Category: MLB

Right-handed reliever Ron Marinaccio was designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 3rd as the NL Central rivals of the Cincinnati Reds needed 40-man roster spots for other acquisitions. The Reds, meanwhile, had openings on their own 40-man roster after dealing away Caleb Ferguson and Nathaniel Lowe, and scooped up Marinaccio off waivers to help add depth to their beat-up bullpen.

That marriage simply did not work out.

The Reds themselves designated Marinaccio for assignment on Monday morning, doing so after the righty walked 3 and served up a dinger in an ugly 5-run 9th inning performance on Sunday in the series finale against the Miami Marlins. He allowed earned runs in each of his four appearances with the Reds (10 ER total in just 5.1 IP), and now finds himself back on the waiver wire.

The Reds announced the move prior to Monday’s doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, noting that they were adding reliever Zach McCambley to the roster as the 27th man for the day while adding lefty Kent Emanuel to both the 40-man and active rosters to replace Marinaccio.

Emanuel, 34, is a veteran of two separate big league seasons with two different clubs. Back in 2021, he broke in with the Houston Astros and pitched to a 2.55 ERA (albeit with a 5.49 FIP), in a small 17.2 IP sample. He bounced through the systems of the Philadelphia Phillies, Pirates, and Marlins after that before returning to the big leagues with Miami for another 17.2 IP stint in 2024. He threw in indy ball in 2026 before landing with Louisville for a single 6.0 IP outing, and now finds himself back in the bigs with Cincinnati.

Emanuel will start the first game of Monday’s doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals as the two clubs begin a five-game series.

The state of the pitching staff right now is, shall we say, not very bueno.

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A fresh week is here, so let's get after it!

Here are my MLB moneyline predictions for tonight's slate, which include a double-dip selection of the St. Louis Cardinals in their doubleheader vs. the Cincinnati Reds.

Before we dive in, be sure to check out all of our MLB picks on Monday, Aug. 17.

MLB moneyline picks for August 17

Matchup	Pick
Cardinals vs Reds (Game 1)	-113
Orioles vs Rays	+147
Marlins vs Phillies	+223
Cardinals vs Reds (Game 2)	-117
Tigers vs Pirates	-106
Diamondbacks vs Red Sox	+133
Padres vs Mets	+113
A's vs Royals	+174
Braves vs Twins	-122
White Sox vs Cubs	+147
Dodgers vs Rockies	+239

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 8-17.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for August 17

Cardinals vs Reds Game 1: Cardinals (-113)

Cardinals win probability: 53%

Are the St. Louis Cardinals coming off a big series win over the Cubs? Of course, but that should not shy us away from backing the team clearly performing at a higher level. The Cincinnati Reds own a 69 wRC+, .247 wOBA and .611 OPS over their last 12 games, while the Cardinals have posted a 122 wRC+, .344 wOBA and .782 OPS during that same stretch.

To add insult to injury, the Reds send out Chase Petty, who owns a 9.00 ERA, 8.88 xERA, and 2.25 WHIP over his last three starts.

It is the Cardinals or nothing in Game 1.

Orioles vs Rays: Orioles (+147)

Orioles win probability: 40%

The Tampa Bay Rays have been dangerous all season long, and they still are, owning a 132 wRC+ over their last 12 games. However, their lack of hard contact, which has been an issue throughout 2026, is a concern against a lineup generating a 45% hard-hit rate and 11% barrel rate over its last 12 games, while sporting a 117 wRC+.

Shane McClanahan has been regressing over his last three outings and is coming off an IL stint. Brandon Young has also scuffled, but the Birds have been swinging a hot bat. At nearly +150, this is worth dabbling on. 

Marlins vs Phillies: Marlins (+223)

Marlins win probability: 31%

From a moneyline price standpoint, nobody should be looking to pay $2.28 for a team to secure a regular-season win, especially when Janson Junk has been tossing some filth over his last five outings. The former punching bag owns a 3.97 ERA over his last five, but in his last three starts, he has posted a 1.93 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.

We all know how great Cristopher Sanchez has been this season. However, he has struggled with walks, and the Miami Marlins have been pretty disciplined at the dish, owning a 10% walk rate over their last 12 games. If they can get ducks on the pond and drive them in, they have a chance.

Cardinals vs Reds Game 2: Cardinals (-117)

Cardinals win probability: 54%

Real simple: I am not backing an ice-cold offense just because its starter has some solid underlying metrics across his last three starts. On the other side, the Cardinals have a pitcher who owns a 1.80 ERA and 1.07 WHIP over his last five outings.

Take the hot team in both games today.

Tigers vs Pirates: Tigers (-106)

Tigers win probability: 52%

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski owns a 9.72 ERA, 7.43 xERA, and 2.16 WHIP over his last three starts. Meanwhile, Framber Valdez has improved over his last three, owning a 2.75 ERA while limiting opponents to a 5% barrel rate.

The Tigers' bats have gone cold, but there is no reason to trust an arm with a near 10.00 ERA.

