WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 14: Nehomar Ochoa Jr. #45 of the Houston Astros looks on during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros at Cacti Park at the Palm Beaches on Friday, March 14, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Trevor Gallagher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Here is a look at the Astros prospects who were hot last week.
HITTERS:
Chase Call – Call has been a little boom or bust this year but when he’s hot, he’s hot. This week he hit .526 with 3 doubles, 2 home runs and 13 runs batted in. Call is hitting .237 this season with 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 18 stolen bases through 61 games.
Josh Wakefield – Wakefield got off to a nice start but an injured derailed him a bit. He’s back now and had a nice week hitting .381 with 2 doubles, a home run and 6 runs batted in. He also stole 3 bases and had more walks than strikeouts. He has 32 stolen bases this year.
Waner Luciano – Luciano has been on a roll and he was great this week. In six games for the Woodpeckers, Luciano hit .348 with 2 doubles, 4 home runs and 10 runs batted in. He has a .843 OPS through 26 games in Single-A this season.
Nehomar Ochoa – Ochoa has put together a really strong season at just 20 years old. This week, Ochoa hit .455 with 4 doubles, a home run and 7 runs batted in. He’s hitting .283 with 15 doubles, 11 home runs and 28 stolen bases between 62 games this season.
Jack Moss – Moss was signed by the Astros this year after being released by the Reds earlier this year. The 24-year-old first baseman has been great since joining Asheville and had a nice week hitting .500 with 2 doubles, a home run and 9 runs batted in. He’s hitting .389 in Asheville.
PITCHERS:
Brett Gillis – Gillis has been on a roll for the Hooks and turned in another strong outing. He relieved Wesneski after a rehab start and went 5 innings allowing just 1 run. He has a 3.33 ERA this through 67.2 innings, allowing just 49 hits for the Hooks.
Kellan Oakes – Oakes got off to a great start this year but struggled a bit in Asheville. This week he had his best outing allowing 1 run over 6 innings. While he has a 4.75 ERA overall, he has racked up 58 strikeouts over 47.1 innings between Single-A and High-A.
Jackson Nezuh– Like some others on the list, Nezuh has really started to get it rolling. This week he went 7 innings allowing 1 run while striking out 5. He has a 4.18 ERA and allowed just 2 runs over his last 12 innings while striking out 14 for the Hooks.
Javier Perez– Perez has arguably been the best pitcher in the system this season. This week the right-hander tossed 5 scoreless innings with 9 strikeouts for the Woodpeckers. He has a 3.10 ERA with just 10 walks to 86 strikeouts over 72.2 innings this season.
Yeriel Santos – Santos has had a tough year but he had his best outing of the season this week. In his one start for Asheville, the right-hander tossed 6 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts.
Jack Wenninger of the Syracuse Mets delivers a pitch during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Following his optioning back down to Triple-A, MJ Melendez made about as good a case as one can make that it was the wrong move, slugging four home runs in his six games back with the Syracuse Mets. Coming into this series against the Worcester Red Sox, the outfielder/DH had a .216/.286/.431 batting line in his 14 games with Syracuse; now, Melendez is hitting .236/.313/.556, his batting average up .20 points, his on-base percentage up about .30 points, and his slugging percentage up roughly .120 points.
Melendez was optioned down to Triple-A because Tyrone Taylor was activated from the Injured List after spending a month on it due to a right hip flexor strain. All things considered, Melendez has been the better player of the two, posting a 92 wRC+ in limited at-bats to Taylor’s 61 in a similar amount of limited at-bats. With that in mind, Taylor has defensive utility that Melendez does not have, has more versatile as a bench player, and seemingly has the favor of GM David Stearns, who had Taylor rostered on the Milwaukee Brewers when he was GM there and then traded for him in one of his first moves as Mets President of Baseball Operations.
Optimally, with Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing really having established themselves, Juan Soto being Juan Soto, and Luis Robert Jr. making his way back from injury, the Mets have enough starter outfield depth that neither Melendez nor Taylor or anyone else see too many at-bats in Queens.
Daviel Hurtado
Week: 2 G (1 GS), 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K (Single-A)
For a little bit, it looked as if we were going to have dual winners, as Jack Wenninger and Daviel Hurtado both had identical Game Scores of 77, the former throwing seven scoreless innings against the Worcester Red Sox with one hit allowed, three walks, and five strikeouts, and the latter throwing six scoreless innings against the Frederick Keyes, allowing one hit, walking one, and striking out 8. Had that been it, it would have been the first time in almost a calendar year that two pitchers won; last year, Wellington Aracena & Brandon Sproat both won during Week Fourteen, which took place between June 24th and June 29th.
