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Game Thread: Better Late Than Never
MLB Player Props & Best Bets for Today, July 9
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Today’s MLB slate is bringing plenty of heat, with no shortage of MLB player props value. A couple of the league’s top sluggers find themselves in spots I absolutely love, including Ketel Marte.
Check out my favorite MLB picks for Thursday, July 9.
Best MLB player props today
| Player | Pick | Odds |
|---|---|---|
 Kyle Schwarber | Over 2.5 hits + runs + RBI | -122 |
| Bryce Harper | Over 1.5 total bases | -110 |
 Ketel Marte | Over 2.5 hits + runs + RBI | +142 |
Kyle Schwarber Over 2.5 hits + runs + RBI (-122)
People forget a home run cashes this play, and today Kyle Schwarber’s home run price is sitting at +150. Gross.
The Philadelphia Phillies slugger finds himself with an elite rating on Batters-Box this evening. Across 263 elite ratings over the last three seasons, the big fella has left the yard 27.76% of the time while going over this prop 42.59% of the time.
Schwarber draws Cincinnati Reds right-hander Brady Singer, who owns one of the worst pitcher ratings on the slate. Left-handed hitters have given Singer plenty of trouble, especially recently. Over his last 30 left-handed hitters faced, they are posting a .320 xBA, .680 xSLG, and .344 xwOBA.
On top of that, they are generating a 41.2% hard-hit rate and 17.6% barrel rate.
Over his last 60 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, Schwarber is slashing .320 BA, .560 SLG, .977 OPS, and .240 ISO. Of course, the big fella is also generating a monster 74.5% hard-hit rate during that span.
Yes, he homered last night. Do not be scared. If you don't want to pay the juice, sprinkle the double and home run markets instead.
- Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: CINR, NBCSP
Bryce Harper Over 1.5 total bases (-110)
We already know Singer has struggled against left-handed bats this season, so let's get into why we are backing both Schwarber and Bryce Harper on back-to-back days.
For starters, the Phillies superstar owns one of the highest matchup ratings on the day over at Batters-Box, where he has 100% arsenal coverage against Singer's pitch mix. Similar to Schwarber, Harper has been absolutely crushing right-handed pitching over his last 60 at-bats, posting a .320 BA, .740 SLG, 1.140 OPS, and .420 ISO.
He is also generating a 61.5% hard-hit rate and 12.8% barrel rate during that span.
I am once again very high on the Phillies today, and hopefully they come through. I would play this prop up to -120.
- Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: CINR, NBCSP
Ketel Marte Over 2.5 hits + runs + RBI (+142)
This play has me pretty giddy, as I am absolutely loving the value on Ketel Marte’s hits + runs + RBI prop this evening.
The Arizona Diamondbacks star enters today with an elite rating on Batters-Box, and in 59 elite ratings away from home over the last three seasons, he has cleared this prop nearly 50% of the time.
Marte draws San Diego Padres right-hander Griffin Canning, whom he has just 42.2% arsenal coverage against. However, when looking at his expected numbers against some of these pitches, Marte should be just fine.
I am willing to trust the expected stats and believe they point toward positive progression against Canning’s slider and changeup offerings.
Over his last 60 at-bats against right-handed pitching, the Arizona slugger owns a .367 OBP, .574 SLG, .941 OPS, and .278 ISO, while generating a 46.9% hard-hit rate and 10.2% barrel rate.
Canning has struggled against left-handed bats this season. Over his last 60 left-handed hitters faced, they are generating a 54% hard-hit rate, 13% barrel rate, and 59% elevation rate. Those lefties also own a .375 xBA, .671 xSLG, and .389 xwOBA, while Canning carries a 5.93 expected ERA against them.
I think the value is simply too good to pass up here. I love this price and would take it down to +130.
- Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: SDPA, ARID
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
- Prop picks: 282-520, -15.5 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.
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.
