Category: Baseball

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With left-hander Framber Valdez on the bump, the Detroit Tigers are a -122 moneyline favorite tonight against their AL Central rivals, the Cleveland Guardians. 

With the struggling Foster Griffin on the hill for Cleveland, my Guardians vs. Tigers predictions are targeting Detroit in-form offense to thrive. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Wednesday, August 12. 

Who will win Guardians vs Tigers today: Tigers moneyline (-126)

Framber Valdez has been throwing the ball well for the Detroit Tigers. Across his last two starts, he owns a 2.37 FIP while not allowing a single home run.

Over the last month, Valdez also has a 3.79 FIP, and he now faces a Cleveland Guardians lineup that has struggled against lefties, posting an 88 wRC+.

As for Foster Griffin, he was lit up in his Cleveland debut last week, allowing five earned runs. Griffin also compiled a 5.74 xERA over his previous three appearances before that while still with the Nationals.

The Tigers are an offensive juggernaut right now, carrying a 130 wRC+ over their last 11 contests into tonight’s matchup. They also have a 100 wRC+ vs lefties. 

Detroit has the edge. Play this pick up to -140.

COVERS INTEL: The Guardians have struggled to produce offensively on the road, posting an 86 wRC+ compared to a 103 mark at Progressive Field. That gives Valdez another matchup edge in Detroit. 

Guardians vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-121)

This total sits at 8.5, and I'm liking the Under. While neither bullpen has been perfect lately, both offenses are showing very little power right now. Cleveland owns a .111 ISO over the last week, while Detroit sits even lower at .090 during that span.

The Tigers’ bullpen has been manageable with a 4.07 FIP over the last week while allowing 1.27 HR/9. Cleveland’s pen is more concerning with a 5.19 FIP and 7.25 BB/9, but the Guardians’ lineup has not shown enough thump lately to fully push this toward the Over.

With both offenses lacking power, this profiles as a lower-scoring game.

Play this pick up to -130.

Guardians vs Tigers home run prediction: Jo Adell (+510)

Jo Adell may only have one home run in his last seven contests, but he is smashing the baseball right now, even if it has not left the yard as often as he’d like. The slugger owns a 46.7% hard-hit rate and 20% barrel rate over the last two weeks.

What really stands out is the 20-degree average launch angle. Adell is consistently getting lift on the baseball, with a 60% fly-ball rate during that span. He has also smoked 10 homers off lefties this season and owns a .269 ISO against them.

Adell is a solid candidate to go yard.

Play this pick down to +500.

Guardians vs Tigers weather

Weather at Comerica Park looks playable tonight after some earlier afternoon storm risk in Detroit. Conditions should be partly cloudy to mostly clear by first pitch, with temperatures falling from about 81°F at 7 p.m. to 72°F by 11 p.m. Overall, it looks mild with no major weather edge for scoring.

Guardians vs Tigers odds

• Moneyline: Cleveland +117 | Detroit -122
• Run line: Cleveland +1.5 (-186) | Detroit -1.5 (+170)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)

Guardians vs Tigers trend

The Detroit Tigers have hit the Moneyline in 24 of their last 35 games (+9.35 Units / 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Tigers.

How to watch Guardians vs Tigers and game info

Guardians vs Tigers latest injuries

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We’re three-quarters of the way through the season, and while Drew Rasmussen and I really wanted the Yankees to trade for Reid Detmers at the deadline, there are two pitchers gunning for the AL Cy Young. New York’s Cam Schlittler has surpassed expectations for his sophomore season, and Dylan Cease has been just about the only watchable player on a bad Blue Jays team.

At time of writing, the two were separated by 0.1 fWAR, a difference that is quite literally negligible. Cease has done it in about 20 fewer innings, so on a per-inning basis he’s been slightly more valuable, but Schlittler leads the AL in innings pitched and I think that does matter, even in the five-and-fly era we find ourselves in. Although Cease is posting an insane 36.1-percent strikeout rate, Schlittler’s superior control means he’s a hair ahead in K-BB rate at 26.1 percent to 25.5 percent; I personally consider this to be the single most useful pitching stat.

To keep up the fun, they even mirrored each other in recent starts. Last Thursday at the Friendly Confines, Cease went seven shutout innings against a likely playoff team, striking out 10 against a single walk. The Jays lost. On Sunday, Cam went seven innings against a likely playoff team, allowing a single run, sitting down 11 on strikes while walking nobody, and the Yankees lost. It’s one of those strange things about baseball; position dictates the two men will never actually face off against one another, but they’re going blow-for-blow in a heavyweight fight.

There’s 40-ish games left this year, and that means about eight starts apiece for the two favorites. The question isn’t what they’ve done so far in 2026, it’s how they’ll close down the stretch. The big mark against Schlittler is his home runs, a symptom of throwing so many pitches in the zone — as of Tuesday morning, Cease put the ball in the zone 42 percent of the time, Schlittler 49 percent. It seems a major focus of the Yankee’s season has been making guys hit their way aboard, and while that’s worked for the most part, he’s allowed twice as many homers as his northern rival.

Now to Cease’s credit, one of the goals of his season seems to be controlling contact quality. He’s running the lowest barrel rate, average exit velo, fly ball rate, and second-lowest hard-hit rate of his career, exactly what you’d want to do to keep the ball in the yard. xFIP, which adjusts FIP to assume a normal home run rate, does expect some slight regression down the stretch, pegging him for a 2.68 mark instead of his current 2.40 ERA. This has less to do with any choices Cease is making, and more to do with the fact that it’s just unlikely for any pitcher to surrender so few home runs. (Indeed just yesterday, he gave up multiplehomers in a start for just the fourth time this year.)

