MLB Home Run Predictions Today: Best HR Prop Bets, Picks, Parlay & Odds for Monday, June 8
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With Josh off, I'm pinch-hitting with a trio of MLB home run predictions on Monday, June 8.
It's a lighter slate, with only eight games on the schedule, but sometimes it's better not to have an overabundance of options for our MLB player props.
My MLB home run predictions wrap things up by adding William Contreras to sluggers Adley Rutschman and Rafael Devers, as the Brewers touch down in Sin City for a duel with the A's.
- UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
| Player to hit a HR | Odds |
|---|---|
 Adley Rutschman | +598 |
 Rafael Devers | +416 |
 William Contreras | +396 |
| 💲Today's HR parlay | +17404 |
Home run pick: Adley Rutschman (+598)
I like fading Seattle Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock today and in perpetuity with my MLB picks. The hurler has seemingly made strides, but his increased strikeout rate and suppressed ERA are teetering on the edge of collapse.
His 4.17 expected ERA gives us the first sign of trouble. Meanwhile, contact metrics all favor his opponents, as his chase, barrel, and hard-hit rates all rank in the 20th percentile or worse. He lives in the zone and has gotten by with his mediocre stuff getting hit right at defenders and a 25.8% strikeout rate that defies his actual swing-and-miss numbers.
The question becomes which Baltimore Orioles bat to target. Pete Alonso is the most logical, but he also has the shortest number. BallparkPal has winds blowing to left field, so his +391 price tag may well be worth it anyway. Instead, I'll grab resurgent catcher Adley Rutschman as he continues to prove that he's more than Matt Wieters 2.0.
Rutschman has made incredible gains under the hoodyear over year, ranking among the elite in many Statcast metrics. And while he'll step in as a lefty against Hancock, the wind to left field doesn't scare me, as he's sprayed his power over the field.
The 28-year-old also ranks second on the O's in BlastContact% at 17.7% (min. 200 PAs), trailing only — you guessed it — Alonso.
- Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: Mariners.TV, MASN
Home run pick: Rafael Devers (+416)
Oracle Park is not the most homer-happy ballpark, but Washington Nationals starter Miles Mikolas has allowed 14 long balls in 56 1/3 innings, and the bullpen boasts the fifth-worst HR/9 among all MLB relief units.
For as good as the offense has been, the pitching staff has been equally terrible.
Rafael Devers paces the San Francisco Giants in BlastContact% (17.4%), and ranks in the 88th percentile in both average exit velocity and hard-hit rate.
His fly ball metrics are generally in line with his career numbers, if not a touch better than his time in Boston. At +416, he's worth a sprinkle in a super favorable matchup, and I'd play it down to +375.
- Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: Nationals.TV, NBC Sports Bay Area
Home run pick: William Contreras (+396)
The A's are moving to Las Vegas! Temporarily!
Tonight marks the A's first of six straight home games at Las Vegas Ballpark, with the Milwaukee Brewers coming to town. It's projected to feature the friendliest hitter environment on the schedule by a country mile, per BallparkPal.
While I'm tempted to target home-team sluggers like Shea Langeliers and Brent Rooker, their price tags have them below +300 to go deep, and Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison has generally done a fantastic job at limiting the long ball. It doesn't mean he can't be gotten to, but I'd rather get a longer number if I'm going to fade him.
Instead, Jeffrey Springs is the lefty hurler to target. He has surrendered 14 home runs in 70 innings and boasts the 12th-highest fly-ball rate in MLB and the eighth-worst HR/FB rate among qualified starters.
William Contreras hasn't exhibited the best power of his career this season. Still, he is one of the hardest hitters in baseball to strike out (91st percentile K%) and is squaring the ball up well, but it just hasn't resulted in over-the-fence production. Yet.
Given the nature of Las Vegas Ballpark, which projects to be a hitter's haven not unlike Sacramento's Sutter Health Park, I like Contreras at a better value than teammate Jackson Chourio (+278).
- Time: 10:05 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: Brewers.TV, NBC Sports California
See our full Brewers vs. A's predictions for today.
Today’s HR parlay
| Adley Rutschman | Bet Now +17404 |
| Rafael Devers | |
| William Contreras |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Canadiens Should Target Vegas Defenseman
The Montreal Canadiens’ blueline isn’t exactly the most physical in the league, and Martin St-Louis doesn’t have a lot of trust in Arber Xhekaj, whether he wants to admit it or not. The gritty blueliner even played just 1:52 in his last game in the playoffs, and it looks like he could be moved this summer, even if he is an RFA.
If that’s the case, Kent Hughes should take a long, hard look at Jeremy Lauzon. The Vegas Golden Knights blueliner won’t fill the net; he’s a stay-at-home blueliner, but he’s one that definitely has his coach’s trust, and he’s a Quebecer.
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If Vegas doesn’t sign him to a contract extension, Hughes should pounce. The 29-year-old might be a left-shot defender, but he would steady the Habs’ third pairing. He’s 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, and over his 384 career games in the NHL, he has averaged 17:34 of ice time.
In Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final, which went to double overtime, he spent 25:08 on the ice, blocked six shots and landed four hits. He’s also used on the Knights' second penalty killing unit, which would lighten the load on Lane Hutson. While the sophomore defenseman has shown that he can play on the PK, it would be ideal if St-Louis didn’t have to use him when Montreal is down a man; he could rest him and get more offensive minutes out of him.
Lauzon is coming off a four-year contract with a $2 million cap hit. Granted, he’ll be after a raise, but he might still not be all that expensive and with the cap going up again this upcoming season, the Canadiens could afford to make the move. The one red flag may be his injury history, but it would be worth digging into it to establish if he’s injury prone, or just unlucky.
