This is Star Wars weekend at Angel Stadium, and on Friday the Angels activated their best player from the injured list, so the graphics on the video board pretty much wrote themselves: “Return of the Neto.”

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That would be Zach Neto, not Mike Trout. It could be Trout again, but for last year and again in his season debut Friday, the Angels’ best player was Neto.

For Ron Washington, the Angels’ manager, young players earn their stripes, then they earn them all over again. On Friday, Neto batted seventh.

“When you have a superstar like Mike, when he gets going, he’s the type of guy who can carry the team,” Washington said. “We’re not expecting Neto to carry this team.”

Read more: Tyler Anderson shines and Zach Neto makes an impact in Angels’ win over Giants

There is nothing controversial in that statement. Trout is bound for Cooperstown, a three-time most valuable player. The idea that a third-year shortstop would be the guy on which Angels fans were waiting did not sit well with Neto.

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“I’m not the savior,” Neto said. “I’m just here to do my job.”

He might be a savior, if not the savior. As Neto completed his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery, the replacement shortstops in Anaheim batted .159 with a .372 OPS. In 2021, the last season before the adoption of the universal designated hitter, Angels pitchers batted .150 with a .377 OPS.

Neto put up 5.1 WAR last season, according to Baseball Reference, bettered among American League West players only by Oakland slugger Brent Rooker (5.6) and Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez (5.4).

You may have heard of the two players immediately behind Neto: Texas shortstop Corey Seager (5.0), winner of a World Series championship with the Dodgers and another with the Rangers; and ex-Houston outfielder Kyle Tucker, now with the Chicago Cubs, who could be the winner of a half-billion dollars in free agency in the coming winter.

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“If what he did last year is his ceiling, we’re in trouble,” Washington said of Neto, “meaning that there’s a lot more.”

In his first at-bat of the season, against San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb, Neto rocketed a 106-mph one-hopper that sent Giants shortstop Willy Adames staggering.

As the ball headed into the left-center field alley, Neto raced around first base and dove headfirst into second. The hustle double drove in Nolan Schanuel with the game’s first run, and Neto subsequently scored the game’s second run on an error by Giants third baseman Matt Chapman.

Final score: Angels 2, Giants 0.

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The Angels had returned home dragging a four-game losing streak, and Trout said Neto was just what the doctor ordered. For the past week, as Neto completed his minor league rehabilitation assignment, Trout said Neto repeatedly texted him.

“He was bugging me to go to the front office and tell them to bring him back,” Trout said.

“His energy, you can feed off that. The last couple games, the energy has been down a little bit, unlike the first week and a half of the season. We’ve got to pick it up. He’s got some talent, and he knows it.”

Said Neto: “Everybody has a bad road trip. Every team is bound to have one. The Dodgers had one. And unfortunately, it was our turn. So, you know, we’re just here to come back in the homestand, kind of get back on the winning side of it. And keep everything rolling.”

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The season is 19 games old, far too soon to draw any conclusions, but the early signs for Trout have leaned toward the unfavorable. Of the nine players in Friday’s lineup, Trout was the only one who finished the game with a batting average below .200.

He leads the team with six home runs. But he is batting .171, and he struck out in all three at-bats Friday. In his last six games, he has two hits — both singles — with one walk and 13 strikeouts in 22 at-bats.

The Angels lead the AL in attendance, with a fireworks show and Star Wars giveaway item on deck Saturday. They are one game above .500, in second place in a division in which every team has given up more runs than it has scored.

As former major league pitcher Joaquin Andujar once said, “You can sum up the game of baseball in one word: You never know.” We don’t yet know about these Angels, but we know their chances are better with Neto.

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Read more: Championship blues: Dodgers games used to be affordable family entertainment. No more.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

One of the starting pitchers Friday night has two career Cy Young Awards.

The other is making an early case to win one of his own.

For years, Jacob deGrom has (when healthy) been the gold standard of major league pitching. He has a career ERA of 2.54. He is a four-time All-Star and two-time strikeout king. In 2018 and 2019, he won back-to-back Cy Young honors.

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In the Dodgers’ 3-0 win over deGrom’s Texas Rangers, however, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the best pitcher.

Read more: Anticipating birth of first child, Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani goes on paternity leave

Although deGrom gave up just one run over seven strong innings, Yamamoto spun seven scoreless frames at Globe Life Field. Where deGrom struck out seven and walked a batter, Yamamoto had 10 strikeouts and no free passes.

It helped the Dodgers win this series-opening matchup between the last two World Series champions, even though they were without Shohei Ohtani, who went on the paternity list in anticipation of the birth of his first child.

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And it further cemented one of the most promising early storylines of this Dodgers season — continuing to affirm Yamamoto, in just his second MLB season, as someone who could be competing for hardware this fall.

Friday presented a new challenge for Yamamoto, who entered the game with a 1.23 ERA in his first four starts. His fastball didn’t have its usual life, sitting a tick lower than normal at 95 mph. His splitter, while still wicked, was a little wilder than typical.

So, the 26-year-old Japanese star dug deeper into his bag of tricks. What he came up with kept the Rangers off balance.

A rare area of weakness for Yamamoto early this season had been his curveball. Though manager Dave Roberts last year called it one of the best he’s seen from a right-hander, opponents entered the night batting .429 against it. Yamamoto hadn’t registered a strikeout with it once.

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On this night, though, Yamamoto snapped off a flurry of big-bending curves to the Rangers. It generated four whiffs on 11 swings. It accounted for two of his strikeouts, including one to Joc Pederson that stranded runners at second and third in the third. And of the seven that Texas put in play, only two fell for knocks.

As Yamamoto worked deeper into the game, he also mixed in his rarely used slider, giving Rangers hitters a different look the second and third time through.

He fanned Jake Burger with one to end the fourth, stranding yet another runner at second. He used it again on his 102nd and final pitch, recording a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double-play to complete seven innings for only the third time in his MLB career.

Yamamoto’s splitter was still effective, totaling seven whiffs (four of them strikeouts) on 17 swings. And with his four-seamer playing down, he incorporated more sinkers and cutters into his arsenal.

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It all served as a reminder that Yamamoto — whose 0.93 ERA is now best in the National League — is much more than a two-weapon pitcher. That, after brief flashes of brilliance last year, he is starting to put all the pieces together for a breakout sophomore big-league campaign.

On the backside of his career at age 36, deGrom was almost as good in what turned into a vintage pitcher’s duel. He yielded just three hits, and retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced. But back in the first inning, he threw an elevated fastball to leadoff man Tommy Edman (who was filling in for Ohtani at the top of the batting order). Edman whacked it for his NL-leading seventh home run.

It proved to be deGrom’s only real mistake.

But the way Yamamoto was dominating, it was one too many.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Shohei Ohtani has had plenty on milestones moments on the field in the last year.

This weekend, he’s about to have one off of it.

The Dodgers slugger and reigning National League MVP was placed on the paternity list, the team announced, in anticipation of the birth of his first child this weekend.

