The Chicago Cubs will look to avoid a series sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves when the two teams hit Truist Park on Thursday, May 14.
My top Cubs vs. Braves predictions and MLB picks call for the Chicago bats to wake up in the finale tonight.
Who will win Cubs vs Braves today: Cubs moneyline (+158)
The Chicago Cubs have the lowest BABIP and scored just 3.0 runs per game over the past week, and they’re a huge underdog despite pacing the majors in wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
Atlanta Braves southpaw Chris Sale is up to his typical no-nonsense self and cruising to the tune of a 2.20 ERA, but there are still signs for slight concern.
Sale’s .223 BABIP and 88.4% strand rate are notably better than his respective .313 and 81.0% marks over the previous two seasons, and the Chicago lineup is a top candidate to kick-start the statistical correction.
COVERS INTEL: Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale’s 2.20 ERA is well below his 3.06 xERA.
Cubs vs Braves Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+100)
In addition to the Cubs leading the majors in wOBA against left-handed pitchers, the Braves pace baseball in the metric against righties.
Of course, Atlanta also leads the way in runs per game (5.51), with Chicago tied for the third most per (5.07), and Chicago has also hit the Over in 21 of their past 35 games (+6.75 Units / 17% ROI).
Finally, while Cubs starter Ben Brown pitched well across four frames in his first start of the year, he also sports a 5.08 ERA as a starter across a healthy 118 2/3 innings.
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 20-11, +10.05 units
Over/Under bets: 12-6, +5.73 units
Cubs vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Cubs +150 | Braves -175
Run line: Cubs +1.5 (-140) | Braves -1.5 (+120)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+100) | Under 7.5 (-120)
Cubs vs Braves trend
The Chicago Cubs have won 21 of their last 30 games (+11.60 Units / 29% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Braves.
How to watch Cubs vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Date
Thursday, May 14, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
Marquee, BravesVsn
Cubs starting pitcher
Ben Brown (1-1, 1.82 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale (6-2, 2.20 ERA)
Cubs vs Braves latest injuries
Cubs vs Braves weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
May 13, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) is greeted by center fielder Matt Vierling (8) after scoring in the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (18-24) vs. New York Mets (17-25)
Time/Place: 1:10 p.m., Citi Field SB Nation Site: Amazin’ Avenue Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (2-2, 3.18 ERA) vs. RHP Nolan McLean (1-2, 2.78 ERA)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 12: Juan Soto #22 of the New York Mets in action during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Citi Field on May 12, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Soto fouled a pitch off his foot in the third inning of a 3-2 win in extra innings for the Mets. He finished the at-bat despite being in obvious pain, and came back for an at-bat in the sixth inning before eventually being replaced by MJ Melendez. Soto’s x-rays were negative following the game, and being placed immediately in the lineup for a day game after a night game is certainly a good sign.
Soto hasn’t been himself at the plate since returning from the injured list in April, hitting .221/.333./.412 with six RBIs in 19 games. Even if he isn’t playing to his career numbers yet this season, Soto’s immediate return to the lineup is the best-case scenario for a team dealing with key injuries to Francisco Lindor, Francisco Alvarez, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr., among others.
Steve Gelbs of SNY reported Thursday that Lindor’s updated MRI showed healing in his injured calf, but that there is still no timetable for the shortstop’s return. Adding that, manager Carlos Mendoza said that Lindor will progress with the strength-training portion of his recovery.
Additionally, MLB’s Anthony DiComo reported Thursday that Alvarez had surgery on the torn meniscus in his right knee. The team expects Alvarez’s recovery to be towards the longer end of his recovery timetable, and he is likely to be sidelined for eight weeks.
New York has a chance to earn their first series sweep of the season Thursday afternoon against a struggling Tigers team. Detroit is just 3-8 in May.
CLEVELAND, OHIO MAY 08: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians singles on a ground ball to center field in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field on May 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians, again, are hanging around the bottom half to bottom third of MLB in offense. Why is that the case, and what can be done to change things?
