Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:
For the Dodgers:
Let’s talk about it.
Gamethread 7/20: Dodgers at Phillies
LeBron James still hasn’t made a decision; Cleveland remains in the race
The Cleveland Cavaliers, like everyone else, are patiently (and anxiously) awaiting LeBron James’s latest decision.
It’s been roughly four weeks since James announced he would not be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers. The King will be moving on after eight years wearing the purple and gold. And now, we are all still waiting for him to announce where his talents will be taken next.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, that decision has yet to be made.
“There is no decision, no choice yet, no timetable on a choice as of yet,” said Charania.
This is the longest it has taken James to make a move like this. He previously announced his decision to join Miami, return to Cleveland, and head to Los Angeles all in the earlier days of free agency. This time around, James is soaking up every bit of the process. He’s put numerous teams across the league on hold, as teams are frozen in place waiting for him to make a decision.
All the while, it’s been a never-ending loop of the same updates. James is considering a handful of teams. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat appear to be in the lead. But the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves have not been formally removed from the race.
“We know the teams, Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, Golden State, Minnesota,” said Charania. “My understanding of the last couple weeks is the focus has been primarily on the Eastern Conference teams.”
Anything is possible. James could surprise us all. But one team has consistently remained in front of the discourse:
Cleveland.
The Cavs haven’t made any major moves this summer. They’ve even had James Harden on hold as he opted out of his contract to potentially clear the way for James to return. Until there’s clarity on LeBron’s future, Harden likely won’t sign a new deal.
The appeal of returning home speaks for itself. James has a deeper connection to Cleveland than any other team he could play for. It should be no surprise that the Cavs continue to be viewed as the favorites to land LeBron one final time.
Is Justin Verlander a First-Ballot Hall of Famer?
Earlier this month Justin Verlander announced his plans to retire at the end of the season. The veteran right-hander has had about as storied a MLB career as is possible. He will leave the game as a former MVP, pitching triple-crown winner, three-time Cy Young winner, two-time World Series champion, and Rookie of the Year, among a long list of other accomplishments. In his prime he was not only the best pitcher in baseball but arguably the best player in the game.
Verlander will retire as the active wins leader in MLB with 266 wins over his 21-year career. Which means despite all of his accomplishments he will fall 25-30 wins short of one of the all-time immortal MLB pitching marks. While it’s basically an arbitrary number, reaching 300 wins for a pitcher means something. Only 24 players have ever reached that mark. Behind Verlander, the next highest active mark is his old teammate Max Scherzer with 222 wins. Scherzer has totaled all of eight wins over his last two-plus seasons, making it basically impossible to reach 300. After that there isn’t a single pitcher with even 100 wins under the age of 32.
It is a very real possibility that there will never again be a 300 game winner in MLB. The active pitchers right now that appear to have the best shot at getting there are José Berríos, Freddy Peralta, Logan Webb, and Tarik Skubal.
Because of the elite levels Verlander reached even without getting to 300 wins, there is no question about his eventual home in Cooperstown. Verlander is a no-doubt Hall of Fame player, the only question is when. As with everything in baseball, the speed at reaching the Hall of Fame is something of a competition in its own right. Voters will decide if Verlander gets the accolade of being a First Ballot HOF player or just a regular-old every day Hall of Famer.
Cast your vote now and be on the lookout for results of the voting later this week. Make sure you never miss any Reacts surveys or results by signing up for the weekly newsletter!
Astros Reinstate Blanco, Sousa; Option King, Delgado
Today, the Houston Astros officially announced the following roster moves:
- RHP Ronel Blanco and LHP Bennett Sousa have been reinstated from the 60-day IL.
- IF Raynel Delgado has been optioned to Triple A.
- LHP Bryan King was optioned to Triple A after yesterday’s game.
Blanco will start tonight’s game against the Marlins at Daikin Park, joining the Astros battered rotation.
Sousa will likely reclaim a leverage role very soon, if not immediately. Sousa had ascended to being the primary setup man for Bryan Abreu after Josh Hader’s injury before he was injured himself.
King is suffering though the worst stretch of his career, having allowed 5 HR in his last 4 outings, including at least 1 HR allowed in each. King has been a valuable piece of the Astros pen since his call up in 2024, so it’s likely this demotion will either be only as long as it takes him to get right or until we find out he will be retroactively placed on IL.
