The Yankees announced a trade prior to Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals.
The club has acquired minor league right-handed pitcher Wilmy Sanchez from the Houston Astros in exchange for minor league infielder Braden Shewmake.
Sanchez, 22, began the season in Double-A ball, pitching to a 1.29 ERA in five games. He has a career 3.80 ERA across five minor league seasons.
Shewmake, 28, was claimed off waivers by the Yankees from the Royals in February. He hit .176 for the Yankees during spring training, but showed off a decent glove.
He slashed .250/.314/.313 with five runs, two doubles, one RBI and one stolen base in 10 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilke-Barre this season.
Angels outfielder Garret Anderson watches the ball after hitting a two-run homer against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 4, 2008. (Mark Avery / Associated Press)
Garret Anderson was a Hall of Fame-caliber major league baseball player who never made the Hall of Fame. Baseball is a numbers game, and GA didn’t have enough of them.
When he finished his career and was eligible for the vote in 2016, he got just one vote. That represented 0.2% of the total. It also meant that he wasn’t even on the ballot the next year.
So, when he died Friday, way too soon at age 53, it presented an interesting twist. Had he lived into his 80s or 90s, there would have been few still around to remember anything about him but statistics. Now, the memory of his underrated greatness remains. What he did and how he did it is still in the frontal lobe of those who watched and those who wrote and broadcast about him.
He was the quiet man who played for various versions of the Angels for 15 seasons — the California Angels, the Anaheim Angels and the Los Angeles Angels. Right there, you have a Hall of Fame problem. A team struggling so hard to find its own identity does not attract the deep and passionate interest of the bulk of the writers/voters who live in time zones whose bed time is the same as game time in Anaheim.
It should have mattered that GA delivered the most important hit in Angels’ history, the game-winner in the 2002 World Series. It was Game 7, it was at Angel Stadium and the opponent was the San Francisco Giants, who had superstar slugger Barry Bonds and his line drives that created dents in outfield fences, except when they flew over them, which was often.
Anderson came to the plate in the third inning. The bases were loaded and Anderson took a shoulder-high fastball, slapped it down the right-field line and three runs came home. The Angels won 4-1 and haven’t come close to a World Series title, much less a World Series, since then. That at least got Anderson into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2016.
Mike Scioscia was the manager then and the most effective the team has had. He is the one who, Saturday, called Anderson’s Game 7 hit the greatest in team history.
“I remember looking out there when he went to the plate with the bases loaded,” Scioscia said, “and thinking he is exactly the guy I want there right now.”
Scioscia called Anderson’s death “a punch in the gut.” He said the player everybody called GA, didn’t have to be managed. “He was a resource for me,” Scioscia said. “He had an incredible inner drive. He was one of the most talented players I have been around. I’d call him a superstar.”
Scioscia, reminded that his “superstar” didn’t make baseball’s Hall of Fame, said, “Sometimes, great players slip through the cracks.”
Anderson’s not-quite-Hall-of-Fame performances included three All-Star game appearances. He was the game’s MVP in 2003 and also won the home run derby that year. He beat out Albert Pujols, then of the Cardinals. His career batting average was .293, he hit 287 home runs and had 1,365 runs batted in. He went to the plate to hit, not to watch. He never drew more than 38 walks in a season and never struck out more than 100 times.
Yet the statistic he felt gave him the best chance for the Hall of Fame was number of hits. Getting 3,000 hits would make him almost an automatic choice. He ended with 2,529, and near the end of his career with the Angels, he sat down with a reporter to discuss just that, plus one other thing.
Garret Anderson, left, talks with Jackie Autry, widow of Angels team owner Gene Autry, as he is inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame on Aug. 20, 2016. (Reed Saxon / Associated Press)
It was uncharacteristic for Anderson to have this sort of conversation with anybody outside of his teammates, or maybe his family. It was lunch at Zov’s in Tustin and the question was how this voting system works and could maybe 200 more hits get him in. Could 2,750 do it? He wasn’t a big ego guy by any stretch of the imagination, but the Hall of Fame seemed to be dangling there and any baseball player who could see that for himself in the distance had to be intrigued.
There was no discussion of the intangibles, no consideration of the Angels being the Angels and what effect that will always have. Do voters even look much at other stats, such as his 24 walks and 35 home runs in the same season? The reporter wasn’t a great help. He wasn’t even a voter. Anderson wasn’t really stressed out over the Hall of Fame premise, just kind of fascinated. The reporter was probably more encouraging than realistic. Zov’s food was good, the company great.
Eventually, Anderson got to the second issue that had prompted the lunch: How to deal with Times columnist TJ Simers. He asked because the reporter was once Simers’ boss. Simers tended to probe and kid and seek to stir up things, but Anderson also recognized that he could be highly accurate, perceptive and even fun. Anderson, as a team star, was bracing for frequent visits. How should he handle it?
