Category: Baseball

Major League Baseball is different every year. Some years there are multiple juggernaut teams. Some years there are multiple 100-loss teams. Some years, there are neither. Some years one or the other. It’s impossible to predict or time it out, so all MLB teams can do is try to put their best team forward and hope that it’s good enough to make it to the playoffs.

This year is one of the weirdest seasons in recent memory, because the American League is just going through it right now. We’re more than a week into June, and not a single AL team is on pace for 100 wins. The closest is the Tampa Bay Rays, who are on pace for 97. Now, we do have a team on pace for 100 losses—the Los Angeles Angels. Meanwhile, there are only five AL teams with a winning record, and only five AL teams with a positive run differential.

How’d this happen? Well, the National League is slurping up all the victories; that’s at least part of the story. At the moment, three NL teams are on pace for 102 or more victories, with the Braves on a stunning 110-win pace. Mostly, the AL just has bad teams, though.

But you might have noticed when I said that there are only five AL teams with winning records that that is one fewer than the total number of playoff spots remaining. Yes, right now the Texas Rangers are 32-33 and have the final Wild Card spot.

The natural question is…could the terrible American League be the Royals’ saving grace? Fangraphs seems to think there’s a chance!

Honestly, a one-in-ten shot feels…right? Sure, the Royals haven’t played well, which is primarily evidence that the team isn’t as talented as other teams in the league. But, like, if you prowl the Reddit threads and other SB Nation blogs, you’ll quickly find that just about nobody is having a good time. There are a lot of flawed American League teams out there. For the Royals to sneak into the playoffs with 82 wins is within the realm of possibility here.

We’ll know either way soon. The problem is mainly the traffic between Kansas City and a Wild Card spot at this point, but the Royals are about to open a six-game homestand against the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, whose route to the playoffs also goes through the Wild Card. After that, the Royals will have six games against the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals, who have a combined run differential of +3. Going 8-4 over those 12 games would put the team at 35-43, which is a bad-but-not-terrible record and would probably bring them within five games of that third Wild Card spot—maybe even closer; I mean, they’re 5.5 games away right now.

I still think the likeliest course of action at this point is that the Royals rally somewhat but only end up with a 74-88 record or something, which is just not gonna cut it. But we still haven’t seen the yearly Bobby Witt Jr. Goes Nuclear show. The bullpen is not going to be the worst bullpen in the league for the rest of the year. You can probably expect like five guys on offense to have better second halves. And heck, even the Guardians don’t look all that secure at the top of the Central by the quality of their play.

It is frustrating that the Royals aren’t waltzing away with the division crown. Still, the AL being so bad provides some hope. Maybe the best case result for this team would be the 2013 Royals, who were nine games under .500 on June 4 and ended up with 86 wins. While this team has further to go to get to .500, they also probably won’t have to get to 86 wins to get a playoff berth.

Ultimately, it comes down to playing good baseball. Until the 2026 Royals can sustain good play for a few weeks, skepticism is warranted. It’s just more fun to hope for and root for a team when there’s a shot, and hey, the rest of the AL isn’t doing their jobs, either.

2026 MLB Draft Preview: Tyler Bell scouting report.

The 2026 is about a month away — the first round kicks off on July 11, 2026 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #16, their second round pick is at #54, and their third round pick is at #89.

Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at University of Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell.

Tyler Bell is a 6’1”, 190 lb. switch-hitting shortstop at the University of Kentucky. A draft-eligible sophomore, Bell turns 21 later this month. As a prep player out of Illinois, Bell was ranked just outside of the top 100 on the BA 2024 draft board, and was taken by the Rays with their supplemental second round pick that year at #66, one pick after the Rangers selected Dylan Dreiling. Bell did not sign, and was the highest pick in that draft not to sign, though Chris Levonas, taken one pick later by the Brewers, also went unsigned.

Bell is seen as having a solid approach from both sides of the plate, with a good, though not great, hit tool. He has decent power, with MLB Pipeline saying that he could be a 20 homer guy if he can lift balls more consistently. He profiles as someone with an average hit tool and average power, overall, though BP mentions that there’s a decent amount of swing-and-miss risk with him.

Defensively, Bell is a quality defender who is expected to be able to stick at shortstop. He gets praise for his athleticism and instincts in the field, with good hands and a solid arm. He played all the infield positions for Team USA last summer, and is viewed as being able to play the outfield as well. His speed grades out as average, though is expected to play up due to his instincts.

