ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles watches his run-scoring sacrifice fly against the Los Angeles Angels during the fifth inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 22, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
This is not going to be one of those years where the American League All-Star roster is chock full of Orioles. There will probably only be one. The fan voting is not going to bring any Orioles on as starters, nor should it, because there aren’t any guys who are doing so overwhelmingly great to deserve that.
Still, there are a few Orioles with at least interesting cases to make the roster. In this week’s survey, I’d like you to think about who deserves it the most. You can define “deserve” however you like. For me, it’s a player who is among the best at his position in the league so far this year, or at least close enough to it that he’s not likely to end up on the level of an “All-Star Ty Wigginton” kind of embarrassment years down the road.
What do you think? Vote here:
Results will be shared on Friday. I’m curious to see how this one shakes out, because you could make the case for a few of these guys. It might come down to the commissioner’s office decision of who would fit the roster best based on the choices of the fans for starters, the players for reserves, and other “this team must have one All-Star” decisions.
SURPRISE, AZ - MARCH 20: Kendry Chourio #33 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This Week in the Minors is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less-heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?”
Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers (33-41, 13.5 games back)
The Storm Chasers split their series on the road in St. Paul. On the mound, Randy Dobnak, who the Royals traded for, made his first start with the organization. He went 4.1 innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, walking 1 and striking out 5. Génesis Cabrera threw 3.1 innings of 2 run ball, both runs unearned, over 3 relief appearances, striking out 4 batters. Bailey Falter made a start, going 4 innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs, walking 3 and striking out 4.
At the plate, Abraham Toro had a great week, going 9-for-23, hitting 2 doubles, 2 triples and 3 homers, while driving in 10 runs. Oh, and he hit for the cycle, the sixth in modern Omaha history. Brandon Drury went 9-for-15, with 3 doubles, 2 homers, driving in 6 runs. Matthew Lugo was 12-for-29, with 3 doubles, 2 homers and 4 runs batted in.
The Storm Chasers return home to take on the Columbus Clippers this week. The series runs from Tuesday through Sunday.
Northwest Arkansas Naturals (29-38, 16 games back)
The Naturals lost 4 of 6 to the Tulsa Drillers, the best team in Double-A. At the plate, outfielder Connor Scott went 6-for-15, with a double and homer, also driving in 3 runs. Scott is a 26-year-old, from the Marlins organization, he was taken 13th overall in 2018. Rudy Martin was 7 for 21, Jack Pineda was 7 for 19 with a double and 5 runs batted in.
On the mound, Drew Beam was fantastic in his only start of the week, going 7.1 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 run, walking 1 and striking out 5. Beam seems to finally have settled in at Northwest after getting promoted right before the season started from Quad Cities. Frank Mozzicato threw 4 scoreless innings over two relief appearances, allowing 2 hits, walking 5 and striking 5 batters out. Hunter Patteson made two starts, totaling 13 innings, allowing 6 hits, 5 runs, walking 3 and striking out 11. Patteson is a 26-year-old lefty out of Central Florida selected in the 5th round draft pick in 2022 by the Royals. He has a 5.22 ERA over 58.2 innings so far this season.
Our Hero!! 🤩🤩🤩
Rudy Martin Jr. walks off the Tulsa Drillers in the 10th!
— Northwest Arkansas Naturals (@nwanaturals) June 19, 2026
The Naturals hit the road, to take on the Springfield Cardinals this week. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.
Quad Cities River Bandits (30-35, 10 games back)
The River Bandits lost 3 of 5 to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, with one game being rained out. On the mound, Kendry Chourio made his High-A debut after getting promoted from Columbia. The 18-year-old right hander went 4.2 innings, allowing 7 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), while striking out 10 batters. It was a mixed bag performance against the fourth best team in High-A. Elsewhere, David Shields went 5 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, walking 1 and striking out 10 hitters. It’s the second straight start for Shields with 10 strikeouts. Jordan Woods threw for the first time in a couple weeks, going 2 scoreless innings, allowing 1 hit, walking 1 and striking out 2. Emmanuel Reyes threw 6 innings of 2 run ball, allowing 7 hits, while striking out 5.