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Yankees Birthday of the Day: Tacks Neuer
Like many people born in the 1870s, there are not a lot of records of John “Tacks” Neuer. However, due to a successful but incredibly brief run in the nation’s national pastime, Neuer finds himself remembered some 149 years after he was welcomed into this world.
Before getting into his life and brief career, the Tacks nickname deserves to be addressed. Neuer was also called “Bugs” by his teammates. Both nicknames stemmed from Neuer’s behavior both on and off the field. With all due respect, the best I could gather is that Neuer was something of an early baseball version of Wild Thing Rick Vaughn. Both in terms of being a unique character and one who lacked control of the baseball when hurling it off the mound.
John Stein Neuer
Born: Born: June 8, 1877 (Fremont, Ohio)
Died: January 14, 1966 (Northumberland, Pennsylvania)
Yankees (Highlanders) Tenure: 1907
Neuer was the first born of a large family. When he was young the family relocated to central Pennsylvania. It was in the heart of Appalachia’s Pennsylvania coal country that Neuer grew up and spent most of his life.
Lucky enough to avoid World War I, Neuer still saw service in the US Military. That service came in the Spanish-American War. For those less historically inclined, and apologies to those who are more knowledgeable, the war between the Spanish Empire and the United States lasted about two months in 1898. Neuer enlisted and served as a private in the military for the year.
Upon being discharged from the military, Neuer returned home and began working for the railroad. While working on the railroad Neuer played baseball in his free time and grew into a local legend due to his lefty presence on the mound and impressive talent both hitting and on the basepaths. Neuer was a talented pitcher but often found his control would simply disappear.
After bouncing around playing where he could Neuer found himself almost 30-years-old and as far from the big leagues as ever. However, fate had other plans as Neuer found his way to Savannah Georgia in 1907. In Savannah, not for the Bananas, Neuer put together one of the best runs of his career and it just happened at the right time.
On August 23, 1907, the New York Highlanders purchased Neuer. The Highlanders had struggled to that point in the year and needed some pitching to make it through the season, and were hopeful of finding a few diamonds in the rough for the next season. Neuer and his impressive three-month stretch fit the bill.
A few days after joining the club, Neuer made his debut against the Boston Americans in the second game of a doubleheader. Neuer earned the win throwing a complete game shutout holding the Americans to only three hits and striking out six. Over the course of six more starts Neuer threw two more shutouts including a two hitter against the Washington Senators and a three hitter against the Chicago White Sox. Neuer’s final line for the season was a 4-2 record with a 2.17 ERA across 54.0 innings.
This performance dazzled and had many fans dreaming about what Neuer could be next year in a full season. Once again, fate had other plans. Neuer lost control of the baseball and tried to start throwing the junk pitches of the day like knuckleballs and the likes. This caused Neuer’s star to burn out as quickly as it streaked through the 1907 season and ended his major league career after only a few months.
The ending coming so quickly allows for some unique history. Neuer is still one of only a few pitchers in major league history to throw a complete game shutout in their first and final major league starts. Additionally, Neuer still owns the highest percentage of shutouts per start, excluding players who only made one start. In a way, Neuer almost feels like an early version of a Yankees cult hero, Aaron Small.
Neuer bounced around playing for several different minor league teams for several years, not officially retiring from playing until the 1913 season. After retiring, Neuer continued to be a part of the game. Neuer crossed over to the dark side and became an umpire. In this second cameo, Neuer made a name for himself as one of the original character umpires, known for a loud and one-of-a-kind strike call, laying the foundation for the likes of Ron Luciano, Dutch Rennert, and Tom Hallion amongst over umpires who have went untraditional in their approaches.
While his playing career at the highest level proved brief, Neuer remained connected to baseball for decades and left behind one of the most interesting statistical resumes in the sport’s history. A player, umpire, and Yankee.
Happy birthday Tacks!
KAT or Brunson? NBA Finals MVP is a toss-up with some intriguing long-shot candidates
If the NBA’s Western Conference represented a different class of competition than the East, nobody told the New York Knicks. Mike Brown’s team extended their playoff win streak to 13 games after stealing two tight games in San Antonio, and are now playing their first NBA Finals games in Madison Square Garden in 27 years with a 2-0 series advantage. The Spurs have looked more terrestrial than their reputation, but they’ve held leads late in both games, and perhaps the real difference between conferences is showing up in the fatigue factor in the final minutes.
The market for NBA Finals MVP on FanDuel is a valuable measure of the impact that each player has had on the series so far. It’s also a look beyond the box score to consider the narratives that are likely to close out the season.
Jalen Brunson (+115)
Brunson shook off a slow start to game 1 (including multiple injury scares) to take over in the fourth quarter and nailed tough looks down the stretch. Conventional wisdom and historical precedent have suggested that a team can’t win a championship if their best player is short. But this is nothing new to Jalen Brunson, who’s carried his teams to titles at every level of his career.
He hasn’t been an efficient shooter to start the series (33.9% FG), but he’s found ways to force his impact; scoring 30 points in the opener and grabbing five steals to go with his 20 points and six assists in game two. The Knicks’ offense evolved when Towns became more of a facilitator, but Brunson’s penetration and pull-ups are still the team’s primary options in crunch time.
Karl-Anthony Towns (+165)
Maybe the best argument in Becky Hammon’s favor is that the Knicks are on the precipice of a championship because of the play of their big man, Karl-Anthony Towns. He’s challenged conventional wisdom about his own play during this win streak, using his size to play physical defense and wear on Wemby, while grabbing 12.5 tough rebounds.
Towns has unlocked the Knicks’ offense by serving more as an offensive hub and highlighting his passing, but he’s still the best shooting big man of all time. He sank 3 three-pointers while shooting an efficient 66.7% from the floor in game two, and could easily catch fire and come out of his matchup with Wemby as the most impactful big man in a short series.