Delgado’s versatility makes him a valuable depth piece, but with Jeremy Pena and Christian Walker avoiding the IL for the time being, doesn’t have a spot on the roster right now.
The Astros are now back to 13 pitchers and 13 position players on the active roster.
Mariners complete the signing of their 2026 draft class
The Seattle Mariners reportedly have completed the signing process of their 2026 draft class, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com, who also secured the details of the individual signing bonuses for each player. That is 18 new draftees entered into Seattle’s system, with only two players choosing to eschew the pros in favor of a college route: 18th round outfielder Dominic Santarelli of St. Joseph Catholic Academy in Wisconsin who will instead attend Louisiana State University, and 20th round 3B Connor Shouse out of Texas Tech University who was a draft-eligible sophomore and will return for his junior year.
It’s a more demure draft class than in years prior, and notably only includes college attendees, with Santarelli the only high schooler the club even selected. The M’s have hewed towards college performers plenty, but it was a striking level of singular focus. Seattle utilized $8,202,600 of their $8,218,200 bonus pool, reallocating their $460k in bonus pool savings from the first 10 rounds to securing several of their selections in rounds 11-14. The club reportedly had hopes of reeling in one or two prep talents, but was not able to financially draw Santarelli or Shouse away from school, and were wary of any of the remaining preps in the rounds of 11-20, opting for on-campus options instead.
The class of new players has continued to grow, however, with Baseball America reporting that Seattle has secured at least five additional players who went undrafted:
OF Kyle Boylston of Florida Atlantic University
C Jacob Galloway of Oregon State University
C Jake Harvey of University of Nevada
SS Henry Kaczmar of Ohio State University
RHP Joseph Webb of East Carolina University
While undrafted free agents are longshots for big league roles, there are several in recent years who have had big league time, including 1B Mike Ford and RHP Devin Sweet for the Mariners.
A List Of NBA Draft Picks Out Of Villanova
Villanova has enjoyed great success and put itself in the conversation of blue blood territory in recent years.
This success dates back decades as the Wildcats have been sending players to the next level since 1950.
That year, Paul Arizin was selected third-overall by the Philadelphia Warriors. To this day, he remains as the highest-drafted player to come out of Villanova.
Arizin was also the first of nine players selected in the Top 10 in the NBA Draft and one of 66 total players.
The 2018 class had the most selections with four. Mikal Bridges led the way that year as the 10th overall selection while Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman joined him in the first round. Jalen Brunson went on to be a second round selection as well.
With the addition of Luigi Suigo and others, it looks as though the list will grow in 2027 but for now, this is how it looks:
| Year | Round | Pick | Player | Team |
| 1950 | 1 | 3 | Paul Arizin | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1950 | 8 | 87 | Brooks Ricca | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1950 | 11 | 119 | Leo Wolfe | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1952 | 8 | 74 | Tom Brennan | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1952 | 11 | 95 | Ben Stewart | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1953 | 2 | 8 | Larry Hennessy | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1953 | 20 | 120 | Nick Maguire | Rochester Royals |
| 1955 | 3 | 17 | Bob Schafer | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1955 | 5 | 33 | Jack Devine | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1959 | 7 | 48 | Joe Ryan | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1960 | 8 | 62 | George Raveling | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1962 | 2 | 14 | Hubie White | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1963 | 1 | 6 | Tom Hoover | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1964 | 3 | 18 | Wali Jones | Detroit Pistons |
| 1965 | 1 | 6 | Jim Washington | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1965 | 5 | 40 | Richie Moore | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1966 | 2 | 19 | Bill Melchionni | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1966 | 10 | 85 | Rich Moore | New York Knicks |
| 1967 | 12 | 129 | Frank Gadjunas | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1968 | 16 | 197 | Joe Crews | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1969 | 6 | 84 | John Jones | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1970 | 8 | 131 | Fran O’Hanlon | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1971 | 2 | 32 | Howard Porter | Chicago Bulls |
