Who will win Braves vs Cardinals today: Braves -1.5 (+109)
The Atlanta Braves send Chris Sale to the hill tonight. He's compiled a 2.81 FIP over his last four outings while allowing just 0.81 HR/9. Additionally, the lefty has held opponents to a 3.1% barrel rate during that span.
The St. Louis Cardinals counter with Kyle Leahy. He's been impressive lately, compiling a 2.85 xERA across his previous two starts. However, Leahy has allowed a 47.8% hard-hit rate, and he's up against a Braves lineup carrying a .252 ISO and 135 wRC+ over the last seven games.
Leahy's recent results could be difficult to sustain against a lineup producing this much power and overall offense.
I'll play this pick up to -120.
COVERS INTEL: Sale has a 2.54 FIP on the road, compared to a 3.26 mark at home this season.
Braves vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-126)
We have a solid pitching matchup here, and both bullpens have held their own lately. Atlanta's relief corps owns a 3.88 FIP over the last week while allowing just 0.88 HR/9. The Cardinals aren't exactly thriving at the plate either, carrying a 90 wRC+ over their last eight games.
Atlanta's offense is flourishing, and I expect some production, but Leahy's recent form could prevent a full explosion. Sale often works deep into games, and Atlanta's bullpen has been reliable.
I'll play this pick up to -140.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 34-35, -5.21 units
Over/Under bets: 38-29, +3.35 units
Braves vs Cardinals weather
Conditions will be warm and humid at Busch Stadium tonight, with temperatures around 87 degrees early before falling to 80 later in the evening. Winds will be very light at 1-3 mph, while rain chances range from 24% to 38%. A brief shower is possible, but weather should have limited impact overall.
Braves vs Cardinals odds
Moneyline: Braves -150 | Cardinals +144
Run line: Braves -1.5 (+133) | Cardinals +1.5 (-117)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+117) | Under 8.5 (-122)
Braves vs Cardinals trend
The Braves have hit the Run Line in 30 of their last 50 away games (+10.25 Units / 17% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Braves vs Cardinals and game info
Location
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Date
Friday, July 10, 2026
First pitch
8:15 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV
Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale (9-6, 2.27 ERA)
Cardinals starting pitcher
Kyle Leahy (7-4, 3.86 ERA)
Braves vs Cardinals latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 08: Luis García Jr. #2 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring against the Houston Astros on a hit by Daylen Lile #4 during the third inning at Nationals Park on July 08, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This magic carpet ride that Luis Garcia Jr. is on just keeps going. His insane June has carried over into July, with the Nats first baseman slugging as much as ever. After he hit 11 homers in June, he already has 4 in July. The 26 year old has 10 homers in his last 15 games and 15 in his last 30.
I have never seen anything like this before, especially from a player whose previous career high in homers was 18. Garcia already has 20 home runs, 15 of which have come since June 5th. In his last 15 games, Garcia has a truly insane 1.567 OPS. You can just keep going with these numbers, but as Mark DeRosa put it, he has had a career year, and we have not even gotten to the All-Star Break.
There have been so many success stories on the offensive side of the ball. Choosing who the best story is changes by the day. Right now, you have to give that title to Garcia. He has always had an exciting combination of hitting ability and power, but has taken it to the next level this year. Garcia is doing that by swinging harder, hitting the ball harder, and not sacrificing any contact ability in the process.
To be more specific, Garcia’s bat speed is up 1.2 MPH, his average exit velocity is up 2 MPH and his whiff rate is actually down 2.7%. His bat speed is in the 67th percentile, the average exit velocity is in the 90th percentile and the whiff rate is in the 80th percentile.
Spencer Nusbaum of the Athletic wrote a great article about Garcia and the Nats offense, where he also talked about just how rare his contact and power combination is. Garcia is one of six players with a hard hit rate over 45% and a whiff rate under 20%. Usually hitters have contact skills or power, but Garcia has both.
The Nationals offense: 508 runs (1st in MLB)
Luis García Jr. 5/24-: 1.157 OPS (2nd in MLB)
These developments are thanks to an idea that drives the Nats at every level: Take what makes a player good, and make it great.https://t.co/DXUTX8K3gV
For a long time, most people including myself thought the key to unlocking Garcia was somehow finding a way to lower his chase rates. However, that is not what is happening here. Garcia is actually chasing more than ever, but his strengths have become so strong that it does not really matter.
One other part of Spencer’s article that I really enjoyed was when he talked about Garcia’s personality. He is a goofy, fun loving guy who keeps things light in the locker room. Even from the outside, it is easy to see that Garcia is quite a bubbly guy. He is the player at the end of the Nats home run line in the dugout, at least when he is not hitting them. Garcia is often the player pouring water on guys in post game interviews or throwing sunflower seeds on them after homers.
Garcia can goof around, but he is also becoming more of a leader as well. He is the longest tenured National now, despite just turning 26. When I am in the locker room, I have noticed that other players gravitate towards him. This is especially true for other Spanish speaking players, but it is not just those guys.
It feels like the Nats new regime is letting Garcia be himself, and it is bringing out the best version of him. This version of Garcia is so much fun to watch. He is hitting homers almost every night and setting career highs in early July.
