Jul 2, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Jim Jarvis (74) turns a double play over St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (0) in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
With a right-handed starter on the mound for the New York Mets in Sunday’s 12:30 p.m. ET game, the Atlanta Braves unsurprisingly are pivoting back to a righty-focused batting order.
Drake Baldwin is back in the leadoff spot after Mauricio Dubón led off Saturday night, dropping Dubón into the five-hole. Additionally, Dominic Smith gets the start at designated hitter (batting sixth) and Jim Jarvis is back at shortstop and hitting ninth against Mets starter Nolan McLean (5-5, 3.78 ERA).
Over his two career starts against the Braves, Atlanta’s current hitters are a combined 4-for-23 (.174) against McLean. No one has more than one hit and all of the hits are singles, along with a combined eight strikeouts and three walks.
Smith and Mike Yastrzemski have the lone two RBIs for Braves hitters off McLean.
The Mets are largely keeping the same lineup from Saturday, with Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto in the top two spots, albeit with Soto DHing this time. Luis Torrens replaces Francisco Alvarez behind the plate, and AJ Ewing is in center field, replacing Eric Wagaman, who DHed on Saturday.
Current Mets hitters are a combined 21-for-64 (.328) against Braves starter Martín Pérez (6-5, 3.27). The players you would probably expect are leading that charge. Bo Bichette is 5-for-10 with two doubles, Francisco Lindor is 8-for-19 (.421) with a double, five walks and one strikeout and Juan Soto is 4-for-10 with the only Mets homer off Pérez and three of the four RBIs.
While the Mets have had some success against Pérez, he’s 5-0 with a 2.94 ERA in 11 career appearances (seven starts) against the franchise.
Let’s see if he can keep that rolling and the Braves can inch closer to a Mets mop on a sweltering Sunday afternoon in Atlanta.
I’m going to start here again, there are still only five teams with more wins than the Cubs through July 4. On a pace to win 89 games. Go math. The Cubs played a game and lost. That lowered their overall win pace by an equivalent number. We’re getting to the point in the season where that pace doesn’t move a lot day to day and it takes streaks to move the number one way or the other.
Pete Crow-Armstrong was named an All-Star Saturday night. The Cubs are the fifth best team to date in the NL and they got a single player. Not that slots are apportioned relative to team strength, you could be a very bad team and have two superstars who make the team. Or a very good team that doesn’t get multiple players.
Ben Brown was the only other Cub who I felt flashed star level performance for any significant length of time. I didn’t think he’d done enough and then he got hurt. So this felt correct. I didn’t look over the rest of the roster or any of the usual noise out there that so and so didn’t belong there and so and so got snubbed. There are more good players than All-Star spots and typically the every team should be represented ruled leads to one or two guys who maybe otherwise wouldn’t be there. The most I’ve ever done is feel a guy was good enough to deserve consideration. I’d always rather they just got the days off. But I recognize it’s cool for the players to get to go at least once or twice in a career.
On the field in Chicago Saturday night, there wasn’t a lot of positive going on. Hat tip to Cubs pitchers, three runs over nine is a fine performance. They ended up using five pitchers to do it. But they didn’t really use many pitchers Friday in the lopsided loss, so not a huge deal. They were able to keep it close in case the offense ever came to life. This is exactly how you want to use your pen to try to steal a game. It just wasn’t to be on this day.
The Cub offense was limited to five singles, four walks and a hit batter. 10 baserunners, no slug. That’s a tough way to mount any offense. To make matters worse, Pete Crow-Armstrong was on four times with a single, two walks and a hit by pitch. That means the whole rest of the team reached base six times over nine innings. This is the same old story, the Cubs are one superstar player and a bunch of average to good players.
I don’t follow other teams with any high level awareness. So I don’t know how this compares to anyone else. The Cubs don’t have much chance against a team that is executing on either or both sides of the plate. On Friday, the Cardinals offense was locked in and on Saturday their pitchers shut the Cub offense down. The Cubs didn’t mount any real resistance either day. Not great. Not a lot of fun. Breathing some life into a Cardinals team that has been reeling a bit over the last few weeks. They certainly needed these games more and they’ve gotten them.
Three Stars:
Pete Crow-Armstrong. Single, two walks, hit by pitch. He did get caught stealing once.
Michael Conforto had a pair of singles and a walk. Two players were seven of the 10 runners.
Caleb Thielbar retired all four batters he faced, striking out one.
Game 89, July 4: Cardinals 3, Cubs 0 (49-40)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.097). 1-1, 2 BB, HBP, CS
WPA Notes: Michael Busch (-.108) was just behind Dansby Swanson for the last spot here.
