Category: Baseball

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.

We’re back with another shirt from our partners at Breaking T, and this one features Milwaukee’s young pitching phenom.

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.

Nobody beats Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, because he’s The Miz!

• Officially licensed by MLB Players, Inc.
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Click here to get a Nobody Beats the Miz shirt from Breaking T. And be sure to check out their full line of Brewers’ merchandise here.

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.”

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.”

He even went posted on Instagram, calling the idea he needed a break as “FAKE.”

Sal DOES need time off

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.

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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

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. 

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

Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks latest injuries

Blue Jays vs Diamondbacks weather

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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

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Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (12-8) 

Game One – won 2-1 (BOX SCORE)

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.

Note: Santa has a 1.29 ERA this season.

• Carlos Perez, DH: 2-for-3, R
• Cavan Biggio, 1B: 1-for-3, R, 2B
• Jax Biggers, SS: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI

• Josh Hendrickson, LHP: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K (WIN)
• Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (SAVE)

Game Two – lost 8-3 (BOX SCORE)

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.

Note: Nelson is hitting .370 in Triple-A.

• James Nelson, LF: 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, SB
• Kellen Strahm, RF: 0-for-1, R, 2 BB, SB
• Cesar Salazar, DH: 1-for-1, R, BB, SB

• Jason Alexander, RHP: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Miguel Yajure, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 0 K
• Anthony Maldonado, RHP: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

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.

Note: Spence has a .382 OBP this season.

• Lucas Spence, CF: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, SB
• Walker Janek, DH: 1-for-3, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI, BB
• Garret Guillemette, 1B: 2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI
• Yamal Encarnacion, 2B: 1-for-2, BB
• Tommy Sacco, 3B: 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI

• Brett Gillis, RHP: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• Derek True, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (WIN)
• Amilcar Chirinos, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• 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.

Note: Schiavone has 5 home runs this season.

• Justin Thomas, CF: 2-for-5, 2 R, 2B
• Alejandro Nunez, DH: 3-for-5, R, HR, RBI
• Ethan Frey, RF: 1-for-4, R, RBI, BB
• Jason Schiavone, 1B: 1-for-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB, SB
• Max Holy, 2B: 1-for-4, RBI, SB
• Kyle Walker, SS: 2-for-3, SB
• Zach Daudet, 3B: 2-for-3, 2B, SB

• Dylan Howard, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• Colby Langford, LHP: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• 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.

Note: Monister has 8 SB this season.

• Kevin Alvarez, DH: 1-for-5
• Xavier Neyens, 3B: 2-for-4, BB
• Nick Monistere, SS: 1-for-4, R, 2 SB
• Josh Wakefield, CF: 1-for-3, R, BB
• Nehomar Ochoa, 1B: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, SB

• Ryan Forcucci, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Jesus Carrera, RHP: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (WIN)
• Jhoster Baez, RHP: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Jose Varela, RHP: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Brandon Bielak – 3:05 CT

CC: Trey Dombroski – 2:05 CT

AV: TBD – 1:00 CT

FV: TBD – 1:05 CT

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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.

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

Mets vs Cubs latest injuries

Mets vs Cubs 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.

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.”

https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/corbin-carroll-s-grand-slam-leads-d-backs-to-win-over-blue-jays

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.”

https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/corbin-carroll-grand-slam-blue-jays/3618281/

Corbin Carroll’s Massive Grand Slam Erases D-backs’ Mistakeshttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/corbin-carroll-massive-grand-slam-erases-d-backs-mistakes

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.”

https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/d-backs-teammates-react-lourdes-gurriel-jr-acl-return

Full Q&A With D-backs’ Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on his Rapid ACL Rehab

Did Rivera feel like this timetable was realistic all along?

