Category: Baseball

Series Preview

Iowa Hawkeyes (29-18, 12-12 B1G) at #25 Nebraska Cornhuskers (34-14, 17-7 B1G)

Location: Hawks Field at Haymarket Park, Lincoln, NE

Dates: May 8th-10th

Times (all CDT): Friday @ 6pm , Saturday @ 2pm, Sunday @ 2pm

Coaches: Rick Heller (13th season, 785-602-2) & Will Bolt (7th season, 204-140-1)

TV/Stream: Friday is on Nebraska Public Media, Sunday will be on BTN, All games on B1G+

Radio: All Nebraska games on Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App

Well, where have we seen a talented but dazed Husker team take on a “mid” Iowa team before? It’s a nightmare we’ve seen time and time agains in seemingly every sport. After having a lot of “luck” metrics go their way for the entire season, the Huskers seemingly had every break go against them in Columbus last week. So far, a return home has righted the ship in a big way after some struggles away from home. Will the final few (regular season, fingers crossed) home games give them their mojo back? (Shout out, Mojo Hagge!)

Iowa has piled up wins by beating up on the weak sisters of the poor, with the 222nd ranked non-conference schedule. They are not as good as their overall record (which still isn’t great) might make you think. In conference, they’ve been swept by the 2 California teams, and lost to Michigan State. They’ve beaten bottom feeders Maryland, Indiana and Penn State, but have also won series against Minnesota and most recently Illinois.

Barring being swept by Nebraska and then Purdue, Iowa should be in the group that that plays in Omaha for the right to play in the final tournament against the top 4 seeds. I wouldn’t get too attached to that “sweep” thought though. Things rarely go as planned when the Hawkeyes come to town.

Pitching Preview

Game 1: RHP Carson Jasa (8-2, 3.68 ERA) vs. RHP Tyler Guerin (2-2, 6.80 ERA)

Game 2: RHP Ty Horn (2-2, 4.06 ERA) vs. RHP Maddux Frese (4-2, 2.56 ERA)

Game 3: RHP Gavin Blachowicz (4-2, 3.08 ERA) vs. TBD

Coach Bolt and Co. have found their Friday night starter in Carson Jasa. They were protecting him in a way earlier in the year, putting him in a slightly less stressful day in Saturday, usually battling a less superior pitcher on the other team. Now he is “The Man”, and despite picking up the loss, he pitched very well. One ball just trickling out of Case Sanderson’s glove on a tough play was maybe the difference in the game. Going more than 6 innings has to be a goal going forward.

Welcome back to the rotation Ty Horn. He has rediscovered that little bit extra of his fastball that he was without for his last few Friday starts. That along with the confidence/attitude readjustment, and the giving his all on every pitch instead of worrying about going through an order a third time unlocked the Ty we saw at the end of 2025. Bolt said with only one mid week game left, Ty affecting multiple games a week wouldn’t be as important, so made the decision to replace the suddenly struggling Katskee easier.

Bolt also said he thought Gavin Blachowicz just fit better on Sundays when deciding where to place Horn. Blachowicz suffered from a couple bad breaks, especially the 3 RBI triple that Drew Grego just couldn’t quite get ahold of. Even-so, Blachowicz has been the most even keeled starter, even without his best stuff, so expect Championship Sundays to get back on track.

Iowa has been searching for a starting rotation all season. They’ve finally arrived back where they started on Friday nights with Tyler Guerin. The 6’6” righty had a bad start to the season, then regrouped mostly in the bullpen before starting the past 3 weekends. He doesn’t go long, rarely getting to 70 pitches, and is very prone to walking pitchers. Iowa has a lot of relievers it trusts, so the leash isn’t long for its starters.

Maddux Frese has been a revelation over then last month for the Hawkeyes. Not only is he pitching effective, allowing 2 runs or less in 4 of his last 5 starts, but he is going deep into games, with quality starts in each of those 4 games as well. He’s not a big strikeout guy, in fact he gets most of his outs via fly balls. That can be an adventure, depending on the wind at Haymarket Park. Logan Runde has been the third pitcher for the team over the entire year, but has struggled of late, so the team is considering a couple other options, depending on how the series goes for Sunday.

Scouting Report

This weekend will be a battle between the top 2 hitting teams in the conference. Last week Nebraska was #1 and Iowa was #2, but as you can imagine after Columbus, the two have flipped. It’s a rare Iowa team in that the offense carries the pitching staff. Probably been 2019 since that happened.

The best hitter on the Hawkeyes is easily in the mix of top 5 batters in the conference depending on the criteria. That is second baseman Gable Mitchell, who thankfully is finally a senior. He has taken the conference lead in hits and batting average away from Mac Moyer after last week. He has 75 hits, and is batting .393. At 5’9, 185 lbs, he’s not a big home run threat with 5 on the year, but can pile up doubles, with 14 on the year, and a B1G leading 4 triples as well. He will run on occasion, stealing 11 of 15 bases.

Caleb Wolf is almost a Mitchell clone. The diminutive first baseman is the same size as Mitchell and second on the team in batting average at .370. Wolf also has 12 doubles and 3 home runs.

In fact, the whole team has a similar stat line of piling up singles and doubles, and not really worrying about home run power. The team leader in home runs has only 6, and that is short stop and usual leadoff man Kooper Schulte. Schulte also leads the team with 17 doubles on the season while batting .286.

Iowa likes to run, stealing the second most bases in the Big Ten to Minnesota at 85. Outfielder Kellen Strohmeyer leads the team, going 17 for 17 on the season.

Iowa has numerous arms they turn to during a weekend, with 7 pitchers having over 12 appearances out of the pen on the season so far. Their most trusted arm is do everything reliever Kyle Alivo. He is tied for the team lead with 3 saves, and has thrown 38 innings in mostly relief. That includes a big time outing in his last appearance, going for 5 innings with 8 strikeouts Saturday against Illinois.

Freshman lefty Brolan Frost leads the pen with a 2.94 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. He has made 15 appearances, for 18.1 innings. He’s been used a lot more recently, throwing an inning in one game against Illinois and then coming in for a single left handed batter in another. Expect to see something similar this weekend.

Grad transfer Joe Husak leads the team in appearances with 19 on the season. He has a 5.19 ERA and has struck out 23 batters in 26 innings of work. He should be in multiple games against Nebraska if the score is close.

