Category: MLB

We use these daily posts to revisit the biographies of Yankees past, from the stars that delivered 27 World Series titles or those that have been nearly forgotten to history. Today we celebrate a player that everyone should be familiar with, the Captain that took over the mantle from Don Mattingly and led the club into a new dynasty. I’m not sure there’s anything I could write that would add to the collective biography of Derek Jeter, so instead I’ll write about how, in so many ways, he is a cornerstone of the way I experience baseball.

Derek Sanderson Jeter
Born: June 26, 1974 (Pequannock, NJ)
Yankees Tenure: 1995-2014

When you’re a kid, there are much worse role models to have than Jeter. That quote about no excuses for anyone to work harder than you must have been repeated by every single coach I had until high school — even though, when you think about it saying it to an entire team doesn’t make sense, cuz we can’t all work harder than each other. Perhaps observations like this are why I never really went anywhere in sports.

But the hustle was such a part of the Jeter narrative, that he was always just there. There’s a reason The Flip, that inconceivable out from the 2001 ALDS, is still my favorite baseball play ever:

This should never have happened. There is no reason for Jeter to be in the neighborhood where intercepting that ball is possible. But he did it, because he’s always there. Derek Jeter was the most consistent, in a sport where that’s the hardest thing in the world to find. Every year of my childhood, for whatever a nebulous timeframe that is, Jeter hit .310 from the same spot in the lineup. And yes, I just used batting average.

I used batting average because in the early-to-mid 2000s, the summers of my childhood that’s what we had to gauge players. Around the game, Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein and Billy Beane were starting to look at new, undeveloped ways of evaluating players, but the Toronto Sun was still primarily concerned with the classic Triple Crown stats.

I remember running home from my very first job after clocking out (Swiss Chalet, morning potato peeler and cutter) because Jeter was sitting on 2,998 when I started my shift, only for my dad to text me that 2,999 came in the first inning. And of course he hit a home run for 3,000, because he’s Derek Jeter:

The first time I heard of WAR was in 2010, in a Sports Illustrated article outlining the stat and why Ben Zobrist was the second-best player in the game. I was 16 by then, I knew Jeter wasn’t number one at that point — and yet, one of the things that sold me on WAR in the first place was it was pretty bang on about how good he was. Albert Pujols was the best player in baseball and maybe I could see the value of Zobrist, but Jeter had a great 2009, finishing sixth that season with 6.7 fWAR. Ok, WAR makes some sense because yeah, Jeter was a top 10 player last season and the stat reflects that.

Of course the other elements of WAR would be less kind to the Captain. That article opened a lot of doors for me in terms of how I see baseball and what I find valuable, and what I found tied with Jeter’s inevitable decline had me in that “Jeter is incredibly overrated” internet camp that existed for a while, and presumably still does even in smaller numbers. The defense was not good, the way he seemed entrenched in the leadoff spot even as the OPS — I had a good handle on that one by now — was slipping into the .700s after a career in the .800s or better.

By that point I’m a teenager anyway, and the Class and Grace gimmick that Jeter was so known for was just less appealing. The cool ease with which Robinson Canó could drive a ball off the right-center wall or the sheer dash that Mike Trout brought in my second-favorite rookie season of all time was just more of what I wanted. The sequential retirement tours Jeter and Mariano Rivera took alternated between annoying me and leaving me with some of my favorite memories of baseball:

And then before you knew it Jeter was gone, and the Yankees had to figure out how to move on on the field, and if you remember, the off-the-field relationship wasn’t very good either. The golden boy image was at least a little bit tarnished, and Jeter went off to Miami. At the same time I’m in college, living on my own, figuring out all those little things that you have to if you want to wear clean clothes and have a functioning bathroom.

I started writing here, free and clear in the post-Jeter era while he was funking around trying to run the Marlins, and the Yankees found an immediate replacement for the face of the franchise role in Aaron Judge, a man I have written about more than anyone else. We all just, kinda stopped thinking about Derek Jeter outside of career highlights or the befuddling decisions he made in South Beach (thanks again for Stanton, Cap).

Of course he goes into the Hall of Fame one vote shy of unanimity, he liquidates his holdings in the Marlins, and he seems to patch up enough of the sore spots he had with the Yankees that he’s been re-embraced. I’m a little bit older, hopefully a small bit wiser and for all the love I have for baseball it’s no longer the most important thing in the world to me the way it was when I was eight. They are finally developing stats that are getting hard for ME to follow:

And yet I too have re-embraced Derek Jeter.

Yes, his defense could be terrible and the Yankees likely left runs on the table by not having Alex Rodriguez play shortstop after the trade. I think the strong silent stuff that he still tries to keep up on MLB on FOX in the postseason broadcasts is pretty silly. The Jump Throw was overused.

He is also unequivocally one of the finest baseball players I, you, or anyone else that has watched a game in the last half century have seen play. Nine seasons as a full-time, every day MLB shortstop while managing a 125 wRC+ is absurd. I wasn’t even a baseball fan until the year 2000 and I still get mad about the 1999 AL MVP voting. While “name the only Canadians to win an MLB MVP Award” is a great trivia question that has delivered me wins before, the 2006 award probably should have gone to Jeets, too.

I’m less interested and thus less involved in shouting at people over the Internet, which is where about 90 percent of How Good Was Derek Jeter discourse happens so I no longer have to be a part of that. Lastly, it just doesn’t matter to me whether Jeter was the sixth or the eighth or the 11th best player of an era. He was damn good.

