Deadspin | Cubs fill out bullpen after RHP Daniel Palencia moved to IL Oct 11, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Daniel Palencia (48) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth inning during game five of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images The Chicago Cubs selected the contract of right-hander Corbin Martin on Saturday to fill out the bullpen after right-hander Daniel Palencia went on the injured list Friday. To make room on the 60-man roster, the Cubs transferred right-hander Cade Horton to the 60-day IL. Horton underwent Tommy John surgery on Thursday. Palencia, 26, was placed on the IL with a left oblique strain. He had one save and did not allow a run over his first five outings of the season. He also helped Venezuela to the WBC title, not allowing a run in five appearances in the tournament with three saves. Martin, 30, signed as a free agent with the Cubs in January after posting a 6.00 ERA over 17 relief appearances for the Baltimore Orioles last season. In 34 major league appearances (10 starts) with the Houston Astros (2019), Arizona Diamondbacks (2021-22) and Orioles, he is 2-5 with a 6.54 ERA. Horton underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career this week and is expected to be out until the midway point of the 2027 season. The former first-round draft pick in 2022 was 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts this season. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Cubs #fill #bullpen #RHP #Daniel #Palencia #moved

Deadspin | Pirates turn to ace Paul Skenes against Rays Apr 17, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (left) shakes the hand of manager Don Kelly, right, upon accepting his Cy Young Award from owner Bob Nutting before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays Tampa Bay Rays at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images A day after he was presented his 2025 National League Cy Young Award, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes will be on the mound to face the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon. Skenes (3-1, 4.00 ERA), who will oppose fellow right-hander Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 1.13) on Saturday, was presented the award by 1990 Cy Young winner and former Pirates ace Doug Drabek before the Pirates’ 5-1 win over Tampa Bay. Skenes, who is 1-0 with an 0.64 ERA in two career starts against the Rays, has pitched more like a Cy Young winner since his disastrous Opening Day outing against the New York Mets in which he gave up five runs and didn’t survive the first inning. He is 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA in his three starts since then, allowing just six hits — including two solo home runs — striking out 17 batters and walking five. In his most recent start, against the Washington Nationals on Monday, he allowed a solo home run to CJ Abrams with two outs in the first and did not allow another hit over his six-inning start in the Pirates’ 16-5 victory. A major difference for Skenes this season has been the Pirates providing significant run support. Pittsburgh scored only 11 runs in Skenes’ 10 losses last season. This season, they have scored a combined 25 runs in the innings before Skenes has exited his four starts and have scored seven or more runs in every game he’s started. Against Washington on Monday, the Pirates scored 15 runs over the first six innings. “I told the guys after the game, ‘It makes it easy to pitch,'” Skenes said. “Even if I’m not getting it while I’m in the game, being out there pitching and knowing that it’s going to happen at some point makes it a lot easier to pitch.” Rasmussen, an All-Star last year, is settling back into his normal pitching routine after a hectic 10-day period that followed the birth of his daughter. Rasmussen was scratched from his scheduled start on April 7 when his wife went into labor, and he spent the next four days on the paternity list and the family medical emergency list. Rasmussen made a decision to pitch last Sunday against the New York Yankees without much time to prepare. He threw a gem in which he tossed six shutout innings and allowed one hit, no walks and struck out seven on 76 pitches in beating the Yankees 5-4. “Stevie (his wife) and I ultimately decided maybe a little bit of normalcy would be nice,” Rasmussen said about choosing to come back early and pitch last Sunday. “Just kind of trying to focus on execution, putting a little bit more weight on (catcher Hunter Feduccia’s) shoulders and just taking it pitch by pitch. I don’t know if I shook off (Feduccia’s pitch call) once, in all honesty.” Rasmussen said his wife, newborn daughter, and their son are all home, and he was able to resume his normal routines this week. The Rays lost Rasmussen’s first two starts despite him not allowing more than one earned run over five innings in each outing. He has 17 strikeouts, one walk, and am 0.56 WHIP over 16 innings. His next task will be to get the Rays back on track after they had their six-game winning streak snapped on Friday. Rasmussen is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA in six career appearances vs. Pittsburgh, including one start. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Pirates #turn #ace #Paul #Skenes #Rays

#Deadspin #Pirates #turn #ace #Paul #Skenes #Rays">

mwasimuddin125 0

Apr 17, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (left) shakes the hand of manager Don Kelly, right, upon accepting his Cy Young Award from owner Bob Nutting before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays Tampa Bay Rays at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

A day after he was presented his 2025 National League Cy Young Award, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes will be on the mound to face the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon.

Skenes (3-1, 4.00 ERA), who will oppose fellow right-hander Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 1.13) on Saturday, was presented the award by 1990 Cy Young winner and former Pirates ace Doug Drabek before the Pirates’ 5-1 win over Tampa Bay.

Skenes, who is 1-0 with an 0.64 ERA in two career starts against the Rays, has pitched more like a Cy Young winner since his disastrous Opening Day outing against the New York Mets in which he gave up five runs and didn’t survive the first inning. He is 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA in his three starts since then, allowing just six hits — including two solo home runs — striking out 17 batters and walking five.

