Category: Baseball

The Texas Rangers have recalled pitcher Winston Santos, the team announced today. To make room for Santos on the active roster, the Rangers have optioned pitcher Jose Corniell to AAA Round Rock.

This is part of the domino effect resulting from Jack Leiter going on the injured list (and then having ankle surgery yesterday). Corniell was called up to take the place of Leiter on the active roster, with Cal Quantrill, the team’s long man, starting in Leiter’s place yesterday. Corniell threw 69 pitches yesterday, and thus would not be available to pitch again until, most likely, this weekend. Not wanting to be left without someone who can give them length out of the pen, Corniell is now sent down and Santos is up.

Santos, a 24 year old righthander who was added to the 40 man roster after the 2024 season, has spent 2026 at AA Frisco, and has not performed in such a way that you would expect him to get a call up. He has a 7.44 ERA on the year in 42.1 innings over 11 starts, though with an impressive 12.3 Ks per 9 (and a less impressive 2.1 HRs and 4.5 walks per 9). Interestingly, has allowed exactly three runs in each of his last six games, in which he has faced exactly 21 batters four times (and 25 and 18 batters the other two times).

So why is Santos the guy called up? The only other pitchers on the 40 man roster who are not short relievers are Leandro Lopez, currently on the injured list, and David Davalillo, who was assigned to the ACL Rangers where, I would assume, he’s working on things. Davalillo had started the season at Frisco and was pitching for Round Rock before he got sent to the desert. And there’s no one in the system who is not on the 40 man roster who is making a compelling case to be added to the 40 man roster (which would mean DFA’ing, say, Blaine Crim, or pre-emptively putting Jack Leiter on the 60 day injured list under the assumption he won’t be available until mid-August) and sit in the bullpen as the emergency long man.

The New York Yankees, ranked first in the AL East with a 47-31 record, face the Detroit Tigers, who are fourth in the AL Central with a 34-45 record. The Detroit Tigers are favored with a -145 moneyline compared to the New York Yankees' +120. Starting pitchers are Ryan Weathers for the Yankees, with a 4.13 ERA, and Tarik Skubal for the Tigers, with a 3.02 ERA.

How to watch New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers

• Date: Wednesday, June 24

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT

• Where: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI

• TV Channels: Detroit SportsNet, Amazon Prime Video

• Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• New York Yankees: 47-31 (first in AL East)

• Detroit Tigers: 34-45 (fourth in AL Central)

Odds

• Spread: Detroit Tigers -1.5

• Moneyline: Detroit Tigers -145 (56.6%) / New York Yankees +120 (43.4%)

• Over/Under: 7.5

Starting pitchers

New York Yankees: Ryan Weathers (2-5, ERA: 4.13, K: 89, WHIP: 1.13)

Detroit Tigers: Tarik Skubal (3-3, ERA: 3.02, K: 57, WHIP: 1.02)

Series: Game 3 of 3 (series tied)

Weather: 72°F at first pitch

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How about a double-dinger Tuesday?

Things have been very profitable here over the last three weeks with a solid 7-14 SU run for +17 units. Let's smack some four-baggers and hit the MLB player props.

Daulton Varsho has come back from injury in great form and has an elite home run matchup today, while Luis Garcia is trying to go yard in every game vs. the Phillies, and might have his best chance today vs. Aaron Nola.

Brandon Marsh has also gone deep in back-to-back games and has a matchup vs. the worst HR/FB rate in all of baseball. 

These are my favorite home run props for Wednesday, June 24.

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
Daulton Varsho	+494
Luis Garcia	+550
Brandon Marsh	+640
💲Today's HR parlay	+21284

Home run pick: Daulton Varsho (+494)

All Daulton Varsho has done since returning to the lineup is hit two home runs and a pair of doubles in three games.

He racked up three extra-base hits against Houston yesterday, and while it's a small sample, his BlastContact numbers rank among the Top 20 in baseball over the last two weeks.

His matchup today might be the best he's had since returning.

He gets right-hander Mike Burrows, who has allowed 18 home runs this season, was recently moved back into the rotation, and has been crushed by left-handed hitters to the tune of a .320 batting average. Twelve of those 18 home runs allowed have come against lefties.

Burrows owns the 21st-worst HR/FB rate in baseball over the last 30 days and doesn't generate many groundballs, carrying just a 38% groundball rate.

I'd play this down to +420.

• Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Sportsnet, Space City Home Network

Home run pick: Luis Garcia (+550)

Luis Garcia has gone deep in each game of this series against the Phillies, which has already produced five homers last night and three more in the opener.

Home runs have accounted for 15 total runs through the first two games. Three of Garcia's last four hits have left the yard. He is locked in right now and gets another great matchup and setting today.