The answer was simple: Don’t lie to him. Don’t hide from him. If he is being a jerk, tell him so. He will accept that. If he is wrong, tell him that and tell him how. If he insults you, insult him back. He loves that.
Tim Mead, former director of public relations, when asked for his thoughts on Anderson, said that his perspective or quotes would not be as telling or as meaningful as simply watching the tape of Anderson’s three-run double that won the 2002 World Series for the Angels.
“Just watch it, just watch his reaction when he gets to second base,” Mead said Saturday.
And so we did. Anderson slaps his hit down the right field line, just fair. Angel Stadium goes crazy. Anderson stops at second base, claps his hands four times, then stands there quietly. Little emotion. Little hoopla. No contortions for "SportsCenter." He has done his job. He has done what was expected of him. There are six more innings left. Let’s celebrate when it is truly over.
That was Garret Anderson, GA to his friends, a Hall of Fame player in all the ways that numbers don’t show.
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 08: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Lucas Casel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds have leaned in to winning games by the thinnest of margins so far this season, their threadbare offense somehow coming up with particularly good timing while their bullpen pulls out all the stops to hold on. The results, so far, have been impeccable, with the Reds sporting a 13-8 record that has them atop the National League Central division.
It’s been precisely that recipe this weekend in Minneapolis, too. The Reds squeezed out a 2-1 win on Friday in lefty Brandon Williamson’s homecoming, and they backed it up with an inch-by-inch comeback win in 5-4 fashion. Now, they head to Target Field on Sunday with a chance to sweep aside the Twins.
Brady Singer will get the start, and he’ll do so fresh off his best outing of the year so far. He fired 6.0 IP of 1 ER ball against the San Francisco Giants last time out, even though his peripherals (just a lone K) didn’t exactly jump off the page the way he’d prefer. Perhaps he’s still dealing with the residual effects of that blister issue – velocity, pitch selection, etc. – but another five-days removed will hopefully see him progress even more back to the guy he was in 2025.
The Reds will be up against righty Bailey Ober. First pitch is set for 2:10 PM ET.
Here’s how the Reds will line up to begin this one:
Oklahoma City's Ryan Ward (10) throws to first for an out during the minor league baseball between the Oklahoma City Comets and the Tacoma Rainers a the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April, 16, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was placed on the paternity list on Sunday, as he and his wife Chelsea are expecting their fourth child, their first daughter to join their three sons.
That opened the door for Ryan Ward, at age 28, to get called up to the major leagues for the first time and is starting at first base on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies, batting seventh. At 28 years, 55 days old, Ward will be the oldest Dodgers draft pick to debut with the team. Geoff Zahn, a pitcher drafted in 1968 who debuted with Los Angeles at 27 years, 257 days in 1973, held the previous mark.
Paternity leave in Major League Baseball is a minimum of one day and a maximum of three days, so this window for Ward will likely be short.
Ward picked right up where he left off last season in winning Pacific Coast League MVP, hitting .324/.432/.588 with a 165 wRC+ this season in Triple-A, with four home runs, six doubles, and 14 RBI in 18 games while splitting time between first base and left field.
Drafted by the Dodgers in the eighth round in 2019 out of Bryant, Ward methodically made his way through the minor leagues, one level per season — except for bypassing Class-A after the 2020 minor league season was canceled — to reach Oklahoma City in 2023.
Playing so long in Triple-A has Ward at or near the top of many Oklahoma City modern career records — from 1998 to present, at their current ballpark — including 94 home runs and 322 runs batted in. During his 2025 MVP campaign, Ward also set Oklahoma City record for hits (164), home runs, RBI, and runs scored (113).
Ward is an older version of Michael Busch, who also won PCL MVP but was a man without a path to playing time with the Dodgers, with Shohei Ohtani at designated hitter, Freddie Freeman at first base, and Max Muncy at third base. Freeman and Ohtani also blocked Ward’s easiest path to playing time in Los Angeles, and in 2025 when they needed outfielders the club opted for better defensive players in Esteury Ruiz and Justin Dean instead.
Minor league free agency beckoned for Ward this offseason, but the Dodgers tossed one more lifeline his way the day before free agency, adding him to the 40-man roster on November 6.
The Braves will look for a sweep in Philadelphia on Sunday night. The punchless Phillies have lost four straight, scoring a total of seven runs — including a total of one run in back-to-back losses to visiting Atlanta.
The Phillies start promising rookie Andrew Painter, but Atlanta has Grant Holmes, who has had a better April so far, on the mound.
My Braves at Phillies predictions and MLB picks have the Braves completing the sweep on April 19.
