Jun 10, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Max Scherzer is scratched from today’s game with back spasms, which turns tonight’s game into a bullpen day. We were hoping we were finished with those.
Whoops, a change, Max has been put on the IL, so he’s gone for 15 days at least. Chad Dallas is back on the roster and apparently will be active tonight, so they knew about Max’s back for at least a few hours. I’m wondering if he’s had his last game as a Blue Jay. Next week, Shane Bieber should be back, and would be a much better choice for that spot in the rotation.
Braydon Fisher will be the opener. Spencer Miles last pitched three days ago, 2.2 innings, so he will be available, but Simeon Woods Richardson hasn’t pitched in nine days, so he will likely be the bulk guy. He’s only pitched in one game with the Jays, which is out of character for our team. We usually pitch a guy until his arm falls off.
After dropping the first two games in Cincinnati and draining the bullpen, the Mets needed a strong performance out of Nolan McLean on Wednesday afternoon.
The right-hander stepped up and delivered perhaps his most dominant outing of the season, going 7.0 innings with no earned runs (one unearned), nine strikeouts and just one walk. He threw 101 pitches and looked much more like the 2025 version of himself who came up to the majors and absolutely overmatched hitters, doing his part as the Mets’ bats came to life in a 9-1 win over the Reds.
“Man, that was excellent there. He dominated that lineup,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “It starts with the command of all of his pitches, and he was on today, he was spot-on. He attacked, and the way not he was not only using the four-seam, the sinker, the cutter, that allowed him to use his secondary pitches, but man, that was pretty impressive there.”
McLean, who lowered his season ERA to 3.67, acknowledged that Wednesday’s start was his best of the season from a complete performance standpoint, and his four-seam fastball usage was a big part of it. Of his 101 pitches, McLean threw 27 four-seamers, getting eight called strikes and generating five whiffs on 11 swings.
"I was establishing the zone early, and I was able to get some chases late," he explained.
It’s no secret that the Mets’ starting rotation has been in a state of disarray. Christian Scott landing on the IL with a hip issue was the latest blow to the rotation, and Kodai Senga struggled on Tuesday night in his return to the big league mound, adding even more uncertainty.
But McLean said that he’s not feeling any extra pressure to perform. In his mind, the goal is the same every single time he steps between the white lines.
“I wouldn’t say I put any more pressure or responsibility on myself. Every time I go out there, I’m trying to win a baseball game,” he said. “I think if everybody’s trying to do that and we’re all pulling the same rope, good things will happen.”
Danny Rohl took charge of Rangers for the final time in mid-May [SNS]
Danny Rohl thanked Rangers after leaving the Scottish Premiership outfit for Red Bull Salzburg and taking his first training session with the Austrian club.
The German, 37, departed Ibrox after eight months, having previously managed Sheffield Wednesday. Derek McInnes was appointed Rangers manager shortly after Rohl's departure was announced.
"I've been here several times in the past and know Salzburg well – the club has always stood for attacking, courageous football," Rohl said at his first news conference with RB Salzburg.
"That's precisely the path we want to take. We want to return to the identity that distinguished the club for so many years.
"I have to also thank Rangers, who agreed to this move."
Sporting director Marcus Mann commented: "It's true that we had agreed with Danny a week ago.
"A few points came up that needed clarification, which is why the matter dragged on a bit. We certainly would have liked to finalise it a few days earlier but the important thing is that it worked out. Sometimes you can have different opinions on things – those have now been resolved."
AUSTIN, TX - MAY 31: Outfielder Aiden Robbins #43 of the Texas Longhorns spins his bat as he starts to round the bases after a home run during the NCAA Division I Regional game between Texas Longhorns and UC Santa Barbara Gauchos on May 31, 2026, at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
As Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle and his staff turn their focus to the NCAA transfer portal and on making final recruiting pitches to signed high school prospects in the 2026 recruiting class, the 2027 roster will be impacted by the 2026 MLB Draft.
Senior right-hander Ruger Riojas and redshirt senior left-hander Luke Harrison are the two players among the 10 Longhorns who have exhausted their eligibility who are projected selections in next month’s draft, while six other players are draft eligible, several of whom could potentially return to the Forty Acres for their senior season.
The draft projectsion are based on the draft board from Perfect Game posted in late April and are meant to reflect the player’s tools, if not their late-season results on the field.