There is a slight wind blowing out to right field again, which has helped the left-handed bats throughout this series.

Aaron Nola still looks like he's searching for answers. He owns the 28th-worst HR/FB rate among MLB starters over the last 30 days and has allowed multiple home runs in back-to-back starts. His HR/9 is worse on the road, and left-handed hitters have tagged him for a .909 OPS.

Everything lines up for Garcia to stay hot.

• Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Nationals.TV, NBCSP

Home run pick: Brandon Marsh (+640)

I don't think I can leave Brandon Marsh off the card today after he helped spark the ninth-inning comeback last night with a homer off Washington closer Brad Lord. He has gone deep in each game of this series and might have an even better chance to leave the yard tonight despite being priced only slightly shorter than yesterday.

Miles Mikolas gets the ball today, and he owns the worst HR/FB rate in baseball while also carrying the 10th-worst Blast Contact percentage allowed. His HR/9 at home sits at a hefty 2.5, and Washington has been protecting him lately by using an opener ahead of him. Not today.

As a traditional starter this season, Mikolas has posted an 8.80 ERA with an .861 OPS allowed.

After last night's wild game, it wouldn't be surprising to see both teams leave the yard multiple times again.

• Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Nationals.TV, NBCSP

Today’s HR parlay

Daulton Varsho	Bet Now +21284
Luis Garcia
Brandon Marsh

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Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (33-42) won 12-5 (BOX SCORE)

After El Paso got a run in the first, Sugar Land got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Spence sac fly. They got another run in the third inning on a Whitcomb solo home run. The offense added 5 runs in the 4th inning on a Biggio RBI double, Whitcomb 2 run single, Brooks RBI single and a run on a wild pitch. Biggio added a solo home run in the 5th and Brooks added an RBI double. Mancini got the start and went 4.2 innings allowing 5 runs, 4 earned. The Woodpeckers added some insurance in the 8th inning on a Whitcomb walk, a passed ball and a wild pitch. The pen was great tossing 4.1 scoreless innings as they closed out the 12-5 win.

Note: Biggio has a .839 OPS this season.

• Cavan Biggio, 2B: 2-for-4, 3 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB
• Shay Whitcomb, SS: 2-for-4, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SB
• Collin Price, C: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 BB
• Trenton Brooks, 1B: 3-for-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
• Zach Dezenzo, LF: 2-for-3, R, 2B, BB
• Lucas Spence, CF: 1-for-4, R, 2B, RBI

• Joey Mancini, RHP: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• Trey McLoughlin, RHP: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (WIN)
• Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Tom Cosgrove, LHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Sam Carlson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (32-38) won 10-1 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got the scoring started in the 2nd inning on a Whitaker RBI double and Holy 2 run inside-the-park home run. They blew it open in the 3rd inning scoring 6 runs on a Schiavone solo home run, Sullivan 2 run double, Bush 2 run home run and Whitaker solo home run. They got another run in the 4th on a double play. Nezuh started for the Hooks and went 5 innings allowing 1 run with 9 strikeouts. Santos tossed 2 perfect innings in relief and Torres tossed 2 scoreless innings as they closed out the 10-1 win.

Note: Schiavone has a .863 OPS in Double-A.

• Jason Schiavone, C: 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI, BB
• Drew Brutcher, LF: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB
• Trevor Austin, 3B: 2-for-5, 2 R
• Joseph Sullivan, CF: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, BB, SB
• Will Bush, 1B: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI
• Tyler Whitaker, RF: 2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
• Max Holy, SS: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
• Yamal Encarnacion, 2B: 0-for-2, 3 BB, SB

• Jackson Nezuh, RHP: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 9 K (WIN)
• Alex Santos, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
• Alejandro Torres, RHP: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

A+: Asheville Tourists (18-51) lost 2-0 (BOX SCORE)

Rodriguez started for Asheville and turned in a nice outing allowing 2 runs over 6 innings while striking out 3 batters. The offense struggled all game collecting just 4 hits as they were shutout in the 2-0 loss.

Note: Rodriguez has a 2.74 ERA in June

• Nehomar Ochoa, RF: 1-for-4, 2B
• Alejandro Nunez, 3B: 1-for-4, SB
• Jack Moss, 1B: 1-for-3, BB
• John Garcia, C: 1-for-3, 2B

• Luis Rodriguez, RHP: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Jackson Wells, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (34-35) won 9-1 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning scoring 3 runs on an error and RBI singles from Flores and Cauro. They got another run in the 4th on a groundout. Beck started for the Woodpeckers and tossed 3 scoreless innings. He was relieved by Fraide who allowed 1 unearned run over 4 innings while striking out 6. The Woodpeckers blew it open in the 6th inning getting back to back to back home runs from Huezo, Neyens and Alvarez. Salas added a sac fly as well. Saunier tossed 2 scoreless innings to close out the 9-1 win.