Despite all of this success, I doubt Garcia is going to start tonight. This has been happening for a couple years now, but Garcia does not play a whole lot against left handed pitching. He just does not perform as well, and the staff wants to put him in a position to succeed. It is frustrating to see a hitter this hot not play every day, but the numbers show this is the right move.
Garcia has always had big platoon splits, and this year is no different. He is hitting .300 with a .927 OPS against righties, but those numbers drop to .229 and .650 against left handers. Andres Chaparro has not proven to be the best platoon partner, but the Nats could have the perfect fit on the way in Yohandy Morales.
Luis Garcia Jr. has suddenly become one of the most electric players in baseball. Honestly, it is quite surreal to watch. Garcia has always had clear talent as a hitter, but never put it together. Now, at 26 years old, many years into his big league career, that breakout has finally come.
CHICAGO — The slumping Chicago White Sox got a lift when they activated rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami from the 10-day injured list.
Murakami had been sidelined since he strained his right hamstring during a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on May 29. At the time of the injury, the Japanese infielder ranked among the major league leaders with 20 homers, 41 RBIs, 43 runs and a .947 OPS.
The White Sox have dropped three in a row and six of eight overall going into a weekend series against the Athletics. They went 17-18 while Murakami was on the injured list.
Infielder Jacob Gonzalez was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. The 24-year-old Gonzalez, a first-round pick in the 2023 amateur draft, hit .244 with two homers and 17 RBIs in 30 games in his first stint in the major leagues.
The 26-year-old Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million contract with Chicago in December. He made two rehab appearances with Charlotte, going 2 for 7 with a double.
Although it hasn’t been announced yet, BPM Sports’ and RG.org’s Marco D’Amico has confirmed with player agency Gold Star that Bogdan Konyushkov has signed a two-year ELC contract with the Montreal Canadiens.
The 23-year-old was drafted by the Habs in the fourth round of the 2023 draft with the 110th overall pick, stands 6 feet tall, and weighs 171 pounds, according to the KHL website. Unlike last year, Konyushkov was not present at the development camp, which raised a few eyebrows, but it makes sense if the Canadiens were already planning to sign him and knew he would have to play with HC Torpedo this season.
The Russian side published a news release today stating that the defenseman’s representatives had asked the team to technically terminate his contract so he could sign a two-way contract with the Canadiens. The release goes on to explain that the team agreed, but that he will still be loaned to Torpedo until the end of his existing contract with them on May 31, 2027.
While he’s not exactly big, the blueliner plays with a physical edge, and after a down year production-wise in the KHL in 2024-25 with just 17 points, he bounced back nicely with 38 points in 67 games in the 2025-26 campaign, averaging 21:25 in ice time. Konyushkov had a successful career at the lower levels in Russia as well, winning championships with his teams in both the MHL and the VHL. In the MHL, he had six points, all assists, in six playoff games while the rugged defenseman collected 13 points in 17 playoff games in the VHL.
When he does come over at the end of the KHL season, he will be able to either join the Laval Rocket in the AHL or the Canadiens. You can add his name to the list of reasons why Canadiens fans can look forward to next spring, right alongside Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky.
LAS VEGAS — It was a highly anticipated evening for both Illini and L.A. Clippers fans alike, as Keaton Wagler, the fifth-overall pick in the NBA Draft, was getting ready to make his Summer League debut.
Unfortunately for all parties involved, it was tough sledding for the former All-American guard out of Illinois, as he got his first taste of the pros.
Wagler was held to seven points, one assist and two rebounds Thursday evening against the Sacramento Kings’ Summer League squad.
He made one shot from behind the three-point arc, going 1-7 from the field and scoring his remaining four points from the free-throw line.
There were a few familiar faces on the other side of the court for Wagler, with perhaps the most prominent being Darius Acuff Jr.
The two 19-year-old guards were the subject of many debates amongst NBA Draft analysts and fans alike, as arguments sprouted on who would be the better pro and deserved to be drafted higher.
Acuff came away with the upper hand in the duo’s first head-to-head match-up, as he logged 19 points and seven assists.
On top of that, former Houston Cougar Emmanuel Sharp, whom Wagler took down in the Illini’s Sweet 16 win, scored a game-high 21 points for the Kings.
Keaton Wagler’s Top 5 Games: No. 4 vs. Houston
Wagler out Houstoned Houston. He showcased INCREDIBLE toughness and tenacity securing 12 rebounds and doing just enough offensively to send a hard nosed Cougar ball club packing. pic.twitter.com/7vGU6lvzdt
— The Champaign Room (@Champaign_Room) June 20, 2026
Despite the rough debut, optimism and opportunities remain for Wagler this summer.
History has shown that some ball-dominant point guards often struggle in the Summer League and still go on to have illustrious NBA careers, with Derrick Rose, Jalen Brunson, Trae Young and Stephen Curry coming to mind.
The Clippers have three games remaining in the 2026 Summer League, with Wagler getting his next shot on Sunday, June 12, against the Utah Jazz.
If Illinois fans want to keep up with former Illini performing in the Summer League, keep coming back to The Champaign Room website and socials.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Jacob Latz went to spring training with the Rangers competing for a spot in the rotation. He instead became an All-Star closer, even after his first appearance for Texas this season was as a starter and he didn’t have a save until late April.