A couple years ago we re-visited the Top 100 Yankees series, a project I loved very much. I still think my profile of Thurmon Munson might just be the best thing I’ve ever written here. Towards the end of that series we ruffled some people’s feathers by having Mickey Mantle supplant Lou Gehrig for second place, and I think there’s been some very intelligent pushback to the legacy of Joe DiMaggio that has annoyed some of the… shall we call them veterans of observing baseball. What I learned from all this is that the stack-ranking doesn’t matter. Certainly not for this team, for this franchise.

What matters is your cluster. That Mickey Mantle can be mentioned in the same cluster with the Iron Horse is what matters, that Jeter is usually the first guy mentioned after the guys shot in black and white matters.

Happy birthday, Cap.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

Marcelo Mayer has had an ugly first full season in the big leagues. Ironically, the Red Sox general, season-long suckitude has helped him fly under the radar. If the Sox were playing well, his spot in the lineup would probably be a major topic of controversy; but as it is, he’s just one of a multitude of problems overwhelming the team. But the spotlight finally fell on him at the end of the Rockies series, thanks to a major blunder in the field that cost the Sox big time. Does it make sense to consider sending him down? Probably not, but some inside the organization are reportedly unhappy with a seeming lack of “mental toughness” from the infielder. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)

If Marcelo needs any inspiration, all he needs to do is look to his right. It’s only been 24 games, but Caleb Durbin has turned his season around after being arguably the single worst hitter in baseball for two months. “Pretty proud of him for where he was at,” Chad Tracy said. “With the expectations and the heat he was taking, he has just fought back and got up off the mat.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)

That Durbin – or any of the Sox – played well last night was a surprise considering the travel issues they faced getting back to Boston. The Sox didn’t land at Logan until 5 AM yesterday. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)

Making the late arrival even worse was the bad news the team received about Roman Anthony when they got back home:

Considering Anthony’s injury and Mayer’s struggles, it’s been a bad year all-around for the once vaunted Big Three. And that obviously includes Kristian Campbell. Campbell isn’t exactly making a case to come back to the big leagues, but he’s still working at it. “[Adversity] does make you better,” said Campbell. “Everybody’s route and path is different. I’m working every day to get back, and they know that I really want to get back as soon as possible. I know I’ve got some things I need to correct down here first before I go back.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)

With Anthony out indefinitely, the Sox don’t have the outfield depth they once thought they had, and that depth could be further depleted if they trade from that group at the deadline. But in the case of uber-struggling Jarren Duran, at least, a trade doesn’t look likely. “What could Boston get back for the 2024 All-Star Game MVP? Would the return be worth it? The more likely scenario is for the Red Sox to hold Duran for the rest of this year, hope he has a strong second half to regain some value, then look to move him in the offseason.” (Mark Feinsand, MLB.com)

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Another eventful big-league schedule means more chances to cash in on my MLB same-game parlay predictions. 

Today's MLB picks are eyeing Paul Skenes to deal against the Cincinnati Reds, while I'm also targeting Walker Buehler to get revenge on his former team as he takes the ball for the San Diego Padres. 

Today's best MLB SGP picks

Game	SGP Odds
vs	+252
vs	+355
vs	+320

Reds at Pirates SGP: Bucs rally behind Skenes

The Pittsburgh Pirates have ace Paul Skenes on the mound tonight against the Cincinnati Reds, and the right-hander continues to dominate despite his 6-7 record.

Skenes is averaging 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings over his last two starts, including a 10-strikeout performance last time out. He also owns a 2.68 FIP over the last month.

Andrew Abbott has pitched well on the surface, but his recent numbers suggest regression. He owns a 5.30 FIP over his last two outings while walking more than five hitters per nine innings.

Bryan Reynolds enters scorching hot, batting .432 over his last 12 games with a 15-game hitting streak.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Reds.TV, SportsNet Pittsburgh

Cubs at Brewers SGP: The Misiorowski show

Jacob Misiorowski has been arguably the best pitcher in baseball this season, and he continues to dominate. The Milwaukee Brewers right-hander owns a stellar 1.10 FIP across his last four starts and hasn't allowed a home run during that span.

He's also stayed Under 1.5 earned runs in four of his last five outings while pitching into the seventh inning or later in four of those starts.

The Chicago Cubs counter with Colin Rea, who owns a 5.96 xERA over his last 25.1 innings. William Contreras enters scorching hot, batting .435 over his last six games while cashing the Over on total bases in three of his last five contests.

• Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Apple TV+

See full analysis of this game in our Cubs vs. Brewers predictions.

Dodgers at Padres SGP: Buehler deals against ex-team

Walker Buehler has been showing shades of his former self. The San Diego Padres veteran owns a 2.33 FIP over his last two outings, and he's allowed just 0.87 HRs and BBs per nine innings during that span. Buehler has cashed the Under in earned runs surrendered in four straight starts. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers send Roki Sasaki to the hill, and he is struggling. He has an FIP over six across his previous two appearances while posting a 43.3% hard-hit rate. Buehler will contain his ex-team, and the Padres will capitalize off Sasaki's struggles. 

Samad Taylor is one of those players who should find success against the righty. He carries a .435 average across the last week into this matchup, and Taylor has smacked five hits over his previous two games. 

• Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Apple TV+

See full analysis of this game in our Dodgers vs. Padres predictions.

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.

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The Chicago White Sox are -135 favorites on home soil, where they've been dominant this season.

My Royals vs. White Sox predictions and MLB picks expect their success in Chicago to continue on Friday night.

Who will win Royals vs White Sox today: Chicago White Sox (-135)

Stephen Kolek was placed on the paternity list and will not be available to start, which puts the Kansas City Royals in a tough spot.