| 1971 | 9 | 143 | Clarence Smith | Golden State Warriors |
| 1972 | 2 | 17 | Chris Ford | Detroit Pistons |
| 1972 | 4 | 50 | Hank Siemiontkowski | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1973 | 2 | 27 | Tom Ingelsby | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1973 | 11 | 174 | Ed Hastings | Boston Celtics |
| 1977 | 8 | 168 | John Olive | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1978 | 2 | 24 | Keith Herron | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1978 | 8 | 159 | Chubby Cox | Chicago Bulls |
| 1980 | 4 | 75 | Rory Sparrow | New Jersey Nets |
| 1981 | 4 | 86 | Alex Bradley | New York Knicks |
| 1981 | 7 | 145 | Tom Sienkiewicz | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1982 | 5 | 98 | Aaron Howard | New York Knicks |
| 1983 | 1 | 24 | Stewart Granger | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1983 | 3 | 58 | John Pinone | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1983 | 8 | 181 | Mike Mulguin | Phoenix Suns |
| 1984 | 8 | 183 | Frank Dobbs | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1985 | 1 | 10 | Ed Pinckney | Phoenix Suns |
| 1985 | 2 | 27 | Dwayne McClain | Indiana Pacers |
| 1985 | 7 | 154 | Gary McLain | New Jersey Nets |
| 1986 | 1 | 17 | Harold Pressley | Sacramento Kings |
| 1986 | 6 | 130 | Chuck Everson | Utah Jazz |
| 1987 | 6 | 121 | Harold Jensen | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1989 | 2 | 38 | Doug West | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 1995 | 2 | 44 | Anthony Pelle | Denver Nuggets |
| 1996 | 1 | 8 | Kerry Kittles | New Jersey Nets |
| 1997 | 1 | 7 | Tim Thomas | New Jersey Nets |
| 1997 | 2 | 41 | Jason Lawson | Denver Nuggets |
| 1997 | 2 | 47 | Alvin Williams | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1999 | 2 | 30 | John Celestand | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2001 | 1 | 17 | Michael Bradley | Toronto Raptors |
| 2006 | 1 | 7 | Randy Foye | Boston Celtics |
| 2006 | 1 | 24 | Kyle Lowry | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2009 | 2 | 33 | Dante Cunningham | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2015 | 2 | 38 | Darrun Hilliard | Detroit Pistons |
| 2017 | 1 | 30 | Josh Hart | Utah Jazz |
| 2018 | 1 | 10 | Mikal Bridges | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2018 | 1 | 17 | Donte DiVincenzo | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2018 | 1 | 30 | Omari Spellman | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2018 | 2 | 33 | Jalen Brunson | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2019 | 2 | 41 | Eric Paschall | Golden State Warriors |
| 2020 | 1 | 19 | Saddiq Bey | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2021 | 2 | 32 | Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | New York Knicks |
| 2023 | 1 | 20 | Cam Whitmore | Houston Rockets |
Drake Baldwin announced as National League Player of the Week
What a week for this guy, huh? First, he gets to go to his first-career All-Star Game as a player after getting voted in as a starter and now he’s ended what has had to have been a whirlwind week with a performance over the weekend that was so good that MLB has recognized him as the National League Player of the Week.
In the clearest sign yet that Baldwin is back in the form that earned him those All-Star honors, Baldwin had a massive series at the plate against the Rangers in Atlanta’s second-half opening series victory. The star catcher for the Braves racked up 10 hits (three of which were homers), eight RBI, five runs scored and he even threw in a stolen base as well. Five of those 10 hits came on Sunday alone, as Baldwin had himself a five-for-five game with two dingers. It was a dominant performance and one that was well worth the honor of getting named Player of the Week.
Here’s more from Major League Baseball’s official press release:
- The 25-year-old hit .714 (10-for-14) with three homers, eight RBI, a walk, five runs scored, a stolen base, a 1.357 slugging percentage and a .733 on-base percentage in three games.
- The Madison, Wisconsin native led the Majors in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS (2.090), hits and total bases (19); tied for first in RBI and runs scored; and tied for second in home runs.
- One of 36 first-time All-Stars in 2026, Baldwin racked up a career-best five hits on Sunday against Texas, becoming Atlanta’s first player with a five-hit game since Whit Merrifield in August 2024. Baldwin is the youngest Brave to achieve the feat since Michael Harris II had a five-hit game in June 2023 at the age of 22, and he became the first Brave with multiple home runs as part of a five-hit performance since his teammate Ozzie Albies in June 2021. Baldwin is just the sixth player in Braves history with a five-hit game as a catcher, joining Johnny Estrada (2004); Eddie Perez (1999); Biff Pocoroba (1982); Walker Cooper (1951); and Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi (1942).
