We have a busy Saturday across the big leagues, and that means lots of opportunities for baseballs to leave the yard.
My MLB player props and home run analysis will include Aaron Judge and Ian Happ.
Read all about it in my MLB picks for Saturday, April 18.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Aaron Judge
+220
Ian Happ
+590
Aaron Judge (+220)
Aaron Judge may be hitting just .240, but his power numbers are already heading in the right direction.
The reigning AL MVP has clubbed eight home runs in 20 games. He’s gone deep in two of his last three contests, and although he was kept in the yard on Friday, Judge still smacked a double.
The New York Yankees face the Kansas City Royals again today, and Judge will face Noah Cameron. He’s 1-for-3 against the left-hander with a long ball.
Cameron has surrendered two homers already, and Judge has gone deep four times off southpaws in 2026.
Time: 1:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Royals.TV, YES
Ian Happ (+590)
Ian Happ is a player with pop in his bat, going deep 20+ times in each of the last three seasons. He’s on track for a fourth in ‘26, clubbing five home runs through the first few weeks.
Happ will be looking forward to today's matchup against New York Mets righty Freddy Peralta.
While he’s only 4-for-37 off Peralta, three of those hits have been bombs. He left Wrigley in the series opener on Friday, and Happ has three homers off right-handed pitchers.
Peralta has had trouble with the long ball too, surrendering three in just four starts.
Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNY, MARQ
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 4-17, -2.32 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 17: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers rounds the bases after his solo home run during the first inning Mariners at T-Mobile Park on April 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, LSB.
The Rangers and Jacob deGrom held the Mariners scoreless last night in a 5-0 win.
Evan Grant writes that the Rangers made a statement with their first Seattle shutout in nearly four years.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 17: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks gestures to his dugout after hitting an RBI single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning at Chase Field on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Diamondbacks News
Soroka and Arenado Lead Complete Win Over Jays Michael Soroka continued his unlikely start to the season, allowing only two runs across seven innings. Nolan Arenado hit another home run as he continued to show signs of his bat warming up. The rest of the team chipped in timely hits and a bit of fortunate defending. Sewald pitched possibly his least stressful save of the season thus far. The result was Arizona taking the first of the series against last year’s World Series team, the Toronto Blue Jays.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Could Return this Weekend THe recovering left fielder started for the AA Amarillo Sod Poodles yesterday. Depending on how things look this morning, the 26-man roster may see his return to the lineup to give an already winning team a much-needed boost.
Angels All-Star Outfielder, Garret Anderson at 53 Garret Anderson, the multitalented outfielder who became the Los Angeles Angels’ career hits leader and led the team to its only World Series title in 2002, has died at age 53, the Angels announced.
Can Extensions Go Too Far? One of the less talked about big stories of the early 2026 season is the number of big-time extensions handed out to big prospects, even before reaching the Majors. But are some of these pseudo-mega-deals going too far? A likely answer will be found with the Chicago Cubs and PCA.
Seidler Family Nearing Deal To Sell Padres To José E. Feliciano The deal values the Padres franchise at close to $3.9 billion, which would shatter the previous record for a big league franchise in a sale. Steve Cohen’s $2.4 billion purchase of the Mets in 2020 currently stands as the record. You simply are not going to convince me that MLB is not growing financially by leaps and bounds as these sorts of figures factor into the upcoming CBA talks.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 18: River Ryan #77 of the Los Angeles Dodgers participates in a bullpen session prior to a Spring Training game against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch on March 18, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This time around, Stewart retired the first two batters before allowing a two-out single then hit a batter in an eight-pitch battle. He was pulled with two outs in the inning, already at 22 pitches. Both runners were stranded.
Gelof tripled, doubled, and singled in his three-RBI affair.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
The Comets built a 13-3 lead then held on for a one-run win over the Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies). Each team had an eight-run inning — Oklahoma City in the fifth, Albuquerque in the seventh.
Every Comets starter had at least one hit and scored at least one run. All nine starters also reached base at least twice, including Ryan Fitzgerald with a triple and three RBI, and Zach Ehrhard with two hits and three RBI.