They will need their bullpen to chew up a ton of innings against the Chicago White Sox, and it’s unlikely to hold up.

Royals relievers rank dead last in FIP this season and are not in good form, sitting 28th with a 5.35 FIP in June.

The White Sox have a productive and powerful offense (10th in runs, second in homers) that is primed to take advantage.

Back Chicago to -145.

COVERS INTEL: Chicago ranks seventh in homers and third in HR/FB on home soil.

Royals vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-105)

It is wheels up for the offenses.

The White Sox boast a powerful attack and will see a steady stream of relievers from a bullpen that ranks 29th in HR/FB this season.

The Royals are in a good spot themselves. They have an in-form offense that has hit .272 against righties in June. 

White Sox opener David Sandlin has allowed 11 runs over 7.1 innings of work in June, and more damage should be coming his way here.

Kansas City will be forced to score to keep up, making the Over an attractive look. Bet to -120.

Royals vs White Sox weather

Temperatures should hover in the mid-60s, with winds blowing from the east. No real impact on hitting conditions.

Royals vs White Sox odds

• Moneyline: Royals +115 | White Sox -135
• Run line: Royals +1.5 (-175) | White Sox -1.5 (+150)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-105) | Under 8.5 (-115)

Royals vs White Sox trend

Chicago has hit the moneyline in 23 of the last 30 home games (+17.40 units, 53% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. White Sox.

How to watch Royals vs White Sox and game info

Royals vs White Sox latest injuries

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.

Several players who helped shape the success of the current Phillies run left in the off-season or even departed in the middle of 2026, in the case of Rob Thomson.

In the first installment, we covered the first few days for each of these players in their new homes. Now that we are in late June, there is a much better idea of how each of their seasons is going and whether the Phillies made the right decisions or not (there is still not enough time to judge but it’s fine).

Ranger Suárez’s Career Year

In 15 starts with Boston, Ranger Suárez is on pace for a career season. He is on pace to eclipse his 4.0 fWAR 2025 season, his innings total, and has a 2.83 ERA with an even better FIP.

The Red Sox have made a few tweaks with him; his primary fastball to right-handed hitters is his cutter, with a slight uptick in four-seam usage and fewer sinkers. Against left-handed hitters, Suárez is weirdly throwing a lot more four-seam fastballs and is getting worse results. In 2025, Suárez allowed a .611 OPS to lefties and is at .730 in Boston. Maybe there is a new tweak in the second half to cut those numbers down.

The changes have also cut his groundball rate down from a well above average 48% to 39.4%, so there could end up being some regression if this continues.

Another interesting wrinkle is that Boston has been cutting his outings a little quicker than the Phillies did. In 26 starts with the Phillies last season, he appeared in the sixth inning 20 times and in the seventh another 14. Through 15 starts in Boston, he’s appeared in the sixth inning eight times and only four in the seventh.

Part of this is probably because of organizational philosophy, the Red Sox losing more games, and also Suárez’s injury history. If it helps get him to 30 starts, then the juice is probably worth the squeeze here.

Castellanos Cut

While the Padres were in Philadelphia earlier this month, San Diego released Nick Castellanos and he has not signed with a team since. In 39 games with the Padres, Castellanos hit .191 with a .560 OPS and had -1.0 bWAR. He was one of the worst players in the sport.

Max Kepler’s New Team

Max Kepler signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the pro-rated league minimum and became eligible to return on June 25. Kepler is expected to join the snakes roster after hitting .333 with a 1.040 OPS in his 10 game minor league stint.

It’s not going well

Things have not gone well for Harrison Bader and Matt Strahm on their new teams. Bader has only played in 30 games and is currently on the injured list with a foot injury. He’s taken a major step back as a player overall, hitting just .170 with a .557 OPS and has not graded out nearly as well defensively.

There are significant red flags for Bader, his sprint speed and arm strength have taken nose dives, he’s missed most of the season because of injuries, and is 32. This all looks to be the signs of a player who isn’t going to be major league caliber anymore.

Matt Strahm is another player the Phillies seemed to give up on at the right time. His fastball velocity lost more than a full tick and he is now completely ineffective. His strikeout rate went down by 10% from 2025 to 2026, he is now walking hitters at a below average rate, and is not getting any soft contact.

In 25.2 innings, Strahm has a 5.96 ERA and looks like someone who will end up getting released before the season ends.

Taijuan Walker was released by the Phillies back in late April and signed a minor league deal with the Angels. He was cut then signed again at one point and most recently was released a few days ago. In three AAA starts with the Salt Lake Bees, Walker had a 4.91 ERA in 14.2 innings.

Speaking of the Angels, they released Jordan Romano back in late April after he put up a 10.13 ERA in nine games. Romano signed with the Colorado Rockies to a minor league contract soon after.

This is neat

Buddy Kennedy played major league baseball in 2026. In 7 games with the Giants, Kennedy went 0 for 7 with a walk. Neat.

Joe Ross was released from the Diamondbacks in May after a 19.64 ERA in 3 games. He then signed a minor league deal with the Rangers soon after and even got a high leverage appearance against the Padres. He gave up a three-run home run to Manny Machado.

This stinks

Mick Abel put together a promising four appearances in 2026 with the Twins but will have to undergo elbow surgery and his timetable to return is TBD.

Eduardo Tait, the other player in the package that got the Phillies Jhoan Duran, has taken a step back as a 19 year old in A+ ball, hitting just .221 with an 81 wRC+.

More stuff

Walker Buehler made two starts against the Phillies in late May and early June, throwing a combined 11.1 innings of 3 run ball. For the season, Buehler has been a solid piece to the Padres rotation as a minor league signing with a 3.96 ERA in 72.2 innings this season.

