The St. Louis Cardinals are small road favorites in Kansas City, priced -120 on the moneyline.
My Cardinals vs. Royals predictions and MLB picks see value in backing the Redbirds to come out on top in a high-scoring affair on Friday, June 19.
Who will win Cardinals vs Royals today: Cardinals moneyline (-120)
Neither starting pitcher inspires much confidence — both have red flags that suggest regression is coming — so I’ll defer to the offenses and bullpens, where the St. Louis Cardinals look better.
They sit 14th in SLG and 13th in runs, while the Kansas City Royals rank outside the Top 20 in both categories.
The Cardinals are 19th in bullpen FIP while the Royals are 29th, giving them a pitching advantage after the first handful of innings.
I think the Cardinals deserve to be bigger favorites, and would back them on the moneyline up to -130.
Cardinals vs Royals Over/Under pick: Over 9 (-115)
Seth Lugo is sporting a 3.86 ERA despite a 5.30 xERA. He has gotten much better results than deserved, and the Cardinals are capable of bringing him back down to earth.
They sit 10th in wOBA vs. right-handed pitching this month and will benefit from playing in a hitter-friendly park.
Kansas City ranks sixth in wOBA against righties in June and has performed better at home all year.
Play the Over to -130.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 34-27, -0.65 units
Over/Under bets: 32-27-2, +1.69 units
Cardinals vs Royals weather
Temperatures in the low 80s are expected with slight winds blowing out. The bats will see a small boost.
Cardinals vs Royals odds
Moneyline: Cardinals -120 | Royals +100
Run line: Cardinals -1.5 (+140) | Royals +1.5 (-160)
Over/Under: Over 9 (-115) | Under 9 (-105)
Cardinals vs Royals trend
St. Louis has hit the team total Over in 24 of its last 35 away games (+11.45 units, 27% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Royals.
How to watch Cardinals vs Royals and game info
Location
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Date
Friday, June 19, 2026
First pitch
8:15 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV
Cardinals starting pitcher
Michael McGreevy (3-5, 2.99 ERA)
Royals starting pitcher
Seth Lugo (2-4, 3.86 ERA)
Cardinals vs Royals 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.
Writer error (yeah, Brett’s wearing this one) prevented the issuance of our customary White Sox question this week (it concerned the area on the roster to strengthen at the trade deadline), so we’ll table it for a week from now. But that doesn’t mean you didn’t get your national surveys this week, with some fun questions to weigh in on!
The first national question … was a bummer. But timely, given Rob Manfred’s announcement on Thursday that MLB owners would seek to slash the MLB draft to 12 rounds (and along with it the bonus pool) and instituting an international draft as well. Just as the White Sox are getting back to winning, ominous labor issues loom over the game. A majority — but frankly, not a big enough majority — anticipated pinning the blame on ownership, which is (always) the correct answer. Presumably, a South Side fan base voted anti-owner at a clip much bigger than 58%:
The second national question was much more fun, albeit predictable. It’s not looking good — nor should it — for the American League this year:
Bless you crazies who tabbed the White Sox to go all the way. You gotta figure that Every Single One of the White Sox support votes came from this very site. STUFF THE BALLOT BOX BABY!
Did you miss out on this round of questions? No worry, sign up here to participate in our weekly emailed surveys, and have your White Sox voice be heard!
Romy Gonzalez began a rehab assignment at Double-A on Tuesday.
Prior to the season, I outlined the impact of Romy Gonzalez’s injury, combined with the Red Sox letting Rob Refsnyder go to Seattle. I worried that the lineup would struggle against left-handers without both of them. I should have also added that the lineup would struggle against right-handers without both of them.
Sure, Gonzalez’ .978 OPS in 143 plate appearances against lefties would be welcomed. But his explosive bat was pretty good against everybody a year ago. Romy hit .286 with a .718 OPS against right-handers a year ago. Of players with 100+ plate appearances this season, the only Red Sox with a higher OPS than .718 against all pitchers are Willson Contreras, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu. Outside of these three hitters, no one is owed anything in terms of playing time going forward. This lineup team is broken.
He could return during the upcoming road trip, but should be back for the Yankees series on Thursday, at the latest. As Gonzalez embarked on his rehab assignment, manager Chad Tracy said, “With the power potential and the thump with the bat, we’ve got to get him involved.”
How involved, though? Gonzalez played second base on Tuesday and designated hitter on Wednesday. Tracy mentioned they’ll work him in at first base in the minor leagues to be the backup to Contreras at first base. In my mind, Romy should be an everyday player. Mix him in at shortstop during the rehab, where he has played 117 MLB innings defensively, so that he can shift over there if Marcelo Mayer (.588 OPS) continues slumping.
Additionally, who should be the corresponding move? Andruw Monasterio plays all of the same positions that Gonzalez does, and over the past 30 days, he’s slashing .194/.242/.355 with a 42.4% K-rate. The Red Sox are also carrying three catchers, who have a combined total of 2 home runs and 19 RBI in 329 plate appearances. One of whom is Connor Wong, whose last home run came on September 8th, 2024 (!!!), and still has an option remaining.
