Category: MLB

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.

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See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here

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.
• Andrés Muñoz opened up about his blowup outing against San Diego and outlined what needs to change moving forward.
• Mariners reporter Angie Mentink spoke out about her use of AI to help prepare postgame interview questions for the team.
• Zac Hereth dug into the numbers behind the team’s unlucky start to the season.
• Make sure to submit your responses for the Lookout Landing Reverse Mailbag!
• 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.
• Former star Angels outfielder Garret Anderson passed away from a heart attack at the age of 53.
• 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.
• Ryan Blake at Fangraphs revisited his look at Gen Z’s superstars, which really puts Juan Soto into statistical context against others of similar age.
• Yankees fans are tired of the constant stadium noise between pitches at the ballpark, but the players love it.
• We (well, at least I) still miss you, Ben!

Ben Williamson goes all out to make a spectacular play! pic.twitter.com/KJ3VDY8m5j

— MLB (@MLB) April 18, 2026

Jaylon Thompson writes about how the Royals lost again late in New York.

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.”

Anne Rogers writes about the Royals losing their fifth game in a row.

“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.”

Philip Ruo at Royals Keep looks at Isaac Collins’ drop in defense this year.

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.

Pete Grathoff writes about how Eric Hosmer is urging leadership in the Royals’ clubhouse.

“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.’”

Sam McDowell writes the Royals need to provide more answers for this ballpark proposal than they did the last time.

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.”

Joel Goldberg talks to Vinnie Pasquantino about his struggles.

What will happen to Crown Center under the potential stadium plan?

How Andy Pages injected offense into the Dodgers lineup.

Can contract extensions with young players go wrong?

The Angels may have found an ace in José Soriano.

Cubs pitcher Cade Horton has Tommy John surgery.

Tatsuya Imai thinks his arm injuries could stem in part from trouble adjusting to an American lifestyle.

Chelsea owner José E. Feliciano is close to buying the San Diego Padres for a MLB-record $3.9 billion.

Former All-Star closer Brad Lidge is now an archaeologist.

Authorities issue warnings after drones are spotted near Coors Field.

The MLBPA fired two executives for cause this week.

Longtime Angels star Garret Anderson dies at the age of 53.

Are the balls juiced in MLB the Show?

The Houston Texas sign defensive end Will Anderson to a three-year, $150 million deal.

Can history help predict who will the NBA title?

The shoe manufacturer Allbirds makes a baffling and ridiculed pivot to artificial intelligence.

Why robots can’t replace guide dogs.

Original ideas are starting to find success at the box office.

Your song of the day is Electric Light Orchestra with Rock n’ Roll Is King.

New footage has emerged from the massive brawl in the stands at Yankee Stadium earlier this week – showing a fan being stomped in the aisle as things escalated. 

The melee occurred during the Yankees’ 11-4 loss to the Angels on Thursday, with the initial video shot behind the fight in the left field upper deck. 

The new angle posted to Instagram is much closer to the action, showing a fan in a red shirt and one in a white shirt appearing to get into a verbal argument with another patron.

A fan in a gray Yankees shirt comes flying into the frame from the right side to throw a punch at the two individuals, momentarily knocking them into the seats as the crowd yells: ‘Oh!, Oh!”

The fans in the red and white shirts regain their footing as a Yankees supporter in a Gerrit Cole jersey gets into the scrap. The fan in the white shirt starts throwing hammer-fist punches at the fan in the grey shirt. 

This angle of a fight in the stands of the Los Angeles Angels vs New York Yankees game is absolutely crazy

Via – (blesskicks – IG) pic.twitter.com/Y1x1lwa0bG

— js9innings (@js9inningsmedia) April 17, 2026

The fan in the red shirt is confronted by another patron in a blue Yankees jersey, who he clocks in the face with a punch and shoves him down onto the steps. As that’s going on, the fan in the Gerrit Cole jersey appears to shove the other two fans to the ground.

As the video shifts its focus, the fan in the red shirt can be seen kicking and aggressively mushing the face of the blue-jerseyed fan as two other patrons try to de-escalate the situation to no avail.

The fan in the red shirt then starts stomping on the downed fan again before the two were finally pulled apart. 