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Ohtani stayed back in Los Angeles with his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, according to manager Dave Roberts, and will be replaced on the roster during the Dodgers series against the Texas Rangers by veteran outfielder Eddie Rosario, who was called up from triple A.

Read more: Dodgers coach Chris Woodward is ‘proud’ of Rangers managerial stint, despite 2022 firing

Ohtani can stay on the paternity list for up to three days — which would rule him out until next week’s series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field — but Roberts said it’s possible he could rejoin the team later this weekend in Texas.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Rosario, the Dodgers transferred reliever Edgardo Henriquez to the 60-day injured list.

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Read more: Pitching help on the way, improved bats, too? | Dodgers Debate

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman break down how good the NL West has been so far with the Dodgers, Padres, Giants and Diamondbacks all vying for the top spot. Can this division end up having 4 great teams? Are the Dodgers still the favorites?

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Jake and Jordan then bring on ESPN’s Buster Olney to chat the Dodgers, Yankees & why there are so few dynasties in baseball.

Later, Jake & Jordan bring back The Good, Bad & Uggla and tell us why Cal Raleigh is the best catcher in baseball.

(2:00) – 4 teams vying for NL West crown?

(8:00) – Buster Olney joins the show

(45:00) – The Good, The Bad, The Uggla

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Chris Woodward doesn’t have any hard feelings toward the Texas Rangers.

Just some awkward ones about being back this week.

“I don’t know if I’m looking forward to it,” the Dodgers first base coach said with an uncertain chuckle on Wednesday, ahead of his first return trip to Arlington since his time as Rangers manager ended with a midseason firing in 2022.

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“I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of people … just the whole staff, the assistant trainers, just people I haven’t seen,” he added. “But I don’t know if it’s something that’s on my bucket list to go back and do.”

Such conflicting emotions mirror the way Woodward reflects on his Rangers tenure at large — a four-season stint with what was then a rebuilding ball club that taught Woodward much, but ended on a sour note.

Read more: Shohei Ohtani is back on a 40/40 pace. But can Dodgers give him more RBI opportunities?

“I don’t have any regrets or any bad feelings toward anything,” he said. “Obviously, there were some disagreements that led to me not being there anymore. But I have nothing but respect for everybody. I don’t hold a grudge. Life’s too short, man. Honestly, I take that experience as a really positive thing.”

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Originally hired by the Rangers in November 2018, after serving as the third-base coach on back-to-back pennant-winning Dodgers teams, Woodward’s first season in charge in Texas began with promise.

Joey Gallo and Hunter Pence led the offense as All-Star selections. Mike Minor and Lance Lynn anchored a veteran core of pitchers. In late June, the Rangers were 10 games over .500, far outpacing modest preseason expectations.

But then, the vagaries of baseball set in.

Gallo and Pence suffered season-ending injuries. The pitching staff began to crumble beneath a lack of reliable depth. What had started as a “decent” year, Woodward said, ended with the Rangers limping to 78 wins.

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And after fading following a 10-9 start in 2020, the Rangers never had a winning record under Woodward again.

Instead, Texas entered a rebuild, giving Woodward’s job a much more developmentally focused bent.

Behind the scenes, the organization created entirely new personnel departments, reimagined player development processes and administered ever-changing responsibilities to members of the coaching staff. Woodward had a hand in every bucket, trying to establish everything from hitting style to base-running technique to a roster-wide focus on all-around fundamentals.

Compared to a fully-fledged contender like the Dodgers, it almost felt like building from the ground up.

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“Here [with the Dodgers], it’s such a well-oiled machine. Yeah, we make little adjustments to things here and there, but no major changes,” Woodward said.

In Texas, on the other hand, “we added a lot of resources and a lot of things while I was there, which was necessary. Because we had to get caught up to ‘championship standards,’ is what I called it.”

“When everything’s a blank canvas,” he added, “it’s not as easy as people think.”

The losses along the way were difficult (the Rangers were 133-203 over Woodward’s final three seasons, finishing in last place twice).

The fire-sale trades of team stalwarts such as Gallo and Lynn were “probably one of the harder things to deal with,” Woodward recalled.

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And when the Rangers failed to take a step forward in 2022, despite their marquee free-agent signings of Marcus Semien and Corey Seager (the ex-Dodgers shortstop whom Woodward helped woo to Texas) the previous offseason, discontent among the club reached a boiling point.

In an unexpected move, Woodward was fired on Aug. 15, 2022, with a year remaining on his contract.

“I tell a lot of the staff here that’s never managed, ‘Each year, you feel like you’ve aged five,’” said Woodward, who returned to the Dodgers in a special advisor role the following winter, before rejoining the on-field staff this year as first-base coach following Clayton McCullough’s hiring by the Miami Marlins.

“It’s kind of like being president, in a way,” the 48-year-old Woodward added. “You see guys age right before your eyes.”

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But through those trials — which also included the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Rangers’ move into a new stadium during an era of social distancing — Woodward also came to find perspective and growth.

“I know I aged a lot in those four years, but in a good way,” he said. “I think I grew wiser, and understood how to lead and just get better every year.”

It’s part of the reason why, when the Rangers won the World Series in 2023 — in Bruce Bochy’s first season as Woodward’s successor — Woodward felt pride rather than resentment; confident he had left his old club in a better place than he found it.

Read more: Bobby Miller struggles, but Dodgers complete sweep of Rockies

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“Those four years, I was really proud of, when I left,” he said. “[The club] was in a much better spot internally, all the way from the staff to the front office to the sports science to all the different things that we did … Everything was in line. And they won. Proud of that.”

It doesn’t mean Woodward will be in for a big ovation when he returns this weekend, during the Dodgers’ three-game series at Globe Life Field. He said his old friends in Dallas joked they should all come to form a cheering section, “because you just don’t know the reaction you’re going to get” from the rest of the crowd.

But when asked to reflect on his time with the Rangers this week, the potential awkwardness of the return didn’t overshadow the silver linings Woodward took from his tenure.

“Tremendous experience. Grateful for the opportunity,” he said. “I just think it’s important that you learn and grow.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Frank Luna has been working with young New York Yankees players for a couple of years, helping them with signing and appearance opportunities.

With those appearances, he likes to find one meaningful card of the player to potentially give to them.

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This time around it was Yankees relief pitcher Luke Weaver, who made a name for himself as New York’s closer last season.

While recently working with Weaver at Brandon Steiner’s CollectibleXChange, Luna found the perfect card to give to the Yankees pitcher — a valuable card that hasn’t appeared on the secondary market often.

It was Weaver’s 2014 Bowman Draft Chrome Autographs Superfractor, which is numbered 1-of-1, and graded a Gem Mint 10 CGC Cards (formerly CSG).

“​​I was paying attention to Weaver’s market and I saw that pop up,” said Luna, a New Jersey native. “When his Super popped up on eBay, I hit up the guy and we worked out a deal for it.”