We can try and map out who Schlittler will face down the stretch — it’s imperfect as the Yankees have a key series with Boston at the end of the month that Cam’s currently not tabbed to start in, and it might make sense for the club to shuffle the rotation around to make sure he makes an appearance over say, Will Warren. There’s also a persistent rumor that Carlos Rodón will return to the team, but hey I’ll believe that when I see it. Those caveats aside, Cam’s tabbed for four starts on the road, against the Blue Jays, Angels, Padres, and Diamondbacks. This is critical when we’ve seen him develop a pretty stark home/road split this season, with a paltry 1.10 ERA/2.39 FIP on the road, compared to a 3.95 ERA/2.95 FIP at the Stadium.

I also think the innings matter!

Cease has been more valuable on a per-inning basis, like I said above. On a 200-inning pace, Dylan would have a 6.9 fWAR season, Cam would be at “just” 6.3. But Dylan Cease isn’t going to throw 200 innings, averaging exactly six innings a start he may not make it to 180. If—and it’s a big if—Cam ends the season effectively tied with Cease across multiple metrics but has a clear lead across the AL in innings pitched, I actually think that makes him more deserving of the award.

Yes, yes, per-inning basis and all, but there’s a certain security you have when you know your pitcher is going to go deep into the game every fifth day. It brings stability to the rotation and nobody’s rotation stays healthy all season, it gives you more options the day before Cam’s start, where Aaron Boone can say “OK, let’s make XYZ move because Schlittler is probably pitching deep tomorrow.” It also gives you more options the day after, since the bullpen is probably a little more rested after the righty starts.

My biggest complaint with the rise of the bullpen game is that the more pitchers you use, the greater the chance that one guy just doesn’t have it that day. He slept funny the night before and his neck has a pinch, or he can’t get a handle on his slider, it’s not really his fault but he just doesn’t have it. The fewer pitchers you use, the fewer possible points of failure. Bulk does matter, to me.

With a quarter of the season to go, figuring out the home runs, the Yankee Stadium issue — which may be one and the same, Cam gives up 1.11 HR/9 in the Bronx and 0.70 away — and continuing to pitch deep into each start is the trifecta for a Cy Young season. Dylan Cease may see some regression, especially on the home run front, but you can’t win a major award by hoping the other guy slows down. I expect this to come right down to the wire, but hopefully Cam ends up on top.

Who wins the rubbermatch today? Will Luis Arraez get a hit? Do the Phillies score more than 0-1 runs? Come find out starting 2:15 today with Zack Wheeler on the mound! Lineups:

FIRST PITCH: 1240p Central
TELEVISION: Twins.TV, presented by Progressive
RADIO: WCCO 830 AM, KMNB 102.9 FM, Dan Gladden Radio Network, Audacy App
KNOW THE FOE:Camden Chat

The Minnesota Twins walk into yet another rubber match as they look to take the series from the visiting Baltimore Orioles this afternoon. Winning this series will mean a sixth series victory in a row for the home nine as well as gaining a game against the Orioles as they are also in the hunt for the American League Wild Card race.

Shane Baz will take the mound for Baltimore. He faced Minnesota in the opening series of the season and went 5.1 innings en route to an 8-6 win for them. He gave up seven hits and four earned runs while striking out four and did not earn a decision in the game. The rest of his campaign has been good so far this year in a strong Baltimore rotation; he owns a 3.76 ERA/3.35 FIP over 23 starts, but his strikeout numbers are down compared to last year.

Minnesota will call upon Zebby Matthews to start today. He continues to stretch himself out from a season perspective has he’s already eclipsed his total number of innings pitched from last season. The Twins have won the last two games behind Zebby – both five-inning outings, both allowing three earned runs, both allowing two walks, and one game where he notched 10 Ks against the Seattle Mariners. He’s been dealing with a blister on one of his feet, so that is something on which to keep an eye. (That does not allow you to open the door to Twinkie Town After Dark!)

GO TWIMS GO

Today’s Lineups:

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After last night's win, the Atlanta Braves (-175 moneyline favorites) look to secure the series win over New York Mets.

My Mets vs. Braves predictions and MLB picks for Wednesday, Aug. 12, see Atlanta pull off the win at home.

Who will win Mets vs Braves today: Braves moneyline (-175)

Not the sexiest price tag for the Atlanta Braves to come out on top, but I really like this spot.

Tyler Mahle has been lights out over his last five starts, posting a 2.73 ERA and 1.04 WHIP while doing a great job limiting hard contact and barrels.

On the other side, New York Mets southpaw Zac Thornton has some underlying metrics pointing toward regression. He owns a 2.52 ERA on the year, but his xERA sits at 4.11, according to HandiGraphs.

The Mets’ lineup has been seeing the ball very well over the last week, but with how well Mahle has been pitching, I think he can hold them down.

Plus, the Braves own a 114 wRC+, .333 wOBA and .762 OPS over their last 12 games.

I think this is a great spot for the Bravos.

COVERS INTEL: Five Braves hitters own an OPS above .956 over their last 30 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Mets vs Braves Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+101)

I am expecting a pitching duel this evening in Atlanta between Mr. Thornton and Mr. Mahle, as both pitchers have done an excellent job limiting hard-hit balls and, especially, barrels. Across both pitchers’ last five starts, their opponents have stayed under an 8.5% barrel rate.

Even with my concerns about Thornton’s expected numbers this season, he has done a spectacular job of not allowing opposing hitters to generate much hard contact against him.