Ronan Kopp faced eight batters and retired three of them with a four-walk outing. He gave up the first five runs in the seventh. Griff McGarry, acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, gave up a run and two walks and two strikeouts in the ninth before getting removed with two outs in his Dodgers organization debut. Jordan Weems stranded the tying and winning runs on base with a strikeout to earn the save.
Gelof’s home run completed a comeback that began in the eighth inning of the Drillers’ win over the Arkansas Travelers (Mariners).
Tulsa trailed 4-1 after starter Patrick Copen was chased in the fifth inning, but Kelvin Ramirez struck out three in his 2 1/3 scoreless frames, followed by scoreless innings from Lucas Wepf and Nick Robertson. Robertson struck out the side in the ninth to earn the win.
Josue De Paula had two hits and a run batted in the victory.
High-A Great Lakes
Down 4-0 in the fifth inning of the second game of Friday’s doubleheader, the Loons rallied for three runs in the final three innings to salvage a split with the Dayton Dragons (Reds). Mike Sirota, who doubled and scored the only run for Great Lakes in the opener, had two hits in the nightcap, including a triple and two-run, walk-off double in the seventh.
Logan Tabeling struck out eight in 3 1/3 innings in his start of the second game, allowing only one unearned run. Cody Morse struck out three in two perfect innings to earn the win in the nightcap.
Sterling Patick walked the tightrope early on in the first game, allowing eight baserunners in the first three innings but stranded them all. In the fourth, he wasn’t as fortunate, allowing a single, walk, two stolen bases, and three runs (two earned) while recording just one out.
Class-A Ontario
The Tower Buzzers scored single runs in the final four innings, but fell one run short of the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies), who rode a four-run seventh inning to victory.
Jesus Tillero was previously unscored upon in his first 11 innings of the season, with 13 strikeouts. But he had a wild night on Friday with five walks while allowing four runs in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss.
Starter Cam Leiter struck out three in two scoreless innings on the mound.
Outfielder Ching-Hsien Ko hit a solo shot in the sixth inning, his first home run in Class-A in his 34th game at the level. He had a three-hit night and is 5-for-7 since getting activated off the injured list Wednesday.
Infielder Jose Hernandez, who homered once in three games for Rancho Cucamonga last year, homered in the ninth inning to pull the Tower Buzzers to within one, his first home run in eight games for Ontario.
Emil Moralez, playing third base on Friday, had three hits in the loss.
Transactions
Triple-A: Friday’s originally scheduled starting pitcher was River Ryan, but he was placed on the seven-day injured list instead, with a hamstring issue per Comets announcer Alex Freedman on the broadcast. That made active roster room for right-hander Chayce McDermott, who was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
Class-A: Outfielder Brendan Tunink was Ontario’s hottest hitter to open the season, hitting .379/.424/.828 with three home runs and four doubles in eight games. But he was placed on the injured list on Friday after getting hurt scoring on a single from second base in Tuesday’s game. Tower Buzzers manager John Shoemaker didn’t want to commit to a timetable for Tunink. “Hard to say, it’s a little bit of a hamstring issue,” he said. “Sometimes those are tough to come back from. We just don’t know yet.”
Feb 20, 2026; North Port FL, USA; Atlanta Braves infielder Jim Jarvis (94) poses for a photo during media day at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
All told, it was a mixed bag of results down on the farm on Friday, as Atlanta’s four minor league affiliates split their contests and went 2-2 on the night. However, there were a handful of individual performances that stood out.
It’s hard to get any meaningful offense going when your starting pitcher gives up three homers, and that’s exactly what happened to Gwinnett in their loss to Memphis. However, Jim Jarvis continued his incredible offensive display on the year, raising his average to .411.
On Friday, Jarvis managed to go 3-3 — including a leadoff single off the bat at 104.6 MPH — with a pair of walks to his credit to raise his OPS on the season to 1.081. Coming into the season, Jarvis was viewed by most as simply a potential bench piece in the event of an injury or two at the big league level.