But then on Sunday, Hurtado entered the game in the bottom of the fifth and pitched two additional scoreless innings, allowing a single hit and striking out three more. While the game was technically never completed, suspended in the eighth because of rain, I am counting it regardless and Daviel Hurtado is our Pitcher of the Week; already the reigning, defending, undisputed Pitcher of the Week, Hurtado is the first pitcher this season to win it in back-to-back weeks, and becomes the fourth pitcher in 2026 to win twice, joining Channing Austin, Jose Chirinos, and Jonathan Santucci.
Since joining the Cyclones, the Cuban left-hander has thrown 18.2 innings at home at Maimonides Park and 17.2 innings at three different away stadiums- ShoreTown Ballpark in Lakewood, Frawley Stadium in Wilmington, and Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick. At home, Hurtado has allowed just one run (0.48 ERA), scattering 7 hits, walking 3, and striking out 14. On the road, he has allowed five runs (2.55 ERA), scattering 9 hits, walking 2, and striking out 21. While Brooklyn has certainly helped Hurtado’s surface numbers a bit, it’s not like he’s been disastrous or anything like that outside of the friendly confines of Coney Island.
While it’s great to see Hurtado having success, I’m still not exactly sure how viable he is as an actual prospect. As I discussed last week, his four-seam fastball doesn’t have great shape and should be scrapped in favor of his sinker, with Hurtado seeing most of his positive results from his slider and curveball. At this moment, I would not say that either pitch is above-average at this point; to me, both are as effective as they are currently due to pure movement, rather than effective movement. That is, at the lower level of the minor leagues, a pitch with a ton of movement, like a casually sweeping slider that starts at one side of the plate and breaks to the other or a big 12-6 curveball that starts at the letters and lands below the knees, can be extremely devastating. Against the more advanced hitters in the upper level of the minors, batters can sit on pitches like that. Pitches that have sharper, more sudden, late movement are generally more effective than pitches that just have a lot of movement.
There’s a good chance that the southpaw ends up on the backend of the 2027 Mets Top 25 Prospect list anyway, simply because the system is so paper thin as of this moment, but it is my opinion that the left-hander is going to need to sharpen up his repertoire if he is going to have success in Double-A and potentially beyond.
The San Diego Padres were blown out by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the series opener of this NL West battle.
My Diamondbacks vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks see value in backing the home team to respond in Game 2.
Who will win Diamondbacks vs Padres today: Padres moneyline (-125)
Neither offense is potent against right-handed pitching, but the San Diego Padres are in better form. They are +1.6 weighted runs above average vs. righties over the last month, while the Arizona Diamondbacks come in at -12.4.
If German Marquez can pitch an inning or two, Johnny Brito and his extreme ground-ball profile in the minors should help him survive. Bet this to -135.
Diamondbacks vs Padres Over/Under pick: Over 9 (-105)
These offenses are nothing to write home about, and I’m not sure it matters. The pitching is that poor.
Gallen has posted a 7.24 ERA over his past 12 starts, conceding an average of 4.6 runs when he takes the bump. Only once during that stretch did he allow fewer than three runs.
The Padres are going with Marquez as an opener, a minor leaguer in bulk, then turning to a bullpen that ranks dead last in FIP over the past two weeks.
I like the Over and would play it to -115.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 51-41, -0.15 units
Over/Under bets: 50-39-4, +6.39 units
Diamondbacks vs Padres weather
Temperatures are expected to be in the low 70s with winds blowing east. This weather shouldn't be impactful one way or the other.
Diamondbacks vs Padres odds
Moneyline: Diamondbacks +105 | Padres -125
Run line: Diamondbacks +1.5 (-180) | Padres -1.5 (+155)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)
Diamondbacks vs Padres trend
The Diamondbacks have only cashed the moneyline in 14 of their last 35 games for -8.45 units and a -21% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Diamondbacks vs. Padres.
How to watch Diamondbacks vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
DBacks.TV, Padres.TV
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Zac Gallen (3-8, 6.36 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
German Marquez (3-2, 5.79 ERA)
Diamondbacks vs Padres latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 06: Mike Burrows #50 of the Houston Astros warms up before a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 06, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For a team in a position where every win matters, continuing to hand away games simply cannot continue.
At some point, every branch will break. The branch carrying Mike Burrows on the Astros broke yesterday.
Staked to a 6-1 lead, Burrows proceeded to hand it all back in the 3rd inning, giving up a 5 spot as fans (and likely teammates) watched in horror as Burrows continues to get banged around the yard. He wasn’t fooling anyone, his manager Joe Espada admitted in the post game, lamenting Burrows inability to get a swing and miss with either his fastball or his changeup.