At the plate, Ramon Ramirez was 7-for-20, with a double and 2 homers, while driving in 5 runs. On the season, Ramirez is hitting .285/.360/.487. The 21-year-old catcher is in his first year at Quad Cities. Derlin Figueroa was just 1-for-16, cooling him down after a good start to June and an overall good month. Figueroa is slashing .277/.366/.564 with 15 homers this season. The first baseman is just 22 years old.
Royals’ No. 7 prospect Ramon Ramirez homered not once, but TWICE in the win last night! 💣💣
— Quad Cities River Bandits (@QCRiverBandits) June 19, 2026
The River Bandits hit the road to take on the South Bend Cubs, one of the best teams in High-A. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.
Columbia Fireflies (34-35, 5 games back)
The Fireflies lost 4 of 6 to the Hickory Crawdads. On the mound, Jose Gutierrez threw 7 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, striking out 4. Ryan McDonagh, a 20-year-old right hander from Canada, made his Low-A debut after getting promoted from Rookie Ball. In his start, he went 5 innings, allowing 1 hit, 2 runs, 2 walks, striking out 4.
At the plate, Josh Hammond went 8-for-18, with a homer and 2 runs driven in. Hammond is slashing .287/.349/.422 on the year. Sean Gamble went 6-for-16 with a pair of doubles and 3 runs batted in. Gamble in the month of June is slashing .292/.444/.438. Raising his season average all the way to .179, it’s good to see the Royals first round draft pick from last season starting to put things together.
San Diego, CA - August 17: Gio Rojas pitches for the East team during the Dick's Sporting Goods Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park on August 17, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
As we close in on the 2026 MLB Draft, the focus on who the Atlanta Braves are looking at for the ninth overall pick has come into focus a bit. Names like Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress, Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick, Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell, and Florida prep lefty Gio Rojas seem to be the names most prominently linked to the club. Massachusetts prep lefty Brody Bumila is also a name that has received some buzz. My goal is to start to break down who these players are and their strengths and weaknesses to prepare you for the newest Braves prospect.
We will continue the series by looking at Florida high school pitcher Gio Rojas, the lone pitcher and prep player being prominently linked to the Braves at #9.
Extended look at LHP Gio Rojas ‘26 (FL) from last night.
Rojas has a big fastball up to 98 MPH from the left side, coming in with plenty of life. This is definitely a bat missing pitch that will grade out as a plus offering for him.
Slider 60
As good as his fastball is, the slider is his out pitch and comes in with very high spin rates. It’s just nasty and should be a pitch that will rack up the strikeouts for him as he continues to progress.
Changeup 50
Like many high school pitchers with a powerful arm, Rojas doesn’t use the changeup much in games because it actually gives his competition a better chance at being successful due to him taking something off his premium stuff. He does however have some feel for it and it should be a solid third offering for him – though this does take some projection to get to the average grade.
Command 55
Rojas is a strike thrower who has a chance to get to above average command in the future. He needs to clean up his mechanics a little bit, mostly by being more consistent all the time, but that is a coachable thing for an arm like him. Once that takes place, it’s not hard to see the 55 grade coming into play.
Gio Rojas is the popular LHP1 this draft, usual prep SP1 too. Little old, but a fluent mover & low release. Tremendous spin feel. Solid zone feel.
Rojas is a projectable, athletic young arm who only turns 19 about two weeks ahead of the draft. All of the ingredients are there for him to have top of the rotation potential. That is why he is not only the top ranked prep pitcher in this draft, but may even be the second best arm in this draft, behind only Jackson Flora.
He would almost certainly be an underslot option for the Braves at #9, but at the same time he wouldn’t come extremely cheap either. Even if you took the underslot out of things, he is probably my favorite option among the four most commonly linked players to the Braves – simply because he has the highest ceiling of those options.
Rojas ceiling is a potential ace, but with his stuff and command he also seems like a higher floor option than most prep arms. If the Braves did draft him I would count on him maybe seeing Augusta for a short stint this season, and he might get the chance to earn his way to Augusta in 2027 – similar to Briggs McKenzie from last year. He would potentially be a big league option mid-2029 at the earliest.