WPA Play of the Game: This whole exercise never feels quite as useless as when the play of the game is the very first play of the game. JJ Wetherholt started the game with a homer and that held up as the top play. (.100)
Cubs Play of the Game: Shōta Imanaga faced Jordan Walker with runners on first and second with no outs in the third, the Cubs down two. He got a double play ball for the first two outs. (.076)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 88 Winner: Other was the winner with 46 percent of the vote and the suggestions were Alex Bregman or none of the above. It was definitely that kind of game.
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
Carson Kelly +14.5
Ben Brown +13.5
Trent Thornton +12.5
Michael Busch/Michael Conforto +12
Edward Cabrera -9.5
Phil Maton/Dansby Swanson -10
Seiya Suzuki -12.5
Caleb Thielbar -13
Up Next: Game three of the weekend series Sunday afternoon. Javier Assad (6-1, 4.53) gets another start. Last time out he was used as a reliever after he’d had three straight starts. The Padres scored four runs against him in 2.2 innings of work, but the Cubs had a good sized lead when he came in. I’m not sure Assad has a ton of experience working in that situation where you have a big lead and you are just trying to finish the string. We all know the old don’t walk anyone and go after hitters, but that’s not really the Javy style.
Lefty Matthew Liberatore (4-5, 5.33) starts for the Cardinals. He’s coming off of a good start, against the Braves of all teams. He allowed just one run in five innings of work. Back on May 31, the Cubs were maybe his best start of the year. He held them scoreless over 5.1 innings, allowing three hits and one walk.
Javy’s whole style reads as “find a way.” He seems to always work into and out of trouble. This whole weekend series with the Cardinals feels like that for the team as a whole. Try to get out of the trouble, limit damage. That hasn’t worked for two days. Maybe, hopefully, the third time will be the charm.
AMARILLO, TX - AUGUST 15: Trey Dombroski #26 of the Corpus Christi Hooks pitches during the game against the Amarillo Sod Poodles at Hodgetown Stadium on August 15, 2025 in Amarillo, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | John E. Moore III/Getty Images
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 (40-45) won 7-5 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning scoring 4 runs on a Biggio solo home run and Whitcomb 3 run home run. They got another run in the third on a Spence sac fly and 2 more in the 4th inning on a wild pitch and groundout. Gordon got the start and went 5 innings allowing 5 runs, though just 2 earned. The game was called after 6 innings as Sugar Land won 7-5.
Colton Gordon, LHP: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (WIN)
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (37-43) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
Dombroski started for the Hooks and pitched well allowing 2 runs, 1 earned over 6 innings of work. The Hooks tied the game in the 4th inning on a Whitaker solo HR and Rosario RBI double. In the 5th, Bush gave the Hooks the lead with a solo home run. The pen pitched well tossing 3 scoreless innings as they closed out the 3-2 win.
A+: Asheville Tourists (26-53) lost 4-3 (BOX SCORE)
The Asheville offense got on the board in the first inning on a Call RBI single. They got another run in the 2nd inning on a Brown solo home run. DeVos got the start for Asheville and allowed 2 runs over 5.2 innings. Asheville got a run in the 6th on a Moss sac fly to take the lead. The bullpen allowed a couple runs though and the offense was unable to respond as Asheville fell 4-3.
Note: Moss is hitting .398 for Asheville this season.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (40-39) lost 4-2 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on a Luciano RBI single. Weber started for the Woodpeckers and allowed one unearned run over 3.1 innings. The offense got another run in the 3rd inning on a Luciano solo home run. Carrera pitched in relief allowing 3 runs over 4 innings. The Woodpeckers’ offense was quiet the rest of the way as they fell 4-2.
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 17: A general view of Chase Field during the postgame fireworks show after the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Friday, April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Recaps
[AZ Central] Del Castillo’s blast, Kelly’s new look ignite Diamondbacks in victory – “I wanted to come out aggressive today and just kind of let it fly,” Kelly said. “Just kind of let the chips fall where they may. Not try to be too fine or too precise. “Just be aggressive and get back to competing.” That manifested itself in a repertoire that was up across the board; each of Kelly’s six pitch types came in above their season averages in velocity, three of which registered more than 1.5 mph hotter than usual. “What I was doing wasn’t working and what I was doing was the opposite of competing and being aggressive and being on the attack,” Kelly said. “Clearly, it wasn’t working, and I just got to the point of, in my mind, it couldn’t get any worse.”
[Arizona Sports] Did Merrill Kelly find some answers in Diamondbacks’ Fourth of July win over Brewers? – He drew 13 whiffs after inducing only four in his last start in Tampa Bay. He struck out six batters, tying a season high, several of which with runners in scoring position to keep the scoring down. “I feel like the league is adjusting to what I try to do, and I need to adjust back,” Kelly said. “I think I haven’t really done a very good job of doing that this year. And I think that just comes with establishing the fastball. I think everything, just like it has for however long baseball’s been around, they pitch off the fastball and everything else plays off the fastball. So going into today, I wanted to make that an emphasis and be on the attack and try to find myself in better counts than I have up to this point.”
