SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on June 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The three most recent outings turned in by Cincinnati Reds starter Brady Singer have been much, much more in-line with the expectations placed upon him prior to the season. In those, he’s tossed 18.0 IP, cleared 7.0 IP once, and allowed just 3 ER in that time. He’s struck out 17 against just 6 walks, finding ways to once again put the ball over the plate without it being summarily served into the seats beyond outfield walls.
Prior to those three starts, he’d surrendered homers at the worst rate among all MLB starters. Now? He’s once again a guy you want to take the ball every fifth day.
Singer gets the start in Pittsburgh on Sunday as the Cincinnati Reds go for the series sweep of the Pirates. Mitch Keller, who seemingly has started 794 career games against the Reds, will toe the rubber for the Buccos to begin things.
Ben Rice is relied upon to do a lot of heavy lifting with the New York Yankees missing several key bats, and he’s certainly capable of doing so in this matchup.
It hasn’t mattered who is in the lineup — Rice has cleared his line in four of five such matchups without Aaron Judge.
I’d back Rice to -150.
Wilyer Abreu Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-120)
Wilyer Abreu feasts on left-handed pitching. He has hit safely in 18 of 19 games in which he faced a southpaw starter and cleared this line in 13 of them, good for a 68.4% success rate.
Abreu has gotten the job done against almost every non-elite starter he has faced. If the opposing starter ranked in the 80th percentile or worse in xwOBA vs. right-handed hitters, he has gone Over in nine of 10 games.
Drop the ceiling to the 60th percentile — Carlos Rodon sits in the 39th — and Abreu is 5-for-5 in clearing this line.
Play to -140.
Cody Bellinger Over 0.5 singles (-120)
Cody Bellinger is a consistent singles hitter. He recorded at least one in 53% of his games last season and, before a recent five-game dry spell, was sitting above 50% again this year.
Gray has allowed a batting average 20 points higher vs. left-handed hitters than righties, which works in Bellinger’s favor.
Bellinger has also seen his power evaporate of late, posting a 5% barrel rate against Gray’s pitch mix the past 20 games.
Bellinger is -250 for a hit in this game. Given the lack of power we’ve seen, I prefer the single route.
Play to -130.
How to watch Yankees vs Red Sox and game info
Location
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Date
Sunday, June 28, 2026
First pitch
7:20 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
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.
Clark Gable in a publicity photograph for his film Too Hot to Handle, 1938 in which he plays a newsreel reporter
Hickory starter Aidan Deakins allowed three runs in four innings, striking out five, walking three and giving up a homer. Guery Rodriguez allowed a solo homer in two innings, striking out two. Michael Trausch struck out four and walked one in 1.2 scoreless. Louis Marinaro struck out two in 1.1 shutout innings.
Paulino Santana doubled. Marco Argudin was 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and a walk. Yolfran Castillo was 2 for 6 with a double. Marcos Torres was 2 for 5 with a pair of stolen bases. Daniel Flames was 3 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. Angel Arredondo had a hit and a walk. Curley Martha had a pair of hits.
A.J. Russell, newly promoted to Hub City (though he made one start there previously this season when Hickory had games canceled due to a clubhouse fire), walked three and struck out three while allowing one run in two innings. Ismael Agreda allowed a grand slam and issued seven walks while striking out five in three innings, giving up six runs. Case Matter allowed four runs in an inning, striking out one and walking one.
Rehabbing Jordan Montgomery needed just 20 pitches to get through two perfect innings for Frisco, striking out three. Joey Danielson allowed a run in one inning of work, striking out one.
For Round Rock, Thomas Ireland allowed one run in two innings on a solo homer, striking out one. Michel Otanez struck out three and walked one in two shutout innings.
Cam Cauley was pulled after two plate appearances.
The Boston Red Sox are short favorites against the New York Yankees on Sunday night, but I’m taking the plus-money side in my Yankees vs Red Sox predictions.
The matchup is good for the Yankees, and I believe they can lean into the motivation angle of not being swept by a rival.
Who will win Yankees vs Red Sox today: Yankees (+101)
Sonny Gray's impressive season seems unsustainable. He's still a solid pitcher, but he's outperformed his expectations in a variety of ways this season.
At some point, there will be regression. His actual ERA is over a full run lower than his expected ERA of 3.8. The New York Yankees can provide some of that regression, targeting a barrel rate that's just average at 7.3%.
Carlos Rodon is not perfect, but his 3.83 xERA, .224 xBA allowed, and 5.8% barrel rate are good enough to deliver here.
Yankees vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-125)
I’m playing the Over because Gray’s current profile does not support treating him like a shutdown arm. His .300 xBA allowed and 11.0% barrel rate create a real path for the Yankees to bounce back offensively, even without a fully healthy lineup.