Draft-eligible players expected to depart
Outfielder Aiden Robbins — No. 23
After finishing sixth nationally in batting average at .422 last year as a sophomore at Seton Hall, Robbins bet on himself and made the jump to the SEC, choosing Texas over other conference powers. It paid off, as Robbins earned first-team All-America honors by batting .333 with 24 home runs and 64 RBI, working with Troy Tulowitzki to change his swing path to turn topspin base hits into backspin home runs — the Pennsylvania product only hit 12 combined home runs in his first two seasons, doubling that output in burnt orange and white.
The power surge by Robbins ensured that he’s projectable as a corner outfielder, an important development after the attempt to further bolster his draft stock by playing center field ended with the Texas coaching staff forced to admit they had better options, as Robbins lacked the speed necessary to make up for consistently subpar reads off the bat.
Still, Robbins has plus athleticism and a whippy swing that produced power to the entire field, making him one of the top college prospects in the draft.
Catcher Carson Tinney — No. 58
The Notre Dame transfer pressed early in the season faced with high expectations after becoming one of the most coveted players in the portal. As a sophomore in South Bend, Tinney led the Fighting Irish in average (.348), runs (52), homers (17), RBI (53), total bases (119), walks (34), on-base percentage (.498), slugging (.753), and multi-RBI performances (17) while posting impressive exit velocities that spoke to his natural power.
When Tinney settled in at Texas, he was an impact player who slashed .326/483/.688 with 22 home runs and 58 RBI. Showing a command of the strike zone, Tinney drew 55 walks against 66 strikeouts, the latter stat less an indication of significant swing-and-miss issues and more related to his willingness to take two-strike pitches late in at bats.
A good athlete for his size who stole 10 bases, Tinney was a solid defensive catcher who gave up 24 stolen bases while gunning down eight runners. His two throwing errors in the first inning against Georgia to open the College World Series weren’t indicative of how he performed defensively.
Some draft boards project Tinney more towards the third round than the second, but even though he’s not quite an elite prospect at catcher, he still has tremendous upside because of his power and his eye at the plate.
Right-hander Thomas Burns — No. 173
The big power arm from Wisconsin is a burly 6’3, 240 pounds with a fastball that can reach triple digits with a cutter and a slider that give him closer potential. It’s a role that freshman right-hander Sam Cozart took over early in the season when Burns struggled with his command, limiting the Arizona State transfer to 23 appearances during which he posted a 5.63 ERA. Opponents only hit .181 against Burns and he struck out 43 batters in 22.1 innings, but he also walked 16 batters and looked surprisingly hittable given his pure stuff.
Despite the command issues, Burns has the type of pure stuff a pitching coach can’t teach and previous experience as a starter with the Sun Devils, so expect him to come off the board early on the second day and sign without much delay.
Return potential
The advent of NIL and subsequent scholarship expansion has coincided with the shortening of the MLB Draft. Once spanning 100 rounds in 1996, the draft was 50 rounds from 1998 until 2011, was 40 rounds for the eight years after that, and has been at 20 rounds since 2021, increasing the number of draft-eligible players who return to school.
Last year, Texas benefited from the shift when Riojas, Harrison, and Max Grubbs all announced their return for a final season in college before the draft. This year, it could help keep several players on campus.
Second baseman Ethan Mendoza — No. 353
Slotted as high as No. 218 by Three Quarter Slot in late April, updated boards in the coming days may reflect the medical concerns that will impact where or if Mendoza is selected in this year’s draft after aggravating his right shoulder injury in early May, which Schlossnagle revealed in Omaha has been bothering him all year after also impacting his 2025 season.
The persistent issues suggest that Mendoza may require offseason surgery and could potentially keep him from starting his professional career after the draft.
At his best, Mendoza is a capable second baseman with a contact-focused approach that takes advantage of the entire field, allowing him to bat .333 in 2025 as a more selective approach demanded by the Texas coaching staff allowed the Southlake Carroll product to go from 13 walks as a freshman to 36 as a sophomore.
During the offseason, Mendoza added around 15 pounds of muscle to increase his power, which seemed to impact his ability to hit the ball the other way. So even though he went from five home runs to 10 in 2026, his batting average dropped to .278, in part because his ability to run out infield singles decreased as his stolen bases dropped and in part because of his shoulder issues.