Jun 22, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) walks off the field after pitching the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
A 5-3 final score does not feel super lousy if you’re just hearing about it in passing. But if you watched any of the Yankees’ game last night in Detroit, it sure felt lousy.
A brief 1-0 lead was lost due to an ineffective Gerrit Cole, as he gave up an uncharacteristic nine hits and five runs, failing to get through five innings on 89 pitches. The Bombers bats didn’t do much against Framber Valdez, and only a two-run homer by Amed Rosario off Drew Anderson brought this back to a two-run game. Jasson Domínguez struck out with two on and two outs in the eighth, and that was the end of the Yanks’ last real threat. Bummer. The Yanks must get out of the muck today, or they’ll face a potential sweep and five-game skid at the hands of Tarik Skubal tomorrow.
The AL West-leading Mariners were idle on Monday, but here’s some of what else was going on around the Junior Circuit.
Tampa Bay Rays (43-32) 1, Kansas City Royals (33-46) 2
The Yankees’ two-game lead in the AL East remained intact because the Rays had their own lifeless showing in their own ballpark against an underachieving Royals team that didn’t have their best player at their disposal. Not great, Bob(by).
Fortunately for Kansas City, if they have any All-Star this year outside of Bobby Witt Jr., it’s starter Michael Wacha. He got to pitch Monday and handled the Rays pretty easily with seven innings of six-hit, one-run ball, pushing his innings total up to an AL-leading 101 through 16 starts. He only fanned five, but he made the right pitches in the counts he needed them, and this game was over in 2 hours and 13 minutes.
Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen drew the short straw of this pitchers’ duel and lost despite a fair outing of six innings with four hits and two runs allowed. He actually leads the AL in WHIP and BB/9 with a sterling 0.884 and 1.6 respectively. He did walk two yesterday though and the first quickly burned him at the beginning of the second. Lane Thomas doubled in Michael Massey to score the game’s first run in the second, and he moved to third on the play.
Rasmussen buckled down to retire the next three batters in order with two K’s. In the fifth however, KC struck out again, this time with small ball. Nick Loftin got a hit and stole second, and following Rasmussen’s second free pass of the evening, capable catcher Carter Jensen drove Loftin in with a single to center. Rasmussen ended the inning on the next two pitches, but the insurance run was helpful for Wacha, as the Rays plated their only run in the home half of the frame, Yandy Díaz doubling in Richie Palacios with two outs.
Wacha stranded Díaz on a groundout by Jonny DeLuca and retired six of the next seven batters to end his outing with ease. The Rays ran themselves out of a threat in the eighth when a pinch-running Victor Mesa Jr. got thrown out on a stolen base attempt with two outs and masher Junior Caminero at the plate, who generally has runners in scoring position already when he steps up to bat. Oops. Alex Lange tossed a perfect ninth for KC, nailing down the one-run win.
Other Games
Toronto Blue Jays (39-39) 4, Houston Astros (37-43) 2: The Jays got back to .500 for the first time since May 29th. Ace Hunter Brown made his second start off the IL for the Astros, and though he allowed just one run, he was worked through three innings, tossing 85 pitches — one of which left the yard on a Kazuma Okamoto homer. Somewhat amusingly, the rest of the Toronto runs against the Houston bullpen all came on sacrifice flies, the most important coming off the bat of Myles Straw in the seventh to break a 2-2 tie. Those count! Dylan Cease struck out eight in 5.2 innings of two-run ball, though Braydon Fisher got the win with four key outs in middle relief.
Cleveland Guardians (41-38) 5, Chicago White Sox (40-37) 6: This was a spirited back-and-forth on the South Side! It was all Chicago for the first half and change, as Anthony Kay spun six shutout innings and a Randal Grichuk homer helped build a 3-0 lead. But Cleveland came alive with three in the seventh on three singles and two walks off reliever Grant Taylor. Sam Antonacci put the Pale Hose ahead with an RBI knock after the seventh-inning stretch, and manager Will Venable handed the lead to free-agent closer addition Seranthony Domínguez.