A reminder that a year ago, Romy had the seventh best batting average (.305) in all of baseball, out of players with 300+ plate appearances.
How often do you think Romy should play, and who should hit the road? Discuss in the comments, and be good to each other.
Landen Roupp was one of several players to write a Bible verse on their hats during the San Francisco Giants’ Pride Night game.Photograph: Scott Marshall/AP
The US justice department has launched a civil rights investigation into Major League Baseball after the league criticized three San Francisco Giants players who wrote Bible verses on their hats during the team’s Pride Night.
Most of MLB’s 30 teams celebrate Pride month with a themed game to acknowledge the LGBTQ community and its baseball fans. During a 12 June game against the Chicago Cubs, pitchers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote Bible verses on their hats, which featured the Giants’ logo in rainbow colors, while pitcher Sam Hentges chose not to wear the themed cap at all.
MLB said in a statement on Monday that writing on hats “violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations.”
On Thursday, assistant US attorney general Harmeet Dhillon wrote a letter to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred saying the justice department had referred the league to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate whether the discipline amounts to religious discrimination.
“The Civil Rights Act prohibits MLB and its franchises from unreasonably burdening the rights of players with religious objections to serving as the League’s vehicle for pro-Pride messages,” Dhillon said in the letter. “Federal law is clear: employers must modify their uniform requirements to reasonably accommodate their employees’ exercise of religion.”
Dhillon called MLB’s decision to allow players to wear Black Lives Matter uniform patches in 2020 a “double standard”. Andrea Lucas, the EEOC chair, reposted Dhillon’s letter saying the agency could not confirm the existence of a charge or investigation without a court filing or public resolution, but added: “Rest assured, however, that EEOC is committed to protecting the religious liberty of all workers.”
Roupp said after the Giants’ game last week that the decision to write on his cap was not malicious and that there was “no hate at all”. Hentges said he did not appreciate being told to wear the cap for a cause he did not “morally support”.
After MLB’s warning to the Giants players, vice-president JD Vance weighed in on X, saying: “Trump won we don’t have to do this anymore”, referencing Pride hats. Republican senator Josh Hawley wrote a letter to Manfred voicing his concerns over what he termed a “pattern of discrimination” against Christian players.
The league has said that its warning about writing on caps has nothing to do with the content of the message, and that it has sent the same warning for Mother’s Day messages and names of family members.
The controversy over Pride nights is not new in baseball. In 2022, several members of the Tampa Bay Rays refused to wear the team’s rainbow-themed logos in “faith-based decisions”. This week, it extended beyond the majors, as the independent league York Revolution forfeited a game after some of its players refused to don the Pride Night jerseys.
The Giants released a statement after their Pride Night saying they are “proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ community” while also respecting that “individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations” and apologizing for the “pain and anger [of] many in the LGBTQ+ community”.
San Francisco has a large LGBTQ population and holds an important place in the history of American LGBTQ rights. The director of the city’s Pride efforts told NBC Bay Area that the moment was painful for many Giants fans.
“I hate that it’s dividing us, this time of year I hope that we’re unifying people,” said Suzanne Ford.
“It’s so ludicrous that this story is being spun that Christians are being discriminated against,” she added.
Sunday Night Baseball is coming to Citizens Bank Park this week when the New York Mets take on the Phillies at 7:20 p.m. ET in a game that can be seen on NBC and Peacock. Both teams got off to slow starts this season, but the Phillies have turned things around and still have designs on a long October playoff run.
And if that happens, one of the main reasons will be due to the play of their first baseman Bryce Harper. Harper has accomplished an almost impossible task: he has lived up to extraordinary expectations. He was perhaps the most hyped position-player prospect in history, certainly the most hyped in the last 30 years.
Harper has outperformed expectations. Remember, he was a mega-star before his first major league plate appearance. He went from child prodigy (he skipped the final two years of high school to concentrate on his baseball development) to one of the game’s most enduring superstars.
Harper was the first player selected in the June 2010 draft. He won the National League MVP Award in 2015 with a season that would fit in nicely on the back of Ted Williams’ or Barry Bonds’ baseball card. Harper would capture another NL MVP Award with a different team six years later in 2021. In 2022, Bryce won the NLCS MVP, leading the Phillies to the World Series.
It is the middle of 2026—Bryce’s 15th season in MLB. It is his eighth season in Philadelphia, since signing his 13-year contract in early 2019. He’s on pace for a 35-homer season. He’s slugging .496. His OPS is .860, and his OPS+ is 133 (not far off from his career 142).
I appreciate all of this.
Aaron Judge: Born April 26, 1992: 385 HR Bryce Harper: Born October 16, 1992: 378 HR
Harper is six months younger than Judge and has virtually the same amount of home runs. Judge does have one more piece of hardware: he has three MVPs, and Harper has two.
If Harper compares to one of the greatest right-handed batters ever (Judge), he also compares quite favorably to one of the greatest left-handed batters—Barry Bonds.