Game Thread: Red Sox (42-48) at White Sox (47-44)
With Garrett Crochet still on the 60-day IL and 10-1 Sonny Gray being saved for the Yankees tomorrow, the White Sox have had the benefit of only facing three back-of-the-rotation lefties this series. Unfortunately, they managed just one run in the first two games, but maybe the third can be the proverbial charm.
Today’s Red Sox starter is something of an unknown quantity, because Patrick Sandoval hasn’t pitched in the majors since June 2024. That’s when he departed for Tommy John surgery, which was followed by complications that kept him out of action an unusually long time. The former Angels veteran has had eight minor league rehab starts with meh results, but the longest was 68 pitches, so the Boston pen should be a factor early.
The White Sox counter with a southpaw of their own who hasn’t gone deep into games lately. Anthony Kay’s last start only went four innings, but that wasn’t his fault; Mother Nature interfered after he’d only given up one run. The previous early exit was on him, though. He didn’t make it out of the fourth after allowing seven hits and five runs, three earned, to the lowly Royals.
The Miguel Vargas leading off experiment was apparently a quick one, with Chase Meidroth back at the top of the lineup against a lefty as usual.
The Red Sox have a heavy-righty lineup with only one batter who has ever faced Kay, and that was one plate appearance (it ended in a K, though, so maybe that’s a good sign).
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CST, with a temp of 82°, mostly cloudy skies, and wind about 10 mph out to left. Usual broadcast suspects.
Brewers vs Cardinals Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game
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The Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals conclude an elongated series at Busch Stadium on Thursday night.
After taking the three straight from their divisional rival before Wednesday's setback, the Brewers are a short favorite (-127) for the finale, while the total is set at 8.5.
My Brewers vs. Cardinals predictions and MLB picks for Thursday, July 9 expect runs to be hard to come by in a tight game.
Who will win Brewers vs Cardinals today: Cardinals moneyline (+119)
Logan Henderson returns from the IL, and the market is giving him plenty of respect given his 26.7% K-BB% and 2.42 FIP.
Still, I'm in no hurry to lay juice on a 24-year-old coming back from a back injury. He won't receive a full workload, and the untrustworthy bullpen behind him (4.81 SIERA, 5.01 xFIP in the last 14 days) will get plenty of work.
Over his last eight starts, Andre Pallante has the third-best hard-hit rate (24.3%) of any qualified starter. With him on the bump, I'd play the St. Louis Cardinals to +110.
COVERS INTEL: Andre Pallante's 55.2% groundball rate since May 23 ranks third among qualified starters. His ability to keep the ball out of the air is crucial on a day with hitter-friendly weather (temps in the upper 80s, winds of 5-7 mph blowing out to right). Brewers vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-107)
Pallante has been fantastic, and combined with a solid bullpen (3.47 FIP in the last 14 days), can limit a strong Milwaukee Brewers lineup.
Henderson's status coming off the IL may provide uncertainty, but his metrics are certainly impressive. He locates (105 Location+) his nasty stuff (107 Stuff+) while finding strikeouts (33.3% K rate), so it's no surprise Milwaukee is 1-4 O/U in his five outings.
We won't see a blow-up spot for either pitcher, even if Henderson isn't at his sharpest. St. Louis has cashed the Under in 12 of its last 14 home games, so I'm riding the trend.
JD Yonke's 2026 Transparency Record
- ML/RL bets: 26-26, -3.9 units
- Over/Under bets: 35-18, +16.1 units
Brewers vs Cardinals weather
Brewers vs Cardinals odds
- Moneyline: Milwaukee -127 | St. Louis +122
- Run line: Milwaukee -1.5 (+133) | St. Louis +1.5 (-138)
- Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+100) | Under 8.5 (-104)
Brewers vs Cardinals trend
St. Louis has won seven of Andre Pallante's last eight starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Brewers vs Cardinals and game info
| Location | Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO |
| Date | Thursday, July 9, 2026 |
| First pitch | 7:40 p.m. ET |
| TV | Peacock |
| Brewers starting pitcher | Logan Henderson (2-1, 2.74 ERA) |
| Cardinals starting pitcher | Andre Pallante (10-5, 3.60 ERA) |
Brewers 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.