It’s been a bumpy road for Seranthony thus far in 2026 unfortunately, and he fell apart in the ninth. He walked Travis Bazzana and uncorked a wild pitch while Bazzana was already stealing, allowing the tying run to move up 90 feet. Patrick Bailey singled him in and Brayan Rocchio followed with an laser double to right. Bailey froze at third and Domínguez did fan Rhys Hoskins for the second out. But Chris Murphy entered and let Kyle Manzardo tie it up on a sacrifice fly that just barely scored Bailey upon replay review.
The more reliable Cade Smith had already thrown a scoreless eighth for Cleveland, and skipper Steven Vogt had no qualms about letting him go for the save in a second inning. Alas, the South Siders had one last rally in ’em. Braden Montgomery worked a one-out walk and Tristan Peters hit a check-swing/excuse-me double down the left field line to put two in scoring position. Pinch-hitter Jacob Gonzalez struck out swinging in his attempt to be the hero, but for the second time in three innings, Antonacci came through. Down to their last strike and in an 0-2 count, Antonacci took ball one, fouled two off, and then singled cleanly to center, scoring both Montgomery and Peters to walk off the Guardians. The two teams are in a virtual tie atop the AL Central.
Watch the full four-ish minute highlight package for this one! It’s a hoot.
Who will win Dodgers vs Twins today: Dodgers -1.5 (+101)
Justin Wrobleski has taken advantage of his opportunity in the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation, posting an 8-2 record and 2.72 ERA this season. The left-hander has pitched well lately, compiling a 3.40 FIP over his last four appearances while walking just 0.76 hitters per nine innings.
The Minnesota Twins counter with reliever Kendry Rojas, but the bigger concern is a Twins bullpen that owns a 5.50 FIP and has allowed 2.08 home runs per nine innings over the last two weeks.
Dodgers vs Twins Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+105)
This matchup has the makings of Los Angeles scoring most of the runs while Minnesota struggles offensively.
The Dodgers' bullpen has been lights out lately, posting a 2.71 xERA across its last 26 innings while holding opponents to a 27.3% hard-hit rate.
Wrobleski typically pitches into the sixth or seventh inning, limiting the amount of bullpen work required. While the Twins are batting .320 over their last six games, this is a significantly tougher pitching matchup for them.
Los Angeles should produce some offense against Minnesota's shaky pitching staff, but an offensive eruption feels unlikely. With the Twins potentially struggling to contribute, the Under still offers value.
I'll play this pick up to -120.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 29-24, +2.63 units
Over/Under bets: 31-21, +5.60 units
Dodgers vs Twins weather
Conditions at Target Field could play a role tonight. Temperatures are expected to be around 71°F with 9.2 mph winds, 68.3% humidity, and an 89% chance of rain. The mild weather is generally favorable for hitters, but the potential for rain could create a slightly less predictable environment.
Dodgers vs Twins odds
Moneyline: Dodgers -163 | Twins +156
Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (+104) | Twins +1.5 (-108)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-113) | Under 8.5 (+108)
Dodgers vs Twins trend
The Dodgers have hit the Moneyline in 34 of their last 50 away games (+6.50 Units / 8% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Twins.
How to watch Dodgers vs Twins and game info
Location
Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
SNLA, Twins.TV
Dodgers starting pitcher
Jacob Wrobleski (8-2, 2.72 ERA)
Twins starting pitcher
Kendry Rojas (1-0, 1.26 ERA)
Dodgers vs Twins 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.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres a jumping catch in the fourth inning during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park on June 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Michael King took the mound for the San Diego Padres who were opening a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park on Monday night. It must have been good to be home because King delivered his best start since May 18 when he completed seven innings without allowing a run to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco. In that game he allowed four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts. King completed seven innings against the Braves without allowing a run, allowed six hits without issuing a walk and had five strikeouts and led the Padres to a 1-0 win.
The Padres did not do much to support King’s stellar effort on offense, but in the end a solo home run from Manny Machado in the bottom of the fourth inning proved to be all that King would need. He finished seven then gave the ball to Adrian Morejon for the eighth and Mason Miller for the ninth. Miller did allow a single and a walk, which was strange to see, but he got the three outs he needed to seal the win and get his 21st save of the season.