[Dbacks.com] Carroll, Rodriguez to rep D-backs at All-Star Game – “It means a lot to me, because I’ve been in this game for quite a long time, and to have the opportunity to go to an All-Star Game for the first time is just something amazing,” Rodriguez said… [He] credited the Arizona defense behind him for his success this year. “That’s No. 1 factor for sure, because they always play really good behind me,” Rodriguez said. “And second has been that I’ve been great to locate my pitches where I want, have a really good relationship with the catchers that catch me, have a really good plan, and we just go out there and execute it.” Both players had made plans for the All-Star break, with Carroll having some pre-wedding festivities of a friend he was going to attend, while Rodriguez and his wife were going to spend the few days off in the Southern California area.“I think he’ll understand,” Carroll said with a smile.
[Burn City Sports] Was trading Jake McCarthy a massive mistake by the Diamondbacks? – When the lineup isn’t getting production from its biggest names, the lack of depth becomes obvious. That makes McCarthy’s emergence elsewhere even more difficult to ignore. His historic performance for Colorado wasn’t just a career night. It was a reminder of the player Arizona developed but ultimately decided it could live without. Two home runs, six RBI, a stolen base, and relentless pressure on opposing pitchers showcased the complete offensive package the Diamondbacks once believed could be part of their future. The frustrating part for Arizona fans isn’t simply that McCarthy is producing. It’s how he’s producing.
[AZ Central] In a superstar year, Luis Gonzalez embodied 2001 champion Diamondbacks – “Spring training went well, I felt comfortable, and I got off to a great start in the opening series. You get out of the gates good, you start swinging the bat well, your confidence grows. That’s what happened to me. It seemed like every series I felt more confidence going out there and I was starting to feel like the guys were relying on me, counting on me, and I loved that part of being one of the leaders of a ballclub.” Gonzalez became — and remains — the Diamondbacks’ ultimate ambassador, making himself accessible to fans wherever he goes and always greeting them with a warm smile and genuine inclusion. His easy-going, good-guy aura has always made folks feel special, and he has never lost that charm because it’s simply him.He’s not too good to be true; that’s just who he is.
And, elsewhere…
[Milwaukee Journey-Sentinel] Brandon Woodruff leaves start early again with concerning ‘dead arm’ feeling – Just as he did the last time he faced the Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff departed his start early with an apparent injury July 4 at Chase Field. Woodruff came out for the fourth inning with a 85.8 mph fastball and never got above 87.3 in a strikeout to Gabriel Moreno. After that, seven of his final eight pitches before being removed were changeups, including four straight between 73 and 75 mph – more than 7 mph below his season average. An injured list stint is all but a guarantee for Woodruff now the second time around with the ailment.”It’s kind of the same thing he had before,” Murphy said. “It’s in the same area, same spot. That cyst develops. He’s got that tear in the labrum there and that cyst develops. It flares up. It’s probably going to be an IL.”
[ESPN] 2026 MLB All-Star Game rosters: Snubs, other takeaways – At least the NL added all those starting pitchers and no extra relievers beyond the three mandatory voted in by the players — Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran and Raisel Iglesias. If there’s one thing we don’t need, it’s more relievers in an All-Star Game. Oh, don’t worry, we’ll get to the AL. Who should start the game on the mound? Misiorowski has arguably been the best story of the first half, and that’s kind of the point of the All-Star Game. On the other hand, the game is in Philly and Sanchez leads in bWAR and is tied in fWAR. Considering the cost of an All-Star ticket, let’s give the ball to Sanchez and make the home fans happy.
[MLB] Trout becomes 3rd AL player elected to start 11 All-Star Games – Trout leads all active players in All-Star Game selections, but hadn’t been named one since 2023 after suffering a torn meniscus in his knee that plagued him in ‘24 and ‘25. It’s also extra special for Trout because the Midsummer Classic is being held at Citizens Bank Park, which is located just 40 miles from his hometown of Millville, N.J. When manager Kurt Suzuki announced in front of the team that Trout had been elected as an All-Star, the Angels had Trout’s wife, Jessica, and his two sons, Beckham and Jordy, on FaceTime, which made Trout emotional. Trout also fought back tears when speaking to reporters about what it meant to him. “It was definitely on my list when it came out, so it’s pretty cool,” Trout said. “Just the kids, friends, family. It just means a lot.”
And since Mel Brooks recently turned 100 years old…
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Rating: B+
Dir: Mel Brooks.