Through 7,000 PA
Bryce Harper
Barry Bonds
(through 9/6/24)
(through 6/19/97)
5,858
AB
5,755
332
HR
346
1,026
BB
1,143
1,647
H
1,651
.281
AVG
.287
.389
OBP
.405
.521
SLG
.545
.910
OPS
.950
Through their first 7,000 plate appearances, Bonds had won three MVP awards, and Harper two. Bonds had slightly higher average, on-base, and slugging percentages, but it was all close. Clearly on Hall of Fame tracks.
You know what happened to Bonds. He didn’t decline after 7,000 plate appearances. He did the opposite, to an extreme degree. Harper has followed a more natural projection.
After their 7,000th PA
Bryce Harper
Barry Bonds
816
AB
4,093
46
HR
416
.268
AVG
.314
.365
OBP
.494
.504
SLG
.694
.869
OPS
1.187
We should be celebrating Harper for being this good this far into his contract, this far into his career.
The two contenders for the “Most Hyped Position Player” entering MLB the last 50 years besides Harper were probably Alex Rodriguez and Bo Jackson.
Bo was out of baseball by the time he was 31, a victim of a damaged hip.
Alex’s name was linked to steroid use and admitted in 2009 to taking a banned substance when he arrived in Texas as a free agent in 2001. His name was linked to Biogenesis, a company investigated for providing performance-enhancing substances to players. Arod received a 211-day suspension and missed the entire 2014 season. He has not received much support for the Hall of Fame despite superb statistics.
That’s the pattern that most of these prodigies follow. There are only a few paths. One is that the journey ends prematurely, due to the body breaking down. Another, as we saw with Rodriguez and Bonds, is prolonged greatness aided by performance-enhancing substances. The third is inevitability, where a player performs to high expectations, and then has a natural regression.
That’s Harper.
Harper has hit 15 home runs this season, a 5.1 HR% that would be his highest since 2021. Assuming the 33-year-old plays only six more seasons after this one, let’s be conservative and give him 18 more this season to end 2026 with 395. Now, project him for only 2,400 more at-bats through 2031 and a 4.7% HR percentage. That gives him 112 more home runs, meaning he would finish with 507 home runs.
That’s 500 home runs without being suspended or widely suspected of cheating. That’s 500 home runs and (at least) a couple of MVP seasons and deep playoff runs while coming back from broken thumbs and Tommy John surgery and hamstring injuries along the way.
More fighting back time: Bryce this season is striking out less and walking more than his career averages. He is performing well in the eighth year of his 13-year deal, which is remarkable given the number of long-term contracts which don’t work out in the end. Harper started 2026 with a memorable game-tying home run in the World Baseball Classic. Will he end one with a memorable October blast?
This weekend, Bryce will face the Mets, a familiar opponent as Harper has spent his entire career in the N.L. East. Harper has hit 40 home runs against the Mets. Is that a lot?
May 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) on deck against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Most HR vs. Mets
60 — Willie Stargell, HOF
49 — Chipper Jones, HOF
49 — Mike Schmidt, HOF
48 — Willie McCovey, HOF
48 — Ryan Howard
45 — Hank Aaron, HOF
42 — Pat Burrell
40 — Bryce Harper
Harper has hit home runs against some terrific Mets pitchers: Johan Santana, current teammate Zack Wheeler, Bartolo Colon, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Max Scherzer, and Edwin Diaz.
▶ A few Father’s Day connections between the Phillies and Mets
It’s Father’s Day every Philadelphia Phillies game:
Don Mattingly’s son Preston Mattingly is the general manager of the Phillies. It’s hard to imagine a father-son duo operating a team as GM-manager. Wait, the son is the boss of the father?
It’s nice that the Mets play the Phils on Father’ Day:
Phillies’ TV announcer Tom McCarthy’s son Pat McCarthy is a radio broadcaster for the New York Mets.
The most memorable Phillies/Mets game played on Father’s Day:
The Phillies and Mets played on Father's Day--also June 21--in 1964. It was memorable.
Philadelphia's Jim Bunning pitched a perfect game--only the fifth all-time...the first in regular season play since 1922....the first in the National League since 1880.
Jim Bunning of course was a Hall of Fame pitcher (224-184, 3.27). He was a sidearm pitcher, mostly for the Tigers and Phillies. When he retired, he was second on the all-time strikeout list (only to Walter Johnson). Following his baseball career, he became a member of the United States Senate (from Kentucky) from 1999-2011. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 85.
A great use of ChatGPT is to find out exactly how many times since 1964 has Father's Day been on June 21. 2026 will be only the ninth time (1970, 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998, 2009, 2015, 2020, and 2026).
Can lightning strike twice on the same date with the same franchises? Where’s Benjamin Franklin when you need him?