Latz is the only Rangers player named to the American League All-Star team for the game in Philadelphia. That also is where they opened the season, and he threw four no-hit innings while starting their second game on March 28, only after two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom was a late scratch because of neck stiffness.
This season certainly has been an unexpected twist for the 30-year-old left-hander who has longed to be a big league starter. He is excelling in a first-time role, with 18 saves in 20 opportunities and a 1.65 ERA in 34 games.
“When I didn’t get the starting role ... I was hurt in the moment, for sure,” Latz said. “But I knew that there were good things ahead because of the work I put in during the offseason. I didn’t know it would show up this way.”
That spot start for Latz in Philadelphia came only days after being told he didn’t make the rotation. He instead went into a bullpen without a designated closer, and he didn’t get his first save until April 25.
Latz was named AL reliever of the month in June after his 11 saves set a franchise record for the most in any single month. His other appearance in June was a perfect ninth inning in a game that went to extra innings.
His only save in the big leagues before this year was pitching the final three innings of a 10-2 win over Baltimore last season, when as a swingman he started eight of his 33 games.
“He’s always super even-keeled. ... The qualities to be a closer, the temperament, the mound presence and the stuff, he’s got all of those,” first-year Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “I still think he could be a really good starter. That’s how good he is. I have no idea what his future’s going to look like, but having All-Star on his résumé no matter what is pretty sweet.”
Schumaker, an adviser for Texas last year, and Latz met for lunch in California during the offseason to talk about what the pitcher needed to do to prepare to compete for a rotation spot.
They had what Schumaker called “a really challenging conversation” late in spring training. Latz responded that he wanted to pitch high-leverage innings.
“You earn those innings, you’re not just given those innings. He absolutely earned it two, three weeks into the season,” Schumaker said. “Long story short, that conversation in the offseason at lunch was amazing, then disappointment, then back to amazing.”
Latz has five saves when pitching two innings, and his MLB-leading nine saves getting at least four outs are the most for a Rangers pitcher since Francisco Cordero had nine the entire 2004 season.
“This is a player who has developed a little bit later in his career, but it’s not for a lack of determination and work ethic. This guy is as committed as anybody I’ve seen in the game, and he’s not afraid of the moment,” said Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young, a former big league pitcher.
Texas took Latz in the seventh round of the 2017 draft after he pitched only 8 1/3 innings over three college seasons. He missed his freshman season at LSU in 2015 because of a stress reaction in his left elbow that required surgery, then pitched in only seven games in 2016. He then went to Kent State but was unable to play there because of NCAA transfer rules.
Latz made his big league debut by starting his only game for the Rangers in 2021 before the transition to the bullpen. He didn’t pitch in the majors again until three relief appearances in 2023, and he made 46 more the following season.
“Just incremental steps along the way. It was a tough climb to get back from my college career to where we are at right now,” he said. “Little by little, I tried to solidify myself as a major league player, and last year was a big step forward, just growing the confidence. It wasn’t truly linear, but learned a lot along the way. And I think it definitely makes it a little more meaningful doing it this way.”
DETROIT — Athletics outfielder Zack Gelof left in the third inning of a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers after injuring his right knee when he slammed it into the left field fence in foul territory while making a sliding catch.
Manager Mark Kotsay said after the game Gelof has a deep cut underneath his right kneecap and will have tests.
“Fortunately, it just missed the tendon,” Kotsay told reporters. “He’ll be reevaluated tomorrow to verify that with an MRI.”
Leading off the third in a scoreless game, Zach McKinstry lofted a pitch from Jack Perkins down the left field line. Gelof made a long run into foul territory before he slid and made a terrific catch for the out, but his right knee slammed into the fencing that juts out.
Gelof immediately grabbed his knee in obvious pain, a tear in his uniform pants showing where his leg made contact with the fence. The outfielder got back to his feet after a few moments and limped back to his spot in left field as Kotsay and head athletic trainer Jeff Collins jogged out to check on him.
Gelof quickly went down to the ground again and was replaced by Colby Thomas, who opened the game in right field. Lawrence Butler took over in right.
Gelof grounded out in his only at-bat in the second. He’s hitting .273 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs in what has been a bounce-back season after starting out at Triple-A Las Vegas. The 26-year-old outfielder/infielder had a 24-game hitting streak stopped on June 23 after he was forced to leave against San Francisco when Matt Chapman inadvertently stepped on Gelof’s right hand as the second baseman was applying the tag with his glove hand.
Gelof, who was placed on the injured list with a bruised hand, also had his on-base streak of 27 games end, along with a streak of scoring in 13 consecutive games. He was activated on July 4.
DETROIT — Eduardo Valencia made some history for the Detroit Tigers, got emotional while thanking his family and home country of earthquake-rocked Venezuela, and then celebrated after the game with a hug from his wife on the field.
The 26-year-old catcher became the 10th Detroit player to homer in his first career plate appearance, helping the Tigers to a 4-1 victory over the Athletics that completed a series sweep.
“I was waiting a lot for this, for my family, for Venezuela and I’m so excited,” Valencia said as his voice cracked and he fought back tears during an on-field interview on the Tigers’ broadcast after the game.
Valencia was called up from Triple-A Toledo earlier in the day with All-Star catcher Dillon Dingler recovering from a bruised right hand. Valencia entered as a pinch-hitter for Kerry Carpenter in the seventh inning against Hogan Harris and sent a 425-foot shot to center to cap the scoring for Detroit.