First, it’s important to acknowledge some notable improvements for Guardians’ hitters. In 2025, they were 28th in MLB with 87 wRC+ as a team. Their walk rate was 16th best in MLB at 8.3%. In 2026, so far, they are 20th in wRC+ and fourth in MLB in walk rate at 11.2%. This improvement is especially notable because the Guardians’ three best hitters from last season have had very slow starts to the season, with Jose Ramirez putting up a 101 wRC+, Kyle Manzardo a 66 wRC+ and Steven Kwan a 70 wRC+. If we assume Ramirez will return at least to something closer to 120 wRC+ and Manzardo and Kwan to something closer to league average, the overall offensive output should be closer to just eking into the top half of MLB.
Why doesn’t it feel like things are better for the Guardians’ than a top half offense? When looking at batted ball date, the team is still solidly top 10 in both pull-rate and fly-ball rate. This, by the way, is Jose Ramirez’s primary issue. His pull-rate is down a solid 9% over what it has been the past three years of his career. He’s also seeing about 5% more first-pitch strikes. Basically, Hosey… go up there and try to deposit the first pitch you see in the corner bleachers, and everything should be fine. Anyway, there’s your “how to fix Jose” article in two sentences. The Guardians, as a whole, likely need to look to swing more often on first pitches as they are 26th in MLB in swing rate on the first thing they see from a pitcher in a given at-bat.
But, back to the topic at hand, the Guardians’ offense as a whole. Cleveland still ranks near the bottom of the league in a couple crucial categories – they are last in bat speed (70.3%), 29th in hard-hit rate (34.7%), and 25th in barrel rate. So, while some folks have rightly pointed out that the Guardians have seen some excellent defense played against them…
Teams that have faced the best fielding against them this season (by FRV):
…the primary issue they are having is they just are not hitting the dang ball hard often enough. So, hey, Guardians – swing faster, get the barrel on the ball – done. Sarcasm aside, some basic ways the Guardians may look to be getting better swings off may be that they are only 15th in MLB in swinging at pitches in the heart of the plate. The Guardians simply are not swinging the bat much – they are toward the bottom swinging at pitches in the shadow of the zone, in chasing and in wasting swings, which is good. However, it seems that this valiant attempt to walk more is perhaps inhibiting their ability to get after pitches in the heart of the zone. Now that a strong plate discipline ethic has been established, it’s truly time to tell these guys to look to let it rip on pitches that drift toward the heart of the plate, regardless of the count.
If you’ve watched a few seconds of Cleveland Guardians’ baseball this season, you MAY have noticed that the team struggles to hit changeups. It’s not your imagination. The Guardians are far and away the worst offense against changeups in MLB at -14.9 runs below average. So, you can bet the Guardians are going to see a LOT of changeups until something changes there. I suspect that part of our hitters’ bat speed issues are due to their attempt to adjust to the steady diet of offspeed they’ve been seeing. The solution for this is pretty simple – get in the cages and set those batting machines to “nastiest changeup mix you’ve ever seen.”
There really is no way out of this predicament other than going through it. Daniel Schneemann, Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez are the only hitters right now to have positive run value vs. changeups. CJ Kayfus leads the team with 1.2 runs above average against them, so, hey, might be a good idea to get him back up here at some point. Over the past three years, Jose, Angel and Kwan are the only Guardians’ hitters currently on the roster who have a positive run value vs. changeups. It’s an organizational issue and you have to hope that Grant Fink and the gang are hard at work on finding a way to deal with it. I note that Stephen Vogt said, recently, that young hitters have to hit the fastball in order to survive in the bigs, so adjusting the offspeed is the next big challenge once they are here. It’s probably fair to expect some improvement vs. changeups from folks like Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana, Brayan Rocchio and even Kyle Manzardo as they continue to gain experience… but it’ll take some intentional work.
There could be some help, offensively, still on the way from Columbus. Aside from getting Kayfus back on track, Kahlil Watson has an average exit velocity of 94.4 mph and a hard-hit rate of 56.6% in Columbus. Might swapping him and Petey Halpin in a couple weeks and giving Watson steady plate appearances in center while letting Angel Martinez eat into Kwan’s playing time make sense at that point? Cooper Ingle has an average exit velocity of 90.6% and a hard-hit rate of 56.6%. Is there a way to get him on this roster at some point to see if that can transfer some? And, finally, at some point Ralphy Velazquez will make his way to Columbus and begin putting pressure on both Kyle Manzardo and Rhys Hoskins. We don’t yet have his exit velocities and hard-hit rates but a .512 slugging and a .202 ISO are positive signs, especially if he continues to build on a recent hot stretch.