Victor Wembanyama (+380)
Even with his team down two games, Wemby has looked like the best player on the floor for significant stretches. He shot over 50% from the field for 29 points in game two while logging nine rebounds, four blocks, and two steals. Those are star numbers, but the Spurs will need him to resemble something more superhuman if they’re to overcome their size and youth disadvantages and climb back from down 0-2.
Nobody has won the Finals MVP in a losing effort since Jerry West in 1969, and it would take an effort at least as impressive as West’s 40-point triple-double in game seven to repeat the honor. If anyone in the league could pull off those kinds of numbers though, it’s Victor Wembanyama.
Longshots
There’s still plenty of basketball left, and a handful of players have made steady impacts that could explode with the right combination of adjustments and luck.
Mikal Bridges (+17500) has regained his form as a dynamic two-way threat. He scored 20 points in game two, and has been a connective tissue and clutch shooter throughout the Knicks’ win streak.
OG Anunoby (+17500) has shown no fear, nailing jumpers and dunking on Wemby for 17 points in each contest. He’s also been an imposing force on defense, totaling six blocks and assists through two games.
Stephon Castle (+25000) has played beyond his years, cutting down his turnovers while scoring in double digits and holding up well on defense.
Dylan Harper (+25000) didn’t even make a postseason tournament with Rutgers last year, but he’s looked more than comfortable on the game’s biggest stage. The rookie has only shot 1-7 from deep in the first two games, but he’ll keep seeing more minutes.
Donald Trump, James Dolan relationship: Knicks owner is major donor
United States President Donald Trump isn't expected to show up uninvited to Game 3 of the NBA Finals. He'll be inside Madison Square Garden as the guest of New York Knicks owner James Dolan, and Trump made clear the two go way back.
"Well, I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan," Trump told reporters last week when asked about his plans to be in attendance when the Knicks host their first NBA Finals game since 1999 on Monday, June 8. "He’s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win, and he’s a competitive guy. He’s got a team that’s amazing.
"They're really great, a great team. I'm happy for Jim (Dolan) because Jim has really been fighting hard to produce such a team," Trump added.
So Trump will now become the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game, with extra security precautions that will affect some fans. He also raised the possibility of attending Game 4 as well thanks to his relationship with Dolan, who took over day-to-day operations of the team in 1999, two years after his father, former Cablevision founder Charles Dolan, bought it.
Here's more on the friendship between Dolan and Trump ahead of Trump's expected appearance at Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs:
James Dolan is a major Donald Trump donor
Dolan gave $125,000 to Trump's re-election campaign efforts, according to multiple reports, five days after his public spat with the then-NBA champion Golden State Warriors about whether Stephen Curry had declined an invite to the White House or Trump rescinded the invitation. He previously donated $300,000 to his 2016 election campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
"Mr. Dolan is a long-time friend and supporter of President Trump," a Knicks spokesperson said at the time. "His contribution is a matter of public record, and was made by Mr. Dolan as a private citizen."
Dolan was also criticized in October 2024 when Trump held a rally at Madison Square Garden. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe controversially called Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage" when he spoke before Trump. Arena reps noted that former President Joe Biden had previously held an event at Radio City Music Hall, which is also owned by Dolan.
“As a business we are neutral in political matters," a Madison Square Garden official said in a statement. "We rent to either side. We don’t censor artists, performers or speakers."
James Dolan is a Mar-A-Lago member
In addition to Trump's numerous public proclamations regarding his friendship with Dolan, the Knicks owner said previously he's a member at Trump's Mar-A-Lago club. Dolan held his wedding at there in 2002 and his son, Charles, did the same in 2017.
"I've known him for a long time. I got married at Mar-a-Lago. I'm a member of Mar-a-Lago, and I support him as a friend," Dolan told ESPN in 2018. "And you don't have to agree with everything that he's doing in order to support him. And he's, by the way, our president, and I don't understand people who wish our president to do badly. Why would you wish your president to do badly? It's like wishing that your milkman will bring you sour milk."
Trump is a longtime Knicks fan
NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed Trump's bonafides as a Knicks fan last week when asked about the President's potential attendance at Madison Square Garden.
"Donald Trump, before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan," Silver said. "I was there at many Knicks games with him in the old days. He attended many of our drafts when they used to take place at Madison Square Garden."
Silver noted he hopes Trump's appearance will "emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart. We’re seeing that in New York and I think President Trump is very much a New Yorker, and I’m thrilled that yet another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knick team."
Dolan, Trump involved in Penn Station project
The Trump administration is reportedly involved in plans that, if approved, would lead to a massive renovation of Penn Station and moving Madison Square Garden from its current spot on top of the midtown Manhattan train station. The plan needs Dolan's approval and he initially declined interest in moving the arena.
The New York Post reported that Dolan and Trump had a meeting in April to discuss the Penn Station plans and the prospect of renaming Penn Station after Trump.
James Dolan, Rockettes controversy at Trump inauguration
Dolan, as Madison Square Garden executive chairman, also runs the Rockettes Christmas show out of Radio City Music Hall in New York. For Trump's first inauguration, Dolan agreed to have the Rockettes perform and the dancers endured social media backlash. They were not ultimately forced to perform.
"This is a great national event," Dolan said to the dancers, according to a recording leaked to Marie Claire magazine. "Every four years we put in a new president. It's a huge moment in the country's history. It usually signifies a whole change in how the government is going to run. The fact that we get to participate in it … we are an American brand, and I think it's very appropriate that the Rockettes dance in the inaugural and 4th of July and our country's great historical moments.
