THE NAUTICAL 9 — Episode 8 Week of April 27–May 1, 2026 | Hosts: Travis & Ryan

The M's closed April at 16-16 after a 5-1 road trip through St. Louis and Minnesota. Cole Young is becoming something special, Matt Brash is a question mark, and Luis Castillo remains the $25M elephant in the rotation.

@ Cardinals (April 24–26) — Sweep

• Game 1: Kirby's 3rd straight quality start, Naylor 418-ft go-ahead blast, Muñoz closes it. W 3-2
• Game 2: Woo gets shelled (5 HR allowed), but the offense chips back inning by inning. Will Wilson ties it with a homer off Riley O'Brien. W 11-9
• Game 3: ABS challenge in the 9th changes everything — Ruf Schneider battles back, gets a hanger, walk-off homer. W 3-2. Sweep.

@ Twins (April 27–29) — 2-1

• Game 1: Castillo struggles, cold weather, rookie pitcher nobody had film on. L 11-4
• Game 2: Gilbert solid, Naylor bat flip of the year, Randy 3 hits, Julio 3 doubles. W 7-1
• Game 3: Cole Young 3 RBIs including the go-ahead 2-run single in the 9th. Brash exits after 2 pitches. W 5-3

STORYLINES

Cole Young is for real. .383 with 10 RBIs over his last 13 games. 2nd-best WPA in all of baseball behind only Trout. #1 among all position players in defensive WAR. He went from one of the worst defensive 2B in baseball last year to the best this year. Where does he hit in the order, and when does he get his first All-Star nod?

Matt Brash. Exited Wednesday after 2 pitches with right-side discomfort. Had a 0.00 ERA in 13 outings. IL stint likely. Bizzardo probably slides into the leverage role. Oblique word has been mentioned. Not great.

Luis Castillo. The $25M question. Sometimes has his 95-96 stuff, sometimes doesn't. Cold weather theory has merit. But Hancock has been dominant and Bryce Miller is rehabbing. When everyone's healthy, something has to give.

JP Crawford's defense. Still the captain, still hits. But the range isn't there anymore and it shows. Leave it alone while we're winning — revisit if we stop.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

• Red Sox fired Cora and 5 coaches at 10-17, then won 17-1. Phillies fired Thomson (9-19), offered the job to Cora, he said no, Donnie Baseball steps in. Mattingly wins his first two.
• NL Central: every team is at or above .500. Reds are 20-11 with Tito Francona out of retirement. Wild.
• Braves at 22-10, rookie J.R. Richie from Bainbridge, WA gave up a homer on his first MLB pitch then struck out 8.

COMING UP

• Randy Johnson #51 retirement ceremony — Saturday May 2, T-Mobile Park (80s jersey night giveaway)
• Home vs. KC Royals (May 1–3) then the Braves (May 4–6)