MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 12: A detail view of the MLB Debut patch worn by Blaze Jordan #33 of the St. Louis Cardinals in his debut game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on June 12, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
(The below is Brandon’s post. It was somehow incorrectly posted as weeks ago, so I’m copying it here)
First Pitch: 1:10 pm CDT TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
After years of going “well, that looks fun,” and keeping up with the PC scene on the outside looking in, I finally broke down and bought my first-ever desktop computer this week, which has come with two immediate benefits. One, the already-significant purchase meant that I felt justified in adding a peripheral into the mix, which means you’re reading this from the comfort of my new Keychron keyboard. The other is that Balatro runs a little bit faster.
I bring this to your attention because I’m assuming that the newfound comfort with which I am, shall we say, strokin’ keys, has no doubt translated onto your screens and is making for a significantly more enjoyable readership experience. Basically, you ARE welcome, and you didn’t have to say all that.
Tonight, the Twins continue their interleague series with the St. Louis Cardinals, one of baseball’s reddest, birdest teams. (You can tell from the logo. And the name!) Despite sort of rebuilding, and asserting their intention to deal away rental pieces next month, the second-place Redbirds are the owners of a 37-29 record which puts them four back of the Brewers and atop the National League Wild Card standings by a full game over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
It’s Connor Prielipp, and it’s also Matthew Liberatore. How is that possible? I guess we’re gonna find out. I didn’t think there could be two pitchers in the same game. I’ll have to read up on that.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Pitcher Joe Ross #16 of the Arizona Diamondbacks poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers have purchased the contract of pitcher Joe Ross from AAA Round Rock, the team announced today. To make room for Ross on the active roster, the Rangers optioned Luis Curvelo to AAA Round Rock. To make room for Ross on the 40 man roster, the Rangers have designated pitcher Michel Otanez for assignment.
The Rangers are in a lengthy stretch of games, and after Luis Curvelo’s one inning, three run outing last night, the Rangers apparently decided that he needed to be replaced by a fresh arm. Thus, we have the addition of veteran righthander Joe Ross.
Ross, 33, is the brother of Tyson Ross, who you may remember pitched for the Rangers in their 2017 season. Ross started the season in the majors with the Arizona Diamondbacks, was designated for assignment, cleared waivers, and ended up pitching for their AAA team for a while. He was released in mid-May and signed with the Rangers, who sent him to Round Rock. After allowing three runs in his first outing of 1.2 IP for Round Rock and a run in his second outing, Ross has had five straight scoreless appearances, totaling 8.2 IP, with six strikeouts against no walks.
Curvelo getting sent down was not surprising, though I thought he might be sent down to make room for Alejandro Osuna, if Corey Seager and/or Evan Carter were too banged up to go today, but not so much so that an injured list move was necessary. Osuna left yesterday’s Round Rock game in the fifth inning, presumably due to Carter having to leave the Rangers game yesterday after hurting his oblique.
As for Otanez, he was claimed on waivers over the winter, and managed to outlast several other 40 man roster members, but the axe finally swung for him. He’s not pitched well at Round Rock, with 37 Ks against 25 walks in 26.1 IP over 25 games, and a 6.15 ERA. The Rangers will now have to trade, waive or release him.
Jun 12, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker (23) scores against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Dodgers finished off their road trip with one more game against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday afternoon at Rate Field, perhaps during time for brunch back in California.
Emmet Sheehan starts the series finale for the Dodgers, with right-hander Erick Fedde on the mound for Chicago.
At the NHL Draft, you never mind picking 32nd overall, because it usually means you just won the Stanley Cup. But this year, that selection didn't come with a prize; just penance.
The Senators will pick at 32, dead last overall, as their punishment for a messed-up trade from five years ago. And since the NHL's original ruling was no pick at all in Round 1, the Sens aren't complaining.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss more on the idea of signing UFA Viktor Arvidsson.
Without the league's change of heart, it would have been a pretty dull first day at the draft for the mighty Sens. Their first pick would have been the coveted 72nd overall selection, which is the pick they got from Florida in the 2024 Vladimir Tarasenko deal.