"A good portion of people voted for this person" Dolan added. "Hopefully they will like our brand. If 1% of 1% of them come to our show, we're going to do great."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump at NBA Finals: Knicks owner James Dolan is major donor
Morning Flurries: Who will land Dylan Larkin?
As we wait for a Stanley Cup champion to get on with the rest of the offseason, the name of Detroit Red Wings’ top center is percolating in the rumor mill. Word is Dylan Larkin has requested a trade. Most teams should be interested but it seems there’s only three teams he’s willing to waive his No Trade Clause to join — Florida, Minnesota and Vegas. Will he get what he wants or will Steve Yzerman get the upper hand?
One organization that is making moves is the Nashville Predators and Chris MacFarland quickly added former LA Kings GM Rob Blake to his staff. Apparently there were thoughts of Blake joining the Avalanche and that option is now removed.
It’s also awards season since the in-person show got nixed. There were mixed reviews on how Tampa Bay Lightning’s star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy received the Vezina trophy. The NHL set up a prank and stuffed the trophy in his very small car, saying the police needed to raid it. All was good in the end but was it necessary?
Elephant Rumblings: A’s Interested in KC Starter
Morning all!
The A’s are slumping right now but got back into the win column yesterday in the series finale and they’ve fallen to third place in the AL West. Their still only 2 1/2 games back in the division though and with the recent issues with the starting rotation the club has begun exploring upgrades to bolster the staff.
One name that we’ve now heard the club is interested in is Kansas City starter Kris Bubic. A pending free agent after the season the left-hander would help a beleaguered rotation that has lost Luis Severino and Aaron Civale to the IL in recent days. Even before those arms got injured the starting group could have used an upgrade.
It’s not quite trading season but indications are the A’s plan on being buyers. Bubic won’t be the last name connected to the A’s but he’s certainly an interesting name to monitor.
Have a great Monday A’s fans.
A’s Coverage:
- A’s interested in Kris Bubic
- A’s Falter Late, Drop Finale To Cubs 7-6
- Wednesday Potpourri: What’s Up With Butler, Closer, June Plan?
- Bullpen, Late Rally Lift A’s to 10-Inning Win Over the Cubs
- Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In June
- Las Vegas is the home the A’s have been waiting for
- The A’s Inability To Play Well At Home Is Embarrassing
- A’s Unravel in Series and Homestand Finale
- A’s call up pitching prospect Kade Morris
- Road, sweet road? A’s ready for reset after rough homestand
- Arnold and Jump are both slinging … anyone else reminded of another A’s duo?
- Braves Acquire Austin Wynns, Adding Another Layer to A’s Catcher Connection
- Ginn’s glow-up: A’s hurler coming into his own at right time
- Three Dark Horse Trade Candidates for Athletics This Summer
- June update: 2026 top 10 prospect rankings for all 30 MLB teams
- Athletics Early MLB Draft Preview
- The A’s may have finally found their new leadoff hitter
- Wilson takes swings in next step toward return from IL
MLB News and Interest:
- Would the Braves take Skubal? Of course, but that’s not the whole question
- Witt exits with sore knee, but Royals optimistic it isn’t serious
- Alex Bregman takes blame for Cubs’ offensive woes after loss
- Max Kepler, suspended for PEDs in January, joins D-backs
- Jameson Taillon Leaves Game Due To Hamstring Strain
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X:
ICYMI:
Is Rooker finally turning things around?
Big Freeze had drama, brilliance and freewheeling footy. Neale Daniher would have loved it | Jonathan Horn
Melbourne and Collingwood let their attacking football do the talking as 90,000 at the MCG felt the absence of the AFL great and MND advocate
There were more than 88,000 people at the MCG on Monday. But there was an absence, a void. There was lots of money raised, and celebrities and comedians of various grades sliding for laughs and donations. There were entire bays of supporters wearing blue beanies. There was Neale Daniher’s daughter, heavily pregnant, the spitting image of her dad, and now very much the public face of Fight MND. There was Jai Arrow, a 30-year-old former NRL player who was recently diagnosed with MND, tossing the coin. There were doctors and researchers talking about the disease with an optimism that we hadn’t heard in previous years. There was talk of significant progress in prognoses, in improving quality of life and in tapping into gene therapy.
But there was still that pall. When Daniher was wheeled around the MCG boundary line this time last year, it felt like a farewell. Such was his personality, you checked yourself whenever you felt pity or sorrow at what he was going through. Only in his absence could we get a proper appreciation of how much he’d done, how much he’d endured, and how much we’d lost.
Continue reading...Astros Prospect Report: June 7th
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (27-36) lost 11-5 (BOX SCORE)
McPherson started for Sugar Land and had his best outing in Triple-A allowing 2 runs over 4 innings striking out 7 batters. The offense picked up 3 runs in the 5th inning on a Ferreras RBI single and Biggio 2 run double. Bolton relieved McPherson and allowed 3 runs over 2 innings. In the 7th, Ferreras connected on a solo home run to get one run back. The pen continued to struggle allowing 3 more runs in the 7th as El Paso extended their lead. The offense was unable to comeback as Sugar Land lost 11-5.
Note: Ferreras is hitting .529 in Triple-A.
- Cavan Biggio, LF: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI
- Zach Dezenzo, 1B: 1-for-4, R
- CJ Alexander, RF: 1-for-4, 2B
- Zach Cole, CF: 2-for-3, R, RBI, BB
- Carlos Perez, C: 1-for-4, R
- Pascanel Ferreras, SS: 2-for-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
- Brandon McPherson, RHP: 2.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
- Cody Bolton, RHP: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
- Roddery Munoz, RHP: 0.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
- Logan VanWey, RHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
- Miguel Ullola, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
- Tom Cosgrove, LHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (25-32) lost 11-6 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got the scoring started getting a Sullivan solo home run in the first inning. In the second inning, Spence connected on a solo home run. The offense scored 2 runs in the 4th on a Schiavone solo home run and Austin solo home run. They added 2 more runs in the 5th on an Encarnacion steal of home and Schiavone RBI single. Dombroski started for the Hooks and was solid allowing 2 runs over 5.2 innings. The pen struggled through allowing 9 runs as Arkansas took the lead. The offense was quiet the rest of the way as the Hooks fell 11-6.