Rodon has the better contact profile, but his 12.7% walk rate keeps the Boston Red Sox alive for base traffic.
At 7.5, this number does not require a blowup. It needs one starter to crack and the other offense to contribute. Play to 8.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 31-28, +5.67 units
Over/Under bets: 36-25, +15.77 units
Yankees vs Red Sox weather
Winds will be blowing inward at first pitch, but will shift as the game goes on. The 3 mph winds shouldn't factor too much as the temps dip into the high 60s.
Yankees vs Red Sox odds
Moneyline: Yankees +100 | Red Sox -118
Run line: Yankees +1.5 | Red Sox -1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Yankees vs Red Sox trend
The New York Yankees have hit the moneyline in 12 of their last 18 away games (+4.80 Units / 21% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Red Sox.
How to watch Yankees vs Red Sox and game info
Location
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Date
Sunday, June 28, 2026
First pitch
7:20 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
Yankees starting pitcher
Carlos Rodon (4-2, 3.70 ERA)
Red Sox starting pitcher
Sonny Gray (9-1, 2.95 ERA)
Yankees vs Red Sox 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.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 27: Rodolfo Duran #48 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning at Petco Park on June 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After reeling off a four-game win streak against baseball’s two top teams, the San Diego Padres were dealt their worst loss of the season at the hands of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. L.A. scored 15 runs in total, nine of which came in the sixth inning after Randy Vásquez struggled to locate his pitches, and Will Wagner made a crucial error at second base.
It was a tough game to watch. But, at the end of the day, it’s just one loss. Hopefully, the Friars can pick up where they left off in Game 1, and take the rubber match Sunday afternoon.
Taking the mound
Emmet Sheehan (LAD) v. Michael King (SD)
Sheehan’s had a rough go of it lately in the Dodgers’ rotation. After looking like a serviceable back end starter for most of the season, he’s pitched incredibly poor in the month of June. He owns a 7.31 ERA in this month alone. It’s ballooned his ERA from 4.50 at the beginning of the month to 5.32 entering today’s matchup.
That said, the Friars’ lineup owns a combined .250 batting average (24 at-bats) against the right-hander. Admittedly, it’s a small sample size, but the club will need to perform much better in the series finale today in order to finish the week on a high note.
Speaking of high notes, King’s last start against the Atlanta Braves was the best game he’s pitched since he last faced the Dodgers. After pitching seven shutout innings against them in May, King was ridiculously inconsistent until facing Atlanta. He had given up three-plus runs in all five of his starts since facing L.A. for a total of 19 earned runs over 26 2/3 innings.
There was a lot to like about his outings, but King couldn’t seem to limit damage in the big innings. He struggled to command his pitches well, and things went off the rails quickly. He’ll hope to continue his resurgence against the division rivals in the series finale today.
Batter up!
If the Friars are going to take the series finale, Sheehan’s the best Dodgers starter to do so against. He’s struggled lately and doesn’t have the best track record against Padres batters. That said, with not much experience versus the righty, San Diego will need to push down on the gas.
Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
Samad Taylor, RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Gavin Sheets, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Ty France, 1B
Miguel Andujar, DH
Rodolfo Durán, C
Tatis has started in right field throughout this series. It’s likely that changes after Wagner’s costly error last night. But, Sung-Mun Song could also start at second base if called upon. The Friars haven’t used him much since calling him up, but it could be worth giving him a shot against Sheehan.
Relief corps
Vásquez looked great through three innings of work. After Kyle Hart opened for him, surrendering one run through two innings of work, Vásquez made it through the fifth inning scoreless before the dreaded sixth. The Padres were tied one apiece before he proceeded to give up seven runs to Los Angeles.
Not helping was Ron Marinaccio, who relieved Vásquez. He surrendered two more runs in the inning and three more in the eighth. David Morgan came in and gave up a run before finishing it off. Catcher Rodolfo Durán pitched the ninth with the game well out of hand. Not even he left unscathed, surrendering a run to the Dodgers.
All that to say, it was an uncharacteristic outing for the Friars’ pitching staff. Unfortunately, it’s a continuing problem for Vásquez, but that’s a separate topic entirely. The one hopeful note is that it saved the high-leverage relievers for today’s finale. Jason Adam, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Wandy Peralta are readily available out of the ‘pen. None has an ERA above 2.60 (Adam) across the last 30 games.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Hunter Brown #58, Josh Hader #71 and Jeremy Peña #3 of the Houston Astros pose for a photo after the American League team photo before the 2025 MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Astros fans have heard the old saying a thousand times: it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
As frustrating as it was to hear early in the season, that saying may be coming to fruition right before our eyes with the 2026 Houston Astros.
Think back to where this team was just a couple of months ago. The sky was falling. Losing streaks piled up. Injuries mounted almost daily. Key players underperformed, and it seemed like every night brought another reason to question whether this team had what it took to contend.
