite all that, principal owner John Henry, CEO Sam Kennedy and Breslow traveled to Baltimore to deliver the news in person. It was simply the latest episode of the discordance between their stated goals and expectations — being competitive and winning a world championship — and their actual, volatile actions that have caused, as usual, an uproar.

Let’s dive into what’s next for the Red Sox after Cora’s stunning dismissal. 

What’s next for Craig Breslow and ownership?

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Breslow is under the microscope, facing pressure to prove that his swift and unexpected moves were the right thing to do for the organization — both this season and long-term. It’s clear that he’s in a weird place, on an island, after Kennedy in Sunday’s press conference indicated that Cora’s firing was Breslow’s decision, rather than a joint resolution from the entire ownership and front office group.

But that’s nothing new around Fenway. Henry, who has remained silent with the media and Red Sox players since the dismissals, routinely sidesteps responsibility. Even though Henry was physically present in Sunday’s team meeting with players, he just stood there and didn’t actually say anything. The Red Sox owner has created an unstable and dysfunctional environment that forces everyone working for him to perform frantically and chaotically under pressure. 

Breslow is in the hot seat, and he knows it. Now, it’s in question whether he’ll even make it past July. The Red Sox have to show signs of turning it around quickly, otherwise they’ll be sellers at the trade deadline. (And there is no indication that this team is equipped with the tools to make a comeback.) Breslow’s lack of job security is the foundation that led to these significant firings. 

History is certainly not on Breslow’s side. This is his third season as Boston’s chief baseball officer, and all three predecessors (Chaim Bloom, Dave Dombrowski and Ben Cherington) were fired by the Red Sox ownership group within their first four years. Anticipating that his days are numbered, it sure looks like Breslow made the dramatic change of firing Cora and a handful of coaches as a last-gasp attempt to save himself, believing a shake-up will create a higher chance of the roster succeeding. 

But, take a look at the problems within that Red Sox roster, and it’s clear that the manager and coaches were not the problem. The team’s disappointing start is a direct result of inadequate roster construction.

What’s next for the Red Sox?

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A mere 27 games into the season, Red Sox players are tasked with adjusting on-the-fly to new interim manager Chad Tracy and several coaches in different roles. While they do that, they also have to overcome their roster-construction flaws and win games, because Breslow waited until the season barely started to enforce significant changes, even though he could’ve done all this in the offseason. 

So, naturally, players are angry. There is really no one to turn to in the clubhouse, which is youth-led and lacks veteran leadership. That the 21-year-old outfielder Roman Anthony was the first player to face the cameras in the wake of Cora’s firing was an organizational failure. He was a rookie just last year, but now he’s being asked to be the leader of the team. It’s the result of the Red Sox failing to re-sign third baseman Alex Bregman in the offseason, despite knowing that he had a strong influence on the field and in the clubhouse as the chief vet that younger talents looked up to.

Speaking of failures, Breslow didn’t do enough this past winter to fortify an inexperienced roster that’s dependent on young talent like Anthony and Marcelo Mayer to take steps forward. After failing to sign Bregman or land a power bat like Pete Alonso, Breslow changed his messaging and said he’s focused on run prevention. But the additions of southpaw Ranger Suarez and veteran Sonny Gray (currently injured with a hamstring strain) haven’t helped, and ace Garrett Crochet has uncharacteristically struggled in three of his six starts so far this season. 

Entering Monday, Boston’s 4.96 starting pitching ERA is ranked 27th in MLB. The Red Sox lineup has a below-average wRC+ of 84, which is ranked 28th. Their power is nonexistent, and unless Anthony can single-handedly morph into David Ortiz, Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx overnight, there’s little reason to believe their slugging problems will improve this season. 

In the competitive AL East, the Red Sox are seven games behind the first-place Yankees — so far removed from the team that forced New York to Game 3 of the Wild Card series last October. If Boston starts playing better, it could work its way into a pennant race come September thanks to MLB’s expanded playoff format that accommodates mediocre teams. But competing for an early playoff exit is the bare minimum. That’s not what fans are told to expect, but it’s routinely what actually happens.

What’s next for Alex Cora?