Note: Schiavone has a .937 OPS in Double-A.
- Yamal Encarnacion, 2B: 1-for-3, R, BB, 3 SB
- Joseph Sullivan, CF: 1-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, 2 BB, SB
- Jason Schiavone, C: 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI
- Trevor Austin, 3B: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI
- Lucas Spence, DH: 2-for-4, R, HR, RBI
- Trey Dombroski, LHP: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
- Hudson Leach, RHP: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
- Alejandro Torres, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
- Jose Guedez, RHP: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
- Ramsey David, RHP: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (15-41) lost 16-14 (BOX SCORE)
Asheville got on the board in the first inning on a Call solo home run. Howard started for Asheville but really struggled allowing 9 runs, 8 earned, over just 1.2 innings. The offense got 4 runs back in the 3rd inning on a Powell RBI single, Ochoa 2 run double and Walker RBI double. They got 2 more in the 4th on a Thomas RBI double and Powell RBI single. Asheville took the lead scoring 4 runs in the 6th inning on an Ochoa 3 run double and Walker RBI single. The pen struggled late allowing 3 runs in the 7th, 2 runs in the 8th and 2 runs in the 9th. The offense rallied getting a Thomas RBI single in the 7th, Moss sac fly in the 8th and Ochoa RBI single in the 9th but that was it as Asheville fell 16-14.
Note: Thomas has a .965 OPS this season.
- Justin Thomas, DH: 2-for-3, 4 R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB
- Caden Powell, CF: 2-for-5, R, 2 RBI, BB
- Chase Call, LF: 1-for-5, 2 R, HR, RBI
- Nehomar Ochoa, 1B: 3-for-6, R, 2 2B, 6 RBI
- Kyle Walker, 2B: 3-for-5, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB
- Freuddy Batista, C: 1-for-4, 2 R
- Zach Daudet, 3B: 3-for-4, 3 R, BB
- Dylan Howard, RHP: 1.2 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
- Raimy Rodriguez, RHP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
- Francisco Frias, RHP: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
- Bryce Collins, RHP: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
- Colby Langford, LHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (25-32) lost 16-2 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning thanks to a Neyens 2 run home run, his 8th home run of the season. Smith got the start but struggled allowing 8 runs, 7 earned, over 4.1 innings. The rest of the pen struggled too allowing 8 runs. The Woodpeckers’ offense was shut down the rest of the way as they fell 16-2.
Note: Neyens has a .816 OPS this season.
- Anthony Huezo, CF: 1-for-5, R, 2B
- Xavier Neyens, 3B: 1-for-5, R, HR, 2 RBI
- Waner Luciano, DH: 2-for-3, 2B. BB
- Hector Salas, RF: 1-for-3, BB
- German Ramirez, SS: 2-for-3, BB
- Aubrey Smith, RHP: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
- Ryan Mathiesen, RHP: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
- Adam Shoemaker, LHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
- Leomar Rosario, RHP: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Today’s minor league starters:
SL: OFF
CC: OFF
AV: OFF
FV: OFF
Three up, three down: week of June 1-7
Alright, that is how the team should be playing at home. Going 5-1 against some good competition was a nice salve for the home issues they have had and before you say the Padres and White Sox aren’t good competition, they were both over .500 coming into this week. The bats woke up a bit while the starting pitching, for the most part, held serve.
Three up
Brandon Marsh – One of the interesting developments with the season is the continued improvement of Brandon Marsh. One of the only consistent hitters in the lineup this season, Marsh has put up numbers worthy of a selection to the All-Star Game, something that could be tough with the need for each team to have a representative. He’s definitely deserving, so finding a spot should be a priority among the coaching staff.
Adolis Garcia – A regular of the trio found in the section below this, let’s give credit to where it’s due for Garcia. He had a good week for the team, getting six hits on the week, two of them leaving the yard as home runs. It’s been good to see some right handed pop in the lineup, so let’s hope he can continue. Interesting note: for a player that has had it drilled into his head to take a few more walks, be a little more patient during his time here, Garcia’s best week in about a month and a half came in the week he didn’t take a single walk.
Jhoan Duran – I mean, what else should we say? Duran is about as lockdown a reliever as the league has this season. Each time he comes in, you simply expect a 1-2-3 innings to happen. Even when a batter makes contact, it’s honestly shocking that it happens.
Three down
Justin Crawford – Listen. The kid is struggling. With Steward Berroa here, possessing the ability to even stand in centerfield, it would maybe be a good idea to give the kid a day off to get himself right. Going back to May 4, he’s hitting .186/.239/.291. He’s slumping, badly. He needs a breather.
Andrew Painter – Speaking of struggling rookies. Painter’s job isn’t in question, that much is for sure. He’s a big part of this team’s present and future. But man, has it been disappointing to watch him this year. You wish the team had an alternative to him, someone who could also give him a skipped start or something along those lines. They just have….nothing. In the end, he’ll be fine as his stuff is just too good to see him continue being as up and down as he is. It’s just tough to watch at times right now.
J.T. Realmuto – We knew the decline would be tough, but Realmuto just doesn’t have it right now at the plate. We could talk about the need for days off with him as we do every year, but we all know it’s not going to happen.
2026 MLB Draft Preview: Liam Peterson
2026 MLB Draft Preview: Liam Peterson scouting report.
The 2026 is about a month away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.
Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at University of Florida righthander Liam Peterson.
Liam Peterson is a 6’5”, 225 lb. righthanded pitcher for the University of Florida who turns 21 later this month. Peterson attended high school at Calvary Christian in Clearwater, Florida, and was a consensus top 100 guy for the 2023 MLB Draft, but was not selected due to signability issues. He has been a starter for the Gators all three years he’s been there.
Peterson is considered, if not having the best stuff in this draft class, to be near the top. Baseball America did an extensive write-up on him in October, profiling him as potentially the top pitcher in the draft class. His fastball sits in the mid-90s, and can reportedly get up to 98-99 mph. He throws both a slider and a curveball, with the slider being his primary out pitch. Peterson also has a changeup that is relatively advanced, and the changeup can be a weapon against lefties.
The knock on Peterson is his command, with Keith Law, for example, noting that he gets hit too hard for the type of stuff he has, and Fangraphs noting that Florida has had a history of not developing their pitchers as well as they should. The October write-up from BA says that he has a quality fastball, but not one that he can just blow batters away with, saying that Peterson “will be reliant on command to avoid damage.”
As a freshman, Peterson had a 6.43 ERA in 63 innings over 16 starts and two relief appearances, striking out 77 of 301 batters while walking 44 and giving up 15 homers. He took a step forward in 2025, lowering his ERA to 4.28 in 69.1 innings over 15 starts and a relief appearances, increasing his K total to 96 (out of 305 batters) while lowering his walks to 32 and reducing his homer count to 9.
In 2026, Peterson put up a 4.59 ERA in 16 starts covering 84.1 IP, with 111 Ks, 36 walks and 11 homers, facing 368 batters. He ended the 2026 season on a down note, giving up nine runs in five innings to Troy in the Gainesville Regional. Florida was eliminated by Troy in the next game.
Baseball America has Peterson at #21 on their board. MLB Pipeline has Peterson at #14 on their board. Kiley McDaniel puts Peterson at #13 on his top 150 list. Keith Law’s rankings have Peterson at #8 on his board. Fangraphs has Peterson at #13 on their board. Baseball Prospectus does not have Peterson on their top 30 draft board.
In the most recent Baseball America mock draft, Carlos Collazo has Peterson going to the Rangers at #16. Jim Callis’s June 4 mock draft has Peterson going to the Diamondbacks at #15, but also mentions him in connection with several teams ahead of Arizona. Keith Law’s May mock draft has Peterson going to the Cardinals at #13. Kiley McDaniel’s May 29 mock draft has Peterson going to the Rockies at #10.
I decided to start the MLB Draft preview write-ups with Peterson, since he was who BA has going to the Rangers in the mock draft they released today. The current mocks have him generally off the board before the Rangers pick, so at this point it would be mildly surprising if he dropped to them, but a lot can happen between now and draft day, and things are always fluid once you get past the first handful of picks.
The Rangers hit a home run with the selection of Alejandro Rosario in the 5th round in 2023, whose results in college didn’t match his stuff, though Peterson has had much more success than Rosario did. Its the same idea, though, grabbing a guy with great stuff with the belief that you can refine things and get better results from him. In addition, the Rangers used premium picks in back to back years on Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, two guys who were seen as being hit harder in college at times than they should have been, given their stuff. Getting Peterson at #16 would be a major coup if the organization could have the same sort of success with him that the organization did with Rosario.
2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Javier Assad is the Superhero vs. the Giants
Wow. Just wow. Just last night I talked about the perils of falling in love with walk-off victories. Not that I think the Cubs were sitting back and waiting and thinking that they could just flip a switch at the last minute. And yet, the game played out that way anyway. Your mileage may vary, but this “shape” of game frustrates me more than say Friday’s loss. Oh, it’s embarrassing to lose 18-3, don’t get me wrong. But when the pitching is bad on this team, I kind of expect that. I’m not interested in exploring that thought just now. But that’s where my baseline is. But on a night like Sunday? A night when the bullpen gives the Cubs eight innings of relief with no runs allowed? That’s frustrating.
I know Javier Assad is a starter and I know he’s stretched out. So when I say “relief” outing, I see a few eyes rolling. But to be fair, Assad might have been told to be ready for a multi-inning outing Sunday. I’m sure that thought was maybe Javy would be called upon to throw two or three innings to bridge the gap between an underachieving starting rotation and an overworked bullpen resulting from those short comings. But he surely wasn’t guaranteed to get those innings tonight. Jacob Webb and Daniel Palencia both threw in this game and surely would have been available if (say) Jameson Taillon had gotten deep in the game. If Jameson gives them six innings and leaves say a 5-2 game, does Assad even pitch? So it’s not like he was sitting there ready to go. No one expected to see him in a competitive second inning.
But there was Assad on no notice, Webb for a couple of batters and Palencia for the ninth inning. All of that before Trent Thornton’s rough 10th inning in a tough spot. But I give Thornton credit. I will always think the reliever did a decent job if he holds the team to a single run in the top half of an extra inning. The whole setup is turbo charged, designed for run scoring. It’s superior if they hold a team scoreless and a disaster if they allow two or more. Again, your mileage may vary. So I don’t hold this against Thornton in any way. I do think differently about the bottom of the inning, particularly after you get a run in the top of the inning. It changes the way the inning plays once you have that lead. The pressure alone helps the road team once they get that run.
So my ire here is where it largely is with this team. These hitters have lost their way. It’s so bizarre. I’ve gotten to the point where I pretty much only want to see Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch and Ian Happ bat. I will give a nod to Moisés Ballesteros for a really great plate appearance tonight and the only run driven in. But that performance like so many of his teammates has been so few and far between for the last month. In this one, that was compounded by a couple of questionable baserunning decisions. A team shouldn’t slump for a whole month. Nico Hoerner. Alex Bregman. Seiya Suzuki. To differing degrees, these guys have track records. I don’t even know what you do with this.