Bell was the Wildcats’ starting shortstop as a freshman, slashing .296/.385/.522 in 265 plate appearances, with 24 walks against 59 Ks. He was sidelined with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder early in the 2026 season, and there was a fear that he would miss the season. He missed relatively little time, though, initially returning as a DH before resuming playing shortstop, although he may need surgery on the shoulder later this year. He slashed .343/.510/.608 as a sophomore, improving his BB:K ratio to 30:36 in 194 plate appearances.

Baseball America has Bell at #11 on their board. MLB Pipeline has Bell at #20 on their board. Kiley McDaniel puts Bell at #29 on his top 150 list. Keith Law’s rankings have Bell at #4 on his board. Fangraphs has Bell at #19 on their board. Baseball Prospectus has Bell at #12 on their top 30 draft board.

In the most recent Baseball America mock draft, Carlos Collazo has Bell going to the Braves at #9, also mentioning him in connection with the Orioles and A’s at 7 and 8, and suggesting he wouldn’t get past the Rangers if he makes it to them at #16. Jim Callis’s June 4 mock draft has Bell going to the Rangers at #16, mentioning him also in connection with a half-dozen other teams ahead of Texas and saying that the Rangers are Bell’s floor. Keith Law’s May mock draft has Bell going to the D-Backs at #15, one pick ahead of the Rangers. Kiley McDaniel’s May 29 mock draft has Bell going to the Marlins at #14, and links him with a number of teams before that, including referencing a “crazy” rumor that the Rays could take him for way below slot at #2.

Bell is not a sexy pick. The phrase used with Bell is “well-rounded,” as he doesn’t have any real weaknesses in his game, but doesn’t have any standout tools, either. He’s a high-floor guy, someone who would seem likely to move relatively quickly through the minors, but not necessarily someone who would be an impact player at the major league level. That said, someone who can play shortstop well and hit a little has value, especially when he profiles as having the versatility to play anywhere in the field if need be.

The Rangers have tended in recent years to target college players who have performed against quality competition, and the SEC has the highest quality competition in the college ranks, so Bell checks that box. They’ve also taken a number of players recuperating from injury in the last couple of years, expressing confidence in the team’s medical staff, and so the possibility of Bell needing shoulder surgery and being on the shelf until 2027 probably wouldn’t faze them.

As a draft-eligible sophomore, Bell has more leverage than most college players, and he’s already passed on a sizeable signing bonus once before, so there could be some signability risk there, though I don’t know how much he would realistically be able to improve his draft stock if he returned to Kentucky for his junior season.

Previously:

Liam Peterson

When Gavin Fien was drafted by the Rangers 12th overall, he was listed as a shortstop. However, most evaluators expected him to slide over to third base. When the Nats traded for Fien in the MacKenzie Gore trade, fans envisioned a third baseman of the future. There has been a plot twist though. Gavin Fien has exclusively played in the outfield this season.

This season, Fien has played 22 games. In those games, he has played 10 in right field, 7 in center field and 5 at DH. I get the sense that most fans still view Gavin Fien as an infielder, but that view should change. Nats fans should look at Fien as an outfield prospect now.

Interestingly, Gavin Fien has not played a single inning in the infield this season. Really think fans should think of him as an outfielder now

— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) June 7, 2026

Before the season, people were wondering what the Nats would do with all their shortstop prospects. The great thing about shortstop prospects is that they have the athleticism to move all around the diamond. At the beginning of the year, Fien, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Luke Dickerson and Coy James were all grouped as shortstop prospects. However, none of those guys have played much shortstop this year.

Things have sorted themselves out, with Fien being an outfielder, Fitz-Gerald being a second baseman and James being a third baseman. All three have bright futures, but not at shortstop. For Fien, I think right field is a nice fit for him. Fien is not slow, but he is a bit stiff for the infield. What he does have is a cannon of an arm, which should play well in right field.

The fact he is in the outfield at such a young age is slightly surprising, but it is not a total shock. In his draft report, MLB Pipeline mentioned that the corner outfield or first base was a possibility for Fien. Teams that liked Fien were drafting the bat, not the glove.

Speaking of his bat, Fien has been on a roll at the plate lately. He struggled in a very small sample size, and then got hurt. Once Fien got back, he has been quite productive, especially lately. This past week he was the Carolina League player of the week, with a .500 batting average and an insane 15 RBI’s. Getting 15 RBIs in a week is tough to do at any level.