“Yes, and also because of my added performance, my dedication. He understood what type of player I am. It’s not an easy rehab. But understanding my dedication to the process, he was in agreement.” https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/d-backs-lourdes-gurriel-jr-rapid-acl-rehab

Diamondbacks Brandon Pfaadt adjusting to bullpen lifehttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/how-brandon-pfaadt-adjusting-new-bullpen-role

Diamondbacks Sign Former Yankees Infielder
https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/diamondbacks-sign-former-yankees-infielder-velasquez

Other Baseball

Mets in free fall after losing 10th straight game
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48525192/mets-freefall-losing-10th-straight-game

Phillies put closer Jhoan Duran on IL with strained obliquehttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48526192/phillies-put-closer-jhoan-duran-il-strained-oblique

J.T. Realmuto Leaves Game Due To Lower Back Tightnesshttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/04/j-t-realmuto-leaves-game-due-to-lower-back-tightness.html

Sale passes Glavine on K’s list, dominates Phils for Braves’ 4th straight winhttps://www.mlb.com/news/chris-sale-continues-stellar-start-to-2026-vs-phillies

The visiting team won a 21-inning college game on a walk-off balk — wait, what?https://www.mlb.com/news/21-inning-college-game-ends-on-walk-off-balk

1 early-season development each team can believe in
https://www.mlb.com/news/2026-early-season-developments-to-believe-in-each-mlb-team

Anything Goes

This day in history:
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-19

The American Revolution began at Lexington, in 1775.

This day in baseball:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/April_19

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.

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

• Date: Sunday, April 19

• 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: 7-14 (No. 5 in AL Central)

• New York Yankees: 12-9 (No. 2 in AL East)

Odds

• Spread: New York Yankees -1.5

• Moneyline: New York Yankees -150 (57.4%) / Kansas City Royals +125 (42.6%)

• Over/Under: 7.5

Starting pitchers

Kansas City Royals: Cole Ragans (0-3, ERA: 3.78, K: 16, WHIP: 1.38)
New York Yankees: Ryan Weathers (0-2, ERA: 4.29, K: 28, WHIP: 1.38)

Weather: 47°F at first pitch

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

Dodgers affiliates managed one win in five games on Saturday.

Player of the day

Tulsa first baseman Joe Vetrano hit a two-run home run in the first game of a doubleheader, then added two more hits in the nightcap, scoring the walk-off winner on an error.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Jack Suwinski homered twice, but the Comets allowed five runs in the eighth inning in a loss to the Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies).

Chayce McDermott, acquired by trade from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, made his organizational debut Saturday with a scoreless seventh inning, at the time protecting a three-run lead. But the right-hander also started the eighth inning with a hit batter and walk, ending his night. Both scored in the fateful five-run frame.

Jackson Ferris allowed three runs in four innings, and walked five, continuing a theme of his first three starts in Triple-A. Ferris for Oklahoma City has faced 50 batters and walked 10 of them, with six strikeouts and nine runs allowed in 13 1/3 innings.

Double-A Tulsa

Payton Martin struck out five in five innings, allowing only one run in the nightcap of the Drillers’ doubleheader split with the Arkansas Travelers (Mariners).

Wyatt Crowell walked three of his first 33 batters faced this season, but on Saturday the left-hander walked five batters in two-plus innings and allowed six runs, four of them earned in the first game of the doubleheader.

The opener got lopsided enough that catcher/infielder Yeiner Fernandez, he had a two-run double earlier, pitched the top of the seventh inning down seven runs. Naturally, he got all three batters he faced on 11 pitches, the only 1-2-3 inning of the game for Great Lakes. Not a bad professional pitching debut for the 23-year-old.

Roque Gutierrez pitched the final two innings of the nightcap to earn the win.

High-A Great Lakes

The Loons scored only one run, in the first inning in a loss to the Dayton Dragons (Reds).

Mike Sirota drove in said run with an RBI double, his third straight game with a double. Sirota also singled on Saturday, extending his hit streak to eight games.

Zach Root, the Dodgers’ top draft pick in 2025 out of Arkansas, had to leave his start with one out in the second inning after appearing to roll his right ankle in securing an out at first base to open the frame. After a long conversation with a trainer and manager Jair Fernandez, Root was pulled from the game, replaced on the mound by Dilan Figueredo.