Ultimately, the improvements are going to have to come from within the players currently on the roster. The Guardians need to go to the plate looking to do maximum damage on pitches that come near the heart of the zone. They need to spend tons of time in the cages getting the best looks they can at the best changeups pitching machines can produce. They need to maintain their excellent plate discipline and trust that their 29th best batting-average-on-balls-in-play will improve if they make quality contact consistently. I think Guardians’ fans should be optimistic that, by the summer, this can be a top 15 offense in baseball. But, it won’t come without putting in a lot of work until then.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Corey Seager is going through a slump like none he has ever had to endure in the big leagues.
The two-time World Series MVP shortstop is hitless in his last seven games for the Texas Rangers. That is part of a longer 0-for-27 span, also a career long, that includes 11 strikeouts.
“You’re obviously still working on things and you’d like to see some better results, but you’re not getting them,” Seager said after going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in a wild 6-5 comeback win over Arizona on Wednesday night.
While he has started 42 of the Rangers’ 43 games, the 32-year-old Seager said physically he feels “completely fine.” He has played 24 in a row since his only game off April 16.
“It’s one of those things that you’re going to figure it out out there,” Seager said. “It’s always been like my focus, right, you’re going to figure it out swinging. So right now, I want to keep going out there and trying to figure it out.”
The Rangers had a day off Thursday, when his .179 batting average ranked 167th out of 174 qualified MLB hitters. Seager, in the fifth season of a $325 million, 10-year deal, has 28 hits and 22 walks but 50 strikeouts account for 27.5% of his 182 plate appearances. He has seven home runs and 20 RBIs.
His last hit was an RBI single in the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium on May 6. Seager’s solo homer in the first inning put Texas ahead to stay in that 6-1 win over New York, but strikeouts in his final two at-bats started his hitless span. He is 6 for 61 (.098) with 23 K’s over his last 16 games.
This is the latest in any of his 12 seasons that Seager, a .285 career hitter in 4,500 at-bats over 1,173 games, has been below .200. He never finished a game under that mark in eight of those seasons, including three times he went 1 for 5 (.200) in openers (2016, 2020 and 2024) before having at least three hits in the second game.
“Corey still feels good to go,” first-year Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “I like him in the lineup. So I’m going to continue putting him there if his body feels good and his mind is right. And it is, so that part is good.”
Schumaker did acknowledge that there is a date picked for Seager to sit out a game around one of the team’s off days. The manager didn’t say if that would be Friday at Houston, or coincide with their only remaining scheduled off day this month, next Thursday between road series against Colorado and the Los Angeles Angels.
Texas sat slumping first baseman Jake Burger for two games last weekend. He went 3 for 3 on Tuesday night, then matched a career high with four RBIs on Wednesday, a three-run homer and then a tying RBI single in the ninth inning.
Seager was hitting .194 after 10 games last year, which had been his latest sub-.200 mark, then went 14 for 30 (.467) his next eight games. He finished the season at .271 with 21 homers and 50 RBIs, even with an 0-for-25 span over six-plus games in June. He was limited to 102 games overall because of hamstring issues and an appendectomy.
“Someone told me a long time ago ... that when you are in a funk, it just means you’re going to get really, really hot,” Schumaker said. “There’s some really big names right now that have had tough months, and that’s OK to start the season. And that just means, in my opinion, that he’s going to have a really good five months.”
Apr 26, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) reacts after pitching six scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Milwaukee squandered a masterpiece from Jacob Misiorowski last night, allowing the Padres to come back and eke out a ninth-inning win. Both teams have now each won one game heading into today’s rubber match, which pits Kyle Harrison against right-hander Griffin Canning.
Milwaukee has embraced a youth movement within its rotation, but Harrison (2.41 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) has been pitching like a seasoned veteran. He hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any of his seven appearances while striking out just over eleven batters per nine innings.
However, Harrison is coming off a slightly more stressful outing against the Yankees. The left-hander allowed just two runs on four hits, but walked four batters, allowed at least one baserunner in every inning, and lasted only four innings. He’ll look to bounce back against a Padres lineup that Misiorowski dominated last night.
San Diego is starting former Gold Glove winner Griffin Canning, who made his season debut on May 3 after spending the early part of the year rehabbing an Achilles tear suffered last season with the Mets. Canning posted a career-best 3.77 ERA before the injury and looked effective in his first start back (against the White Sox) but the Cardinals tagged him for six runs in his last outing.