What also makes the Senators' first-round pick unique is that they're allowed to trade it. Commissioner Gary Bettman still wanted to set an example, and set it the way an elementary school teacher might handle a student who was causing trouble.
Back of the line, kid, and stay there.
So as their time to pick approaches in Buffalo on June 26, there will be no trades, no drama. They will absolutely choose someone at 32.
Senators head amateur scout Don Boyd, who's making a list and checking it twice, talked about his scouting team's preparation this week on TSN 1200 radio.
"We build our list with the idea that these players are going to go in this order, or that we would have them in this order if we were making every pick one to 32," Boyd said. "Other teams will make decisions for us. There may be somebody else outside of our 32 that jumps ahead of our pick, and then we have our list that we can react to that.
"If we were in a position where we could trade the pick... we would still build our list the same way."
No two teams will have the same draft list, so the Senators will almost certainly come away with a player they currently have ranked somewhere in the mid-to-high 20s.
Boyd figures that at least five prospects who they have ranked higher than 32 may be available to them. Or to put it another way, roughly five other teams are expected to use their first-round pick on players who aren't on the Sens' list.
He says there are even three players outside of their top 32 that they would still be very happy with. So they expect to end up with one of eight players.
Boyd, 73, has been around the scouting game for a long time, and was asked how the first-round talent depth this year stacks up with drafts of the past.
"We're looking at a draft that's got a lot of defensemen involved in the top 10-12 of the draft," Boyd said. "There are possibly 6 or 7 that could go in that area... it's a deep draft as far as defensemen go."
One thing that has dramatically changed draft evaluation is the relatively new NCAA eligibility rules.
"Players can go now to major junior and then go to college, and so now our perspective has changed when we're looking at players that are playing at so many different levels.
"We look at players who maybe have not produced at the college level in their first year, and we know they can produce or they've produced before. So we have to go back into their background, acknowledge what they've done in the past and take the big picture of what they've done this year."
Sounds like Boyd and his staff may have a college player or two in mind that other teams might be undervaluing.
The 2026 NHL Draft will be held at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Earlier this week, I gave you a choice of four Cubs who had gotten off to rough starts this year and asked you which one you thought would turn things around first.
Now, there were a couple things not quite right about the four choices. First, I left Nico Hoerner off the survey, and probably should have included him because though Nico got off to a good start, he’s been in a slump for a while now. And I did include Michael Busch, who had a terrible start but then had a pretty good May.
With those caveats, here are the results from this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey:
Given what I just wrote about Busch above, yes, that is probably the correct answer. At the end of April Busch was hitting .193/.295/.281 (22-for-114) with just two home runs in 30 games. Since then: .301/.436/.522 (41-for-136) with six home runs in 39 games, including the big three-run blast Friday night in San Francisco. Given that Busch hit 34 home runs in 2025 — and four in eight postseason games — I’d still like to see him up the power output. Hopefully that will happen.
Nico Hoerner has also been in an extended slump — just .207/.289/.251 (37-for-179) over his last 45 games so, yes, it would be nice to see him turn things around, too.
Here are the results of the national questions asked in the SB Nation Reacts survey.
That’s a really interesting vote. Alvarez has been kind of under-the-radar this year because the Astros have struggled. But, he is currently leading MLB in SLG and OPS, and tops the AL with 22 home runs.
This seems pretty accurate. We’re only at the beginning stages of MLB/MLBPA negotiations, there’s been just one offer made from each side and there hasn’t really been any response to either in terms of modifying anyone’s requests or demands (other than the usual blustering). It’s still nearly six months until the CBA expires so crunch time is a ways away.