Kody Clemens is having the best season of his career with a .767 OPS with the Twins. Neat.

Weston Wilson has split time between Baltimore and Seattle this year as a right handed corner utility option. Across 53 plate appearances, Wilson has a 78 OPS+ and has been a below replacement level player.

The best story for last, Donovan Walton has been amazing for the Los Angeles Angels. The 32-year-old journeyman middle infielder has played in 26 games with the Angels and has a .885 OPS. Maybe the Angels are willing to trade him and Wade Meckler at the deadline because they don’t seem to want to trade anyone else.

The Kansas City Royals have reached the season midpoint at 34-48, fourteen games below .500 and sitting in last place in the AL Central. It is not where anyone wanted to be, but Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco find more to talk about than the record alone would suggest.

The headline story continues to be Jac Caglianone, who leads the team with 14 home runs and is flirting with franchise records for June production. We break down the adjustments that have fueled his recent surge, the mechanical changes that are translating into real power output, and the realistic conversation about a Home Run Derby bid. 

Carter Jensen’s 16-game hitting streak is a remarkable run for a rookie catcher and a reminder that the development pipeline is producing players who can contribute at the major league level. We examine his progress alongside a broader conversation about the coaching staff’s impact on hitting, with offensive metrics improving notably in June even as the overall record continues to disappoint.

Injury management remains a recurring concern. The decision-making around IL placements and strategic rest periods gets a candid evaluation, and we wonder whether the organization’s approach is protecting players for the long term or simply creating more instability in the short term. Bobby Witt Jr.’s All-Star candidacy and the latest voting updates are also covered, even as his health remains something fans are monitoring closely.

The episode rounds out with a look ahead to the upcoming series against the Chicago White Sox, including pitching matchup breakdowns, a discussion of the Royals’ draft prospects and the college-versus-high-school player development debate, and John Rave’s recent stance change and what it could mean for his offensive ceiling. 

MLB Network segment on Caglianone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyNuBoz-sZI

Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online:

BlueSky
– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com
– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social

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– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod

Well, that game was at least a little differently shaped. Sort of. The Cubs broke out to a three-run lead after both starters were excellent. Then the porous Cub bullpen slowly gave back the lead with three different relievers being charged with a run each. But they scored in the tenth and held on. A last at-bat win for this team isn’t odd. That makes 11 of them now by my count. Nine walk-offs and two road wins in their last turn at the plate. That’s 25 percent of the team’s wins. Wow. So different, but not that different. This is a script they’ve followed at home.

Trent Thornton became the eighth different Cub reliever with a save in the first half. Anyone know the Cub record for different players recording saves in a season is? An even harder search would be what the record is at the intersection of most different players with a save and fewest saves. This was the team’s 12th save among 44 wins. Eight players to record 12 saves. Oh and the third intersection? The team is actually good, definitely record wise.

The Cubs swept a season series with the Mets for the first time since 2015. World Series championship in 2027 confirmed. Get your tickets now and place your bets. Surely there is some causation/correlation there, right? This team has so many contradictions. It’s a crazy wild ride. 10 wins in 13 games to finish the first half. Put otherwise, in two stretches, totaling 36 games, they won 30. In the other 45 games, they won 14. 83 percent winning percentage on the peaks and 33 percent winning percentage in the valleys. Unbelievable.

There are so many contradictions that I don’t know what to think of this team. The sum appears better than the parts. I somehow think this team ended up underachieving in the first half while also headed for a second half collapse due to the absolute lack of any frontline pitching. You can’t reasonably expect any of Cade Horton, Justin Steele, Ben Brown or Edward Cabrera to make significant contributions the remainder of this season. How is this team not headed for collapse?

And at the same time, I feel like a fool if I totally write this team off. Their offense has been one of the better units and I could argue they’ve underperformed. Is anyone other than Pete Crow-Armstrong having a particularly good season offensively? Other than being elite at taking walks, this offense hasn’t been that good. Is that modern baseball? Or should they actually be better in the second half? Can they hit enough to stay competitive? I don’t know how good this team really is. But I do know they are a lot of fun to follow. You know, other than when they make you want to pull your hair out.

Three Positives:

• Pete Crow-Armstrong had two of the Cubs six hits. He drove in the decisive run with a 10th inning double.
• Caleb Thielbar had a perfect eighth inning. He struck out two.
• Trent Thornton locked down the 10th inning, facing the minimum.

Game 81, June 25: Cubs 4, Mets 3 (44-37)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Trent Thornton (.445). IP, 3 BF (Sv 1)
• Hero: Matthew Boyd (.249). 4.2 IP, 21 BF, 4 H, 4 BB, 0 ER, 4 K
• Sidekick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.242). 2-5, 2B, RBI

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Hoby Milner (-.258). 0 IP, 3 BF, 3 H, ER
• Goat: Michael Busch (-.122). 1-5
• Kid: Dansby Swanson (-.108). 0-4, R

WPA Play of the Game: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s RBI-double with one out in the tenth. (.290)

Mets Play of the Game: Jared Young’s solo homer off of Phil Maton leading off the seventh inning. (.237)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 79 Winner: Dansby Swanson received 148 of 153 votes.