Star: Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr.
While Wilder is front and centre, the supporting cast are uniformly excellent. Feldman is a real standout, and it makes you wonder what he might have done, save his untimely early death. But the women – not just Garr and her knockers, Madeline Kahn and Cloris Leachman as well – are almost as impeccable. Though, for whatever reason, I think I laughed hardest at Inspector Kemp, with his false arm of 1,001 uses. This is the second time Kenneth Mars has stolen the show in a Brooks movie, after his turn as Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind in The Producers. It’s all almost entirely glorious, and will certainly ensure you won’t be able to watch the classics in quite the same way again. Or sing Putting On The Ritz either.
The Toronto Blue Jays head into the series finale in a get-right spot with Trey Yesavage on the mound against the Seattle Mariners and Emerson Hancock. Toronto’s bats are cold, yet Andrés Giménez is bucking the trend, and he headlines my card on Sunday.
Read on for my Blue Jays vs. Mariners predictions and MLB picks for this Sunday, July 5 matchup.
Blue Jays vs Mariners predictions
Blue Jays vs Mariners best bet: Andres Gimenez Over 0.5 total bases (-135)
Seattle Mariners starter Emerson Hancock is a tricky customer, equally as stingy against righties (.634 opponent OPS) as lefties (.647), but Andrés Giménez is the guy I trust to beat him.
The Toronto Blue Jays shortstop had a big Friday, ripping a key RBI double, and like most of the lineup, he went quiet in Saturday’s blowout loss. I’m betting on the bounceback.
Giménez is Toronto’s hottest hitter over the last seven days, with a .750 OPS and .417 slugging in that stretch. I’d play this until -145 today, which is where I think the value dries up.
If you can grab the current number, lay it with confidence, because Giménez is Toronto’s best bet to spark the offense.
COVERS INTEL: Andrés Giménez owns a .725 OPS in 27 career games against the Mariners, comfortably above his .694 career mark, and he’s shown he can produce in this ballpark with clutch homers here in last year’s ALCS.
Blue Jays vs Mariners same-game parlay (SGP)
For the same-game parlay, I’m chasing +500 value again. I’ll start with the Blue Jays moneyline at +110. Saturday was rough, but that’s fair value with Trey Yesavage on the mound, especially with Seattle missing Julio Rodríguez.
Speaking of Yesavage, I like his Over 5.5 strikeouts. He didn’t clear the number last time against the Mets, but he flashed the best command I’ve seen from him all year and worked deep.
Finally, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will go Over 1.5 total bases. He profiles well against Emerson Hancock, and even through his struggles, I like his chances to stack a couple of singles, a double, or more.
Blue Jays vs Mariners SGP
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
Blue Jays moneyline
Trey Yesavage Over 5.5 strikeouts
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Blue Jays vs Mariners home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+675)
Blue Jays fans know Vladdy isn’t at his best right now, fighting through a slump and a sore back, but on Sunday, the first baseman is Toronto’s best shot to go deep, even if it’s been a statistical long shot all year.
Emerson Hancock lives off a strong, well-located fastball, and Guerrero has been essentially a pure fastball hitter this season, batting .317 against the heater with a .416 slugging mark.
Three of Guerrero’s four homers have come on the fastball, and all four have come on the road, right where he is today. I’d play this until +550 and keep it to a quarter unit.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 3-1, +1.99 units
SGPs: 1-3, +0.19 units
HR picks: 0-4, -1.00 units
Blue Jays vs Mariners odds
Moneyline: Toronto +110 | Seattle -130
Run line: Toronto +1.5 (-190) | Seattle -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+100) | Under 7.5 (-120)
Blue Jays vs Mariners trend
Trey Yesavage owns a 2.22 ERA on the road this season, giving the Blue Jays a live shot as underdogs in Seattle. Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Mariners and game info
Location
T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
Date
Sunday, 7-5-2026
First pitch
5:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Mariners starting pitcher
Emerson Hancock (5-4, 3.47 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Trey Yesavage (4-3, 3.34 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Mariners latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Mariners weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 03: Luis García Jr. #2 of the Washington Nationals hits a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on July 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nationals ended up sending two players to the All-Star game in Philadelphia. Those two players are CJ Abrams, who will be the NL’s starting shortstop, and James Wood. It was neat to see the moment when Blake Butera announced that those two were going to the All-Star game. However, I want to talk about two players who did not make the cut, but were arguably deserving.
Congrats to CJ Abrams and James Wood on being well-deserved All-Stars. They’ve been great.
Foster Griffin and Luis Garcia both have numbers good enough to end up in Philly as well.