Given his torrid start, Jarvis may very well force Atlanta’s hand if he continues to hit like this and there’s a good possibility he may be the first name called up in the event Atlanta needs a replacement infielder for whatever reason.
Starter Elieser Hernandez worked five innings, but scattered eight hits — three of which left the park — while striking out four.
The Stripers briefly held a 2-1 lead in this one after Brewer Hicklen launched a two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning. However, that lead would be short-lived as Hernandez gave up a pair of homers in the home half of the same inning.
Gwinnett would tack on another run in the top of the eighth inning as Chadwick Tromp doubled home Rowdy Tellez to make it a 5-3 deficit, but that would prove to be too much as the Stripers failed to put together any additional offense.
Columbus extended their win streak to three games with a 6-4 win over Biloxi on Friday night thanks in part to solid hitting and clutch relief pitching.
Brett Sears got the start on the mound for the Clingstones and while he wasn’t exactly sharp — as he surrendered four runs on seven hits and a walk — he still managed to go six innings while striking out three in the process. The best performance on the mound for Columbus came from reliever Luis Vargas, who tossed two shutout innings while holding Biloxi hitless and striking out three to get the save.
At the plate, Columbus got several key contributions on the night.
Lizandro Espinoza managed to go 2-5 with a pair of RBI, including taking an 0-2 pitch in the bottom of the eighth to the opposite field, plating Cal Conley to extend the Clingstones’ lead to 6-4.
With his performance, Espinoza raised his season OPS to .942 thus far while batting .279.
In additional offensive performances, Cal Conley and Archer Brookman both went 3-4, while the former drove in one run and scored three and the latter scored two runs on the night as well.
(6-7) Rome Emperors 3, (7-5) Jersey Shore BlueClaws 2
Thanks to a solid outing on the mound from Cade Kuehler and several key offensive performances, Rome narrowly came away with a win against Jersey Shore to move to one game under .500.
Across five innings of work, Kuehler scattered five hits while allowing two runs and striking out three on the night. Not only was it his longest outing of the season thus far, but it was by far his most productive as he gave up two runs in three innings in his first start of the season and followed that up by giving up five runs in three innings his next time out.
On a positive note, Kuehler has only issued four walks in 11 innings of work, so hopefully it’s the start of turning things around for Kuehler.
Offensively, Rome struggled mightly through the first 6.2 innings of play in this one before things finally broke in the Emperors’ favor.
Eric Hartman and Owen Carey had respectable nights as Hartman went 2-4 with a run scored and Carey laced a single in his only hit of the night.
The biggest hit of the night, however, came off the bat of John Gil who, in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded, laced an 0-1 changeup back up the middle to plate two runs and tie the game at 2-2.
After what was an encouraging spring training, it’s been relatively rough on Gil recently as he went hitless in his previous three games entering Friday night. Still, he has a pair of homers and perhaps heroics leading to a win will be just what the young shortstop needs to get back on track.
Following Gil’s two-RBI knock, Eric Hartman crossed the plate after a balk was called, giving Rome the 3-2 lead.
In relief, Owen Hackman was excellent as he tossed three innings while only walking one batter and striking out three as he recorded the win for the Emperors.
(7-6) Augusta GreenJackets 2, (3-10) Fayetteville Woodpeckers 7
All in all, there wasn’t much that went right for Augusta Friday as the GreenJackets ultimately fell by a 7-2 final to Fayetteville.
Ethan Bagwell got the start on the mound and while he was decent — producing six strikeouts across 4.2 innings of work while giving up two earned runs — his offense failed to provide ample support in return. Bagwell has been a bright spot early on this season, as he’s currently carrying an ERA of 2.55 across 17.2 innings pitched to go along with 17 strikeouts and four walks.
As mentioned, there wasn’t much to write home about in terms of the offense despite the GreenJackets tallying just one hit less than the Woodpeckers in this one.
Dalton McIntyre led the way by going 3-4 with a double to his credit, while Junior Garcia tallied a two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning to bring home Augusta’s lone two runs on the night.
Tate Southisene and Alex Lodise each registered a hit as well, with Lodise also scoring a run in the process.