Go Tigers.

Diamondbacks vs Red Sox: Diamondbacks (+133)

Diamondbacks win probability: 43%

The Boston Red Sox's fall from grace has been very sad to watch, but getting the Arizona Diamondbacks at +133 with Mitch Bratt on the bump feels like a steal.

The Arizona southpaw has a 1.50 ERA, 2.49 xERA, and 0.89 WHIP over his last three starts, and has also done a great job limiting hard-hit balls and barrels.

Brayan Bello has had a great turnaround over his last five. However, the Red Sox offense continues to cool off, and there is far more value on the Diamondbacks with how hot their bats have been as well.

Padres vs Mets: Padres (+113)

Padres win probability: 47%

The San Diego Padres being a short underdog on the road feels a little odd. Their lineup is on fire, owning a sub-20% strikeout rate, while posting a 127 wRC+ and .808 OPS over the last 30 days. They draw New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean, who has a 4.15 ERA over his last three starts.

Walker Buehler has been solid for the Friars over his last five starts, posting a 3.20 ERA while limiting hard-hit balls and barrels.

At +113, the Padres are the pick.

A's vs Royals: Athletics (+174)

Athletics win probability: 36%

Question for the reader: should the 2026 Kansas City Royals ever be a $1.78 favorite? No.

Sure, Michael Wacha owns a 2.45 ERA and 0.98 WHIP over his last three starts, while Mason Barnett has an 8.78 ERA during that stretch.

However, the Athletics' offense has been heating up over their last six games, owning a 131 wRC+, .820 OPS, and .217 ISO. The Royals, during that same stretch, have posted just a 58 wRC+, .112 ISO and .255 wOBA.

Give me the dog.

Braves vs Twins: Braves (-122)

Braves win probability: 55%

Braves southpaw Martin Perez has been lights out over his last five starts, owning a 1.08 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. With Bailey Ober on the rubber for the Twins, the Braves are the lean here.

Ober sports a 5.41 xERA over his last three starts while allowing a near 15% barrel rate to opposing hitters. With how dangerous the Atlanta bats can be, they should be able to handle anything Ober offers.

White Sox vs Cubs: White Sox (+147)

White Sox win probability: 40%

Sure, some will see Luis Castillo and rush to bet the Chicago Cubs this evening. But are we forgetting that Shota Imanaga has a 4.71 xERA over his last three starts? Both starters could be in for a long evening with how hot both lineups have been.

Tonight will come down to which bullpen can hold it down, and the Cubs' bullpen has been atrocious all season, owning a 4.47 xERA and 4.52 FIP while allowing a 41.41% hard-hit rate.

The never-say-die Chicago White Sox look tasty on the North Side.

Dodgers vs Rockies: Rockies (+239)

Rockies win probability: 30%

Reread the first sentence for the Marlins vs. Phillies breakdown.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' offense has been very cold over their last 12 games, posting just an 87 wRC+, .293 wOBA, and .660 OPS. The Rockies have been no better, but at least they are drawing more walks and limiting strikeouts.

Tomoyuki Sugano is a punching bag, but he has done a great job limiting walks and hard-hit balls as of late. Blake Snell is back and looked fantastic in his first start coming off the injured list, but I am hoping for some regression here. If he does, I like the Rockies to take advantage.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Coming out of the corn and playing the Twins may have been a salve the Phillies needed after looking like they would rather have been anywhere else that St. Louis this past week.

Three up

Alec Bohm – Vegetables are a good thing to eat. As a father of younger children, I know the pain of getting them to eat vegetables, coming up with all kinds of creative ways to make sure they get their nutrition. I myself prefer my vegetables raw, not particularly caring for them to be cooked, but I’d imagine that’s the best way to eat them anyway. Whilst in Iowa, the Phillies were surrounded by corn. Maybe that surrounding did something to Bohm as he hit .550/.571/.900, buoyed by his five hit game Saturday night. Listen, whatever it takes, man.

Aaron Nola – Listen. Nola has been pretty good of late. The expectations placed on his game have changed dramatically over the years as we have had to watch him adjust to this portion of his career. His start in Iowa where he allowed one run over five innings is about all we can ask of him at this point. Should he continue to do this through the rest of his contract – five to six innings each time, keeping the team in the game, maybe mixing in a few stellar outings – that deal may not turn out so bad after all. It’s a big ask.

Left handed aces – Cristopher Sanchez is an ace, there is no doubt. John Stolnis made the case that Jesus Luzardo should be considered the same. Combined this week, they showed why the Phillies will be a tough out if they should make the playoffs as they each had sterling starts on the mound.

Three down

Zack Wheeler – There are times when the ace has a clunker and this week was it. Wheeler’s start in St. Louis wasn’t the one we would have expected, landing him amongst the shattered ruins of bad weeks, but a bounceback start at home is likely imminent. It would have been nice of him to have a better start, but he didn’t.