They were not slam dunk All-Stars like Wood and Abrams, but you can certainly make the case that Foster Griffin and Luis Garcia Jr. were snubbed. Both have had outstanding seasons, and are a big reason why the Nats sit over .500 this deep into the season. This team was supposed to be a bottom feeder, but they are not.
We figured that Wood and Abrams were going to have big years. However, the emergence of Griffin and Garcia has helped put this team over the top. The first guy I want to talk about is Griffin, who has been an absolute revelation this season.
After coming back from Japan on a 1-year $5.5 million deal, fans were not sure what to expect out of Foster Griffin. It seemed like another instance of the Nats dumpster diving. However, it has been so much more than that with Griffin. His 7 pitch arsenal has translated seamlessly to MLB. Griffin does not throw hard, but he finds ways to outthink and outexecute hitters on the mound.
He is truly a joy to watch take the ball every fifth day. On the season, Griffin has a 2.87 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 103.1 innings. He crossed the 100 inning and 100 strikeout threshold in his last start, though Griffin said he was more proud of the inning milestone. Griffin has 12 starts of 5+ innings with 1 or fewer runs, which is tied for second in baseball with Jacob Misiorowski.
Most games with 5+ IP and 1 or fewer ER allowed this season:
1) Cam Schlittler – 13 games 2) Jacob Misiorowski – 12 games T-2) Foster Griffin – 12 games ‼️
That sort of consistent excellence is All-Star caliber in my opinion. I will concede that the NL starting pitching pool was stacked this year. However, I do think Griffin deserved to go over Paul Skenes, who is having a down year by his standards. There is still a decent shot we see Griffin in the All-Star game, as you have to think he would be one of the top candidates to replace a pitcher when someone drops out.
While Griffin has been consistent all season, Luis Garcia Jr. made an insane late push to become All-Star caliber. Garcia is on one of the hottest runs in Nats history. He has a 1.394 OPS in his last 15 games with 9 homers. With CJ Abrams slumping and James Wood just getting out of a mini-slump of his own, Garcia has been carrying the Nats offense. On the season, Garcia now has 18 homers 62 RBI and an .864 OPS.
This is up there with 2021 Kyle Schwarber, 2016 Daniel Murphy and 2015 Harper for the most locked in I have ever seen a hitter
As I mentioned above, this is one of the best runs I have ever seen from a Nats hitter. It is truly up there with Kyle Schwarber’s run, the peak of Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper’s entire 2015 season. Name an insane heater by a Nats hitter, and what Garcia is doing right now is in that tier.
The timing of Garcia’s run is a big reason why he is not an All-Star though. His numbers have been climbing at a rapid pace in recent days. However, the voting for the All-Star game was probably wrapped up a few days ago. That would not be meaningful for most players, but Garcia has like 5 homers in the last few days.
Like starting pitchers, the first base position is pretty stacked in the NL. With famous veterans like Matt Olson, Bryce Harper and Freddie Freeman all having very good seasons, it is tough for an upstart like Garcia to break through. As much as we love Lui, the average baseball fan is probably going to want to see those veterans more.
Neither of these are outrageous snubs the way James Wood not starting was. However, both had rock solid cases to make the team. Griffin being a replacement pick would not surprise me at all, but I doubt Garcia will be going unfortunately. Both should use this as fuel to motivate them in the second half.
While neither are All-Stars, Nationals fans truly appreciate what both have done this season. They have been huge reasons for this team’s turnaround. We are playing meaningful games in July for the first time in years. Luis Garcia Jr. and Foster Griffin are a big reason why we are above .500 and still in the Wild Card mix.
The Chicago Cubs will be looking to avoid the sweep this afternoon, and they're healthy -150 favorites to do so.
Given Chicago's recent form against left-handed pitching, I'm backing the home team with my Cardinals vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks.
Who will win Cardinals vs Cubs today: Cubs moneyline (-150)
Matthew Liberatore is having a miserable season across the board. He owns a 5.34 ERA, and his xERA of 5.55 is even higher, ranking him in the ninth percentile league-wide.
He’ll have his hands full against the Chicago Cubs. They've feasted on lefties over the past five weeks, slotting first in wOBA, ISO, and OPS. This is a great spot for their offense to awaken.
While the St. Louis Cardinals also have a solid matchup against Javier Assad, he excels at inducing grounders, and the Cards rank first in GB% over the past month.
After back-to-back duds offensively, the Cubs are primed to get back on track. They have hit .279 vs. lefties since June 1 while ranking first in almost every major power category.
Even with 11 mile per hour winds blowing in, they should be able to string together extra base hits against Liberatore.
Assad sits in the 23rd percentile in xERA and the second percentile in hard hit rate. He’s allowing a lot of quality contact, and the Cardinals — who are fourth in wOBA vs. righties on the road over the last month — are likely to capitalize.
