Category: Baseball

After reeling off a four-game win streak against baseball’s two top teams, the San Diego Padres were dealt their worst loss of the season at the hands of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. L.A. scored 15 runs in total, nine of which came in the sixth inning after Randy Vásquez struggled to locate his pitches, and Will Wagner made a crucial error at second base.

It was a tough game to watch. But, at the end of the day, it’s just one loss. Hopefully, the Friars can pick up where they left off in Game 1, and take the rubber match Sunday afternoon.

Taking the mound

Emmet Sheehan (LAD) v. Michael King (SD)

Sheehan’s had a rough go of it lately in the Dodgers’ rotation. After looking like a serviceable back end starter for most of the season, he’s pitched incredibly poor in the month of June. He owns a 7.31 ERA in this month alone. It’s ballooned his ERA from 4.50 at the beginning of the month to 5.32 entering today’s matchup.

That said, the Friars’ lineup owns a combined .250 batting average (24 at-bats) against the right-hander. Admittedly, it’s a small sample size, but the club will need to perform much better in the series finale today in order to finish the week on a high note.

Speaking of high notes, King’s last start against the Atlanta Braves was the best game he’s pitched since he last faced the Dodgers. After pitching seven shutout innings against them in May, King was ridiculously inconsistent until facing Atlanta. He had given up three-plus runs in all five of his starts since facing L.A. for a total of 19 earned runs over 26 2/3 innings.

There was a lot to like about his outings, but King couldn’t seem to limit damage in the big innings. He struggled to command his pitches well, and things went off the rails quickly. He’ll hope to continue his resurgence against the division rivals in the series finale today.

Batter up!

If the Friars are going to take the series finale, Sheehan’s the best Dodgers starter to do so against. He’s struggled lately and doesn’t have the best track record against Padres batters. That said, with not much experience versus the righty, San Diego will need to push down on the gas.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
2. Samad Taylor, RF
3. Jackson Merrill, CF
4. Manny Machado, 3B
5. Gavin Sheets, LF
6. Xander Bogaerts, SS
7. Ty France, 1B
8. Miguel Andujar, DH
9. Rodolfo Durán, C

Tatis has started in right field throughout this series. It’s likely that changes after Wagner’s costly error last night. But, Sung-Mun Song could also start at second base if called upon. The Friars haven’t used him much since calling him up, but it could be worth giving him a shot against Sheehan.

Relief corps

Vásquez looked great through three innings of work. After Kyle Hart opened for him, surrendering one run through two innings of work, Vásquez made it through the fifth inning scoreless before the dreaded sixth. The Padres were tied one apiece before he proceeded to give up seven runs to Los Angeles.

Not helping was Ron Marinaccio, who relieved Vásquez. He surrendered two more runs in the inning and three more in the eighth. David Morgan came in and gave up a run before finishing it off. Catcher Rodolfo Durán pitched the ninth with the game well out of hand. Not even he left unscathed, surrendering a run to the Dodgers.

All that to say, it was an uncharacteristic outing for the Friars’ pitching staff. Unfortunately, it’s a continuing problem for Vásquez, but that’s a separate topic entirely. The one hopeful note is that it saved the high-leverage relievers for today’s finale. Jason Adam, Yuki Matsui, Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon and Wandy Peralta are readily available out of the ‘pen. None has an ERA above 2.60 (Adam) across the last 30 games.

Astros fans have heard the old saying a thousand times: it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.

As frustrating as it was to hear early in the season, that saying may be coming to fruition right before our eyes with the 2026 Houston Astros.

Think back to where this team was just a couple of months ago. The sky was falling. Losing streaks piled up. Injuries mounted almost daily. Key players underperformed, and it seemed like every night brought another reason to question whether this team had what it took to contend.

The panic was understandable.

But it was also premature.

Now, as the Astros approach the halfway point of the season, they’re exactly where they need to be.

Despite everything they’ve endured, Houston is just one game out of a Wild Card spot, only three games under .500, and sits just two games behind Seattle in the American League West. Considering how disastrous the first two months felt, that’s an incredible position to be in.

More importantly, this team is getting healthier.

The Astros are finally beginning to resemble the club everyone expected to see when the season began. Their ace and Cy Young candidate is back in the rotation, Christian Javier is expected to return in the near future, and the pitching staff should only continue to improve as everyone gets back to full strength.

The bullpen has also stabilized thanks to Josh Hader. Since returning from injury, Hader has been dominant, giving manager Joe Espada much more flexibility late in games and allowing the rest of the bullpen to settle into more natural roles.

When you combine improved health with better baseball, it’s easy to see why optimism is beginning to replace the panic that surrounded this club earlier in the year.

That’s why all the calls for a complete teardown now seem so misguided.

Remember when some fans and media members were advocating for trading Yordan Alvarez? Others wanted Dana Brown to hold a fire sale, reset the roster, and start rebuilding.

That always felt like an overreaction.

This roster was simply too talented to throw in the towel after a rough start. Injuries were always going to heal. Proven players were eventually going to perform closer to the back of their baseball cards. The Astros simply needed time.

Now they’re proving exactly that.

And here’s the scary part for the rest of the American League.

If Dana Brown can do his job at the trade deadline and add another quality starting pitcher, a reliable bat, or another bullpen arm, this suddenly becomes one of the more dangerous teams in baseball.