Editors’ Note: Elliott Kalb - dubbed “Mr. Stats” decades ago by Marv Albert and Bob Costas - is the former Senior Editorial Director at MLB Network and a longtime contributor of research and information to NBC Sports’ telecasts.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - JULY 24: Ethan Pecko #20 of the Corpus Christi Hooks pitches during the game between the Amarillo Sod Poodles and the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field on Thursday, July 24, 2025 in Corpus Christi, Texas. (Photo by Vanessa Buentello/Minor League Baseball via 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 (31-39) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
Pecko got the start for Sugar Land and was great going 7 innings allowing just 1 run while striking out 5 batters. The offense got on the board in the 7th on a Price walk. They took the lead in the 8th on a Salazar RBI triple. VanWey allowed a run in the 8th as the Isotopes tied it. The game went to extras and in the 10th inning, the Isotopes walked it off as Sugar Land fell 3-2.
Ethan Pecko, RHP: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Miguel Ullola, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Alimber Santa, RHP: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (30-36) lost 11-7 (BOX SCORE)
Hicks started for the Hooks but ran into some trouble allowing 6 runs over 4.2 innings. The offense got on the board in the first inning on a Spence solo home run. In the 3rd, they scored 3 more runs on a Spence 2 run home run and Brutcher solo home run. Holy added a solo home run in the 4th. The offense got 2 runs back in the 7th on Spence and Brutcher RBI singles but the pen struggled allowing 5 more runs as the Hooks fell 11-7.
James Hicks, RHP: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Jack Dashwood, LHP: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Railin Perez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (17-48) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
Oakes got the start but struggled allowing 2 runs while retiring just 2 batters. Asheville got on the board in the first inning on a Call sac fly. Carr relieved Oakes and went 4.1 innings allowing 1 run. In the bottom of the 5th, Call connected on a solo home run. Unfortunately the game was called after 5 innings due to rain as Asheville fell 3-2.
Kellan Oakes, RHP: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
Jordan Carr, LHP: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (32-33) won 9-4 (BOX SCORE)
Shoemaker started for the Woodpeckers and allowed 1 run over 3.2 innings. The offense blew the game open in the third scoring 8 runs on a Flores 2 run home run, a run on an error, a Cauro RBI double, Ramirez 2 run double, Gomez RBI single and Huezo RBI single. Mathiesen and Cassedy were solid in relief allowing 1 run each. There was about a 2 hour rain delay but the Woodpeckers were able to hold on for the 9-4 win.
He allows a ton of quality contact, doesn’t miss bats, and control issues lead to a lot of additional traffic on the basepaths.
The New York Yankees are third in wOBA, second in OPS, and first in BB% against right-handed pitching at home — they are a perfect team to exploit Lowder’s shortcomings.
Schlittler has posted a 1.69 ERA over seven starts against teams ranking Bottom-15 in OPS vs. right-handed pitching. Only once did he concede more than a single run.
The Reds are a subpar offense against righties on the road, and the injury to De La Cruz only makes their life tougher.
It’ll be harder for them to run up the score without them. I also project they’ll only have eight innings to hit.
Play to -115.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 34-27, -0.65 units
Over/Under bets: 32-27-2, +1.69 units
Reds vs Yankees weather
It will be another warm day in New York, with temperatures expected to reach the 80s. That should boost the bats, although both teams are missing some of their top power sources.
Reds vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Reds +310 | Yankees -260
Run line: Reds +1.5 (+105) | Yankees -1.5 (-125)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)
Reds vs Yankees trend
New York has hit the Run Line in seven of the last 11 games (+4.4 units, 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Reds vs. Yankees.
How to watch Reds vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Friday, June 19, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
Reds.TV, YES
Reds starting pitcher
Rhett Lowder (3-3, 4.60 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (7-3, 1.82 ERA)
Reds vs Yankees 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.
Feb 23, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Tibbs III against the Seattle Mariners during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Several one-run affairs and a blowout loss for the Tower Buzzers made up a day of baseball in the Dodgers’ minor league system.
Player of the day
Sometimes one hit is all you need. Through nine innings, James Tibbs III hadn’t done anything, but then, with one out in the tenth and the Comets trailing 4-3, Tibbs was at the plate with a runner on base and homered to the opposite field for the win.
It hasn’t been the best of months for Tibbs, far from it, as the left-handed hitter now has a .200 average with three home runs in June. On the plus side, he still is getting on base rather consistently with a .362 OBP despite that batting average at the Mendoza line.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
James Tibbs III is now up to 20 homers on the season, none bigger than last night’s two-run shot, which came when the Comets were two outs away from losing the game in the 10th inning. Tibbs drove in Ryan Fitzgerald, who also only had one hit the whole game.
Considering Tibbs’ homer was the Comets’ only extra-base hit in the entire game, and Hyesong Kim was their only hitter with a multi-hit game, the bullpen deserves a ton of praise. Led by Evan Phillips, Comets’ relievers tossed five innings without allowing an earned run after Christian Romero’s solid but unspectacular start. The only run conceded when relievers were on the mound was the ghost runner in the 10th.
Double-A Tulsa
The Drillers started off hot with four runs in the second, but quickly faded in a 6-5 loss against the Naturals. Just like in the Comets game, the whole lineup only had one hitter with a multihit game; here it was catcher and ninth-hole hitter Hayden Gilliland. It also only had one home run, here belonging to Josue De Paula.