Yes. This is definitely a concern. And unless either side budges on what they’re asking for, owners will almost certainly lock players out when the CBA expires Dec. 1. That doesn’t mean that games will be lost in 2027 — not yet, anyway. Nevertheless, it’s worth keeping track of what’s happening in these negotiations as the summer goes by, and I’ll report any developments here.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 01: Fans look on in Monument Park before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on May 1, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’ve been around the internet in the past week or so, you may have seen the spread of a series of quick and fun little sports games. Seemingly starting with 82-0 and the NBA, games have been sprouting up where you have to try and make the best possible starting lineup after a random generator spits out a franchise and a decade. However, the conceit is that you have no idea what team and decade may come next. You have to balance picking the best possible player while trying not to leave yourself in a spot where you have to take a complete scrub with your final picks.
There has been a baseball version that’s popped up as well, 162-0. Playing that version of those games got me thinking about what would be the best possible team you could make using only the Yankees. So, here’s an effort to try and find out.
Some rules I made for myself include not repeating any players or decades. For example, I wasn’t going to put both 1920s and 1930s Babe Ruth on the team, nor was I just going to stack the team with a bunch of Murderers’ Row era stars and ignore other decades. I also decided to keep some sense of positional realness. Aaron Judge technically has played a handful of games in left field over his career, but I wasn’t going to put him over there just for the sake of stacking the team. The same deal applied to the designated hitter spot, I wanted to pick someone who has spent a good amount of time playing DH.
With that in mind, here’s my team.
Catcher: 1960s Elston Howard Yankees stats in that decade: 959 games, .278/.329/.435, 109 HR, 111 wRC+, 24.7 fWAR
I strongly considered 1970s Thurman Munson for this spot, while a bunch of the other candidates (Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey, Jorge Posada) had their decades locked up by other players. Howard’s still a very good choice though, as he was very good in the ‘60s, including his AL MVP win in 1963.
First Base: 1930s Lou Gehrig Yankees stats in that decade: 1397 games, .343/.453/.638, 347 HR, 173 wRC+, 76.0 fWAR
Yeah, no, there was only one real choice for the ‘30s. The Yankees had other good players that decade and have had other good first baseman, but Gehrig in the ‘30s had one of the single best decades in baseball history.
Second Base: 1980s Willie Randolph Yankees stats in that decade: 1135 games, .276/.378/.355, 35 HR, 111 wRC+, 32.0 fWAR
Both the 1980s and second base were one of the last spots I filled up, but Randolph’s a pretty solid choice considering that. At least according to FanGraphs WAR, he was actually the best Yankee position player of the decade.
Shortstop: 2000s Derek Jeter Yankees stats in that decade: 1500 games, .317/.387/.456, 161 HR, 125 wRC+, 46.1 fWAR
Over the course of his career and the discourse that came with it, Jeter somehow simultaneously became one of the most underrated and overrated players at the same time. However, there’s nothing to argue about over what he did in the 2000s.
Third Base: 1970s Graig Nettles Yankees stats in that decade: 1092 games, .255/.329/.437, 181 HR, 116 wRC+, 40.4 fWAR
You can make an argument for Nettles being one of the most overlooked players in all of baseball history considering his stats compared to how little of a Hall of Fame look he got. I considering a couple different alignments and a couple different third baseman, but than you look at what Nettles did in the ‘70s and it became a pretty obvious pick, at least in my opinion.
Left Field: 1940s Charlie Keller Yankees stats in that decade: 953 games, .281/.406/.521, 173 HR, 152 wRC+, 39.7 fWAR
Left field is an interesting one, as most of the Yankees’ most legendary outfielders have mostly patrolled center and right. If I was being laxer on the rules, I could’ve shoved one of them over here, but I wanted an out and out left fielder, and “King Kong Keller” was probably my best choice there.
Center Field: 1950s Mickey Mantle Yankees stats in that decade: 1246 games, .311/.425/.569, 280 HR, 172 wRC+, 67.9 fWAR
Again, there are other good choices for center field and for the 1950s, but when you just look at what the Mick did, I had to pick him.
Right Field: 1920s Babe Ruth Yankees stats in that decade: 1399 games, .355/.488/.740, 467 HR, 202 wRC+, 106.7 fWAR
The current Yankee captain and the decade so far that Aaron Judge has had is maybe the one player I felt most bad about leaving out, but c’mon, it’s Babe Ruth.
