SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 10: Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. announces the 19th pick of the 2020 MLB Draft is Pete Crow-Armstrong by the New York Mets during the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft at MLB Network on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
On Saturday, July 11, Major League Baseball will host its 61st annual Rule 4 draft, better known as the first-year player draft. Thanks to their 83-79 record during the 2025 season, the Mets were lined up to make the 17th overall pick. Since the Mets exceeded the Competitive Balance Tax threshold by more than $40 million, their first-round selection will drop 10 places to 27 instead.
Because the Mets signed Bo Bichette, a free agent who rejected a qualifying offer over the off-season, the team forfeited its second-highest pick in the draft, meaning they will not be making a pick in the second round. Their next pick will instead be in the third round, the 92nd selection overall. Following that, they will be making the 120th overall pick in the fourth round, 152nd pick in the fifth round, 181st pick in the sixth round, 210th pick in the seventh round, 240th pick in the eighth round, 270th pick in the ninth round, 300th pick in the tenth round, and a selection every thirty picks in rounds 11-20.
The Mets have a $6,730,900 bonus pool to work with in the 2026 MLB Draft, the third lowest behind the Blue Jays and their $5,543,100 pool and the Dodgers and their $3,951,900 pool. In entirety, all 30 teams have been allotted $358,662,500 by Major League Baseball, an increase from $350,357,700 last season, as pick values have increased by 2.5 percent, reflecting MLB revenue increases.
The Mets’ first-round selection, the 27th overall pick, has an MLB-assigned slot value of $3,466,500. Their third-round selection, the 92nd overall pick, has an $859,900 slot value. Their fourth-round selection, the 120th overall pick, has a $645,100. Their fifth-round selection, the 152nd overall pick, $472,500 slot value. Their sixth-round selection, the 181st overall pick, has a $364,600 slot value. Their seventh-round selection, the 210th overall pick, has a $287,800 slot value. Their eighth-round selection, the 240th overall pick, has a $232,100 slot value. Their ninth-round selection, the 270th overall pick, has a $207,200 slot value. Their tenth-round selection, the 300th overall pick, has a $195,200 slot value.
In order to be eligible to be selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, a player must meet the criteria applicable to them:
Be a resident of, or have attended an educational institution in, the United States, Canada, or a U.S. territory such as Puerto Rico. Players from other countries are not subject to the draft and can be signed by any team unless they have attended an educational institution in the aforementioned areas.
Have never signed a major or minor league contract.
High school players are eligible only after graduation, and if they have not attended college.
Players at four-year colleges and universities are eligible three years after first enrolling in such an institution, or after their 21st birthdays (whichever occurs first).
Junior and community college players are eligible to be drafted at any time.
The San Diego Padres were blown out by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the series opener of this NL West battle.
My Diamondbacks vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks see value in backing the home team to respond in Game 2.
Who will win Diamondbacks vs Padres today: Padres moneyline (-125)
Neither offense is potent against right-handed pitching, but the San Diego Padres are in better form. They are +1.6 weighted runs above average vs. righties over the last month, while the Arizona Diamondbacks come in at -12.4.
If German Marquez can pitch an inning or two, Johnny Brito and his extreme ground-ball profile in the minors should help him survive. Bet this to -135.
Diamondbacks vs Padres Over/Under pick: Over 9 (-105)
These offenses are nothing to write home about, and I’m not sure it matters. The pitching is that poor.
Gallen has posted a 7.24 ERA over his past 12 starts, conceding an average of 4.6 runs when he takes the bump. Only once during that stretch did he allow fewer than three runs.
The Padres are going with Marquez as an opener, a minor leaguer in bulk, then turning to a bullpen that ranks dead last in FIP over the past two weeks.
I like the Over and would play it to -115.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 51-41, -0.15 units
Over/Under bets: 50-39-4, +6.39 units
Diamondbacks vs Padres weather
Temperatures are expected to be in the low 70s with winds blowing east. This weather shouldn't be impactful one way or the other.
Diamondbacks vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Diamondbacks +105 | Padres -125
Run line: Diamondbacks +1.5 (-180) | Padres -1.5 (+155)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)
Diamondbacks vs Padres trend
The Diamondbacks have only cashed the moneyline in 14 of their last 35 games for -8.45 units and a -21% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Diamondbacks vs. Padres.
How to watch Diamondbacks vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
DBacks.TV, Padres.TV
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Zac Gallen (3-8, 6.36 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
German Marquez (3-2, 5.79 ERA)
Diamondbacks vs Padres 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 06: Mike Burrows #50 of the Houston Astros warms up before a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 06, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For a team in a position where every win matters, continuing to hand away games simply cannot continue.
At some point, every branch will break. The branch carrying Mike Burrows on the Astros broke yesterday.
Staked to a 6-1 lead, Burrows proceeded to hand it all back in the 3rd inning, giving up a 5 spot as fans (and likely teammates) watched in horror as Burrows continues to get banged around the yard. He wasn’t fooling anyone, his manager Joe Espada admitted in the post game, lamenting Burrows inability to get a swing and miss with either his fastball or his changeup.