- The 2025 NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award winner opened the second half with a three-hit, five-RBI game on Friday against Texas, becoming the second Brave this season with a five-RBI performance, joining fellow catcher Jonah Heim. The Braves are one of two clubs to have multiple games of at least five RBI by catchers this season, joining the Orioles, and it is just the fifth time in franchise history that the Braves have achieved the feat twice in a single season, joining 2006, 2003 (3x), 1966 and 1950.
- The third-round pick in the 2022 Draft out of Missouri State University has not struck out in 34 consecutive plate appearances dating back to July 8th, marking the longest active streak in the Majors. With 10 hits and eight RBI in the three-game set with the Rangers, Baldwin became the first Braves player to reach those marks in a three-game set and the first to reach those marks in a series of any length since Harris had 10 hits and nine RBI against the Mets in a four-game series earlier this month.
This is the first time that a Braves player has been named Player of the Week so far this season and hopefully it won’t be the last, either.
Bedard says Carlsson’s offer sheet had no effect on his thinking for Blackhawks contract
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 15: Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks looks on against the San Jose Sharks at the United Center on April 15, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO — Connor Bedard never wavered. Whenever the young center was asked about his future, he always responded with similar variations of the same message.
All the way to his $75 million, five-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.
“I’ve said (it) so much and it’s not anything fake. Chicago’s really, you know, the only place I want to play,” Bedard said.
Bedard’s new deal was announced on Saturday, a day after his 21st birthday. It provides a level of security for both Bedard and the rebuilding Blackhawks, even if it always seemed as if it was just a matter of the final numbers than any sort of question about the end result.
Some intrigue arrived when Leo Carlsson, another restricted free agent, signed a $90 million, five-year offer sheet with Philadelphia before going back to Anaheim when the Ducks decided to match the offer sheet. But Bedard stayed with his plans all along.
It was always Chicago.
“I’m very happy with the amount of money I’m making. You know, it’s a lot,” a chuckling Bedard said Monday in his first public comments since the deal was announced. “I think just with that, obviously the offer sheet is different as well. You know with a team trying to take a guy, it is going to be a different value. But for me, that didn’t change anything I was thinking.”
The final details were completed after Bedard had surgery on his left shoulder on July 8. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft is expected to miss the start of the season after he got hurt while skating with a group of NHL players in western Canada.
Bedard also missed 12 games last season after he hurt his right shoulder on a draw during a 3-2 loss at St. Louis on Dec. 12.
“You always do everything you can to try to prevent injury and stay healthy,” he said. “It’s a terrible part of the game but it’s something that you know I think for me to have this next little bit and go through that adversity and try to get stronger, you know, mentally in that way. That’s the way I’m trying to look at it and then come back.”
Bedard has been Chicago’s most important player since he made his anticipated NHL debut in October 2023. He continued his steady improvement in his third season, setting career highs with 30 goals and 45 assists in 69 games.
But he hasn’t experienced much winning since arriving in Chicago. The Blackhawks went 29-39-14 last season, an 11-point improvement on the previous season and still nowhere near playoff contention. The team has finished No. 31 in the NHL each of the past three years.
Chicago is looking for its first postseason appearance since the NHL used an expanded playoff format after the 2020 season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Looking to get the team back in contention, general manager Kyle Davidson swung a trade for defenseman Bowen Byram on June 23. The Blackhawks also signed forward prospect Roman Kantserov in May, and then added forward Cole Smith and defenseman Ian Cole on the first day of free agency.
“I think we’ve had a great summer,” Bedard said.
But Chicago could use another top-six forward, possibly to play alongside Bedard, and, well, Patrick Kane remains on the market as a free agent. The 37-year-old Kane, who helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cup championships before he was traded to the New York Rangers in February 2023, is reportedly considering a return to his first NHL team.
“That would be incredible to get to play with him and learn from him,” Bedard said. “So hopefully he decides to come back. ... You talk about kind of the legacy aspect of it, but just as a team, it would make us a way better team. He’s still an amazing player.”
With the contract completed, the next big moment for Bedard could be taking over as the 36th captain in franchise history. He became an alternate captain after the team traded away its entire leadership group in March.
