April 4 Box Score Briefs

Good Saturday afternoon to everyone.

I wanted to post today because I want to make sure I’m reminding everyone as often as I can that I’m trying to move Pinstripe People over to a new platform and I’d really appreciate it if you make the switch with me.

I know sometimes that change can be a pain, but this really won’t be, and I’ve already had about 100 of you make the seamless transition from Beehiiv to Mighty Networks. That said, 100 out of more than 1,400 subscribers isn’t much, and I would hate to lose any of you, so please, when you get the chance, take a couple minutes and create your new FREE Mighty Networks account.

Believe me, it’s really easy. All you have to do is click this invite code:

https://salmaiorana.mn.co/share/0XdJGz3n7AHbtYM0?utm_source=manual

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Whenever I post, you will still get it in your email as always. From there, you click “go to article” and that will take you into The Ballpark to read it and that’s why you need to create an account because otherwise, you won’t be able to read. Remember, this is the same as when you joined the newsletter originally, you had to create a new account at Beehiiv.

What’s nice about this is now you can make comments directly on the story, or you can even start a private chat with me. And the videos I include in the newsletter can now be watched right in the story, which I love. And for me, my favorite part of Mighty Networks is you get a free app that you can download onto your phone or tablet from Apple and Android. I’m an iPhone/iPad guy and I do almost all of my reading on those devices.

So whether you prefer reading on your computer or a mobile device, now you have the choice to read in your preferred environment.

I’m going to post all my content - including some new things I’m working on - in both places for a couple weeks so you’ll have time to switch over, but I really would like to get everyone over to the new place as soon as possible. Again, I’d hate to lose anyone.

OK, now that we have that out of the way, below is something I’m going to be doing a couple times per week at the new site, Box Score Briefs, where I dive into some of the most interesting things from the previous day’s games around MLB. Lets get to it!

Jesus Luzardo proves the Dodgers are human

Finally, someone stepped up to the Dodgers and punched them in the face in 2025. After starting the season with eight straight victories, the most ever for a defending World Series champion, the super team met defeat as the Phillies took them down 3-2 in Philadelphia. “Uncharted territory,” manager Dave Roberts said with a smile. “It’s hard to beat a good team. That’s what happened tonight.”

The Phillies already had one of the best rotations in MLB and then they signed Jesus Luzardo to a one-year deal and the lefty was great in this game, seven shutout innings allowing two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. Against the Dodgers.

Man, that’s quite a night, and coupled with his Phillies debut on March 29 against the Nationals, Luzardo now has 19 strikeouts, third-most in Phillies history in his first two starts. “It was probably one of the most well-executed starts I’ve ever had in my career,” Luzardo said.

Of course no lead is ever going to be safe against Los Angeles and in the ninth, leading 3-0, Jordan Romano served up a two-run homer to Tommy Edman who now has five on the season. Will Smith then drew a one-out walk, but the game ended in dramatic fashion on a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out play as JT Realmuto gunned down Smith as Max Muncy was striking out. “It was exciting,” Realmuto deadpanned.

Speaking of bad offenses, the Braves broke out

The most surprising thing that has happened in the first week-plus of the season was the Braves - a team many believe could actually be the Dodgers’ greatest threat in the NL - lost their first seven games. Granted, it came against the Padres and Dodgers, teams that began the season a combined 15-0 before they both lost for the first time Friday.

They began the season going 1-for-35 with runners in scoring position. Not a misprint: 1-for-35 with a lineup that includes studs like Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Marcel Ozuna and Michael Harris. It seems almost impossible that a team like this could have a week like that.

Well, the Marlins turned out to be the elixir as the Braves returned to Atlanta for their home opener and took out some of their frustrations on what is without question the worst team in MLB in a 10-0 blowout. The Braves went 7-for-17 with RISP, Ozuna and Olson homered, and while they didn’t need it, starter Spencer Schwellenbach was incredible - eight innings, two hits, 10 strikeouts.

Olson summed up the Braves’ situation perfectly when he said, “You don’t go play golf and double-bogey the first hole and mail it in.” And he’s right. We’re one week into the season and the Braves have more than five months to turn things around. I think they’ll be fine.

Shota shoves against the Padres

Speaking of the no longer unbeaten Padres, the reason for that was the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga who was outstanding during a 3-1 victory in a cold home opener at Wrigley Field. He went 7.1 innings and gave up just one run on four hits, freezing those red-hot San Diego bats.

“It’s just a good pitcher,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell, who saw his team score in the first when San Diego starter Randy Vazquez walked three straight batters to force in one run, and then put up two decisive runs in the fifth.

The lefty has made three starts - remember, the Cubs began the season in Tokyo - and he now has a 0.98 ERA in 18.1 innings. If the Cubs are going to break through and win the NL Central, they’re going to need Imanaga to be their ace, and there’s no proof that he can’t be. Last year, after coming over from Japan as a 30-year-old rookie, he went 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA and 1.021 WHIP to finish fifth in the NL Cy Young voting.

The Reds lost, but at least they scored!

On Monday, Cincinnati blew out Texas 14-3 on a night when budding superstar shortstop Ell De La Cruz used one of the torpedo bats that the Yankees made famous last weekend and hit two home runs, two singles, stole a base, scored four runs drove in seven.

And then, Tito Francona’s club lost three consecutive 1-0 games - two to the Rangers and one to the same Brewers who gave up 36 runs in three runs to the torpedo-swingin Yankees. The Reds became just the second team in what is referred to as the Live Ball Era (post 1919) to lose three straight 1-0 games, joining the 1960 Phillies.

Counting the eighth inning of the 14-3 game, into Friday night’s 3-2 loss to the Brewers, the Reds went 35 innings without scoring, their longest drought since going 37 innings without a run in 1946. And the crazy thing is the two runs they scored in this one were unearned thanks to an error by Brewers third baseman Oliver Dunn.

The next time I bitch about the Yankees’ not hitting with runners in scoring position, remind me of this week for the Reds went 1-for-19 during what is now a four-game losing streak. I’m not sure what’s sadder, that they had just one hit in that situation, or that they only had 19 chances in four games.

Heading into Saturday, the Reds have scored just 26 runs in eight games, and remember, 14 came in one game. Their team on-base percentage of .253 is second-worst ahead of only the Twins (.240).

Pete Alonso outshines Juan Soto

The Mets played their home opener and while the Citi Field crowd was overjoyed to watch Soto make his home debut, it was their longtime fan favorite, Alonso, who struck the big blow in a 5-0 victory over the Blue Jays.

Most Mets fans thought Alonso was gone in the offseason, but his free agent market did not go the way he hoped and he wound up returning to New York on a team-friendly contract. He wasn’t happy about the money, but the bottom line is Alonso belongs with the Mets; he’s a homegrown guy who has been a terrific power hitter since his debut in 2019 when he broke Aaron Judge’s rookie home run record with 53.

Alonso got the biggest welcome when the players were introduced before the game, and then he got things started with a two-run homer in the first. “That type of stuff is what you dream about as a kid,” Alonso said of the greeting. “To have that kind of support being reciprocated, it’s really special. I enjoyed every second of it.”

He already has three homers and 10 RBI with an OPS of 1.183. Meanwhile, Soto had an RBI double that made it 3-0 and Francisco Lindor - who is off to another bad start which is a thing for him - was on base three times and scored twice.