The combination of a potential need for offseason surgery and determining the most effective playing weight for Mendoza could influence his return. Mendoza is also a lifelong Longhorn who could feel like he has unfinished business on the Forty Acres.
Left-hander Haiden Leffew — No. 367
A more tenuous inclusion in this last than Mendoza or Borba, Leffew has as the tools to become a mid-round selection and start his professional career — at 6’1, 235 pounds, he has a level of physicality on the mound matched by a fastball that can reach into the mid-90s and a plus-plus changeup that has put him on the radar of major league scouts for several years now. The Wake Forest transfer also went 4-1 with a 4.05 ERA in 17 appearances in 2026, striking out 31 batters in 20 innings while holding opponents to a .176 batting average.
Leffew was basically unhittable at Texas, but batters often didn’t even have to try to put the ball in play against him thanks to shaky command that produced 15 walks in those 20 innings.
Just a few years ago, Leffew’s departure wouldn’t be in question, but now there’s at least a slim chance that he returns to the Forty Acres for another season.
Infielder Casey Borba — unranked
Ranked as the No. 252 prospect by FSS Digital in the 2023 MLB Draft, Borba’s intent to play college baseball caused him to fall out of the draft. Praised for his all-fields approach to hitting out of Orange Lutheran, Borba instead become reliant on his significant pull-side power at Texas.
Despite work with the Longhorns staff to use the entire field to hit, Borba remained pull heavy in 2026, putting a hard ceiling on his upside at the plate and limiting him to batting .266. Borba’s streaky power did help him hit 18 home runs and knock in 57 runs.
After spurning summer league baseball to improve his mobility, Borba flashed better range at both corner infield spots to emerge as a good third baseman.
But there are significant concerns about Borba’s remaining upside given his boom-or-bust tendencies at the plate as opponents successfully employ the shift against him. With the addition of Texas Tech transfer Linkin Garcia, Borba would be limited to playing first base or designated hitter next season for Texas, so his exit meeting with the coaching staff in the coming days may be the most important on the roster.
Jun 14, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Bo Bichette (19) is greeted in the dugout after scoring in the eighth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Mets came into this game having lost the first two games of the series and, after taking two of three from the first place Braves, the vibes were once again in the tank. Thankfully, However, the Mets’ young ace and eight members of the starting lineup all contributed to a big win this afternoon, taking the series finale 9-1.
Nolan McLean came out strong early in the game, shutting down the Reds without too much tourlbe and, for the first time in this series, gave the Mets a fair chance to compete.
Of course, the Mets didn’t help themselves early on, grounding into double plays in each of the first two innings. However, they took their first lead of the series in the top of the third inning against Nick Lodolo. Luis Torrens led off with an infield single, was moved to second on a Zack Short sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a Carson Benge ground out and, after a walk to Bo Bichette, scored on a bloop single by Juan Soto to put the Mets up 1-0.
Marcus Semien kept the line moving, lining a single over third base, scoring Bichette and advancing Soto to third. Mark Vientos then continued his two-game hot streak, singling to the left side of the infield and scoring Soto, and the Mets had a three-run lead.
Of course, this being the 2026 Mets, the bottom of the inning saw things go sideways. With one out, Jose Trevino reached base on an error by Vientos at first. A Matt McLain single double could not sore Trevino, but put runners on second and third. McLean then plunked Edwin Arroyo to load the bases. A line drive to the right center field gap was chased down by a diving A.J. Ewing, but Trevino scored from third tagging up, cutting the Mets’ lead to two. Ewing covered a ton of ground to get to the ball, and fully laid out to make the very impressive catch. Sal Stewart grounded out to third to end the threat and the frame.
Back to back to back singles by Bichette, Soto, and Semien put three on with one out in the top of the fifth. An opposite field sac fly by Vientos scored Bichette and restored the Mets’ three-run lead. Alvarez then hit a slow single through the five hole, allowing Soto to race home from second, just barely beating a tag from catcher Trevino.
A double off the outfield wall from Ewing cleared the bases and put the Mets up 7-1, and that would do it for Lodolo. Seven runs on 11 hits, two walks, and two strikeouts would be the end of Lodolo’s day, although he was still responsible for the runner at second. Chris Paddack relieved Lodolo, inducing a lineout off the bat of Torrens and mercifully ending the inning. Paddack would take the Reds through the end of the game in relief.