Luna has been holding on for a little while waiting for the day he could trade the card to Weaver. He finally got that chance last week.

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“He was stoked,” Luna said. “Just the way things are going, he said he would love to share this with one of his kids. It was cool.”

Luna did get back a card in the trade. Weaver signed an orange parallel from the same set for Luna with a special inscription.

“Frank Thanks for the Super!”

And Weaver even signed it “1/1” – making the card with the inscription a truly one of a kind.

Even though Luna has gotten to work with a number of baseball players such as Aaron Boone, Paul O’Neill and Oswaldo Cabrera, these moments are special and important to him.

When it came to Weaver, Luna was inspired by his story. Weaver has been pitching in MLB since 2015 and has struggled at times, going from a starter to a reliever while trying to find the right role. It all clicked last season when Weaver had the best season of his decade-long career.

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Luna was laid off not long ago and didn’t know what he was going to do. However, he didn’t let that setback keep him from pursuing amazing opportunities. He used his passion and connections to dive head-first into working with athletes.

It’s not just special for Luna; he also helps the players grow their roots in the community by connecting them with Little League teams and similar organizations.

Then, he gets a card for the player, which will never leave their collection.

“The cool thing is I bought it last year with the thought that it would get back to him one day,” Luna said. “Weaver’s story has been so unique and different. He’s grinded through the majors, and being able to return something like that for a player is cool to do.”

We’re just three weeks into the 2025 MLB season, and the standings are already giving us plenty to chew on, from the NL West’s collective excellence to Atlanta’s shockingly slow start to an American League that appears entirely up for grabs.

One of the best things about April in any season is the emergence of players who were barely on the radar when the season began, in turn altering our idea of their importance and role on the roster. This week’s power rankings take a look at those surprise contributors across the league so far in 2025.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (14-6)

On a roster practically overflowing with superstars, how about Jack Dreyer, a 26-year-old rookie who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2021, becoming one of Dave Roberts’ most trusted bullpen options? He doesn’t throw nearly as hard as the higher-profile hurlers on the L.A. pitching staff, but Dreyer has been every bit as effective (0.75 ERA, 16 strikeouts in 12 innings), and his developmental arc is a nice reminder that the Dodgers do a lot of things well beyond spending boatloads of cash.

2. San Diego Padres (15-4)

Can Randy Vásquez keep getting away with it? The right-hander has a 1.74 ERA through four starts and 20 ⅔ innings, but his poor peripherals (14 walks, just eight strikeouts) suggest some harsh regression might be coming soon. Vásquez’s concerningly low strikeout rate in 2024 seemingly put his rotation spot in jeopardy, but injuries have necessitated a return to the role in 2025. He has completely overhauled his repertoire, dramatically reducing his four-seam fastball usage in favor of more cutters and sweepers. The underlying metrics aren’t pretty, but the results have been there so far. Let’s see if he can keep it up.

3. San Francisco Giants (13-6)

Wilmer Flores being tied for the NL home run lead and leading MLB in RBI stands out, but Randy Rodriguez looks like an absolute weapon in the late innings for manager Bob Melvin’s bullpen, and his dominant start to the season feels far more sustainable than Flores’ gaudy production. Rodriguez’s strike-throwing has notably improved as a sophomore, allowing his incredible raw stuff to play up further. He has had some trouble with inherited runners but has been outstanding otherwise, striking out 13 batters across 8 ⅔ innings with zero walks and just six hits allowed. Rodriguez leads all relievers in fWAR.

4. Philadelphia Phillies (11-8)

If Taijuan Walker can prove capable of being a respectable No. 5 starter — as opposed to maybe the worst pitcher in baseball, as he was a year ago — that would be a huge boon for this Phillies pitching staff, especially amidst Aaron Nola’s early struggles and Ranger Suarez still being on the IL. Walker has done his part in the early going, with scoreless outings in two of his three starts.

5. Chicago Cubs (12-9)

A year after Cubs backstops ranked 27th in wRC+ and 29th in fWAR, Miguel Amaya and free-agent signing Carson Kelly have been one of the most productive catching tandems in baseball this season, slashing a combined .314/.405/.614 through three weeks of play. Amaya settling in as Chicago’s primary catcher has been a long time coming, but Kelly’s offensive surge has been a pleasant surprise, considering his .681 career OPS entering the season.

6. New York Yankees (12-7)

The Yankees don’t have Juan Soto anymore, but one part of that trade is still making a difference in the outfield: Trent Grisham. Grisham was reasonably productive when called upon in 2024, but he was a complete nonfactor down the stretch and in October, suggesting that his role on the 2025 team would be minimal, if he even remained on the roster. It’d still be foolish to count on his OPS staying above 1.000 for long, but it’s clear now that there is a place for Grisham on this team, and he should continue to provide a solid center-field glove and the occasional big swing at the plate.

7. New York Mets (12-7)

Griffin Canning was pretty far down the list of notable offseason acquisitions for the Mets, yet he has proven to be a wholly dependable rotation option while Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas work their way back from injury. Canning allowed more earned runs than any other American League pitcher while with the Angels in 2024 but showed flashes of mid-rotation upside earlier in his career; he seems to be rediscovering that form in Queens.

8. Arizona Diamondbacks (12-7)

Shelby Miller bounced among six (!) teams after his first stint as a D-back ended following the 2018 season and now has remarkably found his way back to the desert, where he has been a key contributor for Arizona’s surprisingly stout bullpen. It’s a cool story for the 34-year-old, whose elite underlying metrics indicate that he has been every bit as dominant as his 0.00 ERA would suggest.

9. Detroit Tigers (11-8)

Jake Rogers’ oblique injury opened the door for 26-year-old Dillon Dingler to get some consistent run as Detroit’s regular backstop, and Dingler has responded well. Whereas Rogers’ carrying trait is his advanced defensive acumen, Dingler — who also played a lot of center field in college — offers rare athleticism for the position and a much higher ceiling with the bat. It’ll be interesting to see how AJ Hinch chooses to split the playing time once Rogers returns.

10. Toronto Blue Jays (11-8)

For all the understandable focus on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. amidst his historic extension and Bo Bichette with his free agency looming, it has been George Springer leading the charge offensively for the Blue Jays. The 35-year-old is hitting .375/.436/.604 and has even filled in some in center field with Daulton Varsho working his way back from shoulder surgery. Hopefully the wrist injury Springer suffered on a swing last Sunday won’t derail his hot start.

11. Seattle Mariners (10-9)

After a forgettable first year as a Mariner, Jorge Polanco has been the team’s best hitter in the early going of his second season with Seattle. An oblique injury is currently limiting the switch-hitter to DH duties and only swinging lefty, yet he has made a huge difference when inserted into the lineup.

12. Texas Rangers (12-7)

While Jacob deGrom has thus far been a minor disappointment in his full-season return from Tommy John surgery, Tyler Mahle — who had elbow surgery a few weeks before deGrom in 2023 — has been excellent, already exceeding the modest expectations for his role as a mid-rotation starter. He has allowed just two total runs across his four starts and is the only starting pitcher to complete seven innings against the high-powered Cubs offense in 2025.