No one wants to face a healthy Astros team in October.

Just look at the opponent they’re facing this weekend.

The Detroit Tigers are a perfect example of what real uncertainty looks like. After spending significant money to improve their roster, they’re still trying to figure out whether they’ll re-sign their Cy Young Award winner. They don’t have an MVP-caliber player to anchor their lineup, and they’re facing legitimate questions about the direction of their franchise.

That’s desperation.

The Astros, on the other hand, have a legitimate American League MVP candidate leading their offense. Their pitching is getting healthier by the week, their bullpen is rounding into form, and they remain within striking distance of both a playoff berth and another division title.

That’s not desperation.

That’s opportunity.

Houston has weathered the storm. They survived another one of those rough stretches they’ve experienced in past years, yet they’re still very much in the hunt.

Sometimes surviving the first half is all that matters.

The second half is where championships are built, and if the Astros continue getting healthy while Dana Brown adds a few pieces before the trade deadline, there’s every reason to believe this team won’t just make the playoffs, it could make another deep postseason run.

The marathon is far from over.

But after everything this team has endured, the Astros are exactly where they need to be, and there’s a very good chance their best baseball is still ahead of them.

Today’s roster move: Here

Sunday notes…

• SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE: The Cubs are 7-8 this season after splitting the first two games of a three-game series: 3-3 on the road and 4-5 at home. They are 7-6 this season in all third games of series on the road, including 4-3 after winning second games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• AGAINST THE BREWERS: They are 33-38 in all third games of series at Milwaukee and 16-20 after winning second games. They are 16-19 after splitting two games, including 13-17 when they have split the first two in three-game series. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• MAYBE A DIFFERENT SUNDAY TODAY?: The Cubs are just 1-6 on Sunday on the road. Last season, they were 5-8. They are 4-9 on all Sundays this year. A year ago, they were 13-14. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Javy Báez’s grand slam in the 14th inning helped lead the Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Reds in Cincinnati. It happened 10 years ago today, Tuesday, June 28, 2016.

Cubs lineup:

Brewers lineup:

Ryan Rolison, LHP vs. Brandon Woodruff, RHP

Ryan Rolison has been a pretty effective reliever for the Cubs this year.

He has not allowed a run over his last 14 outings covering 17.1 innings. In that span he has a WHIP of 0.865 and 16 strikeouts. He last threw on Wednesday in Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Mets and threw 18 pitches that day, so he is likely to go maybe four outs into this game, after which it’ll be a full bullpen game. Your guess is as good as mine as to who follows, though it could be newly-acquired Bryse Wilson. As always, we await developments.

Rolison threw 1.2 scoreless innings vs. the Brewers May 20 at Wrigley Field.

Brandon Woodruff has a long injury history. He missed part of 2023, all of 2024 and part of 2025 with various injuries and also has missed some time this year. His start last Monday against the Reds was his first in two months after sitting out with shoulder issues. He threw six shutout innings and struck out 10 in that game, throwing 79 pitches.

His last start against the Cubs was the second game of a doubleheader Aug. 19, 2025 at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs had five hits, three walks and three runs off him in 4.1 innings.

Current Cubs are hitting .269 (28-for-104) against Woodruff with five home runs, three of those by Ian Happ.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. If you do go there to interact with Brewers fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

The Phillies will go for the series win on Sunday afternoon when they conclude their three-game set against the Mets at Citi Field. After Zack Wheeler pitched them to victory on Friday, the bullpen and lineup faltered on Saturday night.

Jesus Luzardo gets the start coming off of his strange start against the Nationals where he gave up five runs in 6.2 innings while striking out 13 batters.

The Mets appear to be utilizing a bullpen game, with lefthander Cionel Perez getting the ball to start. Perez is 3-3 with a 4.99 ERA in 26 games this season.

Game time is 1:40 PM and will be televised locally by NBCSP.

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Sunday is here, which means plenty of afternoon baseball to watch.

I'm backing Bobby Witt Jr., Byron Buxton, and Shea Langeliers to go deep in my favorite MLB player props and home run predictions for Sunday, June 28. 

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
Bobby Witt Jr.	+344
Byron Buxton	+235
Shea Langeliers	+259
💲Today's HR parlay	+4143

Home run pick: Bobby Witt Jr. (+344)

Bobby Witt Jr. is in an excellent spot to leave the yard this afternoon against Chicago White Sox southpaw Anthony Kay.

The Royals star has a 96.3% arsenal coverage against Kay's below-average pitch mix, and Batters-Box gives him an elite rating. When on the road with an elite rating, Witt has homered in nearly 30% of his games.

Over his last 60 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, he owns a .618 slugging percentage, a 13.7% barrel rate, and a 59% hard-hit rate. Kay has also been extremely vulnerable to right-handed hitters, allowing an elevation rate of nearly 82% over his last 30 faced.

At nearly +350 for one of the best hitters in baseball to leave the yard with these numbers backing him, I want it all!

I wouldn't play this much farther than the current number.

• Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, ROYL

Home run pick: Byron Buxton (+235)

The resurgence of Byron Buxton has been beautiful to witness, and this matchup against Colorado Rockies righty Ryan Feltner only adds to it this afternoon.

The Twins veteran draws an elite rating on Batters-Box, where he leaves the yard 20.45% of the time and doubles 25% of the time if you needed an extra safety blanket.