In the sixth, McLean ran into his second trouble spot of the afternoon, allowing a walk, a fielder’s choice, and a two-out double by Nathaniel Lowe to put runners at second and third with Eugenio Suárez coming to the plate. However, McLean induced a fly ball to right for Carson Benge to handle to end the frame.
McLean continued his climb back to his 2025 performance, focusing far more on his four-seam fastball, and seeing excellent results. Not only was McLean successful in limiting runs, he was also efficient with his pitches, throwing 101 pitches over seven innings. He allowed just one unearned run on one walk and three hits, striking out nine in an overall excellent start.
In the McLain versus McLean battle of the homophones, in three plate appearances, McLain struck out twice against one double. It was close, but McLean edged out McLain.
The Mets added on in the eighth, with Benge hitting a one-out triple and scoring on a Bichette single. I know this is a risky thing to say, but the Bichette resurgence appears to be real. A Soto double would score Bichette from first to put the Mets up 9-1.
Brooks Raley came in to pitch the eighth, working around an error at short by Short and a double by Stewart to keep the Mets’ lead to eight runs. Austin Warren gave up a one-out double down the right-field line to Noelvi Marte and a walk to McLain, but buckled down and closed out the game without allowing a run.
While it is always nice to see the Mets avoid a sweep, the inconsistency of this team is something that doesn’t provide a lot of hope for the rest of the season. Yes, they are 3-3 over their last six games, but it is truly bizarre to see how they can hold their own against the powerhouse Braves and then wilt against the sub-.500 Reds? It’s truly bizarre.
The Mets travel to the City of Brotherly Love tomorrow for a three game series against the second place Phillies, interrupted by a World Cup off-day on Friday. Sean Manaea will face off against Aaron Nola in game one.
Side note: Steve Gelbs had his worst hot dog of the season thus far, furthering the feud between Mets’ broadcasters and the cuisine of Western Ohio. This seemed like the natural response to the Reds’ broadcast’s distaste for the Skyline Chili egg roll.
The Mets pounded out 15 hits while annihilating the Reds, 9-1, on Wednesday afternoon in Cincinnati.
Here are the takeaways...
- Leading 3-1 in the fifth inning, the Mets added on against Reds starter Nick Lodolo.
A one-out sacrifice fly by Mark Vientos made it 4-1 before Francisco Alvarez scalded a 112.6 mph single to left to increase New York's advantage to 5-1. A.J. Ewing then smacked an opposite field double that hit a few feet up on the wall in left-center to drive in Marcus Semien and Alvarez to make it 7-1.
- Nolan McLeanretired the first seven hitters with relative ease before facing trouble in the third inning -- due in part to his defense betraying him.
With one out, Vientos made an error when he missed the catch on what would've been a 6-3 putout. The next batter, Matt McLain, doubled on a low liner that just eluded Soto in left field. After McLean hit Edwin Arroyo with a pitch, A.J. Ewing got a great break on a liner to his left and laid out for a diving catch -- robbing JJ Bleday of extra bases as a run came in on a sacrifice fly. McLean escaped the jam by inducing a ground out to third base.
McLean settled into a groove again after that, retiring eight batters in a row (including four strikeouts). That streak was snapped by a one-out walk in the sixth, but he wiggled out of the inning unscathed.
Overall, McLean -- who relied heavily on a four-seam fastball that topped out at 98 mph and routinely got ahead in the count -- allowed one run (which was unearned) on three hits while walking one and striking out nine, lowering his ERA to 3.67. He threw 101 pitches (63 strikes) in what was his most dominant performance of the season.
- After hitting into double plays in each of the first two innings (including a hard-luck one off the bat of Juan Soto at 109 mph), the Mets broke through in the third.
With runners on the corners and two outs -- following a leadoff single by Luis Torrens and two-out walk by Bo Bichette, Soto lofted a bloop single into short center field to give New York a 1-0 lead. Semien and Vientos then laced back-to-back singles to increase the Mets' lead to 3-0.
The Mets capped their scoring in the eighth, with run-scoring hits by Bichette and Soto.
