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Chicago Cubs update: Dansby Swanson, Bryse Wilson, David Peterson

The Cubs went 6-1 on their road trip to New York and Milwaukee, so this weekly review winds up heavy on the “Three up” side.

Hopefully, that continues on the upcoming homestand against the Padres and Cardinals.

Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs on the road trip.

Three up

Dansby Swanson was a hitting machine in New York

Swanson hit .438/.412/1.188 (7-for-16) in the four-game series against the Mets. (The OBP is lower than the BA because he had a sacrifice fly and no walks.)

Among the seven hits were three home runs, including a grand slam, and he had 15 RBI in the series, which is a record for any team in a four-game set vs. the Mets – and he did it all in the first three games!

That accomplished this:

Here’s the grand slam, hit in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader [VIDEO].

Bryse Wilson stepped up

Here’s a guy who had an absolutely awful year for a 102-loss team last year (the White Sox). The Phillies used him in one game this year and put him on waivers. The Cubs picked him up and used him as the “bulk guy” Sunday basically because they didn’t have anyone else.

He came through with 4.1 shutout innings. Which matched a Hall of Famer’s performance for the Cubs:

Amazing. Well done, Bryse. Hopefully he can continue to contribute to the Cubs this year.

David Peterson’s Cubs debut was a success

… although his first Cubs pitch wasn’t. It was hit for a home run by Jackson Chourio.

After that, though, Peterson was lock-down. 5.2 innings, only four other hits and one more run, no walks. He’ll definitely benefit from the Cubs infield defense. I’d expect him to go Friday or Saturday against the Cardinals.

Three down

Dansby Swanson was an out machine in Milwaukee

It looked like Swanson was finally coming out of his slump with the big series in New York.

Then he went 0-for-12 with four strikeouts against the Brewers. Granted, he was facing much better pitching in Milwaukee. Still, I hope he can recover his NY form at Wrigley this week.

This is the first time anyone has made both “Three up” and “Three down” in the time I’ve been doing this series.

Alex Bregman: Still cold as ice

While his teammates were having an excellent trip, Bregman batted .091/.250/.136 (2-for-22) in the seven games, with six strikeouts. This month he’s hitting .181/.324/.253 (15-for-83) with four extra-base hits (three doubles and a home run) and 15 strikeouts. The walks at least make the OBP somewhat useful, and he’s still playing excellent defense.

One of his doubles drove in an important run on Thursday [VIDEO].

Ethan Roberts needs a reset

Roberts was very good for most of this season, but on the trip: two innings, four hits, five runs (four earned), three walks, no strikeouts. He nearly blew Sunday’s game before Jordan Wicks (!) locked it down.

Roberts might benefit from a trip to Iowa. For now, at least.

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Seattle Mariners Minor League Roundup – Week Fourteen

SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 13, 2026: Nick Becker #5 of the Seattle Mariners looks on during a minor league spring training game against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on March 13, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

Tacoma Rainiers

Serving as a fantastic precursor to the Fourth of July this upcoming weekend, there were plenty of fireworks in an otherwise uninspiring 4-2 series loss for the Rainiers. Featuring one of the more animated brawls we’ve seen in recent years and plenty of homers, Tacoma, despite their losing effort, provided the fans in Salt Lake quite a show.

Here’s a video of the fight from Friday night. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth a watch.

Patrick Wisdom put his money where his mouth was on Friday night and served up Salt Lake pitching with a three-homer game on Saturday afternoon, launching absolute moonshots deep over the outfield fence and taking his sweet time to trot around the bases. Wisdom has utterly destroyed Triple-A pitching this season, and though his time in the majors is far more checkered, he remains a valuable piece to have available for an otherwise lefty-heavy lineup. Hopefully the M’s aren’t forced into a position where they need to call up him up on short notice, but should they need a righthanded masher, he’ll be waiting in the wings.

Arkansas Travelers

Arkansas started the second half off strong with a 5-1 series win over a poor San Antonio squad, crushing their inferior opponent with clean work from their rotation and tons of offensive production up and down the lineup. Comfortably the most prospect-heavy squad in this system, should the M’s choose to keep this roster in tact for the bulk of the second half, it seems likely they’ll be in the thick of contention for a playoff spot.

Michael Arroyo has really rounded into form the past month. After a slower start to the season with good-not-great results offensively, Arroyo has kicked it up a notch in the month of June and looks much like his old self once again. With just one game left to play in the month of June, Arroyo struck out just nine times on the month and is hitting .321, carrying a strong OPS of .952. Despite his suppressed number earlier this season, there wasn’t a whole lot under the hood that was cause for concern with Arroyo, and given his superior polish offensively, to see Arroyo producing at his usual level is far closer to a formality than a surprise. Look for this hot hitting to continue; Arroyo, still just 21 years old, is the most advanced hitting prospect in the entire system and has a shot to crack the big leagues late this season.

With talks of a potential “super ‘pen” officially entering the zeitgeist, both Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan made compelling arguments for a big league audition this past weekend. Anderson, who worked Friday’s game, was again phenomenal, striking out nine in five innings of two run ball. His scoreless streak of over 28 innings did come to an end, but he moved into second place on the minor league strikeout rankings (one behind Seth Hernandez) and is currently leading minor league baseball in K-BB percentage. Sloan, who allowed only one run, also struck out nine batters and has now posted back-to-back months with an ERA in the mid three’s. He’s also got premium command of the zone, walking just two batters all month. Frankly, there isn’t a tandem of arms in minor league baseball that can rival these two, and should they get a chance at the big leagues this season, they’ll be more than ready to put their best foot forward and help get this team to the postseason.

Everett AquaSox

The Frogs split their weekly series yet again, drawing 3-3 against the always tough Eugene squad on the road. With promotions expected at some point in the next few weeks (post-draft feels like the absolute longest they’ll wait), there’s a few potential reinforcements that could really help this team in the second half. Hopefully they’re able to hang on until that point and make a run in the second half.

It’s been a major bounce back season for Josh Caron in 2026. After a disappointing first year in 2025, Caron repeated in Everett and has looked much more comfortable at the plate, getting to his tremendous power regularly and improving his OBP skills. He’s even tacked on 15 stolen bases on the year, a rather surprising total for a backstop that’s not necessarily known for his footspeed. Caron whiffs a lot (31% K%) and will need to continue producing major power numbers in order to make the profile tenable, but given his premium defensive positioning, the bat doesn’t have to be quite as good as it otherwise would elsewhere on the diamond. A trial run at Arkansas seems like a worthwhile endeavor for the 22 year old that’s spent the last year and a half in the PNW with Everett.

In a similar vein as Caron, outfielder Carlos Jimenez has put together a really nice year after a solid, yet unspectacular 2025 season. Featuring a smooth lefty swing, Jimenez raised his OPS up to .884 this week, ultimately capping a monstrous month of June that saw him fueling a considerable part of this team’s offensive output. Logging an OPS of 1.026 on the month, Jimenez is both platoon and ballpark neutral in his splits (Everett’s stadium is very hitter friendly, but he actually hits better on the road), a sign that bodes incredibly well for his future chances as he ascends up the ladder. He doesn’t possess an overwhelming amount of pop in his bat, but as a steady producer for a few years now, Jimenez should get a shot to prove himself against Double-A competition.

