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Game Three with the Tigers and then the Jays head off for four games in New York against the Yankees.

And Adam Macko is up with the team. He told reporters that he rushed around to buy ‘collared shirts’ to wear on the team bus, saying that he only had hoodies. It seems that I’ve been following his journey up the ladder forever. He was drafted by the Mariners in 2019 from Vauxhall high school here in Alberta (a 2.5 hour driving time from Calgary), and we got him in trade for Teoscar Hernandez.

Vlad is in the two-spot today. I’m all for moving guys around when they are slumping. It likely won’t do much, but you never know.

GO JAYS GO.

The Yankees are not playing their best baseball at the moment, winning just two of their last eight games to fall several games back of first. That three of those losses have come against a pair of struggling teams in the Orioles and Mets makes the Bombers’ deficiencies appear all the most glaring — and they’re at risk of their third consecutive series loss. All the same, they can get back in the series win column with a good performance in the rubber game against their crosstown rivals this afternoon.

Elmer Rodríguez got the call up after Max Fried was placd on the IL with a bone bruise in his pitching elbow. Lauded for his command in the high minors, the walks have been the biggest issue in his first two MLB starts, though it is worth commending him for settling down and tossing 3.2 scoreless after a three-run first threatened to derail his last start against the Rangers. In those two starts, both against Texas, Rodríguez has given up five runs on ten hits and eight walks across 8.2 innings.

Freddy Peralta has performed largely as advertised since the Mets acquired him from Brewers over the winter to be their long-sought-after ace of the rotation. The whiffs and strikeouts are down as he has lost about one mph off all of his pitches, but he is doing a much better job of keeping the ball off the barrel of the bat than in his previous three seasons. In nine starts, Peralta is 3-3 with a 3.10 ERA (128 ERA+), 3.66 FIP, and 50 strikeouts in 49.1 innings.

The Yankees lineup has been one of the principal culprits in the recent downturn in form, scoring three or fewer runs in six out of the last eight games. Austin Wells is probably their most struggling player and he gets the day off after the night game with J.C. Escarra taking his place behind the plate. It has been nice to see Jazz Chisholm Jr. get the bat going of late, while Anthony Volpe has been getting on base despite not registering a hit since making his season debut.

The Mets meanwhile field the worst offense in MLB, yet still managed to push six runs across last night. They make a pair of changes to their lineup, MJ Melendez coming in to play left, moving Juan Soto to DH and Austin Slater to the bench. Hayden Senger takes over catching duties from Luis Torrens.

How to watch

Location: Citi Field – Flushing, NY

First pitch: 1:40 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, SNY

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App 92.3 HD2 (NYM)

Streaming: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

Texas Rangers @ Houston Astros

Sunday, May 17, 2026, 1:10 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / Rangers Sports Network)

Daikin Park

RHP Nathan Eovaldi vs. RHP Peter Lambert

Go Rangers!

After a deeply gratifying win to get to .500 yesterday, the Nats have a chance to sweep the O’s. Getting to .500 is cool, but getting over that hump would be even better. They will have a chance to do just that in front of what should be another stellar crowd at Nationals Park.

The Nats are not making too many adjustments to the lineup that got them 13 runs yesterday. After a great performance off the bench, Brady House will be starting again at third base. That pushed Jose Tena to DH and down the lineup. Keibert Ruiz stays behind the plate after his big day. Richard Lovelady will be the opener and Miles Mikolas will follow him.

The O’s are making more changes. Adley Rutschman will get the day off. That means young Samuel Basallo will do the catching. Taylor Ward moves up to the leadoff spot and takes Basallo’s place as the DH. Colton Cowser will be back in the lineup as the left fielder. Right hander Brandon Young will be on the mound for the birds.

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 1:35 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

This series has already been a huge success for the Nats. They have performed well in front of big crowds and brought a new buzz around the team. Now they have a chance to put a cherry on top today. They will go for the sweep and a winning record. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.

Taylor Ward will bat first and serve as the designated hitter today as the Orioles look to avoid a sweep in DC. Ward will be followed by shortstop Gunnar Henderson and first baseman Pete Alonso. Samuel Basallo will do the catching with Adley Rutschman starting the game on the bench.