Game 80 Winner: Dansby Swanson received 103 of 144 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Pete Crow-Armstrong +21
• Michael Busch +18
• Ben Brown +13.5
• Carson Kelly +12.5
• Trent Thornton +11.5
• Jacob Webb/Jameson Taillon -8
• Edward Cabrera -9.5
• Phil Maton -10
• Caleb Thielbar -13
• Seiya Suzuki -22.5

Up Next: It’s best to not think about this weekend series. The Cubs won four straight and nine of 13 and then charitably forfeited the next three. Win one. Any one. That would be such a triumph at this point. Colin Rea (5-5, 4.99) vs. Jacob Misiorowski (8-3, 1.45). A totally reasonable matchup. A great way to spend my Friday night. Have I ever mentioned I have friends there who are rabid Brewers fans (and Packers and everything else Wisconsin, woohoo). Yep. There are going to be no unreasonable takes on a Friday night.

Gonna have to sweep this series to keep rolling to 10 straight. Those are the rules, right?

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It's Jacob Misiorowski day, which means the Milwaukee Brewers are predictably monstrous -260 moneyline favorites.

With a massive pitching advantage, my Cubs vs. Brewers predictions and MLB picks are attacking the Brewers on the run line. 

Who will win Cubs vs Brewers today: Milwaukee Brewers -1.5 (-115)

The Milwaukee Brewers have advantages everywhere in this game.

They’ve had a more potent offense than the Chicago Cubs over the course of the season, and the recent numbers are better as well.

Milwaukee ranks fourth in wOBA and OPS against right-handed pitching in June. Even with recent improvements, Chicago sits 16th and 18th over the same period.

The Brewers have a massive pitching edge with Jacob Misiorowski starting opposite Colin Rea. Misiorowski ranks in the 100th percentile in Pitcher Run Value and has allowed only three earned runs over his last nine starts.

Back Milwaukee on the RL to -135.

COVERS INTEL:Colin Rea ranks in the 10th percentile in xERA.

Cubs vs Brewers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-125)

Misiorowski has allowed 0.33 runs per start since May 1, making it impossible for any offense to get going in the slightest.

He faced the Cubs during that stretch and pitched six innings of shutout ball while striking out eight batters. Predictably, that game went Under 7.5 runs.

I don’t see the Cubs scoring more than a run or two here, which puts a lot of pressure on the Brewers to score in bulk.

I expect a 5-1 type of game, and see plenty of value on an Under of 7.5 runs. Bet to -140.

Cubs vs Brewers weather

Clear to partly cloudy skies are expected tonight with temperatures dipping into the mid-fifties tonight. 

Cubs vs Brewers odds

• Moneyline: Cubs +210 | Brewers -260
• Run line: Cubs +1.5 (+100) | Brewers -1.5 (-120)
• Over/Under: Over 7.0 (-125) | Under 7.0 (+105)

Cubs vs Brewers trend

Milwaukee has hit the run line in 23 of the last 40 home games (+10.25 units, 22% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Brewers.

How to watch Cubs vs Brewers and game info

Cubs vs Brewers latest injuries

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.

The Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday morning, and named Andy Green his interim replacement.  

Here's everything you need to know about Green...

His most recent role

Green comes down from the Mets' front office, having served as the team's vice president for player development since before the 2024 season. In that role, he oversaw the entire farm system and minor league operations. 

Past managerial experience

Green does have some experience in the managers' seat, having previously served as the head man for the Padres for close to three seasons until he was fired late in the 2019 campaign. 

San Diego was in the midst of a rebuild during his time there, and he led them to a 274-366 record. 

Following his departure, he joined David Ross' staff as the Cubs' bench coach, a role that he filled until Chicago decided to bring in Craig Counsell to replace Ross, ultimately bringing him to the Big Apple. 

Playing career

Green was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 24th round of the 2000 MLB Draft. He was a consistent .300 hitter throughout his journey through the minors, and ended up making his big league debut during the 2004 season.

Green, a utility man, never quite stuck as a regular in the majors and ended up taking his talents over to Japan, where he played for the Nippon Ham Fighters for a year. 

He spent time in the Reds organization upon his return to the U.S., then ended up back at the big league level with the Mets for a very brief stint during the 2009 season. 

Green had 46 hits in 230 at-bats during his four MLB seasons. 

Trever Miller pitched 13 seasons in the majors.   He’d appear in 230 games as a reliever for the Astros and was a member of the 98′ squad that won 102 games.   Trever joins us exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes.     

Q:  You came to Houston as part of a big trade.    Where were you when you heard the news?   

A:  I remember exactly where I was.   I was in the hospital; my son was born the day before that.   I was actually holding him and taking the phone call, and they told me I was traded.   At the time, I could care less, I was just caught up in the emotions of welcoming my son into the world.    I was a proud papa at the time.    

Q:  How much did you know about Houston?

A:  I didn’t know anything, really.   I had never been there before.   I was east coast, brought up through the Tigers organization so I had never really been over there but once I got there, I fell in love with the town and the people.   

Q:  You came to a good situation as well.    That 1998 team was one of the greatest assembled in franchise history.  What do you most remember about that season?

A:  1998 was fantastic.  We had a lot of future Hall of Famers, and we won lots of ball games.   That was my first experience in the playoffs and focusing on the playoff picture.   

I was the long man that season coming out of the bullpen, and I went 18 days without getting into a ballgame.   That’s how good our starters were.   I had to go and do short bullpen sessions with the burn rule just to try to stay sharp.    

Q:  What happened when you finally got in after such a long layoff?

A:  We were playing in Montreal.   I’m going back to the hotel with Sean Bergman, who’s scheduled to start the next day.   I said to him “tomorrow, you go six innings and get the win by a score of 10-0, and I’ll come in the final three innings and close it out to get my first save.”      

