Samwise MLB Newsletter
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Phillies Fire Manager Rob Thomson 28 Games In, Don Mattingly Named Interim
Philadelphia fired manager Rob Thomson Tuesday after just 28 games of the 2026 season, with the club’s 9-19 start — tied with the Mets for baseball’s worst record — ending a three-year tenure for one of the game’s most respected skippers. The Phillies, carrying a payroll exceeding $300 million and entering the year as NL East contenders, have lost 12 of their last 14 games. Dave Dombrowski named Don Mattingly, 65, interim manager for the remainder of the season. Mattingly spent three seasons as John Schneider’s bench coach in Toronto. Thomson expressed no animosity toward the organization after the stunning dismissal.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Marlins Hand Dodgers First LA Series Loss in Eight Years
Miami capped a road sweep Wednesday, defeating Los Angeles 3-2 to complete back-to-back wins at Dodger Stadium — their first series win in LA since 2018. Esteury Ruiz homered in the seventh and Javier Sanoja’s popup single to shallow center in the eighth scored Xavier Edwards with the decisive run. Tyler Glasnow lasted 5⅔ innings despite two earned runs, issuing a season-high six walks. In the ninth, the Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs, but Freddie Freeman grounded into an unassisted double play by Edwards to end the threat. Los Angeles has dropped three of its last four.
Sources: MLB.com, Sports Illustrated
Cole Young’s Ninth-Inning Heroics Lift Mariners Past Twins, Seattle Reaches .500
Cole Young delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth inning to rally Seattle past Minnesota 5-3 on Wednesday, pushing the Mariners to .500 for the first time since April 3. The 22-year-old slapped an outside pitch past a diving second baseman as the infield played in, also tying the game with a two-out double in the seventh. Young is batting .383 with 10 RBIs over his last 13 games. J.P. Crawford homered, Andrés Muñoz recorded his sixth save, and Brooks Lee’s two-run single off George Kirby had given Minnesota a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Seattle stands at 16-16.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Eovaldi’s Seven Scoreless Innings Snaps Yankees’ Winning Streak
Nathan Eovaldi allowed just four hits over seven scoreless innings as Texas blanked the AL-best New York Yankees 3-0 Wednesday, halting a stretch in which New York had won 10 of their previous 11 games. Josh Jung’s two-run single through the left side in the fifth inning chased rookie Elmer Rodriguez, who was making his big league debut. Sam Haggerty added an RBI single in the seventh, and Jacob Latz closed out for his second save. New York, now 20-11, was shut out for only the second time this season. Rodriguez took the loss on the night of his MLB debut.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Blue Jays Rout Red Sox 8-1 as Springer Returns, Boston Sinks to 12-17
Ernie Clement hit a two-run homer and Brandon Valenzuela added a solo shot as Toronto routed Boston 8-1 Wednesday, improving to 8-2 when scoring at least five runs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 3-for-3 with a walk, Kazuma Okamoto drove in two with a single, and George Springer contributed a pinch-hit RBI single in his return from a fractured left big toe. Brayan Bello fell to 1-4 after allowing four runs in 3⅔ innings, his third straight loss. Willson Contreras homered for Boston, which has lost eight of its last 12 games and sits at 12-17.
Gavin Williams Fans Nine as Guardians Take Series From Rays 3-1
Gavin Williams struck out nine batters and Chase DeLauter laced a two-run single as Cleveland defeated Tampa Bay 3-1 Wednesday to take the three-game series. Williams dominated the Rays lineup before an uncharacteristic seventh-inning error by Travis Bazzana — just his second major league game — allowed a run to score. Bazzana’s relay throw sailed wide, sending shortstop Brayan Rocchio sprawling and letting Jake Fraley score. DeLauter’s two-run single in the fourth proved the decisive blow. Cleveland has won six of its last nine games and improves to 16-15, tied atop the AL Central with the Tigers.
Sources: ESPN, Sports Illustrated
Yankees Place Stanton on IL with Calf Strain, Recall Jasson Domínguez
The New York Yankees placed Giancarlo Stanton on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a low-grade right calf strain, backdating the move to April 25, and recalled outfielder Jasson Domínguez from Triple-A. Stanton tweaked the calf running the bases Friday; an MRI confirmed the diagnosis Monday. No extended absence is anticipated. The Yankees also designated outfielder Randal Grichuk for assignment to clear a roster spot. Domínguez went 1-for-4 with a strikeout as the designated hitter in Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to Texas, his first big league appearance of 2026. Stanton had not missed a game prior to the injury this season.
Sources: ESPN, NBC Sports
Rockies Blast Reds 13-2: Hunter Goodman Homers Twice, Sugano Shines
Hunter Goodman homered twice and Brett Sullivan drove in three with a double as Colorado routed Cincinnati 13-2 Wednesday. Tomoyuki Sugano pitched 5⅓ scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, in the strongest start by a Rockies pitcher this season. Ezequiel Tovar hit a two-run single in the ninth and Mickey Moniak followed with a run-scoring ground-rule double. Tyler Stephenson hit a leadoff double for Cincinnati and Will Benson homered in the ninth for the Reds’ only two tallies. The Reds had entered the day leading the NL Central with an 18-10 mark. Colorado improves to 14-16.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
American League
AL East
1. NY Yankees — 20–11, —
2. Tampa Bay Rays — 17–12, 2.0 GB
3. Baltimore Orioles — 14–15, 5.0 GB
4. Toronto Blue Jays — 13–16, 6.0 GB
5. Boston Red Sox — 12–17, 7.0 GB
AL Central
1. Detroit Tigers — 15–14, — (T)
1. Cleveland Guardians — 16–15, — (T)
3. Minnesota Twins — 13–17, 2.5 GB
4. Chicago White Sox — 12–17, 3.0 GB
5. Kansas City Royals — 11–17, 3.5 GB
AL West
1. Oakland Athletics — 15–13, —
2. Texas Rangers — 15–15, 1.0 GB
3. Seattle Mariners — 16–16, 1.0 GB
4. LA Angels — 12–18, 4.0 GB
5. Houston Astros — 11–18, 4.5 GB
National League
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves — 20–9, —
2. Miami Marlins — 15–16, 6.0 GB
3. Washington Nationals — 13–16, 6.5 GB
4. NY Mets — 9–19, 10.5 GB
5. Philadelphia Phillies — 9–19, 10.5 GB
NL Central
1. Cincinnati Reds — 18–11, — (T)
1. Chicago Cubs — 19–12, — (T)
3. Pittsburgh Pirates — 16–13, 2.0 GB
4. St. Louis Cardinals — 15–13, 2.5 GB
5. Milwaukee Brewers — 14–13, 3.0 GB
NL West
1. LA Dodgers — 20–11, —
2. San Diego Padres — 19–11, 0.5 GB
3. Arizona Diamondbacks — 15–12, 3.0 GB
4. Colorado Rockies — 14–16, 5.5 GB
5. San Francisco Giants — 13–15, 5.5 GB
Curated by JD · samwise.agency