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Saturday had its fair share of mirrors. The Sox versed the Sox, a pair of AL East birds took flight in a tense contest, and a New York team battled with its former in-state rival to conjure images of yore when Mel Ott and Babe Ruth were some of the kings of the city. Elsewhere, Saturday offered its share of divisional matchups and delightful duels. The Nationals and Marlins combined for 13 runs (yes, really), the Mariners mashed the Rangers, and the Angels keep performing miracles, their latest a 4-1 win over the Astros to boost their 9-5 record.
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Today’s Headlines
The Snakes Stun The Brewers
The Diamondbacks faced the impossible entering the ninth. The team was down 4-0 with Brewers reliever Joel Payamps on the bump. Winning wasn’t as much a concern as avoiding a shutout. Then, men started to get on base. Gabriel Moreno walked, Alek Thomas tripled, Garrett Hampson walked, and Corbin Carroll doubled. Suddenly, the Snakes were down just one run and still had two outs to play with. The Diamondbacks would tie the game two batters later and then load the bases for Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Gurriel was first-pitch swinging and spiked a fastball deep to right. Geraldo Perdomo tagged up, scrambled to home to score, and officially sealed the not-so-impossible comeback.
Yankees Stomp San Francisco
The New York Yankees stood alone in Saturday’s East Coast-versus-West Coast battle. The Bronx Bombers battered the G-men, but more specifically Jordan Hicks, putting up seven runs on the flamethrower in his worst start yet as a Giant. Most of those runs came in the fifth thanks to a Cody Bellinger single, Paul Goldschmidt ground-rule double, Anthony Volpe sac fly, and Jasson Domínguez single. From there, San Francisco was in an inescapable hole. Absent from yesterday’s scoring yet always impactful was Aaron Judge. The reigning MVP reached base three times, upping his batting average to .358 and his OPS to a staggering 1.224.
As for the Giants, it was an ice-cold showing. Their offense tallied two runs off Will Warren and didn’t fare much better against New York’s bullpen. Wilmer Flores was the only offensive bright spot in the affair, accounting for each San Francisco run scored with a home run and a single. His six home runs this season are now tied for the most in baseball, while his .927 OPS is 15th in the NL. The Giants will hope for more than a one-man show on Sunday to avoid the series loss. The Yankees, though, wouldn’t mind a repeat showing.
Cedric Entertains
The Orioles may have been rocking their all-orange uniforms on Saturday, but Cedric Mullins stole the show. At first glance, that doesn’t compute. Mullins only went 1-2 with a walk, after all. What makes Mullins the headliner isn’t what he did. It’s when. The outfielder capped seven-pitch at-bat by drilling a Bowden Francis fastball 350 feet to center for a bases-clearing two-run double. The double gave Baltimore the lead and eventually the win, their first since last Monday, April 7th.
Atlanta’s A+ Effort
How do you rebound from a 1-8 start? Well, if you’re a baseball team located in Atlanta, you start stringing things along. The club’s won three out of its last five games and conjured some late-game magic in its latest on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Sean Murphy stunted a solo shot in the seventh, Ozzie Albies did the same in the eighth, and then Murphy lashed another longball to tie the game. It was Michael Harris II, though, who sealed the deal. The outfielder flew an inside cutter over the fence for a two-run game-winning blast. Atlanta will need more spells to overcome its situation, but at least something’s brewing in the cauldron.
The Book of Jobe
Jackson Jobe brought the pain to Minnesota on Saturday. The rookie right-hander trumped the Twins, allowing just two hits and a walk over six innings for his first win. While Jobe didn’t perform wonders that cannot be fathomed nor miracles that cannot be counted – striking out just two batters during the matinee – he pitched a scoreless game for the first time this season. It was an encouraging day for the young hurler and his club. The Tigers won 4-0 and improved to 9-5. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s 4-11 record is fourth in the AL Central.
The Sox Are Going Streaking
The Chicago White Sox entered Friday with just two wins and an eight-game losing streak to their ledger. By the end of Saturday, they’d doubled their win total and started a winning streak, their first this season. How? Truthfully, the answer lies somewhere between the two stockings. The Boston half of the garment offensively disappeared again, leaving nine men on base and going 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. It was an abysmal showing that left the moment open to chance. That said, credit to Chicago’s still-sturdy pitching. Likewise, kudos to Luis Robert Jr. for a game-tying dinger in the sixth and Brooks Baldwin for a walk-off single. Don’t let the White Sox get hot, people.
No, really. It’s the last thing their front office wants.
Elly’s Elite Day
Saturday was a celebration of all things Elly De La Cruz. The Reds honored their switch-hitting superstar off the field by handing out bobbleheads. Meanwhile, on the field, De La Cruz proved himself worthy of the miniature by launching a grand slam. More than just apt-timing, the grand slam provided Cincy four of its five runs on the night and helped them cruise – no pun intended – to a 5-2 win.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Oranger and Bluer
Do not adjust your television. This picture is from a baseball game, not a screenshot from Dumb and Dumber.