No big surprises in today’s lineup, as the top of the order — Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras — remains unchanged. Contreras will get the day off behind the plate in favor of cleanup hitter Gary Sánchez. Andrew Vaughn is batting fifth in front of Luis Rengifo, who’s at third base today. Rounding out the order are Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and David Hamilton, who gets the start at shortstop in place of Joey Ortiz.
Notably, Christian Yelich is again out of the lineup after Pat Murphy said yesterday that he’d been dealing with “back soreness.” Yelich reportedly tried to play last night, but given his history of back issues, it’s understandable that the Brewers want to be cautious. Definitely a situation worth monitoring over the next few days.
Today’s first pitch is set for 12:40 p.m. You can catch the game on Brewers.TV, WTMJ 620, and the Brewers Radio Network.
The Phillies and Red Sox play the rubber game of their midweek series at Fenway on Thursday.
Each team has a win, but they’ve combined for seven runs in the two games. Boston and Philly are both playing better since changing managers last month, but neither team is hitting.
Boston appears to have the better end of a southpaw pitching matchup. My Phillies vs. Red Sox predictions and MLB picks look for the Sox to take it at home.
Who will win Phillies vs Red Sox today: Red Sox moneyline (-106)
Wednesday’s 2-1 win marked the 15th time this season the Boston Red Sox have scored three runs or fewer at Fenway Park. Boston has scored 21 in their last 11 at home.
The Red Sox face lefty Jesus Luzardo who has a 5.77 ERA, although the underlying stats indicate that might be partially due to bad luck. Boston hits 96 OPS points higher against lefties and is 13% better than league average.
The Philadelphia Phillies have also been hitting below league average on the season and face Boston southpaw Ranger Suarez. Philadelphia is hitting 10% below league average and 51 OPS worse against lefties.
COVERS INTEL:Luzardo is in baseball’s top 10% in strikeout percentage, swing and miss, chase rate, exit velocity against and hard-hit percentage against. His FIP (a predictor of future ERA) is below 3.00. So he should start seeing better results soon.
Phillies vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-125)
Suarez left Philadelphia last winter after eight seasons, so he’s familiar with the lineup. He’s held opponents scoreless in four of his last five starts and has logged two eight-inning outings over that span. His fastball’s run value is in MLB’s top 1%, and his overall pitching value is top 5%.
Most of Luzardo’s struggles have been at home this season. He’s 2-0, 2.04 in road starts with 12 strikeouts per nine. Opponents are hitting 21% below league average against him away from Philadelphia. Add that to Boston’s offensive struggles at home (74 OPS+) and it should be low-scoring.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 12-17 -4.26 units
Over/Under bets: 17-16 -0.33 units
Phillies vs Red Sox odds
Moneyline: Philadelphia -104 | Boston -100
Run line: Philadelphia -1.5 (+156) | Boston +1.5 (-163)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+117) | Under 7.5 (-122)
Phillies vs Red Sox trend
The Boston Red Sox have hit the Game Total Under in 18 of their last 24 games at home (+12.40 Units / 47% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Red Sox.
How to watch Phillies vs Red Sox and game info
Location
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Date
Thursday, May 14, 2026
First pitch
6:45 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports Philadelphia, NESN
Phillies starting pitcher
Jesus Luzardo (3-3, 5.98 ERA)
Red Sox starting pitcher
Ranger Suarez (2-2, 2.77 ERA)
Phillies vs Red Sox latest injuries
Phillies vs Red Sox weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
San Diego Padres first baseman Gavin Sheets (30) hits a three-run home run during the ninth inning of their game against the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
San Diego Padres (25-17) at Milwaukee Brewers (23-17), May 14, 2026, 10:40 a.m. PST
Watch: Padres.TV
Location: American Family Field – Milwaukee, Wisc.
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HOUSTON, TX - MAY 12: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners looks on from the on deck circle during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Michaela Schumacher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For the first time in his career, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has been placed on the injured list. After resting and attempting to play through some side discomfort, the Big Dumper seemed to aggravate his side discomfort in Wednesday’s game. He was eventually replaced by Mitch Garver behind the dish, and now the club will be without their superstar backstop for at least 10 days with an oblique strain, with C Jhonny Pereda recalled in his place.