- Bichette, who entered the game having slashed .412 with a 1.222 OPS in 53 plate appearances over his last 12 games, had another huge day. He went 3-for-4 with a walk, RBI, and two runs scored. Bichette's OPS, which was .531 on May 17,is up to .677.
- Soto stayed locked in, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI.
- Alvarez has been swinging a hot bat since returning from the IL on June 9, and that continued on Wednesday, with him notching three hits with an RBI and run scored -- raising his OPS for the year to .728.
The Barringer Meteor Crater near Winslow, Arizona. (Photo by Independent Picture Service/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Today’s Lineups
ANGELS
DIAMONDBACKS
Zach Neto – SS
Ketel Marte – DH
Mike Trout – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Jo Adell – RF
Corbin Carroll – RF
Oswald Peraza – 2B
Gabriel Moreno – C
Vaughn Grissom – 1B
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Denzer Guzman – 3B
Ildemaro Vargas – 2B
Jose Siri – CF
Jordan Lawlar – CF
Logan Porter – C
LuJames Groover – 1B
Wade Meckler – LF
Tommy Troy – LF
Sam Aldegheri – LHP
E. Rodriguez – LHP
My attention will be very much diverted this afternoon, with England playing their opening World Cup game in Dallas, with kickoff at 1 pm. Naturally, I’ll be supporting Croatia in that one, for similar reasons to FTD. If England’s offense can be as futile as the D-backs have been over this month to date, that would be fine. It has now been 19 games since the D-backs have scored more than six runs in a contest: the longest such streak since 2018. The last time was the 7-5 win over the Giants in San Francisco on May 26. Since then, the average has been a woeful 2.7 runs/game, with a team line of .198./.277/.311 for a .588 OPS. Put another way, the D-backs have collectively been hitting like Rod Barajas did here.
It is startling to think that the 2024 D-backs, with a good number of the same players, led the league in runs scored – and by 44 runs, at that. Two years later, they’re ranked 20th. I thought it might be interesting to compare the OPS at each position around the diamond between the 2024 and 2026 Diamondbacks, and see where the differences come from.
Overall: .777 vs. .687 (-90 points)
C. .706 vs. 650 (-56)
1B. .805 vs. .569 (-236)
2B. .850 vs. .764 (-86)
3B. .775 vs. .748 (-27)
SS. .703 vs. .721 (+18)
LF. .828 vs. .641 (-187)
CF. .639 vs. .570 (-69)
RF. .780 vs. .880 (+100)
DH. .891 vs. .581 (-310)
Quite startling. The deficit is almost all over the diamond: right field is the only place with a significant improvement (mostly due to Corbin Carroll’s very slow start in 2024), while shortstop is more or less even. Everywhere else is at least fifty points down – in some cases, a great deal more. It’s not surprise that it’s 1B and DH were the gaps were the biggest, and one imagines those will be the position the team will be looking to strengthen at the trade deadline. Well, if they’re buyers, anyway. Too many more games like the one last night, and they won’t be. Let’s hope for better today, and another series win.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 16: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani faces Shane McClanahan as the Dodgers look to sweep the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Yankees take the field tonight looking to make it two straight over the White Sox following last night’s 12-2 shellacking of Chicago.
New York (44-27) pounded out 16 hits and four home runs, breaking the game open with a four-run third and a six-run fourth inning that effectively buried Chicago (38-33) early. Spencer Jones sparked the offense with a home run and a bases-loaded walk, while Ben Rice (20th HR) and Paul Goldschmidt each launched two-run shots during the decisive fourth inning. Cody Bellinger added a key two-run single and finished with three hits as the lineup produced from top to bottom. On the mound, Gerrit Cole delivered a steady outing, allowing just three hits and two runs over six innings. Chicago’s Davis Martin was knocked out early after surrendering nine runs in 3⅓ innings, as the game got away from the Sox early.
Game 2 of this series features a left-handed duel between the Yankees’ Carlos Rodón and Anthony Kay for Chicago. Rodón has been strong especially of late since returning from the disabled list on May 10. Kay, meanwhile, is 6-1 this season with the bulk of his 4.34 ERA was earned in one start back on June 5 when he allowed six runs to the Phillies in his only loss of the season.
New York is the class of the American League. Full stop. They lead the AL East by 2.5 games over Tampa Bay. Despite the loss last night, the White Sox continue to be the most surprising team in all of baseball. They are now tied for first in the AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians.