“If I was able to get that honor, it would be so special and something that I know I wouldn’t take for granted for a second,” Bedard said. “But we got so many guys in the room that can lead.”
Dodgers acquire reliever Seth Halvorsen from the Rockies for two minor league players
DENVER — Colorado Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes orchestrated a trade with his former team Monday, sending right-hander Seth Halvorsen to the Los Angeles Dodgers for two minor league players.
Halvorsen is eligible to come off the 15-day injured list after being placed on it earlier this month with inflammation in his right shoulder. He is 0-1 with a 4.74 ERA across 21 appearances this season.
As part of the deal, Colorado picked up right-handed pitcher Nick Frasso and outfielder Landyn Vidourek from the Dodgers.
Byrnes knows the Los Angeles farm system after spending more than a decade in the front office with the team. He left in December to join forces with Paul DePodesta, the Rockies’ president of baseball operations, in an effort to turn around a franchise that’s trying to break a string of three straight 100-loss seasons.
The 27-year-old Frasso was 1-0 with a 4.74 ERA with Triple-A Oklahoma City this season. He was picked up by the Dodgers as part of a deal with Toronto on Aug. 2, 2022. Frasso was ranked the 80th overall prospect in baseball before the 2024 season by MLB.com.
He will report to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Vidourek, a third-round pick out of the University of Cincinnati in 2025, is hitting .176 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs in the minors this season.
He will report to Single-A Fresno.
Colorado drafted Halvorsen in the seventh round out of Tennessee in 2023. The 26-year-old is 3-4 in 75 career games with the Rockies and has 13 saves.
The Rockies entered the day 23 1/2 games behind Los Angeles in the NL West.
Braves announce signings of all 21 2026 MLB Draft Picks
Today the Atlanta Braves have announced that they have officially signed all 21 of their draft picks from last weekend’s 2026 MLB Draft. The class headlined by college outfielders AJ Gracia and Carter Beck, as well as overslot prep arms Kaiden McCarthy and Jensen Hirschkorn is made up of eight right-handed pitchers, two left-handed pitchers, four outfielders, two infielders, and five catchers.
It had already been announced that the Braves had signed their first 12 choices and the bonus figure for Cole Dorland had been leaked, but today’s announcement signifies that the final nine picks have come to terms – including Dorland. That list includes C Dominic Kibler, RHP Cole Dorland, RHP Brady Hamilton, OF Caleb Klein, C Dalton Harper, RHP John Damozonio, LHP Ethan Stade, C Austin Fawley, and RHP Nile Adcock.
This news is hardly surprising, as the Braves were always expected to sign all of these 2026 draft picks – however this is still a positive update as it means nothing fell through for any reason such as a failed physical or player changing his mind.
A complete recap of the draft can be found here from last week.
Mets activate Luis Robert Jr. from injured list
The Mets have reinstated outfielder Luis Robert Jr. from the 60-day injured list, optioned infielder Eric Wagaman to Triple-A Syracuse, and outrighted fellow infielder Zack Short—who was designated for assignment a few days ago—to Syracuse.
Robert Jr. was one of several new acquisitions made by the Mets after the team decided to take a sharp turn from the majority of its former core at the start of the offseason. And like many of his teammates, he’s had an injury-marred and disappointing 2026 season thus far. After getting off to a hot start, Robert Jr. hit the injured list in late April with a .224/.327/.329 line, a 90 wRC+, and 0.1 fWAR. It’ll be interesting to see how often the Mets play him between now and the trade deadline, as he’s been double-Wally Pipped by young outfielders Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing since he was sidelined.
In the short term, perhaps Ewing will start regularly at second base—especially since 2025-26 offseason acquisition Marcus Semien has been terrible this year—to allow Robert to showcase his health and skills in center field ahead of the deadline. Robert is earning $20 million this year and has a $20 million team option for the 2027 season with a $2 million buyout.
If the Mets aren’t able to trade him, though, it would behoove them to keep playing Ewing and Benge alongside Juan Soto in the outfield. And presumably they’d relegate Robert to a semi-regular role, either giving Soto some starts at DH or just having Robert serve as a DH himself.
As for Wagaman, he’s made 42 plate appearances for the Mets, and he’s hit just .162/.262/.324 with a 68 wRC+. Once Mark Vientos hit the injured list, Wagaman started getting regular starts as Jared Young’s platoon partner at first base. The Mets haven’t started anyone other than those three players at first base since early May. Maybe they’ll just let Young face lefties for the time being.