Both offenses have been outstanding over their last 12 games, but if these pitchers are hitting their spots this evening, I expect runs to be at a premium.

Mets vs Braves home run prediction: Matt Olson (+325)

Another game with slim pickings for long-ball looks, but we’ll go with a bat that has been barreling up lefties a ton over his last 30 plate appearances against them.

That would be Braves slugger Matt Olson, who owns a 26.35% barrel rate, .714 SLG and .464 ISO during that stretch.

Despite the lefty-on-lefty matchup, Thornton has been allowing left-handed bats to produce a ton of hard-hit balls and barrel up his offerings at a 12.5% clip over his last 30 faced. During that stretch, those bats have a .296 xBA, .495 xSLG and .522 wOBA.

“But he homered yesterday.”

Okay? Junior Caminero went back-to-back days with a home run over the last two days. It means nothing!

If you’re looking for a Met, I’m leaning Francisco Alvarez. His barrel rate has been through the roof lately.

Mets vs Braves weather

Mets vs Braves odds

• Moneyline: New York +158 | Atlanta -175
• Run line: New York +1.5 (-142) | Atlanta -1.5 (+124)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-112) | Under 8.5 (+101)

Mets vs Braves trend

The Atlanta Braves have covered the Run Line in 9 of their last 11 games (+9.75 Units / 78% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Braves.

How to watch Mets vs Braves and game info

Mets vs Braves 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.

It feels cliche to ponder the possibility of the Pittsburgh Pirates shutting Paul Skenes down, even in what increasingly looks like another lost season for him and his team.

His overall numbers are far from bad relative to the rest of baseball. His 3.88 ERA is fine. His 2.99 FIP, which measures a pitcher’s effectiveness independent of the defense behind him, is very good. So is his 1.12 WHIP, which measures walks and hits per innings pitched. 

Yes, his velocity is down, noticeably. Skenes topped out at 96.5 mph on Aug. 11, and his season average is at 96.8 mph on his four-seam vs a 98.2 mph average in 2025. No, he doesn’t look like the dominant Cy Young-caliber ace he was his first two seasons. And yes, that reality raises existential questions about the club’s future, specifically his future with it. He also hasn’t fully turned into a proverbial pumpkin the way the narrative around this team would sometimes have one think. 

Required Reading: Pirates pull Paul Skenes from start vs. Marlins after just 65 pitches

It nevertheless became a lot harder to ignore the signs that Skenes may not complete the season Aug. 11 in Miami. Manager Don Kelly pulled Skenes after just five innings and 65 pitches against the Marlins, though he said after the game that the decision wasn’t injury related. 

The underlying stat line was deceptive. He allowed just one earned run while scattering five hits and a walk, but he needed Bryan Reynolds to rob Griffin Conine on his final pitch of the evening to avoid a two-run homer that would have given the night a very different feel. 

Before the game, Kelly made one of his frankest acknowledgements yet that something is wrong without pointing specifically to the physical element. 

“The league is adjusting back,” he told reporters. “Paul’s gonna have to fight to make the adjustment back to the league and find a way to adjust himself. Yes, the [velocity]’s down. I think command has been a bigger thing, at least for me. That could come from multiple things. From trying too hard to trying to be too perfect. Maybe trying to get that [velocity] back. You can’t just go get it. How does Paul make the adjustment back?” 

Much has been made locally about Skenes’ workload, which this year included the early ramp up to the World Baseball Classic coming off a career-high at all levels of 187 innings during his Cy Young campaign in 2025. 

He’d have to average more than seven innings per start the rest of the way to hit that number again, assuming he finishes at or near his total of 32 games started last year. 

Through that lens, Kelly’s decision could be seen as a further attempt to manage the number downward. Continuing to allow Skenes the space to work through the necessary adjustments without overexposing him in increasingly meaningless games. 

The Pirates didn’t score a single run of support Tuesday night, after all. The bullpen pitched four scoreless innings the rest of the way, so Skenes’ early departure made no practical impact on the outcome.

Perhaps we should expect more of that the rest of the way, as opposed to an outright shut down. Especially as the race for the final wild-card spot in the National League becomes increasingly bleak. 

The Pirates are now six games back of the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies, who are tied for wild card spots. The Marlins, Cardinals, Nationals and Reds all remain in front of them. And playoff odds via Fangraphs have almost halved again since Aug. 10. They now sit at 4.4%. 

For his part, Skenes seemed to feel afterward that he’d made progress while demurring on the question of being pulled early. 

POSTGAME: Paul Skenes on tonight's 2-0 shutout loss to the Marlins.

Final line: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, BB, 4 K

Pulled after 65 pitches, third fewest of his season. pic.twitter.com/OX1F4s1afs

— Tyler Boronski (@TylerBoronski) August 12, 2026

“I thought it was better in terms of attacking guys,” he told reporters. “Kind of making pitches earlier in the count. 

“If I were the manager, I’d probably do it, too. [Kelly] walked me through everything and it all made sense. Yeah, wish I could have gone more, but it kind of is what it is.” 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are Pirates signaling a Paul Skenes shutdown? Or a more actively managed workload?

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It's a getaway day for some, and that's a perfect day to find some MLB player props and dig into what's not priced into the pitcher prop markets.

Drew Rasmussen and Eric Lauer will face offenses looking forward to a day off tomorrow, and their Overs are projecting well, while Zack Wheeler was pushed heavily in his last start and should lose some efficiency and leash today.

These are my favorite pitcher strikeout, pitcher props & MLB picks for Wednesday, August 12.