As always, Iowa is an elite defense. They are currently #1 in the B1G and #3 in the country with a 98.5 fielding percentage.

Series History

Iowa leads the all time series 29-26 against Nebraska. In their last meeting, the Hawkeyes won 2 out of 3 in Iowa City last season.

On Deck

• Jeter Worthley has been hit by 18 pitches this season, tied for 9th most in a season in Husker history. He is 2 behind Riley Silva’s 2025 season for 8th.
• Drew Grego has 38 RBIs on the season, 4th most by a Husker freshman in history. He’s 3 away from Daniel Bruce and 10 behind Alex Gordon.
• With one more hit, Dylan Carey will tie Paul Meyers for 7th all time in hits. He is also only 2 behind Michael Pritchard for 6th place.

Catching a foul ball at an MLB game is a core memory moment, but it can be just as memorable to blow it as spectacularly as this fan did on Thursday afternoon.

Extending for the bare one-handed catch, this man not only managed to flub the catch, but he spilled his beer all over the woman sitting next to him, notably drenching the ballpark nachos in the process. I’m not going to throw too much shade at the attempted catch, because a jumping one-hander at full extension is rough. I’m not sure many people would have made that grab.

However, I will slam this man for not having situational awareness of his concessions situation. I looked up the prices of food and drink at Progressive Field in Cleveland, and he’s drinking the 25 oz stadium beer, which is $12 for a domestic. I’ll go with the low-end and assume he’s not drinking craft. The loaded nachos, they’re $15. I appears there may also be hot dogs on the tray, but I won’t count there only because there appears to be some roughness to the foil — meaning they may have already been eaten.

If we zoom in on the beer right as he’s about the make the catch we can clearly see how much the man had already consumed, thanks to sunlight shining through the translucent cup.

Therefore, he lost two-thirds of his beer and ruined the nachos trying to make the catch for a financial loss of $23 on the attempt. The embarrassment from flubbing this catch on live TV, well, that’s worth a lot more in emotional damage.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

It's another busy day across the Major Leagues tonight, with a total of 15 games on the schedule.

My MLB player props will feature Dylan Cease, Andy Pages, and Max Fried who I expect to help keep the Yankees rolling in dominant form as their other star arms work their way back to full health.

Read more in my MLB picks for Friday, May 8. 

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Dylan Cease	Over 7.5 strikeouts	-130
Max Fried	Under 1.5 earned runs	+125
Andy Pages	Over 0.5 singles	-110

Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts (-130)

Dylan Cease has been a strikeout machine this season for the Toronto Blue Jays. He's racked up 56 Ks in just 38.1 innings of work. The right-hander currently ranks fourth in the Majors in punchouts. Cease has cashed the Over just once in his last three outings, but it was against the exact team he'll face tonight — the Los Angeles Angels. 

When Cease took the hill against L.A. a couple of weeks back, he struck out 12 Angels across only five innings of work. The veteran has 42 Ks in only 98 at-bats against the Halos lineup in his career, and L.A. ranks dead last in the bigs in strikeouts with nearly 10 per game. 

• Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SN1

Max Fried Under 1.5 earned runs (+125)

With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon injured, it's been vital for Max Fried to be dominant this season for the New York Yankees, and he hasn't disappointed. The lefty owns a 4-1 record and 2.39 ERA across eight appearances. He's hit the Under in earned runs allowed in two of his last three starts. 

While Fried did surrender three earned in his most recent outing, the southpaw had back-to-back scoreless starts prior. He's also been practically un-hittable on the road, compiling a 0.76 ERA in five starts, and the  Yankees visit the Milwaukee Brewers this evening. 

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: YES

Andy Pages Over 0.5 singles (-110)

Andy Pages has been a breakout star for the Los Angeles Dodgers this year. He's fifth in the Majors with a .336 average, and the Cuban is also second with 33 RBI. Pages has 46 hits as well, which is top-five. Of those 46 knocks, 30 have been singles, and he's easily cashed the Over in six of his last eight contests. 

Pages was 3-for-5 with three homers on Wednesday, and 3-for-4 the night before that with three base knocks. While he's 0-for-2 lifetime against Chris Sale, he's batting .333 against left-handed pitchers. Sale doesn't give up a lot of homers or extra-base hits, but Pages is hot, and I expect him to at least smack one base hit. 

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SportsNet LA, BravesVision

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.

Spencer Jones’ girlfriend, Ava O’Connor, shared a sweet message responding to the 6-foot-7 outfielder getting called up by the Yankees after Jasson Domínguez was injured during Thursday’s game.

“Let’s go baby! The most deserving incredible man. I love you!” O’Connor wrote on her Instagram Story, including the MLB breaking news post and a fire flame emoji and a blue heart.

The Post’s Jon Heyman was the first to report the news Thursday.

Jones, the Yankees’ No. 6 prospect on MLB Pipeline, has 11 homers and a Triple-A leading 41 RBIs to start the season.

The 24-year-old slugger will get his chance at the majors after he struggled with strikeouts in the minors this season, tallying 46 through his first 33 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Jones was called up after Domínguez crashed into the outfield wall while making a catch during the first inning of the 9-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday.

Domínguez, who was filling in for an injured Giancarlo Stanton, was emotional as he left the game on a cart.

An MRI revealed a sprain in the AC joint in his left shoulder, sending him to the injured list.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone cited consistent at-bats recently when asked about Jones after Thursday’s game.

“Feel like the last three, four weeks, been having a lot of consistent at-bats,” Boone said. “The power’s been there. Less swing and miss. … The signs have been encouraging.”

Jones will suit up Friday for the start of the Yankees’ three-game series against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers clash tonight at Globe Life Field for the start of a three-game series. 

My Cubs vs. Rangers predictions are targeting a Chicago victory as they face the struggling Kumar Rocker. 

Read more for my MLB picks for Friday, May 8. 

Who will win Cubs vs Rangers today: Cubs moneyline (-133 at Polymarket)

The Chicago Cubs are arguably the hottest team in baseball right now, having won nine straight games. They just swept the Cincinnati Reds, scoring 18 runs in the series.

The Cubbies' offense is firing on all cylinders, ranking in the top five in most categories. Most notably, they're second in runs with 5.5 per game. 