The news is unsurprising, but troubling, as Raleigh now faces the uncommon challenge of rehabbing an oblique injury as a switch-hitter, an issue noted by Daniel Kramer of MLB.com as one of the factors that may complicate his recovery timeline. Raleigh will receive imaging on Friday when Seattle begins the second leg of the Vedder Cup as they play host to the San Diego Padres.
While Raleigh has struggled immensely in 2026, and it is some small relief to see him receive the time to effectively heal, that’s a bronze lining at best. Cal’s absence puts serious strain on a catching corps that has not demonstrated strength. Mitch Garver signed to a minor league deal this winter after the club soured swiftly on their initial backup plan of Andrew Knizner, who was released before Opening Day despite signing a big league deal. He’ll be expected to take on the primary role in the interim.
Garver, of course, originally came to the Mariners in 2024 with the intention of full-time DH work, as he’d done overwhelmingly in his time with the Texas Rangers. While Garver’s 2024-25 were disappointments, and saw him relegated into a backup role again, he’s been a fairly stalwart, but a major reason for Garver’s DH shift was durability issues, which saw him placed on the IL at least once a year from 2019-2023. Garver has not missed time with the M’s, but it’s a concern point now to see the 35 year old pushed into more serious duty.
That may mean a more even split of time with Pereda, who has fewer big league games under his belt than Garver has played in seven different seasons. Pereda is no Alejandro Kirk, but he does bring a more contact-focused approach at the plate than Garver. The 30 year old is in his eighth MLB organization, and faces primarily a titanic task of filling the shoes and sliding shorts of the Big Dumper for an indefinite period of time. Pereda has hit well in Triple-A Tacoma (his seventh different Triple-A club), running a .321/.414/.417 line in 100 plate appearances, and has historically performed well at the top level of the minors regardless of whether it’s earned him big league opportunities. This will likely be his most significant stretch of play in his career, though it’s possible Seattle looks externally for another option.
Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) pitches in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF Bo Bichette – SS Juan Soto – DH Mark Vientos – 1B MJ Melendez – LF Brett Baty – 3B Marcus Semien – 2B A.J. Ewing – CF Hayden Senger – C
SP: Nolan McLean – RHP
Tigers lineup
Kevin McGonigle – SS Colt Keith – 3B Riley Greene – LF Dillon Dingler – DH Gage Workman – 2B Zach McKinstry – RF Spencer Torkelson – 1B Wenceel Perez – CF Jake Rogers – C
SP: Keider Montero – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 1:10pm EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 13: Simon Mathews #53 of the Washington Nationals walks out to the mound to talk with Jake Irvin #27 of the Washington Nationals during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 13, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a dramatic come from behind win, the Nats have a chance to sweep the Reds and get to .500 on the season. They will have to do it in an early afternoon game, which has been tough sledding for them the past few years. The Nats will also have to face a high octane arm in Chase Burns.
With a righty on the mound, Blake Butera made some tweaks to his lineup. The red hot Luis Garcia Jr. is back in there at first base. Jorbit Vivas will make his first start of the series in the DH spot. With a day game after a night game, Drew Millas will also get his first start of the series, looking to redeem himself after the debacle in the Marlins game. Nats surprise ace Foster Griffin will take the mound with a chance to get his team to .500.
With a lefty on the mound, this Reds lineup looks very different. It is a new look outfield, with Spencer Steer in left, Dane Myers in center and Blake Dunn in right. Sal Stewart will move to first base and JJ Bleday will be DH. Ke’Bryan Hayes will also be in the lineup. Backup catcher Jose Trevino will get his first start of the series. Chase Burns has pitched like an ace and has electric stuff. He will be on the mound, and will look to stop the bleeding for the Reds.
The bullpens have gotten a lot of work in this series, so both starters will be expected to go deep in the game. Both teams have the right guy on the mound to do that as well. Offense has king in this series, but the pitching matchup indicates that may change today. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
The White Sox (21-21) will be looking for a sweep of their three-game series tonight in the Windy City when they take the field against the Royals (19-24).