Best MLB strikeout props and starting pitcher picks today

Player	Pick	Odds
Drew Rasmussen	Over 5.5 strikeouts	+120
Eric Lauer	Over 4.5 strikeouts	+130
Zack Wheeler	Under 17.5 outs	+140

Strikeout prop: Drew Rasmussen Over 5.5 strikeouts (+120)

Drew Rasmussen might not go 100 pitches every start, but even with that 90-95-pitch leash, he can rack em up, and he's done so of late. Over his last three starts vs. teams with a big array of K%, the Tampa Bay Rays starter has 27 Ks over his last 20 innings. He has gotten to 5+ Ks in all but two of his last 11 starts since the start of June.

Tampa got a complete game with Nick Martinez last night, as the Athletics lineup has been one of the worst over the last two weeks and a bottom-10 team in K% over that stretch. THE BAT will never like Rasmussen's Overs because of that leash, but his range of outcomes and ability to smash his Overs separates him from other starters.

This price is tough to ignore for a K/inning guy who can get to six frames on a team that hates its bullpen and is looking to win a division.

The All-Star break was perfect for the right-hander as he has allowed just two runs over his last 25 innings and hasn't allowed a run in three straight games. He also gets an Athletics team that might be looking ahead to a day off on Thursday.

• Time: 3:05 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSCA, Rays.TV

Strikeout prop: Eric Lauer Over 4.5 strikeouts (+130)

Let's take a swing at another heavy plus-money Over K prop against a Kansas City Royals lineup that got carved up by another lefty last night in Blake Snell, who easily topped his 7.5 K prop with a 10-strikeout outing.

Eric Lauer is not Snell, but the Royals are a light-hitting lineup, and they're looking ahead to a day off tomorrow in California before heading to Anaheim.

THE BAT is projecting Lauer to go Over this number on 87 pitches with a fair price of +125, but the Dodgers should give him a six-inning leash with a pitch count that can reach the upper 90s. There’s a good chance he tops that projected pitch count today.

Lauer is also coming off a bad start at Wrigley, his worst as a Dodger, giving him some motivation on his side. The Los Angeles Dodgers could also be without three relievers today, including two lefties, which makes getting length from Lauer even more important.

I'm taking the Over and looking for Lauer to get through six innings with enough volume to cash this plus-money prop.

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SportsNetLA, Royals.TV

Pitcher outs prop: Zack Wheeler Under 17.5 outs (+141)

Sticking with the plus-money on these, this is my favorite fade of the day. Zack Wheeler is coming off an 116-pitch outing against the Blue Jays, which was the most he has thrown in over five seasons. Making that even heavier is that he threw just 110 combined pitches in his two previous outings.

His form has also fallen off that Cy Young pace, as he owns a 5.71 ERA since the break and has gone Over this number just once.

Looking at the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen, there could be a quicker hook than usual, as all but one arm is available and the high-leverage guys need some work.

There are also some lefties in that St. Louis Cardinals lineup who could end Wheeler's day, with JJ Wetherholt and Alec Burleson in the mix. There should be five lefties in the Cardinals' lineup today.

I love fading pitchers coming off massive workloads, and the distraction about Wheeler not touching the rubber is just another thing that works in this Under's favor. This isn't a coin flip, but 45%-47% looks like the outcome.

• Time: 2:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Cardinals.TV, NBCSP

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.

I got a few things going on today, and I’m kind wanting a day off, so lets do an open thread.

I saw a tweet for a post saying “How could the Jays pull it off?“ and I was thinking win a lot of games? That’s it right? Cause blowing up the other teams’ ballparks, with the teams in them, seems a bit over the top.

Of course, having two starting pitchers go on the IL in the past couple of weeks makes it all that much harder.

2.5 games back now but they have to leap over five teams to get there, which is the tough part. If one of those teams goes on a run, it becomes that much harder.

Anyway, use the thread to talk about anything you’d like. If nothing else give me something I can watch on streaming, because I’m watching ‘Heros’ and, as I remembered it, the first season was fairly compelling, but the second season is just a mess.

If Mark Walter is selling one of the crown jewels of Los Angeles sports, is he about to sell the other?

No, according to people familiar with the matter not authorized to discuss it publicly. Walter announced the sale of his controlling interest in the Lakers on Wednesday, but he is not looking to sell the Dodgers.

The decision to sell the Lakers is specific to the Lakers and is not a sign Walter is interested in dismantling a sports empire that includes the Dodgers, the Sparks, Chelsea of the English Premier League, the Professional Women’s Hockey League and various tennis and motor sports entities.

In 2012, Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers for $2.15 billion, then a record for a Major League Baseball team.

Read more:Bob Iger, Joshua Kushner to buy Lakers from Mark Walter's ownership group for $12.5 billion

Under his ownership, the Dodgers have won three of the last six World Series championships and invested record revenues in player contracts so generous that league owners are now pursuing a salary cap, in part to help teams other than the Dodgers win the Wold Series and in part to lift the value of all of its franchises.

Sportico now values the Dodgers at $9 billion.

Walter last year closed his purchase of the Lakers at a valuation of $10 billion and agreed to sell Tuesday at a valuation of $12.5 billion. The buyers: former Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner, whose Thrive Eternal venture capital firm invests in sports and owns a share of the San Francisco Giants.

Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law.

That Walter never put the Lakers up for bid echoes how he bought the Dodgers: An auction had been scheduled among three finalists for the Dodgers, including Walter and his partners. Walter put a take-it-or-leave-it bid on the table so high — hundreds of millions above where the other bidders had been in the process — that former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt called off the auction and congratulated Walter.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Mark Walter stunned the sports world on Wednesday by selling his ownership stake in the Lakers at a $12.5 billion valuation to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner.