Note: Huezo has a .909 OPS this season.

• Anthony Huezo, LF: 2-for-2, 3 R, 2B, HR, RBI, 2 BB
• Xavier Neyens, DH: 1-for-2, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, SB
• Kevin Alvarez, CF: 2-for-4, R, HR, RBI, BB
• Arturo Flores, C: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI
• Kenni Gomez, RF: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB, SB
• Waner Luciano, DH: 1-for-4, BB
• Carlos Cauro, 1B: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 BB
• Hector Salas, 2B: 1-for-4, RBI

• Jagger Beck, RHP: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
• Juan Fraide, RHP: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (WIN)
• Grayson Saunier, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Ethan Pecko – 11:05 CT

CC: Bryce Mayer – 7:00 CT

AV: Yeriel Santos – 5:45 CT

FV: TBD – 5:35 CT

A quick perusal of some niche MLB stats yields this quirky nugget – Brett Baty of the Mets sits in excellent company when it comes to results on the first pitch of an at-bat. 

Baty is 15-for-28 when he hits the first pitch, a .536 batting average. In this slice of baseball life, Baty ranks fourth in the majors behind Kyle Schwarber (.583) and CJ Abrams and Nick Kurtz (.556 each). Old pal Brandon Nimmo is fifth at .513. 

To get a window into the craft of hitting, we asked Baty why he thought he’s had such success on the first pitch: 

“I think it’s just being aggressive to stuff that I’m looking for and, if it shows up early, then hunt it,” Baty said. “Obviously, we do our homework and we know what the pitcher’s got, but I think it’s just about being aggressive on pitches in the zone and trying to hit the ball hard.” 

On the first pitch this season, Baty also has a 1.355 OPS. He’s got two doubles, two home runs, and 10 RBI. Entering Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Cubs at Citi Field, Baty is batting .220 with a .606 OPS overall. 

In his career, Baty is a .417 hitter on the first pitch with eight home runs in 123 plate appearances that have ended on the first pitch.

Asked if there were any of his first-pitch hits this year that were particularly memorable, Baty pointed to an at-bat early in the Mets’ 16-7 victory in 12 innings in Washington on May 18 where he “sold out” for a fastball. He was leading off the fourth inning with the Mets trailing, 3-1, against Nationals righty Jake Irvin. 

“I was gonna look really silly if it was a curveball or changeup or anything,” Baty said. “I just completely sold out to the heater and it showed up in the window I was looking for and I hit it pretty hard. I was hunting in a certain area.” 

Irvin threw a 92.7 mile-per-hour fastball and Baty hit the second-longest home run of his career, a 451-foot shot to center field that landed near a dumpster beyond the wall. It was clocked at 111.2 mph off the bat. Not surprisingly, the ball had an expected batting average of 1.000 and would have been a homer in all 30 MLB parks, according to Statcast. 

On the television broadcast that day, Gary Cohen noted that Baty had hit the first 35 home runs of his career against 35 different pitchers. When Baty hit No. 36, Irvin became the first pitcher to give up multiple homers to Baty.

Baty did not realize he was among baseball’s leaders in average on the first pitch. But he was curious about some of the other names on the list. When told that Schwarber, the Phillies’ slugger who leads MLB with 29 home runs, was atop the category, Baty smiled and said, “Of course he is – he’s raking.”

Baty’s former Met teammate, Nimmo, hit a ninth-inning triple on the first pitch of an at-bat on Tuesday, bringing him to 20-for-39 on the first pitch. Nimmo has eight doubles, two triples and two homers on the first pitch this year. 

“What’s interesting about Nimmo is that he’s normally viewed as a kind of work-the-count, patient guy, right?” Baty said. “It’d be interesting to ask him if he’s doing anything differently.”

Whatever the case, connecting on the initial offering can be good business for hitters, even in this work-the-count age. So far this season, MLB hitters are batting .334 with a .912 OPS on the first pitch.

Morning, all!

Right handed pitcher AJ Russell, who the Rangers drafted in the second round last year, has been promoted to Hub City.

Jack Leiter has undergone surgery to remove the os trigonometry bone and the Rangers are confident he will return to the mound this year. The Rangers’ previous experiences with this surgery haven’t had such speedy recoveries, though.

The Rangers don’t really have a clear replacement to step into Leiter’s spot in the rotation.

Cody Bradford and Jordan Montgomery are still several weeks away from returning to the rotation.

The three starting pitching prospects on the 40 man roster have not had particularly good starts to the 2026 season.

Corey Seager’s return from the concussion protocol is unlikely before Thursday due to today’s early game against the Marlins.