J.T. Realmuto – An unsightly one hit over the week means there are triple slash lines that might be considered NSFW. Might be time to start asking that question again about sitting him more often, especially in these dog days of the baseball schedule.

Baseball – I get that money is a thing that MLB craves from wherever they can get it. Any kind of money they can get for whatever they can market and sell, they are going to chase. But to place the Field of Dreams game on Netflix, where a lot of people couldn’t watch it? Silly.

What a wonderful show we have for you this week, not only did we have the faboulously talented Stefan Caray, but we also witnessed the return of the GREAT Scott Plaza! Gabe and I were there too. Kidding aside, this episode featured a couple of conversational elements some readers had been asking for, there is discourse and disagreement, and there is a lot more of a conversational flow rather than a direct interview style. Yes, its an hour long, but none of us noticed the length of time until about 45 minutes into the episode, and we hope you find yourself just as engaged!

Stefan, of course, is the son of the Cardinals lead broadcaster Chip Caray, but also has spent years earning his stripes in Amarillo and is ready for whatever the future holds. He will be on the broadcast during the next homestand when the Cardinals take on the Baltimore Orioles.

This weeks show, we talk about the unforgettable Baez debut, Alec Burleson, Blaze Jordan vs Nolan Gorman, and we finish the show with a conversation centered around Jordan Walker and what another hot stretch could mean for the Cardinals playoff push down the stretch.

I apologize for no transcript again this week, I was up well past midnight last night editing this episode and by that point, in order to function properly the next day I had to sacrifice the transcript again. If anyone knows of any transcript editing tools that are cheap/free and are reliable, please share them with me, Id love to continue providing one, It is just an extensive project on top of the already extensive process that comes along with the scheduling, prep, recording, and editing process that already takes place. Thanks in advance!

SPOTIFY:

YouTube:

-thanks for listening

2026 MLB Playoffs Tiebreakers: The American League Wild Card race is a free-for-all right now, particularly as it relates to the third and final seed.

The Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins are all within a game or so of the final Wild Card spot. The Seattle Mariners, who Fangraphs projects as having the best winning percentage in the American League the rest of the way, are just a few games back.

The Houston Astros are in first place in the American League West, up by two games on the Rangers and fourgames on the Mariners, so the A.L. West is still in play, which puts Houston in among the potential Wild Card vie-ees.

The Chicago White Sox are currently in first place, up by 5.5 games in the American League Central, but are arguably playing over their heads and could fade, putting them in the Wild Card mix and Detroit, Cleveland and Minnesota in the hunt for the American League Central.

Given all that, it seems like a good time to review the tiebreaker rules for the playoffs, and where things stand for the Rangers in regards to those tiebreakers. Yes, its certainly possible that the Rangers fall apart down the stretch and are just playing out the string the final week. Its also certainly possibly (though, I think its fair to say, less likely) the Rangers go on a heater and are in a solid place in terms of the playoffs come the final week, or weekend, of the season, and thus we won’t have to worry about tiebreakers because Texas is safe.

So yeah, this could all be moot. But its a Monday off day in the second half of August, so let’s look at it.

First as a reminder, we no longer have Game 163s when teams are tied for a playoff spot. No winner-take-all technically-regular-season-but-effectively-a-playoff +1s after the final weekend. If there’s a tie at the end of the year, we go to the tiebreaker system.

MLB.com has the full rundown of how the tiebreaker system works, which you can read in full, if you’d like.

If there’s a tie between two teams, the team with the best head-to-head record advances.

If the head-to-head record is a tie, then the team with the best record in games among division opponents advances. That would theoretically mean that the Rangers, playing in the weak A.L. West, would have an advantage if they were tied with an A.L. East team, since the East has the teams with the three best records in the A.L. right now. However, the Rangers have been ass against A.L. West teams this year, so that doesn’t really help them.

If both teams have the same intradivision record, then whichever team has the best record against American League* teams post-All Star Break advances.

* Because we are talking about the American League playoffs. If we were dealing with the National League playoffs, it would be the National League playoffs.

If both teams have the same post-ASB record against the American League, then you go to each team’s last game against an A.L. opponent before the All Star Break. If one team won and the other team lost, the team that won advanced. If both teams won their last game against an A.L. opponent pre-ASB, or both teams lost, you go to the game before that, and if necessary keep repeating until you get to where one team won and the other team lost.

The Rangers beat the Astros in the final game before the All Star Break, incidentally, so they have that going for them, on the off chance that particular tiebreaker comes into play.

If three teams are tied, and they have identical records against each other, then you use the above tiebreaking system, beginning with intradivision record, except that you don’t use an additional game if the additional game was between two of the teams.

If three teams are tied, and they do not all have the same records against each other, then if one team won the season series against each of the other two teams, that team advances.

If no team won the season series against the other two teams, then whichever team had the best overall winning percentage against the other two teams advances.

If two of the teams are tied for the best winning percentage, the third team is out, and the two remaining teams apply the two-team tiebreaker methodology listed above.

If all the teams have the same winning percentage, then the system outlined above when all three teams have the same record against each other is applied.