It is the largest sale of an American sports franchise in history.

However, the billionaire businessman’s ownership of the Dodgers is not expected to change, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed, with Walter planning to retain control of the franchise under his Guggenheim Baseball Management group and continue in his role as chairman of the club.

Unlike the Lakers –– whom Walter acquired through another one of his conglomerates, TWG Global, only a little more than a year ago –– the Dodgers have long been the crown jewel in his sprawling sports portfolio.

He spearheaded Guggenheim’s $2.15 billion purchase of the then-bankrupt franchise from Frank McCourt in 2012.

He has overseen a historic turnaround in which the Dodgers have become MLB’s preeminent organization, winning three World Series titles while smashing league spending records to compile a roster full of superstar talent in recent years.

He has also watched the club transform into a revenue-generating machine, becoming the first baseball team to eclipse $1 billion in annual revenue in the wake of Shohei Ohtani’s signing three years ago (on a contract, notably, the two-way star could opt out of if Walter ever reliquinshed ownership of the team).

Even though his day-to-day involvement is almost entirely hands-off –– “They make all the decisions,” Walter quipped after last year’s World Series, when asked how much he trusts his “baseball people” to run the franchise, “[and] I just tell them yes” –– his influence has nonetheless been profound.

In recent weeks, however, newfound speculation surrounding his business empire has started to sprout.

First came reports of a federal investigation into potential financial improprieties at insurance companies he owned.

Then, news emerged that the 66-year-old had suffered a stroke during the 2024 World Series.

Now, his sale of the Lakers, which was first reported by ESPN, serves as perhaps the biggest shock –– especially considering how recently he had bought the team, and how deep its ties with the Dodgers had already become.

Under Walter’s Lakers ownership, the NBA franchise hired Dodgers chief marketing officer Lon Rosen to become its president of business operations (while also allowing him to remain involved with the Dodgers).

Baseball operations executives Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi were also enlisted to serve in advisory roles for the Lakers’ front office, consulting with Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka in an effort to revamp the organization’s behind-the-scenes infrastructure.

The teams had even started attracting overlapping sponsorships, most notably with Japanese retailer Daiso (a pre-existing Dodgers sponsor that was announced as a Lakers global partner this summer).

Those moves, at least seemingly, portended a lasting era of partnership and collaboration for Los Angeles’ two most premier sports teams, all under the shared ownership of Walter and his vast resources.

Alas, with the Lakers now being sold, the Dodgers are back to being the foremost franchise in his control.

And for now, at least, there is no sign of that changing any time soon.

The Milwaukee Brewers are staying out West through the weekend, as they’ll head to Los Angeles to visit the Dodgers for four games beginning Thursday night. Milwaukee has had a rough go of it out West this year, as they’re now 4-7 in California and Las Vegas entering Wednesday’s series finale against the Padres. Outside of California and Las Vegas? Milwaukee is 70-39, a 104-win pace.

On the other side, the Dodgers had a rough stretch around the trade deadline earlier this month, losing seven straight and eight of nine against the Red Sox, Cubs, and D-backs before winning the first two games of their three-game set with the Royals this week. At 72-48, the Dodgers are two games behind Milwaukee for the best record in baseball and tied with the Braves for the No. 2 seed in the NL, which comes with a first-round bye in the playoffs.

The Brewers have dealt with a series of injuries to their infield, as Cooper Pratt is on the IL with a hamstring strain, Joey Ortiz has been considered day-to-day with neck tightness, and prospect Jett Williams was also removed from a game over the weekend with another hand injury in his first at-bat back from the IL. Jackson Chourio (not Brice Turang, as previously reported) is also dealing with a thumb injury, though the severity is unknown. The only other position player on the IL is outfielder Sal Frelick, who is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville. On the pitching side, JoJo Romero is close to a rehab assignment after undergoing an emergency appendectomy in July, Joel Kuhnel is currently on a rehab assignment, and Rob Zastryzny has been listed as TBD after being taken off his rehab assignment in early July. Brandon Woodruff, Brian Fitzpatrick, Quinn Priester, and Angel Zerpa are all out for the season.

The Dodgers are without catchers Will Smith (September return) and Dalton Rushing (out for season), as well as a long list of pitchers. Shohei Ohtani, who has continued to DH, hasn’t pitched since early July as he deals with knee and biceps injuries. Will Klein (out for season), Brock Stewart (close to returning), Blake Treinen (September), Tyler Glasnow (on rehab assignment), Kris Bubic (September), Gavin Stone (September), Bobby Miller (September), Ben Casparius (on rehab assignment), Brusdar Graterol (TBD), and former Brewer Jake Cousins (out for season) are also on the IL.

Jake Bauers continues to set the pace for the Crew with 21 homers, followed by Jackson Chourio at 17 and Turang at 16. William Contreras, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, Andrew Vaughn, David Hamilton, Ortiz, and Luis Lara are also regulars at this point, with Brandon Lockridge, Jihwan Bae, and Gary Sánchez serving as depth. As a team, Milwaukee is hitting .252/.336/.396 (.732 OPS ranks tied for seventh), with 110 homers (last), 589 runs (fifth), and 118 steals (fifth).

Ohtani leads Los Angeles with 26 homers this season, with Max Muncy (22 homers), and Andy Pages (19 homers) just behind him. Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Teoscar Hernández are still regulars for the Dodgers, and the team also added Kyle Tucker in the offseason. Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia are splitting catching duties, and Tommy Edman, Miguel Rojas, Enrique Hernández, and Alex Call round things out. As a team, the Dodgers are hitting .261/.338/.428 (.766 OPS ranks second), with 152 homers (seventh), 602 runs (tied for third), and 46 steals (28th).