The panic was understandable.
But it was also premature.
Now, as the Astros approach the halfway point of the season, they’re exactly where they need to be.
Despite everything they’ve endured, Houston is just one game out of a Wild Card spot, only three games under .500, and sits just two games behind Seattle in the American League West. Considering how disastrous the first two months felt, that’s an incredible position to be in.
More importantly, this team is getting healthier.
The Astros are finally beginning to resemble the club everyone expected to see when the season began. Their ace and Cy Young candidate is back in the rotation, Christian Javier is expected to return in the near future, and the pitching staff should only continue to improve as everyone gets back to full strength.
The bullpen has also stabilized thanks to Josh Hader. Since returning from injury, Hader has been dominant, giving manager Joe Espada much more flexibility late in games and allowing the rest of the bullpen to settle into more natural roles.
When you combine improved health with better baseball, it’s easy to see why optimism is beginning to replace the panic that surrounded this club earlier in the year.
That’s why all the calls for a complete teardown now seem so misguided.
Remember when some fans and media members were advocating for trading Yordan Alvarez? Others wanted Dana Brown to hold a fire sale, reset the roster, and start rebuilding.
That always felt like an overreaction.
This roster was simply too talented to throw in the towel after a rough start. Injuries were always going to heal. Proven players were eventually going to perform closer to the back of their baseball cards. The Astros simply needed time.
Now they’re proving exactly that.
And here’s the scary part for the rest of the American League.
If Dana Brown can do his job at the trade deadline and add another quality starting pitcher, a reliable bat, or another bullpen arm, this suddenly becomes one of the more dangerous teams in baseball.
No one wants to face a healthy Astros team in October.
Just look at the opponent they’re facing this weekend.
The Detroit Tigers are a perfect example of what real uncertainty looks like. After spending significant money to improve their roster, they’re still trying to figure out whether they’ll re-sign their Cy Young Award winner. They don’t have an MVP-caliber player to anchor their lineup, and they’re facing legitimate questions about the direction of their franchise.
That’s desperation.
The Astros, on the other hand, have a legitimate American League MVP candidate leading their offense. Their pitching is getting healthier by the week, their bullpen is rounding into form, and they remain within striking distance of both a playoff berth and another division title.
That’s not desperation.
That’s opportunity.
Houston has weathered the storm. They survived another one of those rough stretches they’ve experienced in past years, yet they’re still very much in the hunt.
Sometimes surviving the first half is all that matters.
The second half is where championships are built, and if the Astros continue getting healthy while Dana Brown adds a few pieces before the trade deadline, there’s every reason to believe this team won’t just make the playoffs, it could make another deep postseason run.
The marathon is far from over.
But after everything this team has endured, the Astros are exactly where they need to be, and there’s a very good chance their best baseball is still ahead of them.
SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE: The Cubs are 7-8 this season after splitting the first two games of a three-game series: 3-3 on the road and 4-5 at home. They are 7-6 this season in all third games of series on the road, including 4-3 after winning second games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
AGAINST THE BREWERS: They are 33-38 in all third games of series at Milwaukee and 16-20 after winning second games. They are 16-19 after splitting two games, including 13-17 when they have split the first two in three-game series. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
MAYBE A DIFFERENT SUNDAY TODAY?: The Cubs are just 1-6 on Sunday on the road. Last season, they were 5-8. They are 4-9 on all Sundays this year. A year ago, they were 13-14. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Javy Báez’s grand slam in the 14th inning helped lead the Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Reds in Cincinnati. It happened 10 years ago today, Tuesday, June 28, 2016.
Ryan Rolison has been a pretty effective reliever for the Cubs this year.
He has not allowed a run over his last 14 outings covering 17.1 innings. In that span he has a WHIP of 0.865 and 16 strikeouts. He last threw on Wednesday in Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Mets and threw 18 pitches that day, so he is likely to go maybe four outs into this game, after which it’ll be a full bullpen game. Your guess is as good as mine as to who follows, though it could be newly-acquired Bryse Wilson. As always, we await developments.
Brandon Woodruff has a long injury history. He missed part of 2023, all of 2024 and part of 2025 with various injuries and also has missed some time this year. His start last Monday against the Reds was his first in two months after sitting out with shoulder issues. He threw six shutout innings and struck out 10 in that game, throwing 79 pitches.
His last start against the Cubs was the second game of a doubleheader Aug. 19, 2025 at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs had five hits, three walks and three runs off him in 4.1 innings.
Current Cubs are hitting .269 (28-for-104) against Woodruff with five home runs, three of those by Ian Happ.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
The Phillies will go for the series win on Sunday afternoon when they conclude their three-game set against the Mets at Citi Field. After Zack Wheeler pitched them to victory on Friday, the bullpen and lineup faltered on Saturday night.