13. Milwaukee Brewers (10-9)

Making a ton of contact and playing excellent defense have been Sal Frelick’s bread and butter since early in his career, but he might be on the verge of leveling up in an exciting way in his age-25 season. Frelick’s .862 OPS leads all Brewers bats, and he has reached base at least once in 17 of his 18 starts. This is the caliber of player Milwaukee hoped it was getting when it selected Frelick 15th in the 2021 draft.

14. Boston Red Sox (10-10)

As one of baseball’s top overall prospects, Kristian Campbell winning Boston’s second-base job to open the season wasn’t a massive shock. But for him to already be one of Boston’s most consistent and productive hitters (156 wRC+) in a lineup loaded with accomplished bats? That’s damn impressive and only further validates Boston’s decision to sign him to a long-term extension just a handful of games into his big-league career.

15. Tampa Bay Rays (8-11)

Apparently Kameron Misner’s walk-off home run on Opening Day was not merely a fluky highlight for an unremarkable role player but instead a sign of big things to come. The 27-year-old has grabbed hold of the Rays’ center-field job and continued to mash, even moving up to the leadoff spot in Thursday’s series opener against the Yankees. In Misner and Jonathan Aranda, the Rays boast two of the more out-of-nowhere impact bats of 2025 thus far.

16. Baltimore Orioles (8-10)

With free agency looming this winter, Cedric Mullins is one of the more intriguing characters for the Orioles this season, and even more so now with his spectacular start to the year, in which he leads Baltimore in virtually every offensive category. Mullins has been open about his desire to remain an Oriole long-term; we’ll see if the extension-shy Orioles reciprocate that interest before Mullins reaches the open market.

17. Cleveland Guardians (9-9)

Gabriel Arias’ physical tools have impressed for years, but he has struggled to translate them into production at the highest level. The surprising offseason trade of Andres Gimenez opened up playing time for Arias to prove he can be an important part of Cleveland’s future. Early returns have been encouraging, with Arias tied for the team lead in home runs with four, albeit with a ton of swing-and-miss along the way.

18. Houston Astros (8-10)

Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith were the co-headliners in the trade return for Kyle Tucker, but don’t sleep on Hayden Wesneski as a sneaky important third member of that blockbuster deal. The 27-year-old right-hander earned a spot in the rotation in spring training and has looked the part so far, striking out 21 batters compared to just three walks across 18 innings. If he can do a better job of limiting the long ball, he could become a really important part of this Astros pitching staff.

19. Atlanta Braves (5-13)

Spencer Schwellenbach deserves a mention, even after his rough outing in Toronto earlier this week, considering how sharp he looked in his first three starts. If Reynaldo Lopez is going to be out for most or all of the remainder of the season and Chris Sale isn’t going to pitch at a Cy Young level again, Schwellenbach’s importance cannot be overstated if the Braves want to have any chance of climbing back into the NL East race.

20. Cincinnati Reds (9-10)

Thursday’s collective meltdown against the Mariners aside, the Reds’ relief corps has been fairly reliable in the early going, even with closer Alexis Diaz missing most of the first few weeks due to injury. Graham Ashcraft has looked particularly sharp in his long-expected transition to a relief role after struggling to harness his stuff effectively as a starter in his first three big-league seasons.

21. St. Louis Cardinals (9-10)

The Cardinals were the last team to sign a major-league free agent this past offseason, agreeing to a one-year deal with reliever Phil Maton in March. That’s hardly the most exhilarating hot stove move that a team could make, but give credit where credit is due: Maton has been tremendous so far, recording 10 scoreless outings with 10 strikeouts and zero walks.

22. Kansas City Royals (8-12)

A rotation that features two pitchers coming off top-four AL Cy Young finishes (Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans) is currently being led in innings and ERA by Kris Bubic. It has been a fantastic transition back into a rotation role for the 27-year-old southpaw, who spent last season excelling out of the bullpen as he worked his way back from elbow surgery. This Royals pitching staff is legit, but it might not matter if the offense can’t score enough runs.

23. Los Angeles Angels (9-9)

He has already cooled off considerably since his scorching start, but Kyren Paris launching five home runs after hitting .167 with four home runs across 60 minor-league games in 2024 is a rather astonishing development. If he can cut down on the strikeouts and continue to access his power while demonstrating defensive versatility, Paris could establish himself as a key member of the Angels’ position-player core.

24. Minnesota Twins (7-12)

Free-agent signings Ty France and Harrison Bader have both been rare bright spots for an offense that has shown very little promise otherwise. It’s nice to see France back on track after his career started to go sideways following his All-Star campaign in 2023, and any offense the Twins can get from Bader feels like a bonus, considering his terrific outfield glove.

25. Athletics (9-10)

Tyler Soderstrom is on pace to hit 76 home runs. Need I say more? This A’s lineup had serious potential entering the season, on the basis of Brent Rooker’s and Lawrence Butler’s breakouts in 2024, but Jacob Wilson’s arrival and Soderstrom’s epic power surge might have raised the ceiling even further.

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26. Pittsburgh Pirates (8-12)

A disastrous first week from the two relievers thought to be atop the Buccos’ bullpen hierarchy (David Bednar and Colin Holderman) has been somewhat redeemed by the steadiness of four lower-profile bullpen arms. Dennis Santana, Caleb Ferguson, Joey Wentz, and Justin Lawrence have combined for a 1.21 ERA across 37 ⅓ innings of work.

27. Miami Marlins (8-10)

Matt Mervis always mashed in the minors while coming up through the Cubs’ system, but he was squeezed off the roster and traded to Miami after struggling in his brief big-league stints over the past two years. Now he’s getting consistent playing time at 1B and DH for the Fightin’ Fish and demonstrating the gigantic raw power that made him an appealing prospect: Six of his 11 hits have left the yard, putting him in a tie atop the NL home run leaderboard.

28. Washington Nationals (7-12)

Coming off a solid debut campaign in which he ranked fourth among rookie hurlers in innings pitched, Mitchell Parker has continued to be a steady presence in the Washington rotation. He has completed at least six innings in all four of his starts, and his 1.85 ERA ranks eighth-lowest among 74 MLB arms with at least 20 innings pitched.

29. Chicago White Sox (4-14)

Any Rule 5 pick who can immediately look like a competent big leaguer is a success in and of itself, and right-hander Shane Smith has certainly met that standard through his first three starts. In an organization with a lot of exciting homegrown pitching on the way, Smith’s high-octane stuff might warrant him sticking in this rotation long-term.

30. Colorado Rockies (3-15)

With so many young players getting substantial playing time, it’s definitely not a good sign that veteran utilityman Kyle Farmer has been Colorado’s most consistent hitter. We’ll see if new hitting coach Clint Hurdle (!) can help spark some offense beyond Farmer’s surprising contributions.