Who will win Braves vs Phillies today: Braves (+104)
The Atlanta Braves are tied for the most runs scored in MLB. And now Austin Riley, who had struggled, is heating up.
Riley has nine hits in his last 26 at-bats (.346), and he is four for 10 with two homers and five RBIs in this series. Fourteen of Riley’s last 20 balls hit into play have been hard hit (over 95 mph exit velocity). Ten have topped 100 mph.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto, one of the few Philadelphia Phillies who’s been hitting, left Saturday’s game with back trouble — the second time this month that’s happened. He’s already been declared unlikely for Sunday’s game.
COVERS INTEL: More than half of the swings against Holmes’ slider this season have missed. He has a 53.3% whiff rate on the pitch. Painter isn’t far behind with a 47.6% whiff rate on his slider.
Braves vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-125)
It’s not the marquee pitching matchup of Saturday’s Chris Sale vs. Cristopher Sanchez, but Andrew Painter against Grant Holmes is underrated. Holmes has leaned harder on his slider and four-seamer this season, throwing those two pitchers 80% of the time. Opponents are hitting .121 against those two pitches.
Painter has yet to allow a home run in three MLB appearances. He’s striking out a quarter of all batters he’s faced, and his hard-hit percentage is in the 92nd percentile among pitchers. He’s even better in Philadelphia with a 1.74 ERA, 0.871 WHIP, and 13.1 strikeouts per 9 in home games.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 6-7, -1.42 units
Over/Under bets: 8-9, -1.19 units
Braves vs Phillies odds
Moneyline: Braves +104 | Phillies -108
Run line: Braves +1.5 (-194) | Phillies -1.5 (+186)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Braves vs Phillies trend
The Atlanta Braves have hit the Moneyline in 24 of their last 35 away games (+15.00 Units / 37% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Phillies.
How to watch Braves vs Phillies and game info
Location
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
First pitch
7:20 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Braves starting pitcher
Grant Holmes (1-1, 3.32 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcher
Andrew Painter (1-0, 3.77 ERA)
Braves vs Phillies latest injuries
Braves vs Phillies 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.
An empty Yankee Stadium for the home opener against the Boston Red Sox on Friday, July 31, 2020, in New York. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no fans will be allowed at major league baseball games this season. Yanks Home Opener
Entering play on Sunday, April 19th, the American League only has five of its 15 teams with a positive run differential. Normally, a small number like that means there’s a great likelihood of it being a top-heavy league, but that’s not necessarily the case. In fact, for all the potential flaws that the Yankees have displayed so far, the teams predicted to be their main rivals for American League supremacy have struggled far more, seemingly opening a path for the Yankees to not only take control of the American League East, but the AL as a whole.
Not simply due to the fact that they faced off in last year’s ALCS, but for everything they did on the path to it and afterwards, the Blue Jays and Mariners opened the season as the two strongest adversaries the Yankees could face. Through these first 20+ games, both of these teams have encountered more than their fair share of issues, some far more concerning than anything the Yankees have had to deal with.
Starting off with the Mariners, you have key players struggling for different reasons, everything from the continuance of Luis Castillo’s steady decline over the past few seasons to core hitters unable to match last year’s career-high numbers. While it’s too early to pass judgment on the numbers of Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor, and Julio Rodríguez, the former two, particularly Raleigh, went out of their way to carry the load for this lineup last season. Just how much of those 2025 numbers they can replicate remains to be seen. Furthermore, the M’s were only a 90-72 team last year with a healthy number of breaks going their way — it’s reasonable to ponder if too much time was spent projecting potential marginal improvements and not enough on the steps back that were just as likely.
Moving over to a more well-known rival and the responsible party for the Yankees’ demise last season, the Jays have been the biggest disappointment of the AL and maybe all of baseball early on — even managing to get swept by the White Sox at one point. The Blue Jays had a better season than the M’s last year, winning 94 games, but they both shared the same Pythagorean win-loss record of 88-74. Assessing how the Jays got to that win total, there are some warning signs, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. may be the star, but who unequivocally ran the show last year was George Springer, a 36-year-old who experienced a resurgent and surprisingly healthy season. He is currently sidelined with an injury, and it’s unrealistic to expect something close to those numbers he put up in 2025, especially playing as many as 140 games. The impact of losing Bo Bichette and indirectly replacing him with Kazuma Okamoto, with some infield shuffling, is going to be felt throughout the whole campaign. Current injuries to Addison Barger and Alejandro Kirk also lower this offense’s floor, but even at full strength, it may not be quite as imposing as it was a year ago.
The boost of adding Dylan Cease has been nullified early on by the absence of the injured Trey Yesavage. Speaking of injured players, as much as that quote-unquote excuse can be used to address some of the struggles the Jays have had early on, if you look at a team like the Yankees, there is a clear pathway of improvement from that department.