King was the story and Machado provided the lone offensive highlight, he also doubled to open the bottom of the eighth inning but was stranded at second, but the play of centerfielder Jackson Merrill made up for his 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts at the plate. Merrill made multiple highlight reel plays, one running back toward the right-center field wall on a well struck ball that would have been a double, another on a sinking liner that would have been a hit, if not for a last-minute half-dive knee sliding catch. Even the balls Merrill was not able to catch he was able to get to quickly and make strong throws back to the infield that held the batters to singles on what looked like extra bases.
It was not a game that put the Friar Faithful’s minds at ease when it comes to the offensive struggles they have seen from the team all season, but it was a glimpse at what could be when King is pitching like the ace Padres fans know and expect him to be. San Diego will try to win the series tonight at 6:40 p.m.
Padres News:
The Padres have a tough stretch of games ahead, which started with their series opener against the Braves yesterday. After three games with Atlanta, San Diego hosts the Dodgers, then travels to Chicago to face the Cubs before four more games against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. It will be a critical stretch for the Padres. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Balltakes a look at what is in store for the team as they get closer to the All-Star break.
The San Diego bullpen is a big reason, if not the sole reason the Padres have had success in 2026. Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune believes they cannot be expected to carry the team for the remainder of the season.
Manager Craig Stammen, in his ongoing search to find consistency on offense, put Samad Taylor in the nine spot in the order and for the first game since being called up from Triple-A he went hitless.
Welcome back to A Pod of Their Own, an all-women led Home Run Applesauce podcast where we talk all things Mets, social justice issues in baseball, and normalize female voices in the sports podcasting space.
This week, we begin by discussing the Mets’ rotation, which has completely fallen apart, and the impending return of Francisco Lindor and Tyrone Taylor. We also talk about the grim outlook for the trade deadline and potentially beyond.
Next, we cover the latest in the CBA negotiations, as the league has put forth a set of proposals involving the draft, which the union swiftly rejected. We also discuss the latest in the Giants Pride Night scandal, which has escalated all the way to a DOJ investigation.
We also plug a GoFundMe for Adam Bayatti aka TheMetsHomeRunner in order to get him to New York to see a Mets game in person. Throw a few bucks his way if you are able.
Finally, we wrap things up with Walk-off Wins, where each of us talks about what’s making us happy this week, baseball-related or otherwise.
You can listen or subscribe to all of our wonderful Home Run Applesauce podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on the Stitcher app, Spotify, or listen wherever you get podcasts. You can also support our work by subscribing to our Patreon, which will get you bonus episodes, access to our Discord server, livestream experiences, an exclusive monthly playlist, and more!
You can follow A Pod of Their Own on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky (@apodoftheirown) and you can follow Home Run Applesauce on Twitter and Instagram (@HRApplesauce). You can also follow our co-hosts on Twitter and Bluesky: Allison McCague (@PetitePhD), Maggie Wiggin (@maggie162), and LindaSurovich (@LindaSurovich). You can also email the show at aa.apodoftheirown@gmail.com.
Look for A Pod of Their Own in your feeds every week and don’t forget: there’s no crying in podcasting!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 20: Leody Taveras #30 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with Jackson Holliday #7 after scoring during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 20, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight, the Orioles will play their 81st game of the season, marking the mathematical halfway point of the regular season. The best they can do is 39-42. That’s disappointing relative to preseason hopes that this thing would get turned around, but this first half really could have been a lot worse than it was. Whatever else can be said about this year’s Orioles, they have not let themselves crash out of the picture early like last year’s team did.
In this week’s episode of the podcast, I’m looking at what’s been working and what hasn’t over the first three months worth of games, as well as what might actually have a chance of getting better from here on out. Can they do well enough to get Mike Elias to make a real, serious move in July to improve this team in the short-term? There is a lot to be figured out still. They’re going to need to win like they did last night a lot more often to get anywhere good this year.
Also in this episode, a question in the mailbag about who is exciting in the minor league system right now. One answer is obvious to anyone who’s been paying attention to the farm this year. I try to figure out who else is on the cusp of maybe being exciting heading into next season as well.
If the above player isn’t displaying, view this article in Incognito Mode or check it out on the show’s page.
This is my weekly podcast about whatever is going on lately with the Orioles. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe. You can get the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to access your podcasts.
How are you feeling about the way things are going with the Orioles right now? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of a future episode of the podcast.