Bet to -115.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 50-40, -1.00 units
Over/Under bets: 48-38-4, +5.44 units
Cardinals vs Cubs weather
Temperatures in the low 70s are expected with the wind blowing in. Boost to the pitchers.
Cardinals vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Cardinals +130 | Cubs -150
Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (-155) | Cubs -1.5 (+135)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-105) | Under 8 (-115)
Cardinals vs Cubs trend
The Cubs have cashed the moneyline in 15 of the last 21 games for +7.45 units and a 26% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Cubs.
How to watch Cardinals vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, July 5, 2026
First pitch
2:30 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Cardinals starting pitcher
Matthew Liberatore (4-5, 5.34 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Javier Assad (6-1, 4.53 ERA)
Cardinals vs Cubs 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.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 04: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets celebrates with Gilbert Gomez #65 after reaching first base on a single during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Casey Sykes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Juan Soto was officially voted to the National League All-Star team yesterday. Soto was voted a starter and finished second in votes among NL outfielders, trailing only Philadelphia’s Brandon Marsh. He will join Marsh and Andy Pages in the outfield and will presumably start in left.
Soto enters play today with a .296/.404/.560 slash line after going 1-for-4 in last night’s ugly 14-3 loss. Soto leads all National League hitters in OPS (.964), OBP (.404) and wRC+ (163) and has 18 home runs, 39 runs scored, and 41 runs batted in over 70 games played this season.
This will be the first time he’s been selected to the All-Star team as a Met. Last year, Soto got off to a slow start, which sunk his chances at making the team (despite putting up solid numbers heading into the break. Soto rebounded to finish third in NL MVP voting. This is Soto’s second time being voted an All-Star starter and his fifth nod overall. He also became the youngest player to be voted to the All-Star team for four different teams.
Unsurprisingly, Soto is the lone Met to make the team (at least for now). Luke Weaver probably had the strongest case among other Mets players, but middle relievers generally are low on the list for All-Star consideration. There is always the chance another a player could be added to the roster down the road as players withdraw from the game.
As a final bit of Soto news, he did express interest in participating in the Home Run Derby, saying, “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve definitely been thinking about it. We’re still thinking. Philadelphia, it seems like it’s going to be fun. But I will see. I will see.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 04: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres wears a USA 250 patch as he prepares to bat during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, July 4, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Diego Padres could not find an answer for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the result was a 3-0 loss at Dodger Stadium that extended the San Diego losing streak to eight games. The Padres had a promising start to the first inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. singled to start the game and Gavin Sheets singled later in the inning to put runners on the corners with two outs. Ty France came to the plate and struck out swinging on three pitches and that proved to be the beginning of the end for San Diego.
The Padres managed just two additional hits over the next eight innings, with only one of those being allowed by Yamamoto. The Dodgers right-hander completed seven innings, allowing a total of three hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. The third hit allowed by Yamamoto came in the top of the second inning when Xander Bogaerts singled to open the inning.
The final hit for San Diego came in the top of the eighth inning when Tatis hit a two-out double of Brock Stewart. Alex Vesia came in from the Los Angeles bullpen to face Jake Cronenworth and recorded a strikeout to end the inning, stranding Tatis at second base. Tatis finished the game 2-for-4 as the leadoff hitter, while Cronenworth and Manny Machado the second and third hitters in the Padres lineup both finished the game 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
The pitching did what it needed to do and kept San Diego in the game. Wandy Peralta opened the game with a scoreless inning before giving way to Griffin Canning. The right-hander pitched four innings, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts, which was one of his better outings of the season especially against a potent Los Angeles lineup albeit without Shohei Ohtani. Kyle Hart allowed a run in two innings of work and that came in the form of a solo home run from Freddy Freeman. Mason Miller, who has not had regular work throughout this losing streak, pitched the eighth inning and hit the leadoff batter who advanced to second on a ground out. Miller then allowed a single to Freeman and the Dodgers scored their third run of the night.
Jackson Merrill has not had the season anyone expected and while there is still time for him to get things turned around, Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ballquestions whether he has the right people in place to help him do that.
With Freddy Fermin on the IL for concussion protocol after another foul ball off his facemask, the Padres were in need of a catcher, and they welcomed back Luis Cammpusano off the IL.
Prior to their game on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins, the Yankees recalled RHP Angel Chivilli from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Chivilli, 23, appeared in two games for New York in April before hitting the injured list due to shoulder discomfort. He was then activated on June 11 and optioned to Triple-A.
The right-hander has pitched in 12 games (one start) for the RailRiders, owning a 1.08 ERA over 16.2 innings with 17 strikeouts.
In his two major league appearances this season, Chivilli allowed one earned run over 2.1 innings (3.86 ERA) with three strikeouts.