Inland Empire 66ers

The 66ers split the series against San Jose this week, losing the potential series clincher on Sunday in extras. Inland Empire should be getting a handful of new players for the second half (Nick Becker would likely headline that group) and could ultimately turn things around with that injection of talent, but until that happens, they’ll have to find a way to string some wins together.

Now unfortunately on injury watch, star lefthander Mason Peters has now been skipped over in the rotation two weeks in a row. Peters had not missed a start prior to this and has already surpassed his inning total from last season at DBU, but it seems unlikely the M’s would opt to simply sit him for a two week period if nothing was wrong with him physically. Hopefully this is just a scheduled rest period (he’s not been put on the IL) and not something that sidelines him long term.

Righthander Scott Rouse, who joined the team in mid-May, surrendered his first run this past week, breaking what was a scoreless streak of 30 innings to start his professional career. The low-slot righty has a low 90’s fastball with good sink and run as well as an interesting changeup, and he’s used that arsenal to retire hitters at an unreal clip. He’s a bit older for the level (currently 24) and should probably be testing out the waters in High-A, but he’s had an undeniably fantastic start to his time in the Mariners organization.

ACL Mariners

Stud shortstop Nick Becker continues to rake in the ACL and is looking more and more like a game-changing talent on the dirt. Showing off his blazing speed on the basepaths with regularity, the 6’4 Becker is getting to more power in game action and has raised his season OPS to .962. The key for Becker, as is for most prep draftees, is the hit tool; if he’s able to make enough contact as he ascends up the minor league ranks, there’s not a lot he can’t do on the diamond. Still an unfinished product, Becker’s development should be one of the more interesting progressions to monitor as the second half of the season continues.

DSL Mariners

Gregory Pio continues to look like the best talent on this team. Still holding his season OPS north of 1.000, Pio has been manning centerfield and continues to dominate opposing pitchers at the plate. With as many walks as strikeouts, the young Pio already has 10 stolen bases on the year and is batting a cool .342 through his first 19 games. Reading into such a small sample size (particularly at the DSL level) is often a futile exercise, but Pio, who comes with considerable prospect pedigree, has done little to suggest he’s not the real deal. Look for him to ascend up prospect rankings come midseason.

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Monday Stat Party: Spider Webs and Scoreless Weavers

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 28: A.J. Ewing #9 of the New York Mets celebrates his sixth inning pinch hit two run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies with his teammates in the dugout at Citi Field on June 28, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing some of the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin.

TUESDAY

Kodai Senga completed a five-game span in which he allowed 27 earned runs. He’s just the ninth pitcher in Mets history to allow 27+ runs in a five-game span, joining: Jack Fisher, Bobby Jones, Al Leiter, Pedro Astacio, Bobby Parnell, Johan Santana, Jason Vargas, and David Peterson.

WEDNESDAY (GAME ONE)

Nolan McLean generated a career-high 19 whiffs across his six innings of work. That’s the most whiffs for a Mets right-hander since Kodai Senga racked up 22 in Colorado on June 6, 2025. McLean’s 12 whiffs via fastball were the most for a Mets right-hander since Tylor Megill’s 12 on April 9, 2025 against the Marlins.

WEDNESDAY (GAME TWO)

The Mets allowed nine runs in three consecutive games for just the second time since 2007 (when they had two such streaks in September).

The Mets lost despite hitting four home runs for the seventh time since 2023. No other team in MLB has that many such losses in that span.

The Mets committed six errors, tied for second-most in a game in Mets history. It’s the most errors committed by the Mets since September 1, 2014 in Miami, and the most errors committed by any MLB team since — in a karmic twist — the Cubs, on April 1, 2019 in Atlanta. Since 2000, the Mets have now committed six errors in a game on five separate occasions; no other team has done so more than twice.

Francisco Alvarez became the first Met to homer in both games of a doubleheader since Francisco Lindor hit three on September 27, 2023 against the Marlins at Citi Field.

Alvarez has hit eight home runs this season. Four of those eight have been home runs hit within two batters of another Mets player’s homer, including both which he hit in Wednesday’s doubleheader (one batter after Young’s homer in Game 1, two batters before Ewing’s homer in Game 2).

The Mets allowed ten runs in both games of a doubleheader for the sixth time in franchise history, and the first since July 23, 1996 at Coors Field.

Nico Hoerner became the fourth Cubs player to record three doubles against the Mets in the same game, joining: Billy Williams (June 5, 1968), Scot Thompson (October 1, 1978), and Mark Grace (June 9, 1993). The Phillies are the only other franchise to have four players accomplish that feat against the Mets.

The Mets allowed 50 runs in a five-game span for just the third time in franchise history. The first time was May 25-30, 1962, amid the team’s 17-game losing streak. The second time was September 9-15, 2017, when the Mets technically did it twice across six games.

THURSDAY

The 2026 Cubs became the first team to sweep the Mets in a four-game set at Citi Field since…the 2018 Cubs. Since 2015, the Mets have now been swept by the Cubs in nine of twenty-two series against them.

FRIDAY

The Mets’ 10-game winning streak against the Phillies at Citi Field (incl. postseason), dating back to September 21, 2024,came to an end.

By notching his fifth strikeout on Friday night, Zack Wheeler tied Noah Syndergaard for third place on the ballpark’s all-time leaderboard with 420 strikeouts at Citi Field. Jon Niese is in second place with 430, while Jacob deGrom is in first place with 901.

A.J. Ewing became just the second baserunner to record two caught stealings in a game at Citi Field, joining Jonathan Villar (May 25, 2021) on that short list.

SATURDAY

Bryce Harper hit his 15th career home run at Citi Field, breaking a tie with Chase Utley and Anthony Rendon for second place on the ballpark’s all-time leaderboard as a visiting player. Now the only player above Harper on that list is Giancarlo Stanton, who has a whopping 24 home runs against the Mets at Citi Field.

Christian Scott generated 17 whiffs, his most since racking up 18 in his MLB debut on May 4, 2024 in Tampa.

With a clean eighth inning, Luke Weaver recorded his 21st consecutive scoreless outing, tied for the sixth-longest streak by a pitcher in franchise history.

Juan Soto, Bo Bichette, and Francisco Lindor all drove in at least one run for the first time this season. The bottom of the sixth also marked the second inning this season in which each member of the trio got a hit, with the first coming in the top of the first in San Francisco on April 3.

Soto and Lindor each hit a triple, marking the first time two different Mets hit a triple in the same game since Mark Vientos and Jeff McNeil did it in Kansas City on July 13, 2025.

SUNDAY

Juan Soto reached base four times for the 100th time in his career.

Soto became just the fifth player to reach that milestone before turning 28, joining: Mickey Mantle (121), Jimmie Foxx (112), Ted Williams (102), and Mike Trout (100).

Since Soto’s rookie season in 2018, his 100 games with four times on base lead baseball, with Aaron Judge (84) and Freddie Freeman (83) being the only other players with more than 75 such games.

Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing became the first pair of Mets outfielders age 23 or younger to hit multiple RBIs in the same game since Lenny Dykstra and Darryl Strawberry on July 20, 1985 against the Braves at Shea Stadium.