It was a bad-luck start in general for Root, whose first batter in the first inning reached on an error and scored an unearned run. Figueredo allowed an unearned run of his own, then saw one of his bequeathed baserunners score in a wild pitch in the fifth inning. That’s the only earned run allowed this season by Figueredo, who pitched 3 1/3 innings on Saturday. He has seven strikeouts against only one walk in his four appearances and 9 2/3 innings.

Nicolas Cruz struck out four in three innings of relief, and allowed one run on hit and a walk. He has 13 strikeouts and two walks in nine innings this season.

Class-A Ontario

Tower Buzzers pitchers allowed runs in seven different innings in a blowout loss to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies).

Starter Marlon Nieves, fresh off winning California League player of the week, allowed five runs, four earned, in two innings. Isaac Ayon followed with three innings with six more runs allowed.

Ontario tried to keep pace on offense, with Jose Hernandez hitting two home runs and catcher Conner O’Neal adding a grand slam. But they still lost by 10.

Tradition: Though minor leaguers are culinarily provided for these days while at work — gone are the days of maybe peanut butter and jelly plus a loaf of bread in the clubhouse — one longstanding unwritten code persists, that major league players while rehabbing in the minors take care of their temporary teammates with a postgame spread. Brock Stewart after his second appearance with Ontario on Friday night brought in Chipotle for the team.

Saturday scores

• Albuquerque 8, Oklahoma City 6
• Arkansas 12, Tulsa 5 (Game 1)
• Tulsa 2, Arkansas 1 (Game 2)
• Dayton 4, Great Lakes 1
• Fresno 18, Ontario 8

Sunday schedule

• 10:05 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Christian Zazueta) vs. Dayton (Nestor Lorant)
• 11 a.m.: Tulsa (Luke Fox) vs. Arkansas (Adam Leverett)
• 12:35 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Cole Irvin) at Albuquerque (Sean Sullivan)
• 1:05 p.m.: Ontario (TBA) vs. Fresno (Brady Parker)

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It’s never too early for baseball panic meters to go into overdrive, and the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays lead the list of teams under the microscope heading into today’s action.

The Mets’ 10-game losing streak is especially alarming, but there are more encouraging signs elsewhere in the NL East, and my MLB player props include a wager on Ozzie Albies, who’s delivering for the division-leading Atlanta Braves.

Read on for more on Albies and my other favorite MLB picks for the April 19 slate.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Mike Trout	Over 1.5 total bases	+110
Kevin Gausman	Over 5.5 strikeouts	+104
Ozzie Albies	Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI	-115

Mike Trout Over 1.5 total bases (+110)

The Mike Trout hot streak continued last night with a double off San Diego Padres starter German Marquez, and he’s now mashed 10 hits across his past eight outings.

That stretch includes five homers, with Trout putting this L.A. Angels offense on his shoulders. He’s posted a .500 OBP and a 1.115 OPS in day games so far this season, and I like this price for 2+ bases today.

San Diego’s Michael King is in the firing line today at Angel Stadium and, despite his solid start to the year, he gave up a hit to Trout in their lone head-to-head career battle.

• Time: 4:07 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Angels.TV, FDSN-West

Kevin Gausman Over 5.5 strikeouts (+104)

Injuries have derailed the Toronto Blue Jays’ opening month, and they desperately need Kevin Gausman to steady the ship today against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s been his usual reliable self through four starts this year, with a 2.42 ERA and 0.85 WHIP, and he’s already racked up 31 strikeouts.

Toronto has struggled to collect Ks in this series against Arizona, but Gausman can at least point to impressive numbers in his matchups with key Arizona hitters. Nolan Arenado and Ketel Marte are a combined 7-for-43 against him, with five strikeouts.

Look for the stumbling Jays to ride Gausman as long as possible after another disastrous Jeff Hoffman bullpen outing last night.