Tyler O’Neill, Colton Cowser, and Leody Taveras will handle the outfield duties with Ward penciled in as the DH. Coby Mayo will play third, and Jeremiah Jackson will take second base against Nationals opener Richard Lovelady. Miles Mikolas is expected to follow Lovelady.

Struggling teams look to their stars. With Rutschman on the bench, the Orioles need Henderson and Alonso to spark the offense today.

The Orioles will send out right-handed pitcher Brandon Young. Young was forced into the rotation after some early injuries, and the 27-year-old has an opportunity to cement his place with a few more strong outings.

Orioles lineup

1. Taylor Ward DH
2. Gunnar Henderson SS
3. Pete Alonso 1B
4. Tyler O’Neill RF
5. Samuel Basallo C
6. Leody Taveras CF
7. Coby Mayo 3B
8. Colton Cowser LF
9. Jeremiah Jackson 2B

Starter: RHP Brandon Young

After eking out a win Friday night and blowing a late lead Saturday night, the series is on the line when the Braves and Red Sox face off Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m. EDT.

Grant Holmes gets a regular-rest turnaround on the Braves’ starter carousel against Brayan Bello, who has been bad as a starter but good as a bulk reliever this season.

Let’s see if the Braves can close out the homestand with a winning record.

Game Notes

Preview

Lineups

The latest news on the Houston Astros and from around MLB:

The Astros could potentially be without franchise icon Jose Altuve for a while:

Reinforcements are on the way for Houston:

Hunter Brown making progress:

Josh Hader will not be back when first eligible on May 24, but it’s not because of a setback.

Spencer Arrighetti still has faith the Astros can turn season around:

Bryan Abreu getting back on track:

Astros pitching coach Josh Miller on Astros’ league-leading walks totals & how they are trying to get better:

Of course, walks are up everywhere, and it’s no secret why. Jayson Stark on the impact of ABS on the the strike zone, as well as why the NL looks so much better than the AL, the impact of the WBC on MLB team so far and more:

Kai-Wei Teng wasn’t supposed to be the Astros best starting pitching acquisition this offseason, but he’s making his case:

The Astros hit 4 home runs off Jacob deGrom Saturday. Here they are, in case you missed them or just want to bask in the glory again:

In his Sunday Notebook, Bob Nightengale asserts that Astros manager Joe Espada’s job security grows more tenuous by the day:

Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber is racking up HRs:

Mets get another bad break with SP Clay Holmes:

Dodgers SP Blake Snell is the latest casualty of “loose bodies”:

Yankees SP Max Fried will avoid the knife, for now:

No fire sales yet in San Francisco, Flushing:

Unicorns.

You can make a case the Mariners have played without Big Dumper all season long, but…

The White Sox have been the newest version of the Bash Brothers:

The Red Sox might be screwed:

The Stephen F. Austin baseball team got to meet the St. Louis Cardinals #TarpsOff

It helps to know the rules of the field, especially your own field:

After 11 years in the minors, Rodolfo Duran finally got a call up. Saturday, he hit his first MLB HR:

Mets lineup

Carson Benge – RF
Bo Bichette – SS
Juan Soto – DH
Mark Vientos – 1B
MJ Melendez – LF
Brett Baty – 3B
Marcus Semien – 2B
A.J. Ewing – CF
Hayden Senger – C

SP: Freddy Peralta – RHP

Yankees lineup

Trent Grisham – CF
Ben Rice – 1B
Aaron Judge – DH
Cody Bellinger – LF
Jazz Chisholm – 2B
Ryan McMahon – 3B
Spencer Jones – RF
Anthony Volpe – SS
J.C. Escarra – C

SP: Elmer Rodriguez – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 1:40pm EDT
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, May 17, 2026, 1:35 p.m. ET

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet

Pitching Matchup: Zack Wheeler (2-0, 2.55 ERA) vs. Paul Skenes (6-2, 1.98 ERA)

The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the Philadelphia Phillies today at beautiful PNC Park.

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

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BD community, this is your thread for today’s game against the Phillies. Enjoy!

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are bringing out the brooms Sunday night, on the road looking to sweep away their in-state rivals, the Los Angeles Angels.

The Halos might have their best shot at a win in this set, facing struggling Dodgers’ righty Roki Sasaki.

However, my Dodgers vs. Angels predictions and free MLB picks think the visitors will also prove tough for Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez, who hasn’t pitched in the bigs since 2024.