He was acquired by the Yankees from the Colorado Rockies on Jan. 28 in exchange for 1B T.J. Rumfield. Chivilli pitched in 73 games for the Rockies across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, going 1-5 with a 7.06 ERA across 58.2 IP last year.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 27: Carlos Carrasco #59 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 27, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves have selected pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the active roster and optioned pitcher JR Ritchie to Triple-A. Ritchie pitched three innings an notched his first career save – of the three inning variety – last night.
Carrasco has pitched in seven games with the Braves this season and has been through the “designated for assignment, outrighted, opts for free agency, minor league contract, selected to active roster” cycle five times so far this season. He’ll give Atlanta another long-man option for today’s game.
As for Ritchie, he was able to save the bullpen by soaking up three innings in Atlanta’s 14-3 blow-out of the Metropolitans last night.
A reminder that the Braves play at 12:30PM today, in an earlier-than-normal Sunday start.
The action in the Atlanta Braves system on the 4th of July was nearly cut in half due to rain and power issues cancelling three of the seven games on the slate. Of the four games on the schedule to get played the Braves teams lost the first three, and needed a late inning comeback to win the game that finished last. Still we got to see Herick Hernandez and Davis Polo look dominant, as the two combined for 34 whiffs on the day, and homers from Brewer Hicklen along with the first of Edelson Cabral’s young career.
Durham got to Elieser Hernandez early in this one, scoring two in the first and another in the second, though he was able to get the Stripers through two more innings without giving up any additional runs. Anderson Pilar followed, and was hit hard – giving up four runs on three homers in his inning of work. That’s when the bullpen finally showed some life in this one. Hayden Harris was the third pitcher and over two scoreless innings he stuck out five batters, before Rolddy Munoz struck out the side in the eighth and final inning. Harris picked up eight whiffs, while Munoz had five.
After the Bulls scored early the Stripers were never able to get back into this game, as the offense just didn’t show up. A two-run homer by Brewer Hicklen, his 14th of the season, was able to cut it to 3-2 in the top of the third – but the team managed just three hits. Hicklen’s homer and walk and Brett Wisely’s three walks and run scored were the only real standouts, though Luke Williams picked up a double and Jose Azocar added a single.
Columbus Clingstones 4, Knoxville Smokies 3
Ambioris Tavarez, 2B: 2-5, 2B, R, .194/.311/.327
Patrick Clohisy, CF: 0-4, BB, R, 2 SB, .259/.336/.437
Herick Hernandez, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 2.80 ERA
Herick Hernandez’s stuff was dominant in this win for the Clingstones, though they needed to come from behind in the seventh to earn that win. Hernandez went five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks. He also struck out eight with 16 swings and misses, bringing his ERA to 2.80 and K/9 up to 12.0. Owen Hackman picked up the win in two scoreless innings of relief, with the save going to Luis Vargas after two scoreless frames of his own.
The Clingstones had plenty of offense in this one, and it’s a little surprising that they only scored four runs – other than the fact that they left so many runners on base. As a team they had 10 hits, six walks, and three stolen bases. Ambioris Tavarez went two for five with a double and scored a run, while he was joined by Tyler Tolve (2-3, 2B, BB, RBI), Luke Waddell (2-5), and Jordan Groshans (2-5, R) with a multi-hit game. Will Verdung also walked, doubled, batted in two, and scored a run in the win. While Patrick Clohisy didn’t come up with any hits, he walked, stole two bases, and scored a run.
Rome Emperors vs Jersey Shore BlueClaws – Cancelled
The day after the Friday night game was called early due to issues with power, Saturday’s game was cancelled altogether.
Salem RidgeYaks 1, Augusta GreenJackets 0
Juan Mateo, 3B: 1-3, BB, SB, .277/.355/.375
Alex Lodise, SS: 1-4, .255/.340/.475
Davis Polo, SP: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 3.72 ERA
Davis Polo threw a gem on the 4th, going five and two thirds and allowing a run on just four hits and a walk. Polo struck out eight and racked up a total of 18 whiffs in his 83 pitch outing. Cristobal Abreu followed, and quickly got himself into a little trouble with a pair of walks before finishing off the final out of the sixth inning. After two scoreless innings from Logan Forsythe, Daniel Brooks pitched the final inning without allowing any more damage.
The offense never got going in this one, picking up just two hits in the shutout. Juan Mateo had one of those hits, and a walk and a stolen base – but also got picked off as well. Alex Lodise had the only other hit in the loss. Among the other notable prospects Luis Guanipa and Cody Miller were each hitless in four at bats, while Conor Essenburg was hitless in one at bat before leaving the game two innings after being hit by a pitch.