The Yankees improved to 20-12 at home while the Sox fell to 14-21 on the road.
Fun Fact: The Yankees are 31–6 record when recording at least eight hits.
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.
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Game Details and How to Watch: White Sox vs. Yankees
Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, CSN, Prime
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: White Sox vs. Yankees
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Chicago White Sox (+153), New York Yankees (-186)
Spread: White Sox +1.5 (-136), Yankees -1.5 (+113)
Total: 8.5 runs
Starting Pitchers and their Stats: White Sox vs. Yankees for June 17
White Sox: Anthony Kay Season Totals: 66.1 IP, 6-1, 4.34 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 53K, 27 BB
Yankees: Carlos Rodon Season Totals: 31.0 IP, 2-2, 3.19 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 34K, 19 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! White Sox vs. Yankees
Miguel Vargas – is hitless in 2 of his last 3 games (1-10) after collecting at least 1 hit in his first 9 games in June
Andrew Benintendi has hit safely in 3 of his last 4 games (4-13)
Paul Goldschmidt – riding an 8-game hitting streak (14-34)
Ben Rice – his 20 HRs are 6 shy of his career high which he set last season
Anthony Volpe – 6-13 with 3 runs scored and 3 RBIs over his last 3 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: White Sox vs. Yankees
The Yankees are 36-35 on the Run Line this season
The White Sox are 41-30 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 42 times in Chicago’s 71 games this season (42-27-2)
The OVER has cashed 33 times in the Yankees’ 71 games this season (33-34-4)
Expert picks & predictions: White Sox vs. Yankees
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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 today’s game between the Yankees and the White Sox:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Yankees on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 8.5
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Jun 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
About a month ago, I wrote about Cody Bellinger’s vastly improved walk rate. At the time, his season wRC+ stood at a robust 141, fueled by a career-high 15.2-percent walk rate. Since then, Bellinger’s numbers have slipped, but only slightly. His walk rate is a still stellar 13.5 percent, which would still be his highest since his MVP-winning 2019, and his .272/.366/.467 slash line comes out to a 133 wRC+. That’s squarely within middle-of-the-order territory.
What’s even more reassuring is that Bellinger has managed to maintain his strong walk rate without sacrificing his quality of contact or his strikeout-avoiding skills. His xwOBA is at .371, seven points above his wOBA and over 40 points up from last year. His strikeout rate is a measly 12.2 percent, an elite mark in this day and age — it places him 12th among 156 qualified MLB hitters this year, ahead of noted contact stalwarts such as Juan Soto or José Ramírez. Bellinger’s walk rate appears to be more than a weird one-year blip (see: Ward, Taylor); it genuinely feels like he’s fixed the weakest part of his profile while retaining his strengths.
In my earlier post, I mentioned that Bellinger’s increased walk rate had improved my outlook on his performance going forward. Well, it’s not just me; the projection systems also have a rosier view of Bellinger’s future performance given his strong showing so far this year. Here’s a comparison of his preseason projected wRC+ marks to his updated rest-of-season projections as of the time of writing.
Projection System
2026 preseason wRC+
2026 preseason AVG/OBP/SLG
2026 updated rest-of-season wRC+
2026 updated rest-of-season AVG/OBP/SLG
FanGraphs Depth Charts
118
.267/.329/.458
121
.266/.338/.458
ZiPS
118
.264/.328/.457
120
.262/.336/.455
Steamer
118
.271/.329/.459
122
.270/.341/.460
Bellinger’s wRC+ projections have all seen an uptick due to his strong performance over the first two-and-a-half months of the season, and if you look at his triple-slash forecasts, you’ll find that most of that comes from his improved OBP projections. Yes, it still has just been a little under 44 percent of the season, but all three systems have seen enough over that span to re-evaluate his on-base abilities.
Even looking beyond this year, Bellinger’s increased walk rate provides him with a higher baseline as he enters the initial years of his decline phase. The low-OBP, mediocre-contact quality version of Bellinger was still a solid player, but he was heavily reliant on his contact skills to prop up his batting line – that’s a position you don’t want to find yourself in as a batter on the wrong side of 30. With his robust 2026 walk rate, though, Bellinger can afford to absorb some erosion of his contact skills and still maintain his offensive output. That makes his five-year, $162.5 million deal seem less like an overpay and more like a good deal, even if it ends up being underwater towards the back end.