Designated Hitter: 2020s Giancarlo Stanton Yankees stats in that decade: 588 games, .237/.317/.486, 148 HR, 122 wRC+, 6.9 fWAR
As I mentioned, I didn’t want to just shove the next best player in at DH and wanted to pick someone with a legitimate amount of time at the position. Big G’s 2020s stats over that period somewhat pale in comparison to the rest of the entries on this team, but when healthy, the man has hit.
Starting Pitcher: 1990s Andy Pettitte Yankees stats in that decade: 165 games, 1044.1 IP, 3.92 ERA, 3.96 FIP, 81-46, 20.9 fWAR
For as much success as the 1990s Yankees had, picking a representative from them was somewhat tough, as their strength was having very few holes as opposed to having a Babe Ruth level star. In the end, I decided to go with Pettitte to be this team’s starter on the mound.
Relief Pitcher: 2010s Dellin Betances Yankees stats in that decade: 358 games, 381.2 IP, 2.36 ERA, 2.31 FIP, 36 saves, 11.3 fWAR
The Yankees obviously have the greatest reliever ever in Mariano Rivera, but I used his best decades elsewhere and he didn’t pitch long enough into the 2010s to take the spot. Plus, it shouldn’t be forgotten how absolutely unhittable Betances was in his prime.
That’s my team, but I want to see your configurations. Let us know your all-time Yankees lineup picking one player per decade.
Hoping to even the series in a duel of average-ish pitching, Atlanta is batting Mauricio Dubon at leadoff, starting Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop, and DHing Jorge Mateo, with Sandy Leon starting at catcher…whoof. This lineup desperately needs the return of Drake Baldwin and Ronald Acuna. Austin Riley remembering how to hit like a star player and Sean Murphy returning sure would help too.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 12: Blaze Jordan #33 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits an RBI single against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning of his MLB debut at Target Field on June 12, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals continue their weekend in Minneapolis as it’s game 2 versus the Minnesota Twins Saturday. Matthew Liberatore will make the start for the Cardinals while LHP Connor Prielipp will be on the mound for the Twins. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm central time at Target Field and the broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv. Note that JJ Wetherholt has the day off and Masyn Winn is leading off Saturday.
Shohei Ohtani returned to the lineup after missing a game with left knee inflammation as the Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar is batting leadoff for their Saturday, June 13 matchup against the Chicago White Sox.
Ohtani was pulled from the team’s game Thursday at Pittsburgh and underwent an MRI on his knee Friday in Chicago. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters the scan came back clean and he expected, for now, Ohtani would make his next scheduled pitching start Wednesday.
Roberts initially said there was also pain in the back of Ohtani’s knee, but walked that assessment back. The Dodgers lost the first game of the three-game series 8-6 Friday night.
After what was for him a pedestrian start at the plate, Ohtani has been on a one-month tear since May 12, with seven homers and a .412/.508/.753 line in 118 plate appearances. He's also posted a 1.06 ERA in 11 starts, which would lead the National League if Ohtani had two more innings pitched to qualify.
Now in his third year with the Dodgers, Ohtani won a World Series and an MVP award in each of the first two seasons of his record-setting $700 million deal.
The Toronto Blue Jays have been the kryptonite of New York Yankees star right-hander Cam Schlittler in his young career.
The Jays’ bats profile well to continue that dominance this afternoon, making Schlittler Over 5.5 hits allowed an attractive play at +120.
Read on for my Blue Jays vs. Yankees Predictions and MLB Picks for this Saturday, June 13 matchup.
Yankees vs Blue Jays predictions
Yankees vs Blue Jays best bet: Cam Schlitter Over 5.5 hits (+120)
Cam Schlittler is having a Cy Young worthy season, but has struggled against the Toronto Blue Jays throughout his career, which has led to his market being mispriced.
I expect the Jays to go over 5.5 hits on Schlittler today.
