National League notes
Arizona: SS Geraldo Perdomo needs surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, a procedure that is likely to sideline him for four to six weeks, the latest significant injury to befall the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opening days of the season. Perdomo is the fourth frontline player to land on the injured list since the season began, joining LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, closer Paul Sewald and CF Alek Thomas. The Diamondbacks already have felt the effects of the injuries. Their back-of-the-rotation starters, RHP Ryne Nelson and LHP Tommy Henry, have been inconsistent; the club has lost all three of their starts entering the week. Their bullpen, which has seen the roles shuffled by Sewald’s absence, has given up costly runs late in each of the past three games.
Atlanta: The UCL injury to SP Spencer Strider could mean an opportunity soon for two prospects at Class AAA Gwinnett (Ga.). LHP Dylan Dodd, 25, was one of the best surprises of spring training, and he’s off to a good start in his first two appearances for Gwinnett (2-0, 1.54). Top prospect AJ Smith-Shawver, 21, also could be called upon, even though the Braves prefer to get him significant time in Triple-A this year. SmithShawver has 11 career starts in Class AAA, going 2-2 with a 4.75 ERA.
Chicago: The Cubs entered a series with the Padres this week with six wins in the past seven games. The Cubs have been averaging 7.6 runs per game. While first-year manager Craig Counsell calls the team’s current pace unsustainable, hitting coach Dustin Kelly says this Cubs team is very similar to the 2023 team that ranked sixth in the majors in runs scored. “You don’t really know what the identity of every team is going to be, but I think (the first games) are a really good indication of like, ‘This is who we are,’ “Kelly said.
Cincinnati: LHP Nick Lodolo is scheduled to come off the injured list April 13 in Chicago and make his season debut against the White Sox. Manager David Bell said the rotation stays the same for now, which means a six-man crew through the game. “We’ll have to decide what our rotation looks like at that point,” Bell said. The Reds are in the midst of a 13-game stretch without a day off until April 18.
Colorado: Colorado Rockies fans didn’t try to hide their disgust toward Kris Bryant and his struggles by heavily booing him at their home opener. “I’ve been through it all,” Bryant told reporters. “The death threats, the ‘kill yourself.’
All the craziness that this game will dish out. … It takes courage to show up every day in this game. This game dishes you a lot. A lot of up, well, not a lot of up, but a lot of downs.” Bryant, who has hit just 16 homers and driven in 48 runs with a .724 OPS since joining the Rockies, is in the third year of a seven-year, $182 million contract.
Los Angeles: Los Angeles entered a series this week in Minnesota coming off an 8-1, three-error defeat to the Cubs. The game was interrupted by rain, and sloppy conditions made it difficult for pitchers and fielders alike. “You never like three errors in a ballgame,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I think it’s been considerably better than it was a month ago, and I think it’s only going to get better. (The April 7 game) was just one of those days, like I said, we would like to wash.”
Miami: The Marlins, who could be the first team to conduct a fire sale this summer after their 0-9 start, may also find themselves needing a new manager in 2025. Skip Schumaker, the NL manager of the year last season, is a free agent after the year. The Marlins originally had a club option on Schumaker in 2025, but the Marlins agreed to void the option during contract talks this past winter. Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox and Schumaker certainly would be the hottest names on the managerial free agent market.
Milwaukee: An already muddled starting pitching situation became even more cloudy for the Milwaukee Brewers on April 6 as right-hander Jakob Junis was placed on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder impingement. Left-hander Aaron Ashby, already with the team as a member of the taxi squad, was recalled from Class AAA Nashville and started in place of Junis against the Cincinnati Reds on April 8. The 31-year-old Junis signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Brewers in the offseason after spending the previous two seasons with the Giants. Veteran Wade Miley, meanwhile, made a rehab start for Nashville last week as he continues ramping up from a left shoulder impingement.
New York: Mired in a 1-for-31 start to his season, SS Francisco Lindor ripped a double down the left field line in his first at-bat April 7, scored the opening run and followed it up with a solo home run to left off Reds starter Andrew Abbott to lead the Mets to a 3-1 victory in Cincinnati. “It’s one of those where they just needed to go through,” Lindor said. “Today as soon as I hit the ball, I peeked at it, put my head down and then I looked at it again and knew it went through. I was like, ‘OK, thank God.’ It feels good. It feels really good to be able to contribute to the team. Nothing else matters but winning.” ... Jerry Grote, the starting catcher during the Mets’ first World Series title in 1969, died April 7 at the Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute in Austin, Texas, at 81, the Mets announced.
Philadelphia: The Phillies won two of three games over the Nationals last weekend while the Cardinals did the same against the Marlins. Philadelphia lost 3-2 to the Nationals on April 7 while allowing five stolen bases. “They were just running first move,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It’s something we’ve got to pay attention to. It’s something we’ve got to focus on because most of the time, our offensive power is going to be better than most teams. Our pitching power is going to be better than most other teams’ offenses. So we have to control the running game because that’s a big part of how teams beat us.”
Pittsburgh: Who wouldn’t love to see the Pirates return to prominence after their 8-2 start, but remember, they did the same thing a year ago. They opened up with a 20-8 record, proceeded to lose 11 of their next 12 games, and finished 7686. It’s a long season.
St. Louis: The Cardinals want their starters to work deeper into games this season. The addition of RHP Sonny Gray, who signed a three-year, $75 million free agent deal in the offseason, could help. Gray, 34, opened the season on the IL with a right hamstring strain and was expected to be on a pitch limit as he returns. He has averaged 52⁄3 innings per start over his career. The Cardinals pitched into the sixth inning five times in his first 10 games.
San Diego: Assistant GM Fred Uhlman quietly retired from the San Diego Padres this past week after spending 29 years in the organization. Uhlman is one of the most respected, admired and loyal executives in the game. He says that he was not forced out and has a strong relationship with GM A.J. Preller, but simply wanted a change. “A.J.’s been awesome,” Uhlman said in a text message to USA TODAY Sports. “Could have stayed in my current role or moved into a scouting role here, but wanted a fresh start if one is out there. Would love to scout again if the right opportunity is out there.”
San Francisco: The Giants came into the week riding the momentum of a second dramatic win over San Diego in three days last weekend. On April 7, the key play came in the eighth inning on a hard slide by Jorge Soler into Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, knocking the ball out of his glove to allow the tying run to score and set up Matt Chapman’s go-ahead hit. “Sometimes you need a little luck,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said afterward. “And a big base runner.” The Giants won the series despite scoring just six runs. They did not homer in their first three home games of the season and had just four extra-base hits, all doubles.
Washington: The Nationals ownership, who finally signed off on Stephen Strasburg’s retirement, are the ones to blame for even signing Strasburg to the ill-fated, seven-year, $245 million contract. The Nats front office recommended only a two- or three-year deal, but the ownership let Strasburg’s fabulous 2019 postseason that led to a World Series title sway them. ... Nationals pitcher Josiah Gray is scheduled to graduate in June with a degree in business management from Le Moyne College in New York.