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Cora was in the second year of a three-year, $21.75 million contract extension when he was fired by the Red Sox. In order for Cora to be picked up by another organization, that team will have to rip up his current contract and sign a new one. So Cora, of course, will only agree to that if the new contract pays him more than the current one. It’s unlikely that will happen, but he still has some options.

There are currently two high-profile landing spots for Cora that could see him managing again this season, and both teams are performing worse than the Red Sox. The Phillies and Mets are tied for the worst record (9-19) in baseball. Both of their managers — Rob Thomson and Carlos Mendoza, respectively — are in the hot seat. It’s tough to envision David Stearns, New York’s president of baseball operations, making Mendoza the scapegoat and firing him this early into the season. 

But Dave Dombrowski, Philly’s P.O.B.O., fired former Phillies manager Joe Girardi mid-season in 2022, then Thomson took over and instantly catapulted the team to its first World Series appearance in 11 years. Cora is said to have a strong relationship with Dombrowski ever since the longtime baseball executive hired Cora to be the Red Sox manager in Oct. 2017. In his first year as skipper, Cora led the Red Sox to a 108-54 record in the regular season before they won the 2018 World Series. 

Boston’s shoddy roster construction is not Cora’s fault, but it’s not like the shrewd skipper hasn’t made mistakes, either. The Rafael Devers situation in Boston was a poor reflection on Cora, who failed to talk to the slugger about playing first base last year. Devers immediately switched from designated hitter to first after he was traded to the San Francisco Giants. Cora was also investigated by MLB for helping mastermind the Astros’ 2017 electronic sign-stealing scandal. He was suspended for the entire 2020 season, which led to him briefly parting ways with the Red Sox before rejoining as their manager in 2021.

Still, Cora has a 620-541 managerial record, and his résumé makes him an immediate candidate for future openings. He’s all but guaranteed a second act, somewhere.

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Alex Cora didn’t assemble the Red Sox team that ranks tied for last in home runs, 27th in OPS, 23rd in scoring and 20th in team ERA, but he nonetheless paid the price for the club’s early-season ineptitude.

Clearly, there are a lot of problems right now for a Boston team that expects to contend in 2026. The Red Sox are certainly not alone in that regard (see: Mets, Phillies, Astros, Blue Jays, Royals), but they are the first to make sweeping changes. 

Less than a month into the season, Cora is already out. 

As we wait to see which manager might be next, and as Boston tries to claw its way out of the doldrums, we’ll use this week’s power rankings to identify at least one area of concern for every team.

They’ve allowed the fifth-most runs and scored the fifth-fewest runs in MLB, so take your pick at which issue stands out most. We’ll focus here on the late-game pitching; the White Sox have blown nine saves — second-most in MLB — and have a 5.58 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in the seventh inning or later, both of which rank in the bottom four in MLB. 

Just when it seemed like a series win against the Twins might jumpstart the slumping group, the Mets then went and got swept by the Rockies, scoring four runs over three games. That…can’t happen. Their offense ranks last in MLB in runs scored, on-base percentage and slugging. Yikes. 

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The Phillies finally ended their losing skid at 10 games this weekend, but they still lost the series in Atlanta. The offense is a problem — they’ve scored the third-fewest runs in MLB — but the bigger and more surprising issue is a starting rotation that has allowed the most hits and runs in the sport. Their MLB-worst minus-54 run differential is…almost unfathomable. 

Maybe a sweep of the Angels will get them on track. Bobby Witt Jr. is finally getting going. He hit his first home run of the year on Sunday, but Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez still have batting averages that start with a “1.” The bigger issue? The bullpen is 3-8 with a 5.75 ERA, the second-worst mark in MLB. 

The Rockies already have more wins before the end of April than they had by the end of May last year. Their bullpen has performed surprisingly well, logging a 3.61 ERA that ranks eighth in MLB; the starting rotation, however, ranks 27th in WHIP and 28th in batting average against. Don’t be surprised if that group’s 4.60 ERA continues to climb; Colorado starters have the highest expected ERA in MLB. 

The team can hit; It just can’t stop anyone else from hitting. The Nationals rank third in runs scored…and 29th in runs allowed. They’ve allowed the most home runs and committed the most errors in MLB. 

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Their starters rank 29th in ERA. Their bullpen ranks 30th in ERA. Hunter Brown and Josh Hader — among many injured Astros — can’t get back soon enough. 