Buxton also brings a nearly 75% arsenal coverage against Feltner, who has been allowing a ton of hard contact to right-handed hitters this season, giving up 44% hard hit and nearly a 12% barrel rate over his last 90 batters faced.

In addition to that, hitters are elevating the baseball 67.7% of the time, with an expected slugging percentage of .524 and a .389 expected wOBA.

With Buxton owning a .552 SLG, .885 OPS, while barreling the ball 16.7% of the time over his last 30 plate appearances against RHP, I love this spot for him.

Don't play this much lower than the current number.

• Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MNNT, COLR

Home run pick: Shea Langeliers (+259)

Shea Langeliers draws Los Angeles lefty Sam Aldegheri, who has been getting tormented by right-handed hitters this season.

Aldegheri has allowed a ton of hard and elevated contact, and the underlying metrics are downright ugly. Over the last 30 right-handed hitters he has faced, he has surrendered a 72% elevation rate and a 16% barrel rate.

Those hitters have produced a .370 xBA, .659 xSLG, and .455 xwOBA during that span.

• Time: 3:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock

Today’s HR parlay

Bobby Witt Jr.	Bet Now +4143
Byron Buxton
Shea Langeliers

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.

There are tiny samples, small samples, and large samples. The first two are not to be trusted and the last one takes a while to kick in. In between you get the “medium samples” of a half season, that point where you can argue the significance but folks start to rightly say that what you see is what you’re getting.

As a team the A’s are right around a .500 team and that’s what they have been all season. Perhaps they are due to collectively come together, get healthier, and surge and maybe they are due to lose contact with the .500 mark and plummet to the depths of their run differential and team ERA.

What seems more clear than the team data is some individual data. Beware of 1/2 season data: it led to optimism around Zack Gelof that was shattered for the next 2 seasons and it got Lawrence Butler a big contract extension that looked like a miscalculation for the next 1.5 years.

But some medium sized data is accurate, especially when it simply confirms what you already saw in the days leading up to it…

Max Muncy, 3B

All the wish-casting in the world won’t make Muncy a viable candidate to start games at 3B. Not to kick a man when he is down — Muncy’s error last night, which was incorrectly ruled a hit, gave the Angels a late lead they rode to victory — but it’s not a one play or one game thing.

In just 316.2 innings (the equivalent of about 35 full games), Muncy has a major league high (or low) -10 DRS and a terrible -5 oAA. It leaves Muncy at -8 career OAA at 3B in 567.1 innings (about 63 full games).

At the plate, Muncy continues to be a “dangerous” hitter and coming into last night’s game he actually had 13 RBI in 14 games since returning from the IL. But that is distinct from his being a good hitter who makes up for terrible defense with a potent bat. Muncy stands at .232/.297/.413, 92 wRC+, 32.3% K rate, for the season due to his consistently bad swing decisions.

This is not Muncy-bashing as he may well have a useful role as an infielder who can play 2B/SS/3B and might thrive in more of a platoon role. But this 1/2 season has simply corroborated that if you play him at 3B you make your team worse. Luckily this problem should solve itself when Gelof comes off the IL and with Jacob Wilson presumably back at SS Muncy can vie with Jeff McNeil and Alika Williams for one spot on the diamond.

Starting Rotation

The projection systems were unkind to the A’s rotation pre-season and they were not wrong. The emergence of Gage Jump has certainly, well, jump-started the group’s ascent but even Jump and JT Ginn cannot mask that the A’s rotation is a weakness.

Jeffrey Springs and Aaron Civale have settled into mediocrity at the back of the rotation, Jack Perkins has been consistently inconsistent, while younger hopefuls Jacob Lopez and Luis Morales have been unmitigated disasters forcing new and less talented blood into the mix. Luis Severino’s injury didn’t help but he was a #1 SP only in name anyway.

More than anything, the A’s pitchers have proven they simply cannot pitch at Sutter Health Park — no one finds it easy but A’s opponents keep things from getting out of hand better than the home team does, which is why the A’s are a ghastly 14-21 in their “home” park. The A’s home ERA of 6.11 is MLB’s worst, hands down.

Sadly here, help is not on the way as top prospect Wei-En Lin will undergo Tommy John surgery instead of rising to the big leagues in 2026 and other top prospect Jamie Arnold hasn’t been quite the “fast mover” the A’s had hoped. Kade Morris is a “back end SP” type who won’t move the needle in any meaningful way.

So until further notice, e.g., a trade, the A’s will have win despite their rotation more than because of it.

Nick Kurtz

On the positive side, despite a slow start and recent slump, Kurtz has proven that 2025 was no fluke and that in fact he is, hands down, one of MLB’s premier hitters period. Putting all his ups and downs together, Kurtz is batting a gaudy .280/.424/.527, 160 wRC+ for the season.

Although…a look under the hood does suggest Kurtz’ stats would look quite different if he didn’t play his home games in a launching pad. Did you know that on the road Kurtz is batting a far more pedestrian .253/.385/.422, 127 wRC+? In Sacramento he is a “first ballot HOFer” .308/.463/.637, 192 wRC.

But Kurtz’ 17.6% BB rate even on the road reflects that wherever he bats he is one of the most feared hitters in the game. And at 23, only now in his first full season, Kurtz is not done improving and adjusting to become the best hitter he can be.

