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The New York Mets will hope to end a nine-game losing streak as they visit the Chicago Cubs for the second game of their weekend series on Saturday afternoon.

New York is in a deep hole right now, and I like Chicago to pile on at home and win in my Mets vs. Cubs predictions.

Read on to see my full analysis of this matchup in my free MLB picks for Saturday, April 18.

Who will win Mets vs Cubs today: Cubs moneyline (-112)

The New York Mets have suffered offensively during their current losing streak, being shut out three times and averaging 1.78 runs over its last nine games. Francisco Lindor is hitting .200 while new arrival Bo Bichette is catching the ire of Mets fans thanks to his .564 OPS.

The Chicago Cubs come into today having won three straight, scoring 10+ runs in each game. While Freddy Peralta (1-1, 3.86 ERA) has pitched well enough to give the Mets chances to win, Chicago should score more than enough to outpace this floundering New York lineup. I like the Cubs to win at home.

COVERS INTEL:The Mets are hitting .202 with a .524 OPS during their current nine-game losing streak.

Mets vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-118)

The four runs the Mets scored on Friday constituted a breakout for them, as it was the first time in five games they scored more than two runs. Veteran Jameson Taillon (0-1, 4.86 ERA) has struggled in his last two starts, but facing New York gives him a great chance to get right while the Mets’ bats are cold.

After a shaky opener, Peralta has been solid for the Mets, allowing just five runs in 16 innings over his last three starts. The Cubs have a .727 OPS against right-handed pitching this season, 61 points lower than their mark against southpaws. I like both pitchers to keep this game manageable and help us hit the Under.

Mets vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: New York +101 | Chicago -112
• Run line: New York -1.5 (+152) | Chicago +1.5 (-175)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+109) | Under 8.5 (-121)

Mets vs Cubs trend

The Mets are 0-9 straight up in their last nine games overall. Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Cubs.

How to watch Mets vs Cubs and game info

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.

Of all the players who donned the pinstripes, Dennis Rasmussen was certainly one of them. If we’re only looking at the numbers, he was a pretty forgettable starter who was often competent but rarely dominant. And as he played for the good-but-not-good-enough Yankees of the mid-80s, he has no rings nor legendary postseason exploits to his name. However, one biographical detail elevates Rasmussen’s story from the humdrum to the sublime.

Dennis Lee Rasmussen
Born: April 18, 1959 (Los Angeles, CA)
Yankees Tenure: 1984-87

Strictly sticking to baseball, Dennis Rasmussen’s biggest claim to fame may be being involved in three high-profile trades early in his career. The California Angels selected Rasmussen in the first round of the 1980 MLB Draft, only to ship him to the Yankees as part of a package for Tommy John following the 1982 season. Just the following year, the Yankees flipped him (along with another prospect) to the Padres for 1975 NL Rookie of the Year John Montefusco.

Rasmussen reached the big leagues with the Padres that year, posting a 1.98 ERA over four appearances and one start. However, San Diego would not be his forever home. Days before the start of the 1984 season, the Padres dealt Rasmussen back to the Yankees along with a PTBNL for Graig Nettles. Between John, Montefusco, and Nettles, that’s upwards of 160 total WAR entangled in the Dennis Rasmussen trade tree. 

While Rasmussen did not quite match the production of the players he was traded for, he was a solid pitcher in his own right, especially during his time with the Yankees. Across four years and 103 appearances (96 starts), he compiled a 39-24 record with a 4.28 ERA (4.53 FIP). Not amazing, but firmly within “dependable fifth starter” territory. His best year in terms of traditional stats was 1986, when he went 18-6 with a 3.88 ERA (albeit with a 4.40 FIP). Rasmussen stood out in particular on NBC’s “Game of the Week” over the Fourth of July weekend, when he registered his first career shutout, blanking the White Sox on three hits.

Rasmussen was the de facto ace of the rotation, a feat made more impressive by the fact that he barely made the team out of spring training—George Steinbrenner had publicly declared that he would send Rasmussen to Triple-A following a spring start gone awry, but a series of injuries to the rest of the staff opened up a spot for Rasmussen, and he ran with it.

That 1986 campaign earned Rasmussen an Opening Day start the following year, the only one of his career, at Detroit against Jack Morris. He pitched seven innings of one-run ball as the Yankees won in extras 2-1. However, the rest of ’87 was not as kind to Rasmussen. After a particularly brutal stretch to start August, in which he allowed 21 earned runs over six starts, the Yankees traded him to the Reds for Bill Gullickson. This ended Rasmussen’s time in the Bronx.

To his credit, Rasmussen did not go quietly afterwards. He pitched well for the Reds down the stretch in 1987, posting a 3.97 ERA (3.44 FIP) and 1.0 WAR over seven starts to close out the year. And though he struggled mightily to start the 1988 season, prompting the Reds to ship him to the Padres, it was there that Rasmussen truly shone for the first, and only, time in his career, winning 14 of 20 starts with a 2.55 ERA (3.18 FIP). He would pitch six more seasons in the majors but would never replicate that level of success, instead bouncing around the league as a back-end starter. He retired as a Kansas City Royal in 1995, at the age of 36. He then spent a couple of years as a minor-league coach for the (then) Devil Rays and Red Sox before leaving pro baseball altogether to spend time with his family. He returned to coaching in 2021, and is currently an Indy ball pitching coach for the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League.