Burrows fastball has been the stuff of legend this season, for all the wrong reasons. It has been among the worst pitches in baseball this season. The league is batting .309 with an incredible .721 SLG vs Burrows 4-seam. He did not get a single swing and miss on 18 4-seamers yesterday against the Nationals. That is astounding. Astoundingly awful.
After 94.2 IP this season, Burrows is now 4-9 with a 5.99 ERA. That is the highest ERA for any Astros pitcher after 50 innings in the Astros uniform ever. Worse than Colton Gordon (5.95). Worse that Frances Martes (5.80). Worse than the Traitorous Rat Fink who shall not be named (5.22).
This isn’t “early struggles” anymore. This is broken.
That doesn’t mean Burrows cannot be fixed. As Espada so often reminds us, he is a young pitcher, and his stuff is there. The Astros Lab, which has made countless pitchers far more effective in a short period of time, has thus far been unable to solve the riddle of Burrows.
This far into the season, those riddles need to be solved in the minors.
Houston cannot in good conscience continue to send Burrows out every 5th to 6th day, and look the rest of the team in the yes and say they are committed to winning. Burrows is now a reclamation project.
Perhaps if this were not the 3rd straight year in which the Astros pitching staff had been beset by a plethora of injuries, things would be a little different. Maybe he would feel less pressure. Alas, that isn’t the reality in Houston.
To have seen Burrows be so thoroughly dominant in Spring Training and so abjectly awful in the regular season is also a point of frustration.
Yes, there was a point in time where Burrows was grading as an “unlucky” pitcher. The issue with that is he would give up an unlucky hit or two, and then groove one that got blasted into the seats with alarming regularity.
Where is the bulldog? Where is the desire to battle back?
Too often it seems Burrows simply melts down when there are men on base. It happened again yesterday, in the 3rd inning when he surrendered 5 runs without recording an out. He then allowed a leadoff homer in the 5th, and loaded the bases with one out before being lifted.
He put 11 men on base in 4.1 innings, he also committed an error.
By the time the 5th inning was over, Burrows allowed 10 runs, 7 earned. The Astros 6-1 lead had become a 12-6 deficit, one they would not be able to overcome in a 12-11 loss.
6-1 leads should be automatic.
This was the 10th start in which Burrows allowed at least 4 earned runs. He’s made 17 total starts. That is nearly 60% of his starts, the Astros need at least 5 runs to win. Houston is 2-8 is those 10 starts.
The Astros have been patient enough. Espada continues to speak in a coddling manner of him, always mentioning he is a young pitcher, and they need to put him in good situations. Is a 6-1 lead not a good situation?
The time has come and the time is now.
Cristian Javier is on the active roster. Lance McCullers Jr. and Ronel Blanco are both making what could be their final rehab appearances tonight for Sugar Land, in which they could both be looking at 70-75 pitches (they each threw 60 pitches in their last rehab starts). Ethan Pecko was just named PCL pitcher of the month after posting a 2.48 ERA in 29 IP with a 20/6 K/BB ratio.
All of them are better options than Burrows. Considering the Astros have relied on pitchers coming back from injury in the second half each of the past two seasons with suboptimal results, it is likely important to assess what you can expect from McCullers and Blanco (and later Hayden Wesneski, who isn’t far behind either of them) so that they don’t potentially make that mistake again this season. Houston needs to assess it’s needs at starting pitcher over the next few weeks leading to the trade deadline, because it already knows it needs a lefthanded outfield bat.
Houston has shown there is a limit to it’s patience with players they have invested in (time or money) this season when they recently demoted CF Jake Meyers. Meyers has been on the team since 2021, and they have tolerated awful offense from him before. That patience finally wore out, and centerfield has been turned over to the platoon of Taylor Trammell and Brice Matthews.
They need to do the same now with Burrows. Cut your losses. Quarterize the wound. Get him right at Sugar Land.
Maybe he comes back later in the year. Maybe he comes back next year. Maybe the deal winds up being a bust.
Should Mike Burrows be optioned is no longer a maybe. It’s a necessity. Time is up.
LOS ANGELES — Reliever Evan Phillips was reinstated off the injured list, returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers 13 months after having Tommy John surgery.
The 31-year-old right-hander spent the last month at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he had a 1.80 ERA with 13 strikeouts and five walks in 10 innings over 12 games for the Comets.
“My primary mix is very sharp and ready to roll,” he said before the Dodgers opened a three-game set with the Colorado Rockies.
Phillips had the surgery in May 2025, setting him on course for the first long-term rehab stint of his career.
“Credit to myself to stick with the process, leaning a lot on my family and my teammates here,” he said. “I was very appreciative to spend my rehab here last year after the injury. I think that helped my mindset stay focused as well. Just ready for this next step.”
Phillips won’t be needed again in the closer role. Tanner Scott has been ably filling in for the injured Edwin Díaz, who went on the IL in April for loose bodies in his elbow.