Well, it turns out that he pitched six innings, the score was actually 8-0, he left in the 7th with the bases loaded, I came in and got out of that jam by some miracle (laughs) and I pitch two more innings to get the save.  In the process, I also got my first big league hit.    I hit a double, and that wound up being the 10th run scored.   I got my first hit and my first save in the same game!     I also pitched for the first time in 18 days!

Q:  Did you like playing for Phil Garner? 

A:  I did.   Phil used me a ton.   The end of one year I had like 76 appearances.    

At the end of that season, Phil looked me right in the eye and said, “I rode you pretty hard this last month, didn’t I?”    I was like “yes you did, I did my best.”    

So, I get home, and I go to do my first off-season workout, and I can barely even lift a 10 lb. dumbbell to curl.    My arm was fried and I spent that whole offseason just trying to get back to neutral.    

Q:  What do you think of pitching today?

A:  The fans seem to love it, so I like it for them.   I think there’s too many reviews and I hate the pitcher’s clock.  My wife thinks that the clock has created a deal where the romance of baseball is gone.   I tend to agree with that.   

I don’t see pitching anymore, I see guys trying to throw it as hard as they can.   I don’t think I’d get a look from a scout if I only threw in the low 90’s which is what I threw back then.    

Q:  Final question.  Jose Lima was one of your teammates.   Do you have a favorite story about Lima? 

A:  We came up together with Detroit.   We had a guy that would serve soup to us in the fall league.   Jose was always loud and boisterous.    We all loved him, but he irked some of the older people.    

So, we are going through the soup line one day, and the man pours soup into our bowls and Lima says something that the man doesn’t like and he takes the giant soup spoon and hits him right over the head with it!   (laughs).   Soup went flying everywhere.

Jose wanted to fight him, we had to hold him back, we were all dying laughing.    It was the funniest thing I’d ever seen.  

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The Houston Astros were able to grind out a 2-1 win in the series opener Thursday night.

While Detroit is slightly favored to even things up Friday, my Astros vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks see value in backing the road team.

Who will win Astros vs Tigers today: Houston Astros (+100)

Spencer Arrighetti was borderline untouchable the first couple of months despite rocky numbers beneath the surface. 

The pendulum has swung a little too far the other way over the last month, with Arrighetti posting a 5.79 ERA despite a respectable 3.89 FIP.

He is poised to get back on track against the Detroit Tigers, who sit 26th in wOBA vs. righties the past two weeks.

The Houston Astros rank 16th in wOBA and eighth in ISO during the same period. They should cause trouble for Keider Montero, whose 4.68 xFIP signals regression is coming. 

Back Houston to -115.

COVERS INTEL:Montero ranks in the the 13th percentile in K%, which should lead to a lot of balls put in play by an Astros attack sitting eighth in hard hit rate vs. righties the past two weeks.

Astros vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 9.0 (-115)

The Astros have struggled to deliver ceiling-level offensive performances, scoring four runs or fewer in eight of their last 10 games.

It’s been a similar story for the Tigers. They plated just 28 runs over the last nine games (3.11 per), eight of which came Under the pre-game total.

While Arrighetti and Montero have both pitched worse than their season outputs suggest, these are not the offenses to truly take advantage.

The bullpens are also in great shape, and each team sits Top-3 in bullpen FIP during the month of June.

Bet the Under to -125.

Astros vs Tigers weather

Temperatures in the high 60s are expected with slight winds blowing inwards. Small boost to the pitchers.

Astros vs Tigers odds

• Moneyline: Astros -105 | Tigers -115
• Run line: Astros +1.5 (-210) | Tigers -1.5 (+170)
• Over/Under: Over 9.0 (-105) | Under 9.0 (-115)

Astros vs Tigers trend

Houston has won 12 of the last 18 away games (+7.50 units, 40% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Tigers.

How to watch Astros vs Tigers and game info

Astros vs Tigers latest injuries

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.

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (35-42) won 11-0 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Dezenzo RBI single and Ferreras RBI groundout. McCullers got a rehab start for Sugar Land and went 3 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. The offense got 2 more runs in the 7th on a Biggio RBI triple and Whitcomb RBI single. Sugar Land blew it open in the 8th scoring a run on a wild pitch, a Brooks grand slam, Cole walk and Spence walk. Hendrickson tossed 5 scoreless innings in relief and Fleury had a scoreless 9th to close out the 11-0 win.

Note: Biggio has a .858 OPS this season.

• Cavan Biggio, LF: 1-for-4, 2 R, 3B, RBI, BB, SB
• Shay Whitcomb, 3B: 1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, SB
• Trenton Brooks, DH: 1-for-3, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB
• Zach Dezenzo, 1B: 1-for-4, R, RBI, BB
• Pascanel Ferreras, SS: 0-for-4, R, RBI, BB
• Zach Cole, RF: 0-for-2, R, RBI, 3 BB
• Lucas Spence, CF: 1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB
• Riley Unroe, 2B: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 BB, SB

• Lance McCullers Jr., RHP: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• Josh Hendrickson, LHP: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (WIN)
• Jose Fleury, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (33-39) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE)

Blanco made a rehab start for the Hooks and went 3.1 scoreless innings with 2 strikeouts. The offense got on the board in the 6th inning on a Brutcher bases loaded walk. They got another run in the 8th inning on a Schiavone RBI single. Hertzler went 4 innings in relief allowing 1 run with 3 strikeouts. The Hooks took a 2-1 lead into the 9th but Swanson allowed 2 runs as Tulsa walked it off.

Note: Hertzler has a 2.03 ERA in Double-A.