Unable to score more than one run after that second inning, the Drillers’ offense allowed the Naturals the chance to get back into this one, and after a couple of blown saves from Lucas Wepf and Kelvin Ramírez, the veteran Nick Robertson suffered his first loss on the year. Robertson now moves to a 6-1 record, allowing only his fourth run (two earned) in 29.2 innings.
High-A Great Lakes
Playing a couple of closely contested games, both decided by a single run, the Loons split the doubleheader with the Captains. The bullpen tried to let their win slip, allowing the Naturals to tie the game at four-all after Aidan Foeller left them leading 4-0 thanks to 4.2 scoreless innings. However, the Loons caught a break, earning a walk-off win thanks to a defensive error from the Naturals, allowing DH Jose Meza to cross the plate.
Christian Zazueta’s five scoreless innings in the Loons loss meant that, combined, the Loons starters tossed 9.2 innings without allowing a run. This time around, reliever Isaac Ayon didn’t have it out of the bullpen, and not only did he blow the save in the sixth, but he also allowed a walk-off loss an inning later, coughing up a solo homer. The two runs the Loons had scored in this game, thanks to Emil Morales and Jose Meza, which looked like enough for most of it, fell short.
Single-A Ontario
Unlike the other four games, all decided by one run, the Tower Buzzers fell at the hands of the Quakes by a score of 11-2 in a game with a forgettable defensive performance. Four different players committed an error for the Loons, ultimately accumulating more defensive errors than hits (.3).
The only reliever out of the five from the Tower Buzzers to not give up a run was the veteran Brock Stewart, continuing to work his way back. Starter Brady Smith is now up to a 0-4 record.
Unable to drive forward a competitive effort by himself, designated hitter Eason Shelton at least upped his individual numbers, responsible for both RBI of his team, now sitting at 62 on the season.
Thursday’s scores
Oklahoma City 5, Sacramento 4
NW Arkansas 6, Tulsa 5
Great Lakes 5, Lake County 4
Lake County 3, Great Lakes 2
Ontario 2, Rancho Cucamonga 11
Friday’s schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Brooks Auger) vs. Lake County (Michael Kennedy)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Charlie Barnes) vs. Sacramento (Joe Whitman)
Jun 18, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo (22) throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Good morning, foLLks, and happy Friday!
The Mariners shut out the Orioles 3-0 yesterday to secure their first series win over Baltimore since 2022. The second series of the homestand kicks off today against the Red Sox at 7:10pm PDT.
Brewers righty Quinn Priester will undergo first rib removal surgery. He will miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome.
MLB has proposed a reworked Draft system as negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement remain in their infancy, including the addition of an international draft, removing draft eligibility for high school players, and once again truncating the number of rounds. The MLBPA released a statement regarding these proposals in response, and perhaps unsurprisingly, it appears to be a non-starter in negotiations.
The Pirates and Braves completed a small swap, with Pittsburgh sending former second overall pick C Joey Bart to Atlanta for RHP Hunter Stratton.
The Tigers will recall utilityman Trei Cruz from Triple-A Toledo, who will fill in for Wenceel Pérez after a freak eye injury involving a snapped plyo band. Notably, he is the son of former Mariner José Cruz Jr., and the Cruzes will become just the fifth family to have three generations of MLB players when Trei makes his debut.
Ribbie launched a few weeks ago. Per their site description, it’s “[a]ctual live games rendered pitch by pitch in a cozy 8-bit view while they happen. Watch for free. No account needed. A calmer way to keep baseball close.” While it’s still a work in progress , it’s a pretty neat way to follow a game if you tire of the Gameday view.
If you are looking for a new show to watch, please consider this one (~NSFW).
When the Blue Jays were last at Wrigley Field in August 2024, thousands of Jays fans followed them to Chicago. I found them to all be passionate fans, but also friendly and unfailingly polite.
As we are near the beginning of summer travel season, I’d expect more Jays fans at Wrigley again this weekend — and in fact, I have heard all three games are already near-sellouts. So, welcome!
This series matches two teams that were supposed to be World Series contenders, but at this time both are struggling. For more on the Blue Jays, here’s Tom Dakers, manager of our SB Nation Blue Jays site Bluebird Banter.
What can I say about the Blue Jays? Well, they have been incredibly average. They can hit, unless, of course, there are RISP, and then they hit much as you or I would. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the ‘face’ of the team, has been in a deep slump and an even deeper power outage. Earlier in the season, he was hitting well, just not hitting home runs. Now, if you look at his stats, you’d see he has three home runs, and that’s not a typo. Three.
The starting pitching has been pretty good, other than Max Scherzer, whom you are unlucky enough to miss out on seeing. The team has been getting starting pitchers back from the IL, so we weren’t going the ‘bullpen days’ two times out of five. Louis Varland has been amazing in the closer role, after Jeff Hoffman had enough blowups to lose the job. Hoffman has a great strikeout rate (36.1 percent) and a roughly equal home run rate (well, not really, but he does seem to give up home runs at the worst possible moments). On the good news side, Alejandro Kirk and Nathan Lukes are back and hitting well.