Who will win Dodgers vs Angels today: Dodgers -1.5 run line (+115)

The Los Angeles Angels have just four wins in their last 20.

Offense has been a problem all year, as they’re Bottom-7 in runs scored, tallying just two in two losses to the Los Angeles Dodgersso far.

There is optimism, though, to see what Grayson Rodriguez can do in his 2026 debut, as he fanned 11 in his minor-league tune-up. He missed all 2025 from elbow surgery.

But not sure this is the lineup you want to see first: the Dodgers are second in the majors in road scoring (5.95 runs) and rank Top 3 in average, OBP, slugging and OPS.

COVERS INTEL:Shohei Ohtani will face Grayson Rodriguez for the first time in his career, but he mashes against his former club. In 12 games, he’s hitting .311 with 15 hits, five HR’s, 14 RBI and 12 runs scored.

Dodgers vs Angels Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 runs (+100)

This head-to-head series has put the scoreboard bulbs to work. Including the Dodgers’ 15-2 thumping Saturday night, the Over has cashed in seven of the last nine meetings.

We don’t know what Rodriguez brings to the table, but we know what the Dodger lineup can do, and how Roki Sasaki has struggled.

Not only has he allowed at least three earned runs in five of six starts, but the floodgates usually open in his games, with at least 12 runs combined in four of his last six outings.

Watch for that trend to continue Sunday.

Dodgers vs Angels odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -133 | Angels +127
• Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (+117) | LAA +1.5 -127)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+108) | Under 9.5 (-117)

Dodgers vs Angels trend

At 8-12 at home, the Los Angeles Angels is tied with the Boston Red Sox for fewest home wins in Major League Baseball. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Angels.

How to watch Dodgers vs Angels and game info

Dodgers vs Angels latest injuries

Dodgers vs Angels weather

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Sunday Night Baseball returns as the San Diego Padres go for the road sweep of the Seattle Mariners at 7:20 p.m. ET on Peacock.

With the series wrapped up, the Padres might come out sluggish. I’m bullish on three Seattle Overs with my Padres vs. Mariners props and MLB picks for Sunday, May 17.

For more on this game, read Robert Criscola's Padres vs. Mariners predictions.

Padres vs Mariners props for May 17

Pick	Odds
George Kirby Over 5.5 strikeouts	-108
Randy Arozarena 2+ hits + runs + RBI	-110
Julio Rodriguez 2+ total bases	+100

Padres vs Mariners player prop picks

George Kirby Over 5.5 strikeouts (-108)

The Seattle Mariners have to be thrilled with what they’ve gotten from George Kirby in 2026.

After a relatively ineffective and injury-plagued season in 2025, "Furious George" is in the Top 10 in innings thrown (57) and wins (five) among starting pitchers. 

This is a spot for the San Diego Padres to underperform. They’ve already wrapped up the series by taking the first two on the road, and are looking ahead to tomorrow’s crucial matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who enter Sunday a half-game ahead of the Friars in the NL West. 

The Padres haven’t been excellent against right-handed pitchers even when dialed in, posting the second-worst wRC+ (74) and fifth-highest K-rate (24.9%) this month. 

Kirby pitches deep into games, averaging 6 1/3 innings per contest. If he goes that long, his ability to control the strike zone (92nd percentile chase rate, 83rd percentile walk rate) makes him a strong candidate to rack up Ks.

Randy Arozarena 2+ hits + runs + RBI (-110)

Lucas Giolito returns to the big leagues for his debut with San Diego. Given his 5.01 xERA across 26 starts in 2025, the Seattle lineup should be licking its collective chops. 

The husky hurler showed reverse splits a year ago, surrendering a 1.40 WHIP to right-handed hitters. That’s a continuation of what he’s done for most of his career (4.60 FIP), so it’s fair to boost projections for all of Seattle’s righties.

Randy Arozarena’s 148 wRC+ is the highest he’s recorded since 2020. He’s destroyed right-handed pitching, slashing .318/.414/.450 with a 155 wRC+.

Julio Rodriguez 2+ total bases (+100)

Last we saw Giolito, he operated with a three-pitch mix of four-seamers, sliders, and changeups. This is music to the ears of Julio Rodriguez, who has feasted on all three offerings.