• Jason Schiavone, C: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
• Drew Brutcher, RF: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB
• Jax Biggers, 2B: 1-for-2, R

• Ronel Blanco, RHP: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• Julio Rodriguez, RHP: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Cole Hertzler, RHP: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• Nic Swanson, RHP: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (19-52) won 7-6 (BOX SCORE)

The Asheville offense got on the board in the first inning on a Powell groundout. They got 2 runs in the 2nd inning on a Daudet 2 run home run. Oakes started for Asheville and while he struck out 8 over 3.1 innings, he also allowed 4 runs. The offense got another run in the third on a double play and then 3 runs in the 4th on a Moss RBI double and Walker 2 run single. Cruz allowed 2 runs in relief but the rest of the pen was scoreless as they tossed 4.1 innings to close it out.

Note: Moss is hitting .353 in High-A.

• Kyle Walker, 2B: 3-for-5, 2 R, 3B, RBI, SB
• Caden Powell, LF: 0-for-4, RBI
• Cesar Hernandez, DH: 0-for-3, R, BB, SB
• Jack Moss, 1B: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, RBI
• Zach Daudet, 3B: 2-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI

• Kellan Oakes, RHP: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 8 K
• Anthony Cruz, RHP: 1.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Raimy Rodriguez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K (WIN)
• Bryce Collins, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Conor Steinbaugh, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K (SAVE)

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (36-35) won 5-1 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning thanks to a Flores 2 run home run, his 10th home run of the season. Shoemaker started for the Woodpeckers and pitched well allowing 1 unearned run over 4.2 innings. The offense added a run in the third on a Luciano RBI double and another in the 4th on a Vasquez sac fly. The offense got another in the 8th on a Nigh RBI single. Weber tossed 3.1 scoreless in relief and Mathiesen closed the door with a scoreless 9th inning as the Woodpeckers won 5-1.

Note: Flores has a .836 OPS this season.

• Hector Salas, 2B: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB
• Arturo Flores, 1B: 2-for-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
• Waner Luciano, RF: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
• German Ramirez, SS: 2-for-4, R
• Kenni Gomez, LF: 1-for-4, R, SB
• Brandon Nigh, 3B: 2-for-2, RBI, 2 BB

• Adam Shoemaker, LHP: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
• Charlie Weber, RHP: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (WIN)
• Ryan Mathiesen, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: TBD – 7:05 CT

CC: TBD – 7:00 CT

AV: Parker Smith – 5:45 CT

FV: TBD – 6:05 CT

I don’t often struggle to write series previews. In fact, it’s often my favorite article to compile for Amazin’ Avenue. But I’m going to be honest, I’m struggling to even think about where to begin with this one. But here goes…after a truly horrific stretch of baseball, the New York Mets (34-47) welcome the division rival Philadelphia Phillies (45-36). The two teams squared off last weekend, with Philadelphia taking two out of three on their home turf, and the Mets will look to return the favor.

The Mets enter this series on a six-game skid, a losing streak which began against the Phillies and was exacerbated as the Mets endured a truly embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Cubs at Citi Field. The Mets ended up losing all seven games they played against the Cubs this year, including their three games at Wrigley Field in April.

Losing games is one thing, but these games were borderline noncompetitive, and each game had its own embarrassing component. After a Monday night rain out, the series kicked off in earnest on Tuesday with Kodai Senga putting the final nail in his own coffin by getting rocked once again. Senga, whose ERA now sits at 10.08 after seven starts, has found himself relegated to a bullpen role following his putrid season, but given his performance, you can excuse any Mets fan for being skeptical that this move will pay off.

Following their 9-6 loss on Tuesday, the team was swept in a double header on Wednesday. The winners of the day game (besides the Cubs) were the Norwegians, who captured the hearts and minds of New Yorkers everywhere. The losers, of course, were the Mets and Mets fans everywhere, who are subjected to watching this team. The Mets actually led 3-0 thanks to back-to-back homers from Jared Young and Francisco Alvarez, but the Cubs went on to score 10 unanswered runs. In the nightcap, the Mets’ infield made six (6!) errors en route to a 10-5 loss which was as demoralizing as it was deeply embarrassing.

The series concluded with the closest of the four matches, an extra innings loss on Thursday. The Mets were once again plagued by bad defense, which directly resulted in three unearned runs charged to Freddy Peralta’s final line. The first error came on a routine play that Ronny Mauricio, who was called up earlier that day, could not make, which kicked off a three-run inning for the Cubs. As Carlos Mendoza (now former manager of the Mets) said post game, the errors the team has been making, specifically the ones in this game, were extremely routine plays. Despite a two-run homer from Wagaman and another dinger from Young, the Mets fell in extra innings and ended up leaving a season-high 14 runners on base in the sweep-clinching defeat.

Dansby Swanson had a series for the ages against the Mets, driving in 15 home runs and hitting three homers across the four games. In fact, he was held hitless in the fourth game, so all of that offensive production came in the first three games. In the first game of the doubleheader alone, he hit two homers, including a grand slam, and drove in seven runs for Chicago, matching a career high.

On the bright side, Francisco Alvarez has begun to heat up offensively, hitting three homers in the series. He now has eight home runs and a .258/.326/.436 slash line on the season, with a 115 wRC+ and a 0.9 fWAR. Since returning from the IL on June 9, he’s hitting .294/.345/.529 with four homers and a 145 wRC+ in 14 games. At the very least, from the crop of youngsters that includes Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos, and Bretty Baty, Alvarez has at least provided you with something to feel good about, and he figures to be the only one from that group to factor into the future.

