Mariners Moose Tracks, 4/5/18: Felix Hernandez, Charlie Blackmon, and Trevor Rosenthal

Good morning everyone! The baseball continues. The M’s play today, but most teams do not. Then the M’s will have a random and weird off-day tomorrow before resuming their series in Minnesota. I don’t really get it. Also, Minnesota must be kind of a rotten place to have an off-day in April.

Anyway, here are some links to get your day started.

In Mariners news...

• TJ Cotterill at The News Tribune notes that the Rainiers have a few injured M’s players who are expected to be back in Seattle soon.
• The Everett AquaSox will host a Pride Night in June.

• Ryan Divish notes that Felix Hernandez appears to be undergoing an identity crisis with the Mariners.

Around the league...

• In the biggest news of the day, the Rockies have agreed to a six-year contract extension with star outfielder Charlie Blackmon.
• Dustin Ackley returns!

• I mean, what else are you supposed to do with yourself at Rays games?

• I think we forget how big Aaron Judge is sometimes.

• The Athletic’s Levi Weaver interviewed commissioner Rob Manfred about a variety of hot-button topics around the sport including paying minor leaguers.
• Lookout Landing alum Matt Ellis and Patrick Dubuque have some stories in Baseball Prospectus’ latest edition of Long Relief.
• Whitney McIntosh predicts that 2018 will be the year of the inside-the-park homer.
• Former Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal will likely not sign a contract for the 2018 season as he attempts to recover from Tommy John surgery.
• Aldrelton Simmons broke up Corey Kluber’s no-hit attempt with a bunt single yesterday.
• Shohei Ohtani hit yet another home run yesterday, this one coming off of Kluber. David Schoenfeld at ESPN wonders what comes next for the Japanese phenom.
• The Nationals have signed their general manager Mike Rizzo to a two-year contract extension.

Anders’ picks...

• Kind of baseball related, but also not. And also very strange.