Scott figures to slot into a middle-relief position as he builds up to a potentially bigger role in October, when the NL West-leading Dodgers are expected to seek a third consecutive World Series championship.
During his month in the minors, Phillips spent his first several games focused on the physical side of pitching, including experimenting with grips, location, and working on a changeup. Then he flipped the switch.
“The second half of it I really tried to step up the execution and competition side of things,” he said. “That way, hopefully, it’s not the first time I’m doing it here.”
In a corresponding move, the Dodgers optioned right-hander Paul Gervase to Triple-A a day after he tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts against San Diego. Left-hander Jake Eder was released.
In other moves, the team added pitcher Carlos Duran to the 40-man roster and designated catcher Chuckie Robinson for assignment.
Duran, a 24-year-old right-hander, appeared in 30 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA this season. He had 50 strikeouts in 35 innings while limiting hitters to a .203 average. He made his major league debut last season with the Athletics.
WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli’s suspension for his role in a brawl at Boston was reduced on appeal from seven games to five, Major League Baseball announced.
Cavalli struck out Boston’s Willson Contreras looking in the fourth inning of an 8-1 Nationals victory.
Cavalli shouted at Contreras, who threw his helmet and moved toward the mound. After they continued yelling at each other, both benches emptied.
The right-hander began serving the suspension as the Nationals opened a three-game series against the Houston Astros. Barring any postponements, Cavalli would be eligible to return against the New York Yankees in Washington’s final game before the All-Star break.
While Contreras was ejected, Cavalli remained in the game and struck out 13 in seven innings while allowing one run. Cavalli is 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 19 starts this season.
Contreras also was suspended seven games, while Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas (five games) and Boston outfielder Nate Eaton (three games) also were disciplined. All three are appealing their penalties.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: Harrison Bader #9 and Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Monday, ahead of their entertaining blowout victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, the San Francisco Giants released a bunch of medical updates for their injured players.
Perhaps most important is that third baseman Matt Chapman, who is dealing with an abdominal strain, was set to re-join the team on Monday, and will be re-evaluated. The Giants aren’t giving a timeline, but it seems likely that his return date will be the first game out of the All-Star break, which is on July 17.
Catcher Daniel Susac, who has a lower back strain, has started his swing progression, and is throwing up to 105 feet. He’ll start running later this week, so he’s still a little ways away, but not too far.
Center fielder Harrison Bader, who has left plantar fasciitis, took batting practice yesterday and will run today. The Giants will take it very carefully with him, but he’s at least trending in the right direction.
Lefty reliever Matt Gage, who left a game over the weekend with an elbow strain, had an MRI yesterday and was set to be re-evaluated. It unfortunately looks likely that Tommy John surgery is in his future.
Righty reliever Joel Peguero, who has been rehabbing his left hamstring strain in Arizona, is set to throw a live batting practice session today. Hopefully he can kick off a rehab assignment soon. Fellow righty reliever José Buttó is throwing four times a week, and up to 75 feet. It seems unlikely that he’ll pitch again this season, though.
The Athletics visit the Detroit Tigers tonight as they look to take advantage of Tarik Skubal's struggles.
My Athletics vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks are expecting the A's to jump on Skubal as they continue to hit the ball hard.
Who will win A's vs Tigers today: A's moneyline (+158)
Tarik Skubal hasn’t looked like his dominant self lately. The Detroit Tigers lefty owns a 5.04 FIP over the last month while allowing 2.82 HR/9. Although opponents have only a 31.5% hard-hit rate during that span, his 13% barrel rate is concerning.
That could be problematic against an Athletics offense producing a 47.5% hard-hit rate over its last five games while averaging five runs per contest.
J.T. Ginn has been inconsistent, posting a 5.28 FIP over his last two starts, but opponents own just a 33.3% hard-hit rate against him. Ginn doesn’t need to dominate here, but he can keep Detroit within reach.
I'll play this pick down to +110.
COVERS INTEL: Tarik Skubal has been worse at home, posting a 3.89 FIP compared to a 2.65 mark on the road.
A's vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+109)
This certainly doesn't profile to be a pitcher's duel. We're looking at two offenses swinging it incredibly well, and both starters have also been vulnerable to the long ball lately.
Detroit's lineup has a .212 ISO over the last week while carrying a 41% hard-hit rate. The A's offense, as previously mentioned, is also in good form.
This Tigers bullpen is also a concern when Skubal does exit, posting a 5.99 FIP across their last 16.1 innings. As for the Athletics pen, they've been even worse, compiling a horrible 7.32 FIP over their last 22.1 frames.
We should see runs tonight, and I'd play this pick up to -110.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 33-21, +0.97 units
Over/Under bets: 35-28, +1.41 units
A's vs Tigers weather
Conditions should be favorable at Comerica Park tonight, with clear skies and temperatures hovering in the upper 70s throughout the game. Humidity will sit around 68% to 73%, while winds remain light at roughly 6 to 8 mph. With virtually no chance of rain, delays aren't a concern, and the warm conditions could provide a slight boost to ball carry without creating a major weather edge.
