Statsman endured a difficult Saturday, finishing April 25, 2026 with a net loss of 5.7 units on a 2-4 record. Despite landing two winners, four losses—including three two-unit plays—resulted in a significant setback for the handicapper's portfolio.
Sox at Orioles
Statsman's two-unit play on the Baltimore Orioles (-115) resulted in a loss as the Boston Red Sox exploded for a 17-1 victory. The game remained competitive through seven innings, with Baltimore trailing just 7-1, before the Red Sox detonated for a 10-run ninth inning that turned a modest lead into a blowout. Andruw Monasterio capped the outburst with a grand slam, while Willson Contreras added a three-run homer and Caleb Durbin contributed a two-run shot in the decisive frame. The loss was particularly notable given the context—Baltimore had dominated the series opener 10-3 the night before. Hours after the game, Boston fired manager Alex Cora and five coaching staff members despite the lopsided win, a dramatic move for a Red Sox team sitting at 10-17.
Marlins at Giants
The Giants provided Statsman with his first winner of the day, a one-unit play at -122 that cashed comfortably in a 6-2 San Francisco victory. After Miami grabbed an early 1-0 lead on Xavier Edwards' RBI single in the third, the Giants responded with Drew Gilbert's solo homer in the fifth to tie it. The decisive sixth inning saw Casey Schmitt deliver a two-run blast, giving San Francisco a 3-1 advantage they would not relinquish. Heliot Ramos added a solo shot as part of the Giants' power display. Robbie Ray turned in a quality start for San Francisco, while Schmitt's 2-for-3 performance with a double, homer, and two RBI paced the offense. The win was a bounce-back for the Giants after dropping the series opener 9-4.
Twins at Rays
Statsman's two-unit investment in the Tampa Bay Rays (-136) proved profitable as they defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-1. Shane McClanahan was the story, tossing five scoreless innings while scattering three hits and striking out seven in his first win at Tropicana Field in nearly three years. The left-hander, returning from two surgeries that cost him the 2024 and 2025 seasons, showed no rust as Kevin Kelly, Hunter Bigge, and Trevor Martin closed out the victory. Jake Fraley's two-run homer in the fourth provided early support, and Ben Williamson's 3-for-4 effort with a triple, double, and two RBI added insurance. The Rays tacked on three runs in the seventh to pull away for the win, continuing their success after taking the series opener by the same 6-2 score.
Athletics at Rangers
A two-unit underdog play on the Athletics at +119 came up just short as the Texas Rangers prevailed 4-3 on Josh Jung's go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning. Jung's opposite-field shot into the home bullpen in right-center followed Corey Seager's single and proved to be the difference. The Athletics had jumped ahead 3-2 after three innings, but Cole Winn retired all three batters he faced to earn the win for Texas. Jung, who began the season 0-for-17 in March, is now hitting .371 in April with four homers and 14 RBI. The one-run loss was particularly frustrating given Oakland's dominant 8-1 victory in the series opener, as the Rangers tied the A's atop the AL West at 14-13.
Angels at Royals
Statsman's two-unit wager on the Los Angeles Angels at +129 resulted in an 11-run loss as Kansas City cruised 12-1. Cole Ragans dominated for the Royals, striking out 11 over six innings while allowing just one run and five hits. The left-hander worked out of a second-inning jam with runners on second and third by recording consecutive strikeouts. Nick Loftin delivered a career-high four RBI, while Salvador Perez went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI. The Royals scored in bunches—two in the second, two in the third, one in the sixth, three in the seventh, and four in the eighth—to pull away easily. Jo Adell's solo homer accounted for the Angels' only run in the blowout defeat.
Tigers at Reds
The final play of the card, a two-unit bet on the Detroit Tigers at -110, resulted in a 9-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Sal Stewart's three-run homer highlighted his five-RBI performance as the Reds jumped on Detroit early with four runs in the first inning. Nathaniel Lowe, Elly De La Cruz, and TJ Friedl also homered for Cincinnati, which improved to 18-9—their best start since going 18-8 in 2003. Despite Kevin McGonigle leading off the game with a solo homer for Detroit, the Tigers never recovered from the early deficit. The Reds added two more in the second, two in the sixth, and one in the eighth to cruise to victory. At 18-9, Cincinnati sits nine games over .500 for the first time since August 2, 2003.
Beer Money & Parlay Plays
Statsman's side plays finished 3-2 on the day, offering lean recommendations without assigned units.
Mariners at Cardinals
Seattle (-149) held on for an 11-9 victory in a high-scoring affair at St. Louis.
Guardians at Jays
Toronto (-143) delivered a 5-3 win over Cleveland to cash the second side play.
Nationals at Sox
The Chicago White Sox (-143) fell 6-3 to Washington, missing as favorites.
Yankees at Astros
New York (-156) cruised to an 8-3 victory in Houston for the third side-play winner.
Pirates at Brewers
Milwaukee (-143) dropped a 6-3 decision to Pittsburgh to close out the side-play slate.
The 2-4 performance highlighted the variance inherent in baseball handicapping, as Statsman's four losses—three of which came on two-unit plays—overwhelmed the two winners. The blowout defeats in Baltimore and Kansas City proved particularly costly, while narrow misses like the one-run loss in Texas added to the frustration. With two solid winners in Tampa Bay and San Francisco, the foundation was there, but the volume of multi-unit losses made it a day to forget.