Chicago will face Kumar Rocker tonight, who has a 4.71 ERA. He's pitched better at home, but Rocker has been poor lately. Although the righty has never faced the Cubs, the hosts are raking at the moment, and he tends to leave a lot of pitches in the zone. 

Also, Ben Brown is on the bump for Chicago, and although this is his first start, he has a 2.10 ERA across 12 relief appearances. Chicago's bullpen also has a 3.90 ERA, and they will likely eat up innings here after Brown is the opener. 

COVERS INTEL: Opponents are hitting .278 against Rocker, and he's given up seven earned runs across his last two starts. 

Cubs vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 runs (-110)

The Cubbies are rolling, and they've cashed the Over in two of their last three games. I expect them to do damage to Rocker. They have also hit the Over in two of their previous three contests, although both of those games were losses. 

Rocker is prone to hard contact, while the Cubbies' bullpen can be vulnerable at times. Globe Life is hitter-friendly when the roof is closed, too.

That being said, I believe most of the offense in the series opener will come from the Cubbies, who cannot be stopped right now.  

Chicago is averaging 5.57 runs per game in May, and they've also hit the Over in five of their seven games this month. Texas has also given up 24 runs across its last four games alone. 

Cubs vs Rangers odds

• Moneyline: Cubs -136 | Rangers +116
• Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+120) | Rangers +1.5 (-140)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 runs (-110) | Under 8.5 runs (-110)

Cubs vs Rangers trend

The Chicago Cubs have hit the Moneyline in 20 of their last 24 games (+16.75 Units / 52% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Rangers.

How to watch Cubs vs Rangers and game info

Cubs vs Rangers latest injuries

Cubs vs Rangers weather

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.

We learned after the game on Thursday that Jake Bennett has been sent down to Triple-A. Jack Anderson, who allowed three runs in 8 1/3 innings in his first stint in the majors, will be the corresponding promotion.

Other moves are likely on the horizon. Justin Slaten seemingly threw his final rehab outing for Worcester on Wednesday night, a scoreless inning. I had expected Slaten to be recalled today, with Bennett going down since Sonny Gray’s return brings the Red Sox back to a full rotation. It’s possible that Anderson is only here for one day and will swap with Slaten over the weekend.

It’s also possible that a second, or even a third move is coming. Greg Weissert and Ryan Watson simply haven’t gotten it done thus far out of the pen. Weissert, despite blowing numerous wins for starters a year ago, finished the season with a 2.82 ERA in 72 appearances. This year has been a different story, allowing four home runs in 14 2/3 innings, and Weissert is now sporting a 5.52 ERA.

Ryan Watson, despite having the Rule-5 tag, probably isn’t safe either. His 6.46 ERA in 15 appearances (23 2/3 innings) is equally concerning, and his K-BB% is just 7.2%.

Slaten’s return is imminent, along with the fact that Tommy Kahnle exercised his “assignment clause” last week. If another team offers Kahnle a major league deal, the Red Sox will either have to promote him or let him go. Kahnle has a 2.38 ERA at Worcester and 11 seasons of big league experience. His ERA in the big leagues from 2019-2025 is 3.33.

I could see a full-line change coming soon, with Anderson, Slaten, and Kahnle in and Bennett, Watson, and Weissert out. Of course, if this happened, Weissert would need to be DFA’d, and Watson would be returned to the Giants by the Rule Five rules.

What would you do with the ‘pen over the next few days? Discuss in the comments, and be good to each other.

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

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (17-19) lost 10-3 (BOX SCORE)

Sugar Land got on the board in the 3rd inning on an Alexander 2 run double. Gordon got the start but struggled allowing 7 runs, 6 earned, over 4.2 innings. The offense got one back in the 6th but the Isotopes would get 3 more in the 9th and put the game out of reach as Sugar Land fell 10-3.

Note: Nelson is hitting .302 in Triple-A this season.

• Kellen Strahm, CF: 1-for-4, R
• CJ Alexander, RF: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
• James Nelson, LF: 1-for-4, R
• Collin Price, 1B: 1-for-3, 2B
• Carlos Perez, C: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
• Jack Winkler, SS: 1-for-3, R

• Colton Gordon, RHP: 4.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Joey Mancini, RHP: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• Tom Cosgrove, LHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (14-16)

Game One – lost 4-3 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board in the 4th inning scoring 2 runs on a wild pitch and Whitaker RBI single. Mayer got the start and went 4.2 innings allowing 4 runs, though only one was earned, while striking out 6 batters. The Hooks got a run back in the 6th on a Holy RBI single but that was it as they dropped game one 4-3.

Note: Mayer has 31 K in 18.2 innings this season.

• Max Holy, SS: 1-for-4, RBI
• Trevor Austin, 3B: 1-for-2, 2 BB
• Yamal Encarnacion, 2B: 2-for-4, R, SB
• Garret Guillemette, 1B: 1-for-4, R, SB
• Tyler Whitaker, LF: 1-for-3, RBI, BB
• Mason Lytle, RF: 1-for-2, R, BB, 2 SB

• Bryce Mayer, RHP: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
• Julio Rodriguez, RHP: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Game Two – won 4-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Hooks got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Sullivan 2 run home run. Hicks started for the Hooks and pitched well allowing 2 runs over 6 innings while striking out 6. The offense scored 2 runs in the top of the 7th on a Hernandez sac fly and Holy RBI single. Chirinos tossed a scoreless 7th inning to close out the 4-2 win.

Note: Holy is hitting .455 in Double-A.

• Max Holy, SS: 2-for-3, R, RBI, SB
• Joseph Sullivan, DH: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI
• Luis Baez, RF: 1-for-3, R
• John Garcia, C: 1-for-3, R
• Alberto Hernandez, 2B: 1-for-1, 2B, RBI, BB

• James Hicks, RHP: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K (WIN)
• Amilcar Chirinos, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (SAVE)

A+: Asheville Tourists (8-22)

Game One – lost 7-5 (BOX SCORE)

Hertzler started game one but only went 1 innings allowing 4 runs while striking out 3. The offense got on the board in the first on a Nunez solo HR. After the Emperors got two runs in the top of the 2nd, the offense responded with two of their own on a Call solo HR and Walker solo HR. The offense got another run in the 4th on a Walker RBI single and one more in the 5th on a Schiavone solo home run. The Emperors added one more run and the Asheville offense was quiet the rest of the way as they fell 7-5 in game one.