The fan and the red shirt can be seen continuing to jaw at other fans across the aisles and appears to get one more kick in on the fans on the ground next to him, but it’s unclear if he made contact and to whom.

The fracas occurred as the Angels rallied in the sixth inning, scoring four runs to take a 6-4 lead.

The Yankees ended up splitting four games with the Angels before bouncing back with a 4-2 win over the Royals.

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)

Player	G	IP	K%	BB%	GB%	FIP	fWAR
Skubal	4	24.1	24.2	4.2	40.9	2.42	0.8
Bello	3	14.2	12.5	12.5	59.6	5.54	-0.1

SKUBAL

BELLO

The Mets continue a three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon at 2:20 on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

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Mets Notes

• Freddy Peralta is coming off his most effective outing of the season, in which he allowed one run over six innings
• Peralta has a 3.21 ERA in 22 career appearances against the Cubs
• Francisco Lindor is showing signs of life at the plate, reaching safely in six of his last eight games
• Carson Benge has been swinging a much better bat of late, as well, also recording a hit in six of his last seven
• Bo Bichette comes into the day a career .375 hitter in 24 at-bats against Cubs starter Jameson Taillon

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Today's Lineups

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For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.

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The Seattle Mariners have started the year 0-for-Texas.

They try to avoid a five-game losing streak overall and five straight to their division rival when they square off on 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 have this one staying Under the total.

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.

Rangers vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-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.

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

Rangers vs Mariners latest injuries

Rangers vs Mariners weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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.

Padres News:

• It was reported by multiple outlets that the sale of the Padres is moving forward and nearing an end with billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones, set to purchase the club for $3.9 billion. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball provided more information about the new potential owners and what they could mean for San Diego.

• 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.

• Padres players such as Manny Machado, provided their perspective of the potential sale of the Padres and how they feel about the potential of new ownership and what it could mean in terms of labor negotiations.

Baseball News:

• 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.

• Munetaka Murakami hit his first MLB grand slam to help the Chicago White Sox beat the Athletics on Friday.

• The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their early season success with a win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

• Bubba Chandler earned his first win for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• The Baltimore Orioles scored six runs in the eighth inning to earn a come-from-behind win.

• Gerrit Cole is working his way back to the MLB roster for the Yankees with a strong rehab outing that saw him 4.1 innings.

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.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, NY Post, Newsday, Daily News, MLB.com

David Stearns spoke to the media before the game and voiced his support for Carlos Mendoza.

Mendoza shifted things up in the lineup yesterday to try to help get the offense going.

The issues the Mets are facing right now go deeper than just the manager.

Jorge Polanco is now dealing with a wrist issue in addition to his previous Achilles soreness.

Around the National League East

The Braves further built up their early lead in the NL East by blowing up the Phillies 9-0.

Taijuan Walker continues to be an issue for the Phillies, as does their offense.

Defensive miscues have been plaguing the Marlins this year, and that issue came up again in yesterday’s 7-5 extra inning loss to the Brewers.

Starting pitcher Zack Litell struggled for the Nationals, who fell to the Giants 10-5.

Around Major League Baseball

The Angels announced the tragic passing of former player Garret Anderson at just 53.

The Padres are close to being sold for a record $3.9 billion by the co-owner of Chelsea Football Club.

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.

MLB.com looked at the early favorites for Rookie of the Year (naturally, Nolan McLean ranked highly on the list for the National League).

Shohei Ohtani’s on-base streak has now reached 49 games.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Chris McShane previewed the weekend series at Wrigley.

Joe Sokolowski provided a very sad edition of This Week in Mets Quotes.

This Date in Mets History

Nolan Ryan threw the first shutout of his legendary career on this date in 1970.

The Kansas City Royals enter Saturday’s game against the New York Yankees on a five-game losing streak. The lost the series’ opener 4-2 on Friday after Ryan McMahon hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning. Starting pitchers are Noah Cameron for Kansas City and Will Warren for New York.