Aaron Ashby continues to lead Milwaukee’s bullpen with 55 appearances, pitching to a 3.56 ERA, 94 strikeouts, and team-high 13 wins over 65 2/3 innings. Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill have both been great, and Chad Patrick and DL Hall also sit in high-leverage roles. With a six-man rotation, Milwaukee’s bullpen is rounded out by Antonio Senzatela and on-again, off-again reliever Bryse Wilson, who the team re-signed this week after designating him for assignment just a few days earlier. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.54 team ERA (fourth), including a 3.56 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.51 bullpen ERA (fourth). They’ve struck out 1,169 batters (second) over 1,071 2/3 innings.

The Dodger bullpen is led by Alex Vesia (2.81 ERA over 41 2/3 innings), Tanner Scott (2.27 ERA over 47 2/3 innings), Edgardo Henriquez (3.02 ERA over 47 2/3 innings), and Jack Dreyer (3.14 ERA over 48 2/3 innings). Closer Edwin Díaz has had a rough season, pitching to a 9.82 ERA and three blown saves in just 11 innings, while former Brewer Eric Lauer has made 10 appearances (nine starts) with a 3.72 ERA over 55 2/3 innings, though he may be exiting the rotation and joining the bullpen with the return of Blake Snell. The usually reliable Evan Phillips has also struggled with a 5.73 ERA over 11 innings, and the newest addition is former Rockie Seth Halvorsen, who picked up the win with a scoreless inning in his team debut on Tuesday after returning from the IL. As a staff, the Dodgers have a 3.72 team ERA (seventh), including a 3.54 starter ERA (fourth) and a 4.02 bullpen ERA (16th). They’ve struck out 1,073 batters (tied for seventh) over 1,059 2/3 innings.

Probable Pitchers

Thursday, August 13 @ 9:10 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (6-4, 3.87 ERA, 3.34 FIP) vs. RHP Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.54 ERA, 4.95 FIP)

Drohan, who has been fairly consistent this season with a respectable 3.87 ERA, 3.34 FIP, and 93 strikeouts over 93 innings, is coming off one of his worst starts, as he allowed six runs on nine hits and four walks, striking out four across five innings in an 8-6 loss to the Twins. Drohan made two relief appearances against the Dodgers back in May, totaling 4 1/3 innings with three runs allowed (two earned) on three hits and two walks, striking out seven.

Sasaki, 24, is in year No. 2 with Los Angeles, and things have still not quite panned out for the right-hander. He’s made 20 starts this year, with a 4.54 ERA, 4.95 FIP, and 106 strikeouts across 105 innings. Despite those disappointing season numbers, he’s been solid in his last five starts, totaling 30 innings with nine runs allowed (eight earned) for a 2.40 ERA, striking out 31. Sasaki, who faced Milwaukee in relief last postseason, made his lone start against the Crew back in May of this year, earning the win as he allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out four over five frames.

Friday, August 14 @ 9:10 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (3-4, 4.57 ERA, 4.51 FIP) vs. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7, 2.65 ERA, 3.43 FIP)

Gasser, in his third season with Milwaukee, just surpassed 100 career innings in his last outing against the Twins. For his career, the left-hander now has a 3.93 ERA, 4.33 FIP, and 82 strikeouts over 100 2/3 innings through 20 starts. He struggled a bit with his command last weekend, but the bullpen and offense picked him up enough to leave him with a no-decision. Across 4 2/3 innings in that one, he allowed three runs on seven hits, two walks, and two hit batters while striking out three. Gasser’s lone appearance against the Dodgers came back in May, when he went 4 1/3 innings with four runs allowed on four hits and four walks, striking out four in a loss.

Yamamoto, 28 next week, is firmly in the NL Cy Young race for the second consecutive season. Across 21 starts this year, he’s 11-7 with a 2.65 ERA, 3.43 FIP, and 127 strikeouts over 139 1/3 innings. He went 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the D-backs in his last outing, allowing three hits, three walks, and a hit batter while striking out six. Yamamoto, who dominated Milwaukee in last year’s NLCS, has made two regular-season starts against the Brewers with very different results. After allowing five runs (three earned) and recording just two outs in a loss last July, he went seven strong against them back in May, allowing one run on seven hits, a walk, and a hit batter, striking out three.

Saturday, August 15 @ 6:15 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (11-5, 1.76 ERA, 2.16 FIP) vs. LHP Justin Wrobleski (11-4, 3.44 ERA, 4.13 FIP)

Misiorowski, who surpassed the 200-strikeout mark on Sunday against the Twins, is set to make his 23rd start of the season as he looks to solidify his Cy Young candidacy. The young right-hander is 11-5 with a 1.76 ERA, 2.16 FIP, and 204 strikeouts over 133 innings this year. He went six innings against Minnesota, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk, striking out nine. Misiorowski faced the Dodgers last July, earning the win as he allowed one run on four hits and a walk, striking out 12 over six innings.

Wrobleski, 26, has made 20 appearances (19 starts) this year, with a 3.44 ERA, 4.13 FIP, and 94 strikeouts across 120 1/3 innings. The left-hander is coming off a stretch of rough starts the last couple of weeks, allowing 16 runs (15 earned) over 13 2/3 innings (9.88 ERA, 11.13 FIP) in losses against the Mariners, Cubs, and D-backs. He’s made two starts against Milwaukee, one in July 2024 and one back in May. He took the loss both times, as he’s allowed nine runs over 10 innings, striking out eight.