I mean that’s not entirely true. The real answer is that you look yourself in the mirror. I’m not a big fan of ultimatums. I don’t think you go fire and brimstone from the front office. You just do your job. I know combing the back fields is quite the way amateur scouting goes anymore. At least not to the extent that it once did. But whatever amateur scouting looks like, whatever minor league scouting looks like, whatever international scouting looks like, you turn your attention there. It’s not over, but this team is heading towards lost cause. You start doing your homework on how to make this team better in 2027 and beyond. There’s no magic button that is going to fix this. Either these hitters are going to come back to life and find the magic they had earlier, or you are going to drift into oblivion.
The efforts are best served looking to the future. Not that an organization can’t “walk and chew gum at the same time.” But, I’m certain the tenor of phone calls and planting seeds is different when you are looking to add bodies than when you are looking to subtract them. Certainly if you think that another Edward Cabrera-type addition could add for 2026 and into the future, incremental help could help this year. The draft isn’t valuable enough to reward tanking in baseball. So I don’t think you go full youth movement or anything. But I do think you maybe at least start signaling that certain veteran players might become available, say by visibly scouting high level prospects from contending organizations.
It makes me sick that we are here. But it is what it is. I realize the Giants also just took two out of four from the Brewers. But I think of it like a piece I wrote earlier in the week about getting shut down by an A’s pitcher making his second major league start. In both situations, on a one off basis, of course that can happen. But this team hasn’t won a series in a month. Getting to easier competition hasn’t helped. The Cubs won two games this week. One was a fluky ninth inning comeback and one was an individually heroic performance behind the most effective Cubs starter. The offense had three good games on the road last week and got three wins out of it. But it’s just not enough. Two of six at home this past week. Three of seven the week before against two division rivals. No wins the week before.
Not. Good. Enough. Not. Acceptable.
Three Positives:
- Javier Assad threw 6.1 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed a hit, a walk and hit a batter. Even in the era of occasional use of openers, that has to be one of the longest and most effective relief outings in Cub history.
- Moisés Ballesteros had a hit, a walk and an RBI in his three plate appearances. A very nice day at the plate for the rookie. Very encouraging as one of the guys who has struggled a lot over the last month.
- Ian Happ had a triple. The only extra base hit by the Cubs.
Game 66, June 7: Giants 2, Cubs 1 (34-32)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
- Superhero: Javier Assad (.456). 6.1 IP, 21 BF, H, BB, 0 ER, 5 K
- Hero: Moisés Ballesteros (.148). 1-2, BB, RBI
- Sidekick: Daniel Palencia (.134). IP, 3 BF, K
THREE GOATS:
- Billy Goat: Alex Bregman (-.545). 0-5, DP
- Goat: Michael Busch (-.202). 1-5, DP
- Kid: Carson Kelly (-.195). 1-4, R
WPA Play of the Game: Alex Bregman lined into a double play with runners on first and third and no outs in the eighth inning. With all due respect to the rest of the game, this is where the potential Cub win died. You can see that in the chart above. (.301).
Cubs Play of the Game: Michael Busch singles with no outs and a runner on first and the game tied in the eighth inning. After a throwing error, the runner Kevin Alcantara went first to third. (.181)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 65 Winner: Pete Crow-Armstrong received 237 out of 254 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
- Michael Busch +20
- Ben Brown +11.5
- Pete Crow-Armstrong/Michael Conforto +10
- Carson Kelly/Ian Happ +8.5
- Ryan Rolison/Phil Maton/Jameson Taillon -8
- Caleb Thielbar -9
- Matt Shaw -10
- Dansby Swanson -11
- Seiya Suzuki -26.5
Up Next: An off day on Monday. On Tuesday, the Cubs start a three game series in Colorado. The Rockies aren’t as woeful as they’ve been recently, but they are 24-42 with a -99 run differential. That run differential points to an expected 24-42 win loss record. So, you could say that they are who they are. By OPS, the Rockies are 17th in MLB (Cubs still hanging in there at ninth). By ERA, the Rockies are 30th (Cubs are 19th). One might expect, looking at those numbers, that the teams would have a high scoring series. The Rockies are 12-19 at home (12-23 on the road).
Colin Rea (5-3, 4.59, 64.2 IP) makes his 11th start of the season. He’s allowed seven earned runs over his last three starts, covering 17.2 innings (3.56 ERA). 36-year-old righty Tomoyuki Sugano (5-4, 3.98, 63.1 IP) gets his 13th start of the year. He’s 3-2 with a 4.50 in five home starts this year.
Two or even three wins in Colorado isn’t going to reignite my excitement about this team. But again, tanking doesn’t have a ton of value in baseball, so might as well go win these games.
*Side notes, Javier Assad and Alex Bregman’s Sunday night performances appear to both be among biggest WPA values by Cub players this year (one positive, one negative). Additionally, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s game Saturday and Pete Crow-Armstrong’s game Thursday were all notable WPA games for the season. Look for a comment from me on Monday regarding where those performances stack up with others this year. Or in the case of the PCA Saturday heroics, how it fits in amongst performances in recent years (by WPA).
Skubal shoves for the Whitecaps, Erie and Lakeland close out week with wins
CANCELED: Toledo Mud Hens vs. Iowa Cubs
Inclement weather canceled the series finale between Toledo and Iowa. The Mud Hens take the series 4-1.