If four teams tie, then the same system as with three teams is used, except that, if two or three teams of the four teams are tied for the best record after a step, then the other team(s) are dropped, and you shift to the two- or three-team tiebreaker method.

If your brain hasn’t been broken by all that, let’s look at where the Rangers stand in terms of tiebreakers against their potential opponents:

Against Houston:

The Rangers lost the season series against Houston, 4-9. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Houston, Houston advances.

Against Seattle:

The Rangers have clinched the season series with the Mariners, being up 7-3 with three games in Seattle to go. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Seattle, the Rangers advance.

However, Seattle has clinched the season series against the Astros, 9-2, with two games in Seattle to go.

So if there’s a three-way tie for the American League West, if the Rangers and Astros both sweep Seattle, the Rangers would have the best record in the games amongst the three teams (14-12 for Texas, 12-14 for Seattle, 13-13 for Houston), and would advance.

Against Detroit:

The Rangers lost the season series to the Tigers, 2-4. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Detroit, Detroit advances.

Against Minnesota:

The Rangers are 0-3 against the Twins this season, and play their final three games of the season in Minnesota. Thus, the Rangers would lose any tiebreaker against the Twins unless they were three games back of Minnesota heading into the final weekend, and then swept the Twins. That would mean the season series would be tied 3-3, and we’d go to intra-divisional record.

Against Cleveland:

The Rangers won the season series against Cleveland, 4-2. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Cleveland, the Rangers advance.

Against Toronto:

The Rangers have clinched the season series against Toronto, being up 4-0 with three games in Texas in late September to go. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Toronto, the Rangers advance.

Against Baltimore:

The Rangers won the season series against Baltimore, 4-2. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with Baltimore, the Rangers advance.

Against the ChiSox:

The Rangers are trailing in the season series with the White Sox, 1-2. They have three games in Chicago against the White Sox next week. They need to sweep to win the season series, and go 2-1 to split the season series.

Boston, the Yankees, and the Rays are far enough ahead that the chances of them ending up in a tiebreaker with the Rangers is slight. Still, in the interest of being thorough, we’ll talk about them, as well.

Against Boston:

The Rangers are trailing in the season series with the Red Sox, 1-2. They have three games against Boston in Arlington in mid-September. They need to sweep to win the season series, and go 2-1 to split the season series.

Against the Yankees:

The Rangers lost the season series to the Yankees, 2-4. If the Rangers are in a two-way tie with the Yankees, the Yankees advance.

AgainstTampa:

The Rangers are trailing in the season series with the Rays, 1-2. They have four games against Tampa in Arlington in early-September. They need to win at least 3 of 4 to win the season series against Tampa. Otherwise, Tampa will win the season series.

Worcester: L, 6-9 (BOX SCORE)

One thing you may notice reading Sunday’s Minor Lines is that offense was aplenty, but the pitching was pretty lackluster. In most cases, it’s not much of a cause for concern. But in the WooSox’s loss to Buffalo (Blue Jays AAA) in the series finale, it may have altered a trajectory a little bit.

Let me explain: John Holobetz has been serviceable across two levels this season in addition to working his way up the organization in 2025. The 24-year-old makes his bread and butter in the top end of the strike zone with a 94 MPH heater that has some room for development, but the righty was pitching well enough that it was feasible he could become an option down the stretch and develop the pitch while in the Majors, as it’s clear he has good control of that pitch and a reliable repertoire. With Patrick Sandoval struggling in the bigs, it looked possible that he could be called on to help out at some point this season.

On Sunday, Holobetz gave up six runs on six hits in just eight outs. His ERA stands at almost 6 in Worcester, albeit in an extremely limited sample size. But we’ve seen this movie a few times, folks; I don’t want to see a guy debuting while struggling to keep runners off the basepaths in Triple-A, even against a talented Buffalo lineup. One does not have to roam far mentally to wonder if Anthony Eyansson would be seeing some time in Worcester by now had he not been dealt at the trade deadline as part of the Adley Rutschman deal, but one would also take some respite in the fact that Craig Breslow has been incredibly good at scouting pitchers in his time with the Red Sox organization thus far and that another Eyansson may not be far behind. Is it Holobetz, whom the team acquired for Quinn Priester in 2025? Almost certainly not in the same way; they’re not the same caliber of talent, won’t be used the same way, and don’t have the same strengths. But, if Sandoval continues to struggle, the Sox will need to call on someone down the stretch.

Also, to those wondering why shortstop wasn’t addressed during the busy trade deadline the club had, the likely reason if not the biggest benefactor of that had his first action since May on Sunday. He went 1-2 with a double. In this floundering lineup, at his best, Trevor Story is someone who can add some pop. But Story can be streaky as well, so here’s hoping September 2026 Story can be similar to end of 2025 Story – a guy who the team counted on to get a big hit or at least be a sound fielder.

