Baseball

Goldeyes Report

SUPPLIED Winnipeg Goldeyes pitcher Quinn Waterhouse shows off one of the catfish he caught after his host family, Charlie and Cindy Goodman, took him on the Red River in Lockport.

Bringing home a Fish

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Yesterday at 6:25 PM CDT

There’s no place like home.

But what exactly does that mean for members of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, who typically find themselves hundreds or even thousands of miles away from family and friends between May and September, trying to keep their baseball careers alive while living on shoestring budgets?

For some, home is a modest downtown hotel room or small apartment typically shared with a teammate or two. For others, there’s a more personal touch — one that truly connects them to the community they happen to be playing in.

Welcome to the world of billets, a longstanding tradition in this market that dates back to when the Fish first took flight back in 1994. They are a unique and valuable tool for the American Association organization and its players, with a dedicated group of local baseball fans who open their doors and roll out the welcome mat year after year.

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Goldeyes Report

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Goldeyes starting pitcher Landen Bourassa is expected to start Wednesday night’s game against Sioux Falls.

Fish ‘punch back’ to crush Canaries

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Preview

Fish ‘punch back’ to crush Canaries

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026

The number sticks out like a sore thumb: 41.

That’s how many wins the Winnipeg Goldeyes recorded during the 2025 season, tying an all-time low for the storied, 32-year-old franchise.

What a difference a year can make. Let the record show the Fish have already matched that total — with 26 games left to play in the 2026 campaign.

And they are showing no signs of slowing down.

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Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026

Goldeyes Report

Goldeyes match record with 11th consecutive win

Taylor Allen 2 minute read Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026

The Winnipeg Goldeyes needed three innings to cement a victory over the Chicago Dogs on Wednesday night.

The Fish, who ended the evening with 17 hits, drove in 10 runs in the third frame in a 14-5 beatdown over the visitors from the Windy City.

“We really capitalised this time,” said centre fielder Noah Marcelo “We faced a couple of pitchers (in the third), and I was in the locker room and I was almost up again — I was changing my pants because I ripped my pants. But we’re just rolling right now.

“This was a special game, for sure.”

Goldeyes Report

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Goldeyes pitcher Derrick Cherry (left) says catcher Raphael Pelletier (right) ‘keeps everyone looking good on the field.’

Home-run haircuts

Taylor Allen 7 minute read Preview

Home-run haircuts

Taylor Allen 7 minute read Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026

Tucked inside the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ clubhouse is a no-frills washroom with a urinal, a pair of toilets and a trio of sinks beneath matching mirrors.

But when rookie catcher Raphael Pelletier drags in a well-worn black leather salon chair with cracked upholstery and lays out his clippers, trimmers and shears, the space transforms into something else: a barbershop.

While far from luxurious, it’s the type of haircutting experience that could only exist inside the wacky world of independent baseball.

“He keeps everyone looking good on the field, honestly. We needed this,” said third-year Goldeyes pitcher Derrick Cherry, while getting a trim on Wednesday ahead of the team’s game against the Chicago Dogs.

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Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026

Goldeyes Report

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS The Winnipeg Goldeyes take on a pesky and all-too-familiar alternate identity, the Manitoba Mosquitoes, for the team’s home game against the visiting Lincoln Saltdogs on Friday. Kataali Stoller (right) shows off the special edition merchandise to Cory Ruppanthal and his children, Ava and Owen.

Excited Goldeyes fans buzz over Manitoba Mosquitoes’ name change

Grace Penner 4 minute read Preview

Excited Goldeyes fans buzz over Manitoba Mosquitoes’ name change

Grace Penner 4 minute read Friday, Jul. 31, 2026

BITE club has entered the ball park for a single game, filling the stands with mosquitoes — just not in the way you may think.

The Fish are participating an alternate identity takeover, one that many other teams in the minor baseball leagues have been having some fun with. The Winnipeg Goldeyes re-branded to pay homage to the province’s beloved summer creatures, the Manitoba Mosquitoes.

The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks had some fun with its alternative identity, doing a five-game name change to the Woodchippers, a fun reference to the 1996 film Fargo.

Other honourable mentions are the Chicago Dogs, who switched over to the Chicago Wieners, the Sioux Fall Canaries transformed into the Minnehaha Martians, Milwaukee Milkmen became the Franklin Benjamins, and the Lake Country Dockhounds swapped to the Wisconsin Dive Bars.

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Friday, Jul. 31, 2026

Goldeyes Report

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Manitoba Mosquitoes starting pitcher Ryo Kohigashi was staked to an early lead against the Lincoln Saltdogs on Friday night.

Goldeyes, err, Mosquitoes on a serious roll

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Preview

Goldeyes, err, Mosquitoes on a serious roll

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Friday, Jul. 31, 2026

They’re pesky, stubborn and swarming opponents lately.

We’re talking about the Winnipeg Goldeyes, who fittingly re-branded as the “Manitoba Mosquitoes” for one night only as they opened a seven-game homestand on Friday at Blue Cross Park.