Sunday, August 16 @ 3:10 p.m.: RHP Logan Henderson (6-2, 2.88 ERA, 3.35 FIP) vs. LHP Tarik Skubal (7-6, 2.93 ERA, 2.79 FIP)

Henderson has quickly become one of the best pitchers on Milwaukee’s staff, as he has a 2.88 ERA, 3.35 FIP, and 69 strikeouts across 56 1/3 innings through 11 starts this season. He allowed three runs for just the second time in his career on Monday night in San Diego, though the last two of those runs came in that fateful seventh inning as he went 6 1/3 frames, allowing five hits (two homers) and a walk while striking out seven. Henderson picked up a win against the Dodgers back in May, going five innings with no runs allowed on two hits and three walks, striking out seven.

Skubal, 29, was, as we all know, the prize of this year’s trade deadline. He’ll go head-to-head with Henderson, who was reportedly the main target of the Tigers in initial trade discussions for Skubal (the Brewers reportedly refused to include Henderson in any package). Alas, here he is set to face Milwaukee again. While he has a sub-3.00 ERA and FIP for the season, he hasn’t been great in two starts with the Dodgers, totaling 11 innings with five earned runs (4.09 ERA), striking out 12. The left-hander has made one start against Milwaukee in each of the last three seasons, totaling 19 2/3 innings with a 2.29 ERA and 24 strikeouts.

How to Watch & Listen

Thursday, August 13: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Friday, August 14: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Saturday, August 15: Nationally televised on Fox/Fox One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Sunday, August 16: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Prediction

Milwaukee has really struggled on the West Coast this season, and things won’t get any easier against the Dodgers, who are deploying arguably their four best starters. I still think Milwaukee gets a series split to keep pace with L.A.

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We have a big ole slate in front of us on Wednesday, and I have thoughts on every single game on the board.

Here are my MLB moneyline predictions for tonight's slate, and make sure to check out all of our MLB picks for Aug. 12!

MLB moneyline picks for Aug. 12

Matchup	Pick
Orioles vs Twins	+102
Phillies vs Cardinals	-150
Rays vs Athletics	-203
Rockies vs Diamondbacks	+163
Astros vs Giants	+133
Brewers vs Padres	+108
Guardians vs Tigers	-120
Pirates vs Marlins	-106
Cubs vs Nationals	-153
Mariners vs Yankees	-120
Red Sox vs Blue Jays	-117
Mets vs Braves	-150
Reds vs White Sox	+130
Royals vs Dodgers	-199
Rangers vs Angels	-127

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of Aug. 12.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for Aug. 12

Orioles vs Twins: Orioles (+102)

Orioles win probability: 50%

I am extremely perplexed as to why the Baltimore Orioles are dogs in this spot.

Their lineup has the privilege of taking on one of the Minnesota Twins’ worst arms in Zebby Matthews, who owns a 7.20 ERA and 1.76 WHIP over his last five outings.

Meanwhile, the Birds have the Milk Man, Shane Baz, on the rubber this evening, sporting a 2.15 ERA, 2.65 xERA and 1.13 WHIP over that same span.

The Orioles’ offense has started to heat up over the last week, and going up against Matthews should only add more fuel to the flame.

Phillies vs Cardinals: Phillies (-150)

Phillies win probability: 60%

The St. Louis Cardinals’ offense has been outstanding as of late, but the Philadelphia Phillies’ bats have been even hotter over their last 12 games.

Plus, Zack Wheeler takes the mound after a few rough outings, but his underlying metrics are still strong. I think this is a great spot for the Phillies to bounce back and come out on top.

On the other side, Kyle Leahy’s expected numbers point toward some regression, as he owns a 4.58 xERA over his last three starts.

Rays vs Athletics: Rays (-203)

Rays win probability: 67%

Strictly looking at the moneyline price, take the dog.

But the Tampa Bay Rays win.

Drew Rasmussen has been outstanding over his last few outings, while the Rays’ offense has been on an absolute tear. Meanwhile, the Athletics have been ice cold and do not seem to have any light at the end of the tunnel.

I would NEVER pay -203 for a team to win a game, but the Rays are in a great spot to come out on top in this one.

Rockies vs Diamondbacks: Rockies (+163)

Rockies win probability: 38%

This was a tough call. I want no part of paying over $1.60 for Merrill Kelly to hold down any team, but the Arizona Diamondbacks have looked outstanding over the last couple of weeks.

On top of that, Ryan Feltner has done a great job limiting hard-hit balls while owning a 3.69 xERA over his last three starts.

For just the moneyline price, I want the dog against Kelly.

Astros vs Giants: Giants (+133)

Giants win probability: 43%

I am quite baffled that we are getting the San Francisco Giants at such a great price this evening.

Sure, they are not the most talented team in baseball, but Ronel Blanco could make them look pretty talented tonight. The Houston Astros right-hander owns a 6.98 ERA and 1.34 WHIP while allowing an 11.54% barrel rate to opposing hitters this season.

Adrian Houser has been nails over his last five starts, doing a great job limiting hard-hit balls and barrels.

Neither offense has been performing at a high level, as both have wRC+ marks below 75 and are struggling to generate hard contact.

I like the dog here, especially with how poorly Blanco has been pitching.

Brewers vs Padres: Padres (+108)

Padres win probability: 48%

The San Diego Padres at plus money when they are hotter than the sun feels like a gift.

Over their last 21 games, San Diego has been on a complete tear, posting a 130 wRC+, .352 wOBA and .796 OPS. On the other side, the Milwaukee Brewers have started to cool down, posting just a 94 wRC+, .678 OPS and .134 ISO over their last 12 games.