A's vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: A's +163 | Tigers -170
Run line: A's +1.5 (-127) | Tigers -1.5 (+122)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)
A's vs Tigers trend
The Athletics have cashed the moneyline in 22 of their last 40 road games for +7.50 units and a 18% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Tigers.
How to watch A's vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
NBCS-California, DSN
A's starting pitcher
J.T. Ginn (7-4, 3.04 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal (4-4, 3.15 ERA)
A's vs Tigers 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.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez summed up one of the worse outings of his career with one word: crap.
Sánchez could have used much stronger language after giving up a career-worst nine earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings in a 15-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals.
Asked after the game if he could pinpoint something that led to the bad outing, the 29-year-old left-hander was lost for a cause.
“Nothing really,” he said through an interpreter. “I mean, it’s just a game. As I learn from the good things that we have on the field, and the things when we perform well, the same thing when I don’t perform. I just try to learn from it.”
Sanchez, whose previous worst outing for earned runs allowed was seven against the Cubs in April, gave up three of the Royals’ four home runs — all on his changeup, one of his signature pitches. Again, he had no answer as to why.
“I don’t really know,” he said. “Maybe it wasn’t doing as it always does. You gotta get credit to them, because they got me today, They made me pay, and you just have to keep going.”
Sánchez was not helped by his defense. With the Phillies leading 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Sánchez faced runners on first and third with one out. Jac Caglianone hit a grounder to second for a force at the base, but shortstop Trea Turner’s relay throw to first was wild, allowing Bobby Witt Jr. to score the tying run. The Royals went on to score five more runs in the first, and the rout was on.
“You’ve got to make (that play),” Turner said. “Who knows how that game ends up. (If) he gets out of it clean, and then gets on a roll, who knows how it turns out. That was a game-changer.”
Phillies manager Don Mattingly agreed the first inning impacted the whole game. But, it wasn’t the only issue for the Phillies, who lost two of three to the AL Central’s last-place Royals.
“I know you can’t assume a double play, but with Trea, you would think it’s a double play,” the manager said. “You gotta make that throw.
“But after that, we didn’t really stop them either. And we had some chances. In the first couple innings, we get the bases loaded twice, (and) we don’t score. We end up leaving 15. (We had) 10 hits, seven walks and only get one run. We had chances to kind of creep back in it.”
Mattingly is not concerned about Sanchez in the long term, even though he allowed five and four earned runs in his previous two road starts.
“You’re always kind of looking at everything,” Mattingly said. “He doesn’t seem to be as sharp (on the road) as at home. I don’t know if that has necessarily anything to do with it. Obviously, you don’t have the same mound you’re used to, but everybody pitches on the road.”
Sanchez has one more scheduled start — likely at Detroit — prior to the All Star break. He’s going to try to figure it out by then.
“I know that it’s something that’s happened on the road,” he said. “I don’t really have an answer for that. Maybe not being so familiar with the stadiums, but it’s just something that we have to improve.”
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves placed left-hander Martín Pérez on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm contusion.
Pérez was hit by Juan Soto’s line drive in a 10-9 loss to the New York Mets and left the game. Afterward, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said X-rays were negative.
Pérez (6-6) allowed six hits and five runs, four earned, in 4 1/3 innings. He has a 3.54 ERA in 18 games, including 14 starts.
Right-hander Carlos Carrasco was designated for assignment after allowing five runs on five hits in two innings.
The Braves recalled right-hander JR Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett and called up right-hander Owen Murphy, who has pitched for Gwinnett and Double-A Columbus this season. Murphy would make his major league debut if used in a game.
Atlanta also recalled outfielder José Azócar from Triple-A Gwinnett. Outfielder Eli White was placed on paternity leave.
Ritchie is 1-2 with a 4.53 ERA in nine games, including seven starts, for Atlanta this season. He was optioned to Gwinnett after he threw three scoreless innings to earn his first save in a 14-3 win over New York.
The Mets also made a move before their game at the Braves, acquiring right-hander Matt Seelinger from the Detroit Tigers for cash. Seelinger, 31, was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017. He had a 3.89 ERA and one save in 27 games with Triple-A Toledo this season and has never pitched in the majors.
Joe Espada was dealt a rough hand before Monday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals.
He was sending one of Major League Baseball’s worst starting pitchers, Mike Burrows, to the mound against one of the game’s best lineups with only a five-man bullpen at his disposal.
Josh Hader and Bryan King were unavailable after pitching on both Saturday and Sunday. Cristian Javier also wasn’t available after throwing two innings Saturday in his first relief appearance since Game 1 of the 2022 ALDS.
That left Espada with AJ Blubaugh; Steven Okert, whose 43 appearances rank fourth in the majors after pitching in two of three games against the Rays; Enyel De Los Santos, who had allowed runs in five of his previous six outings; the wildly inconsistent Nate Pearson; and someone claiming to be Bryan Abreu.