Jesus Luzardo gets the start coming off of his strange start against the Nationals where he gave up five runs in 6.2 innings while striking out 13 batters.
The Mets appear to be utilizing a bullpen game, with lefthander Cionel Perez getting the ball to start. Perez is 3-3 with a 4.99 ERA in 26 games this season.
The Royals star has a 96.3% arsenal coverage against Kay's below-average pitch mix, and Batters-Box gives him an elite rating. When on the road with an elite rating, Witt has homered in nearly 30% of his games.
Over his last 60 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, he owns a .618 slugging percentage, a 13.7% barrel rate, and a 59% hard-hit rate. Kay has also been extremely vulnerable to right-handed hitters, allowing an elevation rate of nearly 82% over his last 30 faced.
At nearly +350 for one of the best hitters in baseball to leave the yard with these numbers backing him, I want it all!
I wouldn't play this much farther than the current number.
The Twins veteran draws an elite rating on Batters-Box, where he leaves the yard 20.45% of the time and doubles 25% of the time if you needed an extra safety blanket.
Buxton also brings a nearly 75% arsenal coverage against Feltner, who has been allowing a ton of hard contact to right-handed hitters this season, giving up 44% hard hit and nearly a 12% barrel rate over his last 90 batters faced.
In addition to that, hitters are elevating the baseball 67.7% of the time, with an expected slugging percentage of .524 and a .389 expected wOBA.
With Buxton owning a .552 SLG, .885 OPS, while barreling the ball 16.7% of the time over his last 30 plate appearances against RHP, I love this spot for him.
Don't play this much lower than the current number.
Aldegheri has allowed a ton of hard and elevated contact, and the underlying metrics are downright ugly. Over the last 30 right-handed hitters he has faced, he has surrendered a 72% elevation rate and a 16% barrel rate.
Those hitters have produced a .370 xBA, .659 xSLG, and .455 xwOBA during that span.
Left-handed pitching has been Langeliers' bread and butter all season. He is hitting .337 with a .651 SLG, 1.046 OPS, and 183 wRC+ against southpaws.
More recently, over his last 30 plate appearances vs. lefties, he has generated a 48% hard-hit rate and a 13% barrel rate, while posting a ridiculous .963 SLG and 1.463 OPS.
The sub-3-to-1 price is not ideal, but Langeliers has been crushing LHP and consistently elevating the baseball, making this a spot I am willing to take a shot on.
I would also advise sprinkling a little on his double prop, especially if the price drops from this current number.
Time: 3:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Peacock
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 65-225, +14.7 units
Today’s HR parlay
Bobby Witt Jr.
Bet Now +4143
Byron Buxton
Shea Langeliers
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.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 26: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics celebrates a run scored in during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 26, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are tiny samples, small samples, and large samples. The first two are not to be trusted and the last one takes a while to kick in. In between you get the “medium samples” of a half season, that point where you can argue the significance but folks start to rightly say that what you see is what you’re getting.
As a team the A’s are right around a .500 team and that’s what they have been all season. Perhaps they are due to collectively come together, get healthier, and surge and maybe they are due to lose contact with the .500 mark and plummet to the depths of their run differential and team ERA.
What seems more clear than the team data is some individual data. Beware of 1/2 season data: it led to optimism around Zack Gelof that was shattered for the next 2 seasons and it got Lawrence Butler a big contract extension that looked like a miscalculation for the next 1.5 years.
But some medium sized data is accurate, especially when it simply confirms what you already saw in the days leading up to it…
Max Muncy, 3B
All the wish-casting in the world won’t make Muncy a viable candidate to start games at 3B. Not to kick a man when he is down — Muncy’s error last night, which was incorrectly ruled a hit, gave the Angels a late lead they rode to victory — but it’s not a one play or one game thing.
In just 316.2 innings (the equivalent of about 35 full games), Muncy has a major league high (or low) -10 DRS and a terrible -5 oAA. It leaves Muncy at -8 career OAA at 3B in 567.1 innings (about 63 full games).
At the plate, Muncy continues to be a “dangerous” hitter and coming into last night’s game he actually had 13 RBI in 14 games since returning from the IL. But that is distinct from his being a good hitter who makes up for terrible defense with a potent bat. Muncy stands at .232/.297/.413, 92 wRC+, 32.3% K rate, for the season due to his consistently bad swing decisions.
This is not Muncy-bashing as he may well have a useful role as an infielder who can play 2B/SS/3B and might thrive in more of a platoon role. But this 1/2 season has simply corroborated that if you play him at 3B you make your team worse. Luckily this problem should solve itself when Gelof comes off the IL and with Jacob Wilson presumably back at SS Muncy can vie with Jeff McNeil and Alika Williams for one spot on the diamond.