If you look at the Yankees’ Opening Day payroll, a healthy chunk of that is tied up with Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole, by all accounts two-thirds of the top three in this rotation. Yes, he was out last year, but even counting on Cole’s imminent return in 2026 — something that was factored into how they built their staff — the Yankees had a very real excuse for a bit of a slow start pitching-wise, and yet, they’ve flourished in that department.
The smart money is on both the Jays and Mariners finding their stride as the year moves forward, but whether they figure out their problems or not the Yankees can gaze at the American League picture right now and foresee a path for dominance.
Jacob Misiorowski, slated to start later today against the Marlins, just turned 24 but is already one of the most exciting arms in the league. Through four stars, we’ve seen both sides of Miz — he has a 3.32 ERA and 4.04 FIP with 33 strikeouts but nine walks and two hit batters in 21 2/3 innings.
The good news?
Misiorowski’s last start against the Blue Jays featured zero walks. While the Brewers ultimately lost in extra innings, Miz went 5 1/3 innings in that one, allowing two runs (both solo homers), five hits, and no walks with five strikeouts. Let’s hope he can repeat that performance against Miami.
In honor of the Brewers new City Connect uniforms — which, I’m slightly upset to admit, are beginning to grow on me — Breaking T created a new Nobody Beats the Miz shirt in those colors.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 02: Catcher Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals in action during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium on April 02, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Saturday, manager Matt Quatraro gave Salvador Perez a day off for the first time since August of last year, when the team captain missed two games due to illness. Other than that, his most recent day off without an injury or illness concern was June 21, 2025. Perez has struggled to start the year, hitting just .160/.210/.307 in 20 games. Quatraro said the day off was to give him a “little mental breather.”
Quatraro on giving Salvador Perez a day off today: “Just looking at the way things have gone, he's played in every game. Day game after night game, Carter was going to catch today, and Salvy’s been struggling a little bit. Just try to give him a little mental breather.” #Royals
Salvy is famous not just in Kansas City, but around the league as a guy who doesn’t want to sit. Up until now, everyone has taken it in stride as a fun thing to make jokes about.
That perhaps is in a new context now. Salvy contradicted Quatraro, posting on social media, “I don’t need a mental breather.”
Most of the Royals’ blogosphere spent the entire offseason pontificating that the team needed to play him less or at least shift him from behind the plate into a designated hitter role more often. Over at Inside the Crown, David Lesky noted that Salvy hit much better in 2025 on the days after he hadn’t caught the day before. It seemed to be fine for him to DH, play first, or sit entirely, but it was clear he needed less time behind the plate. When the Royals signed Perez to another extension, guaranteeing he’d be under contract through 2027, almost everyone hoped it came with an explanation to the captain that he wasn’t going to be able to catch every game.
And yet, as the Royals have played 21 games this season, Salvy has now played in 20 of them and caught 14 of them. That would be considered the maximum catching load for anyone but Sal. And Sal hasn’t exactly been lighting the world on fire this season.
Batting averages have been down across baseball for a while now, but batting under .200 is still very bad. Having an OBP nearing that line would be enough to get most players benched. It’s not just those numbers that look bad, either.
His bat speed and hard-hit rates are down. He’s always been known for chasing, but his chase rate is as high as its been since 2022 and 2023, when his numbers cratered for a while. Last year, it was often noted that while he was not an amazing hitter, his expected stats all suggested he was fairly unlucky. But this year, they paint a picture of a guy who would be a liability at the plate even if he was reaching them.
So, yeah, he probably deserved/needed a day off. But what the heck is going on?
In Salvy’s defense
Salvador Perez is a guy who allegedly offered to accept a trade in 2023 while the team struggled if the Royals could get significantly better by dealing him. He won the Roberto Clemente Award for exhibiting extraordinary character. He’s been the face of the franchise for more than a decade with his big smile and positive attitude. What do you have to do to upset a guy like that this much?
He’s obviously earned a lot of respect, not just in the Royals clubhouse, but around the entire league. And I just wrote last week about the importance of showing loyalty to veteran players. If he were given a day off without any discussion, that certainly would seem to be a poor choice.
In Q’s defense
When Quatraro told Anne Rogers that Sal was struggling, that was simply and obviously factually correct. When he said that he was giving Sal a mental break, that was extremely standard and boilerplate language to describe giving a struggling guy a day off. If Sal took exception to it, it seems like the best way to handle that would have been in a private discussion, not a public argument. The only way in which Sal’s reaction to getting a single day off seems reasonable to me is if Quatraro has had a much worse handle on the clubhouse culture than we’ve been given any reason to believe. This is the first time there’s ever been any kind of public rumbling of discontent, and Quatraro just received a lengthy extension as a show of faith from the front office and ownership.