Surprise contenders in the American League Central, the White Sox remained just 1.5 games behind division-leading Cleveland with a 6-5 win last night over KC. Colson Montgomery was the offensive catalyst for the Chisox with three hits including his 11th home run of the season and scored two runs. Tyler Davis picked up his first win of the season coming on in relief of Chicago starter Noah Schultz. Seth Lugo was bad for Kansas City allowing five runs in five innings to drop to 1-3 on the season. KC’s ace has been anything but the last month as he has allowed less than four runs in just one of his last four starts. Bobby Witt Jr. cracked his 7th home run of the season (and 7th since April 26th) for the Royals in the loss.
Kansas City turns to Kris Bubic to try and snap the Royals’ now three-game losing streak. The White Sox are gunning for their fifth straight win. They will send Anthony Kay to the bump. After struggling at the end of April, Kay has been solid in May allowing just two runs over his last two starts / 10 innings. Bubic has been good his last three starts. Over his last 17.2 innings, the left-hander has allowed 12 hits and just five runs while striking out 18.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: White Sox vs. Royals
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: Rate Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, CSN, Royals.TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: White Sox vs. Royals
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Chicago White Sox (+113), Kansas City Royals (-136)
Spread: White Sox +1.5 (-149), Royals -1.5 (+123)
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: White Sox vs. Royals
Pitching matchup for May 14:
White Sox: Anthony Kay Season Totals: 35.0 IP, 2-1, 4.89 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 25K, 17 BB
Chase Meidroth had his 11-game hitting streak snapped last night (0-2)
Carter Jensen was 2-2 last night, is 4-9 over his last 4 games but is hitting just .176 in May
Bobby Witt Jr. has hit safely in 11 of 12 games in May with 17 hits including 5 HRs in 49 ABs (.347)
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: White Sox vs. Royals
The Royals are 6-14 on the road this season
The White Sox are 11-9 at home this season
The White Sox are 24-18 on the Run Line this season
The Royals are 18-25 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 19 times in games involving the Royals this season (19-24)
The OVER has cashed 23 times in White Sox games this season (23-19)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions: White Sox vs. Royals
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the White Sox and the Royals:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Royals on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 8.0 runs
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 13: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after a pitch during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While Shohei Ohtani has been struggling at the plate recently, he’s made opposing hitters look even worse. Wednesday night was arguably his best pitching start of the season with seven scoreless innings and eight strikeouts against the San Francisco Giants.
Perspective is important with Ohtani, who has legitimately had a rough go of it while hitting of late, such that he didn’t hit Wednesday night and won’t hit on Thursday to gain some semblance of rest. But even with his hitting struggles, Ohtani still has a 122 wRC+, making him still a well-above-average hitter, just below his own standards.
But he’s thriving on the mound. After Wednesday’s performance, Ohtani has a minuscule 0.82 ERA with 50 strikeouts against 11 walks in 44 innings.
Ohtani has led the National League in ERA after all seven of his starts, and led the majors in ERA after five of them, including each of the last three. The only thing keeping him off the leaderboard at times this season is the lack of innings.
Ohtani didn’t pitch until the Dodgers fifth game of the season, got extra time in between then and his second start in order to line up with a team off day the day after said start in Toronto, and even got extra time before Wednesday’s start with Blake Snell inserted into the rotation earlier than planned last weekend.
So Ohtani has been straddling the line of qualifying for leaderboards, needing at least one inning per team game played. What’s stayed consistent though is his performance, lasting at least six innings in all seven of his starts, including seven innings in each of his last two outings.
After Tuesday’s start he’s up to 44 innings, through 43 Dodgers games.
Of his 44 innings, 38 of them have been scoreless frames, plus single runs in six different innings, two of those tallies unearned. For what it’s worth, even if those other two runs were earned, Ohtani’s updated 1.23 ERA would would still lead the majors, with New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlitter next-best at 1.35. Ohtani’s 2.17 xERA is second-best in baseball, behind only Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes.
Here are the dates Ohtani has led the NL in ERA to date in 2026 (at the end of that day):
I included May 14 as well because with 44 innings, Ohtani will continue to qualify through Thursday’s game, the Dodgers’ 44th of the season. And nobody is close enough to pass him for the top spot.
Counting his time on the mound last year, Ohtani now has a 1.88 ERA in 21 starts and 91 innings with the Dodgers. Put another way, the man with the top two home-run seasons in franchise history also has the lowest ERA in team history with a minimum of 90 innings.