Burrows fastball has been the stuff of legend this season, for all the wrong reasons. It has been among the worst pitches in baseball this season. The league is batting .309 with an incredible .721 SLG vs Burrows 4-seam. He did not get a single swing and miss on 18 4-seamers yesterday against the Nationals. That is astounding. Astoundingly awful.
After 94.2 IP this season, Burrows is now 4-9 with a 5.99 ERA. That is the highest ERA for any Astros pitcher after 50 innings in the Astros uniform ever. Worse than Colton Gordon (5.95). Worse that Frances Martes (5.80). Worse than the Traitorous Rat Fink who shall not be named (5.22).
This isn’t “early struggles” anymore. This is broken.
That doesn’t mean Burrows cannot be fixed. As Espada so often reminds us, he is a young pitcher, and his stuff is there. The Astros Lab, which has made countless pitchers far more effective in a short period of time, has thus far been unable to solve the riddle of Burrows.
This far into the season, those riddles need to be solved in the minors.
Houston cannot in good conscience continue to send Burrows out every 5th to 6th day, and look the rest of the team in the yes and say they are committed to winning. Burrows is now a reclamation project.
Perhaps if this were not the 3rd straight year in which the Astros pitching staff had been beset by a plethora of injuries, things would be a little different. Maybe he would feel less pressure. Alas, that isn’t the reality in Houston.
To have seen Burrows be so thoroughly dominant in Spring Training and so abjectly awful in the regular season is also a point of frustration.
Yes, there was a point in time where Burrows was grading as an “unlucky” pitcher. The issue with that is he would give up an unlucky hit or two, and then groove one that got blasted into the seats with alarming regularity.
Where is the bulldog? Where is the desire to battle back?
Too often it seems Burrows simply melts down when there are men on base. It happened again yesterday, in the 3rd inning when he surrendered 5 runs without recording an out. He then allowed a leadoff homer in the 5th, and loaded the bases with one out before being lifted.
He put 11 men on base in 4.1 innings, he also committed an error.
By the time the 5th inning was over, Burrows allowed 10 runs, 7 earned. The Astros 6-1 lead had become a 12-6 deficit, one they would not be able to overcome in a 12-11 loss.
6-1 leads should be automatic.
This was the 10th start in which Burrows allowed at least 4 earned runs. He’s made 17 total starts. That is nearly 60% of his starts, the Astros need at least 5 runs to win. Houston is 2-8 is those 10 starts.
The Astros have been patient enough. Espada continues to speak in a coddling manner of him, always mentioning he is a young pitcher, and they need to put him in good situations. Is a 6-1 lead not a good situation?
The time has come and the time is now.
Cristian Javier is on the active roster. Lance McCullers Jr. and Ronel Blanco are both making what could be their final rehab appearances tonight for Sugar Land, in which they could both be looking at 70-75 pitches (they each threw 60 pitches in their last rehab starts). Ethan Pecko was just named PCL pitcher of the month after posting a 2.48 ERA in 29 IP with a 20/6 K/BB ratio.
All of them are better options than Burrows. Considering the Astros have relied on pitchers coming back from injury in the second half each of the past two seasons with suboptimal results, it is likely important to assess what you can expect from McCullers and Blanco (and later Hayden Wesneski, who isn’t far behind either of them) so that they don’t potentially make that mistake again this season. Houston needs to assess it’s needs at starting pitcher over the next few weeks leading to the trade deadline, because it already knows it needs a lefthanded outfield bat.
Houston has shown there is a limit to it’s patience with players they have invested in (time or money) this season when they recently demoted CF Jake Meyers. Meyers has been on the team since 2021, and they have tolerated awful offense from him before. That patience finally wore out, and centerfield has been turned over to the platoon of Taylor Trammell and Brice Matthews.
They need to do the same now with Burrows. Cut your losses. Quarterize the wound. Get him right at Sugar Land.
Maybe he comes back later in the year. Maybe he comes back next year. Maybe the deal winds up being a bust.
Should Mike Burrows be optioned is no longer a maybe. It’s a necessity. Time is up.
LOS ANGELES — Reliever Evan Phillips was reinstated off the injured list, returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers 13 months after having Tommy John surgery.
The 31-year-old right-hander spent the last month at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he had a 1.80 ERA with 13 strikeouts and five walks in 10 innings over 12 games for the Comets.
“My primary mix is very sharp and ready to roll,” he said before the Dodgers opened a three-game set with the Colorado Rockies.