After a commendable start to the year, the Angels have now lost seven of their last eight games. One of the team’s biggest problems last year still persists: The Angels have the most strikeouts and highest whiff rate in MLB. 

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As previously mentioned, the offense is concerning. The Red Sox rank 27th in OPS and 28th in slugging and are tied for last in home runs, even after plating 17 runs on Saturday. The bigger surprise about the team’s dismal start, though? The starting rotation ranks 27th in ERA. 

The Twins (Brooks Lee, 111 wRC+) and Mets (Francisco Alvarez, 117) are the only teams who have just one qualified hitter batting above league average. As a team, Minnesota’s offense ranks 24th in wRC+ over the last two weeks. The bullpen, decimated at last year’s deadline, ranks 23rd in ERA on the season. 

The Marlins have the third-most errors in MLB and rank 29th in defensive runs saved.  

The Giants have the lowest walk rate in MLB and just 19 home runs on the year, tied for the fewest in MLB. That’s a tough offensive recipe for success, though the team has been performing much better lately. 

The most obvious flaw is the team’s health. Trey Yesavage and Jose Berrios are due back shortly, but fellow starters Shane Bieber, Cody Ponce and Bowden Francis are also on the IL, as are George Springer, Alejandro Kirk, Addison Barger, Nathan Lukes and Anthony Santander. Those position player absences hit the hardest: the Blue Jays have the fourth-fewest runs scored and the highest chase rate in MLB. 

The five starters who’ve thrown the most innings for the Orioles this year all ERAs over 4.00. Baltimore needs to hit to its potential to mask the issues on the mound. 

Their pitchers have the lowest strikeout rate and worst K-BB% in MLB. They’ve thrown 182 strikeouts as a team; every other team has at least 200. 

Brandon Nimmo has given the Rangers everything they could’ve asked for, and a leap forward from Josh Jung has provided a boost. But questions loom about a Texas offense that ranks 22nd in on-base percentage and 20th in OPS. 

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The Mariners have the second-highest whiff rate and fourth-most strikeouts in baseball. Those issues can be mitigated by their ability to power away, but their slugging (21st in MLB) has been limited to this point. Cal Raleigh’s heating up, though. 

As is often the case, the Guardians offense lacks the pop you’d expect from a contender. They have the second-lowest hard-hit rate in MLB and rank 19th in OPS and 20th in slugging; those rankings, however, represent significant improvements from last year’s playoff team. They’re also 21st in bullpen ERA, though I’m more confident that number will improve.  

The Aaron Civale signing has helped, but that wasn’t going to be enough to fix a rotation that ranked 27th in ERA last year. This year, A’s starters rank 26th in ERA. The team’s bullpen, however, has been much better than expected, and the A’s are in first place despite their offense not yet playing to its potential. 

The Brewers rank 29th in slugging percentage and last in expected slugging percentage. It doesn’t help that Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn are all injured. 

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Over the last week, the Tigers’ bullpen has a 6.99 ERA. On the year, Detroit relievers rank 19th in ERA and 23rd in strikeout rate. The bats are heating up, though, and Spencer Torkelson’s suddenly on a home-run tear after a slow start.

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Michael Soroka and Eduardo Rodriguez have both pitched well, but the rest of the pitching staff has not. The usual problem persists, as D-backs starters and relievers both rank in the bottom 10 in MLB in ERA. The offense, however, — led by uhh…34-year-old veteran Ildemaro Vargas?! — is getting it done. (Seriously, if you haven’t yet, take a look at what Vargas is doing.)

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The Rays’ bullpen ranks 27th in ERA, and their offense has the lowest hard-hit rate in MLB. But the lineup’s contact-heavy approach has worked to this point: Tampa Bay, with the highest zone contact rate and fifth-highest batting average in MLB, has the second-most wins in the American League. 

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Over the last week, the Pirates have the lowest on-base percentage and slugging percentage in MLB. For the year, they’re now down to a bottom-10 OPS. Is that a sign of things to come after the hot start? 

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It’s kind of amazing considering they lead the NL Central, but the Reds have the lowest batting average overall (.213) and batting average with runners in scoring position (.197) in MLB. 