Ewing delivered the first pinch-hit homer by a Mets rookie since Travis Blankenhorn’s first big league home run on July 18, 2021 in Pittsburgh. (source: SNY broadcast)

Kyle Schwarber hit his 25th career home run against the Mets in just his 90th game against them. Schwarber is one of 40 players with 25+ homers against the Mets, and one of only two from that group currently with fewer than 100 games played against them (along with Lee May).

Schwarber recorded three batted balls with an exit velocity of 106 mph or higher in a single game for the third time in his career against the Mets. Schwarber is the only player with three such games against the Mets in the Statcast era (since 2015), with Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge being the only other players to have two.

Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:

Only two players have hit three home runs in a game against the Mets, yet been on the losing end of the contest. Both players were Cubs:

Dave Kingman, in a 6-4 Mets win at Shea Stadium on July 28, 1979

Karl Rhodes, in a 12-8 Mets win at Wrigley Field on April 4, 1994 (This game was Opening Day, making Rhodes the first player in Major League history to homer in his first three at-bats of a season, according to the broadcast)

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MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers back on top, no one can slow Junior Caminero and the Rays

Featured in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, Mookie Betts blasts his 300th career home run, Jacob Misiorowski touching 105.5 MPH and insane power barrages from Junior Caminero and Luis Garcia Jr.

As a reminder, this article is a combination of current performance and long-term outlook.

Greetings Power Rankings fans from around the globe, I am not D.J. Short. As our venerable leader mentioned in this space last week, I’ll be doing my best to fill in with my insight and analysis here while D.J. enjoys a well deserved vacation.

Let’s get started!

▶Check out Matthew Pouliot’s latest Top 300 ROS update for fantasy baseball!

Rankings are from the morning of Monday, June 29

1) Los Angeles Dodgers ⬆️

Last week: 2

After going 5-1 on the road against the Twins and Padres this past week, the two-time defending champions now hold the best record in all of baseball. Mookie Betts has been leading the charge on offense, hitting .350 (21-for-60) with five homers and 10 RBI over his last 15 games. That includes Wednesday’s milestone blast against the Twins where he became the 17th active player to join the 300-homer club.

2) Milwaukee Brewers ⬆️

Last week: 3

The Brewers started the week off hot with four straight victories before dropping a pair of games against the Cubs to finish out the weekend. They’ve moved to a six-man rotation for the time being to accommodate the return of Brandon Woodruff and have built up a 5.5 game lead over the Cubs atop the National League Central. Oh, and Jacob Misiorowski threw a baseball 105.5 MPH – the fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher and the third fastest pitch ever recorded (behind only Aroldis Chapman).

3) Atlanta Braves ⬇️

Last week: 1

A tough week for the Braves where they were swept by the Padres and dropped two of three to the Giants has them falling out of the top spot in the rankings. The real concern is that they scored just 13 runs over the six games on the week – including six in an extra-inning loss on Tuesday. The offense desperately misses Ronald Acuña Jr. right now and he’s still nowhere close to a return.

4) Philadelphia Phillies ⬆️

Last week: 5

The Phillies continue to rise up the rankings with a strong 5-2 week on the road against the Nationals and Mets. Derek Hill has proven to be a valuable addition to the squad, with a pair of home runs on the week and this absolutely sick catch stealing a home run away from Juan Soto.

5) Tampa Bay Rays ⬆️

Last week: 6

The Rays just won’t go away. After dropping their first two games on the week against the Royals, they rallied to win the next two to split the four-game set, then carried the momentum through the weekend as they swept the Diamondbacks. They’ve pulled a game ahead of the Yankees for the lead in the American League East and are starting to look like a team that no one is going to want to face in the postseason.

Junior Caminero is on a ridiculous heater at the moment, hitting .423 (11-for-26) with seven homers and 15 RBI over his last seven games. On Sunday he became the ninth player in Rays’ franchise history to homer in four consecutive games and his six home runs during a four-game stretch are the most by any player in team history. His last one on Sunday was a majestic blast that traveled 463 feet.

6) New York Yankees ⬇️

Last week: 4

The Yankees took two out of three from the Tigers to start the week before getting swept in a four-game series against the Red Sox for the first time since August of 2018. Oof. The vaunted Bombers’ offense scratched out just nine runs in total over that four-game set. Over the last seven games, just three Yankees’ regulars are hitting above .190 – Paul Goldschmidt (.292), Amed Rosario (.263) and Anthony Volpe (.227). Get well soon Aaron Judge.

7) Chicago Cubs ⬆️

Last week: 10

The Cubs continued their rise up the rankings with a brilliant week that included a four-game sweep of the Mets in New York before taking two of three from the division-leading Brewers in Milwaukee over the weekend. Not too shabby. Dansby Swanson drove in nine runs over the course of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Mets, with a pair of homers and seven RBI (including a grand slam) in the first game.

8) Miami Marlins ⬆️

Last week: 12

Can anyone stop the red-hot Marlins right now? Another week in which the Marlins win four out of six games, taking series from the Rangers at home and the Cardinals in St. Louis. The pitching has been the main story here, as the Marlins have allowed just 24 runs in total over their last 10 games. Sandy Alcantara, Max Meyer and Eury Perez could make the Marlins a real problem for opposing clubs in a playoff series.

9) Chicago White Sox

Last week: 9

Taking on a pair of divisional opponents at home on the week, the White Sox got right back to work and took two out of three from both the Guardians and Royals to climb into first place in the American League Central. Miguel Vargas led the charge on offense with a monster week, hitting .435 with three homers and eight RBI. Kyle Teel rejoined the offense as well and provided a boost with a homer and five RBI on the week. His blast came during a staggering 22-1 victory over the Royals on Friday night.

10) St. Louis Cardinals ⬇️

Last week: 7

The Cardinals lose a bit of ground this week despite having a six-game homestand after dropping two out of three games to both the Diamondbacks and Marlins. JJ Wetherholt has been a force atop the Cardinals’ lineup throughout the season, but he had a rough week this week, hitting just .231 (6-for-26) with zero RBI and a 6/0 K/BB ratio. The Cardinals have been a great story in the first half of the season, but we’re starting to doubt their staying power in a crowded playoff picture in the National League.

11) Cleveland Guardians ⬇️

Last week: 8

The Guardians continue to tread water without José Ramírez, going 3-3 on the week against the White Sox and Mariners. The team’s offense has been really lacking in the power department, with just one home run in total over six games on the week. That one blast came from Kahlil Watson, who has provided a major boost to the Guardians’ attack, hitting .474 (9-for-19) with a homer and eight RBI on the week.

12) Seattle Mariners ⬇️

Last week: 11

The Mariners had a rough road trip this past week, losing two out of three to the Pirates in Pittsburgh before dropping two of three against the Guardians over the weekend. Hopefully the home cooking this week against the Angels and Blue Jays allows them to make that ground back up. The M’s powerful six-man rotation showed some cracks this week, as Bryan Woo and Logan Gilbert were both hit hard in losing efforts.