And last but not least, Short has hit just .140/.262/.180 in 62 major league plate appearances this year, the vast majority of which came with the Tigers.
Tigers vs Cubs Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's MLB Game
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The Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs meet tonight, with the in-form Jack Flaherty taking the hill for the visitors.
Behind his recent success, my Tigers vs. Cubs predictions have Detroit winning the series opener as a +101 underdog.
Read more in my MLB picks for Monday, July 20.
Who will win Tigers vs Cubs today: Tigers (+101)
Jack Flaherty has been lights out for the Detroit Tigers lately. Over his last three outings, the right-hander owns a 2.92 FIP while allowing just 0.54 HR/9, and he has surrendered only two earned runs during that span.
Flaherty’s primary offering is the four-seamer at 49%, and over half of this Chicago Cubs lineup has a Run Value of one or lower against the fastball.
Jameson Taillon counters in his first outing since early June. He owns a 6.31 FIP in 2026 and will likely be on a short leash, exposing a Cubs bullpen with a 5.20 xERA over the last two weeks.
Flaherty keeps Chicago at bay, and Detroit does damage.
I'll play this pick down to -120.
COVERS INTEL: Taillon is allowing 2.10 HR/9 at Wrigley Field this season, and he's been extremely prone to the long ball overall. Tigers vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 11.5 runs (-103)
With a total this high, there’s still value in the Under. Even though Chicago's relievers aren't dominating right now, they face a Tigers offense with a 95 wRC+ and .185 ISO over the last two weeks. Extra-base hits drive runs, and Detroit isn't showcasing a ton of power.
The Cubs offense owns a 112 wRC+ across its last nine contests, but the .180 ISO is more manageable. Detroit’s bullpen also gives this Under a strong late-game path, posting a 2.43 FIP over its last 30 innings without allowing a single home run.
I'll confidently play this pick up to -130.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
- ML/RL bets: 34-37, -7.21 units
- Over/Under bets: 40-29, +5.15 units
Tigers vs Cubs weather
Conditions will be warm at Wrigley Field tonight, with temperatures around 83 degrees early, then falling to near 81 later. Winds are noticeable at roughly 15 to 16 mph, while rain chances remain low to moderate at 16% to 24%. Weather could have some impact, mainly because of the wind.
Tigers vs Cubs odds
- Moneyline: Detroit +104 | Chicago -108
- Run line: Detroit -1.5 (+156) | Chicago +1.5 (-163)
- Over/Under: Over 11.5 (-104) | Under 11.5 (-100)
Tigers vs Cubs trend
The Detroit Tigers have hit the game total Under in 21 of their last 30 games (+11.10 Units / 34% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Cubs.
How to watch Tigers vs Cubs and game info
| Location | Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL |
| Date | Monday, July 20, 2026 |
| First pitch | 8:05 p.m. ET |
| TV | DSN, MARQ |
| Tigers starting pitcher | Jack Flaherty (3-8, 4.48 ERA) |
| Cubs starting pitcher | Jameson Taillon (2-5, 5.19 ERA) |
Tigers vs Cubs latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Texas Rangers lineup for July 20, 2026
Texas Rangers lineup for July 20, 2026 against the Chicago White Sox: starting pitchers are Jacob deGrom for the Rangers and Erick Fedde for the ChiSox.
Texas begins a seven day homestand today that’s a pretty big deal, facing the first place Chicago White Sox for three games and then the currently second place by a half game, could be first place by the time they arrive to town on Thursday Seattle Mariners for four games. Texas has been underwhelming so far this year, at 24-22, and need to take advantage of the home field and have a strong week if they want to be contenders.
The lineup:
Pederson — DH
Langford — LF
Jung — 3B
Nimmo — RF
Burger — 1B
Duran — SS
Carter — CF
Diaz — C
Lopez — 2B
7:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are -168 favorites.
Dodgers vs Phillies Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game
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The Philadelphia Phillies are -135 favorites against the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers this evening at Citizens Bank Park.
Cy Young candidate Cristopher Sanchez has been untouchable at home this season, and my Dodgers vs. Phillies predictions and MLB picks expect that to remain the case on July 20.