Rasmussen’s career was a fine one, if somewhat underwhelming for a first-round draft pick. But I’ve left out one crucial detail: Rasmussen accomplished all of the above with literally no cartilage in his left ankle. In fact, he nearly lost that foot altogether at the age of 14, when he was hit by a speeding car while riding a bike with his father. At the time of the crash, all that connected his foot to his leg was his Achilles tendon. Although his surgeon, a Vietnam vet, succeeded in reattaching his foot, no cartilage remained within, only bone against bone. 

Even after he recovered from that horrific injury, the condition of his foot prevented Rasmussen from running for any extended amount of time without his ankle swelling to an ungodly size. However, he was not deterred. Electing to do his cardio by riding on stationary bikes rather than running, he worked hard, proved skeptics wrong, rose through the minor leagues, and achieved one of the hardest feats anyone could hope for: he made the bigs, and he stayed there for 12 years. 

If that isn’t a story worth remembering, then I don’t know what is. Happy 67th, Dennis. I hope you have a good one.

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

Good morning everyone and happy Saturday!

The Mariners’ slide continued yesterday in a flat 5-0 loss to the Rangers. Though the team is tied for third in the biggest split between xwOBA and wOBA and is 26th in BABIP, the hits just aren’t falling for the team yet.

To keep it on a positive note amongst all of the bellyaching, what’s one offense-related item that you’ve been encouraged by so far? I would say Cole Young’s increasing confidence and maturity is a huge development for the M’s since they’ve been in sore need of a competent, set-and-forget second baseman for years.

In Mariners news…

• In case you missed it, Bryce Miller is embarking on a rehab assignment with Tacoma, with his first start coming today. The team expects that he will need the full 30 days to get back to the big league club.
• Andrés Muñoz opened up about his blowup outing against San Diego and outlined what needs to change moving forward.
• Mariners reporter Angie Mentink spoke out about her use of AI to help prepare postgame interview questions for the team.
• Zac Hereth dug into the numbers behind the team’s unlucky start to the season.
• Make sure to submit your responses for the Lookout Landing Reverse Mailbag!
• The Mariners have started a new community fund to support the next generation of Black-led baseball.

• On the latest episode of the Cal Raleigh show, the backstop and reporter Shannon Drayer were joined by Pete Woodworth to talk about how the organization built their elite pitching culture.

Around the league…

• The Seidler family is reportedly closing in on a deal to sell the San Diego Padres to Puerto Rican businessman José E. Feliciano and his wife Kwanza Jones. The deal would value the organization at a record-breaking $3.9 billion.
• Former star Angels outfielder Garret Anderson passed away from a heart attack at the age of 53.
• Things continue to get worse for Mets infielder Jorge Polanco, who is now missing games with a wrist injury after previously dealing with left Achilles bursitis.
• Ryan Blake at Fangraphs revisited his look at Gen Z’s superstars, which really puts Juan Soto into statistical context against others of similar age.
• Yankees fans are tired of the constant stadium noise between pitches at the ballpark, but the players love it.
• We (well, at least I) still miss you, Ben!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— js9innings (@js9inningsmedia) April 17, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Detroit Tigers saw their six-game winning streak snapped on Friday night by the Boston Red Sox, 1-0, in a genuine pitcher’s duel that required an extra inning to determine the winner. Casey Mize looked great for the Motor City Kitties, but the offense could not break through against Ranger Suarez and Aroldis Chapman.

The second game of the four-game series takes place on Saturday afternoon, with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal taking the mound. The last time Detroit’s southpaw faced the Sox was May 14, 2025, when he went 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits (one home run) and a walk while striking out 11 in a 6-5 team win.

Boston sends out Brayan Bello, who last faced the Olde English D a day before the aforementioned Skubal outing, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits (one home run) and two walks along with four strikeouts over 4 2/3 frames in a 10-9 11-inning Sox loss.

Take a look at how they match up on Saturday afternoon.

Detroit Tigers (10-10) vs. Boston Red Sox (8-11)

Time (ET): 4:10 p.m.
Place: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
SB Nation Site:Over the Monster
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 21: LHP Tarik Skubal (2-2, 2.22 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Bello (1-1, 6.14 ERA)

SKUBAL

BELLO

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

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

Mets Notes

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

Today's Lineups

What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package via MLB or Amazon. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone.

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB?

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps:

• Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider.

• Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account.

• Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY.

• Select the SNY Mets game you wish to view from the Multimedia Center.

How can I watch the game on the MLB App?

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.

• Download the free MLB App.

• Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.

• Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.” 

• To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available. 