13) San Diego Padres

Last week: 13

The Padres stormed out of the gate this past week, sweeping a three-game set from the Braves and taking it to the Dodgers with a 7-1 victory on Friday night. Then they were clobbered for 15 runs on Saturday and dropped Sunday’s series finale to finish the week 4-2. As long as the Padres stay in the thick of the playoff race, you know that AJ Preller is going to make things interesting at the trade deadline. Walker Buehler has been a stabilizing force in the Padres’ rotation, posting a 1.71 ERA and a 27/8 K/BB ratio over 26 1/3 innings. That includes a brilliant start on Friday where he beat the Dodgers for the first time by spinning 5 1/3 innings of one-run baseball against his long-time former ballclub.

14) Washington Nationals

Last week: 14

The Nationals only went 3-4 on the week, but let’s just take a second to admire what a monstrous performance they got from Luis Garcia Jr. In six games, the 26-year-old infielder hit .526 (10-for-19) with six homers and nine RBI, including a two-homer game in Sunday’s victory over the Orioles. His unexpected power barrage has now seen him crush 13 home runs over his last 29 games.

15) Texas Rangers ⬆️

Last week: 21

The Rangers surge up the rankings on the heels of a 5-2 week that included a four-game sweep over the Blue Jays in Toronto over the weekend. Joc Pederson helped carry the load on offense this week, hitting .346 (9-for-26) with four solo homers. Unfortunately, the Rangers lost the red-hot Wyatt Langford to the injured list on Sunday with a left hamstring strain.

16) Houston Astros ⬆️

Last week: 23

The Astros thrust themselves right back into the mix for the division title in the American League West with a 5-2 road trip against the Blue Jays and Tigers that included a valiant comeback at Comerica Park on Sunday afternoon. Hunter Brown delivered another strong start in that one and looks like he’s fully back, while the Astros’ rotation should get additional reinforcements this week with the return of Cristian Javier.

17) Arizona Diamondbacks ⬇️

Last week: 15

It’s getting really hard to think the Diamondbacks are going to hang around in the playoff picture with the current state of their starting rotation. They went 2-4 on the week and Zac Gallen was clobbered yet again in Friday’s loss to the Rays, seeing his ERA rise to a cringe-inducing 6.15 in the process. The offense hasn’t been good either, scoring a total of four runs during their weekend series against the Rays.

18) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬇️

Last week: 16

The Pirates had a chance to make up ground during their six-game homestand, but wound up going 3-3 against the Mariners and Reds. The schedule is going to get a lot tougher this week, taking on the Phillies for four in Philadelphia before heading to Washington for three over the weekend. On the bright side, Esmerlyn Valdez had a monster week, hitting .533 (8-for-15) with three homers and five RBI.

19) Toronto Blue Jays ⬇️

Last week: 17

In a week in which the Blue Jays were expected to rise up the rankings, they instead dropped six consecutive games to finish the week 1-6. That includes a four-game sweep at home at the hand of the Rangers that included three one-run losses. Absolutely brutal. To add injury to insult, the Jays also lost Jesús Sánchez to the injured list on Saturday with a right ankle sprain.

20) Athletics ⬇️

Last week: 18

A tough week for the A’s as they toured around California, losing two out of three to the Giants in San Francisco and the the Angels in Los Angeles. They also lost hot-hitting infielder Zack Gelof to the injured list with a hand laceration and contusion when he was stepped on by Matt Chapman during Tuesday’s contest. Gage Jump looks like the real deal though and struck out nine over five scoreless innings against the Giants on Wednesday.

21) Minnesota Twins ⬇️

Last week: 20

The Twins were swept at home by the Dodgers to open the week before rallying to take two out of three from the hapless Rockies. Yoendrys Gómez has been an absolute revelation since joining the Twins’ bullpen, posting a 1.25 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and a 22/8 K/BB ratio over 21 2/3 innings in 24 appearances while converting each of his first seven save chances with the ballclub — including a four-pitch frame against the Rockies on Sunday to preserve a one-run advantage.

22) Cincinnati Reds ⬇️

Last week: 19

The Reds’ offense was boosted by the return of Elly De La Cruz this week, but they still dropped four of six games against the Brewers and Pirates. Hunter Greene looked extremely impressive during his latest minor league rehab start and should be cleared to rejoin the team’s rotation this week. If he keeps pitching like that, the Reds could thrust themselves right back into the mix for a Wild Card berth in the National League.

23) Baltimore Orioles ⬇️

Last week: 22

After another rough week in which the Orioles lost four out of six games, they appear to be in a freefall. The offense got a boost with the return of Adley Rutschman and Dylan Beavers from the injured list on Sunday and the rotation should follow suit as Dean Kremer could be ready to return before the week is through. Will it be enough to propel them back into the race? Only time will tell.

24) Los Angeles Angels ⬆️

Last week: 28

Those pesky Angels did what they had to do at home this week, taking two out of three from both the Orioles and Athletics. They also saw Kirby Yates record his 100th career save on Saturday evening against the A’s. Grayson Rodriguez has started his minor league rehab assignment and should rejoin the rotation soon. With the wide-open American League West, the Halos’ playoff hopes aren’t completely dashed just yet.

25) Boston Red Sox ⬆️

Last week: 26

Just when you think the Red Sox are completely out of the race and starting to consider becoming sellers at the trade deadline, they sweep the Yankees in a four-game series over the weekend to show that they do still have signs of life. With winnable series on tap against the Nationals and Angels on tap, this week will be a good measuring stick to see where the Red Sox are actually at as we head into July.

26) Detroit Tigers ⬇️

Last week: 24

The Tigers continue to flounder in a putrid American League, dropping two out of three to the Yankees in New York before losing three out of four over the weekend at home against the Astros – including blowing a 3-0 lead late in Sunday’s game. The bullpen is in shambles, the offense lacks any sort of consistency and their playoff hopes fall further into the oblivion as each day passes. Let’s just hope that Scott Harris does the right thing and moves all tradeable assets at the deadline. That means Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, Kenley Jansen, Gleyber Torres, and Jack Flaherty should all be donning new uniforms in August.

27) New York Mets ⬇️

Last week: 25

An already bad season got even worse for the Mets this week as they were swept in a four-game series at home against the Cubs before losing two out of three against the Phillies over the weekend. Even the return of Francisco Lindor couldn’t inject the necessary life into the Mets’ struggling offense. The Mets now own the second worst record in the National League and sit 9.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot.

28) Kansas City Royals

Last week: 28

The Royals had a decent enough week going 3-4 against the Rays and White Sox. The offense has continued to be a real struggle though, with just 12 runs scored over their last five games. That includes an embarrassing 22-1 loss to the White Sox on Friday night. They were bit by the injury bug as well as Maikel Garcia (hand) landed on the injured list, Jac Caglianone (groin) was scratched from Sunday’s lineup and Nick Loftin was taken out by a crazy throw from teammate Daniel Lynch IV on Saturday.

29) San Francisco Giants

Last week: 29

The Giants actually played pretty good baseball this past week, winning four out of six games against the Athletics and Braves. Their offense also got a boost with the return of Heliot Ramos from the injured list on Sunday. They still have a leg up over the Rockies in the battle for fourth place in the National League West.

30) Colorado Rockies

Last week: 30

The Rockies took two out of three from the Red Sox to start the week before dropping two out of three against the Twins in Minneapolis to finish it out. Hunter Goodman did some serious work on Saturday though, with the first three-homer game of his career. The 26-year-old backstop now has 25 homers on the season and should soar past the career-high mark of 31 that he set last season.