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) April 12, 2025
Only in Sacramento
No one should ever root for an injury. That aside, it’s hard not to find the humor in the A’s medical cart running out of gas and being pushed off the field by four grown men.
"Back when I was doing Minor League Baseball…We'd say that's why they call it the Minor Leagues."
"This is something out of Keystone Cops."
Gary Cohen and Ron Darling react as a cart had to be pushed after running out of gas during Saturday's Mets-A's game. pic.twitter.com/gIW7CHp0Ol
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 12, 2025
Brotherly Love Will Travel
Nicholas Castellanos isn’t just a man of unintentionally inappropriate timing. He’s also a man of the people.
Nick Castellanos is the coolest dude on the planet pic.twitter.com/9hIHuNVmoW
— Philly Nation (@Philly__Nation) April 12, 2025
Welcome Back, Woodruff
Longtime Brewer Brandon Woodruff is back! The right-hander made his first non-exhibition appearance since September 2023 yesterday and struck out five over three-and-two-thirds innings.
Brandon Woodruff tops out at 94 mph in the first inning of his rehab start with this strikeout looking. pic.twitter.com/2qQF5MGZlg
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) April 12, 2025
The Announcer Jinx
Sorry, Red Sox Nation. The only team benefitting from Beantown’s trip to Chi-Town is the host.
"That trip to Chicago could be coming at the perfect time." -Red Sox broadcast
White Sox go for a sweep of Boston tomorrow pic.twitter.com/DAnDcrTQch
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 12, 2025
Twin City Confusion
Good news, Twins fans: It’s only April!
Umpire called Jose Miranda safe, saying the fielder didn't touch the base to get the forceout. But then Miranda just walked away and got tagged out anyway. pic.twitter.com/rtgSBNKcDU
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) April 12, 2025
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ After leaving Friday’s game against the Miami Marlins, the Washington Nationals placed shortstop CJ Abrams on the 10-day IL due to a right hip flexor strain. Abrams was off to a hot start for the Nats, hitting .244/.289/.585 with four home runs, seven RBI, and a career-best .874 OPS. Infielder Nasim Nuñez, who’ll replace Abrams on the roster, has big shoes to fill.
⚾ Yankees starter Marcus Stroman is heading to the shelf. The veteran landed on the 15-day IL yesterday with what the team calls “left knee inflammation.” Stroman’s injury comes one day after his worst start of the season, allowing five runs on four hits and three walks while recording just two outs. Allan Winans will take Stroman’s place on the 26-man roster.
⚾ St. Louis second baseman Nolan Gorman returned to the Cardinals on Saturday following a stint on the 10-day IL with a hamstring strain. Gorman’s return is perfectly imperfect timing, as he’ll replace shortstop Masyn Winn. Winn exited Friday night’s game following the first with back spasms and will now head to the 10-day IL.
⚾ The only downside to the Cubs’ 16-run clubbing of the Dodgers was slugger Seiya Suzuki exiting the game with right wrist pain.
⚾ The Pirates are changing batteries. After starting catcher Joey Bart exited Friday’s game with back discomfort, the club promoted former first-overall-pick Henry Davis back to the Bigs. Bart’s absence will be felt. His .795 OPS through 12 games was second among all Pirates hitters.
⚾ Red Sox starter Richard Fitts exited Saturday’s game with an apparent arm injury. The exact nature of Fitts’s injury isn’t yet understood, but he plans to get an MRI today.
⚾ The Reds activated starter Andrew Abbott yesterday for his season debut. He’d allow just one run over five innings of work. To make room for Abbott, the Reds demoted outfielder Will Benson.
⚾ Twins’ slumping second baseman Jose Miranda was demoted to Triple-A. The move seems more disciplinary than anything following a baserunning mistake Saturday. Brooks Lee will join the Twins in Miranda’s place.
⚾ Rays reliever Kevin Kelly is going to the 15-day IL with a left gluteal strain. Veteran right-hander Cole Sulser will replace him on the roster.
⚾ A nasty foul tip off the knee halted Jose Siri’s afternoon yesterday. The Mets outfielder officially left with a “left shin contusion” and is currently day-to-day.
⚾ The Athlethics are swapping a lefty for a righty. The club announced Saturday they were DFA’ing southpaw Angel Perdomo and replacing him with former Met farmhand J.T. Ginn. Ginn saw action immediately, pitching against his old organization in Sacramento and earning the win.
⚾ The Twins round out our list of transactions, DFA’ing reliever Scott Blewett for Kody Funderburk. Dating back to 2023, Blewett has a 1.80 ERA through 14 appearances. Funderburk, however, touted a 6.49 ERA in 27 appearances in 2024.
Articles You Should Read
After year-and-a-half-long journey, Woodruff ready to ‘just play baseball’ – Adam McCalvy, MLB.com
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
Bowden is wrong SO OFTEN. He’s up there with Nightengale for bad takes. There’s a reason he’s writing about the game and no longer a GM.