Mike McCann's Field of Fotos

Yangervis Solarte   is one of those "fly under the radar" guys. Making the majors in 2014 as Alex Rodriguez' fill-in with the Yankees, he brought talent and enthusiasm to an awkaward situation in the Bronx. Then, when the organization decided that the veteran Chase Headley was a better alternative (a move that, in retrospect, deserves to be questioned), he had the time to develop as a Padre. Sent to the Blue Jays in a winter deal that didn't draw much attention, he's filled in more than capably for Josh Donaldson at 3rd base. Thursday, the Venezuela native grabbed a headline. He homered in both ends of a doubleheader -- his 11th inning grand slam (and 5th hit of the game) gave Toronto the lead for keeps; he homered again in the nightcap (and had two other hits). All told, he totaled eight hits and 7 RBI on the day. Now, with Donaldson returning from the Disabled List, Solarte will likely shift to 2nd base. There's also the "human interest story"...

Severino and Stanton, the standout Yankees in Wednesday night's win in Houston. Not just a victory, but the first complete game shutout of Luis Severino's career. How good was the 24 year old ace? He struck out 10, gave up just five hits and a walk, while outpitching the Astros' always intimidating lefty Dallas Keuchel. Keuchel pitched well, holding most of the Yankees in check -- but not Giancarlo Stanton. The reigning NL MVP crushed a couple of homers off Keuchel -- the first time a Yankee ever homered off him --  and added an RBI double, driving in all four Yankee runs. (This was the first time any Yankee ever homered off Keuchel.) Is this a building block game for the former Marlin who's still trying to get solid footing in his first Yankee season? Stay tuned. ( These images of Severino and Stanton are from the April 16th Yankees/Marlins game. )

The youthful Atlanta Braves introduced another of their top prospects Tuesday night. A Citi Field in New York, pitcher Mike Soroka made his big league debut a memorable one. Staked to a 3-0 lead before he ever faced a batter, the 20 year old righthander blanked the Mets for the first five innings, before allowing a Yoenis Cespedes homer in the 6th. He struck five and walked none -- outdueling the Mets co-ace Noah Syndergaard. The Braves bullpen then kept up their end of the bargain for a 3-2 final. Talk about a youth movement: Soroka joins second baseman Ozzie Albies and outfielder Ronald Acuna Junior as not just teammates -- but the three youngest players in the majors are all on the same club. All 21 and under, and all likely to be Atlanta mainstays for years to come.

Shocking news out of L.A. on Monday: the Dodgers shortshop Corey Seager needs Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and will miss the rest of the season. It's no secret that Seager had a tender elbow. He played in pain during the second half of 2017, and all through the playoffs and World Series. Corey tried an off-season program with the goal of strengthening the elbow ligament and surrounding muscles. But some painful throws over the weekend, then numbness, meant a trip to the MRI tube and the unhappy results. The 2016 NL Rookie of the Year leaves some big shoes to fill. Besides being a steady presence in the middle of Dave Roberts' infield, Seager averaged 24 homers with a .300 batting average in his first two full seasons. For now, Chris Taylor will move from center field to shortstop, and Kike Hernandez will see more playing time in the outfield. But just a month into the season, the Dodgers will be missing one of up and coming stars for the rest of 2018.

The Marlins are marking their 25th anniversary with this patch featuring their original fish logo backed in the team's inaugural team color, teal. That's first baseman Justin Bour sporting the patch on the team's current road uniform.

Yovanni Gallardo becomes only the third pitcher in major league history to win a 1-0 game, hit a homer and strike out 10 or more batters. He's the star of the game as his Milwaukee Brewers blank the Pirates 1-0 at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Gallardo matches the rare feat accomplished by Hall of Famers Red Ruffing for the Yankees against the Washington Senators, April 13, 1932, and Early Wynn for the White Sox against the Red Sox, May 1, 1959. ( This image of Gallardo is from 2015, when he pitched for Rangers. )

Giancarlo Stanton isn't the only Miami exile who has struggled since leaving South Florida. After emerging as a star with the Marlins, Marcell Ozuna found himself on the parade of moving vans last winter. His truck stopped in St. Louis, at Busch Stadium. Now playing alongside Tommy Pham and Dexter Fowler, Ozuna's slower-than-expected start -- including a 1-for-23 stretch -- left some Cardinal fans puzzled. With St. Louis on top of the NL Central, a few good games, like Friday's 3-for-5 performance, should help the newcomer bond with his new fan base. ( This image of Marcel Ozuna comes from the April 1st Mets/Cards game in New York .)