Several Ballparks Opened on April 10
Plus: Healing Vets Can Tilt 2026 Races
Pregame Pepper
With starters Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, and Jose Berrios on the IL and the defending AL champions depending heavily upon ancient Max Scherzer, the Blue Jays inked free-agent lefty Patrick Corbin, who has struggled in recent seasons . . .
Not surprisingly, 40-somethings Scherzer and Justin Verlander both hit the IL again in the early days of April . . .
Toronto suffered another serious setback when catcher Alejandro Kirk fractured his left thumb last weekend . . .
The Braves and Angels were lucky no one was injured in the Tuesday night melee that began when Reynaldo Lopez and former teammate Jorge Soler threw haymakers after the latter was hit by one pitch and later pitched inside again . . .
The Braves got three shutouts in their first eight games for the first time since Greg Maddux, Pete Smith, and John Smoltz turned that trick in 1993 . . .
The common denominator in all three of these early shutouts? Jonah Heim has been behind the dish calling the pitches.
Leading Off
Dodger Stadium Still Shines On Anniversary
By Dan Schlossberg
Sixty-four years ago today, on April 10, 1962, Dodger Stadium opened with the home team losing a 6-3 verdict to the Cincinnati Reds.
On the very same date, a new team named the Houston Colt .45s beat the Chicago Cubs — then run by a rotating board of head coaches — by an 11-2 margin.
The date is also known for a nickname — the New York Highlanders became the New York Yankees in 1913 — and a debut — the second-edition Senators began their bid to uphold the saying, “Washington: first in war, first in peace, and last in the American League.”
Today, Dodger Stadium is older than all ballparks but Fenway Park (1912) and Wrigley Field (1914). Yet it still looks pristine, with bright blue seats, manicured green grass, and an omnipresent blue sky over Chavez Ravine, the suburban Los Angeles site where it was built.
The Dodgers take pride not only in performance but also appearance. The first thing fans see when entering the bowl-shaped stadium is a handful of gigantic retired numbers, honoring such stars of the past as Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Roy Campanella.
Spectators with extra time can sign up for tours that will take them into the bowels of the ballpark, including the clubhouses and dining areas plus numerous displays of Cy Young and MVP awards, Gold Gloves, and World Series artifacts — some from 2025.
Dodger dogs are still there, though some ballpark food critics claim they have lost their luster from their celebrated heyday. At least their name is synonymous with success.
Colt Stadium, which Houston called home after its creation as a National League expansion franchise, is no longer part of the baseball landscape.
Built in a hurry to house the expansion Houston Colt .45s (now Astros), the $2 million open-air ballpark often had more mosquitoes than fans. Its lasting legacy was heat, humidity, and a losing ballclub.
The weather was so putrid that the team started playing Sunday games at night — previously a no-no for Major League Baseball.
It was only slightly better than Griffith Stadium, the former home of the original Washington Senators. An old ballpark that opened in 1911, it lasted only one season before the new Nats moved to D.C. Stadium (later renamed Robert F. Kennedy Stadium) and eventually to Dallas-Fort Worth as the Texas Rangers.
Despite the pitiful performance of the expansion teams, baseball was a simpler game in 1962. There were two leagues, no scheduled playoffs, no inter-league play, no artificial turf, and winners went directly to the World Series without passing GO or collecting $200.
Ironically, the ‘62 season did produce an unscheduled playoff when the Dodgers and Giants finished in a dead heat. Then the Giants repeated their Miracle of 1951, winning the pennant in the last inning of the last game in a best-of-three playoff.
There was no Manfred Man to stifle marathon games and no Marvin Miller to threaten vicious labor revolts.
By the way, the Cubs’ Board of Head Coaches was a dismal failure.
HtP weekend editor Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ was 14 years old in 1962. He later authored 43 baseball books, including biographies of Hank Aaron 50 years apart. Dan’s email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Cleaning Up
The Cavalry is Coming to Clubs In Need
By Dan Schlossberg
Perhaps the most important factor in the success of each contender is the health of their players — especially the quantity and quality of the injured men on the mend.
The Atlanta Braves, who finished the first two weeks with an 8-5 record that topped the National League East, are expecting the return of four quality starting pitchers: former NL strikeout king Spencer Strider by the end of this month and Spencer Swellenbach and Hurston Waldrep in early June.
Also licking their chops in anticipation of injured pitchers returning to health are the New York Yankees, whose rotation should be bolstered by activation of Carlos Rodon in early May, Gerrit Cole in the middle of the month, and Clarke Schmidt in August. All three had elbow issues.
