For most teams in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Banorte, the first three games of the season are finished, and while it’s far too early to predict, well, anything later in the season, several notable developments occurred around the league.
Saturday night’s final game of the opening series between the Diablos Rojos del Mexico and the Piratas de Campeche went to extra innings, and for the first time in LMB history, each team started the extra inning with a runner on second base. This helped resolve the game with just a single extra frame, but also created a problem – the LMB doesn’t use the so-called “ghost runner” rule in extra innings. Following the game, the umpiring crew was fined and the league’s director of umpires was ordered to go over the league’s rules with the umpiring staff again.
Without a ghost runner, El Aguila de Veracruz beat the Conspiradores de Queretaro on Sunday 9-8 in 13 innings in the longest game of the season so far. Perhaps it’s something the league will consider in the future.
Miles Simington Is a One-Man Bomb Squad – In the final game of the Tigres de Quintana Roo’s sweep of the Olmecas de Tabasco, Tigres outfielder Miles Simington managed to hit a solo homer and steal one from Tabasco’s Seth Beer, a former first-round draft pick of the Houston Astros.
¡DE OTRO PLANETA! ??
Simington se roba el cuadrangular… ¡por encima de la barda! ??#LaLigaFuerteDeMéxico ????⚾️ pic.twitter.com/HaSoNiqL5q
— Liga Mexicana de Beisbol Banorte (@LMBBanorte) April 20, 2026
While three games are a small sample, Simington was the key to the Tigres’ sweep, going 6-for-14 with a double, a triple, a homer, and four runs scored. The Tigres are one of three teams at 3-0 in the Zona Sur and off to a great start. If they can keep their claws sharp, they might be able to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
Tecos Lose Two Pitchers In First Week – It’s been a tough week for the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos, who lost starter Brandon Bielak, who pitched parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball with Houston and Oakland, before the season began when he signed a minor league deal with the Astros on April 17. Then over the weekend, they lost Roenis Elias to injury before he could make a start, with a trip to the 15-Day Injured List announced as one of Monday’s transactions.
A Cottony-Soft Lineup – The Algodoneros de Union Laguna have a good lineup on paper, but they appear to be rather soft at the plate, at least through the first four games. Despite clubbing six homers in the first four games they’ve played, they’ve scored just 20 runs and been outscored by 26 runs. With a .219 team batting average and a .318 on-base percentage, the Algodoneros are in the bottom four teams in both categories. Aside from Diego Castillo, who is 7-for-15 with two homers, five runs scored and six RBIs, the whole lineup is having trouble.
On the mound, things aren’t much better. Only Ricardo Sanchez has lasted four innings as a starter, and he allowed four runs on five hits in four innings in the 10-5 loss to Monterrey on Saturday. Through four games, four starters – Sanchez, Erasmo Ramirez, Jaime Barria, and Aldo Montes – have combined to throw just 9 2/3 innings with an ERA of 14.90.
As the saying goes, you win the pennant early in the season, but you sure can lose it, and if the Algodoneros don’t start hitting and pitching, they’re going to be in trouble.
Notable Series This Week – The biggest mid-week series features two of the undefeated teams in the Zona Sur, with the Guerreros de Oaxaca (3-0) visiting the Bravos de Leon (3-0) on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Over the weekend, the Bravos head to Cancun, where they’ll face the Tigres de Quintana Roo.
In the Zona Norte, the Caliente de Durango, off to a 2-1 start, head to Monterrey to face the Sultanes during the week.
Where to Watch – All Liga Mexicana de Beisbol games are streamed live with a subscription on LMB TV, and a season subscription is on sale for MX$799 (about US$46) until April 30. Select games are streamed live on the YouTube page for Latin American network Claro Sports.
Photo: Miles Simington of the Tigres de Quintana Roo hit a solo homer and robbed Tabasco’s Seth Beer of a homer in the same game. (Photo courtesy of the Olmecas de Tabasco)