Jacob Wilson

For good reason, the A’s and we fans can’t wait for Wilson’s return to SS. He has been sorely missed and the news he could return as soon as today is most welcome.

That being said, Wilson’s weaknesses are catching up to him and as of June, 2026 Fidgety Guy is not “starting SS in the All-Star game” good — not even close.

Wilson’s .134 ISO in 2025 was a revelation and until his hand injury sapped his hitting he was batting around .350. But Wilson continues to chase most everything, under the false premise that just because he can, physically, make contact with a pitch he should try to put it in play.

Wilson’s chase rate ranks in the 5th percentile in MLB and he has routinely gotten out swinging at pitches that were, quite literally, a foot out of the strike zone. The result is an ISO of just .109 in a very uninspiring .277/.310/.386 batting line, with an expected BA of just .262 and expected slugging but .335.

Fortunately, as Wilson’s hitting has taken a big step back his defense has taken a big step forward (+6 OAA compared to -3 OAA last season). He remains a valuable player overall, but until he figures out how to hunt strikes instead of just “any pitch I can reach,” he is not more than a “solid complementary piece” as demonstrated by his tepid 1.1 fWAR after about half a season.

Summary

Once upon a time, there was going to be a mid-season burst of talent infused into the 2026 team. So even if “what you see is what you get” for the first half, the second half was going to be different thanks to the additions of several truly talented players.

One of them was Jump and we have seen how much a gifted player can help a team. Others were supposed to Braden Nett, Wei-En Lin, Henry Baez, and even Leo De Vries, but injuries stalled each and every one of them and none is on the cusp of contributing any time soon.

This leaves the A’s 2026 season in a bit of a holding pattern, almost literally two steps forward and two steps back. This is about a .500 team that seems closer to teetering and falling than it is to surging. And yet…

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander and if the A’s “are who they are” after 1/2 a season then so is the rest of the AL West and so is the rest of the AL wild card. Seattle is also a .500 team, the Rangers and Astros are flawed, the Blue Jays can’t gain any momentum and the Guardians aren’t “all that”.

All of which is to say that the A’s are highly flawed with no immediate help on the way anymore but so is the rest of the division and league. Which should keep the last 79 games meaningful — if often frustrating.

TODAY’S GAME: The Astros and Tigers will play the finale of this 4-game series this afternoon at Comerica Park in Detroit.

DET area native RHP Hunter Brown (1-0) will start for the Astros vs. Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (1-8).

Tiger Hunter: Brown is 3-0 in 7 career app. (6 GS) vs. DET with a 2.29 ERA (10ER/39.1IP) and 2-0 in 4 app. (3 GS) Comerica Park with a 2.05 ERA (5 ER/22.1IP) and 29 K’s.

ROAD TRIPPIN: Today is the finale of the Astros 7-game road trip (4-2 thus far).

They were 2-1 at TOR on the 1st stop of the trip and are 2-1 with 1 game left to play here in DET.

Road Recovery: The Astros are 14-8 in their last 3 road trips combined.

They are 20-14 on the road since going 1-9 on their 1st road trip of the 2026 season.

ASTROS-TIGERS: The Astros are 4-2 vs. DET this season and have clinched the season series.

Following today’s game, the 2 clubs will have played play all 7 of their scheduled games between June 15-28.

In 2025, the Astros and Tigers finished with identical 87-75 records, with the Tigers earning the final AL Wild Card spot due to winning the season series vs. HOU.

Recent Success: Since 2022, the Astros are 20-11 vs. DET with a 9-5 record here at Comerica Park.

BROTHER BROWN: Detroit-area native RHP Hunter Brown (1-0) will make his 5th start of the season today and his 2nd vs. the Tigers.

Brown faced the Tigers on June 16 at Daikin Park in what was his 1st start after a lengthy stint on the IL (rt shoulder strain).

In that return start, he allowed just 1 run on 3 hits in 5.2 innings of work with 7 strikeouts, ending up with a ND in a 4-2 Astros win.

Brown’s most recent start came on Monday at TOR, which was the 1st game of the current road trip…in that start, he had ND (3 IP, 1 ER), being was after 3.0 innings due to an elevated pitch count (85).

Overall in 2026, Brown has been strong in his 4 starts with a 1.40 ERA (3ER/19.1IP) while allowing just 12 hits in 19.1 IP (.176 opp. avg.) with 24 strikeouts.

2025 Review: Brown had an outstanding season in 2025, going 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA, earning All-Star honors and a 3rd-place finish in the AL Cy Young voting.

YESTERDAY’S RECAP: The Astros rallied from a 6-4 deficit after 6.0 innings for an 8-6, come-from-behind victory over the Tigers yesterday afternoon.

A 3-run 8th inning was the key, which flipped a 6-5 deficit into an 8-6 lead.

Isaac Paredes 2-run double in that 8th inning snapped a 6-6 tie…RHP AJ Blubaugh (4-2) earned the win in relief.

LHP Josh Hader hurled a scoreless 9th for his 7th save in as many chances.

The Astros tallied 15 hits in the win, led by Christian Walker (4×5, 2 2B) and Jeremy Peña (3×5, 2 RBI).

Cam Smith added a 2-run HR.

RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 4 of 5, 5 of 7 and 8 of their last 11 games.

Junebugs: The Astros 14-10 record in June is tops in the AL.