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The Detroit Tigers are -145 favorites in their series finale against the New York Yankees.

With Tarik Skubal on the mound, my Yankees vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks are backing the home team to come out on top in the rubber match.

Who will win Yankees vs Tigers today: Tigers (-145)

Ryan Weathers has allowed at least five runs in four of his past six starts, conceding 10 homers along the way. Only once did he avoid a longball during that stretch.

The Detroit Tigersrank 15th in ISO against left-handed pitching, so they have enough power to cause problems for Weathers.

Tarik Skubal owns a sparkling 2.74 xFIP on the season and has effectively limited walks and homers. While the New York Yankees generally excel against lefties, they’re missing a lot of key bats due to injury.

Expect Skubal to capitalize and back the Tigers to -150.

COVERS INTEL: Weathers has allowed an 11.7% barrel rate, ranking him in the eighth percentile.

Yankees vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 7.0 (-120)

This total is half a run too low.

Homers are a great way to get chunk production, and Weathers is having a miserable time limiting them.

The Tigers rank eighth in ISO and first in flyball rate against lefties in June, so they’re well equipped to put Weathers’ home-run struggles to the test.

Skubal is one of the marquee pitchers in the sport, but he hasn’t been as effective this season while fighting injuries — understandably so.

He ranks in the 32nd percentile in hard hit rate and has allowed multiple runs in four straight starts.

Play to -130.

Yankees vs Tigers weather

Temperatures are expected to hover around 70 degrees with winds blowing in close to 10 mph. The weather favors the pitchers slightly, but the weather shouldn't be very impactful.

Yankees vs Tigers odds

• Moneyline: Yankees +125 | Tigers -145
• Run line: Yankees +1.5 (-170) | Tigers -1.5 (+145)
• Over/Under: Over 7.0 (-120) | Under 7.0 (+100)

Yankees vs Tigers trend

Detroit owns a 22-17 record on home soil this season. Find more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Tigers.

How to watch Yankees vs Tigers and game info

Yankees vs Tigers latest injuries

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

Stop me if you are getting tired of that headline. PCA has been on an unbelievable tear. Sammy Sosa, Derrek Lee, maybe Kris Bryant? Maybe Andre Dawson? How many Cubs have we seen have a run like this? Sammy is the most obvious, but I remember each of the other recent Cub MVPs having their stretches of dominance. With all due respect to the late Ryne Sandberg, his excellence was different. More relentless than flat domination.

PCA has a 1.327 OPS over his 24-game on-base streak. I believe Sammy Sosa’s June 1998 is the gold standard for the modern Cubs. He had a 198 wRC+ and 1.173 OPS. PCA is sitting at 282 and 1.434. There is just under a week to go and a doubleheader in there. This is some kind of hot streak.

One last thing in this PCA appreciation post. Yes, it’s silly that the haters are not voting PCA into the All-Stars. Also yes, his peers and NL coaches will vote him onto the team. I’d rather be the guy the players want to watch than the guys the fans want to watch. Does anyone really care that he might get one or two fewer plate appearances? He’s an All-Star. And he’s going to receive MVP votes again. I couldn’t really care less what the fans of other teams think about him. I assure you virtually all of them would love him if he was on their team.

As to the Cubs, you know where I am. They win these games. An opposing starter struggled and everyone ran to the bat rack and they piled on runs. They are good at those. They are good when the other bullpen blows up. They aren’t very good otherwise. Winning is fun. Scoring nine is fun. Crooked number innings are fun. I enjoyed this one.

The Cubs pitched relatively well before the garbage time of the ninth inning. Jayden Murray facing six batters, striking out two, allowing two hits and three runs was crazy. I hope they can find whatever they think they see. Of course, the bigger story is the same old story there. Edward Cabrera leaves with an injury. It’s a hamstring/adductor injury. We won’t see much (any?) of Cabrera the rest of the season. Matthew Boyd hopefully replaces Cabrera. But that’s a shame when you hoped Boyd would be an add and not a replace.

Of all the things I hate most being right about, it is that the Cubs got through 2025 relatively healthy. The injuries they had were headliners, so you remember them. But they had relatively few secondary injuries. They are being ravaged by them this year and they are particularly concentrated on the pitching staff, having a significant compounding effect. Somehow, this team is more or less on the trajectory that was expected before the season.

Today is a big day. Definitely don’t lose two. It’s a PCA world and we are all just living in it.

Three Positives:

• Dansby Swanson actually had the biggest day. Two hits, a homer and a double. A sacrifice fly. Four runs driven in. Pray he’s turned a corner.
• Pete Crow-Armstrong. Superstar. Just one hit, but two more walks. Oh and the one hit was a three-run homer. After three straight Cubs didn’t get a hit with RISP, he got a three-run homer. And hey, the Cubs did score two runs on the three not hits with RISP (walk and sac fly).
• Carson Kelly stays hot. A hit, two walks, two runs driven in, three runs scored. The Cubs had eight hits, but drew seven walks and had a hit batter. Near constant pressure.