“I was just thinking, like, I was trying to hit (with) contact,” Valencia said. “Get a good pitch, just be the most calm that I can do it. I was so excited.”
He’s the first Tigers player to homer in his first big-league at-bat since Akil Baddoo on April 4, 2021.
The native of Valencia, Venezuela pointed to the sky and pounded his chest as he rounded the bases with a huge smile, then pointed to his wife in the stands and made a heart symbol with his hands. He later gave her a big hug after the game.
Valencia’s thoughts also were with his parents, who couldn’t make the trip to see his debut, and the people of Venezuela, who are recovering from a rare double earthquake on June 24 that killed at least 920 and injured another 3,360, authorities said. Many more are feared dead.
“This is for all Venezuela people,” Valencia said of his big debut, thanking his family and coaches. “They gave me everything.”
A couple of Valencia’s happy teammates then dumped a bucket of water on him as the fans remaining in the stands cheered.
Valencia, who stayed in the game as the Tigers’ designated hitter after his homer, was hit by a pitch from Mark Leiter Jr. in his second plate appearance.
Valencia was signed by the Tigers in 2018 as an 18-year-old player and he appeared in 439 games over eight-plus seasons in the minors before making his big league debut. He didn’t reach the Triple-A level until last year, when he played in 50 games with Toledo, and then appeared in 76 games this season.
“I mean, this is so exciting,” Valencia said. “I’m just trying to help the team to win. ... I was waiting a lot (time) for this moment. It’s so exciting. ... I can’t talk right now.”
Friday's MLB card is loaded with star power, and a few of baseball's biggest bats find themselves in favorable matchups.
Before locking in your MLB player props, here are my MLB picks I'm targeting to leave their mark tonight.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Yordan Alvarez
+238
Kody Clemens
+339
Home run pick: Yordan Alvarez (+238)
My mouth waters when I see the name Cal Quantrill, because he is simply a gift to us home run loving sons of guns.
So far this season against left-handed bats, the Rangers starter is allowing a 76.6% elevation rate, 15.6% barrel rate, and 40% hard-hit rate. Those hitters are generating a .460 xSLG and .377 xwOBA against him.
Yordan Alvarez enters Friday with an elite rating on Batters-Box while covering all of Quantrill’s pitches. In 22 games this season when Alvarez has received an elite rating, he has left the yard 31.82% of the time. Over the last 3 seasons, he has hit a home run in 21% of his games with an elite rating across 233 appearances.
Over his last 60 at-bats against right-handed pitching, Alvarez has maintained a .286 BA, .551 SLG, .968 OPS, and .265 ISO while generating a 55.6% hard-hit rate and 19.4% barrel rate.
Leave the yard and make our Friday great, Yordan.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CW33, SCHN
Home run pick: Kody Clemens (+339)
The Rocket's son finds himself in another boom spot, as he draws Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez on Friday. Kody Clemens enters the matchup with an elite rating while covering over 91% of Rodriguez’s subpar pitch mix. In 27 elite-rated matchups this season, the Twins slugger has left the yard 22.22% of the time.
Over his last 60 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, Clemens has been crushing the baseball, posting a .561 SLG, .844 OPS, and .298 ISO while generating a 58.7% hard-hit rate and 13% barrel rate.
Rodriguez has struggled against left-handed bats this season, allowing a 52.2% hard-hit rate and a 67.4% elevation rate. Lefties have also posted a .361 batting average, .651 SLG, and .469 wOBA against him.
With both sides generating plenty of hard contact, this feels like another spot for the Twins slugger to leave the yard.
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MNNT, ABTV
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 76-265, +11.5 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Mohamed Diawara #51 of the New York Knicks plays defense during the game against the Brooklyn Nets during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 15, 2025 at the Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s only been 27 days since the Knicks lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy on a warm Saturday night in San Antonio, but in those four weeks, a lot of things have happened.
From the NBA Draft to free agency to the second apron math in trying to retain the championship core, it feels like the offseason is flying by. But while we’re still over three months away from Ring Night at Madison Square Garden, the orange and blue will be back on your screens tonight.
The Knicks begin a five-game Summer League journey tonight in Las Vegas against the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets in a game that will simultaneously see pretty much three-quarters of one roster and zero rotation players on the other. That’s the state of these two franchises.
If you need a refresher on who’s on the team, refer here. Note that Jack Kayil, the team’s No. 39 overall pick, was added to the roster this week after some contract issues overseas.
Despite some noticeable absences on the roster and the team’s win-now prerogative leading to little young depth even eligible, there are still some storylines to watch starting tonight and throughout the next two weeks.
The Mo Diawara Show
The player on this team with the best chance of being a main contributor in the defending champion’s rotation is Mohamed Diawara. After all, they wouldn’t have the urgency to give him a four-year deal as a restricted free agent if not so.
This won’t be a Tyler Kolek-esque summer offense, where he’ll both run the offense and lead the way in shot attempts and scoring, but expect Diawara to get a lot more on-ball opportunities and work on his shot creation, playmaking, and three-point shooting, all of which he flashed in an impressive rookie year.