Hello and welcome to the fourth edition of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2025 MLB season.

I’ll be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week, as well as some streaming options to keep in mind.

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Thinking ahead with your weekly strategy can give you an advantage on the waiver wire and hopefully be a difference-maker in the standings at the end of the season.

This is a living document, so we’ll update the options below as the weekend moves along.

Please note that there are teams that don’t have anyone lined up for two starts in the upcoming week, either because they’re working with a modified six-man rotation at the moment or because they are only scheduled for five games. These teams include the Cubs, Dodgers and Cardinals.

2025 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge lead Top 300 rest of season ranks

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Kyren Paris and Nick Kurtz make their rankings debuts.

Without further ado, let’s dig into the options for the week of April 21.

Going Twice…

Note: Probable pitchers as of Friday, April 11, and are subject to change.

American League

Strong Plays

Kris Bubic (vs. Rockies, @ Astros)

After delivering dominant performances in each of his first three starts on the season, Bubic took a bit of a step back this past week in a no-decision against the Royals. That’s no reason to shy away from him now though, especially with a juicy matchup against the Rockies in Kansas City to start the week. Bubic holds an outstanding 1.88 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 27/9 K/BB ratio over 24 innings on the season and he should continue to produce elite results during the upcoming week. The ERA is going to show regress at some point this season, but for now you have to roll him out there every week while he’s pitching like this.

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Hunter Brown (vs. Rays, @ Royals)

Hunter Brown has looked like an ace through his first four starts on the season, compiling a minuscule 1.50 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and a 22/5 K/BB ratio over his 24 frames. The proud graduate of Lakeview High School (St. Clair Shores, MI) should be able to continue his dominance this week with a pair of plus matchups against the Rays and at the Royals. He should be able to add 10+ strikeouts to his ledger this week with a good shot at earning a victory and the stellar ratios that we have come to expect from the 26-year-old hurler. He’s one of the best options on the board this week.

Jack Flaherty (vs. Padres, vs. Orioles)

Flaherty was supposed to line up for two starts this past week, but the Tigers decided to insert Keider Montero into the mix to give each of their starters an extra day of rest. That pushed his two-step back to a much more formidable set of matchups against the Padres and Orioles. He’s coming off of his worst start of the season but still holds a terrific 2.53 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a 25/9 K/BB ratio across 21 1/3 innings on the season and both of his starts will be in the pitcher friendly confines of Comerica Park. He should be started in all formats.

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Jose Soriano (vs. Pirates, @ Twins)

Maybe it’s a slight leap including Soriano as a strong option this week, but with the way that he’s throwing the ball right now and the premium matchups it makes plenty of sense to me. Through his first four outings he has posted a 3.16 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and a 20/10 K/BB ratio over 25 2/3 innings. The strikeouts are a bit light, but over two starts he should be able to provide 8-10 punchouts and he’s in a great spot to try to snag a victory in that first start against Bailey Falter and the Pirates. I’d prioritize him as a streaming option in shallower leagues wherever he may be available.

Bailey Ober (vs. White Sox, vs. Angels)

Ober was drafted by most fantasy managers to be a mainstay in their starting rotations and while he has been brutal through his first four starts (6.16 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 17/6 K/BB in 19 innings), this is a case where you simply have to stay the course. The matchups couldn’t be better – battling the White Sox and the Angels with both starts coming in Minnesota. If Ober can’t right the ship this week, then you have to think about benching him periodically instead of starting him every week, but he should be in 100% of lineups for this dazzling two-step.

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Bryce Miller (@ Red Sox, vs. Marlins)

This is one that you really shouldn’t have to think too much about. Miller has been good through his first four starts – posting a 3.43 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and a 21/10 K/BB ratio over 21 innings. The WHIP is a bit high, but we’ll take it given the other production. Now he’s lined up for a two-start week that includes a home date against the Marlins where he’ll have a great shot at earning a victory. He’s someone that I would start without question in all formats.

Decent Plays

Osvaldo Bido (vs. Rangers, vs. White Sox)

While Bido shouldn’t be a staple in fantasy lineups most weeks, this two-step that he has on tap is truly the exception. He holds a stellar 2.61 ERA through his first four starts, but the 1.45 WHIP, limited strikeouts (14 in 20 2/3 innings) and the 5.31 xFIP hint that trouble could be on the horizon. Fortunately, he gets to take on the White Sox during the upcoming week, which have made even the most pedestrian of hurlers look good this season. The matchup against the Rangers isn’t terrible either. I don’t like that both starts will be in West Sacramento where the ball is flying out of the yard, but in 15-teamers for sure I’d be taking the gamble and rolling him out there wherever possible. In 12-teamers it’s a bit more dicey and I’d only take the plunge if I’m already significantly behind my target in wins and looking to try to make up ground.

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Dean Kremer (@ Nationals, @ Tigers)

This one I’ve been having a difficult time with. Kremer has really struggled through his first four starts, posting a 6.41 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and a 13/4 K/BB ratio over 19 2/3 innings. The 4.49 xFIP, while still not good, hints that he may have been a bit unlucky so far. Even so, he has still managed to secure a pair of victories with the O’s offense backing him and he’s coming off of his only good start of the season. The matchups aren’t perfect, but they aren’t ones to shy away from either and I think it’s actually a benefit that he’ll be pitching away from home twice given the hitter-friendly confines of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. He’s a player that I’ll be targeting in 15-team formats where I can get him and someone that I could also consider in 12-teamers as well if I needed another useable arm.

Gavin Williams (vs. Yankees, vs. Red Sox)

While he hasn’t quite been able to carry over his brilliant form from spring training, Williams has pitched decently through his first four starts on the season – registering a 4.58 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and an 18/10 K/BB ratio over 19 2/3 innings. In most weeks, he’s probably a fringe option in 12 team leagues and a rotation staple in 15 teamers. In both cases, he should probably be started in all two-start weeks. The only issue here is the matchups. He’ll be battling two of the most powerful offenses in the American League and the ratio risk is very real. Pitching both games in Cleveland helps, and he’ll get enough strikeouts either way that you probably have to stay the course, just understand that there is more risk involved than usual here.

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Clarke Schmidt (@ Guardians, vs. Blue Jays)

Fantasy managers that have been waiting patiently to deploy Schmidt this season get the added benefit of him having a terrific two-start week lined up. He looked sharp in his season debut against the Royals, giving up just four hits and a pair of walks over 5 2/3 innings of three-run baseball while striking out a pair. There shouldn’t be any concerns over workload or pitch count restrictions and he looks like a good bet to snag a victory this week with somewhere in the 6-9 strikeout range. I’d be comfortable starting him in all leagues and would be targeting him any place that he’s available via waivers.