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The Cubs had already lost standout starter Cade Horton when star closer Daniel Palencia went down with a lat strain — no matter, they still rattled off 10 straight wins before seeing the streak snapped this weekend in Los Angeles. They’re on the rise, but the pitching depth is a concern given the injuries. 

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Depth, both in the rotation and the field, is the team’s biggest concern. Clearly, A.J. Preller agreed, which is why the Padres just signed free agent starter Lucas Giolito. Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and Griffin Canning are all on the shelf, and while Randy Vasquez has been terrific (2-0, 1.88 ERA), the group gets thin after Michael King. Offensively, the Padres rank 23rd in OPS, yet they’ve won 16 of their last 20 games. 

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The Yankees rank fifth in OPS, but Ben Rice, Aaron Judge and the heart of the order is doing most of the damage. The depth of the lineup has left some to be desired. The Yankees’ Nos. 7-9 hitters rank 24th in batting average and 16th in OPS. Trent Grisham’s hitting .160, and Austin Wells (81 wRC+), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (81) and Ryan McMahon (66) have been well below league-average hitters. 

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To this point, the Braves have admirably withstood a litany of injuries, particularly in their rotation. Their biggest issue might be outfield depth. A bounceback start to the season from Michael Harris II has been huge, but as a group, Atlanta’s outfielders have hit below league average. Ronald Acuña Jr. has yet to get going, Mike Yastrzemski has been the team’s worst hitter, and Jurickson Profar’s PED suspension could wind up being costly.

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Their big signings, and many of their top stars, have yet to get going. Edwin Díaz has a 10.50 ERA and then underwent an elbow procedure. Kyle Tucker has been a below-league average hitter. So has Teoscar Hernández. Mookie Betts was hitting .179 before hurting his oblique. Will Smith has a .729 OPS. Freddie Freeman’s 118 OPS+ would be his lowest mark in a season in 14 years…and yet the Dodgers are 19-9 with the highest OPS in MLB. 

As the cliché goes: Parlays are a bookmaker’s best friend. 

And there’s an ocean of losing bets to prove it.

For every leg a bettor adds, the chance of winning significantly diminishes. And winning millions? Well, that never happens.

Except on the extremely rare occasion when it does, as it did Friday night for a Hard Rock Bet customer who turned 30 bucks into nearly $2 million.

More on that monster payday, along with how 10 cents became $3,500 and other notable wagers, as we recap the week that was in sports betting.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Home Run Derby

At 7:04 a.m. ET Friday, a Floridian playing on Hard Rock Bet’s mobile app decided to string together six players to hit at least one home run apiece, in Friday night’s MLB games.

A couple of players were usual suspects: the Phillies’ Bryce Harper (+475) and the A’s Nick Kurtz (+325). The rest of the ticket:

• Riley Greene +475 (Tigers)
• Jazz Chisholm Jr. +550 (Yankees)
• Jesus Sanchez +700 (Blue Jays)
• Coby Mayo +800 (Orioles)

Add up all those odds, and you’ve got a lottery-style number of +6576031. In slightly more digestible terms, that equates to just beyond 65760/1. 

A 1-in-65,760 chance.

Yet it happened.

Kurtz homered to lead off the first inning against the Rangers. Sanchez also went yard in the first inning against the Blue Jays. Greene’s homer was in the second inning against the Tigers, and Chisholm went deep in the fourth inning against the Astros.

The biggest sweats: Harper and Mayo homering in the fifth inning, vs. the Braves and Red Sox, respectively.

And that, incredibly, is how a modest $30.11 becomes $1.98 million. 

When the massive windfall ticket was reported on X on Saturday, there were skeptics all over the replies, screaming that the bet was fake.

It got to the point where Hard Rock Bet’s own post on the win got a Community Note.

By Sunday morning, that Community Note was gone. The wager was absolutely legit, as Hard Rock Bet Senior Vice President, Sportsbook Neil Walsh enthusiastically acknowledged.

“We’re jazzed up over this slip. It’s one of the highest-odds parlays that we’ve ever paid out — with only six legs — and the smallest-ever stake that’s minted a million-dollar payout,” Walsh said. “We’ve handled some massive winners, but this one knocked it out of the park.

“It’s an all-timer. Send this ticket to Cooperstown.”