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Sportsnet, Dbacks.TV

Ozzie Albies Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-115)

Ozzie Albies has been one of the engines for the Atlanta Braves’ eye-catching 14-7 start, and he’s picked up 11 hits in his last 10 contests, with six RBI in that span. I’m counting on that consistency here.

The Braves have scored 6+ runs in four of their past six outings, and Albies has nailed this Over in three of his last four games.

Today, he faces Philadelphia Phillies rookie Andrew Painter as Atlanta goes for the sweep, and Albies will be a danger man in the heart of the lineup on the heels of a double and a single yesterday off Cristopher Sanchez.

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

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.

Fernando Tatis Jr. still does not have a home run on the season and for San Diego Padres fans and the superstar right fielder, that is hard to comprehend. While the power has not shown up for Tatis Jr. after 20 games into the season, he has been an offensive contributor and proved that once again with a 2-for-4 night, with two RBI, a walk and a strikeout. That was enough to help the Padres score four runs over the eighth and ninth innings to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 at Angel Stadium on Saturday night. German Marquez started on the mound for San Diego and seems to be improving each time he takes the ball. The former Colorado ace did not get the win, but he did complete 5.2 innings of shutout baseball, allowing two hits with five strikeouts and two walks. The Padres bullpen took over for the remainder of the game and saw Jason Adam surrender a run in the eighth, but he also worked out of trouble in what could have been a much bigger inning for the Angels. Mason Miller, who has been automatic to this point in the season, closed the game out to secure the win and set San Diego up with a chance to take the series in the rubber match on Sunday at 1:07 p.m.

Padres News:

• Ramon Laureano has been the most consistent hitter for the Padres this season and that has resulted in him climbing the lineup to the leadoff spot. He attributes some of his success this season to new San Diego hitting coach Steven Souza Jr.

• Not to be lost in the celebration about the win for the Padres and the late offense was the early defense from centerfielder Jackson Merrill. He and Tatis Jr. had a near miss collision in the outfield while each attempting to rob the same potential home run, which was actually brought back by Merrill to keep the game scoreless in the early innings.

Baseball News:

• Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers has a 50-game on base streak, but his offensive dominance was not enough to keep the Colorado Rockies from winning 4-3.

• A college baseball game went 21 innings before the visiting team finally got the win on a walk-off balk.

• Chris Sale turned another quality start for the Atlanta Braves and helped his team knock off their division rival Philadelphia Phillies.

• Tarik Skubal recorded 10 strikeouts and helped the Detroit Tigers get past the Boston Red Sox.

• The New York Mets dropped their 10th game in a row with another loss to the Chicago Cubs.

• Corbin Carroll hit his fourth career grand slam and lifted the Arizona Diamondbacks to a win.

• Gavin Williams has been making a name for himself this season and turned an 11-strikeout performance for the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday.

Jameson Taillon did not look sharp early and then said as much during his postgame interview. But he got better as his start wore on. Just under half of Jameson’s starts as a Cub have been quality starts. We all know that not all quality starts are created equal. Without any digging, there are some clunkers surely within that batch of games. But we also know that there are some good ones that didn’t reach the minimum definition. In the modern game, there a lot of pretty good starts that don’t reach six innings. He’s now gone six innings three straight times. He’s hanging around and giving the team a fighting chance. He’s a good rotation piece for the marathon part of the process.

Importantly, Jameson has stayed largely healthy throughout his Cub tenure. That’s becoming a valuable skill. Any once perceived existence of depth has been decimated by a swath of early season pitching injuries. I’ll admit to having blind spots for players on other rosters around the MLB. I put better than 90% of my baseball focus on the Cubs, so while I self-identify as a pretty knowledgeable Cub fan, I admit to being a casual baseball fan’s knowledge of modern players. That is even worse when it comes to minor league players. Years ago, when the team was rebuilding, I woke up every day to read prospect stories (mostly written by Josh). But again, flying blind. At this point, I have to confess to being largely unaware of more than a third of the present Cub pitchers. I feel like I probably heard the names Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb somewhere in the past and feel like I was vaguely aware of Riley Martin. But I’m going to need a scorecard sooner than later.