While the WooSox took some time to drum up some offense on a rehabbing Spencer Arrighetti, who the Blue Jays acquired for Daulton Varsho, a home run by a raking Mikey Romero (at least lately) and a very late shot by Jason Delay should have sealed the deal for Worcester, but instead they were left scrambling to overcome an early deficit given up by Holobetz and Devin Sweet. But, it’s better that type of performance happens in Worcester than in Boston, er, Pittsburgh this weekend.

Portland: L, 6-8 (BOX SCORE)

Jack Winnay’s seventeenth homer of 2026 and sixth in Double-A. One other single early in the game. Two more hits by a slumping Will Turner and Henry Godbout, just the infielder’s second since his promotion last week. There was not a ton of offense Sunday, but the team made the most of drawing five walks in the finale against Binghamton (Mets AA) and plating those walks, as they went 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Sadly, though, this was a bullpen game, Reidis Sena didn’t make it out of the first before giving up a home run, Morgan McSweeney allowed four runs and as many hits, and the Sea Dogs’ lack of later offense came back to bite them as the RumblePonies broke a 6-6 tie in the eighth and stayed on top.

Salem: L, 5-8 (BOX SCORE)

Jose Bello at least made it through four innings in Delmarva (Orioles A) but he let two home runs out of the park and, stop me if you’ve heard this before, left Salem playing catchup earlier than desired. Kleyvar Salazar put the game within striking distance with his tenth home run of 2026 in the seventh inning, but that hit was the only one with runners on the RidgeYaks achieved all afternoon, and that puncher’s chance become very slim as the game grew longer.

Welcome to another week A’s fans!

The recent homestand went so-so as the A’s first got swept by the Rays before winning a series against the Rangers. Considering Texas is in our division if we were going to win a series it’s good we won the divisional matchup.

Now the club is back on the road and set for their last road four-game series of the season. Kansas City is up first and the A’s have an excellent chance to win back-to-back series for the first time since June. At 51-74 the Royals are way out of the playoff picture and just a couple games ahead of the A’s. If the Green & Gold can come away with a 3-1 series win, they’d leapfrog them for third-worst record in the AL. The goal this year needs to be to not finish last in either the division, the league, and the entire sport. We got four very winnable games coming up and the club needs to show up. Rookie right-hander Mason Barnett starts things off tonight for us. Time to rack up some wins!

Have a great start to your week everyone.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s Take Series Against Rangers, Win 5-2
• A’s place Soderstrom on 10-day IL with left hip impingement; Hernaiz recalled
• Late Blast Lifts Rangers Over Athletics
• Jeff McNeil Leads A’s to 8-3 Victory Over Rangers
• Why The New GM Needs To “Clean House”
• 111 games, zero errors: Wilson sets MLB record at shortstop
• A Seemingly Rock Bottomless Glass
• MLB Trade Grades: A’s Have Quiet Trade Deadline
• A’s Top Prospect Jamie Arnold Sets Career High in One of His Best Double-A Starts
• Fustercluck 2026: The Real Reasons For A Disappointing Season
• Signs Of Hope And Signs Of Hopeless
• Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko says feeling in his legs returning
• Cuban’s investment group purchases minority stake in Athletics
• Chan Ho Park joins A’s group; 1st Korean to buy stake in MLB club
• Blogfather Saves The Day With Pearls Of Most Excellent Advice

MLB News and Interest:

• Tommy John, whose surgery blazed a trail for countless players, dies at 83
• Los Angeles Dodgers place Justin Wrobleski on injured list
• Dansby Swanson headed to IL after exiting Chicago Cubs’ loss
• Nolan Arenado Likely To Undergo MRI For Torso Injury
• Ranking every MLB farm system, 1-30
• Paul Skenes’ start moved back as Pirates rest struggling ace
• Báez’s borrowed cleats from historic debut heading to Cooperstown
• 10 unheralded players stepping up for postseason contenders
• Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Phillies Interested In Teruaki Sato
• Family affair: Brewers’ Carsten Sabathia III hits first pro homer with Hall of Famer dad in stands
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

That would be our luck. Hopefully not this year:

Agree or disagree?

Makes sense:

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 (63-56) lost 12-5 (BOX SCORE)

Weiss started for Sugar Land but struggled allowing 5 runs over 1.2 innings. He was relieved by McLoughlin who allowed 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 4th scoring 5 runs on a Brooks 2 run single and Biggio 3 run triple. The pen struggled though allowing another five runs as the Express extended their lead. The Sugar Land offense was unable to score again as they fell 12-5.

Note: Biggio has a .839 OPS this season.

• Cavan Biggio, 2B: 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, BB
• Joey Loperfido, LF: 2-for-3, R, 2 BB
• Trenton Brooks, 1B: 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI
• Zach Cole, RF: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB

• Ryan Weiss, RHP: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Kai-Wei Teng, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Julio Rodriguez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (54-60) won 5-2 (BOX SCORE)

Hicks got the start for the Hooks and went 4 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 4th inning on a Schiavone 2 run home run. In the 5th inning, Austin connected on a 3 run home run to give the Hooks the lead. The bullpen was great tossing 5 scoreless innings as the Hooks won 5-2.