Apr 17, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha (52) reacts after allowing a two run home run to New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (not pictured) during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Lange threw a changeup that caught too much of the plate. McMahon got just enough of the pitch, as the baseball landed in the first row beyond the left-field wall.
“I feel like when you fall behind guys, bad things happen,” Lange said. “These hitters in this league are really good. It sucks … going out there and blowing a game. You feel like you let the boys down and they’ve been battling … all year.”
“Losses can beat you down,” Pasquantino said. “The way you’re performing can beat you down. You got to find a way to build yourself back up. This is a big-time confidence game. Things can change in one swing. We’ve talked about that quite a bit. One pitch, one swing, one defensive play. One stolen base. Anything can happen. We’re looking for that spark right now.
“We’ve just got to keep pushing forward. There’s nothing else we can do. We’re diligent in our work. We just got to make sure we’re doing the right things when we get out onto the field.”
In 2026, Isaac Collins ranks 33rd out of 46 qualified outfielders in overall jump. His initial reaction is good, ranking third with 3.5 feet covered above average in the first 1.5 seconds. His burst is closer to average, with 0.3 feet covered above MLB average in the 1.5-second burst after the initial reaction.
The issue lies with his routes. Collins ranks last in route with 4.8 fewer feet covered against the direct, optimal path, over a foot worse than the second-worst outfielder.
“Honestly, it takes either Salvador Perez or Bobby Witt Jr. to walk in that clubhouse right now,” Hosmer said. “I’m sure those guys are sitting in their locker, staring at the wall, saying, ‘What happened?’
“One of those guys is going in there, saying, ‘Hey boys, that’s the fight, right there. You continue on with these next 130 games like that (and) we’re going to be where we want to be at the end of the year.’”
As of Thursday, the Royals might have just been gifted an opportunity to fulfill their original vision, though they’re still seeking significant state contribution and potentially county contribution. But they’ve also been gifted an opportunity for a public perception reset.
It’s not yet clear how far-reaching they would pursue a surrounding ballpark district in a space that at first glance is tight. But no matter what is built, they would need to bring a couple of things they failed to deliver two years ago:
Details.
Public clarity.
“They have to be more transparent,” Eric Bunch, councilman for the Fourth District told me afterward. “It’s paramount.”
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Enrique Bradfield Jr. #99 of the Baltimore Orioles walks to the dugout prior to the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Triple-A: Durham (Rays) 19, Norfolk Tides 9
If you can believe it, the Tides had a 6-0 lead at one point in this game and later on held a 9-1 lead. Even still, this happened. The scoring started when Enrique Bradfield Jr. led off the third inning with a home run, his second of the season. The outfield prospect added another hit elsewhere in the game and has an .811 OPS through 10 games. Jhonkensy “Big Christmas” Noel hit a three-run homer that made it 9-1; he, however, is only OPSing .427.
The pitching, however… the pitching was bad. Very bad! Starting pitcher Levi Wells had it all fall apart in the fourth inning and by the time his night was over with no outs recorded in the fifth, he’d given up nine runs on 11 hits, including three home runs. A parade of Tides relievers also stunk it up over the remainder of the game to allow the remaining runs, of whom none are particularly notable other than rehabbing major leaguer Andrew Kittredge. For Kittredge, his one inning saw him give up three runs on four hits. No need to rush back.
My guy Aron Estrada got two hits, including a double, to raise his season OPS to .626. There wasn’t much worth mentioning for the other hitting prospects on this roster. Hopefully it’s just an off day for guys like Thomas Sosa (1-5) and Ethan Anderson (0-5), who do have good season numbers, rather than the start of a trend.
This was also not a great day for starting pitching prospect Luis De León, with the lefty being tagged for seven hits while allowing four walks in four innings. That resulted in the Fisher Cats putting four runs on the board against him. Despite this, the Baysox took a 5-4 lead into the eighth inning, but then New Hampshire tied it up and won it in extras, eventually getting a walkoff wild pitch after an intentional walk and a bunt single loaded the bases with nobody out.