Kevin Gausman (@ Astros, @ Yankees)

In most matchup combinations, I would have had Gausman listed as a strong play given how well he has thrown the ball to start the 2025 campaign. Having to take on two of the better offenses in the league in two extreme hitters’ parks though, is far from ideal. The 34-year-old hurler sports an outstanding 2.49 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and a 20/3 K/BB ratio over 25 1/3 innings through his first four starts and looks like the ace that we have come to expect from him over the years, albeit with a decreased strikeout rate. You could get cute and try to bench him due to the matchups, but if I have Gausman, I’m rolling the hot hand out there again this week.

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Walker Buehler (vs. White Sox, @ Guardians)

As much of a history that I have of being a believer in Walker Buehler, I just haven’t bought in to what he has done so far with the Red Sox. Through his first four starts he sits at 2-1 with a 5.23 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and a 17/5 K/BB ratio over 20 2/3 innings of work. The 3.83 xFIP is interesting, but the lack of strikeouts and overall lack of whiffs are very concerning. The saving grace here is the matchups. The White Sox are one of the most attractive targets on the board and there’s nothing at all terrifying about the Guardians’ lineup. There’s some ratio risk here, sure, but I think Buehler is good for around 10 strikeouts total on the week with a decent shot at earning a victory. I think I’d be rolling him if I had him in 15 and 12 team formats. Anything more shallow than that, he’s probably a pass for me.

At Your Own Risk

Sean Newcomb (vs. Mariners, @ Guardians)

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With Richard Fitts landing on the injured list, it looks like Newcomb will get another week to hold down a spot in the Red Sox’ rotation until Lucas Giolito is ready to return. The 31-year-old southpaw has a passable ERA (3.63) and 19 punchouts in 17 1/3 innings on the season – both of which would be helpful for fantasy purposes – it’s the 1.90 WHIP that’s giving me nightmares here. The matchups are great though, at least on the surface, but when you dig deeper you’ll see that he’s matched up against Bryce Miller and Gavin Williams. Not ideal if wanting to earn victories. If you need the strikeouts in deeper leagues and fell like gambling with your ratios, go ahead and take a shot.

Jonathan Cannon (@ Red Sox, @ Athletics)

The White Sox enter play on Friday with a 4-14 record on the season after finishing with the worst record in MLB history during the 2024 season. They aren’t going to win many games, so going there looking for streaming options isn’t ideal, as they simply won’t deliver victories. In lieu of wins, you would hope to get strikeouts or ratio help from two-start streamers. Cannon has delivered one of those this season, with 18 punchouts in 18 1/3 innings, but the ratios are much higher than you’d like. He’s also battling two good offenses in two hitter’s parks. This seems like an easy avoid to me.

Davis Martin (@ Twins, @ Athletics)

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Similar to what was mentioned with Jonathan Cannon above, the White Sox are probably the single worst spot that you can turn to if trying to make up victories. Unlike Cannon, Martin hasn’t even generated strikeouts this season, with a mere 13 over 22 1/3 innings through his first four starts. So he isn’t going to win, he isn’t going to help out much in strikeouts and he’s very likely to hurt your ratios. There’s no reason to go here this week, even in the deepest of mixed leagues.

Zack Littell (@ Diamondbacks, @ Padres)

Littell had been lined up for two starts last week, where we were recommending to fade him in all formats. Then the Rays shuffled their rotation and he got pushed back to an even more brutal two-start week – having to take on the Diamondbacks in Arizona and the Padres in San Diego. This one is simple. Don’t punish yourself, simply avoid Littell at all costs this week.

Patrick Corbin (@ Athletics, @ Giants)

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Despite the placement at the bottom here, this one isn’t quite as straightforward. Corbin was bitten by a venomous spider before Wednesday’s outing against the Angels and then pitched like he was superhuman, delivering his finest start of the season. Can that continue? Unlikely, but at least possible. There’s risk here that Jack Leiter could return and bump Corbin from the rotation – or at least from the two-start week. The matchups aren’t terrible though at the Athletics and at the Giants, if you were really desperate and needed to find a ninth starter in a 15-teamer, I could at least understand looking in Corbin’s direction.

National League

Strong Plays

Max Meyer (vs. Reds, @ Mariners)

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Max Meyer is another pitcher that was supposed to be lined up for two starts this past week that got pushed back due to shuffling of the rotation or adding in an extra starter for a week. It may wind up working in his favor though, as the matchups on tap for the upcoming week are very favorable – taking on the Reds in Miami and then traveling to Seattle to battle the Mariners. While he’s just 1-2 on the year, the 26-year-old hurler holds a terrific 2.63 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 27/7 K/BB ratio across 24 innings. He’s pitching so well that he should be started in most leagues on a weekly basis even for single starts, so for this juicy two-start week he absolutely needs to be started with confidence in all leagues.

Brandon Pfaadt (vs. Rays, vs. Braves)

Through his first four starts on the season there’s a whole lot to like about what Pfaadt has done. He has gone 3-1 with a 3.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and an 18/5 K/BB ratio across 23 2/3 innings of work. The improved command has been very encouraging, and his profile suggests that more strikeouts should be coming. The matchups aren’t worrisome either, especially with the Braves’ bats struggling to start the season. I’d start Pfaadt with confidence in all formats.

Spencer Schwellenbach (vs. Cardinals, @ Diamondbacks)

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We aren’t going to let one bad start throw us off of Spencer Schwellenbach, who has registered a scintillating 2.55 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and a 22/5 K/BB ratio across 24 2/3 innings. He’s a player who should be in most fantasy lineups for every single start, let alone for a brilliant two-start week that includes a matchup at home against the Cardinals. Is it possible that he struggles again or that the Diamondbacks light him up over the weekend? Sure. It’s very unlikely though and I’d have a hard time believing that you have nine better options than him to start on your fantasy roster.

Robbie Ray (vs. Brewers, vs. Rangers)

Ray was a very popular name in fantasy drafts this spring and surged up draft boards in late March after dominating his way through the Cactus League. Things haven’t gone quite as swimmingly through his first four starts as he holds a 4.19 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and a 21/15 K/BB ratio over 19 1/3 innings. He is 3-0 though and pitches for one of the better teams in the National League. If you’re relying on him, you simply have to stay the course and use him for a two-start week at home against the Brewers and Rangers. Ray has always been a player that could be a risky option in WHIP, that comes with the territory, but the strikeouts and victories should continue to be there and he makes for a strong play overall for the upcoming week.

Decent Plays

Aaron Nola (@ Mets, @ Cubs)

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Of all the upper echelon starting pitching options through the first few weeks of the regular season, Nola has to be among the most disappointing from a fantasy perspective. Through his first four starts the 31-year-old right-hander is 0-4 with a 6.65 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and a 25/9 K/BB ratio across 21 2/3 frames. His xFIP sits at a respectable 3.40 though, hinting that better times should be on the horizon. The matchups aren’t ideal, having to take on the Mets in New York and then battle the Cubs at Wrigley. I get that. If you have Aaron Nola though, I just can’t justify sitting him for a two start week. If you’ve already absorbed the four bad starts, you have to keep him in your lineup and give him a chance to correct those ratios. Worst case scenario he should still deliver the strikeouts.

