Interested to know what happened in MLB during Thursday’s six-game slate? We’ve got you covered with a daily recap of what happened on Thursday, April 9, 2026, with a focus on fantasy outcomes and performances.
Standout MLB Pitching Performances
Even though some teams used openers instead of scheduled starters, it seems every pitching staff (except for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets) was flourishing. Jeffrey Springs, who tossed seven scoreless innings in the Athletics’ win over the New York Yankees, allowing just one hit and two walks with six strikeouts, was one of the standout performers, but several other hurlers stood out as well.
Eduardo Rodriguez tossed six innings of one-run ball when the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Mets. Anthony Kay didn’t allow a run in 5.2 frames for the Chicago White Sox against the Kansas City Royals, and despite the loss, Ryan Weathers did a good job for the Yankees in a 1-0 loss to the Athletics, allowing just one run and striking out seven across eight innings. Nine different pitchers hurled at least 5.2 innings while allowing two earned runs or fewer.
Low-Scoring Games Dominated Thursday’s MLB Slate
Whether this was due to impressive performances on the mound or offenses that have yet to click, the reality is that Thursday’s six-game slate in the majors was a low-scoring day all around. Four of the six games had under 8.5 total runs, and three had four total runs or fewer.
For instance, the White Sox defeated the Royals by a 2-0 score, while the Athletics only needed one run to get past the Yankees. The highest-scoring game on the slate was the San Diego Padres’ 7-3 win over the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park, but that was a game that finished 1-1 after the initial nine innings and had eight of its 10 runs scored in extra innings.
Top Fantasy Baseball Performers From April 9
In terms of hitters, Xander Bogaerts was the top performer after tallying two hits, including the game-winning grand slam in the 12th inning, and two stolen bases. He was the only hitter who posted over 10.0 points in standard scoring, which goes to show all you need to know about how offenses behaved on Thursday.
On the pitching side, though, it was a completely different story. Seven pitchers had at least 15.0 points in standard scoring, and three reached the 20-point threshold, which was an impressive feat considering the small slate. The top-scoring hurler was Springs, who tossed seven scoreless innings in the Athletics’ win over the Yankees, allowing just one hit and two walks with six strikeouts.
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