What I want to see from Diawara is a better slashing ability. He got played off the floor midway through his rookie year when he was really starting to gain steam because he wasn’t an automatic shooter and wasn’t able to consistently attack the gaps in the defense’s ghost coverage, which is what keeps Josh Hart playable. We didn’t see him dunk much, and his touch around the rim was suspect in limited action last year.
Diawara has the potential to be better than Hart because of his incredible size and length, but in a season where he’s going to be more of a connector and situational wing for this team, it wouldn’t hurt for him to do Hart-like things to carve out a role next year.
Can Pacôme Dadiet Take Advantage of the Opportunity?
Ah, Dadiet. The Knicks’ human victory cigar during their absolute bull rush through the Eastern Conference.
They’ll never tell you directly, but the reason why Dadiet is who the Knicks selected with their only first-round pick in the last five years was to save money. He took a very low amount with his rookie-scale contract to avoid being Eurostashed, and his sacrifice allowed the team to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns and stay under the second apron in 2024-25.
The team picked up his third-year option this offseason at a fairly manageable $2.98 million, but there is possibly no player with more to prove in this time than Dadiet, who will get a featured role alongside his longtime friend and countryman Diawara.
By the end of October, the Knicks will have to decide on Dadiet’s $5.37 million team option for 2027-28. For a player who has not received any consequential playing time through two seasons and on a team that seems to do everything possible to stay beneath the second apron, this seems like a decision that will go against Dadiet. After all, he’d become a restricted free agent in 2027 anyway if the decision backfired.
The only thing Dadiet can do from now until Decision Day is take advantage of opportunities in Summer League, training camp, and the preseason. There’s likely nothing he can do to become a true rotation player right away in 2026-27, but a strong summer could inspire confidence in him going forward and make him more than just a roster placeholder.
Consistently knocking down threes would constitute a realistic success story for him in this year’s Summer League. He’s never done that consistently in either the G League or his garbage-time cameos, and, as we all know, the clearest path to playing time for lanky wings is to be a 3-and-D role player.
The Rookies and their Contracts
Now that we have confirmation that Kayil will be in town, the Knicks will have both of their second-round rookies at Summer League with their futures very much in question.
For both players, a two-way spot is attainable, but an impressive offseason could also earn them a standard deal like Diawara did last year. The Knicks currently have 13 players rostered and will likely not have enough money beneath the second apron to get to 15 by the time the season starts. As of now, you assume that a veteran center will fill the 14th roster spot and that they’ll wait for No. 15 in the buyout market, but could Tyler Nickel change that by looking like an NBA-ready three-point sniper out of the gate?
Kayil wants to stay in America; he’s made that clear, but there’s no guarantee he will. I assume he’ll get a chance to run the offense as a combo guard that the team is more invested in than some of the other guard options. Early inclinations suggest that he’ll be headed back to Germany for this upcoming season, but if he looks readier than anticipated, there’s plenty of two-way space for him.
You heard it here first – 6'5 PG Jack Kayil is going to be a LOTTERY pick in the 2027 NBA Draft!! The Gonzaga commit has been extremely impressive for Alba Berlin this season against very strong German Bundesliga competition, averaging:
Take your pick for this year’s Jaylen Martin, Dmytro Skapintsev, or MarJon Beauchamp.
There’s two-time NBA champion Dillon Jones, who’s still two-way eligible but hasn’t inked a deal yet as of Friday morning.
There’s a seven-footer with NBA experience in Liam Robbins, who played 13 games for the Bucks in 2024-25. On a team with an opening in the center depth chart, could he turn heads?
What about the local kid, St. John’s Oziyah Sellers?
Or Westchester Knick and brief Grizzlies call-up Toby Okani?
Hell, maybe they want to add another Nova Knick in Lance Ware, who was pretty unremarkable in his one year at Villanova but counts all the same.
Odds are, a bunch of these dudes will be in Westchester this year. The question is whether anyone can get an Exhibit 10 contract to join the big boys at training camp.
Can the Knicks Complete the Treble?
The Knicks won the 2025 NBA Cup and the 2026 NBA Finals. Can they cap it off by taking all the hardware in Vegas?
Probably not. Unless Diawara is actually Pascal Siakam.
Even then, I’d be surprised if they played as well as they did a few years ago, when they made the Summer League Championship Game with guys like Deuce McBride, Quentin Grimes, and Jericho Sims.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - JULY 08: (L-R) Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with Jonathan Aranda #8 after defeating the New York Yankees 3-0 at Tropicana Field on July 08, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Did the Mariners have a tiny bit of momentum coming out of that homestand last week? You bet. Did they squander it all away immediately? Of course. After being swept in Miami, Seattle finds itself back at .500 and a half game behind the Rangers in the AL West. Just a year ago, the M’s were coming off a rough sweep on the road heading into the final series before the All-Star break against the best team in the American League. In one of the big turning points in their season, they swept the Tigers to head into the midseason break on a high note. Now, they’ve got that same opportunity in Tampa Bay.
The Rays have been one of the biggest surprises in the AL this year. After back-to-back fourth place finishes in the AL East in 2024 and ‘25, it seemed like the competitive window Tampa Bay had been building since ‘19 was slamming closed. Instead, they’re leading their division with the best record in the AL. They’re definitely a bit out over their skis — they’ve outperformed their Pythagorean record by five games and their Base Runs record by six games — but the wins they’ve banked already mean they’re almost guaranteed a postseason berth thanks to the mediocre playoff field behind them.