“And we’ve got a good buzz going, too,” veteran pitcher Tasker Strobel told the Free Press with a laugh.

Unlike the notorious insects, however, the Goldeyes don’t suck.

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Friday, Jul. 31, 2026

Baseball

CASSIDY DANKOCHIK / THE CARILLON Carillon Sultans right fielder Joe Plett is mobbed by teammates after driving home the championship-winning run in the MJBL final against the Elmwood Giants in Steinbach on Tuesday night.

Sultans cement dynasty

Cassidy Dankochik 5 minute read Preview

Sultans cement dynasty

Cassidy Dankochik 5 minute read Wednesday, Jul. 29, 2026

For the third consecutive season, the Carillon Sultans have lifted the Darryl Steen Trophy as champions of the Manitoba Junior Baseball League.

The Sultans dominated the Elmwood Giants in the final, winning all three games in abbreviated fashion with mercy rule victories to claim the best-of-five series, including the 12-2 series clincher in Steinbach at A.D. Penner Park on July 28.

All nine Carillon players in the line-up recorded at least one hit, with lead-off hitter Joe Plett knocking in a two-run single to give the Sultans a 10-run advantage in the bottom of the sixth inning.

“We wanted to make sure we finish tonight and everyone came through and did what they had to do,” head coach Don Meilleur said.

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Wednesday, Jul. 29, 2026

Baseball

Cassidy Dankochik / Carillon Brady Papineau is caught in a rundown during the first inning of Carillon’s 15-5 mercy rule victory over Elmwood at A.D. Penner Park in Steinbach on Friday.

Carillon bats dominate in MJBL Final opener

Cassidy Dankochik 3 minute read Preview

Carillon bats dominate in MJBL Final opener

Cassidy Dankochik 3 minute read Friday, Jul. 24, 2026

The Manitoba Junior Baseball League has a familiar match-up in the finals. The best-of-five series this year features the Carillon Sultans taking on the Elmwood Giants for the third consecutive year.

The Sultans, based out of Steinbach, have won the past two championships and cruised to first place in the regular season in their attempt to round out a three-peat.

The best-of-five series kicked off in Steinbach at A.D. Penner Park on Friday night, with Carillon’s offence the difference, as they racked up 13 hits and in a 15-5 mercy rule victory as darkness fell on the diamond.

The Sultans took a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning but let Elmwood back into the game when they got within two in the top of the fifth. Carillon responded by hitting around in the bottom half, scoring six runs and sealing the victory.

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Friday, Jul. 24, 2026

Baseball

Rebecca Blackwell / The Associated Press Files Chicago White Sox outfielder, Tristan Peters, was named to the American League’s roster as an injury replacement on Saturday.

Winkler’s Peters named to AL all-star team as replacement

Mike McIntyre 4 minute read Preview

Winkler’s Peters named to AL all-star team as replacement

Mike McIntyre 4 minute read Sunday, Jul. 12, 2026

The Tristan Peters story continues to deliver one compelling chapter after another.

And now the pride of Winkler, who is enjoying a breakout Major League Baseball season, can add “all-star” to his rapidly growing resumé.

Peters, 26, was named to the American League’s roster as an injury replacement on Saturday — one day after hitting for the cycle (single, double, triple, home run) for his Chicago White Sox.

Yeah, you could say the former Manitoba Junior Baseball League standout with the Pembina Valley Orioles had a pretty good weekend.

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Sunday, Jul. 12, 2026

Goldeyes Report

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Goldeyes shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder has been leading an offence that has managed to snap out of its early-season cold streak.

Season going swimmingly for Goldeyes’ shortstop Didder

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Preview

Season going swimmingly for Goldeyes’ shortstop Didder

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Friday, Jul. 10, 2026

Ray-Patrick Didder is no stranger to heat. The product of Oranjestad, Aruba, loves to see the thermostat climb high as it does back home pretty much year-round.

Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that his own play is now following the weather patterns here in Winnipeg. The sizzling Goldeyes shortstop has been hitting the cover off the ball lately, leading an offence that has snapped out of an early-season cold streak to become one of the best in the American Association.

Consider this: Heading into Friday’s start of a three-game series against the Gary SouthShore RailCats at Blue Cross Park, Didder had posted 25 hits in 65 at bats (.385 average) with 18 RBI, 21 runs scored, 16 walks and just 11 strikeouts over his previous 18 games.

He kept the good times rolling by belting his eighth homer of the year and scoring a pair of runs as the Fish won for the third time in four outings, this time by a score of 9-3, in front of 3,989 fans to improve to 23-26.

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Friday, Jul. 10, 2026

Goldeyes Report

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Goldeyes’ Noah Marcelo was the hot bat for the Fish on the road, the highlight of the seven-game trip coming on Wednesday when the outfielder bookended the club’s scoring with two homers.

Goldeyes fare poorly on road

Grace Penner 5 minute read Preview

Goldeyes fare poorly on road

Grace Penner 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 19, 2026

IF Manitoba sports fans are unaware of the name Scott Oake, they’ve been deprived of one of the greatest sports voices of our time.