Game 78, June 23: Cubs 9, Mets 6 (41-37)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.174). 1-3, HR, 2 BB, 3 RBI, R
• Hero: Carson Kelly (.123). 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 3 R
• Sidekick: Dansby Swanson (.108). 2-3, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, R

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.082). 1-4, 2B, R
• Goat: Michael Busch (-.031). 0-4, BB
• Kid: Alex Bregman (-.029). 0-5

Jayden Murray’s ninth inning was in a no leverage situation and didn’t affect WPA.

WPA Play of the Game: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s three-run homer with two outs in the second gave the Cubs a five run lead. (.187)

Cubs Play of the Game: Francisco Alvarez’ two out single with the bases loaded cut a five-run Cub lead to three. (.106)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 77 Winner: Colin Rea 66-55 over PCA (135 votes)

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

• Michael Busch +20
• Pete Crow-Armstrong +19
• Ben Brown +13.5
• Carson Kelly +12.5
• Michael Conforto +9
• Edward Cabrera -9.5
• Phil Maton/Dansby Swanson -10
• Caleb Thielbar -13
• Seiya Suzuki -19.5

Up Next: A double header Wednesday. Shōta Imanaga will start one of the games and Javier Assad the other. They’ll face Nolan McLean and Sean Manaea for the Mets.

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The Atlanta Braves are -130 favorites to snap their three-game losing streak on Wednesday, June 24.

My Braves vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks see plenty of value in backing Atlanta in a low-scoring affair against one of the league's worst offenses.

Who will win Braves vs Padres today: Braves moneyline (-135)

The Atlanta Braves have a wonderful matchup against JP Sears, who will be making his first start of the season for the San Diego Padres.

He posted a 5.04 ERA last season while allowing 1.99 homers per nine innings. He struggled mightily to limit power, and that is a recipe for disaster against the Braves.

Atlanta sits third in home runs, eighth in SLG, and ninth in ISO when facing left-handed pitching. 

The Braves will make it difficult on the Padres and their anemic offense to keep up.

Back Atlanta to -150.

COVERS INTEL: The Padres will struggle to produce against Martin Perez, who ranks in the 85th percentile in Pitcher Run Value.

Braves vs Padres Over/Under pick: Under 8 (-110)

The Padres own a league-worst .285 OBP against left-handed pitching. They don’t hit for average, they don’t draw walks, and they lack power to cash in even when able to generate traffic.

Martin Perez has conceded two runs or fewer in 11 of 14 starts, and this is a great spot for him to do so again.

While the Braves possess a lot of power vs. lefties, they sit 19th in OBP. They are also playing in one of the more pitcher-friendly ballparks in baseball, which could take away from some of their home run potential.

Play the Under to -120.

Braves vs Padres weather

Temperatures are expected to hover in the low 70s with wind blowing side-to-side. No real boost for hitters or pitchers.

Braves vs Padres odds

• Moneyline: Braves -130 | Padres +110
• Run line: Braves -1.5 (+130) | Padres +1.5 (-150)
• Over/Under: Over 8 (-105) | Under 8 (-115)

Braves vs Padres trend

San Diego has hit the Under in 16 of its last 23 home games (+8.35 units, 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Padres.

How to watch Braves vs Padres and game info

Braves vs Padres latest injuries

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

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The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox wrap up a three-game set this afternoon at Rate Field, with the hosts looking for the sweep. 

With Tanner Bibee struggling to avoid hard contact, my Guardians vs. White Sox predictions are leaning toward Chicago to bring out the brooms. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Wednesday, June 24. 

Who will win Guardians vs White Sox today: White Sox moneyline (+102)

The Cleveland Guardians head into the finale in the midst of a three-game losing streak, and Tanner Bibee's recent form concerns.

The right-hander has a 4.81 FIP over his last two startswhile allowing 2.19 HR/9. That's a recipe for disaster against the second-best power-hitting team in the majors. 

On the other side, Chicago White Sox righty Erick Fedde is throwing the ball well. He's posted a 2.15 FIP across his previous two outings while limiting opponents to a 23.8% hard-hit rate.

Cleveland also has just a .196 xBA over their last seven games and a poor 34.2% hard-hit rate. 

I'll play this pick up to -120. 

COVERS INTEL: Bibee has allowed a 46.6% hard-hit rate during his last two appearances and a 14.3% barrel rate. 

Guardians vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-107)

This feels like a game where Chicago scores most of the runs while Cleveland continues to struggle offensively.