WINNING THE CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are 9-4 in 1-run games and 17-10 in 2-run games.

SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Astros arrived in DET having won 4 consecutive series for the 1st time in 2026, posting an 8-4 record in those series.

The last time that the Astros won that many series in a row was when they won 5 straight, from June 20-July 6 of last season (went 12-3 in that stretch).

THE SLOW TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 21-13 since May 21, which is the best record in the AL in that span.

PEN PALS: The Astros bullpen continued to roll yesterday, allowing just 1 run in 5.1 innings in the 8-6, comeback win.

Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has been one of the best in the AL, posting a 2.64 ERA (43ER/147.1P) in that span.

The Astros are 24-16 since May 15.

In the 1st three games of the current series, the Astros pen has allowed just 2 ER in 13.1 IP for a 1.35 ERA.

STREAK SNAPPED: LHP Steven Okert had his scoreless innings streak snapped yesterday at 17.1 innings.

His streak is the longest scoreless streak by an Astros hurler this season and the 3rd-longest by a reliever in the Majors this season.

The streak was from May 23-June 26 (allowed just 9 hits during the 17.1 inning streak).

MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid 1st half to his season, currently leading all of baseball with a 1.045 OPS.

Additionally, he leads the AL in SLG (.619), OBP (.427) and TB (185), is T-1st in HR (25), 2nd in batting avg. (.314), T-2nd in and runs scored (57) and T-4th in RBI (56).

Alvarez, who was the AL Player of the Month for May, is hitting .349 (29×83) in June with 5 HR and 17 RBI with a 1.033 OPS (.455 OBP/.578 SLG).

ALL-STAR UPDATE: Per MLB’s update on Thursday, Yordan Alvarez’ 2,911,655 fan votes were tops among all DH’s and the 2nd-most overall in the AL.

The second phase of fan voting begins Monday, June 29th and features the top two vote-getters at each position.

Phase 2 voting concludes at 12:00 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, July 2nd.

Alvarez has been an All-Star 3 times thus far in his career.

Since 2017, the Astros’ 37 All-Star selections are tops in the AL in that span.

HADERADE: In his 11 appearances since coming of the IL on June 3, opponents are just 2×35 off LHP Josh Hader.

For the season, Hader has posted a 0.82 ERA (1ER/11IP) and is 7-for-7 in save opportunities (.057 opp. avg., .036 WHIP).

TAPPING FOR SUCCESS: Astros batters have won an MLB-best 58 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (60%).

Isaac Paredes (9-for-9) has the most successful challenges in the Majors without losing one.

Jose Altuve has been successful on 14-of-20 challenges (70%), ranking 2nd in the Majors in successful challenges.

IN THE DAYTIME: The Astros have won their last 4 day games and are 17-16 overall in the daytime in 2026.

HOME-COOKIN: Following today’s game, the Astros will return to HOU for a 6-game homestand, during which they will host MIN (3G) and TB (3G), respectively.

ROSTER MOVE: Effective today, the Astros have recalled RHP Miguel Ullola (#66) from Triple A Sugar Land.

RHP Kai-Wei Teng was optioned to Triple A following yesterday’s game.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, June 28, 12:40 p.m. CT

Location: Commerica Park, Detroit, MI

TV: Space City Home Network

Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)

The Cubs today recalled left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks from Triple-A Iowa and designated right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez for assignment.

Wicks has made two starts this season for the Cubs, dropping both games. His last start came on May 31 at St. Louis. His numbers to date are pretty horrifying: 15.63 ERA, 2.211 WHIP, 13 hits and 11 earned runs in 6.1 innings. Wicks is probably around just for today’s bullpen game and then I suspect he’ll be optioned back to Iowa. As always, we await developments.

Velasquez has made two relief appearances for the Cubs this season, throwing 3.1 innings and not allowing a run, with one strikeout. He’ll likely clear waivers and head back to Iowa again, for a possible addition back to the 40-man roster later on.

This move leaves the 40-man roster at 39 players.

Today’s game preview, for the 1:10 p.m. CT start, will post in a few minutes at 11 a.m. CT.

The Texas Rangers have placed outfielder Wyatt Langford on the injured list with a left hamstring strain, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers activated outfielder Evan Carter from the injured list.

Langford got off to a slow start to the season, then spent a chunk of time on the injured list due to a right forearm strain. He’s been red hot since coming off the injured list, however, and is slashing .278/.324/.500 in 173 plate appearances on the year with a 1.7 bWAR in 40 games. Extrapolated over a full season, that would be MVP-caliber performance. No word as of yet as to how long Langford is expected to miss.

Carter, meanwhile, has been out since injuring himself making a diving catch in Boston on June 12. He went 2 for 2 with a homer and a walk on Friday in his only rehab game for Frisco. I suspect he was going to be with Frisco through the weekend before Langford’s injury resulted in a change of plans.

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Toronto Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement is heating up again, proving he is one of baseball’s toughest hitters to get out. A favorable matchup against Texas Rangers starter Kumar Rocker makes his total bases my favorite play of the day.

Read on for my Blue Jays vs. Rangers predictions and MLB picks for this Sunday, June 28 matchup.

Rangers vs Blue Jays predictions

Rangers vs Blue Jays best bet: Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases (+140)

Ernie Clement is back to finding grass again with three straight multi-hit games, including a 3-for-4 night with a double in yesterday's ball game. 