Espada needed a good outing from Burrows, or at the very least a long outing. He got neither. Burrows allowed five runs in the third inning after being handed a 6-1 lead. He got through the fourth without allowing a run. Desperate to avoid his depleted bullpen, Espada sent Burrows back to the mound in the fifth. He surrendered his 21st home run of the season on his third pitch, then retired just one of the next four hitters before Espada had seen enough.
Burrows owns a 5.99 ERA through his first 18 games (17 starts) as an Astro. Only Arizona’s Zac Gallen has been worse among qualified pitchers. Bad luck and poor defense were legitimate excuses for a rough start to the season, but he has a 6.98 ERA over his last nine starts with a 6.55 FIP, so yes, he’s been that bad.
The Astros hoped Burrows could occupy a top spot in their rotation for five years when they acquired him from the Pirates in December. While it seems unlikely right now, he could still reach that potential. But for the good of everyone involved, the Astros need to send Burrows to Sugar Land—or maybe even West Palm Beach.
It would give Burrows an opportunity to work on things in a low-pressure environment. It would also allow Javier, who looked good on Saturday, to move back to the rotation, which would give Espada a bullpen arm he can use on back-to-back days.
The Astros are just 1 ½ games back of Texas for the American League’s final wild card, and the AL West remains in reach. The team sent Burrows to the bullpen last month for what Espada called “a breather.” It lasted one turn through the rotation. He needs more than a breather right now, and with Javier back and Ronel Blanco and Lance McCullers Jr. on the way, the Astros can afford to do that now.
The Dodgers' (60-32) Dalton Rushing delivered a walk-off winner in the 11th inning versus the Rockies (37-55), winning, 8-7. The Dodgers have now won five straight versus the Rockies.
Colorado is a 0.5 game up over the Los Angeles Angels for the worst record in baseball. The Rockies are 1-2 in the last three games after winning three consecutive prior. To start July, Colorado is hitting .316 (2nd) with the fourth-most home runs (11) and top five ranks in OBP, OPS, and SLG. Colorado has scored a ridiculous 53 runs in the last six games with a 4-2 record.
Los Angeles is 4-1 over the last five games and 15-5 in the previous 20 outings. The Dodgers are 2.5 games up on the Brewers for the best record in baseball. Shohei Ohtani hit his 299th career home run in the win Monday as he improved his batting average versus Colorado to .355 on the season with seven RBI and nine runs scored.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Rockies at Dodgers
Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Time: 10:10 PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
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.
Odds for the Rockies at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-286), Colorado Rockies (+228)
Spread: Rockies +1.5 (+108), Dodgers -1.5 (-131)
Total: 9.5
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Dodgers
Tuesday's pitching matchup (July 7): Justin Wrobleski vs. Michael Lorenzen
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is hitting .288 with 90 hits, 18 home runs and 51 RBI over 312 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Alex Freeland is hitting .226 with 42 hits and 63 strikeouts over 186 at-bats
The Rockies’ Troy Johnston is hitting .310 with 83 hits, 3 home runs, and 39 RBI over 268 at-bats
The Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar is hitting .209 with 62 hits and 84 strikeouts over 296 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Dodgers
The Dodgers are 44-48 ATS
The Rockies are 50-42 ATS, ranking seventh-best
The Dodgers are 49-43 to the Under, ranking ninth-best
The Rockies are 45-44-3 to the Under
The Dodgers are 18-27 ATS at home, ranking fifth-worst
The Rockies are 24-18 ATS on the road, ranking fourth-best
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Dodgers
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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 Tuesday's game between the Rockies and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.5
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The Chicago Cubs (50-40) open a three-game series in Baltimore tonight against the Orioles (42-49). Chicago trails Milwaukee by six games in the National League Central while Baltimore sits twelve games behind Tampa in the American League East.
The Cubs won 6-4 Sunday at Wrigley Field against the Cardinals to salvage the final game of an otherwise lost weekend series. Chicago was outscored 20-1 in the series’ first two games. Baltimore arrives home taking two of three against the Reds in Cincinnati. The O’s won the first two games against the Reds, including 3-0 Friday and 8-5 Saturday before dropping Sunday's finale 3-2.
Tuesday's pitching matchup features veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd (3-1, 5.08 ERA) for Chicago against right-hander Shane Baz (4-8, 4.19 ERA) for Baltimore. The Cubs have pieced together innings from Boyd while dealing with injuries elsewhere in the rotation. Boyd's ability to limit free passes and keep the ball in the yard will be keys to his success or lack thereof this evening. Baz has been one of Baltimore's top swing and miss hurlers with 87 strikeouts in 101 innings. Run support, though, has often been an issue for Baz. The Orioles have scored just 57 runs in Baz’s 17 starts (3.35 runs per start).