Starting shortstop Anthony Volpe has also been rehabbing his shoulder but hopes to return by May Day.
Another contender with injured players healing soon is the Los Angeles Dodgers. They’re hoping to get Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, back by Memorial Day, with fellow starters Gavin Stone and Bobby Miller ready around the same time. If his elbow heals, Kike Hernandez will also come back by then, along with versatile Tommy Edman (ankle).
One of the chief pretenders to the Western throne, the Arizona Diamondbacks, will make a more formidable force when erstwhile ace Corbin Burnes returns from Tommy John elbow surgery right around the All-Star break.
As for San Diego, a perennial runner-up, expects Joe Musgrove to return to its rotation before May 1. The San Diego native threw the only no-hitter in club history.
The Cincinnati Reds could make a run for the NL Central crown after they get pitching ace Hunter Greene (elbow) back on July 1, shortly before the rival Milwaukee Brewers anticipate the return of their ace, Corbin Burnes (Tommy John surgery).
Milwaukee won’t lead the majors in wins again but could keep its division crown if rising star Jackson Chourio returns quickly with his fractured left hand healed.
Another NL Central club, the Chicago Cubs, hope returnee Justin Steele (elbow) will fill the void left by Cade Horton, out for the year after his own elbow injury.
Even the long-shot Pirates could get a boost by subtracting Jared Jones, a solid starting pitcher with elbow issues, from the IL right around Memorial Day.
In the American League, the Houston Astros are counting on closer Josh Hader (biceps) to bounce back later this month and pitchers Hunter Brown (shoulder) and Ronel Blanco (elbow) to rebound by June and August, respectively.
The defending AL champions, the Toronto Blue Jays, need quick recoveries from catcher Alejando Kirk (broken thumb), Anthony Santander (shoulder), and pitchers Jose Berrios and Shane Bieber (both bedeviled with elbow issues). With Cody Pence (knee) and Yimi Garcia and Bowden Francis (both elbow) out for months, the team’s pitching is stretched thinner than the winter ice on Lake Ontario (elbow).
It’s a long season but the return of proven players can turn pretenders into contenders overnight. Just ask the Blue Jays, who went from worst to first in 2025 and came thisclose to winning their first world championship since 1993.
HtP weekend editor Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ is a national baseball writer for forbes.com and author of 43 baseball books. His email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Extra Innings: Musings from the First Month
Hunter Brown’s shoulder strain will test Houston’s pitching depth . . .
Biff Pocoroba would have the best nickname in baseball if it weren’t his real name . . .
Even before Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón return from injuries, Yankees starting pitching looks surprisingly solid . . .
Neither Ronald Acuña, Jr. nor Austin Riley hit a home run for the Braves through the first dozen games of the 2026 campaign . . .
If Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani wins his fourth straight MVP this season, he’ll join Barry Bonds in a very exclusive club . . .
Cleveland has a surprise contender for the AL award in Chase DeLauter, a 6’3” Maryland native who made his major-league bow in last year’s playoffs . . .
Arizona may have moved too quickly to sign corner infielders Carlos Santana and Nolan Arenado, two fading vets who seem to be running on fumes . . .
Speaking of signings, the usually skinflint Pirates have signed 20-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin to a nine-year, $140 million extension that is the club’s biggest contract ever . . .
Kansas City is concerned that star pitcher Cole Ragans suffered a serious injury when a line drive hit off his hand, forcing him out in the first inning, earlier this week . . .
Mayday alert: former blue-chip prospect Jarred Kelenic, struggling in the White Sox system, is batting less than .100 in the minor leagues.
Know Your Editors
Here’s the Pitch is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [biggentleben@hotmail.com] handles the Monday issue with Dan Freedman [dfreedman@lionsgate.com] editing Tuesday and Jeff Kallman [easyace1955@outlook.com] at the helm Wednesday and Thursday. Original editor Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com], does the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Former editor Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] is now co-director [with Benjamin Chase and Jonathan Becker] of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, which publishes this newsletter and the annual ACTA book of the same name. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HtP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.
Joe Musgrove threw the first no-hitter for the Pades, but it's no longer the only one: On July 25th, 2024, Dylan Cease threw the second when he defeated the Washington Nationals, 3-0.
As for stadiums, at least Griffith Stadium concession stands didn't have to sell insect repellant like was done in pathetic Colt Stadium