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Reds vs Brewers Prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 29

The NL Central has four teams separated by four or fewer games, but the Milwaukee Brewers (50-31) sit atop the throne as we inch closer to the All-Star break. Milwaukee will host Cincinnati (39-43) as both teams look to get back in the win column after losses on Sunday.

Cincinnati is coming off a 9-4 loss to Pittsburgh and has dropped four of the last six games. The Reds turn to Nick Lodolo to open the series, which hasn't been great news lately. In June, the Reds are 0-4 in Lodolo's starts and he has a 6.16 ERA with 13 earned runs on 28 hits allowed over 19.0 innings. However, in his last start, Lodolo went 4.0 innings with zero earned runs against Milwaukee, a significant improvement seven earned runs and 11 hits versus the Mets in his prior start.

Milwaukee has lost two straight games to break up their five-game winning streak. Despite the recent losses, Milwaukee is still up 6.5 games on the NL Central. Over the past week, the Brewers are hitting .220 (22nd) and rank sixth in ERA (2.89) as a pitching staff with the best OBA (.162). Robert Gasser gets the nod to start the series. Milwaukee lost his first four starts this year, but the Brewers have won the past two with Gasser on the mound as he's posted a 1.54 ERA and .154 OBA.

Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Reds at Brewers

  • Date: Monday, June 29, 2026
  • Time: 7:40 PM EST
  • Site: American Family Field 
  • City: Milwaukee, WI
  • Network/Streaming: MLB TV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Reds at the Brewers

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Cincinatti Reds (+129), Milwaukee Brewers (-156)
  • Spread: Brewers -1.5 (+138), Reds +1.5 (-167)
  • Total: 9.0

Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Brewers

  • Monday's pitching matchup (June 29): Nick Lodolo vs. Robert Gasser  
  • Reds: Nick Lodolo

2026 stats: 79.1 IP, 5-5, 4.99 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 59 Ks, 28 BB

  • Brewers: Robert Gasser 

2026 Stats: 93.0 IP, 8-3, 1.45 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 138 Ks, 23 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not

  • The Reds’ Sal Stewart is hitting .254 with 79 hits, 15 home runs and 57 RBI over 311 at-bats
  • The Reds’ Matt McLain is hitting .198 with 50 hits and 76 strikeouts over 253 at-bats
  • The Brewers’ William Contreras is hitting .301 with 89 hits, 9 home runs, and 50 RBI over 296 at-bats
  • The Brewers’ Joey Ortiz is hitting .200 with 33 hits and 35 strikeouts over 200 at-bats

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Brewers

  • The Reds are 45-37 ATS, tied for sixth-best
  • The Brewers are 45-36 ATS, ranking fifth-best
  • The Reds are 49-32 to the Over, ranking third-best
  • The Brewers are 42-37-2 to the Under, ranking 10th-best
  • The Reds are 25-16 ATS on the road, ranking second-best 
  • The Brewers are 24-19 ATS at home, ranking eighth-best

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Reds and the Brewers

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Reds and the Brewers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Reds on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Reds at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.0

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

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Pitching falters, Padres lose game, series to Dodgers

San Diego, CA - June 28: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on June 28, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

It was a disappointing end to what looked like a solid start from San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King. The right-hander cruised through the first three innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers allowing just one run over that time. Manny Machado homered in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1, but when King returned to the mound in the top of the fifth inning, he could not locate his pitches and the result was a three-run inning that resulted in a 4-2 loss for San Diego.

King opened the top of the fifth with a walk to the No. 9 batter Alex Freeland. He then caught a lineout on a bunt attempt from Chuckie Robinson but followed that with another walk to Shohei Ohtani. King hit Andy Pages for the second time in the game to load the bases and then walked Freddy Freeman on a nine-pitch at-bat. The ninth pitch was close to the bottom of the zone on the inside corner but neither King nor Rodolfo Duran challenged the call, and Los Angeles took a 2-1 lead. What proved to be the game-winning hit and the end of the day for King came on a two-run single by Mookie Betts which pushed the lead to 4-1. Yuki Matsui relieved King and got Max Muncy to pop out and Tommy Edman to ground out to end the inning.

The Padres cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jackson Merrill singled to start the inning, and Machado hit a deep flyball to center that looked like a two-run home run off the bat. It was caught on the warning track by Pages. Gavin Sheets struck out for the second out of the inning, but not before Merrill stole second base. Xander Bogaerts singled following a pitching change and drove in Merrill to make the score, 4-2. Miguel Andujar was then hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second, but Sung-Mun Song struck out to end the inning and strand the runners.

San Diego threatened in the bottom of the eighth inning after Machado doubled to open the frame. Ty France, who pinch-hit for Sheets, was then hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second with no outs. Bogaerts struck out and Andujar grounded into a double play to end the threat and the inning. The Padres brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning after Freddy Fermin worked a one-out walk, but Fernando Tatis Jr. grounded into a double play on the first pitch of the at-bat to end the inning and the game.

King finished his day after 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Matsui, Jason Adam and Wandy Peralta pitched 4.2 scoreless innings to give San Diego a chance to come back in the game, but the Padres failed to take advantage of scoring opportunities and finished a disappointing 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

San Diego is on the road today to open a series with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field at 5:05 p.m.

Padres News:

  • The Padres lost the series to the Dodgers but won the homestand 4-2 thanks to a sweep of the Atlanta Braves. The San Diego offense seems to be trending up according to Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball who recaps the week that was.
  • Bradgley Rodriguez was being used a lot out of the bullpen for the Padres and when they saw an opportunity to get him some time off to keep him healthy for the rest of the season, they took it. After some rest he returned to the mound for Double-A San Antonio.
  • San Diego and Los Angeles are so close geographically that it’s easy for opposing fans to travel back and forth for the games. Dodgers fans made the trip to Petco Park this weekend and it did not go unnoticed by the Padres players.

Baseball News:

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Podcast: Two years since things were good with the Orioles

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 27: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts after striking out in the third inning against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 27, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We didn’t know it at the time, but when the calendar turned to July two years ago, that was the end of the good run for the Orioles. They had a losing record that month, the next, and in all finished the second half of the 2024 season with a .500 record, followed by a swift postseason exit. As the 2026 disappointment heads towards July, we’re nearly at two full years of this team failing to live up to expectations.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, I’m thinking about just how few of the current Orioles were actually on the roster when the team was last good. There has been a whole lot of roster turnover since this day two years ago. The core players who’ve carried over aren’t collectively playing like a core of stars, many of the later-arriving players have had bumpy introductions to the majors, and a lot of Mike Elias’s moves to supplement the roster have not paid the dividends I think he believed that they would.

What are they supposed to do about it? I don’t know and I don’t think they do either. Also in this episode, a Camden Chat reader asked who the Orioles would even have to trade to get a possible real, impact player if they did end up as trade deadline buyers. The question was asked before the team went 2-4 over the last week, so I did my best to answer it. I think they might have a shot at someone worthwhile if they really want to go that route.

Check out this week’s episode here:

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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.

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Yoel Tejeda Jr. is emerging as an interesting arm in the Washington Nationals farm system

Both in the big leagues and on the farm, the Nationals have more hitting talent than pitching. However, that does not mean there are no interesting arms in the system. Today, I wanted to highlight one of the most intriguing arms on the farm in Yoel Tejeda. The 6 ‘8 righty has developed from an ultra raw 15th round pick to a real riser.