Big Dollars on a Dime

Parlays on home-run hitters seem to be the preference at the moment. And to bettors’ credit, they’re often keeping the wager size quite reasonable, as pretty much all of us should when it comes to parlays.

In one case last week, a FanDuel Sportsbook customer utilized just about the smallest bet possible, 10 cents. And in fact, it was a bonus bet — so basically, a 10-cent free ride.

I’m not sure how one even acquires a 10-cent bonus bet. But if you have one, crafting a seven-leg long-shot parlay isn’t a bad idea at all.

The ticket included two same-game parlays, which comprised five of the seven legs. That helped hike the odds out to a hefty +3548119, or just beyond 35481/1.

Yet all seven legs got there, turning one thin dime — and a free one at that — into $3,548.12. That’s an ROI that anyone can appreciate.

Six-Figure Feast

To be clear, making 21-leg parlay bets is an excellent way to separate you from your money. Even making three- or four-leg parlays regularly will have the same effect.

So just understand that before punching in more and more legs.

Last Wednesday, a Fanatics Sportsbook customer just kept pressing the button, ultimately stringing together 21 legs across a bundle of sports: European basketball and soccer, MLB, NHL and a dozen outcomes tied to the NBA.

Almost every leg was a favorite on the $500 ticket. Many selections were huge favorites, including Magic forward Franz Wagner -1300 to score 11 or more points vs. the Pistons in Game 2 of an NBA playoff series.

By late evening, Wagner’s output was all that remained. And he barely got there.

Wagner hit two free throws with 8:05 remaining, for his 11th and 12th points of the game, and he scored no more after that.

But that’s all it took to complete the parlay, for a huge win of $362,070 (total payout $362,570). Not the most orthodox way to earn such money. As they say, though, it’s sometimes better to be lucky than good.

Laser Beam

Among the MLB offerings from FanDuel this season is the Laser Beam. It involves wagering on a player to hit a home run with an exit velocity of 110 mph or more.

On Wednesday’s slate, a bettor put $5 on a three-leg parlay of the A’s Nick Kurtz (+700), the White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami (+1900) and the Orioles’ Coby Mayo (+5000) to hit high-velocity homers.

The odds: +815900, or 8159/1.

All three players delivered lasers, and the customer’s five bucks turned into $40,800.

The Name Game

Doing parlays for fun, rather than expecting a huge hit, is a good way to go. A pair of FanDuel customers did just that on Sunday.

One bettor decided to base a $25 three-leg wager on athletes named Nathan:

• Reds first baseman Nathan Lowe to homer
• Cardinals outfielder Nathan Church to homer
• Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon to score a goal

The odds of all three events happening were +11630, or just beyond 116/1. All three indeed delivered, turning $25 into $2,932.65.

The other bettor banked on Sunday being the Lord’s Day. 

The customer wagered accordingly on the Blue Jays’ Jesus Sanchez, the Astros’ Christian Walker and the Cardinals’ Nathan Church to homer.

All three players went yard. At odds of +23714 (about 237/1), a five-dollar bill became $1,190.70. 

Divine intervention.

50 Cents To $500

Finally, during Sunday night’s Celtics vs. 76ers Game 4, Fanatics offered live Over/Under points scored props on 13 players. One customer decided: Why not put all 13 into a live same-game parlay?

The bettor wagered the extremely responsible sum of 50 cents, at odds of +100000, or 1000/1.

All 13 legs came through, turning those two quarters into $500. Not a bad couple of hours worth of work.

Baseball is back.

Here are the odds for the 2026 World Series at DraftKings Sportsbook as of April 27.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

2026 World Series odds

Dodgers: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)
Yankees: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Mariners: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Braves: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Cubs: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Tigers: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Blue Jays: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Rangers: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Phillies: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Orioles: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Brewers: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Mets: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Red Sox: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Padres: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Astros: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Pirates: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Reds: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Guardians: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Royals: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Rays: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Diamondbacks: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Athletics: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Giants: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Twins: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Marlins: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Cardinals: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Angels: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
White Sox: +40000 (bet $10 to win $4,010 total)
Rockies: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Nationals: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)

At the end of last season, the Dodgers became the first back-to-back World Series champs since the Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000. In addition, L.A. won its third championship in the past six years.