The Toronto Blue Jays' middle infielder profiles well against Kumar Rocker’s sinker/slider pitch mix, owning a .333 average with a .447 slug rate against them. 

Clement is a premier contact hitter, which should play up in a matchup against Rocker, who doesn’t suppress contact — ranking in the 19th percentile in xBA with a low whiff and strikeout rate.

Rocker has also surrendered plenty of hard contact with a 43.1% hard-hit rate. Clement leads the American League with 21 doubles, showing off a little bit of power. 

That all plays into Clement’s strengths and gives me confidence playing this bet down to +115.

COVERS INTEL:Clement owns a 90% zone-contact rate while making contact on an outstanding 70.1% of his swings at pitches outside the strike zone.

Rangers vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)

Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho profiles well against Rocker, sporting a .295 average against his pitch mix with a .449 slug rate. and has hit the ball well since returning from the IL, owning a 155 WRC+ over his last six games. 

A Shane Bieber bounce-back is in order against a lineup he’s handled well. The Rangers own just a .193 average and a .483 OPS against him in 57 plate appearances.

Rangers vs Blue Jays SGP

• Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases
• Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits
• Shane Bieber Under 5.5 hits

Rangers vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (ODDS)

Rocker has been hit hard and often, but has kept the ball in the yard lately with just three home runs allowed over his last five games, so I’ll make just a half-unit wager here. 

However, Rocker’s inability to limit hard contact makes Kazuma Okamoto the best Jays candidate to go long today. 

Okamoto hits the ball harder than any other Blue Jays in the lineup with a 50% hard hit rate, .479 slug rate, and a team-high 19 home runs this season, six of which have come off sinkers or sliders. 

The Jays slugger also owns a .460 slug rate against those pitches with 11 XBH. 

Rangers vs Blue Jays odds

• Moneyline: Texas +115 | Toronto -135
• Run line: Texas +1.5 (-170) | Toronto -1.5 (+145)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-120) | Under 8.5 (+100)

Rangers vs Blue Jays trend

The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the game total Over in 12 of their last 19 home games (+4.40 Units / 21% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Blue Jays.

How to watch Rangers vs Blue Jays and game info

Rangers vs Blue Jays latest injuries

Rangers vs Blue Jays weather

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The mid-to-late 1960s are fairly regarded as a pretty brutal time in Yankees’ history. CBS infamously purchased the team in 1964, and the team almost immediately began to fall off a cliff. Between their poor ownership and the players of the 1950s and early 60s dynasties aging out, the team went from 1964 to 1976 between World Series appearances, which was unheard of considering the success of the prior decades.

However, that’s not to say that there weren’t bright spots among that darkness. For several years in the down period, pitcher Al Downing provided some of that light, and he certainly earned a spot on our Top 100 Yankees series.

Alphonso Erwin “Al” Downing
Born: June 28, 1941 (Trenton, NJ)
Yankees Tenure: 1961-69

Downing was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey attending Trenton Central High School. He’s listed as having college stints at both Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania and then-Rider College in New Jersey, but he signed with the Yankees as an 18, going on 19-year old in 1961.

The Yankees initially sent him to the Binghamton Triplets for the 1961 season, where he was electric. In 12 starts, he put up a 1.84 ERA, as he struck out 96 batters in 98 innings. That impressive start got him a late season call-up to the big leagues, where he appeared in five games.

Downing spent most of 1962 in the minors, only getting another cameo. However, he then put in a breakout campaign in ’63, and ended up spending most of the year in the bigs. Forming a battery with eventual AL MVP Elston Howard, he went 13-5 with a 2.56 ERA (138 ERA+), striking out 171 batters in 175.2 innings. That led to the Yankees giving him the nod on the mound in Game 2 of the World Series, only following Whitey Ford in the rotation. He ended up allowing three runs in five innings, and took the loss. It’s not as though he had much support behind him though, as the Yankees scored just four runs in total during the Dodgers’ sweep (and just one behind Downing).

In 1964, Downing wasn’t quite as good as the previous year, but he was still an important cog in the Yankees rotation, and even led the league in strikeouts with 217. He was again relied on in the World Series, including getting the start in Game 4. However, he struggled this time around, including failing to get an out while allowing three runs in a Game 7 relief outing. The Yankees again lost, as the Cardinals beat them in seven games.

The aforementioned CBS purchase happened following that season, beginning the Yankees’ decline. Downing had some ups and downs in that time, but he was still one of the brighter lights of that period. He and Mel Stottlemyre were a solid combination atop the rotation, even if the rest of the roster was lacking.

In 1967, Downing produced one of the best individual seasons of his career — tops if you use rWAR, 4.5 — getting named an All-Star for the first and only time of his career. However, as the 1960s came to a close, Downing began to struggle and dealt with injuries, as manager Ralph Houk began to use him out of the bullpen. After an average 1969 season, the Yankees traded him to the Athletics for Danny Cater and Ossie Chavarria. It would be an impactful deal though, as a couple years later, Cater was flipped to the Red Sox for relief ace Sparky Lyle.

Downing spent part of the year in Oakland before another trade sent him to the Brewers midseason. After that year, he was on the move again, getting traded to the Dodgers ahead of the 1971 season. There, Downing experience a career resurgence. In ’71, Downing won 20 games, joining a group of African-American pitchers who have been dubbed “Black Aces.”