Here, it’s important to note that the Yankees might not even be on the hook for the tail end of Bellinger’s contract. As readers pointed out in response to my earlier piece, if Bellinger keeps his current performance up, he will likely choose to opt out after next year and re-enter the free agent market as a 31-year-old; and if not next year, then in 2028, as a 32-year-old. That would free up a lot of money for the Yankees to spend on other needs; or, if the outfield turns out to be a pressing need, they could consider bringing him back. Either way, it’s a much better position to be in for the Yankees than to be beholden to Bellinger’s full contract with no chance of him going anywhere.
As fans, it’s easy to play the role of armchair batting coach and ascribe easy fixes to players’ flaws. Dude strikes out too much? Choke up and stop swinging for the fences! Guy can’t take walks? Stop swinging at junk!
Usually, it’s not that simple. Baseball is hard, and so is changing your profile as a player. However, in Cody Bellinger’s case, it was that simple, apparently. All he needed to do was take his walks, and so he did. And his team, and its fans, are so much happier because of it.
"Hump Day" baseball is here, with games running all day long on June 17.
This evening, our MLB player props are locked in with Wilyer Abreu, Brandon Lowe, and Dominic Canzone, all in matchups that line up nicely for production and offensive upside.
I am already fading Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer on another prop today, so why not fully take advantage of the old man's weaknesses? Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu finds himself in a great spot to do damage against Scherzer's offerings.
The 26-year-old has been seeing the ball extremely well over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, batting .310 with a .621 SLG and .921 OPS. He has also produced a 45.8% hard-hit rate and a 16.7% barrel rate during that stretch.
On top of that, Abreu owns nearly 60% arsenal coverage against Scherzer's pitch mix, with every offering grading below league average this season, per FanGraphs.
Against left-handed hitters, the future Hall of Famer has struggled to keep the ball on the ground, allowing nearly a 75% elevation rate alongside a 13% barrel rate. Those hitters have also generated a .544 xSLG and .388 xwOBA against him.
Getting this prop at nearly even money feels like a gift. I would comfortably play it down to -110.
Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NESN, SN1
Brandon Lowe Over 1.5 total bases (-106)
Brandon Lowe and the Pittsburgh Pirates find themselves in a strong spot tonight against Aaron Civale and the Athletics. Despite a recent slump, this feels like a good opportunity for Lowe to get back on track.
Over his last 60 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, Lowe is hitting just .222, but the underlying numbers are still solid with a 43% hard-hit rate and an 11.4% barrel rate. He also brings strong familiarity here, with a 73% arsenal coverage against Civale’s pitch mix.
On the mound, Civale enters with one of the worst pitcher ratings on the slate per Batters-Box, grading poorly across matchup wOBA, ISO, strikeout rate, and ground ball rate. Left-handed hitters have given him fits all season, allowing nearly a 70% elevation rate.
At home, those splits jump to a .354 average, .646 slugging, and a .452 wOBA, with lefties elevating the ball 77.6% of the time.
This sets up well for Lowe, who profiles with elite underlying metrics, strong matchup coverage, and a track record of getting to this number close to 50% of the time, while also carrying roughly a 35% home run rate in similar spots. I would play this down to -115.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, SNP
Dominic Canzone Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (+109)
CALZONES FOR EVERYONE!
Mr. Dominic Canzone steps into a strong spot tonight against Baltimore Orioles right hander Kyle Bradish. The Seattle Mariners outfielder checks in with the number one rated matchup on Batters-Box’s current season timeframe, along with nearly 75% arsenal coverage against Bradish’s full pitch mix.
Canzone has been on a serious heater lately, hitting .370 with a 1.285 OPS while posting 52% hard contact and a 20% barrel rate over his last 30 at bats against right handed pitching.
On the other side, Bradish has been vulnerable to lefties, allowing 40% hard contact and a 10% barrel rate to his last 30 left handed hitters faced. Those hitters are producing a .339 xBA, .477 xSLG, and .343 xwOBA in that span.
With Canzone seeing it this well right now and the underlying matchup fully supporting it, the HRR prop at plus money feels like value. Take it down to +100.
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SEAM, MASN
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 225-387-35, +10.54 units
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.
