NATIONAL LEAGUE NOTES

NL EAST

ATLANTA BRAVES

Injuries forced the Braves to dip into their pitching depth to begin the season, but SP Mike Foltynewicz, SP Kevin Gausman and RP A.J. Minter all could join the active roster by the middle of April.

Gausman (shoulder) could make his season debut April 5, and Foltynewicz (elbow) might be ready for a start as soon as April 9. Minter (shoulder) could be in the Braves’ bullpen by the end of the week.

❚ With Gausman and Foltynewicz out, the Braves started rookies Bryse Wilson and Kyle Wright in the opening series against the Phillies. It was the first time since 1905 the Braves started rookies in at least two of the first three games of a season.

MIAMI MARLINS

The rebuilding Marlins decided to go very young in their starting rotation, releasing 30year-old Dan Straily just before opening day and announcing that 33-year-old LHP Wei-Yin Chen will pitch out of the bullpen.

That left a pair of 27-yearolds, Jose Urena and Caleb Smith, a pair of 23-year-olds, Sandy Alcantara and Pablo Lopez, and 25-year-old Trevor Richards.

The early returns were promising. After Urena gave up six runs (five earned) in 4 2 /3 innings against the Colorado Rockies on opening day, Richards allowed just one run in six innings and Alcantara pitched eight scoreless innings.

❚ The Marlins didn’t come close to selling out their opening- day game against the Colorado Rockies, announcing a crowd of 25,423 in 37,000-seat Marlins Park, which has a new look. The crowd for the second game, on a Friday night, was announced at only 6,503.

NEW YORK METS

The Mets kept their word and put 24-year-old 1B Pete Alonso on their roster after an impressive spring training, and Alonso made the decision look good by going 5-for-10 in the season opening series at Washington, where the Mets won two of three games.

Alonso led all minor leaguers in home runs (36) and RBI (119) in 2018, but the Mets didn’t call him up in September. There was some thought they would have him start this season in the minors to push back his eligibility for free agency, but they didn’t.

❚ It was no big surprise to see the Mets win on opening day. Their 38-20 record in openers is the best of any team.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Phillies spent $23 million over two years to sign David Robertson to pitch in the late innings, but not necessarily in the ninth inning.

Manager Gabe Kapler called on Robertson to face the middle of the Braves order in the eighth inning on opening day, and Kapler said he plans to continue using Robertson for high-leverage situations in either the eighth inning or the ninth.

Nine Phillies relievers recorded at least one save in 2018. Seranthony Dominguez, who led the team with 16, figures to pitch the ninth inning most often when Robertson appears in the eighth.

In the second game of the season, Dominguez got the eighth inning and Robertson pitched the ninth.

❚ Maikel Franco, moved down in the order after the Phillies beefed up their lineup over the winter, became the first Phillie ever to homer in the first two games of a season while batting eighth.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Max Scherzer has led the league in strikeouts each of the last three years, and he’s already ahead of pace in 2019. Scherzer struck out 12 Mets in 7 2 / 3 innings on opening day, becoming just the second pitcher in the last 12 years to fan that many in an opener. Chris Archer had 12 strikeouts for the Tampa Bay Rays against the Toronto Blue Jays on opening day 2016.

It was the 58th time in 132 career starts for the Nationals that Scherzer reached double figures and the 14th time he had 12 or more.

❚ With Mets starter Jacob de-Grom striking out 10, it was just the second opening-day game where both pitchers had double- digit strikeouts. The other was on April 7, 1970, featuring Dave McNally of the Baltimore Orioles and Sam McDowell of the Cleveland Indians.

NL CENTRAL

CHICAGO CUBS

The Cubs hope RHP Yu Darvish can bounce back following a rough first season in Chicago in which he was limited to eight starts before having arthroscopic elbow surgery.

However, Darvish had a wild season debut March 30 against the Texas Rangers, with whom he spent the first six seasons of his career. Darvish walked seven in 2 2 / 3innings. 

❚ The Cubs opened the season with a $209 million payroll, according to the Associated Press’ calculations. That was second in the major leagues to the Boston Red Sox’s $222 million.

CINCINNATI REDS

Rookie manager David Bell experimented with RHP Michael Lorenzen playing some center field during spring training. On opening day, it was no longer was an experiment.

Lorenzen pinch-ran in the bottom of the eighth inning of the Reds’ 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. He then stayed in the game and played the last inning in center. If the game had gone to extra innings, Bell said Lorenzen would have been available to pitch.

Lorenzen was a pitcher and center fielder at Cal State-Fullerton.

❚ Veteran IF Jose Iglesias will be the starting shortstop while 2B Scooter Gennett misses at least the first two months of the season because of a groin injury. IF Jose Peraza moved to second base from shortstop.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

If the early-season results are any indication, RF Christian Yelich’s 2018 season was hardly a one-year wonder — it might be just the start of something even bigger.