It’s hard not to be at least a little distressed about the mounting injury toll. It’s another display of the fickle nature of baseball that the injuries and the first sustained winning streak of the year are contemporaries of one another. You may have heard me say in the past that the road to the top isn’t guaranteed and isn’t a straight line. Ask the Toronto Blue Jays. They seemed to finally break through last year. They are off to a really rough start to 2026. Maybe they’ll be able to draw on some past success to turn their early struggles around. But they certainly don’t yet look like the team that got within a few inches of winning last year’s World Series.

After the Mets leave town, things are going to get a lot harder. The Phillies come to town for four, then the Cubs go west to face the Dodgers and Padres. All of that happens without a day off. Sunday’s game against the reeling Mets is a big one. Get this sweep. It could be almost a month before the Cubs face a team with a losing record. Right now today, it looks like a month straight of games against teams that are over .500 and either in first or second place in their division. This is a brutal stretch of games. The Cubs are probably going to need even more from their offense that has come to life over the last week or so. And they’ll likely doing it while facing better starting pitching and some of the more dominant relievers in the game today.

Oh yeah, also I had the math wrong yesterday on the Cub win pace. Writing at the end of a long day can be challenging. Anyway, the up to date math has the Cubs on an 89-win pace. But hey, they are on a 162-win pace over their last four. Stats are all about framing and context.

Buckle up.

Three Positives:

• Jameson Taillon threw six innings, allowing five hits and three walks but only one run. It’s not a work of art, but it led the Cubs to victory.
• Ian Happ had a solo homer and drew two walks. He scored twice.
• Carson Kelly got only the one plate appearance. That one plate appearance was a three-run homer.

Game 20, April 18: Cubs 4, Mets 2 (11-9)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Carson Kelly (.346). 1-1, HR, 3 RBI, R
• Hero: Jameson Taillon (.226). 6 IP, 24 BF, 5 H, 3 BB, ER, 4 K (W 1-1)
• Sidekick: Ian Happ (.112). 1-2, HR, 2 BB, RBI, 2 R

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.080). 0-3
• Goat: Dansby Swanson (-.068). 0-3
• Kid: Nico Hoerner/Alex Bregman (-.063). 0-4/0-4

WPA Play of the Game: Carson Kelly’s three-run pinch hit homer with two outs in the sixth inning. (.340)

*Mets Play of the Game: Mark Vientos hit a solo shot with one out in the second inning for the game’s first run. (.110)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 19 Winner: Nico Hoerner received 119 of 191 votes

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Nico Hoerner +12.5
• Carson Kelly +7
• Edward Cabrera/Daniel Palencia +5
• Phil Maton -6
• Matt Shaw -8
• Pete Crow-Armstrong -15

Up Next: The Cubs will seek their first sweep and five-game winning streak of the season. Javier Assad (1-1, 8.10, 10 IP) makes his third start of the year. Tobias Myers is a 27-year-old righty, originally drafted by the Orioles with the 181st overall pick in the 2016 draft out of Winter Haven, Florida. This season he is 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA in 13 relief innings. He started six games last year as a Brewer. He doesn’t appear stretched out to start. David Peterson normally takes this turn in the Mets rotation but has allowed 14 ER in just 19.2 IP.

There a lot of teams that face the Cubs and I feel sorry for. The Mets are not one of them, despite having a family member who is a (NJ resident) Mets fan. Kick them while they are down and sweep this series.

Good morning, folks…

The Texas Rangers fell to the Seattle Mariners last night by a score of 7-3.

Evan Grant writes that the Rangers continue to be bedeviled by George Kirby.

New manager Skip Schumaker is bringing back bunting.

MLB.com highlights one development for every team so far in 2026 to feel good about.

Matt Postins has some Rangers notes.

In non-Rangers news, the New York Mets have now lost 10 games in a row.

David Laurila has his Sunday Notes column up at Fangraphs.