Jun 3, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) gives a thumbs up during the third inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Pirates fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
To piggieback off of Jaiman’s piece earlier today, there’s been a lot of chatter on social media, from Pittsburgh Pirates fans and baseball fans in general, that Paul Skenes is no longer a top 10 pitcher in the league.
Some of the numbers — like his 2.85 ERA, which is great for a Major League pitcher, but also the highest of his career — would suggest he has slipped. While others — like his 0.93 WHIP, which is the best of his career — would suggest he has not.
That ERA is 15th in the league. The WHIP is 5th. The Ks are also 5th. His Ks per nine innings stands at 4th. His walks and hits per innings pitched also stand at 5th.
So has Skenes slipped? Um, maybe? I guess if you go from the the best pitcher in baseball to simply in the mix for the best pitcher, is that technically slippage? What do you guys think watching him all year? Has he slipped?
Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with the results.
May 30, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA;Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (right) is greeted in the dugout by manager Dave Roberts (left) after leaving the game during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
The Dodgers’ all-interleague homestand concludes this weekend, with the Baltimore Orioles coming to Los Angeles beginning Friday night. After a 2020 World Series rematch against Tampa Bay, this time it’s a 1966 Fall Classic rematch at Dodger Stadium.
Boston, MA - June 14: Boston Red Sox outfielder Anthony Roman. The Boston Red Sox played the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park on June 14, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
This Red Sox season has been an exercise in one-step-forward-two-steps-back. And that rubric doesn’t just apply to the game-to-game results, but to the injuries as well. How many times have we gone from “minor injury, hopes to avoid the IL,” to “recovery progressing, hopes to begin rehab assignment soon,” to “RIP, gone but not forgotten”? Roman Anthony has already gone through that cycle, but we may have gotten good news recently. Anthony underwent yet another MRI this week — but this one was apparently one of the good MRIs, performed just to check in on how things are going. ““Everything looked good, healing properly,” Chad Tracy said. Of course we still don’t have any timeline on his return, but hey, we’ll take what we can get. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
We also got some promising news on Garrett Crochet, which came with a bit more specifics. He’s been cleared to start some “light throwing of weighted plyometric balls, which, y’know, aren’t the kind of balls they use in MLB, but they’re better than no balls at all. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Unfortunately, we may have reached the point where it’s too late for Anthony and Crochet to save the season. And if that’s the case, we can blame the Sox’ performance against the rest of the AL East. “The Sox have a horrendous 6-15 mark against divisional opponents – the second-worst record by any AL team within its own division. (Only the Tigers, with a 6-16 mark against the AL Central, had an inferior mark.)” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
The primary reason why the season may already be over is, of course, the Sox’ terrible offense. With so many individual hitters struggling, we’re starting to see something interesting at Fenway Park: private hitting instructors who do not work for the team. While the optics of this aren’t great, it’s not necessarily something novel. “At this level, players have had a lot of coaches throughout their careers. When they get to this level, there’s a lot of people who have helped them have success,” says Sox interim hitting coach John Soteropulos. (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
And with the season slipping away, it’s no surprise that the Red Sox are involved in so much trade speculation. ESPN ranked the top-25 trade candidates for the upcoming deadline and included 4 Sox players on the list, led by Aroldis Chapman at number 8. (Kiley McDaniel, Jeff Passan, ESPN)
But despite all the trade chatter — and the, uh, standings — CBO Craig Breslow isn’t yet prepared to surrender the ship. Yesterday he appeared on the NESN pregame show and said he was “absolutely not” giving up on the season yet. “Right now, given we’ve got six weeks or so before the deadline, our focus is on doing everything we can to give ourselves a chance to win the game each night.” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
But while Breslow is probably prudent to wait for as long as he can before going into sell-mode, the fact that the only noise at Fenway is being made by traveling Scottish fans in town for the Wold Cup tells you all you need to know about the direction of this season. (Justin Turpin, WEEI)
Jun 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman Hao-Yu Lee (50) bats during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (30-43) vs. Houston Astros (34-41)
Time/Place: 2:10 p.m., Daikin Park SB Nation Site: The Crawfish Boxes Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Casey Mize (2-3, 2.27 ERA) vs. RHP Peter Lambert (5-4, 3.47 ERA)
Wilyer Abreu
Brandon Lowe
Dominic Canzone