Coming out of high school in 2022, Tejeda was a highly regarded two-way prospect. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the 217th prospect in that draft, but he decided to follow through on his commitment to the University of Florida. Tejeda spent one year at Florida and one at Florida State, and struggled at both spots. However, his unique frame and pedigree convinced the Nats to take a flier on him in the 14th round of the 2024 draft.

That decision by the old regime has proven to be a wise one. Right now, MLB Pipeline lists Tejeda as the 14th best prospect in the Nats system. Last season, the big righty spent most of the season in Low-A, where he made huge improvements to his strike-throwing. In college, he walked more hitters than he struck out, but last season, he had a 21.8% K rate and a 7.4% walk rate.

 He made some mechanical tweaks that helped his strike-throwing, but saw his velocity more in the low-90’s than the mid-90’s. It was a worthwhile tradeoff, but the hope was that Tejeda would get some of that old velocity back while keeping his command gains. Entering this season, he had some real fans, with some even wondering if he could sneak on to top 100 lists at some point.

This spring we did see Tejeda throwing harder. He was sitting in the mid-90’s, while flirting with the upper 90’s. However, in the Spring Breakout game, his control looked erratic. Those command issues plagued him at the beginning of the season as well. In April, Tejeda posted a 5.60 ERA with 11 walks in 17.2 innings with High-A Wilmington. 

As the season has gone on though, Tejeda has made big improvements. He has a 1.38 ERA in five June starts, and is averaging over 5 innings per start. Tejeda has 11 walks in 26 innings, which is on the higher side, but it is manageable, especially when he has 33 strikeouts to go with it. His strikeout rate is hovering around 30% this month, while his walk rate is just under 10%. That is big time stuff, and could get the 22 year old promoted to AA soon.

After doing some digging, it is clear that Tejeda’s stuff has definitely ticked up. Last year, he was sitting in the 92 MPH range. However, this season, he is sitting 94-96 and tops out at 98. Pair that with the massive extension Tejeda gets from being a 6’8 pitcher, and his fastball gets on hitters in a hurry.

To pair with the heater, Tejeda has a sweeper and a shorter slider, as well as a splitter. The breaking balls are his best secondary pitches that he uses to put hitters away. Last season, he had some trouble with left handed hitters, but his splits are much more even in 2026.

This past week might have been the best of Tejeda’s career. He made two starts that covered 10.2 innings, and allowed just one earned run. The massive right hander also struck out 7 in both starts. He is really surging right now, and I think a promotion is on the horizon. Here is a nice interview he did after his start yesterday.

Quite frankly, the Nats are a little light on starting pitching in the majors and minors right now. It does not help that their two best pitching prospects have been out all season, but they need someone to step up. Tejeda is not going to be in the big leagues until late 2027 at the earliest, but he is a pitcher whose stock is on the rise.

Unique is good when it comes to pitching, and Tejeda’s massive frame creates unique challenges for hitters. After being a disappointment in college, Yoel Tejeda Jr. is finally living up to his high school pedigree with the help of the Nats pitching development program. I can’t wait to see how he does the rest of the season and what is next for the towering right hander.

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Mets Report Card: Grading the offense halfway through the 2026 MLB season

From the start, the Mets’ 2026 offensive philosophy was designed to be a departure from the recent past, trading power and a wildly streaky nature for more day-to-day dependability built upon high-average hitters with proven track records of producing in the clutch.  

At one point in spring training, David Stearns summed up the new philosophy by saying, “We wanted to have a lineup with more competitive at-bats 1-9. I believe we have that.” 

It turned out the Mets had anything but that, at least through the first half of this season. The newly acquired proven clutch hitters, Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco, either failed or were hurt, while the concept of a deeper, more competitive lineup proved all but laughable, as the bottom half was full of easy outs.  

Throw in the injuries to Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, and the result was worse than even the resentful Pete Alonso fan might have predicted.  

Indeed, the numbers spell out a level of futility that seems almost unfathomable for a team with the second-highest payroll in baseball.  

Consider that, in MLB rankings, the Mets are: 27th in batting average (.231), 28th in slugging (.375), 29th in on-base percentage (.300), 27th in OPS (.678).  

Also, they are dead last in doubles, with 101.  

And with runners in scoring position, the most common measure of clutch hitting, where the changes were supposed to be most impactful, the Mets are 22nd in batting average (.238) and 29th in OPS (.675).  

Ouch, ouch, and ouch.  

“It’s hard to be that bad across the board with some of the high-level talent they have,” one MLB scout told me. “It’s like their lineup was infected by some virus that they couldn’t stop from spreading. At the same time, I thought they created a lot of uncertainty about what they’d be offensively with some of the gambles they took.” 

Yes, particularly in some cases, the offensive failures reflect poorly on the president of baseball operations for what have proven to be bad gambles.  

Most notably, Luis Robert Jr. and Polanco each had an off-putting history of injuries that have reared their ugly heads in their first season in Queens, a development that Stearns admitted recently at a news conference might force the Mets to change the way they evaluate and approach such acquisitions.  

For that matter, the same injury-related red flags applied to the Frankie Montas free-agent signing from the previous winter, perhaps the most head-scratching Stearns’ move of them all. Turned out to be a waste of $34 million over two years. 

May 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) is greeted by first base & outfield coach Gilbert Gomez (65) after hitting a two run RBI single aganist the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium.
May 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) is greeted by first base & outfield coach Gilbert Gomez (65) after hitting a two run RBI single aganist the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at Angel Stadium. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

But this is about the offense, including the other move that raised eyebrows at the time, the trade of Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien.

Stearns sold it as a move to bolster his offseason theme of run prevention, even if it seemed driven at least as much by his desire to get out from under the five years remaining on Nimmo’s contract, compared to three for Semien.

As such, it had the feel of a small-market move that a Steve Cohen-owned team didn’t need to make when in pursuit of a championship, though it could be argued it was also made partly to open an outfield spot for Carson Benge, one of the few bright spots of the first half.

Even in that case, however, Semien hasn’t played well enough to justify the deal. At the plate, he has pretty much performed as poorly as his two-year decline with the Texas Rangers predicted, with a .613 OPS that is second-worst among all MLB second basemen, while his Gold Glove defense has slipped significantly, at least according to various metrics.

Finally, Stearns bet that homegrown holdovers Mark Vientos, BrettBaty, and Francisco Alvarez would finally grow into dependable offensive players, after a few years marked by ups and downs, and that hasn’t happened either.

All of it made for a disastrous first half. Even when Soto was swinging a hot bat, eventually joined by Benge and finally Bichette in recent weeks, the Mets have been prone to days when nobody hits.

In fact, they have scored two or fewer runs in 32 different games, the most in the National League.

New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) hits a RBi triple during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park
New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) hits a RBi triple during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park / David Frerker - Imagn Images

With all that said, there were also important developments that bode well for the future, as rookies Benge and A.J. Ewing emerged as major contributors.

Benge struggled for the first month or so of the season, but then began living up to the Mets’ belief that he can be a star player, as he shortened his swing a bit and learned how to catch up with high-velocity fastballs, hitting .288 since the beginning of May.