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.
Braves activate Eli White from the paternity list
PITTSBURGH — The Atlanta Braves have activated outfielder Eli White from the paternity list and designated outfielder Jose Azocar for assignment.
White joined the team in Pittsburgh for the finale of a three-game series. He is hitting .218 this season with four home runs, 15 RBIs and four stolen bases in 53 games.
Azocar played 11 games for Atlanta, which leads the NL East, and went 6 for 17 (.353).
Thursday afternoon Orioles game thread: vs. Cubs, 1:35pm ET
Probable pitchers: LHP Trevor Rogers (6-7, 4.70 ERA, 65 Ks) vs. LHP David Peterson (4-7, 6.75 ERA, 68 Ks)
Where to watch: MASN/MASN+
There have been grey clouds hanging over Baltimore since Fourth of July weekend, and there continues to be a figurative grey cloud hanging over Birdland. After building some hope with two wins in Cincinnati, the O’s are back in the midst of their ninth three-plus-game losing streak of the season—including two close losses to start this series vs. the Cubs.
The threat of rain has moved Game 3 up from 6:35pm to a 1:35pm, matinee start time. After being let down by the offense in Game 1 and slugged to death in Game 2, Trevor Rogers and the O’s will try and salvage a win in the series finale. Baltimore’s Opening Day starter has been on a heater over the last five weeks, posting a 1.77 ERA across 35.2 IP while limiting opponents to a .188 average. In his most recent outing, he pitched five shutout innings against the Reds, leading the O’s to a 3-0 victory.
Rogers’ only other career start vs. the Cubs was one of the best (and unluckiest) starts of his Orioles career. The stingy southpaw tossed an eight-inning complete game in Wrigley Field, allowing only four hits and one run while punching out eight. Unfortunately for Rogers and Birdland, he took the L that day as the O’s lost 1-0.
Opposing him is soft-tossing lefty David Peterson. The longtime former Met is making his third start since joining the Cubs at the end of June and is coming off a really rough start vs. the Cardinals. Peterson only lasted into the 4th inning against the Red Birds, allowing 9 H, 10 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB and 3 Ks.
The O’s have struggled against even the worst left-handed starting pitchers this season. After a poor performance against Matthew Boyd on Tuesday, Baltimore is down to 24th in OPS against left-handed starters. And in contrast to his recent struggles, Boyd does have a strong recent history against the Orioles.
In a start last season in Camden Yards, the 30-year-old lefty limited the Orioles to one run and five hits over seven innings. Baltimore won that game thanks to an 8th inning homer from Gunnar Henderson off the Mets bullpen, but will need more offensively today against the Cubs.
Orioles lineup
- Adley Rutschman (S) DH
- Taylor Ward (L) LF
- Gunnar Henderson (L) SS
- Pete Alonso (R) 1B
- Tyler O’Neill (R) RF
- Coby Mayo (R) 3B
- Samuel Basallo (L) C
- Blaze Alexander (R) 2B
- Leody Taveras (S) CF
Cubs Lineup
- Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF
- Alex Bregman (R) 3B
- Seiya Suzuki (R) RF
- Carson Kelly (R) DH
- Michael Busch (L) 1B
- Nico Hoerner (R) 2B
- Ian Happ (S) LF
- Dansby Swanson (R) SS
- Miguel Amaya (R) C
GUARDIANS AT TWINS: Ober vs. Williams, discussion
It is in times like this where I have to intentionally remind myself how much I will miss baseball during the lockout.
I swear, if they can’t hit Bailey Ober AGAIN today…
Here’s the Guardians’ lineup:
Here’s the Twins’ lineup:
Let’s go, Guardians!
MLB Strikeout Props & Pitcher Best Bets for Today, July 9
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A slate full of struggling pitchers take the mound this evening, headlined by Merrill Kelly's recent slump on the bump.