Player
Position
Bats
PA
K%
BB%
ISO
wRC+
Yandy Díaz
DH
R
380
13.9%
9.7%
0.172
152
Jonathan Aranda
1B
L
393
22.1%
13.0%
0.162
134
Junior Caminero
3B
R
398
18.3%
12.3%
0.269
149
Cedric Mullins
CF
L
308
20.5%
8.4%
0.134
75
Chandler Simpson
LF
L
343
9.6%
5.2%
0.063
82
Victor Mesa Jr.
RF
L
96
24.0%
12.5%
0.171
85
Richie Palacios
2B
L
216
18.1%
11.1%
0.090
94
Taylor Walls
SS
S
259
25.1%
12.0%
0.069
77
Hunter Feduccia
C
L
129
28.7%
10.1%
0.107
85
The top three players in the Rays lineup carry most of the load. Junior Caminero has gone nuclear recently, blasting 12 home runs over his last 16 games. He’s one of the most dangerous young power hitters in the game and this hot streak has pushed him into the middle of the AL MVP race. Yandy Díaz is one of the few familiar names anchoring this lineup. He’s the longest tenured Ray at this point and is in the midst of his best offensive season since 2023. Jonathan Aranda is cut from the same mold as Díaz: a compact swing geared for hard, line drive contact and a solid approach at the plate. The rest of the lineup is filled with flexible role players and platoons which force opponents into uncomfortable matchups throughout the game.
It feels like Nick Martinez is the most spiritually Rays player who hasn’t actually played for Tampa Bay until this year. Over the past four years, he’s admirably served as a part-time starter, part-time swingman, and even saw some high-leverage work at times. He’s been solid no matter which role he’s playing. That’s the sort of flexibility the Rays covet, though they’ve deployed him as a full-time starter out of their rotation this year. He’s made the odd tradeoff to try and generate a lot more weak contact rather than swings and misses this year; he’s emphasized his sinker over his four-seamer and increased the usage of his fantastic changeup. The topline results are there — his 2.61 ERA is third best in the AL — but all of his peripherals scream regression.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Griffin Jax
65
25.6%
8.3%
20.3%
44.8%
3.60
4.49
Logan Gilbert
107.1
27.2%
5.3%
11.3%
35.1%
3.19
3.45
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
12.2%
20.6%
96.2
105
121
83
0.400
Sinker
32.1%
12.4%
95.6
98
104
100
0.377
Cutter
0.8%
7.7%
92.8
93
Changeup
10.9%
30.2%
91.3
101
129
86
0.278
Curveball
2.7%
12.7%
85.2
121
Sweeper
41.4%
16.5%
88.0
106
129
111
0.271
Griffin Jax was an odd trade deadline acquisition last July. The Rays weren’t in a position to buy, but they traded Taj Bradley straight up for Jax, who was one of the best setup men in baseball at the time. Jax struggled as a reliever with the Rays and the team decided to convert him to a starter on the fly in May. It’s not the worst idea in the world; Jax has a deep repertoire that didn’t fit a traditional high-leverage reliever. Things have worked out pretty well despite the odd timing of it all. Across 13 starts and 56 IP, he has a 2.89 ERA, 3.99 FIP, and 3.87 K/BB out of the rotation.
Pitcher
IP
K%
BB%
HR/FB%
GB%
ERA
FIP
Ian Seymour
61.1
28.7%
8.4%
11.4%
30.2%
4.11
3.85
Emerson Hancock
97.2
24.0%
6.3%
11.1%
41.1%
3.23
3.69
Pitch
Usage vRHB
Usage vLHB
Velocity
Stuff+
Whiff+
BIP+
xwOBA
Four-seam
30.9%
12.6%
91.7
106
119
111
0.292
Sinker
5.8%
28.2%
90.3
96
59
112
0.467
Cutter
1.8%
0.0%
87.1
Changeup
35.7%
24.4%
83.6
93
115
76
0.230
Curveball
2.0%
0.0%
73.0
Slider
0.7%
7.8%
82.7
123
Sweeper
23.1%
27.1%
81.4
123
115
156
0.234
The Rays have been able to use Nick Martinez in their starting rotation because they already have a pitcher fulfilling Martinez’s traditional role of part-time starter, part-time swingman, part-time high-leverage arm already. Ian Seymour started off last year in the bullpen but had a brief but successful stint as a starter to finish the season. Tampa Bay stuck him back in the bullpen to start this year and he eventually worked his way into a high-leverage role for a while. He’s been working as a starter for the past month and that might be his most successful role to date. Over his last six appearances, he’s allowed just 10 runs in 30.1 innings with an elite 6.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The Big Picture:
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Rangers
47-46
0.505
—
-14
L-L-W-L-W
Mariners
47-47
0.500
0.5
+20
W-W-L-L-L
Astros
46-49
0.484
2.0
-48
W-W-L-W-L
Athletics
41-52
0.441
6.0
-84
L-L-L-L-L
Angels
37-57
0.394
10.5
-52
L-L-L-W-L
Team
W-L
W%
Games Behind
Run Diff
Recent Form
Yankees
51-42
0.548
+4.5
+85
L-W-L-L-W
Guardians
48-46
0.511
+1.0
-9
L-L-L-L-W
Mariners
47-47
0.500
—
+20
W-W-L-L-L
Twins
46-48
0.489
1.0
-17
W-W-W-W-L
Astros
46-49
0.484
1.5
-48
W-W-L-W-L
Despite getting crushed 13-1 on Wednesday, the Rangers pulled off a series win against the Angels with a walk-off win yesterday. That pushed them back into first place in the division. The Astros lost their series against the Nationals earlier this week, though they’re still a game and half out in the Wild Card race. The two Texas teams meet this weekend in Arlington. The Athletics continue to tumble down the standings; they were swept by the Tigers this week, have lost six straight, and 14 of their last 17. They head to Chicago to face the White Sox ahead of the All-Star break.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 19: Tate Southisene speaks during a press conference at Truist Park on July 19, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are one day away from Christmas in July as the MLB Draft, along with all the other festivities, is set to begin this weekend. There have been some changes, including the date and timings of the event so let’s review everything you need to know about the draft.