Toronto’s current lineup owns a .339 batting average, earning 28 hits against the New York Yankees starter through four games, profiling well against his aggressive strike-throwing style and pitch mix.
Schlittler has a high zone rate and uses a mix of four-seamers, cutters, and sinkers.
As a team, the Blue Jays own a .272 average (8th) with a 41% hard-hit rate (5th) against these pitches.
Schlittler has eclipsed this hit total in 3-of-4 career starts against Toronto, with the lone other start only lasting 1 2/3 innings, where he still gave up five hits.
We'll continue to bank on a productive day for the Blue Jay bats in today’s SGP with Ernie Clement and Jesus Sanchez hitting props.
Clement has 18 hits over his last 12 games, eclipsing this total in 10 of them. He profiles well against Schlittler as a contact hitter, and it has led him to being 4-for-9 against the Yankee starter in his career.
For the last leg of this SGP, I’ll bet on Sanchez Over 0.5 hits. He owns a .330 average and a .370 BABIP against Schlittler’s pitch mix. He’s also eclipsed this total in four of his last five starts and is 3-for-5 career against the Yankees starter.
Yankees vs Blue Jays SGP
Schlittler Over 5.5 hits
Clement Over 0.5 hits
Sanchez Over 0.5 hits
img loading="lazy" width="100%" height="null" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/jaysmlcbp.jpg" alt="Canada’s best price for Jays"
Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.
Yankees vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+475)
Kazuma Okamoto leads the Jays with 14 homers this season and hits Schlittler's pitch mix well with a 60% hard-hit rate, to go along with a 9.7% barrel rate.
This positions him well for success today as the Yankee starter does get barreled up quite often, while also ranking in the 33rd percentile in hard-hit rate.
However, despite giving up the hard contact, Schlittler does keep the ball in the yard, allowing only four home runs in his 14 starts this season.
Therefore, I’ll be making this a half-unit wager today.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 33-34, +3.85 units
SGPs: 13-54, +5.35 units
HR picks: 10-57, -0.45 units
Yankees vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: New York -125 | Toronto +105
Run line: New York -1.5 (+140) | Toronto +1.5 (-160)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Yankees vs Blue Jays trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Game Total Over in 10 of their last 16 games at home (+4.70 Units / 27% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Yankees vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Saturday, 6-13-2026
First pitch
3:07 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (7-3, 1.87 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Kevin Gausman (4-4, 3.60 ERA)
Yankees vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Yankees vs Blue Jays weather
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.
The Montreal Canadiens have plenty of promising prospects in their system. One of them is forward Owen Beck.
Beck just completed his second professional season split between the Canadiens and Laval Rocket in 2025-26. In 15 games with the Habs, he scored his first-career NHL goal, threw 24 hits, and won 58.7% of his faceoffs. Down in the AHL with Laval, he had 13 goals and 33 points in 58 games. He also recorded three goals and two assists in five playoff games for the Rocket.
Beck's offense dropped a bit this season compared to his first campaign with Laval, as he had 15 goals and 44 points in 64 regular-season games with the AHL club in 2024-25. While this is the case, he is still a prospect to watch very closely in 2026-27.
There is a lot to like about Beck's game when it comes to his two-way play, faceoff ability, and penalty-killing ability. Because of this, it would not necessarily be surprising if the Canadiens give him more opportunities on their NHL roster next season. If they do, he will be a prime breakout candidate to watch for the Canadiens next season.
With Beck being among the Canadiens' most notable prospects, they are certainly hoping that he can take that next step. He has the tools to become a solid NHL player, and it will be intriguing to see if he emerges as just that next season for Montreal.
Fresh off an opening-game victory, the Chicago White Sox look to protect home field once again on Saturday afternoon at Rate Field.
Standing in their way is a massive pitching mismatch, as the Los Angeles Dodgers hand the ball to the stellar Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Given the clear edge on the mound for L.A., my Dodgers vs. White Sox predictions favor the road favorites to cover the spread.
