(Photo by Colton McKee, coltonmckeephotography.com)
Truman Bartman | themavericks.ca
Baseball is hard; that isn’t a mystery. Right now, the Mavericks are experiencing the dark side of the game, with nothing going their way. With that has come a four-game losing streak dating back to last Wednesday. Tonight the Mavs prepare for the Regina Red Sox, who have had their own battles with finding consistency in 2026. This evening’s game has massive implications on the Eastern division’s playoff outlook and could be the difference between who gets in and who gets left behind.
Hot off a champion season in 2025, the Red Sox have undergone some major changes in 2026, especially in recent weeks. Moving on from longtime head coach Rye Pothakos and appointing Brayden Cobb as their interim head coach, Regina has found some magic over the past few games, riding a three-game win streak into today’s game.
Beyond the changes in the front office, the Red Sox have also added two new bats to their lineup with the additions of catcher Derek Kiepke and outfielder Reese Rinna. Kiepke joins the Sox from Arizona Christian, where he spent his junior season playing for the Firestorm. As for Rinna, he attended Salem University during his senior year, batting .300 in his second season with the Tigers.
Forced to deal with the Red Sox’s offensive acquisitions is veteran lefty Danny Retzlaff, who will make his third home start of the year. Despite being away from the Mavericks to start the new year, Retzlaff’s return to the Medicine Hat locker room has been an important addition. Although there’s still room for improvement, Retzlaff’s track record in the WCBL is positive. It’s only a matter of time before he returns to his 2025 form.
Going toe to toe with Retzlaff will be WCBL All-Star Kaegan Baker. The Sox’s ace is one of the few arms who’s yet to check into a game at Athletic Park, and tonight will not only mark his first showing in Medicine Hat this season but also the first in his WCBL career.
After a rapid start to the year, Baker’s numbers have tailed off drastically over his past few starts. Once a contender to claim the league’s ERA title, Baker’s average has had an unexpected increase to 7.53 over the past month. Regina will be hoping for a vintage performance from Baker in his most high-pressure start to date.
This season has not been friendly to the Regina Red Sox and Medicine Hat Mavericks. But what is still alive is each team’s belief that making the postseason is possible. Separated by only half a game in the Eastern Division, this game is as close as they come to being win-or-go-home. For two teams that have been perennial playoff contestants in the past, tonight’s game is a chance to find new life late in the season.