How To Watch
The draft will be held across two days with rounds 1-4 coming on Saturday, July 11th and rounds 5-20 on Sunday, July 20th.
Day 1
Coverage begins at 1:00 PM ET on NBC/Peacock for picks 1-10 of the first round..
Coverage will then shift to MLB Network for picks 11-40 (end of the 1st, PPI, competitive balance round A).
Coverage shifts again to MLB.com, MLB.tv for picks 41-135.
Day 2
Coverage begins at 11:30 AM ET for rounds 5-20 and will be found on MLB.com/MLB.tv
Where will the Braves pick in the draft order?
If you’re on this website in particular you’re here for Braves coverage so let’s focus on those picks in particular. The Braves received a PPI (Prospect Promotion Incentive) pick because Drake Baldwin started the season on the roster, and won Rookie of the Year, giving them an additional pick before the second round.
How much Draft Bonus Pool money do the Braves have?
Another result of the Drake Baldwin Rookie of the Year award is that the PPI pick comes with additional value, so the overall draft pool the Braves may draw from totals $15,870,800. The value is of importance because if a team exceeds that allotment by up to 5%, they pay an additional 75% tax on the that overage. These penalties increase the more you go over that threshold, but that is extremely rare.
OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 20: Gavyn Jones #18 of the Oklahoma Sooners pitches during the eighth inning against the North Carolina Tar Heels in Game 1 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals at Charles Schwab Field on June 20, 2026 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As is tradition at Amazin’ Avenue (2025, 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019), we take a look back at the high school players players who declined to sign with the Mets out of high school in order to attend college and see how their careers have gone now that they’re draft eligible once again. In 2023, the Mets drafted six high school players. Of those six, five signed with the club- Colin Houck, A.J. Ewing, Boston Baro, John Valle, and Jake Zitella- while one- Gavyn Jones- elected not to. Jones is a junior and now eligible for the 2026 MLB Draft, so let’s check in and see what he’s been up to and how he’s been doing.
Gavyn Jones, LHP (18th Round, 546 Overall)
With their 18th round selection in the 2023 MLB Draft, the Mets selected Gavyn Jones, a left-handed pitcher from White Oak High School in White Oak Texas. The southpaw won Texas District 15-3A Most Valuable Player honors that spring, hitting .490 with 12 doubles, 2 triples, 11 home runs, and 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts and posting a 0.97 ERA in 79 innings on the mound, walking 47 and striking out 144. The 6’2”, 205-pound left-hander had a fastball that sat in the low-to-mid-90s at the time and complemented it with a raw but projectable slider and a raw but projectable changeup.
Jones initially had a commitment to Texas Tech, but that fell through and he ended up attending McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. Jones appeared in 8 games for the Highlanders, starting 4, and posted a 14.54 ERA in 13.0 innings, allowing 21 earned runs on 20 hits and 18 walks while striking out 13. Additionally, he had 48 at-bats and hit .271/.352/.458 with 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 1 stolen base in 2 attempts, and drew 5 walks to 13 strikeouts.
Draft eligible once again due to his status as a junior college student, Jones went unselected in the 2024 MLB Draft. He entered the transfer portal and was accepted into the University of Oklahoma baseball program. In his sophomore season, he appeared in 22 games, starting 1, and posted a 6.37 ERA in 29.2 innings, allowing 33 hits, walking 7, and striking out 28. Jones also appeared in two additional games as a hitter and went 3-3, giving him a 1.000/1.000/2.000 batting line for the year and comically putting him on the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year watch list.
That summer, the left-hander pitched in the Cape Cod Baseball League, pitching for the Chatham Anglers. He appeared in 7 games, starting 4, and posted a 5.33 ERA in 25.1 innings, allowing 32 hits, walking 9, and striking out 14. When he returned to Oklahoma in the fall, coach Skip Johnson had Jones officially transition to becoming a full-time pitcher.