Who will win Dodgers vs Phillies today: Phillies (-135)
Emmet Sheehan struggled over the last month. His soft contact rate sat at 12% while he induced grounders at a 24.5% clip, lowest among all of today’s projected starters.
That’s not what you want against the Philadelphia Phillies. They rank 10th in wOBA, seventh in hard-hit rate, and tied for third in OPS against righties at home. They should give Sheehan real problems.
Cristopher Sanchez owns a 0.86 ERA and 61.9 GB% at home this season. He’s one of the few who can truly limit the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Back Philadelphia to -145.
COVERS INTEL:Sanchez ranks in the 93rd percentile in Pitcher Run Value, a far cry from Sheehan's 29th percentile grade.Dodgers vs Phillies Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-115)
The Phillies have a solid matchup against Sheehan, but they own a highly underwhelming .212 average against righties in July and slot 25th in wOBA. I don’t think we see a ceiling game offensively.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers are laboring as a whole offensively. They’re hitting just .223 and sit 26th in wOBA this month.
It’ll be difficult to score more than a run or two on Sanchez, and LA has to contend with a bullpen that owns a 3.09 xFIP over the past 60 days when he exits.
Bet to -130.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
- ML/RL bets: 60-48, +1.60 units
- Over/Under bets: 59-44-5, +7.49 units
Dodgers vs Phillies weather
Temperatures in the low 80s are expected, with winds blowing from the northwest. Boost to bats.
Dodgers vs Phillies odds
- Moneyline: Los Angeles +115 | Philadelphia -135
- Run line: Los Angeles +1.5 (-170) | Philadelphia -1.5 (+145)
- Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-105) | Under 8.5 (-115)
Dodgers vs Phillies trend
Philadelphia has hit the game total Under in 31 of the last 50 games (+12.45 units, 23% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Phillies.
How to watch Dodgers vs Phillies and game info
| Location | Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA |
| Date | Monday, July 20, 2026 |
| First pitch | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
| Dodgers starting pitcher | Emmet Sheehan (4-6, 4.81 ERA) |
| Phillies starting pitcher | Cristopher Sanchez (11-4, 2.62 ERA) |
Dodgers vs Phillies latest injuries
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“Hopefully He Decides To Come Back”: Connor Bedard Wants Patrick Kane To Land In Chicago
On Monday, part of his post-contract media availability, Connor Bedard spoke about the possibility of Patrick Kane returning to the Chicago Blackhawks.
According to multiple sources, including Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios, Kane is down to the Blackhawks and his hometown Buffalo Sabres. A decision is likely to be made over the next couple of weeks.
Chris Chelios Believes Patrick Kane Is Between Chicago Blackhawks & Buffalo SabresAccording to Chicago Blackhawks legend Chris Chelios, another Chicago Blackhawks legend is close to making a decision. Connor Bedard perked up a little bit when he started to talk about Kane and the potential for him to come back to Chicago.
"I hope so," Bedard said. "I don't know what I can say to persuade his decision, but we'd all obviously be so excited to have a player like that, but also a guy like that. I can't imagine his first game back at the UC, the reaction he'd get, and how much juice that would bring not only to our team but our fans as well. That would be incredible to get to play with him and learn from him. Hopefully he decides to come back. You talk about the legacy aspect of it, but as a team, it would make us a way better team. He's still an amazing player. I don't know if this is the best pitch, but hopefully he comes back, and we can play together, for sure."
Patrick Kane is one of the greatest Blackhawks ever, and Connor Bedard is hoping to create a similar legacy. Like Kane, Bedard is a former first-overall pick, so there is pressure for him to do great things. Kane would be a big help.
Connor Bedard isn't the only individual player on the team that Kane's arrival would help, either. Any center he plays with, whether it be Bedard, Anton Frondell, or Frank Nazar, would instantly have more time and space with or without the puck if they were playing with Kane.
Also, the power play would dramatically improve as well. It was somewhat of a sore spot in 2025-26, while Kane had 19 power-play points as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. With a larger role on the man-advantage (and even strength), he'd help them score a lot more goals.
Bedard clearly understands what Kane means to the team, the fanbase, and the city. He is absolutely correct in saying that the United Center would be a fun place to watch a game if Kane came back. If they ever connected on a goal, which they would more than once, the roof would explode.
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