In his most recent start, against the Washington Nationals on Monday, he allowed a solo home run to CJ Abrams with two outs in the first and did not allow another hit over his six-inning start in the Pirates’ 16-5 victory.

A major difference for Skenes this season has been the Pirates providing significant run support.

Pittsburgh scored only 11 runs in Skenes’ 10 losses last season. This season, they have scored a combined 25 runs in the innings before Skenes has exited his four starts and have scored seven or more runs in every game he’s started. Against Washington on Monday, the Pirates scored 15 runs over the first six innings.

“I told the guys after the game, ‘It makes it easy to pitch,'” Skenes said. “Even if I’m not getting it while I’m in the game, being out there pitching and knowing that it’s going to happen at some point makes it a lot easier to pitch.”

Rasmussen, an All-Star last year, is settling back into his normal pitching routine after a hectic 10-day period that followed the birth of his daughter. Rasmussen was scratched from his scheduled start on April 7 when his wife went into labor, and he spent the next four days on the paternity list and the family medical emergency list.

Rasmussen made a decision to pitch last Sunday against the New York Yankees without much time to prepare. He threw a gem in which he tossed six shutout innings and allowed one hit, no walks and struck out seven on 76 pitches in beating the Yankees 5-4.

“Stevie (his wife) and I ultimately decided maybe a little bit of normalcy would be nice,” Rasmussen said about choosing to come back early and pitch last Sunday. “Just kind of trying to focus on execution, putting a little bit more weight on (catcher Hunter Feduccia’s) shoulders and just taking it pitch by pitch. I don’t know if I shook off (Feduccia’s pitch call) once, in all honesty.”

Rasmussen said his wife, newborn daughter, and their son are all home, and he was able to resume his normal routines this week.

The Rays lost Rasmussen’s first two starts despite him not allowing more than one earned run over five innings in each outing. He has 17 strikeouts, one walk, and am 0.56 WHIP over 16 innings.

His next task will be to get the Rays back on track after they had their six-game winning streak snapped on Friday. Rasmussen is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA in six career appearances vs. Pittsburgh, including one start.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Pirates #turn #ace #Paul #Skenes #Rays">Deadspin | Pirates turn to ace Paul Skenes against Rays

Apr 17, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (left) shakes the hand of manager Don Kelly, right, upon accepting his Cy Young Award from owner Bob Nutting before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays Tampa Bay Rays at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

A day after he was presented his 2025 National League Cy Young Award, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes will be on the mound to face the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon.

Skenes (3-1, 4.00 ERA), who will oppose fellow right-hander Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 1.13) on Saturday, was presented the award by 1990 Cy Young winner and former Pirates ace Doug Drabek before the Pirates’ 5-1 win over Tampa Bay.

Skenes, who is 1-0 with an 0.64 ERA in two career starts against the Rays, has pitched more like a Cy Young winner since his disastrous Opening Day outing against the New York Mets in which he gave up five runs and didn’t survive the first inning. He is 3-0 with a 1.56 ERA in his three starts since then, allowing just six hits — including two solo home runs — striking out 17 batters and walking five.

In his most recent start, against the Washington Nationals on Monday, he allowed a solo home run to CJ Abrams with two outs in the first and did not allow another hit over his six-inning start in the Pirates’ 16-5 victory.

A major difference for Skenes this season has been the Pirates providing significant run support.

Pittsburgh scored only 11 runs in Skenes’ 10 losses last season. This season, they have scored a combined 25 runs in the innings before Skenes has exited his four starts and have scored seven or more runs in every game he’s started. Against Washington on Monday, the Pirates scored 15 runs over the first six innings.

“I told the guys after the game, ‘It makes it easy to pitch,'” Skenes said. “Even if I’m not getting it while I’m in the game, being out there pitching and knowing that it’s going to happen at some point makes it a lot easier to pitch.”

Rasmussen, an All-Star last year, is settling back into his normal pitching routine after a hectic 10-day period that followed the birth of his daughter. Rasmussen was scratched from his scheduled start on April 7 when his wife went into labor, and he spent the next four days on the paternity list and the family medical emergency list.

Rasmussen made a decision to pitch last Sunday against the New York Yankees without much time to prepare. He threw a gem in which he tossed six shutout innings and allowed one hit, no walks and struck out seven on 76 pitches in beating the Yankees 5-4.

“Stevie (his wife) and I ultimately decided maybe a little bit of normalcy would be nice,” Rasmussen said about choosing to come back early and pitch last Sunday. “Just kind of trying to focus on execution, putting a little bit more weight on (catcher Hunter Feduccia’s) shoulders and just taking it pitch by pitch. I don’t know if I shook off (Feduccia’s pitch call) once, in all honesty.”

Rasmussen said his wife, newborn daughter, and their son are all home, and he was able to resume his normal routines this week.

The Rays lost Rasmussen’s first two starts despite him not allowing more than one earned run over five innings in each outing. He has 17 strikeouts, one walk, and am 0.56 WHIP over 16 innings.

His next task will be to get the Rays back on track after they had their six-game winning streak snapped on Friday. Rasmussen is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA in six career appearances vs. Pittsburgh, including one start.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Pirates #turn #ace #Paul #Skenes #Rays

Related Posts

Post Comment Cancel reply