The hottest hitter in Chicago's lineup is Pete Crow-Armstrong, who enters the series batting .292 with 19 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 98 hits. PCA went 2-for-4 with a steal and a run scored in Sunday's win over St. Louis. After a slow start to his first campaign in Baltimore, Pete Alonso has been the biggest offensive force for the O’s with 19 home runs and 60 RBIs.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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The Latest Odds: Cubs vs. Orioles
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (-118), Baltimore Orioles (-102)
Spread: Cubs -1.5 (+135), Orioles +1.5 (-163)
Total: 9.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Cubs vs. Orioles for July 7
Cubs: Matthew Boyd Season Totals: 33.2 IP, 3-1, 5.08 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 37K, 10 BB
Pete Crow-Armstrong has hit safely in 6 consecutive games (9-19)
Alex Bregman is 3-16 in July
Dansby Swanson is 9-22 over his last 6 games
Pete Alonso was 4-11 in the weekend series at Cincinnati
Adley Rutschman has hit safely in 4 straight games (5-18)
Samuel Basallo is 5-15 over his last 6 games
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Cubs vs. Orioles
The Cubs are 37-53 on the Run Line this season
The Orioles are 45-46 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 50 times in Baltimore’s 91 games this season (50-38-3)
The OVER has cashed 49 times in Chicago’s 90 games this season (49-40-1)
Expert picks & predictions: Cubs vs. Orioles
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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 tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Cubs:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Orioles on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Orioles on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 9.5
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Jul 6, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Drey Jameson (99) high fives third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) after their win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Chadd Cady-Imagn Images | Chadd Cady-Imagn Images
Outfielder Max Kepler hit his first home run in a Diamondbacks uniform and racked up four RBIs in Arizona’s 8-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday night.
After bringing in Geraldo Perdomo on an RBI single in the first inning, Kepler took Padres starter Walker Buehler deep with a three-run homer in the third.
The Diamondbacks optioned Pfaadt to Triple-A Reno to both get his pitch count built back up as a starter, but also to try and locate the form that just a year ago had the organization looking at him as a foundational piece.
Pfaadt dominated the Padres’ lineup, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and did not walk a batter. He struck out six as the Diamondbacks rolled to an 8-0 win at Petco Park.
In two starts since returning from Reno, Pfaadt has allowed one earned run over 10 1/3 innings pitched.
Contreras, meanwhile, has been one of Boston’s most productive hitters, batting .284 with 20 home runs, 59 RBIs and a .920 OPS. His combination of power, patience and postseason experience would strengthen Arizona’s lineup.
Adding Contreras would give Arizona another middle-of-the-order power bat to complement the contact and speed throughout the rest of the lineup.
The Brewers are not an easy team to beat, and the Diamondbacks certainly held their own, but they weren’t able to execute quite enough to make it happen. And the road is not getting much easier.
The Diamondbacks will have to head out on the road, without an off day Monday, to face the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in six straight divisional matchups.
Though the Padres have not been hitting well, they have a strong bullpen (despite some recent injury news), and games between Arizona and San Diego tend to be hard-fought games, regardless of either team’s record.
The Snakes have leaned hard into lefty-hitting high school position players in the past with Kayson Cunningham (last year’s first-rounder), Slade Caldwell (2024 first-rounder), J.D. Dix (switch-hitter; 2024 compensation-rounder), Ivan Luciano (2024 second-rounder), along with other historic picks such as Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas. If he gets to No. 15, I could see Arizona being a floor for Jared Grindlinger, but the other potential fits for the Diamondbacks either don’t appear to be a target of theirs or will go about 10 picks later. LSU outfielder Derek Curiel fits here, but he might not make it to this pick; the board is making it easier to take a pitcher here, even if that isn’t normally what Arizona tends to do with high picks.
The Dodgers announced a few roster moves before tonight’s series opener against the Rockies. As skipper Dave Roberts said last night, Evan Phillips is officially back from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Los Angeles also added reliever Carlos Durán to their 40-man roster, though he’ll remain at Triple-A Oklahoma City on an optional assignment.
L.A. optioned righty Paul Gervase to OKC to open a spot in the bullpen for Phillips. They needed to clear a pair of 40-man roster spots, so they released lefty Jake Eder and designated catcher Chuckie Robinson for assignment.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 30: Matthew Boyd #16 of the Chicago Cubs pitches during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field on June 30, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been impossible for the Orioles to sustain genuine momentum this season, and … I’m not sure this series, involving three home games against the Chicago Cubs, is going to be the one that does it.
The Cubs come to Camden Yards in second place in the NL Central, six games back of a red-hot Brewers club, and considering their genuinely bad rotation health luck, to be still in second is pretty gritty of them. At 50-40, Chicago has actually won 7 of its last 10, but that’s despite a starting five that’s been held together with duct tape most of the year. (The Orioles, at 42-49 and buried in fourth in the AL East, 12 games back, don’t have the injury excuse in quite the same way.)
The Cubs bring real thump. As a team they’ve got one of the top two offenses in the game, per Fangraphs, with a .244/.338/.409 slash line with 112 home runs. Pete Crow-Armstrong has been the engine of it, with his .910 OPS with 19 homers and 23 steals, almost an unfair line to be getting from your centerfielder. Dansby Swanson has been so-so for most of the year (.716 OPS) but has caught fire over his last month (.981 OPS). Seiya Suzuki (13 HR, .795 OPS) and Ian Happ (17 HR, .768 OPS) round out a lineup that can change a game with one swing.