Phillips had the surgery in May 2025, setting him on course for the first long-term rehab stint of his career.
“Credit to myself to stick with the process, leaning a lot on my family and my teammates here,” he said. “I was very appreciative to spend my rehab here last year after the injury. I think that helped my mindset stay focused as well. Just ready for this next step.”
Phillips won’t be needed again in the closer role. Tanner Scott has been ably filling in for the injured Edwin Díaz, who went on the IL in April for loose bodies in his elbow.
Scott figures to slot into a middle-relief position as he builds up to a potentially bigger role in October, when the NL West-leading Dodgers are expected to seek a third consecutive World Series championship.
During his month in the minors, Phillips spent his first several games focused on the physical side of pitching, including experimenting with grips, location, and working on a changeup. Then he flipped the switch.
“The second half of it I really tried to step up the execution and competition side of things,” he said. “That way, hopefully, it’s not the first time I’m doing it here.”
In a corresponding move, the Dodgers optioned right-hander Paul Gervase to Triple-A a day after he tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts against San Diego. Left-hander Jake Eder was released.
In other moves, the team added pitcher Carlos Duran to the 40-man roster and designated catcher Chuckie Robinson for assignment.
Duran, a 24-year-old right-hander, appeared in 30 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA this season. He had 50 strikeouts in 35 innings while limiting hitters to a .203 average. He made his major league debut last season with the Athletics.
WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli’s suspension for his role in a brawl at Boston was reduced on appeal from seven games to five, Major League Baseball announced.
Cavalli struck out Boston’s Willson Contreras looking in the fourth inning of an 8-1 Nationals victory.
Cavalli shouted at Contreras, who threw his helmet and moved toward the mound. After they continued yelling at each other, both benches emptied.
The right-hander began serving the suspension as the Nationals opened a three-game series against the Houston Astros. Barring any postponements, Cavalli would be eligible to return against the New York Yankees in Washington’s final game before the All-Star break.
While Contreras was ejected, Cavalli remained in the game and struck out 13 in seven innings while allowing one run. Cavalli is 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 19 starts this season.
Contreras also was suspended seven games, while Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas (five games) and Boston outfielder Nate Eaton (three games) also were disciplined. All three are appealing their penalties.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: Harrison Bader #9 and Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Monday, ahead of their entertaining blowout victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, the San Francisco Giants released a bunch of medical updates for their injured players.
Perhaps most important is that third baseman Matt Chapman, who is dealing with an abdominal strain, was set to re-join the team on Monday, and will be re-evaluated. The Giants aren’t giving a timeline, but it seems likely that his return date will be the first game out of the All-Star break, which is on July 17.
Catcher Daniel Susac, who has a lower back strain, has started his swing progression, and is throwing up to 105 feet. He’ll start running later this week, so he’s still a little ways away, but not too far.
Center fielder Harrison Bader, who has left plantar fasciitis, took batting practice yesterday and will run today. The Giants will take it very carefully with him, but he’s at least trending in the right direction.
Lefty reliever Matt Gage, who left a game over the weekend with an elbow strain, had an MRI yesterday and was set to be re-evaluated. It unfortunately looks likely that Tommy John surgery is in his future.
Righty reliever Joel Peguero, who has been rehabbing his left hamstring strain in Arizona, is set to throw a live batting practice session today. Hopefully he can kick off a rehab assignment soon. Fellow righty reliever José Buttó is throwing four times a week, and up to 75 feet. It seems unlikely that he’ll pitch again this season, though.
The Athletics visit the Detroit Tigers tonight as they look to take advantage of Tarik Skubal's struggles.
My Athletics vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks are expecting the A's to jump on Skubal as they continue to hit the ball hard.
Who will win A's vs Tigers today: A's moneyline (+158)
Tarik Skubal hasn’t looked like his dominant self lately. The Detroit Tigers lefty owns a 5.04 FIP over the last month while allowing 2.82 HR/9. Although opponents have only a 31.5% hard-hit rate during that span, his 13% barrel rate is concerning.
That could be problematic against an Athletics offense producing a 47.5% hard-hit rate over its last five games while averaging five runs per contest.
J.T. Ginn has been inconsistent, posting a 5.28 FIP over his last two starts, but opponents own just a 33.3% hard-hit rate against him. Ginn doesn’t need to dominate here, but he can keep Detroit within reach.
I'll play this pick down to +110.
COVERS INTEL: Tarik Skubal has been worse at home, posting a 3.89 FIP compared to a 2.65 mark on the road.