Let's take a look at who joins him in my three favorite MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks and MLB picks from Thursday’s slate on July 9.
| Player | Pick | Odds |
|---|---|---|
 Nathan Eovaldi | Over 7.5 Strikeouts | +125 |
| Merrill Kelly | Under 3.5 Strikeouts | +132 |
 Brady Singer | Over 2.5 Earned Runs | -153 |
Strikeout prop: Nathan Eovaldi Over 7.5 strikeouts (+125)
With MacKenzie Gore going over for us last night but failing to cash the ladder, the amount of opportunities he had makes me like Nathan Eovaldi to shove this evening.
Does that correlate? Who knows, but the Los Angeles Angels are still one of the highest strikeout teams in baseball.
Over their last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, six Angels hitters own at least a 23.3% strikeout rate, with four of those hitters sitting at 33.3% or higher.
Eovaldi has posted a 29.51% strikeout rate over his last five starts. Across his last 90 batters faced, he owns a 33.1% called strikes plus whiffs rate and a 17.2% swinging strike rate.
This is a great spot for another strikeout pitcher to go over his prop against one of the most swing-happy teams in baseball.
- Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: RSN, ABTV
Strikeout prop: Merrill Kelly Under 3.5 strikeouts
Coming into today, Arizona Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly owns one of the worst pitcher ratings on Batters-Box, including the lowest matchup strikeout rate. His trends in poorly rated spots are also very appealing.
Across 17 poorly rated games, Kelly has stayed under 4 strikeouts 47% of the time. In six games this season with a poorly rated matchup strikeout rate, he has stayed under this prop 66.67% of the time.
Over his last 5 starts, Kelly's strikeout rate has remained below 13%, and on the road this season, that number drops to 10.34%.
Despite the San Diego Padres' 28% strikeout rate over their last 6 games, this lineup has been seeing the ball well over the last 21 games. I expect plenty of contact and fewer whiffs from Kelly in San Diego this evening.
Arizona has also been one of the toughest teams to strike out, owning the highest contact percentage in baseball over their last 21 games.
- Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: SDPA, ARID
Earned Runs prop: Brady Singer Over 2.5 Earned Runs (-153)
After the Cincinnati Reds put up nearly two touchdowns last night, I fully expect the Phillies to come back with a chip on their shoulder and return the favor.
Brady Singer draws a fully elite rated Phillies lineup over on Batters-Box, that features three elite rated hitters and two more with strong ratings. The wildest part about those three elite bats? They all own at least 57.6% arsenal coverage against Singer’s pitch mix.
On top of that, the Philadelphia Phillies have been swinging a hot bat as a team, posting a 111 wRC+, .332 wOBA, and .167 ISO over their last 12 games. With me already expecting Philadelphia’s star hitters to bounce back this evening, I think this is a strong spot to fade Singer.
- Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: CINR, NBCSP
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
- Prop picks: 282-526, -15.5 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.
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.
Patrick Sandoval makes long-awaited team debut chasing sweep vs. White Sox
The Red Sox push for their sixth consecutive win in a season-best hot stretch. Boston eyes a sweep against the surprising American League Central-contending Chicago White Sox. Patrick Sandoval, who signed with Boston before the 2025 season, finally makes his team debut after an extensive rehab process.
Here’s who the Red Sox will send to the plate behind him Thursday afternoon at Rate Field.
The White Sox counter with Anthony Kay, who sports a 4.29 ERA and a 6-3 record in 84 innings this year.
Snake Bytes 7/9
Team News
Torey Lovullo ejected in Diamondbacks loss to Padres
Classic dominance helped propel E-Rod to 1st career All-Star selection
https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/eduardo-rodriguez-s-strong-first-half-leads-to-first-all-star-selection
Torey Lovullo Ejected from Diamondbacks and Padres Gamehttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/torey-lovullo-ejected-diamondbacks-padres-game
Measuring the Negative Impact of D-backs’ Struggling Veteranshttps://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/onsi/measuring-negative-impact-diamondbacks-struggling-veterans
Anything Goes
This day in history:
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-9
This day in baseball:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/July_9
Bees have 5 eyes.