How to watch Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees

• Date: Saturday, April 18

• Time: 1:35 p.m. ET / 10:35 a.m. PT

• Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

• TV Channels: YES, Royals.TV

• Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Kansas City Royals: 7-13 (No. 5 in AL Central)

• New York Yankees: 11-9 (No. 2 in AL East)

Odds

• Spread: New York Yankees -1.5

• Moneyline: New York Yankees -170 (60.2%) / Kansas City Royals +140 (39.8%)

• Over/Under: 8.0

Starting pitchers

Kansas City Royals: Noah Cameron (1-0, ERA: 3.94, K: 14, WHIP: 1.25)
New York Yankees: Will Warren (1-0, ERA: 2.45, K: 20, WHIP: 1.25)

Weather: 65°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 47,309 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass

Camilo Doval took home the win on Friday, but not before suffering his second blown save of the season. 

Trying to protect a slim one-run Yankees lead in the top of the eighth, Doval retired the first two Royals he faced on just seven pitches before allowing a game-tying solo shot to Vinnie Pasquantino.

Doval fell behind Pasquantino 2-0 and the lefty made him pay, crushing a 2-0 sinker low in the zone 339 feet to right. 

He retired the next batter to keep things evened, but this marks the second straight outing allowing a back-breaking blast, as Mike Trout jumped him for a go-ahead two-run shot in the eighth inning of Monday’s back-and-forth affair.

Just like Monday, the Yanks’ offense did well to pick him up, as they jumped back in front in the bottom half of the inning on Ryan McMahon’s go-ahead two-run homer and never looked back to secure the series-opening victory. 

Doval continues to be a bit of a concern, though, allowing seven runs over his last seven outings.

Despite that, Aaron Boone actually likes how he’s looked the last two times out.

“Really it’s back-to-back outings where I think he’s been really good, really sharp,” the skipper said. “The strike throwing is there, but Trout got him and then he did fall behind Pasquantino and just missed in his slug zone. 

“The three outs around that were really good -- so look, I know he’s gotten hurt with a couple of long balls in some outings here, but also I feel like he’s close to being really dialed in.”

Doval is now up to a 7.56 ERA through his first 10 appearances (8.1 IP), but he’ll continue to serve as one of the Yanks' go-to arms bridging the gap to closer David Bednar in the late-innings. 

“He’s gonna be in the fire,” Boone said. “The good thing he has all the things to get it done -- if he can add that layer of consistency, they stuff and the way he’s throwing is there.”

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Bo Bichette took a lot of heat for how he started his New York Mets career, but he has quietly been one of their best hitters in April.

He has a nice matchup to build on his increased production and headlines my three MLB player props for Saturday, April 18.

Best MLB player props today

Bo Bichette Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI

Bo Bichette struggled out of the gate but is starting to turn things around, even as the Mets continue to lose games.

Bichette has hit .274 since the beginning of April while leading the team with a 45.8% hard hit rate. He is finding more gaps and hitting the ball harder, which is a good sign.

His improved play should lead to healthy production on Saturday afternoon. Jameson Taillon (4.86 ERA, 6.27 FIP) has been very hittable this season, and Bichette has hit .375 over 24 at-bats against Taillon in his career.

• Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNY, MARQ

Alec Bohm Over 0.5 Singles

Alec Bohm has struggled to generate hits but he owns a .151 average on balls put in play, which is unsustainably low and lightyears away from where it should be.

For perspective, eight other Phillies have had at least 50 plate appearances. None of them have hit less than .250 on balls put in play.

Bohm is due for some regression, and this isn’t a bad spot for it to kick in. Bohm is 4-for-13 against Chris Sale in his career, and all four hits went for singles.

He also managed a .295 average against lefties last year. He’s clearly capable of hitting them.

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FOX

Tyler Soderstrom Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI

Erick Fedde was crushed by left-handed hitters a season ago, allowing a .320 average, .397 wOBA, and 1.85 homers per nine innings.

He throws the sweeper, cutter, and changeup at almost identical rates against lefties, and Tyler Soderstrom owns fantastic numbers against that mix. He is hitting .333 with a .286 ISO and .423 wOBA.

Soderstrom should have the edge in this matchup and will get to face the 26th-ranked bullpen by ERA when Fedde departs.

Factor in Soderstrom also plays in one of the league’s most hitter-friendly ballparks — and weather approaching 80F is expected — and all signs point to a productive outing.

• Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, NBCSCA

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Good morning Birdland,

The Orioles offense is having a weird weekend in Cleveland. The were no-hit through eight innings on Thursday, but rallied late and got the tying run on base before dropping the opener. On Friday, they would be shutout for seven innings before erupting for six runs in the eighth, which would prove enough to win the game 6-4 and even up the series.