J-Rod has strong results against four-seamers (164 wRC+) and sliders (122) while positively demolishing changeups (282). He hasn’t been able to find success against any other pitch type, posting a wRC+ below 100 for all other offerings.

Add that to Giolito’s aforementioned reverse splits, and this is a dream matchup on paper for Rodriguez. 

How to watch Padres vs Mariners and game info

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Hickory starter A.J. Russell went 2.1 IP, allowing two runs, striking out two and walking one.

Hector Osorio was 2 for 5 with a stolen base. Yolfran Castillo was 3 for 5 with a double and a stolen base. Marcos Torres was 2 for 6 with a double. Paulino Santana had a hit.

Hickory box score

For Hub City, starter Ismael Agreda struck out six and walked four, allowed two runs in four innings. Andrew Susac allowed three runs in 1.2 IP, striking out two and walking one. Joey Danielson walked two and struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings.

Malcolm Moore’s recent hot streak continued, as he went 3 for 5 with a homer. Paxton Kling homered. Gleider Figuereo was 2 for 4 with a double and a homer. Yeison Morrobel had a hit and a walk. Rafe Perich had a hit and a walk.

Hub City box score

Frisco starter Leandro Lopez allowed four runs in five innings, walking three, striking out nine and givine up a homer. Wilian Bormie allowed a run in an inning, striking out two. Ryan Lobus struck out two in two shutout innings.

Keith Jones II went 3 for 4 with a double and a walk. Arturo Disla tripled.

Frisco box score

Round Rock starter Josh Stephan allowed a two run homer in 5.2 IP, walking one and striking out no one. Chris Martin retired all three batters he faced. Ryan Brasier struck out one in a scoreless inning. Emiliano Teodo walked two and struck out one in an inning of work, allowing one run.

Cam Cauley was 3 for 5 with a double and two stolen bases. Aaron Zavala doubled.

Round Rock box score

ACL Rangers box score

The Phillies will go for the sweep on Sunday as they wrap up their three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

The good news is that they’ll have Zack Wheeler on the mound. He’s been excellent since his return from surgery with a 2.55 ERA in four starts.

The bad news is that they’ll be facing Paul Skenes. The Pirates’ ace is 6-2 with a 1.98 ERA on the season.

Game time is 1:35 PM and will be televised locally on NBCSP.

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The Seattle Mariners have dropped two in a row to begin this weekend series with the San Diego Padres, but my Padres vs. Mariners predictions believe Seattle's significant pitching advantage will enable them to salvage a game from this interleague affair tonight.

Read on for my free MLB picks for May 17, and don't miss JD Yonke's Padres vs. Mariners props for Sunday Night Baseball.

Who will win Padres vs Mariners tonight: Mariners moneyline (-157)

George Kirby gives the Seattle Mariners a tremendous advantage on the mound, and that will allow them to coast to victory.

Kirby doesn't rack up Ks (38th percentile), but he gets batters to chase (92nd percentile), and doesn't issue many free passes (17th in BB/9 innings among qualified starters). 

The San Diego Padres lineup has been absolutely awful in May, ranking dead-last in OPS (.593).

Countering Kirby is Lucas Giolito, who makes his season debut. His minor-league rehab starts do not inspire confidence, as he recorded a 4.76 ERA across 17 innings. He also had a 5.01 xERA in 2025.

COVERS INTEL: The Padres are seventh-worst in the majors in chase rate (32.9%).

Padres vs Mariners Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-110)

I'm expecting a heavy dose of the Padres bullpen in this one with Giolito making his first start of 2026, and this unit is fifth by ERA in May (2.24). The Mariners offense is solid but not scary, ranking 16th in OPS.

Seattle is also swing-happy, ranking third-worst in whiff rate (27.7%). That plays directly into the hands of San Diego's relievers, who rank second in K/9 innings (10.91) this month.

The Mariners' bullpen shouldn't be taxed too heavily behind Kirby, but this a strong relief corps. Seattle relievers are eighth by ERA in May (2.38).

Padres vs Mariners odds

• Moneyline: Padres +130 | Mariners -150
• Run line: Padres +1.5 | Mariners -1.5
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Padres vs Mariners trend

The Mariners are 5-1 across Kirby's last six starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Padres vs. Mariners.

How to watch Padres vs Mariners and game info

Padres vs Mariners latest injuries

Padres vs Mariners weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.