Coming Up Next: The Hens are at home next week against the St. Paul Saints, starting Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Erie SeaWolves 6, Richmond Flying Squirrels 3 (box)
A four-run ninth carried Erie to victory on Sunday, as the SeaWolves tied the series with the Richmond Flying Squirrels at three games apiece.
The most impactful swing of the night came from Izaac Pacheco with two outs in the top of the ninth. Mitch White had just taken over for Seth Lonsway, and Pacheco took the first pitch he saw — a 96-mph fastball low in the zone — and crushed it for a two-run homer, giving Erie a 4-3 lead. Justice Bigbie was on base from a single before the pitching change.
Things didn’t get better for White. Andrew Jenkins singled, E.J. Exposito walked and Seth Stephenson drove both runners in with a double to the wall in left-center. 6-3, Seawolves.
Moises Rodriguez earned the win with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth. However, Rodriguez was also the reason Richmond took a late lead. He sailed a throw to first and watched it ricochet off the tarp and down the right field line. The runner ended up on third and scored on a sacrifice fly.
The rest of Erie’s pitching was sound. Max Alba gave 4 2/3 innings of two-run ball, striking out four. A solo home run in the first and a soft RBI single into left in the fourth were the only costly mistakes of the day for him. Tanner Kohlhepp took over for Alba in the fifth to get the final out and pitch through the sixth. Eric Silva went 1-2-3 in the seventh.
The SeaWolves didn’t have a ton of offense in the first eight frames. Exposito homered in the third to tie the game at 1-1, and Brett Callahan briefly tied the game again at two runs apiece in the eighth with an RBI. Bigbie and Stephenson both had two hits.
Liranzo: 0-4, 2 K
Exposito: 1-3, HR (8), 2 R, RBI, BB, K
Pacheco: 1-4, HR (9), R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Alba: 4.2 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves are at home next week against the Akron RubberDucks, starting Tuesday at 6:05 p.m ET.
West Michigan Whitecaps 11, Dayton Dragons 3 (box)
Tarik Skubal day in West Michigan went about as well as it could have, with the Whitecaps winning 8-0 over the Dayton Dragons and the Tigers’ ace looking near-perfect.
Skubal gave up two hits over five scoreless innings and struck out six. He reportedly touched 99 mph and looked like the guy Tigers fans have come to adore over the past few years. For a more in-depth breakdown of Skubal’s start, check out this piece.
Jackson Strong stayed hot at the plate, giving West Michigan an early lead with a two-run homer in the first, and the Whitecaps never looked back.
Garrett Pennington singled in two more runners in the third, Ricardo Hurtado doubled in a pair in the fifth, and Woody Hadeen made it 7-0 in the sixth with an RBI double. A balk with Bryce Rainer at the plate gave the Whitecaps run No. 8 in the seventh.
Hadeen, Pennington and Bennett Lee had multi-hit days. Lee just recently joined the roster after coming down from Erie on Saturday.
Ryan Harvey, Luke Stofel and CJ Weins continued the shutout in relief of Skubal. Harvey struck out a pair in as many innings, and the other two worked around a combined three hits over the final two frames. Way to not mess it up, guys.
The Whitecaps win the series, 4-2.
Rainer: 0-3, R, BB
Strong: 1-5, HR (5), R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Pennington:2-5, 2B (15), R, 2 RBI
Skubal: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are on the road against the Lake County Captains next week, starting Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. ET.
Lakeland Flying Tigers 5, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 3 (box)
Lakeland was outhit by Fort Myers on Sunday, but the Flying Tigers prevailed over the Mighty Mussels, 5-3, to close the series out with a second win.
Six free passes on the day helped Lakeland score more often, and six scattered hits around the lineup did the trick. Javier Osorio gave the Flying Tigers an early 2-0 lead with a two-run single into left field in the second.
Beau Ankeney got a run back in the sixth with a solo home run after Fort Myers scored in the top of the inning.
Jesus Pinto and Edian Espinal answered a two-run eighth by the Mighty Mussels with as many runs in the bottom half; the former singling into center field for a run, and the latter driving in another with a sacrifice fly.
Charlie Christensen gave Lakeland four innings of one-hit ball while striking out eight, lowering his ERA to 1.38 on the year. The right-hander’s secondary stuff was sharp once again, racking up whiffs with cutters, sliders, and changeups. Joe Ruzicka gave up the first run on two hits and a walk, but he lasted two innings. Jan Carabello struck out four over 1 2/3 innings, but he also gave up a pair of runs on four hits. Jatnk Diaz got the final four outs of the game, working around just one hit.
Ankeney: 1-4, HR (5), R, RBI, K
Christensen: 4.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K
Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers are on the road next week against the Clearwater Threshers, starting Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. ET.
Where to watch Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Monday, June 8
The Boston Red Sox, ranked fifth in the AL East with a 27-36 record, face the Tampa Bay Rays, who are first in the AL East with a 37-25 record. The game is essentially a pick'em, with Boston at -115 and Tampa Bay at -105. Starting pitchers are Connelly Early for Boston, with a 3.26 ERA, and Ian Seymour for Tampa Bay, with a 5.23 ERA.
How to watch Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays
Date: Monday, June 8
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT
Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
TV Channels: Rays.TV, NESN
Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports
Team records
Boston Red Sox: 27-36 (fifth in AL East)
Tampa Bay Rays: 37-25 (first in AL East)
Odds
Spread: Boston Red Sox -1.5
Moneyline: Tampa Bay Rays -105 / Boston Red Sox -115
Over/Under: 8
Starting pitchers
Boston Red Sox: Connelly Early (5-3, ERA: 3.26, K: 63, WHIP: 1.18)
Tampa Bay Rays: Ian Seymour (3-0, ERA: 5.23, K: 33, WHIP: 1.35)
Series: Game 1 of 3 (series tied)
Weather: 91°F at first pitch