Jeremiah Jackson came through with yet another clutch home run, a three-run shot. He now leads the team with 17 RBI on the season. Who had that on their 2026 Orioles bingo card? Probably a few more people than those that expected *checks notes*…Weston Wilson and Jonathan Rodríguez (?) to contribute to any wins at all.

At 10-10, these Orioles aren’t going to be confused for some sort of juggernaut. And if they are going to turn into a true contender, there are plenty of improvements to be made. But considering the context of their current performance, I’m actually encouraged.

The offense is currently surviving on the backs of Jackson and Leody Taveras. At some point, Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso are going to find some consistency. Taylor Ward will eventually homer, probably a bunch. Samuel Basallo is too talented to keep hitting .148. Adley Rutschman is going to get healthy. Maybe those things don’t all happen at once, but they will happen, and when they do the offense is going to be tougher to handle.

So what does success look like for the Orioles right now? Having a .500 record feels fine to me. Keep their head above water and buy time for those positive regressions to come. This was never a 100-win roster anyway. It’s an 85-ish win roster with upside, especially if they add at the trade deadline. Staying close to that pacing while you are missing several key pieces is a win.

The vibes are good for this squad. Wins like last night only add to that and inch them ever closer to healthier and better days for the roster.

Links

Holliday set to begin new rehab assignment, Adley making progress toward return | MLB.com
It sounds like Rutschman will be back within the week, although he may need a brief minor league rehab. Jackson Holliday is back on his rehab this weekend. The future is less clear for Tyler O’Neill, who is still dealing with concussion symptoms.

Each glove tells a story: Vignettes from the Orioles clubhouse | The Baltimore Banner
This is a fun one! Blaze Alexander rocks a glove with the initials of someone else’s wife and kids on it because it’s literally not his glove. Amazing. Also, this article should have been called “A Glove Story.”

More questions attached to Orioles | Roch Kubatko
Lots of roster questions. They are valid! But also, they feel like questions for another day. How do the Orioles make space for X player when they return? That answer is going to change depending on who is healthy at the time. Holliday could be fit right when another infielder picks up a nick. The Oriole would probably prefer to just get everyone healthy. That is probably an unrealistic hope.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• Pete Stanicek turns 63 today. A player so nice, the Orioles drafted him twice; in the 13th round in 1984 and then (after he didn’t sign the first time) in the ninth round in ‘85. He would end up spending little time at second base, third base, and left field with the big league squad between 1987 and ‘88.
• Rich Bordi is 67 years old. A reliever for nearly a decade in the bigs, Bordi played for five different teams. That included the 1986 season in Baltimore, where he had a 4.46 ERA over 107 innings.

This day in O’s history

2013 – The Orioles win their first extra-inning game of the year, beating the Rays 10-6 on a walk-off grand slam from Matt Wieters. Dating back to the previous season, the O’s have now won 17 consecutive extra-inning games.

It took some unexpected heroics from Ryan McMahon, but the Yankees picked up a much-needed victory in their series opener against the Royals. Having just played a very frustrating series against the Angels, the last thing they needed was a dumb loss to open the set against Kansas City.

While the Yankees wouldn’t lose any ground on Friday night, let’s see if they gained on anyone in today’s Rivalry Roundup.

Boston Red Sox (8-11) 1, Detroit Tigers (10-10) 0 (10 innings)

Ranger Suarez and Casey Mize put on a pitchers’ duel at Fenway, with the Red Sox scoring the game’s only run on Masataka Yoshida’s walk-off single in the 10th inning.

Not only did the Red Sox get the better of Detroit in the end, Suarez won the duel as well. He ended up going eight innings, allowing just two hits and a walk. For the Tigers, Mize struck out more batters, K’ing seven, but he went 6.2 frames, having given up three hits and a walk.

However as those numbers indicate, it’s not as if either teams was just wastefully blowing chances. Sure, they had their runners, but neither team could breakthrough until the game went to extras.

In the 10th, a flyout allowed the Tigers to move their auto-runner to third, but they couldn’t bring them home the last 90 feet. Boston then took advantage in the bottom of the 10th, as after an out and a walk, Yoshida chopped through a single to walk it off against Will Vest.