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

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

They try to avoid a five-game losing streak overall and five straight to their division rival when they square off on Saturday.

The AL West-leading Texas Rangers still find themselves as road underdogs in this one, as they'll be facing Seattle ace George Kirby.

With Nathan Eovaldi on the bump for Texas, my Rangers vs Mariners predictions and free MLB picks for Saturday, April 18 have this one staying Under the total.

Who will win Rangers vs Mariners tonight: Rangers moneyline (+122)

The Seattle Mariners just can't get the offensive ball rolling. As part of their 8-13 start, the Mariners have scored two runs or fewer in eight of their losses.

That doesn't take the starting pitching staff off the hook, because they haven't totally been up to the task either. The starters own the eighth-worst ERA in baseball (3.35).

Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi might have won his last start, but he's just 3-4 with a 5.27 ERA in 14 appearances against the M's. It's too bad Seattle isn't able to take advantage of that right now.

COVERS INTEL:The Rangers and Mariners rank 1-2 in bullpen ERA in the American League. Texas (2.78) is second overall to Cincinnati, while Seattle (3.16) sits seventh-best in the bigs.

Rangers vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-130)

The Rangers' four straight wins over the M's this year have all cashed the Under, with both teams yet to surpass five runs combined.

This will be the second matchup between George Kirby and Eovaldi.

On April 7, Eovaldi went six, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out seven, and picking up the W in a 3-2 decision.

Kirby lasted eight innings, scattering six hits, surrendering three runs, and striking out four.

It's not a pleasant day at the office for either lineup: the Rangers are hitting a combined .220 against Kirby, while Seattle is at .204 vs Eovaldi.

Rangers vs Mariners odds

• Moneyline: Rangers +125 | Mariners -138
• Run line: Rangers +1.5 (-175) | Mariners -1.5 (+153)
• Over/Under: Over 7 (-105) | Under 7 (-115)

Rangers vs Mariners trend

Texas has won three straight vs the Mariners as the moneyline underdog. Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Mariners.

How to watch Rangers vs Mariners and game info

Rangers vs Mariners latest injuries

Rangers vs Mariners weather

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

The San Diego Padres rode the success of their recent homestand into Angel Stadium to face the Los Angeles Angels Friday night and saw their eight-game win streak come to a disastrous end with an 8-0 loss. The Padres were tasked with trying to be the first team to have success against Angels starter Jose Soriano – based on the score of the game, San Diego failed to do that.

Los Angeles had no issues against Matt Waldron and the threat of his knuckleball. The right-hander made his first start for the Padres after being called up from Triple-A El Paso and he lasted just 3.2 innings and allowed six runs on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts. It was hardly the start Waldron expected and it was absolutely not the start San Diego needed. The Angels tacked on two additional runs against David Morgan who came on in relief of Waldron.

Soriano limited the Padres to just two hits over 5.2 innings. He did allow four walks but added eight strikeouts. San Diego had opportunities against Soriano and even loaded the bases in the top of the third inning but could not get the big hit to open the scoring against the Los Angeles ace. San Diego managed just three hits in the game.

The Padres will look to start a new win streak against the Angels at Angel Stadium at 6:38 p.m. today.

Padres News:

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

• Luis Campusano is finally getting the chance to get comfortable at the major league level thanks in large part to the confidence of his new manager Craig Stammen. Campusano has rewarded that confidence with a new dedication and focus to his craft.

• The San Diego minor league teams have been busy getting their work throughout the week, but they have also had to deal with poor weather conditions that have caused a little more stress than what would be encountered on a normal week.

• Mason Miller and his new entrance from the bullpen have been a hit amongst the Friar Faithful. It is also a hit with the band Korn who plays “Blind,” Miller’s new intro song and they showed their appreciation for the top MLB closer by showering him with gifts.

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

Baseball News:

• The Angels announced the passing of former All-Star outfielder Garrett Anderson, who died at just 53 years old, and honored him at their game against the Padres on Friday. Los Angeles will wear a commemorative patch for the rest of the season to honor his memory.

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

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

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

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

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

Meet the Mets

The title kind of says it all, doesn’t it? The Mets lost their ninth straight yesterday afternoon in their first in a three-game series against the Cubs in Chicago. Kodai Senga got knocked around for the second straight start, giving up seven runs (six earned) in 3.1 innings of work. The suffering continues.

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

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

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

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

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

Around the National League East

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

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

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

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

Around Major League Baseball

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

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

The Cubs have been beseeched with pitching injuries, and that trend has continued with closer Daniel Palencia hitting the injured list with an oblique strain.

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

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

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Chris McShane previewed the weekend series at Wrigley.

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

This Date in Mets History

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

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

How to watch Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees

• Date: Saturday, April 18

• Time: 1:35 p.m. ET / 10:35 a.m. PT

• Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

• TV Channels: YES, Royals.TV

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

Team records

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

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

Odds

• Spread: New York Yankees -1.5

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

• Over/Under: 8.0

Starting pitchers

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

Weather: 65°F at first pitch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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