Starting Rotation
The projection systems were unkind to the A’s rotation pre-season and they were not wrong. The emergence of Gage Jump has certainly, well, jump-started the group’s ascent but even Jump and JT Ginn cannot mask that the A’s rotation is a weakness.
Jeffrey Springs and Aaron Civale have settled into mediocrity at the back of the rotation, Jack Perkins has been consistently inconsistent, while younger hopefuls Jacob Lopez and Luis Morales have been unmitigated disasters forcing new and less talented blood into the mix. Luis Severino’s injury didn’t help but he was a #1 SP only in name anyway.
More than anything, the A’s pitchers have proven they simply cannot pitch at Sutter Health Park — no one finds it easy but A’s opponents keep things from getting out of hand better than the home team does, which is why the A’s are a ghastly 14-21 in their “home” park. The A’s home ERA of 6.11 is MLB’s worst, hands down.
Sadly here, help is not on the way as top prospect Wei-En Lin will undergo Tommy John surgery instead of rising to the big leagues in 2026 and other top prospect Jamie Arnold hasn’t been quite the “fast mover” the A’s had hoped. Kade Morris is a “back end SP” type who won’t move the needle in any meaningful way.
So until further notice, e.g., a trade, the A’s will have win despite their rotation more than because of it.
Nick Kurtz
On the positive side, despite a slow start and recent slump, Kurtz has proven that 2025 was no fluke and that in fact he is, hands down, one of MLB’s premier hitters period. Putting all his ups and downs together, Kurtz is batting a gaudy .280/.424/.527, 160 wRC+ for the season.
Although…a look under the hood does suggest Kurtz’ stats would look quite different if he didn’t play his home games in a launching pad. Did you know that on the road Kurtz is batting a far more pedestrian .253/.385/.422, 127 wRC+? In Sacramento he is a “first ballot HOFer” .308/.463/.637, 192 wRC.
But Kurtz’ 17.6% BB rate even on the road reflects that wherever he bats he is one of the most feared hitters in the game. And at 23, only now in his first full season, Kurtz is not done improving and adjusting to become the best hitter he can be.
Jacob Wilson
For good reason, the A’s and we fans can’t wait for Wilson’s return to SS. He has been sorely missed and the news he could return as soon as today is most welcome.
That being said, Wilson’s weaknesses are catching up to him and as of June, 2026 Fidgety Guy is not “starting SS in the All-Star game” good — not even close.
Wilson’s .134 ISO in 2025 was a revelation and until his hand injury sapped his hitting he was batting around .350. But Wilson continues to chase most everything, under the false premise that just because he can, physically, make contact with a pitch he should try to put it in play.
Wilson’s chase rate ranks in the 5th percentile in MLB and he has routinely gotten out swinging at pitches that were, quite literally, a foot out of the strike zone. The result is an ISO of just .109 in a very uninspiring .277/.310/.386 batting line, with an expected BA of just .262 and expected slugging but .335.
Fortunately, as Wilson’s hitting has taken a big step back his defense has taken a big step forward (+6 OAA compared to -3 OAA last season). He remains a valuable player overall, but until he figures out how to hunt strikes instead of just “any pitch I can reach,” he is not more than a “solid complementary piece” as demonstrated by his tepid 1.1 fWAR after about half a season.
Summary
Once upon a time, there was going to be a mid-season burst of talent infused into the 2026 team. So even if “what you see is what you get” for the first half, the second half was going to be different thanks to the additions of several truly talented players.
One of them was Jump and we have seen how much a gifted player can help a team. Others were supposed to Braden Nett, Wei-En Lin, Henry Baez, and even Leo De Vries, but injuries stalled each and every one of them and none is on the cusp of contributing any time soon.
This leaves the A’s 2026 season in a bit of a holding pattern, almost literally two steps forward and two steps back. This is about a .500 team that seems closer to teetering and falling than it is to surging. And yet…
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander and if the A’s “are who they are” after 1/2 a season then so is the rest of the AL West and so is the rest of the AL wild card. Seattle is also a .500 team, the Rangers and Astros are flawed, the Blue Jays can’t gain any momentum and the Guardians aren’t “all that”.
All of which is to say that the A’s are highly flawed with no immediate help on the way anymore but so is the rest of the division and league. Which should keep the last 79 games meaningful — if often frustrating.
TODAY’S GAME: The Astros and Tigers will play the finale of this 4-game series this afternoon at Comerica Park in Detroit.
DET area native RHP Hunter Brown (1-0) will start for the Astros vs. Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (1-8).
Tiger Hunter: Brown is 3-0 in 7 career app. (6 GS) vs. DET with a 2.29 ERA (10ER/39.1IP) and 2-0 in 4 app. (3 GS) Comerica Park with a 2.05 ERA (5 ER/22.1IP) and 29 K’s.