As for this season? L.A. has picked up right where it left off. 

As of April 27, the Dodgers are atop the AL West and have the second-best record in the National League (19-9), just one win behind the Braves (20-9). They have the highest run differential in baseball (+67), alongside the highest team batting average (.278), most home runs (45), most quality starts (18), second-most RBIs (151) and second-most hits (264). 

While L.A. is atop the oddsboard, the Braves are not far behind, with the season they’re having. They have the best record in baseball, as well as the lowest team ERA (3.13), most RBIs (161) and second-highest batting average (.274).

Less than 24 hours after the Boston Red Sox shockingly fired manager Alex Cora and five members of his coaching staff, infielder Trevor Story said the club’s path forward feels unclear.

“I mean obviously, it’s kind of up in the air what the true direction is,” the two-time All-Star said on Sunday morning before a series finale against the Baltimore Orioles. “Those are conversations that need to be had. They’ll be had today and onward going forward, too.”

The Red Sox officially dismissed Cora on Saturday evening after a 10-17 start to his eighth season guiding the club, including an embarrassing three-game sweep at home to the New York Yankees earlier this week.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow explained the first in-season firing of a Boston manager since 2001 by suggesting it showed commitment to the current season.

“It really comes down to the belief we have in the players, and the belief we have in the group to accomplish what we set out to accomplish,” Breslow said Sunday. “By acting today, it gives us 135 games ahead of us, almost a full season’s worth of run, to take advantage of this fresh start.”

[Red Sox: Alex Cora, Members of Coaching Staff Fired Amid Poor Start]

But Story, in the fifth season of a six-year, $140-million deal, is an exception on a young roster that has traded away stars like Mookie Betts, Chris Sale, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers in the years since Cora guided Boston to a 2018 World Series title in his first season.

The Red Sox have reached only two postseasons since, and only one since Story’s arrival when they made a wild-card appearance in 2025.

“I came here to win and I came here to be successful,” said the 33-year-old Story, who is among the Boston batters struggling with a .198 average, two homers and 17 RBIs. “And we had a flash of that last year. We’re looking to build on that. Obviously not off to a great start. But yeah, some of the direction needs to be cleared up, in my opinion.”

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Breslow and interim manager Chad Tracy spoke with the team for roughly eight minutes in a Sunday morning gathering that also included owner John Henry and team president Sam Kennedy, according to reliever Garrett Whitlock. Players did not talk during the meeting.

“They spoke. Yeah, they spoke,” Story said. “There just has to be more conversations had. I wouldn’t say it was satisfactory.”

To reporters, Breslow and Kennedy indicated this was a decision driven by baseball operations after the club had performed particularly poorly on offense.

[Last Night in Baseball: Resurgent Braves Get to 20 Wins First]

Despite a 17-1 win over Baltimore Saturday that halted a four-game slide, the Red Sox batters entered Sunday slashing .233/.312/.354 collectively and ranked in the bottom quarter of MLB in most key metrics.

“Ultimately, responsibility for the performance on the field, it falls on me as the leader of baseball operations,” Breslow said. “But so, too, does the responsibility for doing everything I can and the organization can to find solutions. And right now we feel like this change, these changes were warranted.”

Kennedy said Breslow has “made several bold decisions and recommendations.”

“And this was one of them and we fully support it.,” he said.

Henry remained in Baltimore Sunday but did not address the media.

“I think it’s evident by his presence here that this was a collaborative decision (with Henry),” Kennedy said.

Tracy makes his MLB managerial debut after six seasons guiding Triple-A Worcester. The son of longtime manager Jim Tracy, he recognized the delicate dynamics of his opportunity.

“I’m toeing that line of sitting here with all of you in this moment, but also acknowledge the relationship with some of the people that are no longer here was strong,” Tracy said. “And you also know that that’s, in a lot of ways, that’s how some of the players feel as well. So, excited, right? But also honoring the people that were before me that were mentors to me.”

Story praised Tracy’s “baseball mind,” but was clearly still emotional about Cora’s firing.

“He had our backs every single day,” Story said. “He was very truthful with players and took bullets for us and did everything you can ask for and more as a manager. I just can’t express how thankful I am to have played for him. Yeah, I’ve got a love for that guy.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.