Brooks Brannon of the Portland Sea Dogs reacts during a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on May 1, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Although the WooSox again had to go to a bullpen game, nearly everyone pitched well and kept the Bison (Blue Jays AAA) off the board. Worcester then subjected Buffalo to death by a thousand cuts, as all nine of their hits were singles, but a good third inning where they nearly batted around the lineup was all they needed to score six runs. The success of this inning, a three-run frame that put them up 4-o, was also thanks to a Buffalo defensive error as well as Braiden Ward stealing his twentieth base of the season already.
Gage Ziehl had his worst start in a while, getting tagged for six runs in five innings, but the bullpen kept the Yard Goats (Rockies AA) within arm’s reach and the Sea Dogs then exploded for five runs in the eighth. That inning included three home runs, including one by Brooks Brannon, whose power has been raising some eyebrows. Miguel Bleis also joined in on the action in a feel-good win where everyone got involved, and Franklin Arias now has nine hits in his last four games.
Greenville has now lost eleven of their last twelve games. They have relievers with ERAs approaching ten, and some with that metric over ten. No pitcher on Tuesday departed the game unscathed from home run balls, in which the Hot Rods (Rays High-A) hit five. Jack Winnay’s home run in the fourth was the closest the Drive got all night as far as winning percentage expected is concerned (8.7%); even then, the game was 6-1.
The RidgeYaks didn’t need much offense in Fredericksburg (Nationals A) to come out on top due to their pitching staff striking fourteen out and the Nats stranding fourteen runners including not getting a hit with nine chances with runners in scoring position. Salem got just enough offensive spark in the nick of time through a two-run, two-out double from catcher Luke Heyman in the eighth inning. The play brought Salem from a 51% chance winning all the way up to 85.4%, a .344 WPA, and Salem wouldn’t look back.
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 19: Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) watches play from the home dugout during the MLB game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros on April 19, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
For Astros fans, this season has been a harsh reminder that baseball is not always fair. What once looked like a team capable of another miraculous turnaround is now a club dangerously close to rock bottom. Unlike last season, when Houston managed to claw its way back into the divisional race, this year’s team appears to be spiraling further out of control with each passing game.
In professional sports, when things go wrong, the players are rarely the first to pay the price, especially when they are tied to massive contracts worth millions of dollars. Instead, organizations often look to the manager as the easiest way to shake things up. That reality may soon be approaching for Astros manager Joe Espada.
To be fair, the Astros have faced significant adversity from the start of the season. Beginning the year with 16 players on the injured list created immediate obstacles and left the roster depleted before the campaign truly got going. Injuries, however, can only excuse so much. Despite flashes of offensive success, the team as a whole has underachieved in nearly every area.
The biggest concern has undoubtedly been the pitching staff. Both the starting rotation and bullpen have struggled badly, and the numbers paint an ugly picture. Houston is currently on pace to challenge all-time records for walks allowed both per game and over the course of a full season. Regardless of injuries, that level of inconsistency and lack of command simply cannot continue if the Astros hope to remain competitive.
Much of the blame for the roster construction and pitching depth should rightfully fall on General Manager Dana Brown. Still, with the amateur draft approaching and critical decisions looming regarding potential trades, Houston likely needs Brown’s experience steering the organization through whatever comes next, whether that means attempting to buy at the deadline or beginning a larger reset for the future.
That leaves Espada in a difficult position.
This is not necessarily an argument that Espada is a bad manager or undeserving of the job. By most accounts, he is respected throughout the organization and well-liked inside the clubhouse. But sports can be unforgiving, and when a team consistently underperforms, ownership often believes a new voice is needed to spark change.
One name that could quickly enter the conversation is bench coach Omar López. Fresh off a championship run coaching in the World Baseball Classic, López has become one of the more intriguing rising names in baseball managerial circles. He carries strong relationships within the clubhouse and is viewed as someone capable of bringing fresh energy and perspective to a struggling team. If the Astros decide to make a move, promoting López could represent the organization’s best internal option.
Around Major League Baseball, managerial changes have already begun. Teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox have made leadership changes in response to disappointing performances, and Houston could soon find itself following a similar path very soon.
The question now becomes: how much responsibility should fall on Espada? Is the Astros’ disappointing season primarily the result of injuries and roster shortcomings, or does the team truly need a new manager to change its direction?
For Astros fans, that debate is only going to grow louder if the losses continue piling up.
COVERS INTEL: Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale’s 2.20 ERA is well below his 3.06 xERA.