We Jays fans are hanging our hopes on the fact that they are in about the same spot as they were at this time last year, and that turned out pretty good.
Fun facts
The Cubs have played only nine previous games at home against the Blue Jays, their fewest vs. any current big league team.
They played more against three long-defunct National League clubs: 10 vs. the Hartford Dark Blues, 11 vs. the Louisville Grays and 11 vs. the St. Louis Brown Stockings, all in 1876-77, the league’s first two seasons.
The Cubs are 6-3 at Wrigley Field vs. the Jays. They lost two of three in 2005, swept three in 2017 and won two of three in 2024, missing a sweep when they lost the finale, 1-0.
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Friday: Ben Brown, RHP (3-2, 1.74 ERA, 0.968 WHIP, 2.36 FIP) vs. Kevin Gausman, RHP (4-4, 3.41 ERA, 1.034 WHIP, 3.20 FIP)
Saturday: Colin Rea, RHP (5-5, 5.35 ERA, 1.459 WHIP, 5.03 FIP) vs. Patrick Corbin, LHP (2-3, 4.57 ERA, 1.475 WHIP, 4.41 FIP)
Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, also streaming on Peacock (outside the Cubs and Blue Jays market territories)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
The Cubs have had their struggles of late, but now they are facing a team that has had trouble winning on the road. The Jays are 16-20 away from Toronto, though they now have a winning record this month, 8-7, while the Cubs are 7-8 so far in June.
The pitching matchups seem to slightly favor the Jays, but I still think this is a series the Cubs can win. Two of three. If the Cubs can do that, that would be three straight series wins.
Up next
The Cubs head to New York for a four-game series against the Mets beginning Monday evening.
ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: Sean Berry of the Houston Astros during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 12, 1998 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) | Sporting News via Getty Images
Sean Berry made an immediate impact upon his arrival to Houston in 1996. Originally acquired in a trade from the Expos, Berry would join the “Killer B’s” lineup and drive in 95 runs in his debut season in the dome. Along the way that first season, he’d also hit a pair of grand slams. Berry is our 27th installment of our exclusive Legends Series.
Q: What do you remember about being dealt to Houston?
A: You know, it benefited me that the trade happened during the offseason, so I was able to get a full spring training under my belt and get to know the superstars that I was around in Craig and Jeff and everybody else.
It was a perfect fit. I kind of fell right into the framework and mindset that they had. They all hustled, and it was a great feeling. It was perfect because you knew there was something special with that team on day one.
Q: “Killer B’s” still resonates all these years later down here. How great were Biggio and Bagwell?
A: I think for me, just seeing those guys play as hard as they did, day in and day out, and to do it at that level. Those guys were great players, but what impressed me was the hard work they put in when no one was watching. I never even played a full 162 game schedule like those guys. The turf at the Astrodome wasn’t really turf (laughs) it was more like concrete and they kept their bodies in tune.
Q: Was there any doubt in your mind that they’d eventually wind up in Cooperstown?
A: I came up through the Royals organization, and I got to know this guy by the name of George Brett. Those guys had the same competitiveness as George did and they all had long careers. eff’s numbers would be even more impressive if he didn’t have the arthritis in his shoulder. He would’ve had another 2 or 3 years with great numbers.
Q: What did you like about taking the field for Larry Dierker?
A: When I got there, he was a new manager of sorts but the one thing that they don’t do these days but that Larry always instilled was with our staff, he’d say don’t be looking in here during the 5th or 6th inning for me to come and get you out of the game.
We had Mike Hampton and Shane Reynolds and Darryl Kile, and they always took us deep into games. They were our best guys, so Larry’s belief was to keep them out there even if the metrics didn’t bear it out. He was that way. Larry in his own right had some incredible complete games as a pitcher, so he brought that to the table as a manager.
Q: I heard a rumor that during the first week of the season, you attended a game as a fan for the first time. Is that true?
A: It is (laughs). It was against Boston in April. It was weird, very strange. I was sitting there and there were so many strikeouts and guys not putting the ball in play. It bothered me and watching guys not break up double plays was a little hard. We never tried to hurt anybody, but the second base play stuff doesn’t feel right when I watch it, it just feels wrong.
Q: What did you think of seeing Yordan Alvarez for the first time in person?
A: He’s pretty impressive. Wow. When I did that for a living, I did it pretty okay at times, but then I see a guy like him and I’m like, I never looked that polished at the plate.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 18: Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen looks on at Wrigley Field on April 18, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was hardly even a question, thrown in at the end of a radio interview, but Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen went out of his way to give a definitive, strong statement on his trade deadline plans.
“I’m planning on buying,” Hazen said, in the waning seconds of an interview with Arizona Sports 98.7’s Wolf & Luke show.
He isn’t missing bats with the knuckle curve as he has in the past. And with this, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller tags him as the club’s most scrutinized player.