On the Baltimore side, the story is uneven as always. Gunnar Henderson has 16 homers but only a .701 OPS. Pete Alonso has quietly been Baltimore’s best hitter (.810 OPS, 19 HR), and Samuel Basallo has shown real thump too, at age 21 (.789 OPS, 14 HR). Coby Mayo, on the other hand, is still searching—a .628 OPS overall, though he’s shown flashes in shorter stretches this year.
Here’s how these two teams match up in each game of the series.
Game 1, Tuesday: 6:35pm Eastern
RHP Shane Baz (4-8, 4.19 ERA, 87 K) v. LHP Matthew Boyd (3-1, 5.08 ERA, 37 K)
Baz has settled in as a legitimate mid-rotation piece since coming over from Tampa, and his recent form has been solid—a sub-.700 OPS against over his last 28 days of work. The one soft spot is the platoon split: he’s been much tougher on right-handed hitters (.667 OPS against) than lefties (.802), and the Cubs lineup has real left-handed power in Busch, Suzuki, and Happ.
Boyd is the wild card of the series. He was an All-Star a year ago, but a biceps strain and then knee surgery have limited him to just five starts in 2026. So far, the numbers (6.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) reflect a pitcher still finding his rhythm. If the old Boyd shows up, this is a real problem for Baltimore. If not, the Orioles’ lineup should have chances.
Game 2, Wednesday: 6:35pm Eastern
RHP DeanKremer (1-1, 3.18 ERA, 20 K) v. RHP Colin Rea (6-5, 4.74 ERA, 68 K)
Kremer’s return has been one of the few unambiguous bright spots for Baltimore lately. In three starts since returning from a quad strain, he’s flashing a strikeout rate well above his career norm (10.6 K/9), and the results to match. Whether that holds up over a longer look remains the question, but for now he’s given the rotation exactly the lift it needed.
Rea has been a steadying presence for a Cubs staff that’s had arm after arm hit the injured list (Cabrera, Brown, Taillon, Boyd have all missed time this year) and he’s pitched well in his last three starts specifically, with just three earned runs in 15.1 IP. With one of the worst fastballs in the game by expected run average, he’s not going to overpower anyone, but he’ll compete, and given how thin Chicago’s depth has been, that’s valuable.
Game 3, Thursday: 6:35pm Eastern
LHP Trevor Rogers (6-7, 4.70 ERA, 65 K) v. LHP David Peterson (4-7, 4.28 ERA, 68 K)
Rogers has been the definition of matchup-dependent this year: brutal against right-handers (.779 OPS against) but nearly unhittable against lefties (.526 OPS against). The Cubs lineup skews right-handed outside of Busch, Conforto, and Crow-Armstrong, which doesn’t play to Rogers’s strength the way a lefty-heavy lineup would.
David Peterson has one good thing going for this season: he’s a lefty. Traded from the Mets, the team that drafted him in the first round in 2017, at the end of June, Peterson was struggling in Citi Field and continues to struggle at Wrigley, allowing 12 runs in 9.1 innings so far. Maybe the O’s lately-producing righties—Rutschman, Alonso, Mayo and O’Neill recently—can give the struggling lefty more problems.
The Cubs have a strong lineup, but an injury-riddled rotation. These are winnable games, on paper, for a team that badly needs some. Will the Orioles find enough offense to make it count? What do you think, Birdland?
Jul 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (center) gets set to tag out Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (right) attempting to steal second base in the eighth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
The New York Mets (38-53) are back home for one final series before the All-Star break as they host the Kansas City Royals (37-54) for three games at Citi Field. The Mets took two out of three from the Royals in Kansas City last year, and took two out of three the last time these two teams squared off at Citi Field back in 2024. All time, the Mets are 14-16 all-time against the Royals, which includes their World Series loss in 2015.
The Mets earned a hard-fought split with the Braves to complete a 3-5 road trip. It was a tale of two halves of a series for the Mets in the Braves, which started with two losses (-3 loss on Friday and 14-3 on Saturday) that were dominated by the Braves and incredibly sloppy affairs by the Mets. New York rebounded for two one-run victories, 10-9 win on Sunday (a game that, quite frankly, felt like a loss after they allowed six runs in the ninth to almost snatch defeat from the jaws of victory) and 7-6 on Monday in extra innings. The latter was the team’s second victory when trailing after eight innings this year, a feat they accomplished exactly zero times in 2025.
The main focus around the club continues to be the trade market and trade value for some of their best assets. With the team clearly being sellers, the team appears open to business. Trade rumors have been swirling, and every player on an expiring contract seems to be available. The team will almost certainly look for someone to take Freddy Peralta, AJ Minter, and Brooks Raley, while guys like Clay Holmes and Bo Bichette could also draw some interest. It’s unfortunate that the only things we have to look forward to at this juncture of the season are trade returns and draft prospects, but the club appears to be treating the deadline as a chance to retool rather than rebuild, with their eyes set on competing once again in 2027. This will be David Stearns’ chance to at least gain some points in the eyes of the fanbase if he can really nail the returns on the trades he orchestrates.