Note: Schiavone has a 1.095 OPS this season.

• Alejandro Nunez, LF: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI, BB
• Ethan Frey, CF: 1-for-4
• Jason Schiavone, 1B: 2-for-4, R, HR, RBI
• Freuddy Batista, C: 1-for-2, 2B
• Chase Call, DH: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, HR, RBI
• Kyle Walker, SS: 2-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI

• Cole Hertzler, RHP: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Raimy Rodriguez, RHP: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
• Conor Steinbaugh, RHP: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Game Two – won 6-5 (BOX SCORE)

Asheville jumped out to a nice lead in the first scoring 3 runs on a Nunez 2 run home run and Call RBI double. They got 2 more in the 3rd on Brutcher and Powell RBI singles. Santos got the start and went 3.2 innings allowing 3 runs. Asheville picked up another run in the 4th on a Thomas RBI double. Ogando allowed 2 runs in relief but Wohlegemuth tossed a scoreless inning to close out the 6-5 win.

Note: Thomas is hitting .302 this season.

• Justin Thomas, CF: 3-for-4, R, 2 2B, RBI
• Alejandro Nunez, 2B: 1-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI
• Ethan Frey, DH: 1-for-3, R
• Jason Schiavone, C: 1-for-2, R, 2B, BB, SB
• Drew Brutcher, 1B: 1-for-3, R, RBI, SB
• Chase Call, RF: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, SB
• Caden Powell, LF: 1-for-3, RBI
• Zach Daudet, SS: 1-for-1, R, 2 BB, SB

• Yeriel Santos, RHP: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
• Joan Ogando, RHP: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K (WIN)
• Nate Wohlgemuth, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (SAVE)

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (12-18) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE) 

Perez started for the Woodpeckers and pitched well allowing 2 run over 6 innings while striking out 6. The offense got on the board in the 4th scoring 3 runs on a Ramirez RBI double and Newman 2 run home run. Weber relieved Perez and tossed a scoreless 7th inning. The game went into a rain delay but was called after 7 innings with the Woodpeckers winning 3-2.

Note: Ochoa is hitting .400 over his last 13 games.

• Nehomar Ochoa, DH: 2-for-3
• Camilo Diaz, 3B: 0-for-2, R, BB, SB
• German Ramirez, SS: 1-for-3, R, 2B, RBI
• DJ Newman, LF: 1-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI

• Javier Perez, RHP: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (WIN)
• Charlie Weber, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K (SAVE)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Ethan Pecko – 7:05 CT

CC: Brandon McPherson – 6:35 CT

AV: Parker Smith – 5:35 CT

FV: TBD – 6:05 CT

Hickory starter Kamdyn Perry allowed a solo homer in four innings of work, striking out four and walking one.

Yolfran Castillo went 3 for 5 with a double and two stolen bases. Hector Osorio doubled and stole a base. Marcos Torres was 1 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. Daniel Flames was 2 for 4 with a double. Dewar Tovar doubled.

Hickory box score

Hub City played two.

In Game One, starter Dalton Pence threw four shutout innings, striking out five and walking three. Joey Danielson struck out three and walked one in a scoreless inning.

Rafe Perich was 2 for 2 with a homer and a walk. Gleider Figuereo was 2 for 2 with a walk. Yeison Morrobel had a pair of hits. Malcolm Moore had a hit.

In Game Two, starter Enrique Segura struck out four and walked three in three innings, allowing four runs. Brock Porter struck out five and walked two in 3.2 shutout innings.

Rafe Perich had a hit and two walks. Yeison Morrobel had a hit.

Hub City Game One box score

Hub City Game Two box score

Frisco starter Winston Santos allowed five runs in 3.2 IP, including a pair of home runs, striking out five and walking two. Bryan Magdaleno struck out three in 1.1 IP. Ryan Lobus allowed three runs in two innings, strking out one. Wilian Bormie struck out three in two scoreless innings.

Dylan Dreiling went 2 for 3 with a homer, three walks and a stolen base. Ian Moller drew two walks.

Frisco box score

For Round Rock, Emiliano Teodo allowed a solo homer in an inning of work, striking out two and walking one. Michel Otanez struck out one and walked one in a shutout inning.

Aaron Zavala was 4 for 4 with a double and a stolen base.

Round Rock box score

Happy Friday A’s fans!

The team came away with a series-salvaging win yesterday in the finale against the Phillies. The Green & Gold got their teeth knocked in on Tuesday, dropped a heart breaker on Wednesday, and finally broke out the bats in a blowout victory on Thursday. Now the team is off to Baltimore to take on the Orioles for a three-game weekend series.

But before we get to the preview, the A’s made a trade yesterday that went a bit under the radar. Just a day after being designated for assignment by the club, right-handed reliever Tyler Ferguson found himself on the move as the Athletics traded him to the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations:

The move brings to an end Ferguson’s time with the organization after just over two years. Originally a 6th-round pick by the Texas Rangers in 2015, Ferguson finally made it to the big leagues with the Athletics in 2024 after nine years working his way up the minor league ladder. His rookie season went fairly well as the then-30-year-old pitched to a solid 3.68 ERA in 48 games for that A’s team that finished fourth in the AL West. That quality outing his first time facing big league hitters gave hope that the A’s had found a late-bloomer to help fill out the middle innings.

Unfortunately his second season in the big leagues did not go as smoothly as he regressed to a 4.66 ERA in 56 contests. The struggled were so great that he actually found himself demoted to Triple-A for a month in the middle of the season. Things didn’t improve this year as he struggled during Spring Training and began the year with the Aviators. He was recalled a couple days ago to help a tiring bullpen but got lit up for four runs in his lone appearance with the A’s this year, which led to the DFA. He’ll now head to Chicago and hope to right things with a Cubs squad that looks to be a contender this season.

Anyway, the Baltimore Orioles. Like the A’s they’re a team on the younger side of things led by Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, Adley Rutschman. And this past offseason they added slugging first baseman Pete Alonso and outfielder Taylor Ward to go with top prospects Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser and Coby Mayo. Even though they only went 75-87 last year, there were raised expectations this year for this group of high-end talent.