Note: Schiavone has 24 home runs this season.

• Trevor Austin, LF: 1-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB
• Will Bush, 1B: 1-for-4, R
• Jason Schiavone, C: 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI
• Max Holy, 3B: 1-for-4, SB
• Kenni Gomez, CF: 1-for-4, R

• James Hicks, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• Alex Santos II, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (WIN)
• Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Nic Swanson, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (SAVE)

A+: Asheville Tourists (39-73) won 16-14 (BOX SCORE)

Howard got the start for Asheville and went 4 innings allowing 4 runs. The Asheville offense got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Batista 2 run double. They got another in the 4th inning on a Daudet RBI double. The bullpen would struggle as the Emperors took a 12-3 lead. Asheville rallied for 5 runs in the 7th inning on a Newman 2 run home run, Salas RBI single, Walker RBI triple and Huezo RBI double. They got 2 runs in the 8th on an error and Walker RBI single and in the 9th, Newman tied the game with a 2 out 2 run double. The game went to extras and in the 10th, the Emperors scored 2 runs. In the bottom of the 10th, the offense rallied again on a Walker sac fly, Moss RBI single and Huezo walk-off 2 run home run as Asheville won 16-14.

Note: Huezo has 19 HR, 40 SB this season.

• Kyle Walker, 2B: 2-for-5, R, 3B, 3 RBI
• Jack Moss, 1B: 1-for-4, R, RBI, 2 BB
• Anthony Huezo, CF: 3-for-4, 4 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 4 SB
• Nick Monistere, SS: 1-for-4, 2 R, BB
• Freuddy Batista, DH: 1-for-1, 2B, 2 RBI
  • Zach Daudet, DH: 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
• DJ Newman, RF: 3-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, BB
• Yosweld Vasquez, C: 1-for-5, 2 R
• Hector Salas, 3B: 2-for-5, 3 R, RBI

• Dylan Howard, RHP: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Max Martin, RHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Francisco Frias, RHP: 1.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• Colby Langford, LHP: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Grayson Saunier, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (WIN)

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (57-53) lost 11-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on a Tryon RBI double. Pichardo got the start but struggled allowing 6 runs over 4 innings of work. The bullpen struggled too as they allowed another five runs. The offense got one back in the 6th inning on a Fielder sac fly but that was it as the Woodpeckers fell 11-2.

Note: Weber has a 3.29 ERA this season.

• Logan Hughes, DH: 1-for-5
• Waner Luciano, 3B: 2-for-4, R, SB
• Ben Tryon, CF: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
• Carlos Cauro, 1B: 2-for-4, R, 2B
• Jadyn Fielder, LF: 0-for-3, RBI

• Jank Pichardo, RHP: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• John Carver, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Charlie Weber, RHP: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
• Brady Thomas, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• Leomar Rosario, RHP: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: OFF

CC: OFF

AV: OFF

FV: OFF

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The Chicago White Sox have run into a lot of trouble against good teams, posting an underwhelming 18-27 record against those over .500, which describes their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cubs.

My White Sox vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks expect those struggles to continue against one of the league's best offenses on Monday, Aug. 17.

Who will win White Sox vs Cubs today: Chicago Cubs (-170)

Luis Castillo has not had a good season, and things have looked especially bleak when the competition level goes up.

The veteran righty has posted a 6.75 ERA and allowed 2.57 HR/9 over six starts against Top-10 opponents in OBP vs. right-handed pitching.

The Chicago Cubs sit fifth on the season and sixth over the last 30 games. They will be tough for Castillo to slow down.

Shota Imanaga ranks fourth in SIERA among today’s starters and has a better chance of slowing the Chicago White Sox offense down.

Back the Cubs -190.

COVERS INTEL:Castillo ranks in the 13th percentile in Pitcher Run Value and will be ripe for the picking against the league's second-highest-scoring offense.

White Sox vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+109)

Power is the easiest path to bulk production, and we should see plenty of it in this game.

Castillo has posted a much higher ERA on the road while allowing 1.98 HR/9. That’s noteworthy, as he has only made one home start away from the friendly confines of T-Mobile Park.

The Cubs are seventh in total homers vs. righties, and conditions make for an 11% HR boost at Wrigley today.

Imanaga has allowed 1.83 HR/9 this season and will have to contend with a White Sox offense slotting fourth in ISO vs. lefties.

Play to -115.

White Sox vs Cubs home run prediction: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+275)

Pete Crow-Armstrong is once again the priority target for power.

Castillo has given up a ton of power to left-handed bats, allowing a .232 ISO and close to two homers per nine innings.

The splits work in PCA’s favor, as does the pitch mix. Castillo predominantly uses the fastball, slider, and changeup vs. lefties.

PCA has a .274 ISO against those three pitches against RHP. Add in the favorable park factors, and this is another good spot to back the NL MVP contender.

Take it to +260.