Read on for more analysis and to get my free MLB picks for Saturday, June 13.
Who will win Dodgers vs White Sox today: Dodgers -1.5 (-117)
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto is getting batters to chase on 34.3% of their swings while maintaining a walk rate of just 5.1%. He’s also generating a 47.3% ground ball rate, which plays well against a Chicago White Sox lineup that hits grounders 44.2% of the time.
White Sox starter Sean Burke has a 5.40 ERA over his last six starts, and will have trouble turning things around against a Dodgers lineup leading the majors with a .345 wOBA. The Dodgers are the pick to cover the run line, and I’d take them to do so at -130 or better.
COVERS INTEL: The White Sox lead the majors in whiff rate at 27.9%, a troubling number against Yamamoto, who is getting batters to whiff on 29.5% of their swings.
Dodgers vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-113)
With two teams that have powerful offenses, the total is a bit high at 8.5 runs today. Yamamoto has only allowed a total of three runs over his last four starts (spanning 27.1 innings), and Burke should at least compete against the Dodgers thanks to his arsenal of pitches.
Burke relies on his four-seam fastball and curveball, throwing them a combined 59% of the time. Los Angeles only pulls those pitches in the air 17.2% of the time against righties, which will limit the damage their lineup can do. I’m taking the Under today at -120 or better.
Ed Scimia's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 12-16, -4.70 units
Over/Under bets: 9-17 -8.47 units
Dodgers vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Dodgers -186 | White Sox +178
Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (-117) | White Sox +1.5 (+113)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+108) | Under 8.5 (-113)
Dodgers vs White Sox trend
The Dodgers are 3-0 in Yamamoto’s last three starts, winning each game by at least four runs. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. White Sox.
How to watch Dodgers vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Saturday, June 13, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
SportsNet LA, CHSN
Dodgers starting pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-4, 2.68 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Sean Burke (3-3, 3.88 ERA)
Dodgers vs White Sox latest injuries
Dodgers vs White Sox weather
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.
1912-ORIGINAL CAPTION READS: This terrible scene, painted by German artist Willy Stoewer, depicts the sinking of the Titanic, the proud British luxary liner which struck an iceberg off New Foundland, April 14, 1912, carrying 1,517 persons, many of them Americans, to their deaths. It was the supposedly non-sinkable ship's maiden voyage. BPA2# 1076
You are still singularly focused on Cincinnati Reds baseball, and for that I applaud you (to a degree).
They’ve lost key player after key player to injuries. They’ve nosedived from first place to dead last in the National League Central. They’ve found ways to lose that will make you absolutely rip out every hair on your head that you haven’t ripped out while watching them over previous years.
Yet here you are, loyal Reds fan. Here you are reading about a Saturday afternoon game between the Reds and the Arizona Diamondbacks that’s taking place during the first weekend of the world’s biggest sporting event.
That’s fandom.
The Reds, to their limited credit, appear to have shaken the lineup a little bit after last night’s frustration. Not anything super serious – there were no promotions or demotions – just a handful of tinkers that manager Terry Francona surely hopes can light a fire under this underperforming group.
Edwin Arroyo will hit leadoff tonight and play shortstop, as Matt McLain – who’s still hitting 9th – swaps over to 2B for the game. Noelvi Marte, who homered last night, will get a start in CF this afernoon. Spencer Steer will slide out to RF, and Blake Dunn will start on the pine tonight after last night’s unbelievably forgettable 9th inning.
All that will be behind Rhett Lowder, who’ll start having allowed 13 BB and 11 ER across 7.1 IP over his last three starts combined. Woof!
First pitch is set for 4:10 PM ET, and it’s back on Reds.tv after Friday’s Apple TV coverage.
The Kansas City Royals are short favorites against the Houston Astros on Saturday night, and I’m laying the small moneyline price.
Noah Cameron gives Kansas City the cleaner starting-pitching profile, while Mike Burrows’ low-strikeout, contact-heavy profile gives the Royals enough scoring upside.
Here are my Astros vs. Royals predictions and MLB picks for June 13.