The 3 small eyes on a bee’s head detect light and help them escape from predators approaching from above. The 2 visible front eyes help them with navigation and recognizing shapes.
The human tongue heals the fastest compared to all body parts.
This is due to the rich supply of blood that circulates the tongue. It may also be because the mouth is constantly replenishing your taste buds.
4 out of 5 children recognize the Mcdonald’s logo at 3 years old.
These kids can recognize the golden arches before they even know their own names.
Red Sox vs. White Sox prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for July 9
The Red Sox (42-48) will look to complete a three-game sweep of the White Sox (47-44) this afternoon at Rate Field in Chicago. Boston has now won five in a row while the Sox have lost four of their last six.
Boston continued its recent surge last night with a convincing 5-0 victory. The Red Sox broke through against White Sox starter Davis Martin with three runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth, then let left-hander Jake Bennett do the rest. Bennett turned in seven scoreless innings, allowing just four hits while striking out four. Tsung-Che Cheng collected two hits and two RBIs, while Ceddanne Rafaela added an RBI double. The White Sox managed just four hits in the game and have scored but a single run in the first two games of the series.
Despite the loss, Chicago still leads the AL Central by one game over the Guardians. The Sox climb north in the Wild Card standings continued last night with the win. Boston now site but three games out of a playoff spot.
Patrick Sandoval takes the ball for the Red Sox today. It will be his debut with Boston and his first appearance in a game in any uniform following Tommy John surgery followed by a few setbacks. Sandoval has not appeared in a major league game since June 2024. His most recent outing came on a rehab assignment with Double-A Portland on July 4, when he fired five scoreless innings, allowed just one hit and one walk, struck out seven, and threw 68 pitches. Boston is expected to monitor his workload closely this afternoon.
The White Sox counter with veteran left-hander Anthony Kay (6-3, 4.29 ERA). Kay's most recent start came July 3 against Cleveland, where he was effective despite Chicago taking a tough-luck extra-inning loss. Kay allowed just one run on one hit across four innings, walking two and striking out two. Prior to that outing, he struggled against Kansas City on June 28, surrendering five runs (three earned) over 3.2 innings, though he had delivered six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against Cleveland in the start before that.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Red Sox vs. White Sox
- Date: Thursday, July 9, 2026
- Time: 2:10PM EST
- Site: Rate Field
- City: Chicago, IL
- Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, NESN, CSN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Red Sox vs. White Sox
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Boston Red Sox (+100), Chicago White Sox (-120)
- Spread: Red Sox -1.5 (+163), White Sox +1.5 (-199)
- Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Red Sox vs. White Sox for July 9
- Red Sox: Patrick Sandoval
Season Totals: This is Sandoval’s first start of the season - White Sox: Anthony Kay
Season Totals: 84.0 IP, 6-3, 4.29 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 67K, 33 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Red Sox vs. White Sox
- Wilyer Abreu is 1-8 in this series and 4-24 in July
- Caleb Durbin went 2-3 last night to snap an 0-12 stretch over the previous 3 games
- Sam Antonacci is 4-6 in this series
- Ceddanne Rafaela has hit safely in 6 straight games (10-28)
- Willson Contreras went 0-2 last night to snap his 5-game hitting streak
- Colson Montgomery is 0-8 in this series and 5-26 this month
- Chase Meidroth is 1-7 through the first 2 games of this series
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Red Sox vs. White Sox
- The White Sox are 52-39 on the Run Line this season
- The Red Sox are 41-49 on the Run Line this season
- The OVER has cashed 52 times in Chicago’s 91 games this season (52-37-2)
- The OVER has cashed 41 times in Boston’s 90 games this season (41-45-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Red Sox vs. White Sox
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between the Red Sox and the White Sox:
- Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Red Sox on the Moneyline.
- Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Red Sox on the Run Line.
- Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Mariners News: Justin Verlander, Willson Contreras, and Jac Caglianone
Greetings folks, and a happy Thursday to you.
The Mariners lost a snoozer to the Marlins yesterday, falling 2-0 with another hapless performance from the offense.
A question for you to ponder on this fine morning in advance of the series finale: who is the most Mariner-like Marlin, and who is the most Marlin-like Mariner?
In Mariners news…
- Ryan Divish at The Seattle Times wonders if the Mariners should have more than one All-Star this year.
- Emma Cortes Ellendt at Forbes went behind-the-scenes to learn more about the Mariners’ new influencer strategy.
Around the league…
- Veteran right-hander Justin Verlander announced that he will retire at the end of the season. Verlander was also just selected to the All-Star team as a “legend pick.”
- Bradford Doolittle eulogized the amazing and unique career Verlander has enjoyed.
- We have some new Home Run Derby participants, with the Royals’ Jac Caglianone and the Red Sox’s Willson Contreras each announcing they will compete.
- Former Mariners righty Gregory Santos has elected free agency. Santos has had a rough season between the majors and Triple-A in the Giants organization.
- The Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) unveiled the names and logos of its four teams in advance of its inaugural season, set to begin on August 1.
- Carlos Collazo at Baseball America provided his penultimate mock draft with less than a week to go until the first round begins. ($)
Anders’ pick…
- This is gonna hit so hard in December.
How to watch 2026 MLB Draft: TV, live stream info, schedule, time, draft order
The 2026 MLB Draft takes place this Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. For the first time ever, NBC Sports will provide live national coverage, starting at 1:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock with the top 10 picks, and continues on Peacock at 2:30 PM. See below for everything you need to know about the 2026 MLB Draft, including additional information on how to live stream the event.
Click here to sign up for Peacock!
Junior Caminero’s power binge continues, the Cubs are in rollercoaster mode, and the Twins pull off a rare feat.
- ,
D.J. Short
How to watch the 2026 MLB Draft:
- Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA
- When: Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12
What channel is the 2026 MLB Draft on?
The 2026 MLB draft will take place on NBC, Peacock, MLB Network, MLB TV , and MLB +. See below for the full draft schedule.
2026 MLB Draft Schedule:
*All time are listed as ET.
Saturday, July 11: Rounds 1-4
• 1:00-2:30 p.m. - Picks 1-10 (NBC and Peacock)
• 2:30-4:30 p.m. - Picks 11-40 (MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB TV, MLB+)
• 4:30-7:45 p.m. - Picks 41-135 (MLB.com, MLB TV, MLB+)
Sunday, July 12: Rounds 5-20
• 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. (MLB.com, MLB TV, MLB+)
2026 MLB Draft Order
Here are the first 10 picks:
1. Chicago White Sox
2. Tampa Bay Rays
3. Minnesota Twins
4. San Francisco Giants
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Kansas City Royals
7. Baltimore Orioles
8. Oakland Athletics
9. Atlanta Braves
10. Colorado Rockies
How many rounds is the 2026 MLB Draft?
There are 20 rounds in the MLB draft.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby, from the competitors to the updated rules.
- ,
How to watch MLB on NBC and Peacock:
MLB Sunday Leadoff is a weekly Major League Baseball showcase featuring live Sunday daytime games. It highlights marquee matchups throughout the regular season and streams primarily on Peacock, with some games also airing across NBC Sports and NBC.
MLB Sunday Night Baseball is a weekly primetime Major League Baseball showcase, featuring marquee matchups each Sunday night during the regular season. The games air on NBC and Peacock and anchor NBC Sports’ Sunday night programming lineup.
NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.
MLB on NBC 2026 schedule:
Click here to see the full list of MLB games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
Why are some MLB games unavailable to stream on Peacock?