ROAD TRIPPIN: Today is the finale of the Astros 7-game road trip (4-2 thus far).
They were 2-1 at TOR on the 1st stop of the trip and are 2-1 with 1 game left to play here in DET.
Road Recovery: The Astros are 14-8 in their last 3 road trips combined.
They are 20-14 on the road since going 1-9 on their 1st road trip of the 2026 season.
ASTROS-TIGERS: The Astros are 4-2 vs. DET this season and have clinched the season series.
Following today’s game, the 2 clubs will have played play all 7 of their scheduled games between June 15-28.
In 2025, the Astros and Tigers finished with identical 87-75 records, with the Tigers earning the final AL Wild Card spot due to winning the season series vs. HOU.
Recent Success: Since 2022, the Astros are 20-11 vs. DET with a 9-5 record here at Comerica Park.
BROTHER BROWN: Detroit-area native RHP Hunter Brown (1-0) will make his 5th start of the season today and his 2nd vs. the Tigers.
Brown faced the Tigers on June 16 at Daikin Park in what was his 1st start after a lengthy stint on the IL (rt shoulder strain).
In that return start, he allowed just 1 run on 3 hits in 5.2 innings of work with 7 strikeouts, ending up with a ND in a 4-2 Astros win.
Brown’s most recent start came on Monday at TOR, which was the 1st game of the current road trip…in that start, he had ND (3 IP, 1 ER), being was after 3.0 innings due to an elevated pitch count (85).
Overall in 2026, Brown has been strong in his 4 starts with a 1.40 ERA (3ER/19.1IP) while allowing just 12 hits in 19.1 IP (.176 opp. avg.) with 24 strikeouts.
2025 Review: Brown had an outstanding season in 2025, going 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA, earning All-Star honors and a 3rd-place finish in the AL Cy Young voting.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP: The Astros rallied from a 6-4 deficit after 6.0 innings for an 8-6, come-from-behind victory over the Tigers yesterday afternoon.
A 3-run 8th inning was the key, which flipped a 6-5 deficit into an 8-6 lead.
Isaac Paredes 2-run double in that 8th inning snapped a 6-6 tie…RHP AJ Blubaugh (4-2) earned the win in relief.
LHP Josh Hader hurled a scoreless 9th for his 7th save in as many chances.
The Astros tallied 15 hits in the win, led by Christian Walker (4×5, 2 2B) and Jeremy Peña (3×5, 2 RBI).
Cam Smith added a 2-run HR.
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 4 of 5, 5 of 7 and 8 of their last 11 games.
Junebugs: The Astros 14-10 record in June is tops in the AL.
WINNING THE CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are 9-4 in 1-run games and 17-10 in 2-run games.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Astros arrived in DET having won 4 consecutive series for the 1st time in 2026, posting an 8-4 record in those series.
The last time that the Astros won that many series in a row was when they won 5 straight, from June 20-July 6 of last season (went 12-3 in that stretch).
THE SLOW TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 21-13 since May 21, which is the best record in the AL in that span.
PEN PALS: The Astros bullpen continued to roll yesterday, allowing just 1 run in 5.1 innings in the 8-6, comeback win.
Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has been one of the best in the AL, posting a 2.64 ERA (43ER/147.1P) in that span.
The Astros are 24-16 since May 15.
In the 1st three games of the current series, the Astros pen has allowed just 2 ER in 13.1 IP for a 1.35 ERA.
STREAK SNAPPED: LHP Steven Okert had his scoreless innings streak snapped yesterday at 17.1 innings.
His streak is the longest scoreless streak by an Astros hurler this season and the 3rd-longest by a reliever in the Majors this season.
The streak was from May 23-June 26 (allowed just 9 hits during the 17.1 inning streak).
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid 1st half to his season, currently leading all of baseball with a 1.045 OPS.
Additionally, he leads the AL in SLG (.619), OBP (.427) and TB (185), is T-1st in HR (25), 2nd in batting avg. (.314), T-2nd in and runs scored (57) and T-4th in RBI (56).
Alvarez, who was the AL Player of the Month for May, is hitting .349 (29×83) in June with 5 HR and 17 RBI with a 1.033 OPS (.455 OBP/.578 SLG).
ALL-STAR UPDATE: Per MLB’s update on Thursday, Yordan Alvarez’ 2,911,655 fan votes were tops among all DH’s and the 2nd-most overall in the AL.
The second phase of fan voting begins Monday, June 29th and features the top two vote-getters at each position.
Phase 2 voting concludes at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, July 2nd.
Alvarez has been an All-Star 3 times thus far in his career.
Since 2017, the Astros’ 37 All-Star selections are tops in the AL in that span.