St. Louis Cardinals (11-8) 9, Houston Astros (8-13) 4

Nolan Gorman’s three-run homer in the seventh off Bryan Abreu helped the Cardinals break open a game against the Astros, allowing them to pull away for the win.

The game went back-and-forth early. While the Cardinals scored the game’s first three runs, the Astros pulled two runs back in the bottom of the third. St. Louis then added a run back to their lead, but Jose Altuve’s fifth-inning home run got Houston back within a run.

However Gorman’s homer gave the Cardinals a four-run advantage, and St. Louis went on to tack on a couple more runs, ensuring that the final couple innings weren’t super stressful. The Astros have now lost 11 of their last 14 games.

Texas Rangers (11-9) 5, Seattle Mariners (8-13) 0

Jacob deGrom and the Rangers’ bullpen combined to shut out the Mariners, as Seattle ended up leaving nine runners on base in another tedious loss for their home fans.

The Mariners will probably end up shaking their heads about this one, as they went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, in addition to the nine left on base. Besides that, Texas scored three of their runs in the final three innings, meaning Seattle had plenty of time before that with the game still close.

deGrom was okay, but only lasted four innings, having allowed four hits and two walks. Texas’ bullpen picked things up the rest of the way, although every reliever put at least one Seattle runner on.

On the offensive side of things, the Rangers scored in the game’s very first at-bat, when Brandon Nimmo homered. In total, Texas recorded 15 hits, with Wyatt Langford going 3-for-5 and driving in one of the runs.

Arizona Diamondbacks (12-8) 6, Toronto Blue Jays (7-12) 3

The Diamondbacks roughed up Eric Lauer, while Michael Soroka was pretty good for them to take the opener of this interleague clash.

Toronto busted out an opener for this one, sending Braydon Fisher to the mound to start this game. He got through the first inning fine, but when the Jays turned to Lauer as the bulk guy, Arizona started to get going. While Toronto actually took a 1-0 lead in the fourth, Arizona immediately answered with a Nolan Arenado homer in the bottom of the fourth, and then took the lead thanks to Corbin Carroll and Jose Fernandez in the fifth.

While a Myles Straw homer got Toronto back within a run, Soroka ended up giving Arizona seven good innings, with just those two runs allowed. Arizona eventually tacked on, with Toronto scoring more run, but not doing too much else over the final innings. The Jays remain in the AL East cellar.

Other Games

• Baltimore Orioles (10-10) 6, Cleveland Guardians (11-10) 4: This game remained scoreless until the bottom of the seventh, when the Guardians broke through with four runs. Except, the Orioles then answered with six runs in the top of the eighth, swinging the game back in the other direction. Jeremiah Jackson’s three-run homer to give Baltimore the lead ended up being the game-decider as the O’s held on after that.

The Phillies fans are pretty much over Taijian Walker. He’s yet to escape the first inning this year without allowing multiple runs. He’s on the final year of a four year, 72 million dollar contract. It’s been 3 plus seasons of 4.97/5.29/4.88 ball with 1.5 WAR (before last night’s shelling). Phillies fans want him gone, and the media doesn’t see interested in seeing him start again. So they could stuff him in their bullpen for now. Though the Philadelphia bullpen is not bad by FIP standards. Their 2.80 FIP is obscured by their 4.66 ERA (again, before last night’s shelling). But if he can’t escape the first inning, how is the bullpen going to work out?

So what would happen if they put him on the street and the Braves gave him a ride? The Braves have managed to get a song out of cheaply acquired free agent pitchers lately. Jose Suarez has a 2.37 FIP (through last night). Martin Perez has been decent, and was excellent while wind assisted last night. Joey Wentz (4.92/3.43/4.00 with the Braves last year) was prepared to make a run at the starting rotation before injuring his knee. Even Osvaldo Bido wasn’t entirely unhelpful before meeting the Guardians.

So would the Braves grab Walker if available? I mean, if no other organization wants him and he wants to play the DFA game like some others, maybe. NL East teams do like to pass around players. But mostly, hahahahahaha no. A lot would have to happen with the Braves and Taijuan for them to find each other. Here’s hoping they never do.

Yeah no, but let’s watch the dingers again anyway.