FCL Braves vs FCL Rays – Suspended
This one was suspended in the top of the second, tied 0-0. The game is set to be finished on July 10th. Of note Manuel Campos singled in his first inning at bat, then stole second – his 22nd steal of the season.
DSL Rays 18, DSL Braves 7
Sherrintely Da Costa Gomez, LF: 1-5, 3B, R, RBI, .338/.451/.585
This was a rough pitching performance by the Braves squad. The final line was 9 IP, 11 H, 18 R, 9 ER, 17 BB, 10 K – yes that is accurate, 17 walks in this game. It also didn’t help to see three errors, four wild pitches, and a hit by batter, but the Rays squad was constantly on base. The bright spots for the pitching staff was three and a third one run innings from Geowin Gomez, two and a third scoreless from Wilmer Almonte, and two scoreless from Giovanni Medina.
The big story here would have to be the first career homer from Edelson Cabral, who also walked and scored twice while running his OPS up to .826. Sherrintely Da Costa Gomez continued his strong season by adding a triple, run scored, and one batted in, while Jose Nelo was three for five with a double and two runs batted in. Durban Arnedo added a double, while Jose Manon was hitless in four at bats, Elioberto Mondesir went one for three with a pair of walks, and Jorwin Pulido walked and scored a run in two plate appearances.
DSL Braves vs DSL Rays – PPD
The actual game for Saturday was cancelled due to lightning.
Jul 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) hits a grand slam home run during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Good morning and happy hangover Sunday to everyone! I hope everyone still has all their fingers and ate and drank responsibly. Who ate the most hot dogs? I had none, because I was at my day job all day so that’s a nice low bar for everyone to clear.
The Mariners celebrated 4th of July be beating the brakes off of the Toronto Blue Jays 11-0 thanks to a dominant start by Logan Gilbert, and massive homeruns from Randy, Dom, and Cal. Emerson Hancock will take the ball in the series finale at 2:00 PST on Peacock.
In Mariners news…
Randy Arozarena was named as the Mariners lone All-Star representative in Philadelphia. Hopefully one or two more Mariners can find their way onto the All-Star roster by way of players electing to not participate, Bryan Woo and Dominic Canzone being the most obvious candidates.
The full All-Star rosters are available here. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has already announced that he will not participate in the festivities, meaning Nick Kurtz will slot in as the starting first baseman for the American League.
An emotional Willson Contreras spoke to the media before yesterday’s Red Sox-Angels game, apologizing for his actions that led to a benches clearing brawl in Boston on Tuesday, and opening up about his mental and emotional struggles over the last couple weeks following the horrible earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24th.
The Atlanta Braves made a handful of roster moves yesterday, including recalling Bainbridge Island product JR Ritchie from Gwinnett and placing infielder Ha-Seong Kim on the IL with finger inflammation.
The Houston Astros also made some roster adjustments yesterday.
Andrew Painter of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs pitches during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
There were some fireworks on the farm, so let’s check how they did.
Rochester 2, Lehigh Valley 1
Andrew Painter had the start on the night and did quite well for the IronPigs. In his six innings, he allowed on a lone run and struck out six. The velocity on his fastball was good, averaging 97 mph, while the shape of it was still just so-so. He got only four swings and misses on the fastball on the night, so he’s still having some trouble missing bats. It’s probably going to be a while before he makes it back to the majors.
Don’t worry, there’s not much else to talk about regarding this game.
Reading 5, New Hampshire 3
Bryan Rincon went two for three and Pedro Leon added a three run home run to lead the offense over the Fisher Cats. Rincon has had a surprisingly successful season considering where his season was last year and how far his prospect star had fallen. By this point, he’s probably a good bet to be a successful bench bat should he ascend to the majors. Those are valuable players. On the pitching side, Alex McFarlane had two innings of work on the night and gave up almost nothing, striking out three. Are the Phillies testing him with different situations in hopes that he can contribute this season?
Jersey Shore was cancelled
Clearwater 7, Ft. Myers 3
Continuing to board the Ferre-Bus, the team’s catching prospect homered again for the Threshers, joining with Griffin Burkholder, who scored three runs at the top of the lineup, to give Clearwater the victory. Sean Youngerman gave them five innings of a solid start, only surrendering three runs on the night and striking out three.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 04: Ben Peoples #70 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the seventh inning of his Major League debut in the game against the Detroit Tigers at Globe Life Field on July 04, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, folks…
The Texas Rangers fell to the Detroit Tigers last night by a score of 3-0.
COVERS INTEL: Andrés Giménez owns a .725 OPS in 27 career games against the Mariners, comfortably above his .694 career mark, and he’s shown he can produce in this ballpark with clutch homers here in last year’s ALCS.