It does lead me to wonder if the reason Sal continues to bat fourth even as it’s obvious to just about anyone that the team would be best served by him batting lower in the order is less about Quatraro being unwilling to make the move, as perhaps he has been afraid to upset the captain with such a demotion. But that would be an indictment of everyone involved.
Adding an extra wrinkle to all of this is the addition of Elias Díaz to the active roster, a transaction that was announced today.
The Royals were very clear entering the season that they didn’t think they needed a third catcher on the roster. Now, a day after giving Salvador Perez a day off, they add that third catcher? It could be a belief that Carter Jensen needs to play less often – he’s out of the lineup in favor of Díaz – but the timing is unfortunate, if so.
There is absolutely no way to know who is at fault in this situation, or if anyone is at fault, or if it is some combination of faults. But it’s an unfortunate distraction at a time when the team can seemingly least afford them as they try to find their way out of an early-season swoon that is rapidly exiting the realm of something that can be easily shaken off. Hopefully, everything is resolved quickly and amicably and the team can get back to winning, or we could all be in for a very, very long 2026 season.
The Arizona Diamondbacks struggle against the splitter, which should play into the hands of Toronto Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman this afternoon.
Read on to see why in my Blue Jays vs. Diamondbacks predictions and MLB picks for today's game.
Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks predictions
Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks best bet: Kevin Gausman Over 5.5 strikeouts (+105)
When Kevin Gausman’s splitter is dancing, he’s one of the most lethal pitchers in the majors, which makes his 5.5-strikeout total at plus-money an attractive price.
The Toronto Blue Jays ace has been racking up the Ks, averaging 7.75 strikeouts this season, which ranks in the 94th percentile in K%, while using the splitter as the put-away pitch, garnering a 44.2% whiff rate and a strikeout rate of 42.9%
The split-fastball has given this Arizona Diamondbacks lineup fits this season, with the third-highest strikeout rate in the majors, with a 42.4% whiff rate against the pitch.
Additionally, Gausman owns a .164 opponent batting average against this lineup.
COVERS INTEL: The Diamondbacks rank 29th in the majors with a .294 OBP.
Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks same-game parlay (SGP)
I’ll continue to bet on Gausman and take the Under on his hits prop set at 5.5, a total he’s stayed Under on in three of his four starts this season. Additionally, the Arizona lineup is just 12-for-73 against Gausman through his career, with a .447 OPS
Lastly, I’ll take Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to go Over 0.5 strikeouts tonight. He’s 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts against Gausman throughout his career.
Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks SGP
Kevin Gausman Over 5.5 strikeouts
Kevin Gausman Under 5.5 hits
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Over 0.5 strikeouts
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Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+500)
I’ll make this a half-unit wager. Ryne Nelson has been hit hard this season, ranking in the 10th percentile in hard-hit rate. This has resulted in four home runs allowed this year, all against his four-seamer.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushes the baseball and has a .417 average against the four-seamer, with a .500 slug rate against the pitch. He's 2-for-8 against Nelson, with one of those hits being a home run.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 5-14, -6.35 units
SGPs: 2-17, -9.5 units
HR picks: 3-16, -1.6 units
Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks odds
Moneyline: Toronto -110 | Arizona -110
Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+155) | Arizona +1.5 (-185)
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks trend
The Blue Jays have cashed the first five innings team total Under in six of their last seven games for +5.75 units and a 74% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Diamondbacks.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks and game info
Location
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet, Dbacks.TV
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Kevin Gausman (0-1, 2.42 ERA)
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Ryne Nelson (1-1, 3.54 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks 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.
The Atlanta Braves go for the road sweep against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday Night Baseball, closing out a key NL matchup.
Here are my favorite Braves vs. Phillies predictions and MLB picks, with a focus on Ronald Acuña Jr., Grant Holmes, and Bryce Harper.
Braves vs Phillies props for April 19
Pick
Odds
Acuna Jr. o1.5 total bases
-110
Holmes o5.5 strikeouts
+130
Harper o1.5 total bases
+110
Braves vs Phillies player prop picks
Ronald Acuna Jr. Over 1.5 total bases (-110)
Ronald Acuna’s surface-level statistics (.247.347/.370) may not show it, but he’s performing at an elite level. Placing above the 90th percentile in xwOBA, xSLG, and bat speed, the production should come along shortly.
With hits in nine of his last 10 games, Acuna is starting to find his form. A matchup against Andrew Painter and his reverse splits isn’t a turn-off.
Painter has faced 22 right-handed batters this season, and eight of them have collected hits (.421 AVG). Sure, that’s a small sample size, but the rookie hasn’t proven capable of getting out Big League-caliber righties, let alone one of the very best.