“A month ago, the choice would have been Ketel Marte. But while the three-time All-Star second baseman has turned things around in a big way, Gallen has gone from bad in 2025 to worse in 2026. He entered the year averaging 7.5 hits allowed and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. The former rate has ballooned to 11.1 while the latter has plummeted to 5.9. His velocity has been fine, but the knuckle curve that used to be his go-to out pitch simply isn’t fooling anyone anymore.”
According to the transaction log on his MLB player page, the Triple-A Reno Aces have officially released former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman and DH Luken Baker.
Baker, 29, has played in 76 major league games — 73 for the Cardinals in parts of three seasons from 2023-2025. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Diamondbacks in the offseason ahead of 2026, and made three major league appearances with Arizona.
Negotiations between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association continue for the next collective bargaining agreement. Today, MLB proposed significant changes to the draft. J.J Cooper of Baseball America was among those to cover the developments.
The league’s proposed framework would be a significant drawdown of the way the draft has operated for years. High school players would no longer be eligible to be selected. In fact, anyone under 20 years old by September 1st of the draft year would not be eligible, so that would take many college and junior college players off the table as well.
The Angels placed their 34-year-old center fielder on the 10-day injured list before Thursday’s game against the Athletics after he suffered a right hamstring injury while running to first base during his final at-bat in Wednesday afternoon’s loss in Arizona.
“It felt like a cramp and just didn’t get any better. Achy last night, so woke up this morning and got it looked at,” Trout said before the game.
The 2026 MLB Home Run Derby is turning back the clock and saying goodbye to it simultaneously. MLB officially announced Thursday that the midsummer slugging competition is set to return to a swing-based system for the first time since 2014.
While timed rounds have been part of the past 11 iterations of the Derby, hitters’ bouts will again have no time limit.
Los Angeles, CA - June 16, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a home run during the sixth inning of an MLB game against the Tampa Bay Rays at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Baseball is the sport with the most parity on a night to night basis, particularly in the regular season. The worst team can beat the best team, and no one really bats an eye. That is part of what made the Orioles series with the Dodgers back in September so magical. The Orioles were in the midst of a disastrous season while the Dodgers were en route to yet another World Series. That didn’t really matter though as the O’s took two of three anyway, including a particularly exciting comeback from a near no-hitter for Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a walk-off winner for the Birds in Game 2 of that series.
There is a similar gulf between these two clubs entering this series. The Dodgers have a league-best +144 run differential; the Orioles are at -36. The Dodgers lead their division by nine games and are two games clear of the second-best team in the NL. The Orioles are 2.5 games back of the final wild card spot in the AL. Add in the O’s abysmal 13-22 record on the road or 15-24 record against teams .500 or better, and you can start to mentally write this series off entirely.
Looking at stats isn’t going to give you any more confidence. The Dodgers have scored the second-most runs (Nationals) in baseball and hit the second-most home runs (Yankees). They also rank first in batting average (.261) and on-base percentage (.345), while their .441 slugging percentage is second to just the Yankees.
Shoehei Ohtani is having himself another amazing year, though not quite as dominant offensively as we have grown accustomed to. His .545 slugging percentage is his lowest since 2022, and his 15 home runs have him well behind his normal pace of long balls. Even still, his 163 wRC+ is among the leage leaders yet again.
Max Muncy actually leads the team with 16 homers, and he has done that in 60 fewer plate appearances than Ohtani. Andy Pages’ 56 RBI are tops on the team, only one behind the league leaders. Freddie Freeman is still good too, posting a .279/.368/.482 batting line with 12 homers.
The negatives are pretty limited, but we should mention them. Mookie Betts is struggling, and not just in the context of a stacked Dodgers lineup. The former MVP is hitting just .203/.266/.367 with seven homers and a 75 wRC+. His peripheral numbers are much better though. His expected batting average is .277 and he rare chases, whiffs, or strikes out. The 33-year-old is due for some positive regression at some point. Hopefully it doesn’t start this weekend.
And you probably don’t need to worry about this Dodgers team beating you on the base paths. Their 31 stolen bases are the fourth-fewest in baseball, and their -2.4 Base Running Runs are in the bottom third of the league as well.
The two things you can depend on the Dodgers for in recent history are winning baseball games and a full injury report. That is the case yet again in 2026. We won’t see a number of key names this weekend. Will Smith has a stiff neck. Teoscar Hernández is nursing a hamstring strain. Edwin Díaz is out until next month with an elbow injury. And you won’t have to worry about Tyler Glasnow (back), Kiké Hernández (oblique), Blake Snell (elbow), or old friend Evan Phillips (Tommy John) for several more weeks, at least.
Gibson is having the rookie experience right now. His last outing against the Padres was his first with more than two strikeouts. It also saw him issue five walks and bean Xander Bogaerts in the head. There is work to be done, but the Orioles have no choice but to keep trotting him out there given the injures elsewhere on their starting staff.
It has been a rocky sophomore season for Sasaki. He had a 6.35 ERA in March/April, but settle down with a 3.18 ERA in May. Now in June he followed seven shutout innings against the Angels to begin the month with a meltdown against the White Sox (4.1 IP, seven runs). Which version will the Orioles see to open the series? It feels like we all know the answer, don’t we?