The Chicago White Sox picked up a high-scoring walk-off victory in their series opener against the Cleveland Guardians.
While another competitive game should be expected, my Guardians vs. White Sox predictions and MLB picks believe the wrong team is favored and see value in backing Chicago to take Game 2.
Who will win Guardians vs White Sox today: White Sox (-105)
The Chicago White Sox are one of the league’s best offenses against southpaws, ranking fifth in wOBA, fourth in OPS, and first in ISO.
Parker Messick is very promising, but his level of play has tailed off of late.
Messick owns an xFIP of 4.01 and SIERA of 4.25 over the past 30 days. Both of those outputs are well above the 3.21 ERA he has posted, a sign a dip could be coming.
Guardians vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 7 (-120)
The White Sox have posted high-end metrics across the board against left-handed pitching. They have also hit more homers than anybody.
While Messick generally doesn’t give up much power, it’ll be tough to neutralize such a potent offense.
Even without Ramirez and DeLauter, the Guardians have scored at least three runs in five of their last six games.
Sean Burke ranks in the 52nd percentile in xERA and is a mid-tier arm. Behind him is the 22nd-ranked bullpen in FIP. The Guardians should still chip in.
This total is half a run too low. Play the Over to -130.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 39-29, +2.00 units
Over/Under bets: 36-28-4, +4.64 units
Guardians vs White Sox weather
Temperatures in the high 60s are expected, with slight northeast winds. The weather should have little impact on this game.
Guardians vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Guardians -115 | White Sox -105
Run line: Guardians -1.5 (+155) | White Sox +1.5 (-180)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-115) | Under 7 (-105)
Guardians vs White Sox trend
Chicago has won 20 of its last 24 games at home (+18.10 units, 70% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. White Sox.
How to watch Guardians vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, CleGuardians.TV
Guardians starting pitcher
Parker Messick (7-3, 2.70 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Sean Burke (4-4, 3.89 ERA)
Guardians vs White Sox 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.
Jun 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy (31) and Colorado Rockies outfielder Tyler Freeman (2) celebrate after a ninth inning walk off win against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
The end of last night’s Red Sox game was nothing short of a debacle. A fiasco. A disaster. Whatever you want to call it. Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman combined to allow eight hits in the eighth and ninth innings, though the former somehow escaped without allowing a run, while the latter coughed up a two-run lead.
It was probably the worst loss of the season. There have been plenty of other bad losses, but losing to the (2nd?) worst team in baseball in that fashion is downright embarrassing. So, what’s the worst loss you can remember? It doesn’t have to be this season. It could be a massive blowout, a huge blown lead, or a certain Game 6.
Talk about what you want and be good to one another.
Manny Machado delivered what ended up being the game-winning home run in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Padres beat the Braves, 1-0.
Atlanta is 3-8 over the last 11 games and ranks 24th in batting average (.228), the fewest walks (21), and second-fewest home runs (11) in the last 15 days. In that same span, Atlanta's pitching rotation ranks 24th in OBA (.269), 22nd in WHIP (1.44), and 19th in ERA (4.52). Atlanta recorded seven hits on Monday, but had nine strikeouts to one walk in the scoreless effort.
San Diego improved to 3-2 over the last five games and 8-11 in June. The Padres pitching staff has been elite with a 3.63 ERA (3rd), but .268 OBA (25th). On the other side, the Padres offense has not been fruitful. San Diego is batting .222 (27th) in June and bottom 10 ranks in OBP, OPS, SLG, and home runs.
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 Braves at Padres
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: ESPN / 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 Braves at the Padres
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Atlanta Braves (-112), San Diego Padres (-108)
Spread: Padres +1.5 (-186), Braves -1.5 (+153)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Padres
Tuesday's pitching matchup (June 23): JR Ritchie vs. Griffin Canning
The Braves’ Michael Harris II is hitting .305 with 78 hits, 14 home runs and 41 RBI over 256 at-bats
The Braves’ Austin Riley is hitting .219 with 61 hits and 90 strikeouts over 279 at-bats
The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .284 with 83 hits, 2 home runs, and 26 RBI over 292 at-bats
The Padres’ Manny Machado is hitting .185 with 51 hits and 70 strikeouts over 276 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Braves at Padres
Atlanta is 43-34 ATS, ranking seventh-best
San Diego is 42-35 ATS, ranking tied for ninth-best
Atlanta is 37-34-6 to the Over, ranking 10th-best
San Diego is an MLB-best 43-33-1 to the Under
Atlanta is 24-15 ATS on the road, ranking second-best
San Diego is 21-18 ATS at home
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Padres
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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 Braves and the Padres:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Braves on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Braves at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 8.0
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It has been two profitable weeks as I continue to try to dig myself out of an early-season home-run hole.