Painter pitches to contact (4.9% walk rate), and Acuna has mostly limited his strikeouts (18.9% K rate). Making contact here should result in an opportunity to accumulate total bases.
Grant Holmes Over 5.5 strikeouts (+130)
The plus-money is appealing here, especially for a pitcher who has a massive 14.1% swinging strike rate in his career. I’ll bite.
Grant Holmes’ K rate has cratered from 25% to 19.3% despite his swinging strike rate actually jumping a half tick (from 13% to 13.5%). With a whiff rate in the 81st percentile, the Ks should come eventually.
The veteran’s go-to pitch, his slider, has generated a .196 xBA and 53.3% whiff rate. That’ll play against a Phillies lineup that has struggled against the pitch, posting -4.7 runs against average.
Philadelphia’s projected lineup has faced Holmes 16 times, and eight of those have resulted in strikeouts. A 50% K rate against the opposing lineup will certainly play, especially when plus money is offered on the Over.
Bryce Harper over 1.5 total bases (+110)
After facing southpaws in each of the first two games of this series, the Phillies will be glad to face the right-handed Holmes on Sunday. They’ve struggled mightily against LHP (58 wRC+), but could break out a bit after plating a single run in the first 18 innings of the series.
Bryce Harper has hit the cover off the ball in April, slashing .333/.419/.685 with as many extra-base-hits (10) as strikeouts. He’s still going strong at age 33, posting a 94th percentile xwOBA and 96th percentile xSLG.
What makes this an appetizing matchup is that he’s demolished four-seamers (.811 xSLG) and sliders (1.170). Holmes throws those 78% of the time against lefties, so Harper will have a great opportunity to stay hot.
How to watch Braves vs Phillies and game info
Location
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
First pitch
7:20 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
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.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Walker Janek #6 of the Houston Astros hits a single during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
Hendrickson got the start for Sugar Land in game one and pitched well tossing 5 scoreless innings. The offense got on the board in the 4th inning on a Biggers 2 run double. Munoz allowed a run but Santa tossed a scoreless 7th inning as he closed out the 2-1 win.
Nelson gave Sugar Land a quick lead with a leadoff home run in the first inning. Alexander started for Sugar Land in game two of the double header but struggled allowing 4 runs over 4.2 innings. Sugar Land picked up 2 runs in the 6th on a Nelson RBI single and a run scoring on a wild pitch. The Bees put the game out of reach scoring 4 runs in the 6th as Sugar Land dropped game two, 8-3.
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (8-6) won 9-5 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks jumped out to an early lead thanks to a Guillemette grand slam in the first inning. Gillis got the start and went 4.2 innings allowing 4 runs, all on a grand slam in the 2nd inning, while striking out 4. The Hooks retook the lead in the 4th on a Sacco RBI double. In the 7th, Janek connected on a grand slam, his first home run of the season. The pen was solid allowing 1 run as they closed out the 9-5 win.
Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (4-10) lost 7-6 (BOX SCORE)
Howard started for Asheville but struggled allowing 5 runs over 4 innings. The offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Holy RBI single. They got 3 more in the 3rd inning on a Nunez solo HR and Schiavone 2 run HR. Langford went 2 innings in relief allowing 1 run but Asheville got one back in the 7th on a Frey RBI groundout. In the 9th, the Tourists tied it on a Nunez single. Unfortunately the Dash walked it off in the bottom of the 9th as Asheville fell 7-6.
Alain Pena, RHP: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (3-11) lost 14-2 (BOX SCORE)
Forcucci started for the Woodpeckers but failed to make it out of the first inning allowing 2 runs. He was relieved by Carreras who allowed 2 runs over 5.1 innings while striking out 4. The offense got on the board in the 7th scoring 2 runs on an Ochoa single and error. The rest of the bullpen struggled allowing 10 runs as the Woodpeckers fell 14-2.
The New York Mets will look for some way to finally pick up a win as they wrap up their series against the Chicago Cubs this afternoon.
New York is now riding a 10-game losing streak, and I like Chicago to win again in my Mets vs. Cubs predictions. Keep reading to see why and get all my free MLB picks for Sunday, April 19.
Who will win Mets vs Cubs today: Cubs (-121)
The New York Mets are shaking things up this afternoon by starting Tobias Myers (0-1, 3.46 ERA). Myers has been capable as a starter in the past, but hasn’t thrown more than three innings in a game this season, so New York will need to dip deep into its bullpen this afternoon.
That’s a tough recipe for success against the Chicago Cubs right now. They've averaged 8.5 runs per game over their last six contests, and I don’t see Myers or the rest of the Mets staff shutting them down completely.