Due to territorial blackout restrictions, select regular season, special event, and Postseason games may be unavailable on Peacock. Television territory blackout restrictions apply regardless of whether a Club is home or away and regardless of whether a game is televised in that Club's home television territory. For more information, visit Peacock’s Help Center.
What devices does Peacock support?
You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.
Check out the latest MLB player news here!
The next generation of MLB stars is headed to Philadelphia, with Jesús Made, Leo De Vries, Kade Anderson and Eli Willits among the headliners.
- ,
Yankees Rivalry Roundup: Red Sox and Jays toss shutouts
As has been the case more often than not of late, it was not the Yankees’ day on Wednesday. In an important divisional match with the first place Rays, the Bombers were shut out, and will be forced to try for a split in the series’ fourth game on Thursday. Now five games out of the top spot in the East, New York has plenty of work ahead them as we march closer to the All-Star break.
Regardless, there was plenty of other important baseball going on around the Junior Circuit on Wednesday. Amid some blowouts, gems on the mound, and the narrowing of standings, let’s take a look at what went down.
Boston Red Sox (42-48) 5, Chicago White Sox (47-44) 0
In a battle of the Sox, those of the Red variety had control over Wednesday’s game for much of its duration. After a pair of scoreless innings on both sides to begin the game, Boston jumped out to a five-run lead in a hurry. In the third, RBI knocks from Tsung-Che Cheng and Ceddanne Rafaela helped to plate three, while the same from Carlos Narváez and Cheng scored two more in the following inning.
The outburst in the middle innings was actually the extent of the scoring on either side, as the Red Sox cruised to victory in Chicago. The story of their day, however, was the pitching. Starter Jake Bennet had his best stuff working on Wednesday, as he tossed seven scoreless innings, while striking out four and walking just one. It was his fourth consecutive start of six or more innings, as the lefty continues to pitch well for the Sox.
Boston’s win gets them to within a few games of the final wild card spot, while Chicago’s loss only tightens the situation in a rather close American League Central. With three different teams within two games of first place, the division could once again remain close for much of the season.
Other Games
Toronto Blue Jays (44-49) 10, San Francisco Giants (38-54) 0:
On the topic of top-notch pitching, Dylan Cease was about as good as it gets in San Francisco on Wednesday. The highly talented righty took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Giants, and although he lost the no-no to the first hitter of that frame, Cease finished with a pristine line of eight scoreless innings with eleven strikeouts racked up. All the while, the Toronto bats backed up their starter with double-digit runs, fueled by Kazuma Okamoto’s grand slam, and homers from Vlad Guerrero Jr. and George Springer. The Jays creep back to within 2.5 games of a wild card berth with their dominant win by the Bay.
Miami Marlins (51-42) 2, Seattle Mariners (47-46) 0:
Remaining on the theme of shutouts, the Mariners dropped a tough one on the road against the Marlins. Early runs for Miami, thanks to extra-base hits from Kyle Stowers and Xavier Edwards gave them the lead, while another excellent effort on the mound allowed them to keep it. Miami’s Tyler Phillips along with three relievers kept Seattle out of the run column wire-to-wire, as the Fish continue to impress, holding onto the last wild card spot in the NL. With the disappointing loss, the Mariners shrink their lead in the West to just a half-game, as their situation becomes a bit troubling as we head toward the second half.
Minnesota Twins (46-47) 6, Cleveland Guardians (47-46) 5:
In the closest game on our docket for the day, the Twins walked it off in the ninth to close the gap between them and the Guardians. It was a close battle throughout on Wednesday, as both clubs matched each other with three runs in the fourth inning, and two in the seventh to knot things up at five. The big hit came from Alan Roden in the bottom of the ninth, with his walk-off “single” that hit about half-way up the big wall in right-center sending the Twins and their fans home happy. The dramatic wins gets the surprising Twins a bit closer to the action in the Central, as they now sit just two games out of first place.