A's vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+109)
This certainly doesn't profile to be a pitcher's duel. We're looking at two offenses swinging it incredibly well, and both starters have also been vulnerable to the long ball lately.
Detroit's lineup has a .212 ISO over the last week while carrying a 41% hard-hit rate. The A's offense, as previously mentioned, is also in good form.
This Tigers bullpen is also a concern when Skubal does exit, posting a 5.99 FIP across their last 16.1 innings. As for the Athletics pen, they've been even worse, compiling a horrible 7.32 FIP over their last 22.1 frames.
We should see runs tonight, and I'd play this pick up to -110.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 33-21, +0.97 units
Over/Under bets: 35-28, +1.41 units
A's vs Tigers weather
Conditions should be favorable at Comerica Park tonight, with clear skies and temperatures hovering in the upper 70s throughout the game. Humidity will sit around 68% to 73%, while winds remain light at roughly 6 to 8 mph. With virtually no chance of rain, delays aren't a concern, and the warm conditions could provide a slight boost to ball carry without creating a major weather edge.
A's vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: A's +163 | Tigers -170
Run line: A's +1.5 (-127) | Tigers -1.5 (+122)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)
A's vs Tigers trend
The Athletics have cashed the moneyline in 22 of their last 40 road games for +7.50 units and a 18% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Tigers.
How to watch A's vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
NBCS-California, DSN
A's starting pitcher
J.T. Ginn (7-4, 3.04 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal (4-4, 3.15 ERA)
A's vs Tigers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez summed up one of the worse outings of his career with one word: crap.
Sánchez could have used much stronger language after giving up a career-worst nine earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings in a 15-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals.
Asked after the game if he could pinpoint something that led to the bad outing, the 29-year-old left-hander was lost for a cause.
“Nothing really,” he said through an interpreter. “I mean, it’s just a game. As I learn from the good things that we have on the field, and the things when we perform well, the same thing when I don’t perform. I just try to learn from it.”
Sanchez, whose previous worst outing for earned runs allowed was seven against the Cubs in April, gave up three of the Royals’ four home runs — all on his changeup, one of his signature pitches. Again, he had no answer as to why.
“I don’t really know,” he said. “Maybe it wasn’t doing as it always does. You gotta get credit to them, because they got me today, They made me pay, and you just have to keep going.”
Sánchez was not helped by his defense. With the Phillies leading 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Sánchez faced runners on first and third with one out. Jac Caglianone hit a grounder to second for a force at the base, but shortstop Trea Turner’s relay throw to first was wild, allowing Bobby Witt Jr. to score the tying run. The Royals went on to score five more runs in the first, and the rout was on.
“You’ve got to make (that play),” Turner said. “Who knows how that game ends up. (If) he gets out of it clean, and then gets on a roll, who knows how it turns out. That was a game-changer.”
Phillies manager Don Mattingly agreed the first inning impacted the whole game. But, it wasn’t the only issue for the Phillies, who lost two of three to the AL Central’s last-place Royals.
“I know you can’t assume a double play, but with Trea, you would think it’s a double play,” the manager said. “You gotta make that throw.
“But after that, we didn’t really stop them either. And we had some chances. In the first couple innings, we get the bases loaded twice, (and) we don’t score. We end up leaving 15. (We had) 10 hits, seven walks and only get one run. We had chances to kind of creep back in it.”
Mattingly is not concerned about Sanchez in the long term, even though he allowed five and four earned runs in his previous two road starts.
“You’re always kind of looking at everything,” Mattingly said. “He doesn’t seem to be as sharp (on the road) as at home. I don’t know if that has necessarily anything to do with it. Obviously, you don’t have the same mound you’re used to, but everybody pitches on the road.”
Sanchez has one more scheduled start — likely at Detroit — prior to the All Star break. He’s going to try to figure it out by then.
“I know that it’s something that’s happened on the road,” he said. “I don’t really have an answer for that. Maybe not being so familiar with the stadiums, but it’s just something that we have to improve.”
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves placed left-hander Martín Pérez on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm contusion.
Pérez was hit by Juan Soto’s line drive in a 10-9 loss to the New York Mets and left the game. Afterward, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said X-rays were negative.
Pérez (6-6) allowed six hits and five runs, four earned, in 4 1/3 innings. He has a 3.54 ERA in 18 games, including 14 starts.
Right-hander Carlos Carrasco was designated for assignment after allowing five runs on five hits in two innings.
The Braves recalled right-hander JR Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett and called up right-hander Owen Murphy, who has pitched for Gwinnett and Double-A Columbus this season. Murphy would make his major league debut if used in a game.
