MLB Baseball 24 Hours

Last updated: April 12, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

ALARMING INJURY TRENDS PLAGUE ALIGNMENT

The injury bug continued to decimate playoff hopefuls across the league, with the Baltimore Orioles being hit particularly hard, confirming that first baseman Ryan Mountcastle landed on the injured list due to a broken fourth metatarsal bone in his left foot; this misfortune follows the placement of catcher Adley Rutschman on the 10-day IL earlier in the weekend with left ankle inflammation, placing immense strain on the team's depth chart. Elsewhere in the AL East, the Houston Astros face uncertainty after shortstop Jeremy Pena departed Saturday's loss with right knee tightness, necessitating an MRI, while rookie pitcher Tatsuya Imai was sent for examination due to right arm fatigue, prompting manager Joe Espada to state plainly, "Just not good news". In the NL Central, the Milwaukee Brewers are bracing for potentially grim updates after star Christian Yelich exited Sunday's contest with tightness in his left hamstring, compounding the woes for a team already dealing with pitching injuries.

PITCHING STAFFS DEALT SUNDAY BLOWS

Pitching rotations faced significant disruption across the National League as several key arms experienced setbacks, starting with the Colorado Rockies scratching left-hander Kyle Freeland from his scheduled start against the Padres after the game commenced due to soreness in his pitching shoulder. The Philadelphia Phillies saw a brief scare resolved as rookie right-hander Andrew Painter, who missed his initial Sunday start due to a migraine, managed to throw five effective innings in relief during the team's narrow 4-3 defeat to Arizona. Meanwhile, the bullpen attrition continued as Nationals left-hander Ken Waldichuk abruptly exited in the seventh inning against the Brewers after feeling discomfort while delivering a pitch, and the Chicago Cubs formally placed righty reliever Hunter Harvey on the IL with right triceps inflammation.

METS STRUGGLE AMID DEFENSIVE LAPSES & LONG-TERM ABSENCES

Defensive miscues are plaguing the New York Mets as shortstop Francisco Lindor committed his third error in two days during an 11-6 shellacking by the Athletics, leading manager Carlos Mendoza to publicly express bewilderment over the uncharacteristic lapses, admitting they are "hard to explain." While short-term struggles continue, the long-term prognosis remains bleak for some players, such as Orioles veteran Zach Eflin, who is now targeting a 2027 return after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his 32nd birthday last week. These personnel issues serve as a stark reminder of the grind of the season, occurring just as the baseball world paused to honor a legend, as former three-time All-Star infielder and Astros manager Phil Garner passed away Sunday at the age of 76, having guided Houston to its first World Series appearance.

OFF-FIELD NOTES & UNRELATED COMPETITION

Beyond the immediate game action, the league is already to the inaugural 2026 MLB Bat Flip Championship Belt, establishing who currently holds the ceremonial title following the first competitive display of the season.