Any dreams of chasing a Wild Card spot have all but been dashed with this losing streak, as the vibes are literally lower than I can ever remember with this club. At the exact halfway point of the season, the Mets reside at 34-47, meaning that they’re on pace for 68 wins. If these trends continue, they would fail to win 70 games for the first time since the 2003 season, and it’s never a good thing to be compared to the Art Howe years. The Mets are currently 9.5 games back of the final playoff spot in the National League, but only two games ahead of the Rockies for the worst record in the league. They currently are tied for the sixth-worst record in baseball, which is important for MLB Draft Lottery odds, because if they snag a top-six spot of the MLB Draft order, they won’t be dropped ten spots due to the payroll penalty.

While David Stearns said he will evaluate the team’s situation with respect to them being buyers or sellers up until the August 3 deadline, the team has seemingly already made it known to the league that they are open for business with their first big move, which was moving on from long-time pitcher David Peterson. The club sent him across to the visitor’s clubhouse after Wednesday’s doubleheader sweep while acquiring an infield prospect in return. Peterson was a free agent so moving on made sense regardless of the team’s situation, but it does at least show that the club seems to be leaning towards the sellers route. With little left to play for on the field, all eyes will be fixated on the trade deadline as the Mets look to extract some value and build up their farm system to help build towards a (hopefully) better future.

And as we publish this article, the team announced “the departure of Carlos Mendoza”, meaning they will have yet another new manager. Andy Green will take over as the interim skipper for the remainder of the 2026 season. A lot more will be discussed about this in the coming days, you can be sure.

The Phillies are in a completely different spot from the Mets. They come in to this series as winners of seven of their last ten games and hold the top Wild Card spot in the National League, one game clear of the Cubs, who just walloped the Mets this week. After a really sluggish start, they are only four games behind the Braves for first place in the National League East. After firing their manager, Rob Thomson, following a 10-19 start, and inserting Don Mattingly into the interim role, Philadelphia is 35-17. After losing their first game to Washington in their recent four-game set, they won the last three, with each of them coming thanks to a ninth inning rally. In the two middle games, they were down to their final strike before erupting to steal the game from the Nats. Must be nice.

Friday, June 26: Zach Thornton vs. Zack Wheeler, 7:10 PM EDT on WPIX

Thornton (2026): 4.2 IP, 3 K, 2 BB, 1 HR, 8.31 ERA, 6.10 FIP, 207 ERA-

Thorton is making his second spot start for the Mets this season in place of the recently-departed David Peterson. In his one outing, he allowed four earned runs over 4 2/3 innings while striking out three and walking two against the Nationals on May 20, which resulted in a loss. In seven outings in Triple-A so far this season (including six starts), he owns a 4.80 ERA. He has struck out 29 and walked 14 across his 31 innings in Syracuse.

Wheeler (2026): 68.1 IP, 69 K, 18 BB, 8 HR, 2.11 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 50 ERA-

Wheeler’s last start came against the Mets on Sunday Night Baseball, and he picked up his seventh win of the 2026 campaign against just one loss. In that outing, he allowed two earned runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings, and he struck out seven while walking three batters. In the month of June so far, he has three wins and has posted a 1.82 ERA and a 3.55 FIP in 24 2/3 innings. Opposing batters have managed just a .165 batting average and .559 OPS against him during this stretch, and he’ll look to finish the month off strong against his old club.

Saturday, June 27: Christian Scott vs. Alan Rangel, 7:10 PM EDT on SNY

Scott (2026): 40.2 IP, 47 K, 19 BB, 4 HR, 3.10 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 77 ERA-

This will be Scott’s first start in 15 days after he landed on the injured list with a right hip impingement. Perhaps the injury could help explain Scott’s trouble with the long ball in his last start, which came against the Cardinals on June 11 in a game the Mets eventually won. After surrendering just one home run across his first eight starts, he gave up three in the first two innings against the Cardinals, but was able to hold them at bay after that rough start. He ended up going 4 2/3 innings, allowing a season-high seven hits while striking out six and walking one. He did keep his streak of 18 starts allowing four runs or fewer to begin his major league career, which remains a Mets record. Scott has been the Mets’ best starter this year since making his return to the majors, leading the club with a 3.10 ERA.

Rangel (2026): 8.0 IP, 9 K, 0 BB, 1 HR, 2.25 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 53 ERA-

Rangel is a journeyman pitcher who made his major league debut with 11 innings across five outings for the Phillies last season. He signed as an international free agent in 2014 and bounced around from the Braves to the Angels to Philadelphia, where he finally got a chance at major league action. Saturday will mark his first major league start after making seven relief appearances over the past two season with the Phillies. He enters play having allowed two earned runs over eight innings pitched. His last time out, he pitched five innings and limited the Nationals to one run on five hits. He threw 72 pitches in that one (a career high in the majors), so he is probably in line to pitch between 70 and 80 pitches in this start.

Sunday, June 28: TBD vs. Jesús Luzardo, 1:40 PM EDT on SNY

TBD

The Mets could turn to Tobias Myers or a bullpen game on Sunday, unless they want to promote someone from the minors.

Luzardo (2026): 92.1 IP, 110 K, 30 BB, 9 HR, 4.39 ERA, 3.12 FIP, 104 ERA-

Luzardo has had a bit of an up-and-down year for Philadelphia, and June is a perfect encapsulation of his struggles. In two of his outings this month, he’s allowed five earned runs. In the other two, he’s allowed one earned run and two earned runs. In the latter, he matched his season high by going seven innings. Despite that, the club has won each of his last six starts and eight of his last ten. In his most recent outing, he settled for a no decision but did strike out a season-high 13 batters while allowing five earned runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings against the Nationals. He is currently seventh among NL starting pitchers in innings pitched, and can be relied upon to give the team length, even when he is struggling.