Atlanta also recalled outfielder José Azócar from Triple-A Gwinnett. Outfielder Eli White was placed on paternity leave.
Ritchie is 1-2 with a 4.53 ERA in nine games, including seven starts, for Atlanta this season. He was optioned to Gwinnett after he threw three scoreless innings to earn his first save in a 14-3 win over New York.
The Mets also made a move before their game at the Braves, acquiring right-hander Matt Seelinger from the Detroit Tigers for cash. Seelinger, 31, was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017. He had a 3.89 ERA and one save in 27 games with Triple-A Toledo this season and has never pitched in the majors.
Joe Espada was dealt a rough hand before Monday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals.
He was sending one of Major League Baseball’s worst starting pitchers, Mike Burrows, to the mound against one of the game’s best lineups with only a five-man bullpen at his disposal.
Josh Hader and Bryan King were unavailable after pitching on both Saturday and Sunday. Cristian Javier also wasn’t available after throwing two innings Saturday in his first relief appearance since Game 1 of the 2022 ALDS.
That left Espada with AJ Blubaugh; Steven Okert, whose 43 appearances rank fourth in the majors after pitching in two of three games against the Rays; Enyel De Los Santos, who had allowed runs in five of his previous six outings; the wildly inconsistent Nate Pearson; and someone claiming to be Bryan Abreu.
Espada needed a good outing from Burrows, or at the very least a long outing. He got neither. Burrows allowed five runs in the third inning after being handed a 6-1 lead. He got through the fourth without allowing a run. Desperate to avoid his depleted bullpen, Espada sent Burrows back to the mound in the fifth. He surrendered his 21st home run of the season on his third pitch, then retired just one of the next four hitters before Espada had seen enough.
Burrows owns a 5.99 ERA through his first 18 games (17 starts) as an Astro. Only Arizona’s Zac Gallen has been worse among qualified pitchers. Bad luck and poor defense were legitimate excuses for a rough start to the season, but he has a 6.98 ERA over his last nine starts with a 6.55 FIP, so yes, he’s been that bad.
The Astros hoped Burrows could occupy a top spot in their rotation for five years when they acquired him from the Pirates in December. While it seems unlikely right now, he could still reach that potential. But for the good of everyone involved, the Astros need to send Burrows to Sugar Land—or maybe even West Palm Beach.
It would give Burrows an opportunity to work on things in a low-pressure environment. It would also allow Javier, who looked good on Saturday, to move back to the rotation, which would give Espada a bullpen arm he can use on back-to-back days.
The Astros are just 1 ½ games back of Texas for the American League’s final wild card, and the AL West remains in reach. The team sent Burrows to the bullpen last month for what Espada called “a breather.” It lasted one turn through the rotation. He needs more than a breather right now, and with Javier back and Ronel Blanco and Lance McCullers Jr. on the way, the Astros can afford to do that now.
The Dodgers' (60-32) Dalton Rushing delivered a walk-off winner in the 11th inning versus the Rockies (37-55), winning, 8-7. The Dodgers have now won five straight versus the Rockies.
Colorado is a 0.5 game up over the Los Angeles Angels for the worst record in baseball. The Rockies are 1-2 in the last three games after winning three consecutive prior. To start July, Colorado is hitting .316 (2nd) with the fourth-most home runs (11) and top five ranks in OBP, OPS, and SLG. Colorado has scored a ridiculous 53 runs in the last six games with a 4-2 record.
Los Angeles is 4-1 over the last five games and 15-5 in the previous 20 outings. The Dodgers are 2.5 games up on the Brewers for the best record in baseball. Shohei Ohtani hit his 299th career home run in the win Monday as he improved his batting average versus Colorado to .355 on the season with seven RBI and nine runs scored.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Rockies at Dodgers
Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Time: 10:10 PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
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 Rockies at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-286), Colorado Rockies (+228)
Spread: Rockies +1.5 (+108), Dodgers -1.5 (-131)
Total: 9.5
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Dodgers
Tuesday's pitching matchup (July 7): Justin Wrobleski vs. Michael Lorenzen
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is hitting .288 with 90 hits, 18 home runs and 51 RBI over 312 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Alex Freeland is hitting .226 with 42 hits and 63 strikeouts over 186 at-bats
The Rockies’ Troy Johnston is hitting .310 with 83 hits, 3 home runs, and 39 RBI over 268 at-bats
The Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar is hitting .209 with 62 hits and 84 strikeouts over 296 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 Rockies at Dodgers
The Dodgers are 44-48 ATS
The Rockies are 50-42 ATS, ranking seventh-best
The Dodgers are 49-43 to the Under, ranking ninth-best
The Rockies are 45-44-3 to the Under
The Dodgers are 18-27 ATS at home, ranking fifth-worst
The Rockies are 24-18 ATS on the road, ranking fourth-best
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Dodgers
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 Tuesday's game between the Rockies and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.5
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The Chicago Cubs (50-40) open a three-game series in Baltimore tonight against the Orioles (42-49). Chicago trails Milwaukee by six games in the National League Central while Baltimore sits twelve games behind Tampa in the American League East.