With the Dodgers, Downing also returned to the postseason in 1974. He threw four innings of of the bullpen in LA’s NLCS victory over the Pirates. He then started Game 3 of the World Series against the A’s as the Dodgers lost the game and eventually the series.

Another notable thing happened earlier that year, when Downing allowed Henry Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run. While some pitchers fear being the one to give up a record-breaking moment like that, Downing has never felt that way. About the moment, he’s said “It didn’t bother me. Hank did that to a lot of guys.” and “I feel that if you’re out on the mound and the manager hasn’t told you to intentionally walk someone, you have to do everything you can to get that batter out.”

Downing remained with the Dodgers through the 1977 season. Since the end of his playing career, Downing has spent time in the Dodgers and Braves’ broadcast booths.

The Yankees in the CBS ownership era weren’t particularly going good places. However with the likes of Al Downing, you could at least have some hope.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

TJ Friedl’s fall from grace with the Cincinnati Reds has been well documented around these parts. From a nearly ~4 WAR guy who received down-ballot MVP votes just a few years back to a guy optioned to the minors on the cusp of his 31st birthday, Friedl’s declining metrics and performance combined with his increased age and salary was enough to wonder if he’d ever be back on the Reds at all.

We asked you about that. You responded overwhelmingly that it did seem likely that his time with the Reds may be done. Blake Dunn, after all, had pretty much usurped him of his CF/leadoff duties, and the Reds had built up other OF depth that made him increasingly expendable.

The Baseball Gods, though, had other plans.

The elbow sprain suffered by Dunn this week was apparently signficant enough for him to need a trip to the injured list, and the Reds recalled Friedl on Sunday morning to take his place.

Friedl, to his credit, went down to AAA Louisville and found himself a bit across 18 games. He hit .271/.370.471 in 81 PA while there, once again showing his ability to get on base and score runs (13). We know well the offensive environment down there juices some numbers, of course, but it’s at least encouraging to note that what was there to find was at least found by TJ.

Now, he’ll get the chance to show he can cut it again against big league pitching, and he’s in the lineup immediately playing CF on Sunday in the series finale against the Pirates.

You can call it a redemption tour. You can call it anything you like. Fact is, as he nears 31 years old and is playing his way towards a raise on a $3.8 million salary in his arbitration years, the clock is ticking for Friedl to show the Reds he’s worth keeping around beyond 2026. In many ways, Friedl right now is a pretty good metaphor for the last place Cincinnati Reds – down, but not out just yet, and running very, very short on time to prove they can make it work.

Let’s just hope they both have a little magic in them.

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The Houston Astros will look to win their four-game series against the Detroit Tigers when they send Hunter Brown to the hill this afternoon.

Brown has been excellent when healthy this season, and my Astros vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks believe he’ll be the difference for the Astros today.

Who will win Astros vs Tigers today: Astros moneyline (-120)

Hunter Brown has only made four starts this season due to a shoulder injury, but the Houston Astros starter has been dealing when healthy.

The right-hander hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in any of his appearances, thanks to his almost unhittable fastball. Batters are hitting .095 against Brown’s four-seamer, with a .139 xSLG, and that’s a pitch the Detroit Tigers haven’t had success against.

Detroit has the fourth-worst average in the majors against a right-handed four-seamer (.225), and an already weak offense is missing key pieces like Javier Baez and Gleyber Torres.

Give me the Astros up to -130.

COVERS INTEL: Hunter Brown performs better in June than any other month throughout his career, holding a 1.90 ERA and .176 opposing batting average.

Astros vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-120)

Jack Flaherty has largely been able to avoid blowup starts of late, and even if he does get in trouble, he’ll be able to fall back on a decent Tigers bullpen (3.87 ERA; 12th).

Neither team is hitting the ball particularly well this week, with the Astros batting .236 with a .668 OPS, and the Tigers hitting .240/.712.

Another strong start from Brown keeps this game Under 8.5 runs. Play it to -130.

Astros vs Tigers weather

Astros vs Tigers odds

• Moneyline: Astros -122 | Tigers +117
• Run line: Astros -1.5 (+138) | Tigers +1.5 (-144)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+108) | Under 8.5 (-144)

Astros vs Tigers trend

The Tigers have cashed the Under in 55.7% of their games this season, the second-highest rate in MLB. Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Tigers.

How to watch Astros vs Tigers and game info

Astros vs Tigers latest injuries

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Even with the recent swamp-like weather conditions going on in metro Atlanta, the Braves will be more than ready to hop on the Delta flight back home after a nightmarish week in California. Kudos to all of you who stayed up late for some terrible baseball.

There is one last game to play in the Bay before wheels up, though. (And one way or another, I will cover a Giants series finale!)

The Braves will turn to their ace to win the rubber match after Rafael Devers owned Bryce Elder last night. Chris Sale (8-5, 2.14 ERA) keeps defying time and hurling quality innings while keeping the offense within striking distance of each of his last three games. But the lack of run support from this struggling offense continues to plague Sale starts. The lefty has enjoyed a couple days of extra rest as the Braves shuffled their rotation, with Reynaldo López and Elder making the starts for Games 1 and 2 respectively.