Things have improved a bit for Baltimore here in 2026 but not by a whole lot as of yet. They’ve been bitten by the injury bug multiple times already this year, missing Holliday and Westburg for the entire season to date as well as seeing first baseman Ryan Mountcastle hit the IL after just eight games. Thanks to those injuries, a lineup that has some serious talent is around the middle of the pack in most offensive categories. On the bright side for them they’ve managed to tread water and at 17-21 are only a game out of a Wild Card spot. Once they get Holliday and Westburg back, they could become a bit more dangerous than their record suggests.

On the pitching side of things for Baltimore, the team yet again has problems with their starting rotation. Their top-four starters all have below-average ERA’s as guys like Shane Baz (4.99 ERA), Kyle Bradish (5.03 ERA), Trevor Rogers (4.75 ERA and currently on the IL) and old friend Chris Bassitt (5.91 ERA) have all struggled in the early going. The A’s will be seeing the three B’s this weekend in Bradish, Baz and then Bassitt. The A’s offense needs to feast against these struggling arms, though the Baltimore bullpen hasn’t been much better and is also without closer Ryan Helsley against the A’s.

As for the A’s, they’ll be sending Jacob Lopez to the mound tonight, followed by veterans Aaron Civale and Luis Severino on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. This could be Lopez’s last chance to show he deserves to stick in the rotation as he’s coming off a six-run outing and has struggled all year. Civale and Severino, meanwhile, are both on a roll coming into the weekend, and Severino especially will enjoy getting a start on the road away from Sacramento.

The Green & Gold remain in first place as we begin the weekend, and though they’re seeing a Baltimore squad that is reeling, they can still be dangerous. They lost yesterday but won their series against the Marlins. Think the A’s can tame the Orioles and get a series win this weekend?

Have a great weekend everyone!

A’s Coverage:

• A’s demolish Phillies behind big bats and Ginn’s arm, 12-1!
• Kurtz had pets named after Phillies stars
• May Roster Shuffle Could Help The A’s — But They’d Have To Want It
• A’s roster moves: Langeliers reinstated, Wynns DFA’d
• Cubs Acquire Tyler Ferguson
• Phillies Claim Grant Holman
• A’s Blow Late Lead, Fall To Phillies 6-3
• A’s drop one to Phillies 9-1
• A’s trade for Jonah Heim to fortify catching depth
• Langeliers HRs twice on wife’s b-day, then welcomes 1st child; taking time off
• Civale and Soderstrom lead Athletics to a Sunday Victory
• He once struck out Giancarlo Stanton. Now he engineers cars for Ford
• A Walk In The Park Is Nice…To A Point
• Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In May
• A Moment To Appreciate The Awesomeness That Is Carlos Cortes
• Kurtz ‘starting to get back to himself’ — and that’s a scary prospect
• What the Athletics’ Hot Start Means for Their 2026 Trade Deadline Strategy
• When he Reached the New World, Cortes Burned Opposing Pitchers

MLB News and Interest:

• Astros’ Carlos Correa to undergo season-ending ankle surgery
• Yankees promote top prospect Spencer Jones from Triple-A
• Carlos Estévez Diagnosed With Rotator Cuff Strain
• Red Sox’s Roman Anthony hits IL with wrist injury
• Cubs’ Matthew Boyd injures knee playing with kids; has surgery, out 6-8 weeks
• Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez accepts 5-game suspension for throwing at Red Sox’s Trevor Story
• Reds starter Rhett Lowder exits with right shoulder discomfort
• Latest On Astros’ Rotation
• Nothing to see here, just your everyday 9-4-5-2-6 putout
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

500 base hits for Rooker already? Man, time flies:

Make that 31 straight for Kurtz:

Literally any day now:

Stadium update:

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Dylan Cease is among the league leaders in strikeouts this season, and my Angels vs. Blue Jays predictions are expecting him to rack up more punch outs in a plus-matchup against strikeout-prone Los Angeles.

Read on for my free MLB picks for Friday, May 8. 

Angels vs Blue Jays predictions

Angels vs Blue Jays best bet: Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts (-130)

It’s a high total at 7.5, but this is a plus-matchup for Toronto Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease, who faces off against the most strikeout-prone lineup in baseball. 

Cease K’d 12 Los Angeles Angels batters in just five innings in their April 20 meeting, and owns a 42% career strikeout rate against this current lineup. 

He has nasty stuff with the second highest K/9 this season, while ranking in the 98th percentile in whiff rate. 

L.A. carries a 25.5% strikeout rate and a 27.6% whiff rate. Those numbers grow to a 38% K-rating with a 42% whiff rate against the slider, which is Cease’s put-away pitch with 47% whiff rate against.

COVERS INTEL: Cease has 13.15 K/9, averaging eight strikeouts per game this season.

Angels vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)

Kazuma Okamoto has recorded a hit in six straight games, going Over his posted base total in five of those contests. 

He also owns a .290 against lefties this season, crushing the fastball, which is LHP Reid Detmers' most utilized pitch.

Myles Straw has been extremely consistent this year, hitting .310 on the season and grabbing hits in each of his last four starts. He also owns a .333 average in 12 at-bats against Detmers in his career. 

Angels vs Blue Jays SGP

• Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts
• Kazuma Okamoto Over 1.5 total bases
• Myles Straw Over 0.5 hits

Angels vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+450)

I’m only betting a half unit on this one. 

Detmers has only allowed three home runs this season, and doesn’t allow much hard contact. However, Okamoto has shown a lot of pop in his bat lately, homering in four of his last six games with a 1.506 OPS.

Okamoto has six home runs against the fastball, which is Detmers’ most utilized pitch. 

Angels vs Blue Jays odds

• Moneyline: Los Angeles +136 | Toronto -162
• Run line: Los Angeles +1.5 | Toronto -1.5
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Angels vs Blue Jays trend

The Blue Jays have covered the run line in four of their last five games at home (+4.20 Units / 69% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Blue Jays.

How to watch Angels vs Blue Jays and game info

Angels vs Blue Jays latest injuries

Angels vs Blue Jays weather

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.