With the New York offense floundering right now, I like Chicago to find a way to win this game at home.
COVERS INTEL: The Mets bullpen has a solid 3.96 ERA this season, with Huascar Brazoban and Craig Kimbrel each yet to allow an earned run on the year.
Mets vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-130)
To say the Mets are struggling to score runs is a massive understatement. New York has put up a total of 18 runs in its 10-game losing streak, getting shut out three times in that span.
That means it’ll be up to the Cubs to try to carry this total. And as we saw yesterday, these Mets pitchers are doing their part to keep the team in games, even if it hasn’t been enough to get wins.
New York has hit the Under in four of its last six games, and I’m expecting another low-scoring affair that plays out like yesterday’s game.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 4-5, -1.15 units
Over/Under bets: 2-5, -3.08 units
Mets vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Mets +115 | Cubs -135
Run line: Mets +1.5 (-235) | Cubs -1.5 (+175)
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Mets vs Cubs trend
The Cubs have won five of their last six games. Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Cubs.
How to watch Mets vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
First pitch
2:20 p.m. ET
TV
SNY, Marquee
Mets starting pitcher
David Peterson (0-3, 6.41 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Javier Assad (1-1, 8.10 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.
Apr 18, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) celebrates with center fielder Alek Thomas (5) after hitting a grand slam against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Team News
Corbin in the clutch! Carroll belts 4th career slam to lift D-backs to series win
Since April 4, the bullpen has allowed 12 earned runs in 46 innings, that’s a 2.35 ERA.
“They’ve been really good,” Carroll said. “It seems like whoever comes out of that gate is ready to go from pitch one and is attacking hitters, and it’s been really fun to play behind them. Those guys got a tough job, and so it’s a huge credit to them that they’ve been taking care of business the way they have so far.”
Corbin Carroll’s grand slam lifts Diamondbacks to series win over Blue Jays
“We talk about building innings here,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I think we’ve been very efficient with runners in scoring position so far this season, and the right guys in the right spot came up. I thought the Marte at-bat — I loved how Vargas got on. I loved AT’s base hit — but I thought the Marte at-bat was critical to load the bases for the next two guys. Corbin deserves the credit, but the rest of the guys built the inning for him and that’s what we stand on.”
D-backs Teammates React to Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s Incredible ACL Return
Dave McKay (first base and outfield coach): “It was unbelievable seeing him at Spring Training, doing the things that he was doing. As a matter of fact I had to force him stop doing our drills. He’d come out when we do our drills, and there were certain things that we couldn’t have him do. He was insisting, finally I had to get the trainers and say get this guy out of here.”
Today Felix Reyes 8/9/2023 Wes Wilson 9/8/1998 Marlon Anderson 7/17/1988 Ricky Jordan 9/14/1949 Ed Sanicki 4/19/1938 Heinie Mueller 4/21/1898 Bill Duggleby https://t.co/qyZKICSGov
Munetaka Murakami’s seven home runs are the most of any Japanese-born player in his first 21 MLB games
He has two more than any other Japanese-born player in first 21 MLB games, ahead of Shohei Ohtani, who had five in his first 21 games as a hitter https://t.co/Drl72e8e29
1997 – A major league game is played in Hawaii for the first time. The San Diego Padres, who gave up three home games to further baseball relations and to allow renovations at Jack Murphy Stadium, play host for a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals at spacious Aloha Stadium. The Cardinals win both games, 1 – 0 and 2 – 1.
The oldest English word is ‘town’.
This is one of the oldest words in the English language that is still in use. The first dictionary took note of this in 1755.
Tomato ketchup was used as medicine for 16 years.
Whether you love it or hate it, this condiment once had a place in the world beyond hotdogs. However, you’d be surprised to know that ketchup only had tomatoes in it starting 1834. Before, ketchup was made with a mix of fish and mushrooms. When Dr. John Cooke Bennet added tomatoes to the mix, he claimed that the antioxidants gave it a medicinal property. He had a pill salesman turn his tomato ketchup into pills and claimed it could treat diarrhea, indigestion, jaundice, and rheumatism.
oan of Arc convinced Charles VII she could lead his armies with no experience. She routed the English, survived a 60-foot escape leap from a tower uninjured, was falsely accused of heresy, and burned at the stake, all between the ages of 17 and 19. She was guided by voices only she could hear.
The sound made by the Krakatoa volcanic eruption in 1883 was so loud it ruptured the eardrums of people 40 miles away, traveled around the world four times, and was clearly heard 3,000 miles away. That’s like standing in New York and hearing a sound from San Francisco.
ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 04: Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell (7) falls into the stands after he robbed his third home run of the game in the 9th inning of the MLB game between the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels on April 4, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Mariners are in a hole.