One of the lone bright spots continues to be Juan Soto, whose three-run homer on Monday gave New York a two-run lead in the ninth (a lead Devin Williams would eventually relinquish before the team jumped ahead for good in the tenth). Soto was voted in as a starter for the NL squad in the upcoming All-Star game. Soto leads all NL players in OPS (.984) and wRC+ (168) and is ninth among hitters with a 3.0 fWAR. He is also ninth in home runs with 19, tied with Shohei Ohtani, whom he will be battling with for NL MVP honors later this year. While so much has gone wrong for New York this season, Soto has continued to perform at his usual incredible pace, even with the early-season injury that kept him out of the lineup for a little bit. In even the worst of seasons, it’s always a joy watching Soto play baseball for your team.
This series is shaping up to be a race to the bottom of the standings, as both the Mets and Royals are in the bottom-five of records in the league and could be competing to help their lottery odds this week. The Mets currently find themselves one game better than the Royals heading into play today. The Royals, like the Mets, enter this series on a two-game winning streak after taking the final two games of their series against the Phillies. Prior to that, they dropped four in a row and eight of their previous nine.
The Royals enter play with a 95 wRC+ as a team, which is 21st in baseball, and a .708 OPS, which is 20th. Meanwhile, their 384 runs scored are 20th in MLB (no doubt that both numbers were aided by their 15-1 outburst against the Phillies yesterday). On the pitching side of things, their rotation sports a 4.52 ERA (23rd in MLB) and a 4.33 FIP (20th). Their bullpen is by far their biggest weakness, as their relievers enter play tonight with a 5.21 ERA (29th), and a 5.15 FIP (30th), so if you can keep the game close heading into the late innings, you stand a good chance against them.
Bobby Witt Jr. remains one of the best players in the league despite the team’s struggles. Witt Jr. enters play today slashing .292/.364/.467 with a 128 wRC+ and a 4.7 fWAR in 85 games. He has 12 home runs to date and also has 30 stolen bases already, which is tops in the American League and second only to Nasim Nuñez of the Nationals in all of baseball. On the other end of the spectrum, veteran Salvador Perez is having a miserable year, hitting .209/.249/.347 with a 59 wRC+ and a -1.3 fWAR in 83 games. The nine-time All-Star and lone holdover from the 2015 World Series-winning club has the worst fWAR among all position players in baseball, as his career may finally be reaching its end.
Tuesday, July 7: TBD vs. Seth Lugo, 7:1o PM EDT on SNY
TBD
The Mets have not named a starter for Tuesday’s game. It’s likely Kodai Senga could factor into the game in some capacity, but he pitched on July 3, so he may not be ready to pitch on Tuesday.
Lugo is failed to reach the heights of his 2024 campaign, when he finished second in AL Cy Young voting and 15th in AL MVP voting. Despite that, he’s still been a mostly-solid pitcher for the Royals over the past two years. He’s picked up a loss in each of his last two outings, both against the Rays. His last time out, he allowed three earned runs on nine hits over six innings, and before that he allowed seven earned runs on seven hits over five innings. This is the right-hander’s first start against his old club, whom he last played for in 2022.
Wednesday, July 8: Christian Scott vs. Stephen Kolek, 7:10 PM EDT on SNY
Scott was handed his first loss of the year in his last outing, going four innings and giving up three earned runs on two hits to the Braves. He walked four and surrendered two home runs, two things that have plagued him as of late. Specifically, he’s allowed six home runs in his last three starts after allowing just one in his previous eight outings.
Kolek got off to a strong start, earning a win in three of his first four starts, including a complete game shutout in his fourth start of the year. He’s fallen on hard times lately, failing to go beyond the second inning in each of his last two starts. His last time out, he returned from the Family Emergency List to pitch two innings. He allowed three earned runs on four hits in the outing as he picked up the loss to the Rays.
Thursday, July 9: Sean Manaea vs. Michael Wacha, 1:10 PM EDT on SNY
Manaea got hit pretty hard in his last start, allowing six earned runs over five innings against the Braves. It was tied for the most earned runs he’s allowed in a game this season, and the most he’s given up since getting bumped up to the rotation. It was a discouraging step back after a pretty strong stretch for the left-hander, but with no better options, Manaea will remain in the rotation as the club searches for better outings from their starting pitchers.
Wacha is in his 14th major league season and still performing very admirably. The former Met, who is in his third season in Kansas City, leads the AL in innings pitched and has pitched into the sixth in all but two of his 18 starts this year. In his last start, he went six innings and allowed four earned runs on eight hits in a loss to the Phillies. It was the sixth time he’s allowed four earned runs or more this year, and he allowed a season-high three homers after allowing 10 in his previous 17 outings.
COVERS INTEL: Zac Gallen has been one of the league's worst pitchers, 