The award-winning and Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame sportscaster will be honoured at Blue Cross Park when the Winnipeg Goldeyes roll back into town to start a three-game homestand against the Lincoln Saltdogs tonight.

The Fish were still on the road Thursday night, where they avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the Saltdogs in Nebraska with a resoundning 8-1 victory.

Before returning home for the Winnipeg portion of the home-and-home, here’s how the Fish fared on their seven-game road trip.

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Friday, Jun. 19, 2026

Goldeyes Report

BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS files Winnipeg Goldeyes outfielder Max Murphy keeps an eye on the ball.

Goldeyes stopped in tracks by Railroaders

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Preview

Goldeyes stopped in tracks by Railroaders

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Wednesday, Jun. 10, 2026

The Winnipeg Goldeyes are battling a stubborn opponent this week — and Mother Nature has come in swinging a hot bat.

Torrential rains, high winds and frequent lightning wiped out Tuesday’s start of a three-game series against the Cleburne Railroaders and the wicked weather was again a factor during Wednesday’s drawn-out doubleheader at Blue Cross Park.

When they were finally able to squeeze in some baseball — storms triggered a 69-minute delay just as the sixth inning of Game 1 was getting underway — things didn’t exactly go swimmingly for the Fish.

A promising early 4-1 lead ended in a frustrating 8-5 loss which took a gruelling three-and-a-half hours to complete despite consisting of just seven innings.

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Wednesday, Jun. 10, 2026

Goldeyes Report

Double trouble for Goldeyes

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 5, 2026

At their best, the Winnipeg Goldeyes have shown they can compete with anyone in the American Association.

The problem has been getting to that level on a regular basis, with the first 20 games of the 100-game campaign marked by dramatic peaks and valleys.

They are, to put it bluntly, consistently inconsistent.

Just look at their last three games for proof. An ugly 10-4 loss on Wednesday to Sioux Falls was followed by a dominant 14-3 win over those same Canaries on Thursday which was followed by a 10-5 defeat to the Sioux City Explorers on Friday night in front of 5,533 fans at Blue Cross Park.

Goldeyes Report

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Manager Logan Watkins at Goldeyes practice on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. For Mike McIntyre story. Free Press 2026

Goldeyes offence comes alive in battering of Milkmen

Mike McIntyre 4 minute read Preview

Goldeyes offence comes alive in battering of Milkmen

Mike McIntyre 4 minute read Saturday, May. 23, 2026

WINNIPEG Goldeyes manager Logan Watkins was preaching patience earlier this week, believing it was only a matter of time until his team’s sleepy batters and pitchers began to wake up.

The alarm clock finally went off Friday night at Blue Cross Park.

A 9-2 victory over Milwaukee was just what the doctor ordered for a bleary-eyed group that had been outscored 49-16 through six games.

The Goldeyes improve to 2-5 on the young season, while the Milkmen — which swept Winnipeg over three games in Wisconsin last weekend — fall to 5-2.

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Saturday, May. 23, 2026

Goldeyes Report

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Goldeyes outfielder Roby Enriquez said it’s a lot of fun being part of a club with so many different players from around the world.

Goldeyes roster a reflection of baseball’s global impact

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Preview

Goldeyes roster a reflection of baseball’s global impact

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Wednesday, May. 20, 2026

Take a look around the Winnipeg Goldeyes clubhouse and one thing quickly becomes evident: this is quite the international school of Fish.

Eight different countries are represented on the current roster of 25 players, which might just make them the United Nations of the American Association.

“So many different cultures. It’s good to have all of them,” outfielder Roby Enriquez told the Free Press on Wednesday prior to his team facing the Kane County Cougars at Blue Cross Park.

“It’s a lot of fun, being with guys from around the world. You learn about language and food, experience different personalities. It’s a blessing to have them here on one team.”

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Wednesday, May. 20, 2026

Baseball

JIM PIERCE / BOSTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS Boissevain’s Danika Nell pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings as Boston University clawed back to avoid an upset against the Lafayette Leopards in the first game of the Patriot League softball championship last Thursday.

Boissevain’s Nell pitches Boston back to NCAA Division 1 regionals

Thomas Friesen 6 minute read Preview

Boissevain’s Nell pitches Boston back to NCAA Division 1 regionals

Thomas Friesen 6 minute read Thursday, May. 14, 2026

There’s a chance Danika Nell goes pitch for pitch with softball’s first million-dollar player this weekend.

The Boissevain native and her Boston University Terriers are off to NCAA Division I regionals in Lubbock, Texas — home of NiJaree Canady and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Regionals are the softball equivalent of the first weekend of basketball’s March Madness, with the top 16 ranked teams hosting a four-team double-elimination tournament for a spot at Super Regionals the following weekend.

The Terriers open the weekend against No. 6-seed Ole Miss on Friday at 1 p.m. CT.

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Thursday, May. 14, 2026

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