High-A: Frederick Keys 7, Hudson Valley (Yankees) 1
In contrast to the previous two entries, and the one below it, there is actually some fun stuff to report from this game. Starting pitcher JT Quinn, an early draft pick last year, added a third excellent start to begin his first full pro season, posting five shutout innings with just three hits and one walk allowed. Quinn struck out seven Renegades batters. He has a 0.64 ERA and has struck out 23 batters in 14 innings this year. Pretty good.
Batting out of the leadoff spot, Ike Irish did an excellent job of setting the table. He reached base with two hits and a walk and also stole a pair of bases – though he still only scored one run since the guys after him, Nate George and Wehiwa Aloy, each took an 0-for. Things picked up from lower in the lineup, including the spring training sensation Vance Honeycutt, who hit his second home run of the season in the fourth inning. He’s only hitting .229 but is OPSing .814 on the young season. This includes reaching base in all nine games where he was in the starting lineup. His problems aren’t guaranteed to have been fixed, but it’s an interesting beginning.
Outfielder Braylin Tavera (3-4 including a two-run homer) and big man Victor Figueroa – one of the six players from the Padres trade last year – added multi-hit games as well. This continues to be the affiliate with the most excitement going on so far in 2026. Not that this is wholly reflected by their 5-7 record so far.
I have seen a lot of “the starting pitcher was bad, the defense was also bad, and so was the offense” games from the Shorebirds in recent years. Here’s another one. They committed three errors, although none of these led to unearned runs. But the real ugliness comes from starting pitcher Esteban Mejia, a hard-thrower who is battling command problems like many young hard-throwers do. What kind of command problems? How about, eight walks out of 13 batters faced in a 2.1 inning start? Yeah.
19-year-old DJ Layton, a sixth round overslot pick from two years ago, doubled and drew a walk out of the leadoff spot. The infielder has a 1.028 OPS across his first 12 games of the season. I’ll sign up for some more of that.
The New York Mets will hope to end a nine-game losing streak as they visit the Chicago Cubs for the second game of their weekend series on Saturday afternoon.
New York is in a deep hole right now, and I like Chicago to pile on at home and win in my Mets vs. Cubs predictions.
Read on to see my full analysis of this matchup in my free MLB picks for Saturday, April 18.
Who will win Mets vs Cubs today: Cubs moneyline (-112)
The New York Mets have suffered offensively during their current losing streak, being shut out three times and averaging 1.78 runs over its last nine games. Francisco Lindor is hitting .200 while new arrival Bo Bichette is catching the ire of Mets fans thanks to his .564 OPS.
The Chicago Cubs come into today having won three straight, scoring 10+ runs in each game. While Freddy Peralta (1-1, 3.86 ERA) has pitched well enough to give the Mets chances to win, Chicago should score more than enough to outpace this floundering New York lineup. I like the Cubs to win at home.
COVERS INTEL:The Mets are hitting .202 with a .524 OPS during their current nine-game losing streak.
Mets vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-118)
The four runs the Mets scored on Friday constituted a breakout for them, as it was the first time in five games they scored more than two runs. Veteran Jameson Taillon (0-1, 4.86 ERA) has struggled in his last two starts, but facing New York gives him a great chance to get right while the Mets’ bats are cold.
After a shaky opener, Peralta has been solid for the Mets, allowing just five runs in 16 innings over his last three starts. The Cubs have a .727 OPS against right-handed pitching this season, 61 points lower than their mark against southpaws. I like both pitchers to keep this game manageable and help us hit the Under.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets:3-5, -2.03 units
Over/Under bets:1-5, -3.96 units
Mets vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: New York +101 | Chicago -112
Run line: New York -1.5 (+152) | Chicago +1.5 (-175)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+109) | Under 8.5 (-121)
Mets vs Cubs trend
The Mets are 0-9 straight up in their last nine games overall. Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Cubs.