Who will win Astros vs Royals today: Royals moneyline (-125)
This is a matchup of two pitchers that are trending in different directions. I'm backing the Kansas City Royals, who have the better pitcher by a sizable gap in this matchup. I'd play them to -135.
Houston Astros SP Mike Burrows has a4.72 xERA and a .338 xwOBA, which creates too many balls in play against a lineup with real top-end damage from Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone.
Royals SP Noah Cameron is not dominant, but his 3.98 xERA and 6.2% walk rate are cleaner than Burrows’ profile.
I have slightly more conviction on the Over than a side and would play to 10 at even money.
Although I expect Kansas City to eventually get the win, it won't come without trouble. Cameron has allowed a 41.0% hard-hit rate and 9.3% barrel rate, which is dangerous against an Astros lineup with plenty of power, particularly considering the current form of Yordan Alvarez.
Burrows is the bigger trigger for a variety of reasons, the most pressing being his bottom 20th percentile of most hard-hit metrics paired with looming negative regression.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 29-23, +5.71 units
Over/Under bets: 32-20, +14.87 units
Astros vs Royals odds
Moneyline: Astros +105 | Royals -125
Run line: Astros +1.5 | Royals -1.5
Over/Under: Over 9.5 | Under 9.5
Astros vs Royals trend
The Royals have covered the F5 Run Line in 7 of their last 11 games (+2.85 Units / 22% ROI)
How to watch Astros vs Royals and game info
Location
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Date
Saturday, June 13, 2026
First pitch
7:10 p.m. ET
TV
Space City Home Network, Royals.TV
Astros starting pitcher
Mike Burrows (3-8, 5.77 ERA)
Royals starting pitcher
Noah Cameron (3-4, 3.84 ERA)
Astros vs Royals latest injuries
Astros vs Royals weather
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.
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - MAY 25: Luigi Suigo, #19 of U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan selected to All-Tournament Team after Adidas NextGen Euroleague Finals Championship game between U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs U18 Zalgiris Kaunas at Mubadala Arena on May 25, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Grau/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)
The “Italian Wemby” saga has finally come to an end.
NEWS: Luigi Suigo has withdrawn from the NBA Draft and committed to Villanova, Sigma Sports and Excel Sports tell DraftExpress.
The 7'4, 289-pound 19-year-old will be a physical outlier in the Big East who can pass, space the floor, protect the rim, and finish effectively. pic.twitter.com/S9HeU5kreq
After weeks of hype, anxiety and anticipation, the 19-year-old center from Tradate, Varese, Italy has finally made it official: he’s a Villanova Wildcat for the 2026-27 season. Suigo flirted with the NBA Draft process, hoping to get a top-20 guarantee from a team. But after receiving feedback, he has decided to play in college next season with the hopes of improving his stock.
The 2026 NBA Draft is considered by many to be one of the best in years, so from Suigo’s perspective it makes sense to wait a year. With even a relatively-successful season at Villanova, Suigo would position himself well for a weaker 2027 NBA Draft. From a Villanova standpoint, this unlocks another ceiling level for Kevin Willard and co.
Up to this point of the offseason, Willard has been able to retain two of his best players from a year ago, in addition to adding depth, experience and talent at all forward and guard spots. The one question mark was in the middle, with only redshirt-freshman Nico Onyekwere returning. That question has been answered in emphatic fashion with the commitment of Suigo.
The 7’3” big man had until June 13 at 5 PM to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft, and he took almost all of that time to make his decision. But the wait and gamble was worth it for Villanova, who secures an NBA-caliber center who will be able to add floor spacing on offense, while also providing elite rim protection on the other end. The happiest person in the building right now might be incoming senior Kwame Evans Jr., who gets to strut his stuff more as a pure forward with this addition.
There’s still work to be done with the depth up front, with both the international route and the high school route reportedly being considered. But otherwise, the roster appears set for a top-25 ranking and a return to national relevance for the Wildcats.
COVERS INTEL: Toronto is averaging 
