Flippin' Bats with Ben Verlander

Shohei Ohtani makes history by passing Ichiro Suzuki for the longest on-base streak by a Japanese-born player in MLB history, reaching 46 games — and the viral broken Ichiro statue moment adds to the drama.

After a disappointing 76-86 season in 2025 that saw them miss the playoffs and the entire projected Opening Day rotation hit the IL, the Atlanta Braves are off to a hot 10-6 start in 2026. They lead the league in home runs and rank 3rd in batting average despite ongoing pitching injuries. Are the Braves legitimately back?

We also dive into whether Mason Miller is on track for Cy Young contention — the first closer to win the award since Eric Gagne in 2003. Miller is dominating with a 0.00 ERA, 19 strikeouts in 7.1 innings, and perfect save opportunities so far.

Plus, MLB power rankings shakeup (Dodgers holding strong, Braves rising, Padres jumping, Yankees sliding), our Team of the Week, and more early-season storylines.

What do you think — are the Braves back, and could a closer actually win Cy Young in 2026? Let us know!

Follow Flippin’ Bats with Ben Verlander for weekly MLB breakdowns.

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Hall of Famer John Smoltz joins Ben Verlander to break down the hottest topics from the first week-plus of the 2026 MLB season.

We discuss the new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System: Is it perfect? Is three challenges per team the right balance, or should MLB move to full ABS? Smoltz shares his unfiltered take as a former pitcher.

Then we relive the wild Braves-Angels brawl from Tuesday night, including Jorge Soler charging the mound and Braves manager Walt Weiss, Smoltz's former teammate, delivering a memorable tackle takedown.

Plus, the ongoing feud between Willson Contreras and the Brewers — especially Brandon Woodruff. Smoltz opens up about whether he ever had heated rivalries with specific teams or batters during his career.

We also cover the most surprising teams so far in 2026 — who’s exceeding expectations and who’s struggling early in the season.

What are your thoughts on the new ABS rules? Let us know in the comments or reviews!

Subscribe for weekly MLB conversations with John Smoltz and more all season long.

#MLB #JohnSmoltz #ABS #Braves #MLB2026

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

2:22 John Smoltz on ABS

6:16 Smoltz on Braves/Angels Brawl

10:33 Contreras vs Brewers Fued 

13:30 John Smoltz Surprising Teams 

17:32 Outro
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The Yankees are off to a historic start, led by a dominant rotation putting up one of the lowest ERAs to begin a season in over a century. We break down what’s fueling their early success, including standout performances from Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, and a healthy Giancarlo Stanton.

Plus, are the Pittsburgh Pirates actually for real? With elite pitching, emerging prospects, and a strong start to the season, Pittsburgh is forcing its way into the conversation.

We also dive into this week’s MLB Power Rankings, biggest risers and fallers, and highlight the top performers in our Team of the Week.
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The new ABS Challenge System is an absolute GAME-CHANGER for baseball. It fixed brutal missed calls, upheld the tight ones, got crowds roaring, and adds a fresh layer of strategy and excitement for fans. Best part? Challenges are lightning fast — often just 10 seconds.

Key ABS Stats from the Weekend:

10 oldest umpires: 69% of calls overturned

10 youngest umpires: 39% overturned

Across 47 games: 94 calls overturned (54% success rate)

175 total challenges — pitchers only initiated 5 (just 2 overturned)

This tech is here to stay, and I'm all in.

Then there's the insane rookie explosion — one of the best Opening Weekends for young talent in MLB history. A record number of top-100 prospects made Opening Day rosters, and several delivered immediately:


Chase DeLauter (Guardians): 4 home runs in his first 3 career MLB games (.353 AVG, 1.412 OPS). He's already drawing "next Barry Bonds" buzz after a go-ahead bomb off an All-Star closer. Only the second player in MLB history to achieve this feat.

Munetaka Murakami: 3 HRs in his first 3 games

Kevin McGonigle: 5-12, 2 doubles, 4 RBI

JJ Wetherholt: Homer + walk-off 2-run single

Sal Stewart, Owen Caissie, Carson Benge & more lighting it up

The youth movement is real — baseball's future looks bright.

Plus, a personal highlight: My brother Justin Verlander begins Year 21 today, back in a Detroit Tigers uniform for the first time in 9 years. Emotional stuff — Father Time still hasn't caught him.

I break down my full Power Rankings after the first weekend:

Dodgers

Blue Jays

Yankees

Mariners

Mets

Tigers

Phillies

Brewers

Orioles

Braves

And my Team of the Week, including standouts like Shea Langeliers (3 HRs), Mike Trout (vintage mode with diving plays), Brandon Lowe, Brendan Donovan, and Chase DeLauter.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

0:43 ABS System is a hit 

10:38 Chase DeLauter is INSANE

13:04 Rookies showing out

17:30 Justin starts year 21

21:57 Power Rankings

33:20 Team of the Week

#MLB2026 #OpeningWeekend #ChaseDeLauter #ABSChallenge #JustinVerlander #MLBPowerRankings
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Opening Day is in the books and it delivered chaos, surprises, and some BIG early storylines across Major League Baseball.

Paul Skenes had a tough first outing and didn’t make it out of the 1st inning... but there’s more to the story than the box score.

On the other side, Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers looked dominant, raising the question: are they already the team to beat in the American League?

We also break down one of the most impressive Opening Days for rookies in recent memory. Kevin McGonigle’s historic debut, JJ Wetherholt going deep early, Chase DeLauter’s two-homer performance, and Carson Benge making an instant impact all headline a wave of young talent making noise right away.

Plus, Shohei Ohtani sets the tone for the Dodgers’ season with a powerful message to his teammates, the Mets’ revamped offense shows real promise, and several standout moments around the league.

From overreactions to real takeaways, this episode covers everything you need to know from an unforgettable Opening Day.

Be sure to follow/subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes throughout the season.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

0:35 New Look Mets

1:53 Paul Skenes tough luck 

5:03 Detroit Tigers look LEGIT

09:55 Dodgers are as advertised 

13:02 Murakami homers in MLB debut

14:37 Rookies shined on opening day

19:13 ABS System
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