Dustin May and tight-pants Robbie Ray have both been outstanding as of late. However, May’s underlying metrics point toward some regression, as he owns a 4.46 xERA over his last five starts while allowing over a 41% hard-hit rate to opposing hitters.

Ray has struggled with walks lately, but he has done a great job limiting hard contact.

I love the Padres at plus money.  

Guardians vs Tigers: Tigers (-120)

Tigers win probability: 55%

As a Foster Griffin fan, this one hurts to say, but he has been absolutely horrible over his last five starts, and somehow even worse over his last three.

On the other side, Framber Valdez has been a lot better, posting a 1.89 ERA across his last three starts.

The Tigers’ offense should be able to keep those hot bats rolling against the struggling southpaw this evening. Cleveland’s bats have come alive over the last week, but they have been far too inconsistent for me to trust.

Give me the Tigers.

Pirates vs Marlins: Marlins (-106)

Marlins win probability: 52%

After watching Griffin Conine miss two home runs by roughly a combined three feet, I think this team is due to boom against Carmen Mlodzinski.

The Pirates right-hander owns a sub-6.00 ERA over his last five starts, while struggling against left-handed hitters. With five guys batting from the left side this evening, I think the Fighting Fish have a fighting chance.

On the other end, Jason Junk has been holding it down, owning a mouthwatering 2.13 ERA over his last three starts. I like his chances against this ice-cold Pirates offense.

Give me the Fighting Fish.

Cubs vs Nationals: Cubs (-153)

Cubs win probability: 60%

I do not think I want to get in front of the Chicago Cubs at the moment.

Their offense owns a 118 wRC+, .778 OPS and .342 wOBA across their last 12 games. The Nationals’ offense has been great too, but I really like the way David Peterson has been pitching over his last five starts. The southpaw owns a 1.57 ERA, 3.97 xERA and 1.05 WHIP during that stretch.

-153 is juicy, but the Cubs are absolutely on a tear right now.

Mariners vs Yankees: Yankees (-120)

Yankees win probability: 55%

Name a more lost offense in baseball than the Seattle Mariners at this point in time. Over their last 21 games, they have posted just a 90 wRC+, .296 wOBA and .663 OPS. Over the last week, it gets even uglier, with a 59 wRC+, .252 wOBA, .558 OPS and .119 ISO.

Sure, Bryce Miller has some underlying metrics pointing toward improvement, but who exactly is getting on base and driving in runs?

I’ll happily take Will Warren and the Yankees at home. Warren has been far better in the Bronx, sporting a 3.88 xERA and 1.28 WHIP.

The Yankees’ lineup has underperformed lately, but they are still generating a ton of hard-hit balls. They will come around.

Red Sox vs Blue Jays: Red Sox (-117)

Red Sox win probability: 54%

Despite Ranger Suárez’s last few outings not being the greatest, he has performed much better away from Boston this season, posting a 2.83 ERA and 1.15 WHIP while limiting opponents to under 30% hard-hit and under 3% barrel rates.

Jose Soriano has been great since coming over from the Angels, but who in that Blue Jays lineup is worth trusting right now? Over the team’s last 30 at-bats against a left-handed pitcher, the highest barrel rate on the team is just 5%, while six hitters have zero barrels during that stretch.

Aside from their slight fall from grace, the Red Sox are easily the better team in this spot, and we only have to pay $1.17 juice.

I like the Red Sox here.  

Mets vs Braves: Braves (-150)

Braves win probability: 60%

The Mets’ offense has started to heat up over the last few games, but with how dominant Tyler Mahle has been, owning a 2.73 ERA over his last five starts, I think the Braves are the side to back.

On the other side, the Mets send out Zac Thornton, who has posted a 4.58 xERA, 15% strikeout rate and 9.09% walk rate over his last three outings.

The Atlanta offense has also been generating a ton of hard-hit balls and barrels over the last 12 games. I think this is a great spot for the Braves to come out on top.

Reds vs White Sox: Reds (+130)

Reds win probability: 44%

Luis Castillo day for the Chicago White Sox, and I personally have zero faith in the former Mariners starter.

The veteran right-hander owns a 6.33 ERA over his last five outings, and more recently, a 7.31 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and just a 14% strikeout rate over his last three.

With Castillo relying so heavily on his fastball, I think the Reds will be teeing off on him all evening.

Plus, right-hander Rhett Lowder has been great across his last few starts. Getting +130 for a team that draws Castillo is a side I want to back.

Royals vs Dodgers: Dodgers (-199)

Dodgers win probability: 66%

It’s kind of hard for me to run the Royals back for a third straight day, especially with their offense posting an 84 wRC+, .290 wOBA and .651 OPS.

Not to mention, starting pitcher Mason Block owns a 7.72 xERA over his last five starts, while allowing a 52% hard-hit rate and 12% barrel rate to opposing hitters.

The Royals’ bullpen isn’t going to stop anyone either, sporting a 4.69 xERA, 5.14 FIP and 11.21% walk rate on the year.

Give me LA.

Rangers vs Angels: Rangers (-127)

Rangers win probability: 56%

Angels right-hander George Klassen has been brutal through his first three starts this season, posting an 8.31 ERA and 3.00 WHIP.

He may be due for some positive regression, but Cal Quantrill has shockingly been very impressive over his last five outings, posting a 3.58 xERA.

Neither offense has been particularly impressive over the last week, but I think if Quantrill can hold down the Angels, the Rangers’ bats can do the rest and secure a win on the road this evening.

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