Ewing, meanwhile, was a revelation from the moment he was called up on May 12, showing remarkable plate discipline for a rookie and a short, quick stroke that likely makes him an ideal leadoff hitter in the future.

“Those two kids are really good pieces for anybody’s offense,” a second MLB scout said. “It all went wrong for the Mets in the first half, and injuries were a factor, but with their big guys healthy now, especially if they get Polanco back, they could be much better in the second half.”

Whether it’s too late to make any sort of run toward wild-card contention remains to be seen. All we know for sure is the Mets dug a huge hole for themselves, and while a lack of strong starting pitching became their biggest problem over the last several weeks, the anemic offense was at the root of the 7-19 record in April from which they have yet to recover.

GRADE: F

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Pirates vs Phillies Prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 29

Philadelphia (47-37) and Pittsburgh (42-42) meet for a classic East versus West Keystone State battle. The two met earlier in the year and the Phillies swept the Pirates, outscoring the Buccos, 23-9, and shutting out Pittsburgh in the final two games.

The Phillies are 5-1 in the last six games and coming off a 5-4 win over the Mets. Kyle Schwarber hit his 30th homer to seal the Phillies win, while also becoming the first to 30 home runs on the year. Philadelphia won the series versus New York and will start Aaron Nola in the opener against Pittsburgh. The Phillies are 5-1 in the last six Nola starts and averaged over five runs scored per game in that span.

The Pirates are back to .500 on the season after a 9-4 win over the Reds. Pittsburgh is 5-5 over the last 10 games and turn to Braxton Ashcraft to stay above even for the year. The Pirates won Ashcraft's last two starts and are 7-3 since the start of May when he pitches. This will be Ashcraft's second start versus the Phillies this season. Ashcraft earned a no decision on 6.2 innings, 100 pitches, seven hits allowed, four earned runs, and five strikeouts to zero walks. Since then, Ashcraft has a 5-1 record over seven starts.

Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Pirates at Phillies

  • Date: Monday, June 29, 2026
  • Time: 6:40 PM EST
  • Site: Citizens Bank Park
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • Network/Streaming: MLB TV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Pirates at the Phillies

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (-109), Pittsburgh Pirates (-110)
  • Spread: Phillies +1.5 (-185), Pirates -1.5 (+152)
  • Total: 8.5

Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Phillies

  • Monday's pitching matchup (June 29): Aaron Nola vs. Braxton Ashcraft
  • Phillies: Aaron Nola 

2026 stats: 80.2 IP, 3-4, 5.58 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 82 K, 27 BB

  • Pirates: Braxton Ashcraft

2026 Stats: 96.2 IP, 7-3, 3.07 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 107 Ks, 22 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not

  • The Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber is hitting .256 with 77 hits, 30 home runs and 54 RBI over 301 at-bats
  • The Phillies’ JT Realmuto is hitting .205 with 40 hits and 43 strikeouts over 195 at-bats
  • The Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds is hitting .286 with 86 hits, 11 home runs, and 52 RBI over 301 at-bats
  • The Pirates’ Marcell Ozuna is hitting .204 with 42 hits and 68 strikeouts over 206 at-bats

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Pirates at Phillies

  • Philadelphia is an MLB-worst 31-53 ATS
  • Pittsburgh is 42-42 ATS
  • Philadelphia is 45-36-5 to the Under, ranking fifth-best
  • Pittsburgh is 48-33-3 to the Over, ranking fourth-best
  • Philadelphia is 15-27 ATS at home, ranking second-worst
  • Pittsburgh is 20-19 ATS on the road

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Pirates and the Phillies

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Pirates and the Phillies:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Pirates on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pirates at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 8.5

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
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  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
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Padres vs Cubs Prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 29

The Padres (43-39) are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Dodgers (54-30) and now travel across the country for a road trip that starts in Chicago. The Cubs (46-38) are heating up over the past week, but they have struggled at home altogether on the month going 5-6 over 11 games.

Chicago is 6-1 in the last seven games and coming off a 4-3 win over Milwaukee in extra innings Sunday. Chicago has now tied or won five straight series but are still 6.5 games back of Milwaukee for first place in the NL. After losing four straight starts by Shota Imanaga, the Cubs have won three of the last four with three of those games being decided by one run.

San Diego has yet to announce a pitcher for this game and will likely roll with a starter and use relief pitchers a majority of the way. The Padres have had 11 road games this month and have come away with four wins. San Diego is hitting .226 on the road this season (28th) with bottom 10 ranks in OBP, SLG, and OPS. Over the last seven days, Manny Machado has two walk off winners and is hitting .300, which is a pleasant sign for San Diego fans.

Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Padres at Cubs

  • Date: Monday, June 29, 2026
  • Time: 8:05 PM EST
  • Site: Wrigley Field 
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: MLB TV

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Padres at the Cubs

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (-149), San Diego Padres (+123)
  • Spread: Padres +1.5 (-149), Cubs -1.5 (+124)
  • Total: 11.5

Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Cubs

  • Monday's pitching matchup (June 29): Shota Imanaga vs. Griffin Canning
  • Cubs: Shota Imanaga  

2026 stats: 92.0 IP, 5-6, 4.40 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 88 Ks, 23 BB

  • Padres: Griffin Canning

2026 Stats: 42.2 IP, 1-5, 7.38 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 43 K, 26 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not

  • The Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong is hitting .278 with 88 hits, 17 home runs and 45 RBI over 317 at-bats
  • The Cubs’ Ian Happ is hitting .224 with 67 hits and 112 strikeouts over 299 at-bats
  • The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .283 with 89 hits, 3 home runs, and 30 RBI over 314 at-bats
  • The Padres’ Jackson Merrill is hitting .212 with 65 hits and 84 strikeouts over 306 at-bats

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Cubs

  • The Cubs are 34-50 ATS, ranking third-worst
  • The Padres are 45-37 ATS, ranking seventh-best
  • The Cubs are 45-38-1 to the Over, ranking eighth-best
  • The Padres are 45-36-1 to the Under, ranking second-best
  • The Cubs are an MLB-worst 14-26 ATS as the home team
  • The Padres are 20-16 ATS as the road team, ranking eighth-best

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cubs and the Padres

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Padres and the Cubs:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cubs on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cubs at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 11.5

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Monday Morning Texas Rangers Update

Jun 28, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Texas Rangers pinch runner Jarred Kelenic (25) scores on a wild pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Good morning.

Shawn McFarland writes about what we’ve learned about the hottest team in the American League, the first place Texas Rangers (!?).

Kennedi Landry writes that, with Texas in need of innings, Kumar Rocker produced the best road start of his career on Sunday as the Rangers swept the Toronto Blue Jays.

McFarland writes that the Rangers are playing their best baseball during a difficult stretch with the hopes for consistency to follow.

MLB dot com’s Brent Maguire notes that Tyler Alexander can make history tonight as the first player to ever make a start immediately after saving the previous two games.

McFarland writes that Evan Carter is back and hoping to show that he’s more than just an excellent center fielder.

Mike Axisa’s latest mock MLB draft has the Rangers selecting Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron. Now the question becomes, how will this impact LeBron’s legacy?