The Mariners have played 22 games this year, or about 13.5% of the 2026 season. They are 9-13 and in fourth place in the AL West. They’ve had losing streaks of four games and five games and haven’t looked particularly competent against anybody but the free-falling Astros. It’s been a less than ideal start for a team that was considered the favorites in the American League on Opening Day.
Where do things stand?
The Mariners are still the favorites to win the AL West, but they’ve lost about 14% from their division odds, according to FanGraphs. The Rangers, in turn, have added about 14% to their odds to win the division, after starting 11-10. Most of that movement comes from the Rangers three-game sweep of the Mariners in Arlington last week. The ongoing series this weekend is tied 1-1 ahead of Sunday’s rubber match. It’s suddenly a massive game for the Mariners, who need to start making up ground on the Rangers specifically in case they wind up tied 5 1/2 months from now.
The projections are still quite bullish on the Mariners overall. They hold the second best World Series odds in the American League and the fourth best odds in the majors. They haven’t really bottomed-out or experienced any major injuries to deter the projections. They also aren’t alone in their slow start: the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Phillies and Mets have each started several games below .500 despite strong projections. This is just kind of how it goes — even great teams tend to play poorly at some point each season.
But as Dan Szymborski recently pointed out for FanGraphs, teams can play themselves out of the postseason with a bad April. With fairly even competition in the American League this year, a few extra losses early puts pressure on an outsized win streak later in the year. To some extent, the Mariners have used up one of their allowable skids right out of the gate. I wouldn’t say they’re far behind, but they are indeed behind.
The good news? The Mariners aren’t necessarily playing too bad. They don’t need to right the ship so much as wait for it to level off. Their offense has been middle of the pack with a 96 wRC+, and their pitching has been elite, leading the league in FIP and WAR. This certainly isn’t their top gear, but Base Runs estimates the Mariners record at 12-10 — they’ve been “unlucky,” in other words.
What the heck are Base Runs? You’re likely familiar with run differential, which gives us a clue about a team’s quality by looking at how many more (or less) runs they score than their opponents. Base Runs takes this a step further and estimates a team’s quality based on their performance in individual at bats. Basically, it’s more nuanced way of looking at total bases — are you getting on base and advancing bases more than your opponent? One way to think about it is five doubles in an inning and five doubles scattered across a game provide the same amount of information on a team’s true talent, according to Base Runs.
It turns out this works quite well for predicting future success. Base Runs has become one of the essential metrics for, “Is my team playing as good (or bad) as I think they are?” Right now, the Mariners are playing OK. They’ve bested their opponents by Base Runs in most games this year, including a few they ultimately lost. They’re getting on base a decent amount, but they’ve been especially good at keeping their opponents from getting on base. Plus, Base Runs is agnostic on Jo Adell’s Big Night — there’s a very real world where the Mainers are 13-9 right now.
Of course, by “very real world,” I mean no such thing. The Mariners really did lose those games, and they really do have to make up that ground. And there are legitimate reasons for concern. The lineup has struggled, though it’s more complicated than that. The Mariners leadoff and 5-9 hitters have posted a 122 wRC+ — third best in the majors. But their 2-4 hitters have posted a a league-worst 53 wRC+. That’s pretty much been the difference between the Mariners and their potential so far. Those spots in the lineup have been occupied by Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, and Josh Naylor, a trio that was projected among the best in the majors. You could look at this one of two ways: 1) these guys are pretty much locks to wind up well above average, and surely their best days are ahead of them, or 2) they’re wasting a narrow window where everything else has gone right.
The other notable hangup isn’t unexpected. The Mariners defense is just plain bad. I mean, it’s “too early to say anything definitive about 2026,” but they were quite bad last year, so I expect as much again. I am encouraged by Cole Young’s new range, to be fair, but that seems to be offset by Brendan Donovan playing out of position (and maybe hurt).
That’s all to say:
The Mariners were supposed to be good and they’re still supposed to be good
They have played OK and probably better than their record indicates
The pitching has been great, full stop
The hitting has been great, except for the players who were supposed to be great, who have been terrible
The Mariners haven’t bottomed out, but the pressure is on
I’ll check in on these figures again at the 40-game mark in three weeks.
The Kansas City Royals (7-14) will try to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees (12-9). The Royals have lost six consecutive games, including a 13-4 decision to the Yankees on Saturday. Starting pitchers are Cole Ragans for Kansas Cityvand Ryan Weathers for New York.
How to watch Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees
COVERS INTEL: More than half of the swings against Holmes’ slider this season have missed. He has a 53.3% whiff rate on the pitch. Painter isn’t far behind with a 47.6% whiff rate on his slider. 
Acuna Jr. o1.5 total bases
Harper o1.5 total bases