Sale will be opposed by Robbie Ray (6-6, 3.70 ERA), who absolutely befuddled the Braves when they saw him last week in the resumption of the rain-suspended series opener. When the game picked back up in the bottom of the second inning, Ray entered and spun 6.1 innings of two-run ball. Outside of a Riley double and Olson single, he walked two and struck out eight. He built off that great performance in his last start against the Athletics with another two-hit performance. He went eight strong innings, with one unearned run, four walks, and six strikeouts on his final line.

The Giants did not see Sale when they were in town last week and only six current players have faced him before. Only one has an average >= .200: Matt Chapman. Willy Adames is 1-for-14 against Sale (but that one is a homer), Luis Arraez is 2-for-13, and the aforementioned Chapman is 3-for-15 with the only other homer.

To take the rubber match, the Braves will need to disrupt Ray’s recent success and momentum. Ozzie leads the team in at-bats against him with twelve and is one of two Braves who have homered off him in his career – Michael Harris II is the other. 

I think the Braves players and fans alike will be very grateful to see this road trip (and month of June, honestly) in the rearview mirror. Let’s end things on a high note.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, June 28, 4:05 p.m. ET

Location: Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA

TV: BravesVision

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

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We will not have any Sunday scaries today! We have a ton of value to attack this today, so here are my favorite MLB player props for June 28, led by Bobby Witt Jr. and Shea Langeliers.

Link to “MLB player props” and link to MLB picks page below in text.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Bobby Witt Jr.	Over 1.5 Total Bases	-118
Josh Jung	Over 1.5 Total Bases	+119
Shea Langeliers	Over 1.5 Total Bases	-115

Bobby Witt Jr. Over 1.5 Total Bases (-118)

Despite the disaster that has been the Royals' 2026 season, Bobby Witt Jr. remains the one constant bright spot in Kansas City. This afternoon, he draws White Sox left hander Anthony Kay, a matchup that sets up well for him. Witt Jr. owns excellent arsenal coverage against Kay's pitch mix, which is made up almost entirely of offerings that grade below league average on FanGraphs.

Witt Jr. earns an elite rating today on Batters-Box and has cleared this prop in 56% of his road games over the last three seasons. It is only a 25 game sample, but it is still worth noting. He also records at least one hit in 76% of those games and has gone deep in nearly 30%.

Over his last 60 plate appearances against left handed pitching, Witt Jr. sports a .364 BA, .618 SLG with a 1.035 OPS, while generating a 59% hard hit rate and a 13.7% barrel rate. In his most recent 30 plate appearances against southpaws, he owns an outstanding 92.2% contact rate.

Kay has struggled against right handed hitters at home, allowing a .296 BA, .400 SLG, and .345 wOBA. Even more concerning, the last 30 right handed hitters he has faced have produced an elevation rate of nearly 82%, creating plenty of opportunities for damage.

Yeah, I will happily pay a little extra juice for Mr. Witt Jr. this afternoon.

Text – UPDATE PLAYER NAMES IN THE JUMPLINK TAG

• Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, ROYL

Josh Jung Over 1.5 Total Bases (+119)

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung used to be one of my favorite players to back a few years ago, but he has not looked like the same hitter he was during his rookie season. That said, he has started to lock back in at the plate. Over his last 30 plate appearances against right handed pitching, Jung owns a 75% hard hit rate and a 10% barrel rate, despite hitting just .259. The way I see it, with the quality of contact he is generating, he is due for a big hit.

Jung enters today with an elite rating on Batters-Box. His overall trends are not as flashy as you would like, but as mentioned, he has not played at an elite level over the past two seasons. Even so, he owns strong matchup percent changes in ISO, wOBA, hard contact, and fly ball rate against Toronto Blue Jays right hander Shane Bieber. On top of that, he covers Bieber's arsenal extremely well.

Bieber is coming off a rough 2026 debut, and I am not going to pretend one start tells us much. However, it is worth noting that he struggled against right handed hitters last season, allowing a batting average near .300, a slugging percentage approaching .600, and a wOBA close to .400.

At +119, I think this is a great price on a hitter who feels more than due for a big swing.

Text – UPDATE PLAYER NAMES IN THE JUMPLINK TAG

• Time: 1: 37 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Sportsnet, RSN

Shea Langeliers Over 1.5 Total Bases (-115)

Athletics star catcher Shea Langeliers finds himself in a mouthwatering matchup against Los Angeles left hander Sam Aldegheri, who has been tormented by right handed hitters this season. Aldegheri has allowed a ton of hard contact and elevated contact, and the underlying metrics are downright ugly. Over the last 30 right handed hitters he has faced, he has allowed a 72% elevation rate and a 16% barrel rate. Those hitters have produced a .370 xBA, .659 xSLG, and .455 xwOBA during that span.

Langeliers matches up extremely well, owning an OPS of at least .806 against 61% of Aldegheri's pitch mix. Left handed pitching has also been his bread and butter this season, as he owns a  .337 BA, .651 SLG  with a 1.046 OPS and a 183 wRC+. Over his last 30 plate appearances against lefties, he has generated a 48% hard hit rate and a 13% barrel rate, while posting a .963 SLG and a 1.463 OPS.

At -115, I would not pay much more for this prop despite how much I love the matchup. If you are not in the mood to lay juice today, I also like taking his home run and double props individually.

Text – UPDATE PLAYER NAMES IN THE JUMPLINK TAG

• Time: 3:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock

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.