James Wood is lapping the field when it comes to scoring runs
As we all know by now, the Washington Nationals are scoring a lot of runs. They are the only team in baseball to cross the 500 run threshold, and also lead baseball in home runs and stolen bases. James Wood is a massive part of this run scoring machine, not just due to his 25 homers and .948 OPS, but also due to just how many runs he is scoring.
James Wood has scored 85 runs this season. I am going to try and contextualize just how crazy that is. He leads all of baseball in runs scored, and it is by an absolute landslide. The Nationals right fielder has scored 21 more runs than the player in second place, which is jarring if you ask me.
The gap between James Wood and second place Bryan Reynolds is the same as the gap between second place and 86th place. It goes to show how potent the Nats offense has been, and also how productive Wood is. You have to give a lot of credit to Blake Butera for sticking Wood in the leadoff spot.
At first it seemed like a bit of a wonky fit, but it has been a stroke of genius. Wood is constantly on base, with a .402 OBP. His intimidating presence also forces pitchers to show their whole arsenal right from the jump. If you make a mistake to Wood to start a ball game, he will make you pay, as shown by his 8 leadoff homers.
We have seen power hitters leadoff before, and it is becoming more common in the game. Davey Martinez famously moved Kyle Schwarber to the leadoff spot, and that propelled a massive home run binge for him. However, Wood is an even better fit for the leadoff spot because of his athleticism.
When Schwarber got on base, he would clog up the basepaths. Despite being a massive human, Wood is an above average runner, and a threat to steal bases. Wood has 15 stolen bases on the season, which is actually the same amount as CJ Abrams. Between the on base ability, and Wood’s athleticism, it is no shock that he scores a lot of runs.
Runs scored is obviously not a purely individual stat though. You need your teammates to drive you in. That is exactly what Nats hitters have been doing. Luis Garcia Jr. and CJ Abrams are second and third in RBI this season. James Wood is the runner they are driving in on many occasions.
A July 7th post said that Wood was on pace for 142 runs, a number that will be higher after he’s scored 4 runs in the last 2 games. If he breaks the 140 run barrier, he will join Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and Alex Rodriguez as the only players 23 or younger to score that many times.
As Dan Kolko said on the broadcast last night, Nats fans are almost used to seeing their young outfielders be in that kind of company. Between Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, and now James Wood, this franchise has had so many record setting superstars. Hopefully we will be able to keep this one around.
Another crazy stat was shown that had Wood in the same breath as Bonds. However, it might not be the Bonds you are thinking of. Wood joined Bobby Bonds as the only players to have 85 runs, 25 homers, 60 RBI and 15 steals before the All-Star Break. Talk about filling up the statsheet.
This James Wood runs scored stat might be my favorite statistic of the season. It not only tells you about Wood’s dominance, but it also shows how elite the offense has been as a whole. There are other players with high on base percentages, but none of them come close to Wood’s 85 runs because they don’t have the type of protection he does.
James Wood is the engine of the Nationals offense, but a car has many parts. You need an exterior, an interior, and a driver. The Nats have that as well with players like CJ Abrams, Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead. Watching this offense has been such a blast this year. Remember when we were worried about the offense coming out of Spring Training?
So much has changed since the beginning of the season, and most of it has been for the better. I am at the point where I really think the Nats should buy at the deadline to try and take advantage of this offense. The offense is likely to be good moving forward, but there is no guarantee it will be this dominant again. They should not sell off the farm or anything, but it would be a disservice to this group to not go after a controllable arm or two.
They do not need to make a Mason Miller type trade to make this bullpen better. All they need to do is bring in a couple solid arms. Even if they simultaneously sell off a piece or two, I still think the Nats need to be on the hunt for arms.
I got a little sidetracked there, but James Wood is having a truly historic season. Nats fans have seen a few generational talents roam their outfield, and James Wood is the next in line. In a perfect storm season, James Wood not only leads baseball in runs scored, but he is lapping the field when it comes to touching home plate.