I've hit a dinger in five of my last six articles, and today's slate is setting up well for four-baggers and MLB player props.
The Mariners are projected to put up some crooked numbers vs. Mitch Keller and the Pirates, while nobody is swinging a better bat than Pete Crow-Armstrong, and that price vs. Kodai Senga is on the right side of expected value.
These are my favorite home run props for Tuesday, June 23.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Josh Naylor
+660
Pete Crow-Armstrong
+382
Home run pick: Josh Naylor (+660)
Give a bump to the left-handed bats of the Mariners today. Generous winds are blowing out to right field at PNC Park, and the pitching matchup is working in their favor as well. Josh Naylor at +660 is the target.
Mitch Keller has allowed 4+ runs in all but one of his last seven starts, posting a 7.64 ERA over that stretch.
His fly-ball rate is lower than his career average, and his HR/FB rate is starting to normalize after some early-season months of keeping it below 10%. His SIERA and xFIP are both at five-year highs, suggesting these bad times are here to stay.
Naylor has seen Keller eight times in his career, taking him deep once while hitting .375. I love the Mariners team total Over 4.5 today, and Naylor is one of the better +EV home run props on the board with a fair price closer to +520.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Mariners.TV
Home run pick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+382)
Pete Crow-Armstrong is the hottest hitter in baseball right now. He leads MLB in slugging over the last two weeks at .935, and his .500 ISO trails only Shohei Ohtani.
This is a great price in a game that could feature multiple home runs given the pitching matchup.
Kodai Senga owns the 13th-worst HR/FB rate among MLB starters this season, and only three qualified starters have a worse ground-ball rate. He's allowed multiple home runs in three of his last four starts, and this will be just his second outing after missing three weeks with a spine/arm injury.
Senga may be the biggest pitching target on the slate today, and getting a red-hot hitter at +300 or better in a plus-plus home run matchup is an easy way to make the HR card.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNY, Marquee Sports Network
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.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JUNE 22: Xavier Edwards #9 of the Miami Marlins dives for home plate but cannot score against Elias Díaz #35 of the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at loanDepot park on June 22, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Sam Navarro/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning.
Evan Grant writes that the Texas Rangers were buoyed by the Tartan Army for the second time in a couple of weeks as Scottish soccer fans took in Texas’ 4-3 win from last evening.
Kennedi Landry writes that the World Cup visitors were treated to a unique and dominant and uniquely dominant appearance from Kumar Rocker in the victory.
Grant writes that the Rangers are dealing with a lack of pitching depth during one of their more grueling stretches, exacerbated by Jack Leiter hitting the IL.
MLB dot com’s Brian Murphy and Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru check out the latest All-Star vote update where Ezequiel Duran remains second in the AL second baseman vote.
And, at FanGraphs, Dan Szymborski looks into the changes that MLB owners proposed for the draft and how much the changes would cost players (Spoilers: a lot).
May 9, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Don Mattingly removes starting pitcher Aaron Nola (27) from the game against the Colorado Rockies in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
You simply cannot deny that the Phillies have improved under Don Mattingly’s watch. Since Mattingly took over as interim manager after the firing of Rob Thomson on April 28th, the Phillies have gone 33-17 and resurrected their chances at defending their NL East division crown. That record is the best in MLB over that span entering Monday. Whether you thought this run was coming regardless of the manager or didn’t, Mattingly has to get credit for overseeing this dramatic turnaround.