Fedde's recent form makes him a difficult matchup for a Guardians lineup averaging just 2.33 runs per game during its current losing streak.

Cleveland's bullpen has been solid lately, posting a 3.95 xERA over the last two weeks, which should help prevent Chicago from completely running away with the game.

The White Sox bullpen hasn't been as sharp, with a 4.63 FIP, but Fedde typically works into the fifth inning and can limit the amount of relief work required.

I can see a 5-2 or 6-2 type game here.

I'll play this pick up to -130.

Guardians vs White Sox weather

Conditions at Rate Field are expected to be fairly neutral this afternoon, with temperatures around 78°F and moderate winds. While the weather could provide a slight boost to offense, it shouldn't be a major factor in determining the outcome of this game.

Guardians vs White Sox odds

• Moneyline: Guardians -108 | White Sox +104
• Run line: Guardians -1.5 (+144) | White Sox +1.5 (-150)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-100) | Under 8.5 (-104)

Guardians vs White Sox trend

The White Sox have hit the moneyline in 21 of their last 25 games at home (+19.10 Units / 71% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. White Sox.

How to watch Guardians vs White Sox and game info

Guardians vs White Sox latest injuries

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

Good morning everyone!

Pittsburgh native Cole Young had a homecoming to remember last night, delivering the go-ahead homer in a 3-2 Mariners victory over the Pirates.

Importantly, Andrés Muñoz also looked electric last night. How are you feeling about our closer after his dominant showing?

In Mariners news…

• In case you missed it, Randy Arozarena returned from the injured list last night after a brief stint with a hamstring issue.
• A legal appeal has been filed to prevent the construction of housing in a plot of land near T-Mobile Park.

Around the league…

• Rangers right-hander Jack Leiter will miss significant time after undergoing ankle surgery.
• Royals ace left-hander Cole Ragans will likely require elbow surgery, which would almost certainly end his 2026 season.
• The Royals placed third baseman Maikel García on the injured list with a muscle strain in his left hand.
• Cubs starter Edward Cabrera was carted off the field last night with an apparent hamstring injury.
• A’s infielder Zack Gelof exited yesterday’s game against the Giants after being spiked by Matt Chapman’s cleats.
• The Twins shut down any speculation that they might trade outfielder Byron Buxton this summer.
• Marlins righty Sandy Alcantara became the all-time franchise leader in strikeouts with his 1,002nd last night, unseating Ricky Nolasco.
• David Appelman released the 2026 State of Fangraphs on the 21st anniversary of the website.
• Davy Andrews at Fangraphs tried to figure out why Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan suddenly stopped producing.
• Jeff Passan at ESPN handed out some mid-season awards – just not the ones you’re expecting.

Larry Andersen’s playing career spanned across portions of three different decades.    He’d appear in a pair of World Series with the Phillies, and in 1986 he’d join the Astros several weeks into that magical season, which would culminate in their classic playoff series with the Mets.    

Larry joins us for our 28th installment of the Legends Series, exclusively at The Crawfish Boxes.    

Q:  I want to start with 1986.    Can you believe it’s been 40 years?     That doesn’t seem possible.

A:  It’s remarkable.   The memories are still there and of course Game 6, I appeared in and I’ll never forget that.    The intensity was incredible.     I pitched three innings that game and the noise in the Astrodome was deafening and I’m actually deaf in one ear completely since birth and it was still the loudest thing I’ve ever heard.     I thought my nerves were going to jump out of my body.     That was a game for the ages, I just wish it had turned out differently for the fans.    

Q:  How was it that the Phillies would release you in May and you’d land in Houston a few days later?

A:  I was released while in Houston, so I knew what kind of team they had.   They were good.    

The Hendricks brothers were my agents, and they wanted me to play for the Astros, so they set it up where I went and did a side pitching session in the bullpen for Hal Lanier.    They immediately saw that there was nothing wrong with me.   I was completely healthy.     They were completely baffled with the release.

Q:  So, what happened?

A:  The Phillies had made a trade and had acquired Gary Redus and relief pitcher Tom Hume for John Denny.    So, it came down to keeping me or Tom Hume.    

I felt like my stuff at the time was just as good as his, but he was making $800,000 and I was making $300,000, so it was an easy choice.    

It was easier for the Phillies to eat $300,000 of salary.    I understood that.     It’s a business.    

I waited a few days for the waiver deadline to pass, and then I was playing for the Astros.    

Q:  There were so many great characters on the Astros back then.     Who comes to mind?

A:  Doctor Death, Danny Darwin (laughs).    He really helped solidify our pitching staff.