Thursday night wasn’t a great day to be a pitcher in the Atlanta Braves system. The best team outing was Rome allowing five runs in seven innings, and the worst was a large, large step below that. However, most of the games remained close thanks to big time home runs, including many of the top prospects in the system. Dixon Williams has been on fire for Rome and continued that with a long home run for his fifth of the season, helping lift the Emperors to the only win on the farm. In Augusta Alex Lodise and Luis Guanipa went back-to-back on solo home runs, and the team as a whole had four of them.

(22-13) Gwinnett Stripers, (13-22) Norfolk Tides PPD

(15-15) Columbus Clingstones 6, (13-17) Biloxi Shuckers 7

Box Score

• Lizandro Espinoza, DH: 1-4, HR, .275/.376/.549
• Drew Compton, 1B: 2-4, RBI, .154/.239/.231
• Ambioris Tavarez, 2B: 2-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, .211/.338/.421
• Shay Schanaman, SP: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 5.74 ERA
• Jhancarlos Lara, RP: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 11.42 ERA

The Columbus Clingstones charged back in the ninth inning of this game, giving Biloxi a late run for their money in a bid to steal a game, but a breakout performance from Ambioris Tavarez fell tantalizingly short of lifting Columbus to victory. Pitching was a pretty massive problem for Columbus in this game and they weren’t sending out the A-squad to try to shut down the Shuckers, and Shay Schanaman took some lumps that put Columbus in a hole in the early stages of the game. Schanaman lived dangerously for two innings before it all fell to pieces, starting in the third inning with his third hit batter of the day. Schanaman let up three hits and three runs before being pulled with one out, and Samuel Strickland struggled to stanch the bleeding. Strickland let up a back-breaking two-run bomb that capped a chaotic frame, and Biloxi’s 5-0 lead looked to be the stuff of nightmares for a Columbus squad who had yet to find their way the first time through the order. Strickland would continue to let runs bleed in on solo shots in each of the next two innings, though he avoided traffic on the basepaths and that helped to limit the damage to just a couple of extra runs. Meanwhile the offensive attack ramped up with a second look at Manuel Rodriguez.

As the runaway league leader in team home runs it was expected that the Clingstones would make some noise of their own with the long ball, and despite missing the thump of David McCabe they were able to churn out some middle inning runs. Lizandro Espinoza got the first Clingstones hit and run with a line shot out to left field, and with that Espinoza has already reached the five home run mark after just 25 games this season. Espinoza has had a ton of success in the Southern League with seven home runs and a 137 wRC+ in 37 games, and that’s come with a new approach that has filled a big hole in his game. Espinoza is drawing walks at a rate north of 13% in Double-A, and though swing-and-miss remains a question for him a combination of increased on base production and even average power would be a significant shift in the profile of a player who can play up the middle defensively. It’s still too early to judge how much of these changes are sample size fluctuations, but the switch to a pull-heavy, higher effort swing has at least turned Espinoza into a hitter with a respectable power profile. Ambioris Tavarez hit a long home run the next inning to bring home two runs, smoking one into the power alley the opposite way and lifting it where the wind could carry it well into paydirt for him and the Clingstones.

Going into the ninth inning the Clingstones still trailed 7-3, however, and though two runners would get on via a hit batter and a walk they found themselves down to their final out. Drew Compton came through with an RBI single to edge Columbus closer, and then suddenly Tavarez made the game a load more interesting. He ripped a liner that just carried past the right fielder and into the gap for a double, bringing home two more runs and moving himself, the tying run, into scoring position. Ethan Workinger battled a 3-2 count out over a 10-pitch at bat, fighting to keep the game alive for Columbus, but his liner floated right to the second baseman ending the rally for Columbus.

Swing and Misses

Samuel Strickland – 6

Shay Schanaman – 5

Jhancarlos Lara – 3

(15-14) Rome Emperors 7, (7-22) Asheville Tourists 5

Box Score

• Isaiah Drake, DH: 1-4, .252/.317/.383
• John Gil, SS: 1-3, .282/.381/.456
• Dixon Williams, 2B: 2-3, HR, BB, 4 RBI, .283/.411/.630
• Cade Kuehler, SP: 3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 7.66 ERA

Swing and Misses 

Cade Kuehler – 4

Connor Thomas – 4

(15-15) Rome Emperors 5, (8-22) Asheville Tourists 6

Box Score

• Isaiah Drake, CF: 1-3, 2 BB, .252/.317/.383
• John Gil, SS: 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, .282/.381/.456
• Cody Miller, 3B: 3-4, 3 RBI, .202/.303/.308
• Colin Daniel, SP: 1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 5.47 ERA

The Rome Emperors offense has been taking full advantage of the hitter-friendly confines in Asheville, but so too have the Tourists put a lick on the Rome staff early in this series. Cade Kuehler had an other day on the mound where home runs were problematic, as he allowed three of them accounting for all three runs in the first game of this double-header. Kuehler was fortunate that all of those came early in innings and he was able to avoid having a real dent thrown on the start, though it was yet another underwhelming outing for him in a rough start to 2025. Fortunately he never threw a pitch with the team trailing after Dixon Williams gave him a huge lift to start the game. We can often attribute a home run explosion to the conditions in HomeTrust Park, but Williams earned his fifth home run of the season outright with a mammoth shot to center field. His blast to clear the bases put Rome up 3-0 in the first inning.

Rome kept hitting and put up four runs in the first inning, then turned around and put up two more in the second inning to open up a 6-1 lead. Williams again contributed with a sharp single the opposite way to score a run, and since that early season injured list stint Williams has become a wrecking ball for the offense. He has hit safely in six straight games with three home runs in that stretch, and his advanced feel as a hitter has translated well to High-A so far. Williams is above average in every relevant category as a hitter this season, and with the Braves aggression with prospects it wouldn’t be a surprise if his success is rewarded with a relatively quick call to Double-A. Williams’s power numbers are certain to come down to earth somewhat over the next few weeks, but otherwise he has shown the approach, contact, and swing characteristics necessary to sustain most of his success at this level.