White Sox vs Cubs weather

The forecast calls for temperatures in the 70s with winds blowing west. Slight boost to the bats.

White Sox vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: White Sox +145 | Cubs -170
• Run line: White Sox +1.5 (-145) | Cubs -1.5 (+125)
• Over/Under: Over 8.0 (-115) | Under 8.0 (-105)

White Sox vs Cubs trend

The Cubs have won 33 of their last 50 games (+11.65 units, 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Cubs.

How to watch White Sox vs Cubs and game info

White Sox vs Cubs latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Orioles are currently in possession of a wild card spot. This is not something that I thought I would be writing in mid-August. The idea of the Orioles getting into this position has seemed improbable throughout the season due to all of their flaws. This only seemed less probable at the beginning of this month when Mike Elias traded away a few players, subtracting from the team’s already-longshot chances.

The Rays-Yankees-Rays gauntlet was supposed to be what would sink them, and maybe it still will, but three games into it, the Orioles have won three games and the competition has bumbled around so the O’s have themselves a wild card position. It’s hard to believe and it’s still true. Naturally, in this week’s podcast, I try to make sense of the O’s rising from the ashes like the phoenix, even though a sub-.500 team having a postseason place this deep into the season doesn’t make much sense at all.

As long as every other team is continuing to stay in the mediocre muck, maybe the record the Orioles need to get into the postseason is less daunting as it once seemed. Could 83 or even 82 wins end up doing it at this point? In this episode, I’m thinking about the math involved, what needs to keep going right for the Orioles, what could maybe start going better in another week or two, and I’m continuing to think about Gunnar Henderson, who is a crucial part of this effort.

Listen to this week’s episode here:

If the above player isn’t displaying, view this article in Incognito Mode or check it out on the show’s page.

This is my weekly podcast about whatever is going on lately with the Orioles. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe. You can get the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to access your podcasts.

How are you feeling about the way things are going with the Orioles right now? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of a future episode of the podcast.

The San Diego Padres and the Cleveland Guardians got off to a slow start in the final game of the three-game series at Progressive Field, but it had nothing to do with their play. The teams were unable to take the field due to weather in the Cleveland area and the start of the game was delayed by more than three hours.

Once the teams were able to begin play, Casey Mize dominated the Guardians’ lineup and the Padres offense gave him enough support to earn a 5-0 win in the final game of the series which also gave San Diego a series win. Mize completed six scoreless innings and allowed just three hits with one walk and three strikeouts before turning the game over to the bullpen.

Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon and Yuki Matsui followed Mize’s lead and dominated the Cleveland lineup. All three relievers completed scoreless innings, in fact none of the three even allowed a hit. Estrada worked the seventh and allowed a walk with one strikeout. Morejon worked the eighth without allowing a batter reach base and Matsui finished off the ninth with a five-run lead, allowing one walk and striking out two.

The Padres got to Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee early. Luis Rengifo hit a two-out solo home run in the top of the second and was followed by Gavin Sheets who also hit a two-out solo home run to give San Diego a 2-0 lead after its half of the second. Jackson Merrill led off the top of the fourth inning with a walk and later came in to score on a two-out single by Xander Bogaerts to put the Padres in front, 3-0.

San Diego tacked on a run in the top of the eighth inning when Jase Bowen connected on a solo home run to right field, which was his second of the season. The Padres were not done there, they added another run to their total in the top of the ninth inning when Jake Cronenworth connected on a solo home-run to right field that made the score, 5-0.

There were contributions in the game throughout the lineup, but Mize and the San Diego pitching staff set the tone. The Padres will look to add another win to their total when they visit the New York Mets for a three-game series starting today at 4:10 p.m.

Padres News:

• Starter Joe Musgrove has been increasing his workload with each rehab outing and appears to be set to return in the near future.

• Padres prospect pitcher Kris Schoolcraft has recovered from his ankle injury and returned to the mound.

Baseball News:

• It was announced Sunday that legendary pitcher Tommy John had died.

• The Milwaukee Brewers beat Tarik Skubal and the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the series.

• Late home run from Ben Rice lifts the New York Yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays.

• The Philadelphia Phillies won the final game of the series to sweep the Minnesota Twins.

• The Chicago White Sox completed a sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a win on Sunday.

• The Atlanta Braves rallied to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-3.

The St. Louis Cardinals got a statement win over the Chicago Cubs.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers (-233) hope a trip to Coors Field cures their recent struggles as they begin a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies on Monday night. 

Blake Snell makes a rare appearance, whereas the Rockies trot out Tomoyuki Sugano, who is due for significant regression.

See why my Dodgers vs. Rockiespredictions and MLB picksfor Aug. 17 are backing the visitors in a rout.

Who will win Dodgers vs Rockies today: Dodgers -2.5 (-107)

The Los Angeles Dodgers have the second-best OPS (.762), wOBA (.333), and wRC+ (110) this year, yet have been slumping this month (84 wRC+).

Tomoyuki Sugano has navigated an unseemly 6.93 xERA en route to 12 wins and a 4.43 ERA. 