How to watch Mets vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026
First pitch
2:20 p.m. ET
TV
SNY, Marquee
Mets starting pitcher
Freddy Peralta (1-1, 3.86 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Jameson Taillon (0-1, 4.86 ERA)
Mets vs Cubs latest injuries
Mets vs Cubs weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CHICAGO - 1987: Dennis Rasmussen of the New York Yankees pitches during an MLB game versus the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | Getty Images
Of all the players who donned the pinstripes, Dennis Rasmussen was certainly one of them. If we’re only looking at the numbers, he was a pretty forgettable starter who was often competent but rarely dominant. And as he played for the good-but-not-good-enough Yankees of the mid-80s, he has no rings nor legendary postseason exploits to his name. However, one biographical detail elevates Rasmussen’s story from the humdrum to the sublime.
Dennis Lee Rasmussen Born: April 18, 1959 (Los Angeles, CA) Yankees Tenure: 1984-87
Strictly sticking to baseball, Dennis Rasmussen’s biggest claim to fame may be being involved in three high-profile trades early in his career. The California Angels selected Rasmussen in the first round of the 1980 MLB Draft, only to ship him to the Yankees as part of a package for Tommy John following the 1982 season. Just the following year, the Yankees flipped him (along with another prospect) to the Padres for 1975 NL Rookie of the Year John Montefusco.
Rasmussen reached the big leagues with the Padres that year, posting a 1.98 ERA over four appearances and one start. However, San Diego would not be his forever home. Days before the start of the 1984 season, the Padres dealt Rasmussen back to the Yankees along with a PTBNL for Graig Nettles. Between John, Montefusco, and Nettles, that’s upwards of 160 total WAR entangled in the Dennis Rasmussen trade tree.
While Rasmussen did not quite match the production of the players he was traded for, he was a solid pitcher in his own right, especially during his time with the Yankees. Across four years and 103 appearances (96 starts), he compiled a 39-24 record with a 4.28 ERA (4.53 FIP). Not amazing, but firmly within “dependable fifth starter” territory. His best year in terms of traditional stats was 1986, when he went 18-6 with a 3.88 ERA (albeit with a 4.40 FIP). Rasmussen stood out in particular on NBC’s “Game of the Week” over the Fourth of July weekend, when he registered his first career shutout, blanking the White Sox on three hits.
Rasmussen was the de facto ace of the rotation, a feat made more impressive by the fact that he barely made the team out of spring training—George Steinbrenner had publicly declared that he would send Rasmussen to Triple-A following a spring start gone awry, but a series of injuries to the rest of the staff opened up a spot for Rasmussen, and he ran with it.
That 1986 campaign earned Rasmussen an Opening Day start the following year, the only one of his career, at Detroit against Jack Morris. He pitched seven innings of one-run ball as the Yankees won in extras 2-1. However, the rest of ’87 was not as kind to Rasmussen. After a particularly brutal stretch to start August, in which he allowed 21 earned runs over six starts, the Yankees traded him to the Reds for Bill Gullickson. This ended Rasmussen’s time in the Bronx.
To his credit, Rasmussen did not go quietly afterwards. He pitched well for the Reds down the stretch in 1987, posting a 3.97 ERA (3.44 FIP) and 1.0 WAR over seven starts to close out the year. And though he struggled mightily to start the 1988 season, prompting the Reds to ship him to the Padres, it was there that Rasmussen truly shone for the first, and only, time in his career, winning 14 of 20 starts with a 2.55 ERA (3.18 FIP). He would pitch six more seasons in the majors but would never replicate that level of success, instead bouncing around the league as a back-end starter. He retired as a Kansas City Royal in 1995, at the age of 36. He then spent a couple of years as a minor-league coach for the (then) Devil Rays and Red Sox before leaving pro baseball altogether to spend time with his family. He returned to coaching in 2021, and is currently an Indy ball pitching coach for the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League.
Rasmussen’s career was a fine one, if somewhat underwhelming for a first-round draft pick. But I’ve left out one crucial detail: Rasmussen accomplished all of the above with literally no cartilage in his left ankle. In fact, he nearly lost that foot altogether at the age of 14, when he was hit by a speeding car while riding a bike with his father. At the time of the crash, all that connected his foot to his leg was his Achilles tendon. Although his surgeon, a Vietnam vet, succeeded in reattaching his foot, no cartilage remained within, only bone against bone.