HADERADE: In his 11 appearances since coming of the IL on June 3, opponents are just 2×35 off LHP Josh Hader.
For the season, Hader has posted a 0.82 ERA (1ER/11IP) and is 7-for-7 in save opportunities (.057 opp. avg., .036 WHIP).
TAPPING FOR SUCCESS: Astros batters have won an MLB-best 58 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (60%).
Isaac Paredes (9-for-9) has the most successful challenges in the Majors without losing one.
Jose Altuve has been successful on 14-of-20 challenges (70%), ranking 2nd in the Majors in successful challenges.
IN THE DAYTIME: The Astros have won their last 4 day games and are 17-16 overall in the daytime in 2026.
HOME-COOKIN: Following today’s game, the Astros will return to HOU for a 6-game homestand, during which they will host MIN (3G) and TB (3G), respectively.
ROSTER MOVE: Effective today, the Astros have recalled RHP Miguel Ullola (#66) from Triple A Sugar Land.
RHP Kai-Wei Teng was optioned to Triple A following yesterday’s game.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, June 28, 12:40 p.m. CT
Location: Commerica Park, Detroit, MI
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
The Cubs today recalled left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks from Triple-A Iowa and designated right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez for assignment.
Wicks has made two starts this season for the Cubs, dropping both games. His last start came on May 31 at St. Louis. His numbers to date are pretty horrifying: 15.63 ERA, 2.211 WHIP, 13 hits and 11 earned runs in 6.1 innings. Wicks is probably around just for today’s bullpen game and then I suspect he’ll be optioned back to Iowa. As always, we await developments.
Velasquez has made two relief appearances for the Cubs this season, throwing 3.1 innings and not allowing a run, with one strikeout. He’ll likely clear waivers and head back to Iowa again, for a possible addition back to the 40-man roster later on.
This move leaves the 40-man roster at 39 players.
Today’s game preview, for the 1:10 p.m. CT start, will post in a few minutes at 11 a.m. CT.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 21: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a three-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the third inning at Globe Life Field on June 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers have placed outfielder Wyatt Langford on the injured list with a left hamstring strain, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers activated outfielder Evan Carter from the injured list.
Langford got off to a slow start to the season, then spent a chunk of time on the injured list due to a right forearm strain. He’s been red hot since coming off the injured list, however, and is slashing .278/.324/.500 in 173 plate appearances on the year with a 1.7 bWAR in 40 games. Extrapolated over a full season, that would be MVP-caliber performance. No word as of yet as to how long Langford is expected to miss.
Carter, meanwhile, has been out since injuring himself making a diving catch in Boston on June 12. He went 2 for 2 with a homer and a walk on Friday in his only rehab game for Frisco. I suspect he was going to be with Frisco through the weekend before Langford’s injury resulted in a change of plans.
Toronto Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement is heating up again, proving he is one of baseball’s toughest hitters to get out. A favorable matchup against Texas Rangers starter Kumar Rocker makes his total bases my favorite play of the day.
Read on for my Blue Jays vs. Rangers predictions and MLB picks for this Sunday, June 28 matchup.
Rangers vs Blue Jays predictions
Rangers vs Blue Jays best bet: Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases (+140)
Ernie Clement is back to finding grass again with three straight multi-hit games, including a 3-for-4 night with a double in yesterday's ball game.
The Toronto Blue Jays' middle infielder profiles well against Kumar Rocker’s sinker/slider pitch mix, owning a .333 average with a .447 slug rate against them.
Clement is a premier contact hitter, which should play up in a matchup against Rocker, who doesn’t suppress contact — ranking in the 19th percentile in xBA with a low whiff and strikeout rate.
Rocker has also surrendered plenty of hard contact with a 43.1% hard-hit rate. Clement leads the American League with 21 doubles, showing off a little bit of power.
That all plays into Clement’s strengths and gives me confidence playing this bet down to +115.
COVERS INTEL:Clement owns a 90% zone-contact rate while making contact on an outstanding 70.1% of his swings at pitches outside the strike zone.
Rangers vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho profiles well against Rocker, sporting a .295 average against his pitch mix with a .449 slug rate. and has hit the ball well since returning from the IL, owning a 155 WRC+ over his last six games.
A Shane Bieber bounce-back is in order against a lineup he’s handled well. The Rangers own just a .193 average and a .483 OPS against him in 57 plate appearances.
Rangers vs Blue Jays SGP
Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases
Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits
Shane Bieber Under 5.5 hits
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Rangers vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (ODDS)
Rocker has been hit hard and often, but has kept the ball in the yard lately with just three home runs allowed over his last five games, so I’ll make just a half-unit wager here.
However, Rocker’s inability to limit hard contact makes Kazuma Okamoto the best Jays candidate to go long today.