McFarland writes that the Rangers got the sweep but not before Brandon Nimmo ran face first into the outfield wall on Sunday’s final out, requiring him to be evaluated today.

Evan Grant writes about ex-Ranger catcher Robinson Chirinos offering aid after being tragically impacted by the devastating Venezuelan earthquakes.

And, at The Athletic, Cody Stavenhagen writes that baseball and the World Cup are having a summer fling.

Have a nice day!

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Do you trust Jose Alvarado in a high leverage situation?

Jun 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) and pitcher Jose Alvarado (46) high five after a victory against the San Diego Padres at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

In yesterday’s game, the Phillies had taken the lead thanks to Kyle Schwarber’s 30th home run of the season. The team had the lead and needed a fresh reliever, bringing in Jose Alvarado. His first pitch was 96 miles per hour….and went straight to the backstop. He ended up having the typical Alvarado appearance: striking out the first two hitters, hitting the next one, taking a bunt single and throwing it into right field to put runners in scoring position, then getting the third out on weak contact.

At some point, the Phillies will need Alvarado to settle into something a little more consistent. He had started to do so last season, but then, well, you know what happened there. It threw his then consistency into question as to whether it was artificial or not, making this season feel a bit more of the “same old, same old” when he enters a game. The question today is: do you have any trust in him when he enters a game any longer? Personally, if a left handed reliever is needed, I’d just as soon see Kyle Backhus on the mound than Alvarado, but the latter’s velocity with his stuff does help mitigate whatever platoon advantage a right handed batter might have.

It also throws into the spotlight the need this team has for another left handed reliever, but that’s a separate question for another day.

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What do the Orioles have in Coby Mayo?

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 24: Coby Mayo #16 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 24, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The optimism that surrounded the Orioles a few years ago was the result of a well-stocked farm system that had already begun producing big league talent. Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson debuted in 2022 on an Orioles team that over-performed expectations. The 2023 campaign brought the debut of Jordan Westburg, a Cy Young-calber season from Kyle Bradish, and 101 wins for the Orioles. The upward trajectory of the franchise was clear. But something has been off since the second half of 2024, and that includes a stunting of the team’s homegrown players.

These struggles are not specific to any one player. Rutschman was bad at the plate for a stretch that lasted an entire season and then some. Henderson has been a below-average hitter throughout 2026. Jackson Holliday has had flashes, though is yet to look like the former top overall prospect that he was. Colton Cowser may be the streakiest player in baseball with the deepest troughs and electric peaks. But there may be no player that has fans more divided than Coby Mayo.

Unlike many of his highly-regarded peers that came up through the Orioles system, Mayo was not an especially high draft pick. The O’s plucked him out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida with their fourth-round selection in 2020, though he did get a signing bonus more aligned with that of a second-round pick. There were warts on his profile that had many scouts worried about his unconventional swing and lack of an obvious defensive position, plus a belief that he was destined for college. The Orioles were able to talk him out of that committment.

Mayo mashed in the minors, including a .973 OPS across Double-A and Triple-A in 2023. That success catapulted him up the prospecting ranking charts. Heading into the 2024 season he was considered a top 30 prospect by each of Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and MLB Pipeline. It seemed as though the Orioles had their next star on deck.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t turned out that way. Mayo debuted in Baltimore at the tail end of the 2024 season, but struggled mightily. Over 17 games he hit .098/.196/.098. He returned in 2025, this time often as a first baseman. There was progress. Mayo hit .217/.299/.388 with 11 home runs overall and really seemed to be turning a corner late in the season when he had a .941 OPS in September.

Whatever was working for Mayo at the end of 2025 hasn’t really carried into ’26. He has been on the big league squad all year, mostly at third base in place of an injured Westburg. But he hasn’t exactly taken the position as his own. On the year, Mayo has an underwhelming .190/.260/.376 batting line with 10 home runs. That unevenness at the plate has often driven manager Craig Albernaz to rotate other members of the roster onto the hot corner.

Defense has also been an issue for Mayo this year. No matter which stat you look at, glovework is not Mayo’s specialty. He has been worth -4 outs above average overall, according to Baseball Savant, which is near the bottom of the league. FanGraphs lists Mayo has worth -8 defensive runs saved. But he wasn’t exactly set up to succeed in that regard.

It seemed like Mayo had almost entirely made the transition to being a first baseman in 2025. He played 605.1 major league defensive innings last year; 586.1 of them were played at first base. Then, the Orioles went and signed Pete Alonso in the offseason and held onto Mayo. Overnight, he was back to being a third baseman, a position that had already struggled with and where most scouts have long said he didn’t fit.

You can understand the Orioles perspective on this. They wanted to upgrade the lineup and inject power. Positional fit was secondary, and it’s not as if Mayo had done enough to become a player worth carving out an everyday spot for. The decision to sign Alonso is one that the Orioles front office can be proud of. He is one of the few members of the lineup that has continually carried his own weight. It’s up to Mayo to perform and prove himself. That hasn’t happened, at least not on an everyday basis.

An area where Mayo has shown quite well is facing left-handed pitching. Among players with at least 60 plate appearances against southpaws this year, Mayo’s 196 wRC+ ranks third in MLB, and he is tied for sixth in home runs (seven). When the Orioles do face a lefty, Albernaz is often pushing Mayo higher up in the order, and it usually works out.

The ability to mash left-handed pitching to that level is enough to keep Mayo in the big leagues for a long time. But the glove is not going to work at third base in any capacity, perhaps beyond the occasional fill in. Maybe the Orioles can keep working with him on positioning and footwork, but there was a reason they moved him off the position last year, and the only reason he is back is because Westburg is hurt and there are seemingly no suitable replacements.

A move to right field, as many prospects folks have long speculated, probably does make the most sense. And it could fit for the future Orioles too. The team seems likely to have some outfield innings up for grabs going int0 2027. Taylor Ward and Leody Taveras will be free agents. Tyler O’Neill, who is signed through next season, is on pace to have himself and his .552 OPS this year released early. Heston Kjerstad probably needs to have something click this year, or move on to another organization. Mayo could fit as a platoon bat in right with the left-handed hitting Dylan Beavers while still mixing in the occasional game on the infield or DH, or being deployed in pinch hit spots late in games.

A change like that is unlikely to happen in-season unless the Orioles fall completely out of contention. At that point, they may as well try something. The idea that Mayo is an attractive trade chip to land the Orioles some sort of big league contributor is probably over. He does have plenty of team control since he won’t hit free agency until after the 2031 season, and many organizations would be open to getting his talent through their doors. But he has also seen his many flaws exposed on the big league stage. Potential trade partners will understand that risk and any sort of return is likely to be underwhelming.

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I’m tired, boss. Are you tired? Do you think the Braves are tired?

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 12: Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider #99 rests in the dugout between innings during the MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves on April 12, 2023 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Nothing caps off misery even better than immediately wheeling your approach around to something completely different to try to win a series, only to get destroyed by bloop hits, swinging bunts, and your own defensive miscues. I won’t dwell on it.

This is not a great week for me, so I’ll probably do stuff like this for the weekdays. I have a big thing about what specifically killed the team’s offense in June and it’s somewhat complicated, but it’ll take me a bit to get that into useful shape because the biweekly recap will need to happen after tomorrow, too.

Do you think the Braves are tired of it all, too?