The reigning National League MVP homered in each of the first four games, tying a record, and also had the walk-off two-run double in the series finale as the Brewers took three of four games from the St. Louis Cardinals to open the season. His OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) to that point was an almost unbelievable 2.250.

But there’s more. Since the 2018 All-Star break, Yelich was hitting .373 with a .806 slugging percentage. The latter number was 100 points higher than anyone with 100 or more at-bats in that span.

❚ The Brewers’ considerable bullpen depth took a hit when they learned that RHP Corey Knebel will undergo season ending Tommy John elbow surgery April 3. Another key reliever, RHP Jeremy Jeffress, did not appear in a Cactus League game this spring because of shoulder soreness, and the Brewers hope to have him back by the end of April.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Three players will help serve as the fill-in for fill-in right fielder after OF Lonnie Chisenhall began the season on the injured list because of a broken right index finger that likely will sideline him through April.

OF Melky Cabrera figures to get the majority of playing time, but OF JB Shuck and IF-OF Pablo Reyes also are expected to make some starts.

The Pirates signed Chisenhall as a free agent in the offseason to play right while RF Gregory Polanco recovers from left shoulder surgery. Polanco is likely to return sometime in May.

❚ RHP Jordan Lyles, who won the fifth starter job, began the season on the IL because of left side discomfort. He’s scheduled to return for an April 4 start against the Cardinals.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

2B Kolten Wong said during spring training that he felt poised for a breakout season because he had the peace of mind of knowing he had an unquestioned starting job. Wong followed up on that promise during the early days of the regular season. In his first four games, he went 8-for-14 with two home runs, four RBI and a walk.

The Cardinals have long had high hopes for Wong. The 28year-old was their first-round draft pick in 2011 and was signed to a five-year, $25 million contract before the 2016 season.

❚ IF Jedd Gyorko is expected to be activated from the injured list April 4 before the home opener against the San Diego Padres. He has been out because of a strained right calf.

NL WEST

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Hours after former Diamondbacks star 1B Paul Goldschmidt homered three times in a win by his St. Louis Cardinals over the Milwaukee Brewers, one of the players acquired in the Goldschmidt trade delivered some clutch hitting of his own.

C Carson Kelly doubled home the go-ahead run in the 13th inning of Arizona’s 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was Kelly’s first at-bat in a Diamondbacks uniform.

RHP Luke Weaver , who also was part of the deal, started two days later against the Dodgers and gave up five runs, four earned, in 4 1 / innings. Kelly also was in the starting lineup.

❚ Through four games, the Diamondbacks’ staff ERA of 9.24 was the worst in the league. Arizona pitchers had been tagged for 14 home runs — eight coming in an opening-day rout by the Los Angeles Dodgers — with 27 walks in 37 innings.

COLORADO ROCKIES

With 1B Daniel Murphy out for an indefinite period because of a broken left index finger, reserve 1B Mark Reynolds probably will get more playing time for Colorado.

Reynolds, who spent last season with the Washington Nationals before signing a minor league deal to rejoin the Rockies, had 30 home runs and 97 RBI for Colorado in 2017.

Murphy, in his first season with the Rockies, was injured in the fourth inning March 29 but finished the game.

❚ Trevor Story homered on opening day for the third time, tying a club record shared by Nolan Arenado, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez and Vinny Castilla.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

LHP Clayton Kershaw threw 50 pitches in three innings during a simulated game at Dodger Stadium and was headed toward a rehab start April 4 at either Class AA Tulsa (Oklahoma) or Class AAA Oklahoma City. The fact that Kershaw, who has been bothered by a sore shoulder, wasn’t ready for opening day in Los Angeles continues to be a point of concern for the Dodgers despite their hot start to the season.

He has not been able to make more than 27 starts in four of the last five seasons.

❚ The security problems in the Dodger Stadium parking lot arose again when a man identified as Rafael Reyna was severely injured in an altercation. He had a fractured skull and was on life support. In 2011, San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was left with permanent brain damage after a similar incident.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

Give the Padres credit for showcasing their young talent. San Diego surprised the baseball world by keeping 20-yearoldFernando Tatis Jr. on the opening-day roster and making him the starting shortstop, then gave rookie LHP Nick Margevicius, 22, the start two days later.

Margevicius, a 2017 seventh round pick out of Rider University who hadn’t pitched professionally on a level higher than Class A, didn’t disappoint, allowing only one run on three hits in five innings in a 3-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

Tatis, the son of the former major leaguer, was batting .214 through four games.

❚ The Padres’ youth movement got another boost March 31 when 23-year-old RHP Chris Paddack, one of baseball’s top prospects, threw five strong innings against the Giants.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

The Giants’ offense barely avoided setting an embarrassing record for ineptitude in the club’s opening two losses at San Diego.

A ninth-inning home run by 3B Evan Longoria in a 4-1 loss March 29 prevented back-to back shutouts against the Padres. That also prevented the Giants from being blanked in the first two games of the season for the first time in the franchise’s 137 seasons.

❚ The Giants scored just five runs in the first four games, batted .177 and averaged nine strikeouts per game.