Is Rogers back? He has a 3.12 ERA in June and has not allowed more than three runs in any of his last three starts. His formula is pretty simple on paper. Limit the walks and keep the ball in the yard. When he does that, he finds success. That ability will be tested against these Dodgers.
Yamamoto is following up his third-place finish in Cy Young voting a season ago with an almost identical season in 2026. The strikeout numbers aren’t as dominant, but he is walking almost no one and has a WHIP of just 0.840. The diminutive righty makes you earn your way on.
Game 3: Sunday, June 21st, 4:10 p.m., MASN
RHP Brandon Young (5-2, 3.18 ERA) vs. RHP Emmet Sheehan (3-4, 4.76 ERA)
The Orioles’ string of winning games that Young starts was broken in his last outing, but that wasn’t the righty’s fault. He delivered a quality start, going six innings and allowing just three runs. His 2.83 ERA over his last eight starts has been a saving grace for a rotation that has struggled with consistency overall. The Orioles might even have the pitching advantage in this one.
Sheehan has probably been something of a disappointment for Dodgers fans this year. He looked great with his 2.82 ERA across 73.1 innings last season, but has failed to live up to that hype in 2026. Even still, he forces a lot of swing and miss, and regularly gets hitters to chase pitches out of the zone. So this is still going to be a tough matchup for the Orioles.
How many games do you think the Orioles will win in this series? Let us know in the comments.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 14: Joey Bart #14 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the fifth inning during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Christopher Denver/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a late-night trade on Thursday night that will shift the landscape of two areas of the team.
Pittsburgh dealt catcher Joey Bart to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for reliever Hunter Stratton.
A familiar face, Stratton was a 16th-round pick of the Pirates in 2017 and pitched for the club for three seasons.
Stratton made his MLB debut in 2023 and only allowed three runs over 12 innings.
He totaled a 3.58 ERA in 36 appearances the following season, but struggled in 2025. Stratton allowed seven runs in 2.2 innings with the Bucs last year for a deeper and higher-regarded bullpen staff.
The Pirates DFA’d Stratton and traded him to Atlanta, where he posted a 2.20 ERA in 12 appearances. He was DFA’d by Atlanta earlier this week and opened the door for the Pirates to make the trade.
Stratton will begin his second tour with the Bucs in Triple-A Indianapolis.
Currently on a rehab assignment for a left foot infection, Bart was in line to be the odd-man out of the Pirates catching rotation.
The former No. 2 overall pick of the San Francisco Giants was rumored to be a potential trade piece dating back to the start of spring training, and now exists Pittsburgh after two and a half seasons.
Bart hit .259 with one double, two home runs, six RBIs, and 21 strikeouts in 58 at-bats in 2026.
He performed well against left-handed pitching, but started off slow and was on pace for his worst season as a Pirate.
Bart recorded nine hits in his final six games before the injury, including a four-hit day in his final game as a Bucco.
Endy Rodriguez stepped up in Bart’s absence and didn’t look back. Rodriguez was recalled following Bart’s injury and is slashing .267/.413/.467 with three doubles, three homers, and eight runs driving in over 60 at-bats.
He’s also shown good plate discipline with 15 walks compared to 17 strikeouts in 23 games and is beginning to emerge as the Pirates’ No. 1 catcher. Henry Davis remains on the roster and has caught every Paul Skenes start in 2026.
Stratton primarily pitched in Triple-A Gwinnett, posting a 4.38 ERA and 16 walks compared to 24 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.
The Pirates need Stratton to channel his early Pirates career and help a bullpen that has been the Achilles heel of the team the entire year.
Pittsburgh plays the first of a three-game series in Colorado against the Rockies on Sunday at 8:40 p.m.
On June 12, three Giants pitchers, Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker, broke MLB protocol by altering their uniforms with Bible verses on their Pride Night caps, which featured a rainbow Giants logo. And another pitcher, Sam Hentges, did not even wear his Pride Night hat. The players received a warning from MLB for violating the uniform policy.
The DOJ said they were referring Major League Baseball to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in a letter written to Commissioner Rob Manfred.
"The three players expressed their opposition to MLB's pro-Pride orthodoxy," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in the letter. "The Civil Rights Act prohibits MLB and its franchises from unreasonably burdening the rights of players with religious objections to serving as the League's vehicle for pro-Pride messages.
“Federal law is clear: employers must modify their uniform requirements to reasonably accommodate their employees’ exercise of religion,” Dhillon added in the letter. “The Trump administration is committed to combatting religious discrimination."
On June 16, Vice President JC Vance publicly weighed in via social media, responding to a Sports Illustrated social media post, Vance said, “Trump won; we don’t have to do this anymore.”
The Giants said after incident that "they are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ community" but also respect that individuals may make "personal choices about team activations," while also adding that the players caused "pain and anger for many in the LGBTQ community."
COVERS INTEL:Seth Lugo has posted a 42.6% hard hit rate over the last 30 days, fifth-highest among today's projected starters.