Even after he recovered from that horrific injury, the condition of his foot prevented Rasmussen from running for any extended amount of time without his ankle swelling to an ungodly size. However, he was not deterred. Electing to do his cardio by riding on stationary bikes rather than running, he worked hard, proved skeptics wrong, rose through the minor leagues, and achieved one of the hardest feats anyone could hope for: he made the bigs, and he stayed there for 12 years.
If that isn’t a story worth remembering, then I don’t know what is. Happy 67th, Dennis. I hope you have a good one.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here
Mar 27, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Andres Munoz (75) celebrates after a game against the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Good morning everyone and happy Saturday!
The Mariners’ slide continued yesterday in a flat 5-0 loss to the Rangers. Though the team is tied for third in the biggest split between xwOBA and wOBA and is 26th in BABIP, the hits just aren’t falling for the team yet.
To keep it on a positive note amongst all of the bellyaching, what’s one offense-related item that you’ve been encouraged by so far? I would say Cole Young’s increasing confidence and maturity is a huge development for the M’s since they’ve been in sore need of a competent, set-and-forget second baseman for years.
In Mariners news…
In case you missed it, Bryce Miller is embarking on a rehab assignment with Tacoma, with his first start coming today. The team expects that he will need the full 30 days to get back to the big league club.
The Mariners have started a new community fund to support the next generation of Black-led baseball.
On the latest episode of the Cal Raleigh show, the backstop and reporter Shannon Drayer were joined by Pete Woodworth to talk about how the organization built their elite pitching culture.
Around the league…
The Seidler family is reportedly closing in on a deal to sell the San Diego Padres to Puerto Rican businessman José E. Feliciano and his wife Kwanza Jones. The deal would value the organization at a record-breaking $3.9 billion.
Things continue to get worse for Mets infielder Jorge Polanco, who is now missing games with a wrist injury after previously dealing with left Achilles bursitis.
The Detroit Tigers saw their six-game winning streak snapped on Friday night by the Boston Red Sox, 1-0, in a genuine pitcher’s duel that required an extra inning to determine the winner. Casey Mize looked great for the Motor City Kitties, but the offense could not break through against Ranger Suarez and Aroldis Chapman.
The second game of the four-game series takes place on Saturday afternoon, with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal taking the mound. The last time Detroit’s southpaw faced the Sox was May 14, 2025, when he went 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out 11 in a 6-5 team win.
Boston sends out Brayan Bello, who last faced the Olde English D a day before the aforementioned Skubal outing, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits (one home run) and two walks along with four strikeouts over 4 2/3 frames in a 10-9 11-inning Sox loss.
Take a look at how they match up on Saturday afternoon.
Detroit Tigers (10-10) vs. Boston Red Sox (8-11)
Time (ET): 4:10 p.m. Place: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts SB Nation Site:Over the Monster Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 21: LHP Tarik Skubal (2-2, 2.22 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Bello (1-1, 6.14 ERA)
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The Seattle Mariners have started the year 0-for-Texas.
They try to avoid a 5-game losing streak overall and five straight to their division rival when they square off Saturday.
The AL West-leading Texas Rangers still find themselves as road underdogs in this one, as they'll be facing Seattle ace George Kirby.
With Nathan Eovaldi on the bump for Texas, my Rangers vs Mariners predictions and free MLB picks for Saturday, April 18.
Who will win Rangers vs Mariners tonight: Rangers moneyline (+122)
The Seattle Mariners just can't get the offensive ball rolling. As part of their 8-13 start, the Mariners have scored two runs or fewer in eight of their losses.
That doesn't take the starting pitching staff off the hook, because they haven't totally been up to the task either. The starters own the eighth-worst ERA in baseball (3.35).
Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi might have won his last start, but he's just 3-4 with a 5.27 ERA in 14 appearances against the M's. It's too bad Seattle isn't able to take advantage of that right now.