That doesn’t mean that there haven’t been some interesting decisions from Mattingly along the way though. Most notably, he is more willing to push his starting pitchers further in the regular season than Rob Thomson was. Two examples of such came over the last week with Jesús Luzardo and Zack Wheeler. In Luzardo’s last start on June 16th, he threw 106 pitches in seven innings. It was the first time this season that Luzardo went over 100 pitches and the third highest pitch count he’s had in a start in his career. Mattingly elected to push Luzardo into the seventh inning despite the Phillies having an 8-0 lead and the lefty sitting at 89 pitches before the inning. Luzardo managed to get through the inning, but he did allow a double and a home run to the first two batters he faced.
The other example is more recent with Zack Wheeler on Sunday. Wheeler appeared to be tiring in the sixth when he allowed three walks to load the bases with one out in a 6-1 game. Jonathan Bowlan was warmed up and ready in the bullpen as Mattingly approached the mound, but the manager elected to leave Wheeler in for one more hitter despite the righty being at 101 pitches and the situation being somewhat precarious. Wheeler got A.J. Ewing to ground into a force out, but the Phillies weren’t able to turn a double play and a run scored. Mattingly then decided to remove Wheeler from the game after 104 pitches, tying his season high and only the second time he has gone over 100 pitches since his return from thoracic outlet surgery. Bowlan meanwhile was able to strike out Marcus Semien on four pitches to end the inning.
It’s clear that Mattingly has faith in his starters, and he has every reason to have that belief, as the Phillies rotation has the third best ERA (3.25) and fourth best WHIP (1.14) in baseball since he took over as manager. But it’s also reasonable to question the high pitch counts at this point in the season, especially in this case with two pitchers with injury histories like Luzardo and Wheeler. One unquestionable strength for Thomson during his time as manager was his ability to deliver the team, and especially his rotation, mostly healthy to the postseason. The jury is obviously still out for if Mattingly can do the same.
So, what do you think of Don Mattingly’s handling of pitchers? Do you like his tendency for longer leashes?
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 17: Atlanta pitcher Dylan Dodd (46) pitches during the MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Atlanta Braves on June 17th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This isn’t a “how do you feel about Dylan Dodd” post. It’s more about the Braves. Two buckets of facts, and then I’ll add a third.
Bucket the first: in 2025, Dodd had an 85/94/83 line (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-). That’s not a dominant reliever line, but it is a pretty good one. In 2026 so far, Dodd has an 46/96/83 line. That’s almost identical but for the small-sample ERA deficit. He’s got some HR/FB issues, but they’re not huge in his sample of under 55 innings over the last two seasons.
Bucket the second: in 2025, 85 percent of batters Dodd faced came in low leverage, and less than four percent came in high leverage. Remember that medium leverage is average; low and high leverage are uncommon. Also remember that in 2025, the Braves weren’t really playing for anything for a pretty long part of the season. In 2026, it’s 78 percent low leverage PAs, and one percent (one single batter) in high leverage.
That’s a pretty extreme split considering his performance. It’s perhaps even more stark if you look at actual games. In 2025, Dodd entered the game in high leverage twice, medium leverage three times, and low leverage 23 times. In 2026 so far, Dodd has entered the game in high leverage once, medium leverage twice, and low leverage ten times. It’s not quite pre-2026 Aaron Bummer-esque given Dodd’s homer issues, but it’s similar.
Okay, here’s the third bucket. In 2025, Dodd had six meltdowns to two shutdowns, and a highly negative WPA. To be very clear, WPA isn’t a measure of pitcher quality or pitching performance, and neither are shutdowns or meltdowns. Both are a descriptor of what happens to the team while the pitcher is on the mound, which is very different. But, still, having five 2025 outings that didn’t start in low leverage and six meltdowns is, uh… hmm. And in 2026, Dodd has two shutdowns and two meltdowns, and three non-low-leverage-starting appearances, so… yeah.
Hence, my question. What do you think the Braves think of Dylan Dodd? Is he doomed to low leverage the way Aaron Bummer found himself quickly? Does he have a chance of working out of it? If so, what will it take — beyond the mercy of things working out for him in the WPA department? Do you think there’s a HR/FB reaction here in some direction, too?
COVERS INTEL: Minnesota's bullpen consistently struggles with command, allowing 4.82 BB/9 this season, and 
Josh Naylor 
Pete Crow-Armstrong