While home runs weren’t the culprit of the game two loss for Rome, they still could not get enough outs in the early going and a sustained effort from the offense fell a bit short. Colin Daniel gave up a slew of hard contact in the first inning which turned into four extra base hits and three runs, and the 34 pitches he threw chased him from the game early and left it in the hands of Rome’s bullpen to cover bulk. That’s never something you want to see in a double header, and Jacob Shafer could not reverse the early game trend. While he was able to spread out his hard contact a bit more he still allowed three runs on six hits over three innings, and each time it seemed Rome was inching closer to tying the game up the Tourists got a run to keep some distance between the two sides. Rome did have an early lead after Isaiah Drake and John Gil drew walks to open the game, eventually scoring on a swinging bunt single from Cody Miller. In the third inning the duo sparked another rally with a walk from Drake and a fly ball from Gil that bounced off of the top of the wall for a double. Eric Hartman had a chance to do major damage but struck out, and the only run Rome got was on an infield single by Cody Miller. Miller’s third RBI hit of the game came in the sixth inning when he pushed a liner into shallow center field to bring home Gil, making it a 6-5 ballgame. Miller stole second base cleanly to sit in scoring position, but Rome wasn’t stringing together a ton of loud contact in this game and it came back to bite them. Gil and Drake were on base six times in this game and Miller added another three, but outside of that group there wasn’t much impact to be had and the team went 4-15 with runners in scoring position.

Swing and Misses 

Colin Daniel – 5

Trent Buchanan – 4

Jacob Shafer – 4

(15-15) Augusta GreenJackets 7, (19-11) Charleston RiverDogs 13

Box Score

• Tate Southisene, DH: 0-4, BB, .275/.433/.486
• Alex Lodise, SS: 1-5, HR, .254/.326/.397
• Luis Guanipa, CF: 1-4, HR, .291/.325/.482
• Landon Beidelschies, SP: 1.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 12.86 ERA
• Luis Arestigueta, RP: 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 7.53 ERA

The season is steadily getting worse for Landon Beidelschies, who had another blowup outing and now has allowed 10 earned runs in his past 2 1/3 innings. Beidelschies is facing a torrent of bad batted ball luck with a BABIP this season of .591, though it’s still fair to contribute much of the struggles he has faced to his own execution. Beidelschies isn’t making good pitches on a regular basis and he doesn’t have the raw stuff to get away with the mistakes he is making over the plate, and hitters have been able to take advantage with lots of contact. Beidelschies had flashes of better execution in his early could of starts this season and should come back down to earth soon, but his inability to keep his breaking balls low is an issue that he cannot afford to keep having. Beidelschies was not the only one to have trouble on the mound, however. Lewis Sifontes managed to avoid the control problems that have plagued him this season, but still wasn’t effective in his time in relief. Sifontes got hit around and allowed runs in the third and fourth innings, though his two runs allowed in 2 1/3 inning actually served to lower his ERA on this season. Luis Arestigueta continued his struggles as well, though he had stretches of play where he flashed some promising pitching. Arestigueta’s command is all over the place and he got knocked around while making a host of bad pitches in the sixth inning, but also had a couple of stretches both in the fifth and sixth where he locked in and seemed to find a groove. When Arestigueta keeps his fastball in the strike zone and his slider off of the middle of the plate he has shown electric movement and a capacity to generate whiffs at a high rate, and these little slices of success keep confidence high in the 20 year old. His issues are primarily with his mechanics, as when he has struggled these past few starts his arm slot has dropped and significantly and his arm has dragged behind. Following that home run home Arestigueta did a much better job of keeping his arm path more compact (though he naturally has a wide arm swing) and releasing a little closer to three-quarters and he was able to avoid having his pitches sail up and arm side. While this particular change came a bit too late in the outing to salvage much good it is still notable that he was able to make that adjustment on the fly, and hopefully that bodes well for him in the future.

Augusta’s offensive attack came in bunches early and fizzled down the stretch after their push to even up the game fell short. The GreenJackets strung together five singles in the second inning to get themselves on the board, and that flipped the lineup over to a waiting Tate Southisene with one out and a huge bases-loaded opportunity. Southisene went after the first pitch but rolled over an inside sinker, and the rally fizzled out as the shortstop turned a clean double play to retire the side. Augusta brought more thump in the third inning, and Alex Lodise brought the hammer with a leadoff bomb. On the following pitch Luis Guanipa got a slider that stayed on the top edge of the zone and he absolutely obliterated it, breaking a span of seven games without an extra base hit.

While the first week of May has been a bit less impactful from Guanipa he is still on a tear at the plate, and now officially has a career high in home runs and two more this season than in the 87 games he played between 2024 and 2025. Dalton McIntyre made it a third home run in the third inning with an opposite field two-run shot, and the GreenJackets found themselves trailing by just two runs. It seemed like Augusta was poised to make a run at tying the game, but the offense evaporated immediately after that home run. The next 18 GreenJackets in a row were retired until a Yamvier Carrero solo shot in the ninth inning, and it was far too little too late for a comeback by that point. In that ninth inning Tate Southisene was able to work a walk, and though that wouldn’t extend his five game hitting streak it did extend a 17 game on base streak that dates back to April 17th.

Swing and Misses

Landon Biedelschies – 8

Luis Arestigueta – 7

This whole stretch has been such a whirlwind, there has been no time really spent on narratives. Beginning April 17, the Cubs played 13 games in 13 days. That included a trip to Los Angeles and San Diego in there as well as series again the Mets and Phillies, both with playoff aspirations. They aced that test with a 10-3 record, audaciously starting it with eight straight wins to run a winning streak to 10 games before stumbling out west. But in addition to those 13 games in 13 days, they had just one day off and then 10 more games. They’ve now played seven of that 10 and won them all to run a winning streak to nine games.

Not just a 19-3 run, but a 19-3 run in 25 days. If it feels like this is a historic run, I do believe that is accurate. I believe the 19-3 stretch of 22 games runs all of the way back to 1935. None of us were alive for anything like this before. Even then, baseball was vastly different than what it is today. Somehow, some way this team finds itself chasing history of the best kind. Another test awaits as they set back out on the road. But the Cubs leave Wrigley riding a 15-game home winning streak that, again, none of us has ever seen. They leave with the best record in baseball (tied with the Braves and Yankees). This has been remarkable and a whole lot of fun.

Thursday, the script was a bit different. The team got a fairly dominant start from Shōta Imanaga. Imanaga was particularly sharp over the first four innings while the game was tight. He can probably be excused a little for getting out of the zone following a fourth inning that saw the Cubs bat seemingly forever. They tallied seven runs against two Reds pitchers, including a delay for an injured pitcher.