The bill is coming due on both. Sugano can't walk this tightrope much longer, and L.A.'s lineup has the perfect matchup, in the perfect ballpark, to experience positive regression.

Blake Snell (120 Stuff+) should overpower a Colorado Rockies lineup with the second-worst wRC+ (82) against southpaws.

I'd lay L.A. on the -2.5 run line up to -120.

COVERS INTEL: Sugano pitches to contact and often gets hit hard (first percentile K-rate, first percentile barrel rate). The Dodgers have the league's highest xSLG (.433) and can send the ball flying all over Coors.

Dodgers vs Rockies Over/Under pick: Over 10.5 (-112)

Sugano has surrendered a .341 AVG and 1.196 OPS in prior meetings with L.A.'s projected lineup, so I expect a crooked number from the Boys in Blue.

Snell looked dominant in his last start (6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 10 Ks), although part of his effectiveness has come via an unreal 154 Stuff+ on his curveball. Benders don't operate optimally in Coors, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see a bit of regression from Snell in a strong, but not peak, start. 

Neither bullpen has been trustworthy, so I'm counting on runs.

Dodgers vs Rockies home run prediction: Freddie Freeman (+344)

Out of the 24 home runs Sugano has allowed, 17 have been to left-handed hitters. His xERA jumps to 7.68 and his FIP to 6.49 when at a platoon disadvantage. 

That's music to Freddie Freeman's ears, as he's crushed righties with .316/.392/.500 splits while hitting 11 of his 15 home runs.

Sugano's 22nd percentile groundball rate means Freeman has better odds than normal to let loud with a long fly ball.

Dodgers vs Rockies weather

It's Coors Field, so expect the typical bump in offensive expectations given the conditions.

Dodgers vs Rockies odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -233 | Rockies +223
• Run line: Dodgers -2.5 (-104) | Rockies +2.5 (EVEN)
• Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-108) | Under 10.5 (+104)

Dodgers vs Rockies trend

The Rockies have gone Over the total in 12 of their last 19 games. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Rockies.

How to watch Dodgers vs Rockies and game info

Dodgers vs Rockies latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Each time there is a rainout for a Braves game, whether we were at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Turner Field, or Truist Park, there was always someone complaining that they should have a dome. My response have always been the same. Domed stadiums add a prohibitive cost to an already expensive item. That cost is almost always shared with the surrounding community, whether they enjoy our sports team or not. To have a dome, you’re taking hundreds of millions of dollars from people that are trying to make ends meet just so 3-6 times a year we can watch a ballgame without rescheduling. And I feel okay with that stance.

However, that was considering rainouts and their cancellations. Right now, I want to talk about the heat. It was 96 degrees in Atlanta yesterday, with a heat index in the 105-110 range. A game was played yesterday that started at 1:30 pm local time. I caught the end of the game yesterday. There weren’t a lot of people in the stands for the finish. In this game, Matt Olson hit a three-run home run in the eighth to counter the game-tying homer by the Diamondbacks. The Braves survived the August Raisel Iglesias Experience for the win. And the response was… eh. But I get it.

I spent about three hours outside yesterday in my corner of Braves Country. It’s hot, fam. I get it that a nickname for the city is Hot ‘Lanta. But come on, it’s hot for 65-70 home dates a year. This isn’t some rare occurrence like a rainout, although we have seen more than a few rain delays and cancellations.

The level of heat does make the dome argument a little easier. It’s a near-year-round occurrence. Then you look at Tampa, Miami, Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix. These are all cities with roundabout the same weather concerns, that play baseball in domes. Well, Florida is its own weather (and everything else) animal, but it’s similar.

You can justify the heat argument, but I don’t know about the money angle. Truist Park, sans the lid, cost somewhere in the 622-672 million dollar range. Domes can add 40% of the cost of construction. We would end up going to the public with a tab of 260 million dollars minus whatever the Braves kick in.

For my experience, only about 20 percent of the park is guaranteed to be shaded for the entire game. For the rest, you can hang in the concourse or pay up for the seats with air conditioning. Some parks help ventilation that allows the park to breathe, but not Truist. Something about that park helps it hold in the heat. It probably has something to do with it being surrounded by acres of concrete and steel, which they can’t really control.

So do the Braves need a dome? I mean, no but still. Maybe we could have giant Big Fogg fans in the aisles? It’s hot, y’all.

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The latest reports coming out all but acknowledge that Alex Cora is going to be the next manager of the Phillies once the season ends.

Alex Cora, who turned down the job when Thomson was fired, is expected to be the Phillies’ next manager barring a World Series berth or title.

Bob Nightengale has been known to get things wrong from time to time, but considering that Cora was asked to be the manager when Rob Thomson was fired, this feels like it’s about right. Knowing that, with all the smoke that is surrounding the situation, what Alex Cora probably being the next manager mean to you? Does it move any kind of needle for you? Could he possibly get more out of the roster than what Don Mattingly has done now or Rob Thomson did in the future?