Okamoto hits the ball harder than any other Blue Jays in the lineup with a 50% hard hit rate, .479 slug rate, and a team-high 19 home runs this season, six of which have come off sinkers or sliders.
The Jays slugger also owns a .460 slug rate against those pitches with 11 XBH.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 39-40, +2.3 units
SGPs: 14-65, -2.15 units
HR picks: 15-65, +5.45 units
Rangers vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Texas +115 | Toronto -135
Run line: Texas +1.5 (-170) | Toronto -1.5 (+145)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)
Rangers vs Blue Jays trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the game total Over in 12 of their last 19 home games (+4.40 Units / 21% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Rangers vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Sunday, 6-28-2026
First pitch
1:37 p.m. ET
TV
RSN, SN
Rangers starting pitcher
Kumar Rocker (2-6, 4.14 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Shane Bieber (0-0, 9.82 ERA)
Rangers vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Rangers vs Blue Jays weather
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NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 17: Former player Al Downing of the New York Yankees is introduced during the New York Yankees 72nd Old Timers Day game before the Yankees play against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on June 17, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The mid-to-late 1960s are fairly regarded as a pretty brutal time in Yankees’ history. CBS infamously purchased the team in 1964, and the team almost immediately began to fall off a cliff. Between their poor ownership and the players of the 1950s and early 60s dynasties aging out, the team went from 1964 to 1976 between World Series appearances, which was unheard of considering the success of the prior decades.
However, that’s not to say that there weren’t bright spots among that darkness. For several years in the down period, pitcher Al Downing provided some of that light, and he certainly earned a spot on our Top 100 Yankees series.
Downing was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey attending Trenton Central High School. He’s listed as having college stints at both Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania and then-Rider College in New Jersey, but he signed with the Yankees as an 18, going on 19-year old in 1961.
The Yankees initially sent him to the Binghamton Triplets for the 1961 season, where he was electric. In 12 starts, he put up a 1.84 ERA, as he struck out 96 batters in 98 innings. That impressive start got him a late season call-up to the big leagues, where he appeared in five games.
Downing spent most of 1962 in the minors, only getting another cameo. However, he then put in a breakout campaign in ’63, and ended up spending most of the year in the bigs. Forming a battery with eventual AL MVP Elston Howard, he went 13-5 with a 2.56 ERA (138 ERA+), striking out 171 batters in 175.2 innings. That led to the Yankees giving him the nod on the mound in Game 2 of the World Series, only following Whitey Ford in the rotation. He ended up allowing three runs in five innings, and took the loss. It’s not as though he had much support behind him though, as the Yankees scored just four runs in total during the Dodgers’ sweep (and just one behind Downing).
In 1964, Downing wasn’t quite as good as the previous year, but he was still an important cog in the Yankees rotation, and even led the league in strikeouts with 217. He was again relied on in the World Series, including getting the start in Game 4. However, he struggled this time around, including failing to get an out while allowing three runs in a Game 7 relief outing. The Yankees again lost, as the Cardinals beat them in seven games.
The aforementioned CBS purchase happened following that season, beginning the Yankees’ decline. Downing had some ups and downs in that time, but he was still one of the brighter lights of that period. He and Mel Stottlemyre were a solid combination atop the rotation, even if the rest of the roster was lacking.
In 1967, Downing produced one of the best individual seasons of his career — tops if you use rWAR, 4.5 — getting named an All-Star for the first and only time of his career. However, as the 1960s came to a close, Downing began to struggle and dealt with injuries, as manager Ralph Houk began to use him out of the bullpen. After an average 1969 season, the Yankees traded him to the Athletics for Danny Cater and Ossie Chavarria. It would be an impactful deal though, as a couple years later, Cater was flipped to the Red Sox for relief ace Sparky Lyle.
Downing spent part of the year in Oakland before another trade sent him to the Brewers midseason. After that year, he was on the move again, getting traded to the Dodgers ahead of the 1971 season. There, Downing experience a career resurgence. In ’71, Downing won 20 games, joining a group of African-American pitchers who have been dubbed “Black Aces.”
With the Dodgers, Downing also returned to the postseason in 1974. He threw four innings of of the bullpen in LA’s NLCS victory over the Pirates. He then started Game 3 of the World Series against the A’s as the Dodgers lost the game and eventually the series.
Another notable thing happened earlier that year, when Downing allowed Henry Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run. While some pitchers fear being the one to give up a record-breaking moment like that, Downing has never felt that way. About the moment, he’s said “It didn’t bother me. Hank did that to a lot of guys.” and “I feel that if you’re out on the mound and the manager hasn’t told you to intentionally walk someone, you have to do everything you can to get that batter out.”
Ben Rice Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
Wilyer Abreu Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
COVERS INTEL: Sonny 
Bobby Witt Jr. 
Byron Buxton
Shea Langeliers