The Cubs won 6-4 Sunday at Wrigley Field against the Cardinals to salvage the final game of an otherwise lost weekend series. Chicago was outscored 20-1 in the series’ first two games. Baltimore arrives home taking two of three against the Reds in Cincinnati. The O’s won the first two games against the Reds, including 3-0 Friday and 8-5 Saturday before dropping Sunday's finale 3-2.
Tuesday's pitching matchup features veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd (3-1, 5.08 ERA) for Chicago against right-hander Shane Baz (4-8, 4.19 ERA) for Baltimore. The Cubs have pieced together innings from Boyd while dealing with injuries elsewhere in the rotation. Boyd's ability to limit free passes and keep the ball in the yard will be keys to his success or lack thereof this evening. Baz has been one of Baltimore's top swing and miss hurlers with 87 strikeouts in 101 innings. Run support, though, has often been an issue for Baz. The Orioles have scored just 57 runs in Baz’s 17 starts (3.35 runs per start).
The hottest hitter in Chicago's lineup is Pete Crow-Armstrong, who enters the series batting .292 with 19 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 98 hits. PCA went 2-for-4 with a steal and a run scored in Sunday's win over St. Louis. After a slow start to his first campaign in Baltimore, Pete Alonso has been the biggest offensive force for the O’s with 19 home runs and 60 RBIs.
Lets dive into tonight’s 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.
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.
The Latest Odds: Cubs vs. Orioles
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (-118), Baltimore Orioles (-102)
Spread: Cubs -1.5 (+135), Orioles +1.5 (-163)
Total: 9.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Cubs vs. Orioles for July 7
Cubs: Matthew Boyd Season Totals: 33.2 IP, 3-1, 5.08 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 37K, 10 BB
Pete Crow-Armstrong has hit safely in 6 consecutive games (9-19)
Alex Bregman is 3-16 in July
Dansby Swanson is 9-22 over his last 6 games
Pete Alonso was 4-11 in the weekend series at Cincinnati
Adley Rutschman has hit safely in 4 straight games (5-18)
Samuel Basallo is 5-15 over his last 6 games
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: Cubs vs. Orioles
The Cubs are 37-53 on the Run Line this season
The Orioles are 45-46 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 50 times in Baltimore’s 91 games this season (50-38-3)
The OVER has cashed 49 times in Chicago’s 90 games this season (49-40-1)
Expert picks & predictions: Cubs vs. Orioles
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 tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Cubs:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Orioles on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Orioles on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 9.5
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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Kevin Gausman #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays walks back to the dugout after he was taken out of the game against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the six inning at Oracle Park on July 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For just the second time in the last week and a half, Yankees fans got to wake up in the morning knowing that their team hadn’t embarrassed them in some grotesque manner the night before. Cam Schlittler was an ace! Ben Rice was an All-Star as well! And of course there was a surprise contributor as well too, with José Caballero delivering a pair of homers despite entering play in an 8-for-50 (.160) slump. They still need to do a little bit more—the three dingers between Caballero and Rice represented their only hits—but every return to form has to start somewhere.
Here’s what else was going on in some of the notable American League action yesterday. Note that since all these teams are classified in “Other Games” for us while the Rays get the most detailed treatment, it’ll be a tidier Rivalry Roundup over the next four days. That’s especially true for this one since the Guardians and Mariners (and White Sox and Rangers) were all off.
Toronto Blue Jays (42-49) 1, San Francisco Giants (38-52) 10: I’ve been pretty persistent about keeping the Jays involved in the Rivalry Roundup all year long since they do remain the defending American League champions and could still well make it to October in an awful AL field. Even now, they’re just 3.5 back in the Wild Card; Texas, Houston, and Minnesota are all ahead of them for the last spot, but would it shock anyone to see those teams falter and bring the Jays back into this? Not really.
But everyone has a breaking point, and I’m almost there with Toronto, at least in terms of expectations. If this continues, it will likely be their last week for the time being. Nothing says “sobering” like getting your teeth kicked in by the disastrous 2026 Giants. Kevin Gausman was OK until faltering badly in the sixth, and the Jays mustered just three hits in eight innings against Landen Roupp. Heliot Ramos went oppo taco into the high right-field seats at Oracle Park and followed it in the eighth with a majestic 434-foot tater.