It’s funny, Danny had issues with the Montreal Expos.   I was facing Spike Owen, and I threw a pitch inside and it created a brawl.   In that brawl, Spike Owen came to the mound and came for me, but the rest of the Expos went after Danny Darwin.   He had broken Hubie Brooks’ hand earlier in the year, and they were after him even though I threw the pitch that started it.     

I don’t know if Danny ever forgave me for that, because he got absolutely pummeled.     

Q:  If you guys had prevailed in Game 6, is there any doubt in your mind that Mike Scott would’ve won Game 7, advancing you to the World Series?

A:  I think it’s easy to say, absolutely.    The Mets knew they were done.    They were so hellbent on saying Scott was cheating and were always checking the ball and trying to question the nature of his splitter.    It was amazing, they were a mess.

Happy Wednesday A’s fans!

The Athletics remain stirred in mediocrity at the big-league level. The “Green and Gold” have been unable to establish a foothold above .500 and take control of a division whose expected pace-setter, the Seattle Mariners, have fallen short of preseason expectations.

The situation is unlikely to improve unless the team receives more consistent pitching performances from both its starters and relievers to complement its potent lineup. At the moment, starting pitchers J.T. Ginn and Gage Jump are the only two starters the A’s can reliably count on every time they take the mound.

Meanwhile, the A’s bullpen comprises several talented relievers, but no true shutdown guy has emerged since the franchise traded Mason Miller last July. Left-hander Hogan Harris is solid, yet he is overworked and finds himself in trouble more often than not. On Father’s Day, he could not protect his team’s lead, giving up a game-tying three-run home run in the eighth inning.

Dominican right-handers Luis Medina and Elvis Alvarado have the flame throwing stuff to become lockdown arms at the end of games. Both pitchers have flashed their potential at times this season, but remain inconsistent, as evidenced by Alvarado surrendering the Angels’ game-winning home run in the ninth inning of Sunday’s series and homestand finale. Last but not least, Mason Barnett, whom the A’s recalled earlier this month, has been a pleasant surprise, pitching well over his last five relief appearances.

The A’s finally designated veteran right-hander Scott Barlow for assignment rather than waiting for him to blow the lead in another game. The team did not do a good enough job to address its bullpen weakness this offseason, as Barlow did not even last till the All-Star Break and fellow offseason signing Mark Leiter Jr. recently landed on the injured list with a hip injury.

Down on the farm, the options are scarce. A few days ago, the A’s promoted Geoff Hartlieb and Matt Krook, giving these two journeymen relievers another chance to compete in the major leagues.

Yunior Tur, a 26-year-old Cuban right-hander holding his own at Triple-A, could receive his first MLB promotion soon as the A’s continue trying to put together the right mix of bullpen arms. On the other hand, pitchers such as Jacob Lopez, Luis Morales and Michael Kelly performed so poorly for the Athletics earlier this season that they are now trying to rediscover their form in the minors.

Will the team’s bullpen continue to struggle, or can the group turn things around? What is your goal for the Athletics as the end of June nears?

A’s Coverage:

• Robbie Ray Stymies A’s as Giants Take Game No. 1
  A’s Squander Chances, Fall to Pirates in Series Equalizer
• As a ballpark rises in Las Vegas, owner John Fisher is pitching his A’s — and himself
• What’s next for the Oakland Coliseum? The future is ‘not bright’
• Alvarado’s return so dominant, he’s inviting a lofty comparison
• Why Front Office And Manager Should Be Embarrassed By Today’s Game
• Some Easy Fixes Rocket Science Aren’t
• Athletics’ Devin Taylor Emerges As All-Around Talent
• From celebratory pool dip to the A’s, Meneses’ journey back to Majors a memorable one
• Athletics Could Deal Hottest Triple-A Bat This Summer
• Status Report: Uncertainty Persists In 5 Places On The Diamond
• Why A’s Williams Deserves Spot Past Jacob Wilson’s Return
• 7 wild facts from a Vegas show for the ages
• A’s $2 Billion Las Vegas Ballpark Shows Progress With First Roof Truss in Place
• A’s interested in Kris Bubic
• Korach reflects on A’s history in Las Vegas, upcoming move
• Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In June
• Las Vegas is ‘dying for a baseball team.’ Will its locals adopt the A’s?
• The A’s Inability To Play Well At Home Is Embarrassing
• Arnold and Jump are both slinging … anyone else reminded of another A’s duo?
• Three Dark Horse Trade Candidates for Athletics This Summer
• Two Draft Candidates Who Could Transform Athletics This Summer
• Athletics Early MLB Draft Preview

MLB News and Interest:

• What if MLB built its Draft system from scratch?
• Passan’s unique 2026 MLB midseason awards
• Biggest strengths for top current 2026 MLB playoff contenders
• On cusp of season’s halfway point, here’s what we’ve learned
• Newcomb’s 2 2/3 hitless frames lock down White Sox spot atop AL Central
• Royals’ Cole Ragans likely to have surgery on left elbow
• Sonny Gray “Open” To Discussing No-Trade Clause If Red Sox Sell
• Boomer Sooner! Oklahoma wins 1st MCWS title since ‘94
• Manfred: Giants’ communication to players over Pride caps ‘not clear’
• ‘Unrealistic’ to expect Steele starting for Cubs in 2026, Hoyer says
• Mauricio Dubón Open To Extension Talks With Braves
• Brewers’ Brandon Woodruff gets 900th K in return from IL
• Brewers release former starting third baseman Luis Rengifo
• Rangers Sign Marco Gonzales To Minor League Deal
• Angels Designate Nick Madrigal For Assignment
• Reds Designate Chris Paddack For Assignment
• 5 takeaways from the latest All-Star voting results
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Keep voting for Nick Kurtz. Given the season he is having, he deserves to represent the Athletics at the All-Star Game in the state where he grew up.

Well-deserved honor for A’s outfielder Colby Thomas.

This past weekend, the A’s Triple-A affiliate Las Vegas Aviators clinched the first half Pacific Coast League championship. They will host the second half champion in the best-of-three LCS beginning on Tuesday, September 22.

This is an interesting breakdown of how Tyler Soderstrom has snapped out of his early-season slump to become a consistent contributor in the middle of the A’s lineup.

The Loons were the only team to secure a win in a day of limited action in the Dodgers’ minor league system.

Player of the day

The lack of support around Jaron Elkins shouldn’t devalue what was, by all accounts, an impressive performance, particularly on the basepaths. The Tower Buzzers center fielder reached base three times and was responsible for all three of his team’s stolen bases in a 5-3 loss, without getting caught once.

Elkins is right in the middle of his finest run of form this season, having recorded at least one hit in 15 of his last 16 games. It was his second appearance stealing at least three bags, and the first one since the beginning of April.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Even the temporary reinforcement of having Teoscar Hernández in the heart of the batting order wasn’t enough to help the Comets overcome the Aces in a 5-4 loss. Hernández homered on the first day of his rehab assignment, and OKC threatened with the go-ahead run in scoring position in the top of the eighth inning, but Jack Suwinski struck out to strand a pair.

Pitching-wise, it was a game of command struggles for the Comets, with Ryder Ryan and the bullpen combining to walk 12 batters, seven more than the opposition. Ryan took the loss, allowing three earned runs in just as many innings pitched.

Double-A Tulsa

By all effects, this one was over for the Drillers well before the end of the third inning, having allowed nine runs to the Hooks, all of them charged to starter Patrick Copen, who had his worst performance of the season, conceding not one, not two, not three, but four home runs.

One of the side effects of such a large deficit so early is that the offense can check out, at least to a certain extent. In this particular game, that was transparent, with six of the Drillers’ nine starting hitters finishing the game with multiple strikeouts. Their only run came on a Mike Sirota solo blast in the bottom of the third, his only hit, reaching base for a 59th straight game.

High-A Great Lakes

Six was the number here. The Loons beat the Lugnuts by six runs in a 7-1 win. They recorded six doubles to account for all of their extra-base hits, and they were six for 17 with runners in scoring position. It was truly a collective effort with a special shout-out to the bottom of the order: Samuel Munoz and Victor Rodrigues, hitters eighth and ninth, were the only ones to record at least three hits in this performance.

Tossing 2.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts, reliever Jacob Frost recorded his seventh win of the season since starter Zach Root was unable to complete five full innings, still pitching a solid game, allowing just the one earned run.

Single-A Ontario

Three unanswered runs to begin the game gave the Tower Buzzers an ideal start; the only problem was that the offense fell flat after that, and the bullpen struggled with walks to eventually cough up the lead in the eighth, losing the game 5-3. These late struggles meant that Ontario couldn’t properly take advantage of a good outing from its starting pitcher, Mason Estrada, with five one-run innings.

Individually, although his performance didn’t carry an impact on the game, unable to drive in a run or score one himself, Elkins now has 22 stolen bases on the year. The center fielder stole three bases in a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, which also included a walk. First baseman Easton Shelton hit his 22nd homer of the year.

Tuesday’s scores

• Reno 5, Oklahoma City 4
• Tulsa 1, Corpus Christi 10
• Lansing 1, Great Lakes 7
• Visalia 5, Ontario 3

Wednesday’s schedule

• 4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (TBD) at Lansing (Steven Echavarria)
• 5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Peter Heubeck) vs. Corpus Christi (Bryce Mayer)
• 6:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Landon Knack) vs. Reno (TBD)
• 6:35 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Visalia (Junior Ciprian)