Flippin' Bats with Ben Verlander

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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The 2026 MLB season is here! And it’s time for Ben's full World Series prediction and award picks.

In this episode, Ben breaks down his picks for Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and MVP in both the American League and National League, along with his full playoff bracket and World Series champion.

There are a few award races that feel wide open… and at least one prediction that might surprise you.

Plus we're giving away a copy of MLB The Show 26. Listen for how to enter!

🏆 2026 MLB Predictions:


AL & NL Rookie of the Year


AL & NL Cy Young


AL & NL MVP


Full playoff bracket


World Series prediction

From stars like Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr., to rising young talent looking to break out, this season has no shortage of storylines.

Who do you have winning the World Series this year?

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The National League might run through the Dodgers again… but it’s not that simple.

In this episode, Ben breaks down my full 2026 National League preview! Including division-by-division predictions, playoff teams, and who he thinks is representing the NL in the World Series.

Can Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers dominate again, or is there a team ready to take them down?

Plus, I’m giving away a copy of MLB The Show 26. Listen to find out how to enter.

2026 National League Preview:


NL East breakdown


NL Central predictions


NL West predictions


Wild Card teams


NL Champion

Who do you have winning the National League this season?

Follow/subscribe for more MLB coverage, predictions, and weekly episodes all year long.
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