Houston Astros (45-48) 11, Washington Nationals (47-45) 12: The Astros haven’t been featured in the Rivalry Roundup since early in the season, but we can give them a cameo this morning since they’re in the Wild Card mix and not far off the underwhelming M’s in the AL West. And the Yankees are playing the Nationals after this Rays series, too, so why not?
This 2019 World Series rematch turned into a fun one at Nats Park, perfectly fitting two clubs that have struggled on the mound in 2026. Homers by Jose Altuve and Yainer Diaz off Miles Mikolas helped give Houston an early 6-1 lead, but the Nats came storming back because Houston starter Mike Burrows wasn’t any good either. NL All-Star starting shortstop CJ Abrams proved his bona fides with a three-run missile to right in the third, capping a five-run frame that suddenly tied the game. Curtis Mead delivered his third run-scoring hit of the day on a go-ahead solo shot in the fifth, an inning that would not end for the Astros until James Wood delivered a towering, 445-foot grand slam against AJ Blubaugh.
The Nats’ lousy bullpen made this one close again, Houston creeping back into it on the strength of a three-run jack from Brice Matthews in the eighth. It was a one-run game, so rookie skipper Blake Butera called on Clayton Beeter for the four-out save. The erstwhile Yankees prospect obliged, retiring the next four batters in order impressively including the ever-scorching Yordan Alvarez on a strikeout as the potential tying run. The Astros are now three games behind the Mariners in the AL West, in third place with the Rangers a game and a half up in second (Texas also presently holds the last Wild Card(.
Jul 6, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Drey Jameson (99) high fives third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) after their win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Chadd Cady-Imagn Images | Chadd Cady-Imagn Images
Outfielder Max Kepler hit his first home run in a Diamondbacks uniform and racked up four RBIs in Arizona’s 8-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday night.
After bringing in Geraldo Perdomo on an RBI single in the first inning, Kepler took Padres starter Walker Buehler deep with a three-run homer in the third.
The Diamondbacks optioned Pfaadt to Triple-A Reno to both get his pitch count built back up as a starter, but also to try and locate the form that just a year ago had the organization looking at him as a foundational piece.
Pfaadt dominated the Padres’ lineup, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and did not walk a batter. He struck out six as the Diamondbacks rolled to an 8-0 win at Petco Park.
In two starts since returning from Reno, Pfaadt has allowed one earned run over 10 1/3 innings pitched.
Contreras, meanwhile, has been one of Boston’s most productive hitters, batting .284 with 20 home runs, 59 RBIs and a .920 OPS. His combination of power, patience and postseason experience would strengthen Arizona’s lineup.
Adding Contreras would give Arizona another middle-of-the-order power bat to complement the contact and speed throughout the rest of the lineup.
The Brewers are not an easy team to beat, and the Diamondbacks certainly held their own, but they weren’t able to execute quite enough to make it happen. And the road is not getting much easier.
The Diamondbacks will have to head out on the road, without an off day Monday, to face the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in six straight divisional matchups.
Though the Padres have not been hitting well, they have a strong bullpen (despite some recent injury news), and games between Arizona and San Diego tend to be hard-fought games, regardless of either team’s record.
The Snakes have leaned hard into lefty-hitting high school position players in the past with Kayson Cunningham (last year’s first-rounder), Slade Caldwell (2024 first-rounder), J.D. Dix (switch-hitter; 2024 compensation-rounder), Ivan Luciano (2024 second-rounder), along with other historic picks such as Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas. If he gets to No. 15, I could see Arizona being a floor for Jared Grindlinger, but the other potential fits for the Diamondbacks either don’t appear to be a target of theirs or will go about 10 picks later. LSU outfielder Derek Curiel fits here, but he might not make it to this pick; the board is making it easier to take a pitcher here, even if that isn’t normally what Arizona tends to do with high picks.
The Dodgers announced a few roster moves before tonight’s series opener against the Rockies. As skipper Dave Roberts said last night, Evan Phillips is officially back from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Los Angeles also added reliever Carlos Durán to their 40-man roster, though he’ll remain at Triple-A Oklahoma City on an optional assignment.
L.A. optioned righty Paul Gervase to OKC to open a spot in the bullpen for Phillips. They needed to clear a pair of 40-man roster spots, so they released lefty Jake Eder and designated catcher Chuckie Robinson for assignment.
COVERS INTEL: Zac Gallen has been one of the league's worst pitchers, 