The southpaw appeared in 22 games for the Sooners in 2026 and pitched 26.2 innings for the eventual College World Series champions. He posted a career-best 4.73 ERA and allowed 24 hits, walked 17, and struck out 28. In the NCAA regionals, he made 1 appearance and threw 2.0 scoreless innings against Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, allowing 1 hit, walking 1, and striking out 3. In the College World Series Championship Series, he made 1 appearance and threw 2.1 scoreless innings against the North Carolina Tar Heels, allowing 2 hits, walking 2, and striking out 4.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 17: John Schreiber #46 of the Kansas City Royals looks on prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Kansas City Royals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Earlier this week, we asked how many players the Royals need to trade away before the deadline
92% of you thought the Royals needed to trade at least three players at this deadline. That’s not surprising at all, but what is at least a little surprising is that the number of five or more voters isn’t that large. When I originally wrote the poll question, I didn’t realize how many tradeable players the Royals had. The list I added to the original poll post came after the fact and was as much to help me figure out how I was ultimately going to vote.
For those of you who don’t remember and don’t want to click that link, here is the list of potentially tradeable Royals:
Players on expiring contracts:
Lane Thomas
Starling Marte
Matt Strahm
Kris Bubic
Jonathan India
John Schreiber
Carlos Estévez
Players who might be considered valuable (but replaceable) veterans with contracts that do not expire at the end of the season
Michael Wacha
Seth Lugo
Lucas Erceg
Alex Lange
Daniel Lynch IV
Kyle Isbel
Vinnie Pasquantino
Nick Mears
Michael Massey
Salvador Perez
There are at least four healthy players in the expiring contracts category, five if Bubic can get his act together. So basically, almost as many of you are happy keeping every single guy the Royals might have back next year as think they should trade at least one of them. For what it’s worth, I stand with the 43% who voted five or more. As I mentioned on the most recent Royals Rundown podcast, I think the Royals need to empty out their bullpen. No one in there has been good enough that I feel excited about bringing them back next year, and if they can bring back any kind of value (including young pitchers who might turn into relief studs next year), then the Royals should get rid of them. Steven Cruz and Beck Way are the only relievers I’m even remotely interested in seeing on next year’s roster. Unless you include Luinder Avila as a reliever (which, honestly, I do.)
Additionally, while Lugo probably doesn’t have much in the way of trade value anymore, I really think they should try to get someone else to take Wacha while he’s still at what is almost certainly the peak of his value and try to replace Wacha with a similarly savvy free agent signing this offseason. It’s not that I don’t like Wacha, it’s just that I think the Royals have shown an ability to find starting pitching just about everywhere, and if they could use him to patch multiple holes or one hole with a really good prospect, I think it makes the most sense for them to do so.
The rumor is that the Royals feel like they’ll have to be blown away by an offer for Wacha in order to deal him, and in recent history, they’ve not ever been blown away by any trade offer. So he’ll probably stay put. Maybe that isn’t the worst outcome in the world, but if they pair it with keeping all of their “controllable” relievers, I might scream.
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 23: Connor Comeau #61 poses for a photo during the 2026 Draft Combine at Arizona Grand Resort Phoenix on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Aryanna Frank/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The 2026 draft is just days 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 prep infielder Connor Comeau.
Connor Comeau is a 6’4”, 180 lb. lefthanded hitting, righty throwing shortstop out of Anderson High School in Austin, Texas. Comeau doesn’t turn 18 until August, and is committed to Texas A&M.
Comeau offers a quality hit tool with power projection. Baseball America says he “stands out for his present hitting ability.” He has a nice, easy swing and showed strong contact ability on the showcase circuit last summer. He has shown the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. He has shown the ability to hit for power — MLB Pipeline notes he finished second in the Home Run Derby at the Canadian Futures Showcase this past summer — but is still extremely lean currently, so there’s a belief that he should add more power as he develops and his body fills out.
Comeau has a good arm, but otherwise, the defensive package doesn’t offer a whole lot. While he plays shortstop currently, he’s not expected to stick there going forward, due to his size and lack speed. He’s likely destined for a corner spot, with third base seen as the best fit. He is a below-average runner currently, and generally guys get slower, not faster, as they fill out, which makes playing a corner outfield spot potentially problematic.
Like Daniel Jackson yesterday, I’m doing a write-up on Comeau because he was mentioned by Evan Grant as one of five potential candidates for the Rangers to select with their first pick in his article earlier this week. While I am skeptical of Jackson being picked by Texas, though, Comeau seems like someone who would be a potential fit.
Comeau has some similarities to Gavin Fien, the Rangers’ first round pick last year. Both are tall, bat-first first prep shortstops who were expected to move off of shortstop fairly quickly (Fein has moved off the dirt altogether, having played outfield exclusively this season for the Nationals). Both were relatively young for a their draft class — Fien turned 18 just a few months before draft day, and Comeau is still just 17. Both are relatively advanced with their hit tool and show future power potential. Fien is more filled out — Comeau appears to have the Evan Carter build currently — and an overall better prospect, which is why Fien was projected to go mid-first round and Comeau is looked at as a late first or second round guy.
Grant mentions that the Rangers really liked Comeau when they had him in for a workout, and if he’s a priority, there’s a couple of paths Texas could take. They could take him at 16 with a well-under-slot deal, then make a deal with one of the college pitchers with injury issues (such as Logan Reddemann) for an over-slot deal in the second round. Or they could do it the other way around, offering Comeau that they’ll give him enough over slot if he gets to them at #54 that he can scare other teams off before then with his asking price.
COVERS INTEL: Sale has a 2.54 FIP on the road, compared to a 3.26 mark at home this season. 
Yordan Alvarez
Kody Clemens