Nick Martinez (@ Marlins, @ Rockies)

To say that Martinez has struggled through his first four starts on the season would be a massive understatement. The 34-year-old hurler is 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and a 19/7 K/BB ratio over 21 innings of work. It’s hard to recommend throwing a pitcher who has been so terrible in the early going, but the matchups are just too good to ignore. Despite the fact that he has to travel to Coors Field, you would much rather go there in April than in the summer, and he gets to battle two of the worst offenses in all of baseball. If you have Martinez on your roster or are able to pick him up, this would be the optimal time to use him. If he can’t succeed this week, it’s probably time to cut bait.

Quinn Priester (@ Giants, @ Cardinals)

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The Brewers have had to scrounge up rotation options due to a plethora of injuries in their rotation to open the season, and one of the most intriguing options came as they acquired Quinn Priester from the Red Sox. He was thrown right into the fire and has been terrific through his first two starts, posting a 0.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and an 8/5 K/BB ratio over 10 innings. He gets a pair of strong matchups in good pitcher’s parks and makes for an outstanding streaming option for the upcoming week, especially considering how widely available he is in most leagues.

Jose Quintana (@ Giants, @ Cardinals)

In a similar boat to his teammate Quinn Priester above, Quintana has looked outstanding since joining the Brewers rotation – going 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and a 6/3 K/BB ratio across 12 2/3 innings. He’s obviously not going to continue at that pace, but we have seen the veteran southpaw have sustained success at the big league level before. He gets two strong matchups in pitcher’s parks for the upcoming week and makes for a strong streaming option in 15-team leagues and I’d be comfortable rolling him out there in 12-team formats as well.

Tylor Megill (vs. Phillies, @ Nationals)

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He’s coming off of his worst start of the season – giving up two runs on eight hits over five innings in a loss to the Twins – but it’s hard to not be impressed by what Megill has accomplished to open the 2025 campaign. He has posted a 1.40 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and a 20/7 K/BB ratio over 19 1/3 innings. While he has shown bouts of dominance in the past before crashing back to earth, the underlying metrics seem to support Megill being a strong option right now. The matchups aren’t ideal, and there’s always a chance that he could blow up your WHIP, but he’s a start for me this week in both 12 team and 15 team leagues.

Randy Vasquez (@ Tigers, vs. Rays)

On the surface, Vasquez has seemingly taken advantage of the opportunity that presented itself when Yu Darvish and Matt Waldron opened the season on the injured list – posting a 1.74 ERA through his first 20 2/3 innings. Look just a bit deeper though, and there are major reasons for concerns, specifically his 1.35 WHIP and cringe-inducing 8/14 K/BB ratio over 20 2/3 innings. Those numbers contribute to an xFIP that jumps off the page at 6.27. Can he continue to outperform his metrics and pitch well in a pair of decent matchups against the Tigers and Rays, sure he absolutely could. Given that he pitches for the Padres, there’s also a decent chance that he could secure a victory in one of these starts. That makes him a fringe streaming option for me in 15-team leagues, though I’d probably avoid him in 12 teamers.

Mitchell Parker (vs. Orioles, vs. Mets)

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Parker continues to exceed all expectations whenever he has been given a shot in the Nationals’ rotation and it’s probably time to start taking him seriously from a fantasy perspective as well. The 25-year-old southpaw owns a 1.85 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and a 16/9 K/BB ratio over 24 1/3 innings in his first four starts while earning a pair of victories. He takes on a couple of strong offenses during the upcoming week, but gets to do so at home which increases the chances of earning a win. I’m comfortable using him in all 15 and 12 team leagues for this week and think that he has staying power for the duration of the season as well.

At Your Own Risk

Ryan Feltner (@ Royals, vs. Reds)

As will be the case many times this season, it’s always going to be difficult to stream two-start options from the Rockies. Not only do they pitch in one of the worst pitcher’s parks in all of baseball, they’re also a terrible baseball team and won’t win many games. Even if a pitcher had been pitching well and the matchups were good, it would be a tough recommendation. Fortunately, Feltner isn’t pitching well and is an easy fade. He holds a 4.82 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and a 17/10 K/BB ratio on the season and is winless through his first four starts. He should be avoided in all formats if possible.

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Jordan Hicks (vs. Brewers, vs. Rangers)

I’m having a difficult time trying to ascertain what to do with Jordan Hicks this week. He’s coming off of a start where he gave up five runs in the opening inning against the Phillies before settling in and finishing his day with six shutout innings and nearly touched 102 mph with his fastball. The overall numbers are troublesome, with a 6.04 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and a 19/10 K/BB ratio over 22 1/3 innings, but the peripherals, the whiff rate and the increased velocity are obviously intriguing. Both starts are at home in San Francisco, which makes then a bit more appealing. You’re asking for ratio damage if you take the plunge, but the way that he finished Thursday’s start has me interested enough that I’d probably risk it in deeper leagues.

Bailey Falter (@ Angels, @ Dodgers)

I’m a bit surprised that Falter remains a staple in the Pirates’ rotation with all of the shuffling that they have done early in the season. I’m even more surprised that he has pitched decently – with a 4.91 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and a 15/7 K/BB ratio over 22 innings. He gets to take on both the Angels and Dodgers in Los Angeles for the upcoming week and I fear that an implosion is imminent. Both clubs hit left-handed pitching well and Falter has struggled to keep the ball in the yard throughout his career. If you’re desperate for starts and want to try it, be my guest, but he won’t be anywhere near my bid lists this weekend.

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Streamer City

Here are a couple of my hand-picked streaming options for the upcoming week that are readily available in most fantasy leagues. I’ll track these results throughout the season so you can see how my recommendations have performed.

American League

David Festa Twins, RHP (vs. White Sox – Wednesday 4/23)

We’re going to continue attacking the White Sox anytime that we can. Festa is already a strong option on his own as he has spun nine scoreless innings with a 1.11 WHIP and a 10/2 K/BB ratio through his first two starts, the fact that he gets to battle Martin Perez and the White Sox at home is simply a bonus. It’s shocking that he’s rostered in only eight percent of all Yahoo leagues at the moment.

National League

Andrew Abbott Reds, LHP (vs. Marlins – Wednesday 4/23)

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Another team that we like to pick on is the Marlins. Abbott looked sharp in his season debut last week, giving up just one run while posting a 0.80 WHIP and five strikeouts over five innings against the Pirates. He’s still rostered in only 15 percent of all Yahoo leagues. That will certainly change in the days leading up to his start against the Fish, so it may be wise to strike early to secure him for that one.

Last Week’s Review

Osvaldo Bido Athletics, RHP (@ White Sox – Wednesday 4/16)

It was a strange start in which Bido didn’t record a single strikeout, but he surrendered just one run over 5 2/3 innings in a victory over the White Sox. While we’d like something in terms of punchouts, that’s still a great start and something that we would take ten times out of ten from a streaming option.