COVERS INTEL:The Rangers and Mariners rank 1-2 in bullpen ERA in the American League. Texas (2.78) is second overall to Cincinnati, while Seattle (3.16) sits seventh-best in the bigs.
Rangers vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 runs (-130)
The Rangers' four straight wins over the M's this year have all cashed the Under, with both teams yet to surpass five runs combined.
This will be the second matchup between George Kirby and Eovaldi.
On April 7, Eovaldi went six, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out seven, and picking up the W in a 3-2 decision.
Kirby lasted eight innings, scattering six hits, surrendering three runs, and striking out four.
It's not a pleasant day at the office for either lineup: the Rangers are hitting a combined .220 against Kirby, while Seattle is at .204 vs Eovaldi.
Eric Rosales's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 0-1, -1.0 units
Over/Under bets: 1-0, +0.83 units
Rangers vs Mariners odds
Moneyline: Rangers +125 | Mariners -138
Run line: Rangers +1.5 (-175) | Mariners -1.5 (+153)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-105) | Under 7 (-115)
Rangers vs Mariners trend
Texas has won three straight vs the Mariners as the moneyline underdog. Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Mariners.
How to watch Rangers vs Mariners and game info
Location
T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Rangers starting pitcher
Nathan Eovaldi (2-2, 5.40 ERA)
Mariners starting pitcher
George Kirby (2-2, 3.25 ERA)
Rangers vs Mariners latest injuries
Rangers vs Mariners weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Anaheim, CA - April 17: Logan O'hoppe #14 of the Los Angeles Angels scores on a triple past catcher Luis Campusano of the San Diego Padres by teammate Adam Frazier (not pictured) of the Los Angeles Angels against the San Diego Padres in the second inning of a baseball game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Friday, April 17, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The San Diego Padres rode the success of their recent homestand into Angel Stadium to face the Los Angeles Angels Friday night and saw their eight-game win streak come to a disastrous end with an 8-0 loss. The Padres were tasked with trying to be the first team to have success against Angels starter Jose Soriano – based on the score of the game, San Diego failed to do that.
Los Angeles had no issues against Matt Waldron and the threat of his knuckleball. The right-hander made his first start for the Padres after being called up from Triple-A El Paso and he lasted just 3.2 innings and allowed six runs on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts. It was hardly the start Waldron expected and it was absolutely not the start San Diego needed. The Angels tacked on two additional runs against David Morgan who came on in relief of Waldron.
Soriano limited the Padres to just two hits over 5.2 innings. He did allow four walks but added eight strikeouts. San Diego had opportunities against Soriano and even loaded the bases in the top of the third inning but could not get the big hit to open the scoring against the Los Angeles ace. San Diego managed just three hits in the game.
The Padres will look to start a new win streak against the Angels at Angel Stadium at 6:38 p.m. today.
Luis Campusano is finally getting the chance to get comfortable at the major league level thanks in large part to the confidence of his new manager Craig Stammen. Campusano has rewarded that confidence with a new dedication and focus to his craft.
The San Diego minor league teams have been busy getting their work throughout the week, but they have also had to deal with poor weather conditions that have caused a little more stress than what would be encountered on a normal week.
Mason Miller and his new entrance from the bullpen have been a hit amongst the Friar Faithful. It is also a hit with the band Korn who plays “Blind,” Miller’s new intro song and they showed their appreciation for the top MLB closer by showering him with gifts.
The Angels announced the passing of former All-Star outfielder Garrett Anderson, who died at just 53 years old, and honored him at their game against the Padres on Friday. Los Angeles will wear a commemorative patch for the rest of the season to honor his memory.
Apr 17, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) speaks before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
The title kind of says it all, doesn’t it? The Mets lost their ninth straight yesterday afternoon in their first in a three-game series against the Cubs in Chicago. Kodai Senga got knocked around for the second straight start, giving up seven runs (six earned) in 3.1 innings of work. The suffering continues.
The Cubs have been beseeched with pitching injuries, and that trend has continued with closer Daniel Palencia hitting the injured list with an oblique strain.
Aaron Judge
Ian Happ
COVERS INTEL:
