The three games played Thursday afternoon produced three wins that did not go to the playoffs in 2023 against three very good teams from last season. The Mets beat the Braves. Six different Mets batters recorded two hits each, accounting for twelve of the sixteen safeties. Braves starter Allan Winans gave up seven runs, six earned, in his MLB debut, but still managed to last five innings.

The Royals pounded the reeling Astros 13-3, Kansas City scoring double digits against Houston for the second day in a row. Vinnie Pasquantino picked up three more hits after his big game Wednesday. Bobby Witt Jr. hit two home runs and two singles to raise his batting average to .358. The Royals scored nine runs in the first inning, all off Houston starter Hunter Brown who saw his ERA balloon to 16.43.

Runs were extremely scarce in Arlington, Texas, but the Athletics found one to beat the Rangers 1-0. JP Sears did not allow a hit until the seventh inning, and the bullpen did not allow a hit over the final 2 2/3 innings. Seth Brown collected two of the four Oakland hits, one of those a solo home run. Oakland is now 5-8, in tied for third place in the AL West, two games back of Texas.