The only blemish on the game was the bullpen not being able to limp across the finish line without Daniel Palencia getting into the game to record the last out. The offense produced seven hits and drew seven walks and a hit by pitch. As was often the case in this series, the difference defensively between an elite Cub defense and a leaky Reds defense was on display. The Reds weren’t charged with any errors, but they definitely had some miscues, including one particularly absent-minded play that robbed Ke’Bryan Hayes of a nifty highlight reel (would have been) double play.

I’ve talked in years past about the Cubs getting greedy. They are playing the greediest baseball I’ve ever seen. They’ve definitely caught some teams at the right time. But they have pounced just about every time an opponent has faltered over these last 22 games. It’s breathtaking and a whole lot of fun. Soak it in, Cubs fans. It won’t always be this way. Enjoy the ride.

Three Positives:

• Michael Conforto crushed the ball all day long. Single, double, homer, walk, two runs, two runs driven in. He has just 45 plate appearances but a .361/.467/.667 line.
• Shōta Imanaga threw six innings and allowed one run on six hits and three walks while striking out 10.
• Miguel Amaya had a two-run single, drew a walk and was hit by a pitch.

Game 38, May 7: Cubs 8, Reds 3 (26-12)

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

THREE HEROES:

• Superhero: Shōta Imanaga (.221). 6 IP, 28 BF, 6 H, 3 BB, 1 ER, 10 K (W 4-2)
• Hero: Michael Conforto (.176). 3-3, HR, BB, 2 RBI, 2 R
• Sidekick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.091). 1-3, BB, RBI, R, SB

THREE GOATS:

• Billy Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.094). 1-4, BB, RBI, R, DP
• Goat: Moisés Ballesteros (-.049). 0-4, BB
• Kid: Dansby Swanson (-.019). 0-3, BB, RBI, R

WPA Play of the Game: Michael Conforto’s solo homer in the second inning kicked off the scoring. (.115)

*Reds Play of the Game: With runners at first and second with no outs in the third inning and the Cubs up one, Rhett Lowder got Nico Hoerner to ground into an around the horn double play. (.089)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 37 Winner: Pete Crow-Armstrong received 223 of 242 votes.

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)

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

• Michael Conforto +12
• Shōta Imanaga +10
• Michael Bsuch +9
• Dansby Swanson/Jacob Webb/Caleb Thielbar/Phil Maton -6
• Matt Shaw -9
• Seiya Suzuki -14

A reminder that Imanaga was the 2024 Rizzo Award winner (nudging out Seiya Suzuki).

Current Win Pace: 110.84

Up Next: The Cubs travel to Texas to face the Rangers (17-20). The Rangers have lost seven of 10 and are just 7-8 at home. This feels like a little bit of a trap series at the end of a very long stretch of games and a closely contested series with the Reds. Ben Brown (1-1, 2.10, 25.2 IP) makes his first start after 12 relief appearances. He’s made 23 big league starts for the Cubs, including a few spectacular ones. He threw in the opener of the Reds series, so he’ll only be on three days rest. It’s hard to see him going any more than three innings. My guess is that they hope to get once through the order and then piggyback with Javier Assad. This is essentially a bullpen game with a highly depleted bullpen. Hopefully, the offense can jump out early.

26-year-old Kumar Rocker (1-3, 4.71, 28.2 IP) makes his seventh start of the year for the Rangers. Last time out, he allowed five runs on seven hits in just two innings against the Tigers in Detroit. The 3rd overall pick by the Rangers in 2022 had made 23 career starts with a 5.25 ERA. A couple of starts ago he held the Pirates to one run in six innings and he followed that with two runs over six against the A’s. Both of those starts were in Texas.

Find a way. Keep it rolling.

Go Cubs!

The San Diego Padres have put Jake Cronenworth’s 2026 season on hold.

The team announced they have placed their second baseman on the seven-day concussion injury list. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune (need a paid subscription), Cronenworth began experiencing bouts of fogginess and difficulty focusing during at-bats following the Padres’ road trip to Mexico City.

The slow burn of Cronenworth’s health condition

The medical staff misattributed his symptoms to the effects of playing at high altitude. But his physical troubles can be traced back to being hit in the jaw by a pitch thrown by Los Angeles Angels pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. 

At first, Friars manager Craig Stammen thought everything was going well. It kept Cronenworth out of the lineup for only one game, as initial baseline tests cleared him of a concussion. Slowly, his condition began to deteriorate, as headaches became more frequent. It was wise to get a medical explanation for his failing state. 

To his credit, Cronenworth kept playing without complaint, as his toughness is legendary in San Diego. He has been hit by a pitch 65 times, so Crone knows how to deal with pain.

A batting slump of major proportions

Unfortunately, his production at the plate took a major hit. He has endured the worst batting slump of his seven-year major league career. 

Cronenworth is batting .111 in 27 at-bats since the hit-by-pitch incident. The lefty has recorded only three hits, one RBI, four walks, with a .498 OPS. And for the season, Crone is hitting .144 with one home run and four RBI.

At times, it looked like he was swinging at pitches way too late in the strike zone. It is not a timing issue but rather a matter of failing to recognize the pitch coming out of the delivery.

Who is in at 2B?

With Cronenworth out of the lineup, the Padres have a few options to replace him at second. The team called up Sung-Mun Song from the minors to take his place on the roster and in the field. You may see Fernando Tatis Jr. start at second base periodically. It will depend on the pitching matchup.

Song carried his hot start in El Paso straight into the majors. He is hitting .500 with two RBI in two games. 

Baseball’s concussion protocol has come a long way over the last decade. Team doctors have made tremendous strides in diagnosing head injuries, but there is room for improvement. No one ever wants to see a player removed from the lineup because he sustained a concussion. 

It is no one’s fault that Cronenworth played with a head injury for an extended period. Everyone wishes the diagnosis had come sooner, but despite following all the correct steps, concussion symptoms often take time to surface.

The good news is that the Friars and Cronenworth know the cause of his struggles. Now, we wait for him to heal and return to form with the bat. Cronenworth will not be out of the woods until he puts together a couple of good games. 

Team doctors will monitor his progression before clearing him to play again. Do not be surprised if Cronenworth’s return to the lineup is longer than seven days.