Eduardo Rodriguez Diamondbacks, LHP (vs. Marlins – Thursday 4/17)

E-Rod was brilliant in his start against the Marlins, piling up nine strikeouts while allowing just one earned run in a victory over the Fish. He’s not going to deliver those types of results every week, but we have seen early on what types of benefits you can get from streaming against the worst offenses in the league. Hopefully you listened and were able to pick up either of last week’s recommendations!

Four days after the Dodgers won the World Series, and two days before he won the presidential election, Donald Trump was the guest on a sports podcast.

America’s major sports leagues, he said, were pricing out their most loyal customers.

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“The leagues are not taking care of their fans,” Trump said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “They really aren’t. They’re making it impossible.”

The Dodgers are the greatest show in baseball, with an international tourist attraction atop their lineup. They pack the largest stadium in the major leagues every night.

Read more: ‘A Shohei economy’: How Shohei Ohtani’s first year transformed the Dodgers financially

If tickets to sporting events have gotten too expensive for the average fan — and 86% of sports fans say they have, according to an Ipsos poll released last month — then Dodger Stadium is a flash point in the debate over whether teams should pursue every dollar they can or sacrifice a few bucks so they can better nurture a new generation of fans.

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Baseball, after all, is touted as America’s last great affordable sport.

Fans are more likely to develop a lifelong baseball habit if they attend a game as a kid, according to research cited by the commissioner’s office. Can a family of four afford hundreds of dollars to enjoy a day at the ballpark?

“That inability to have that family experience is an incredible negative if you’re just going for the green,” said Andy Dolich, who has run marketing operations for teams in all the major North American sports leagues. “That’s where you are building your fan bases of the future.”

In an interview with The Times, Commissioner Rob Manfred challenged the notion that baseball tickets have become too expensive. The 30 major league teams sold a combined 71 million tickets last year, the most in seven years, and attendance has increased every year since the pandemic.

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“If we had an affordability problem, I think you would see it in terms of those numbers,” Manfred said. “Those numbers tell you the opposite.”

According to the league, tickets for $20 or less were available for 70% of MLB games last season. No Dodgers game this season is currently on sale at that price.

“If you want to sit next to Mary Hart, it’s expensive,” Manfred said. “I think it’s really important to think about that from an access perspective.”

Many studies about fan costs use the average price of a resale ticket, but a study released this month used the cheapest ticket price on official sale sites, as sampled on a variety of dates this season.

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The estimated price for a family of four to see a game at Dodger Stadium this season — four of those cheap tickets, parking, four hot dogs, two beers and two sodas — was a league-high $399.68. The league average, according to that study: $208.

Ticket prices can rise and fall daily, based on supply and demand. On the day before the Dodgers’ home opener, The Times checked the prices for every game on the Dodgers’ website.

The cheapest ticket all season, available only for a Wednesday afternoon game against the Miami Marlins, before school lets out: $38. For four seats that day, parking, four hot dogs, and four sodas, the price would be $249.96.

In Los Angeles County, the median family income is $101,800, according to Elly Schoen, assistant director of the Neighborhood Data for Social Change program at the USC Lusk Center. If both parents work, and if they subtract costs for housing, food, child care, health care and transportation, the amount left over each month would be $530.

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“I don’t know if you can spend half your discretionary income on a baseball game,” Schoen said.

Dodgers president Stan Kasten said the team and its corporate sponsors work to provide free and discount tickets. The Dodgers’ foundation said it distributed 64,000 tickets last year through the Commissioner’s Community Initiative, described by the league as a program that “provides $2.5 million in ticket distributions to deserving communities league-wide.”

Said Kasten: “We’ve had a lot of success maintaining and even starting to grow our youth fan base. We’re very proud of that, and we work hard at it.”

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In 2015, the Dodgers’ average ticket price was $29, according to Team Marketing Report. A decade later — after winning the World Series twice and signing Shohei Ohtani as the crown jewel of a superstar-studded roster — the range of cheapest available prices per game ranged from $38 to $156.

“You can’t have it all ways, right?” Manfred said. “The Dodgers have made a massive financial commitment in terms of players, and they have to run a business that supports that massive financial commitment.”

Notwithstanding Manfred’s belief that MLB does not have an affordability problem, a popup survey on the league website last week asked fans whether they strongly agreed, somewhat agreed, somewhat disagreed, or strongly disagreed with this statement: “Attending a Major League Baseball game is affordable.”

Read more: Bobby Miller struggles, but Dodgers complete sweep of Rockies

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If local fans consider the Dodgers’ prices too high, Manfred suggested where they could find a cost-effective alternative.

“One of the leaders in terms of thinking about affordability has been the other Los Angeles team,” Manfred said.

Soon after Arte Moreno bought the Angels in 2003 — and with the team coming off a World Series championship — the team introduced $3 tickets for kids and teenagers one night per week. The Angels now offer a $44 family pack — four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks — at more than half their home games. They also feature a “Junior Angels” kids’ club, with a $20 membership that includes four game tickets.

Parking is $20 at Angel Stadium and $40 at Dodger Stadium.

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“I just really believe there should be affordability,” Moreno said. “We want everybody to have access to the stadium. We’ve worked really hard to keep tickets low and have families come in.”

The Angels last appeared in the playoffs 11 years ago, the longest postseason drought in the majors. Moreno did not discount the notion that prices might rise if the team returns to contention, but he did not guarantee it either.

“If the demand exceeds the supply, prices go up,” he said. “But, for us, you have 45,000 seats.”

The New York Yankees sold more tickets than any team besides the Dodgers in each of the past three seasons. The Yankees sell $10 tickets for every game: sometimes a few dozen, sometimes a few hundred, sometimes a couple thousand, based on overall demand for each game. As part of a corporate promotion, they also sell tickets under $10 or at 50% off for a handful of games.

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The league maintains a fan value page, where the vast majority of teams display a variety of ticket discounts, concession deals and family packs. The Dodgers’ entry on that page features its promotional schedule, highlighted by bobblehead dolls so coveted that they drive ticket prices ever higher.

On that November podcast, Trump said he knew how to address high ticket prices.

“I think there are things that have to be done,” Trump said.

Read more: Got your ticket for bobblehead night? Check. Get the bobblehead? Not so fast

Manfred declined to comment about whether he had heard from Trump or whether he would work with him on the issue.

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The Times asked the White House press office what ideas Trump had to lower ticket prices and what timeline he might have for pursuing any such actions. White House spokeswoman Liz Huston packed six sports phrases into a 48-word statement — “stepping up to the plate” and “home run economy” included — that did not provide a response to the questions.

Trump did not say he would make the Dodgers affordable again. In Los Angeles, some fans have stuck with their team through the lean years — the Fox and McCourt years, as we call them — only to be priced out when the team returned to glory.

On the podcast, without reference to any particular team, Trump said middle-class fans are “your biggest sports fans.”

Said Trump: “They’re being shut out of seeing a team they grew up with and that they love.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.