NEWS: @FXBGNats standout and @Nationals No. 8 prospect Gavin Fien was named Carolina League Player of the Week for his performance last week

Fien hit .500 (9-for-18) with 2 HR, 15 RBI and a 1.431 OPS #Natitudepic.twitter.com/dw3YgZtFBy

— Alex Murphy (@AlexMurphyJour) June 8, 2026

For a while, Fien’s numbers were in a rough spot, but this week has changed that. For the season, Fien is now hitting .235 with a .731 OPS. He also has 3 homers and 24 RBI in 22 games. These are not otherworldly numbers by any means, but for a first year guy out of high school who dealt with an injury, this is very respectable. I expect those numbers to continue to climb as he keeps adapting to pro ball.

We are starting to see the version of Gavin Fien that showed up at the Spring Breakout game. In that game, Fien put on a show, lacing doubles into the gap at will. Well, he is back to doing that and it is fun to watch. Some of his best swings remind me a little bit of Ryan Zimmerman.

A Gavin Fien gap shot brings in two more! pic.twitter.com/UyEswZODCt

— Fredericksburg Nationals (@FXBGNats) June 7, 2026

While he is not going to stick at third base like Zim, Fien has that sort of offensive ceiling. He still has some kinks to sort out in his swing, but the youngster has an exciting combination of hitting ability and power. The strikeout rate of 29% is higher than expected, but his overall contact rate of 74.6% is actually pretty good. That makes me think the strikeout rate is destined to come down. He may need to be more aggressive early in counts though.

Fien has not had the type of season to propel him onto top 100 lists like a Devin Fitz-Gerald or Seaver King, but he is getting on track. I think Fien is poised to have a strong finish to the season. With Eli Willits gone, I wonder if he gets some reps on the infield as well. 

It has been an odd season for Fien, but he is coming around. The Nationals need outfield prospects in the lower minors, and they found one in an unlikely source. Right now Gavin Fien is the top outfield prospect in the Nationals organization.

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

There’s a full slate of action on the diamond Tuesday, June 9, and I’ve got a trio of MLB same-game parlay predictions to cover you throughout the night on June 9.

My top MLB picks call for a high-scoring game between the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets to begin the betting card and wrap up with the Washington Nationals topping the San Francisco Giants again in the late window.

Today's best MLB SGP picks

Cardinals vs Mets SGP: Bats light up Citi scoreboard

The wind is forecast to be blowing straight out at Citi Field on Tuesday, and the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively, rank third and ninth in xwOBA over the past 30 days, so I’m anticipating both offenses chipping in to hit the Over.

Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker has posted a high-end .394 wOBA and .240 ISO against right-handed pitchers this season. Mets star Juan Soto rounds out the SGP, and he’s teed off on righties to the tune of a .419 wOBA and .291 ISO over the past three years.

There is value in this SGP even if the total climbs to 8.0, and I’d recommend it to +310.

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNY, CARD

Cubs vs Rockies SGP: Cubbies crush in Coors

Not only has Colorado Rockies righty Tomoyuki Sugano served up a monster .396 wOBA to left-handed hitters this season, but his 7.52 xERA is also the highest in baseball among starters with at least 60 innings. 

Additionally, Chicago Cubs righty Colin Rea has surrendered a .191 batting average while allowing just seven runs across his past three starts, so I’m confident he can limit the damage enough for the Cubbies to pull away.

Turning to the Chicago hitters, Ian Happ sports a .409 wOBA with 23 extra-base hits against righties this year, and Michael Busch checks in with a .352 wOBA and 16 XBH.

I’d recommend this SGP to +315.

• Time: 8:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: COLR, MARQ

Nationals vs Giants SGP: Nats tee off on Houser

The Washington Nationals lineup draws a soft matchup against San Francisco Giants righty Adrian Houser, with the veteran allowing a monster 38.4% squared-up contact rate to go along with a 5.42 xERA.

As a result, I’m anticipating the Nats putting enough runs on the board to win, and I’m targeting Washington stars James Wood and C.J. Abrams to lead the charge. 

Houser has surrendered a massive .452 wOBA to lefty bats this season, and Woods and Abrams sport matching .420 marks against right-handed pitchers, while also respectively posting monster .286 and .280 ISOs.

This SGP is playable down to +285.

• Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSBA, NATS

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.

Today’s iteration of our birthday series brings us to an unusual spot relative to some of the entries thus far. With limited options of players born on June 9th, we instead will be celebrating and looking back on Bill Virdon, a solid player, but a man who made his mark on the Yankees in a managerial role.

A 12-year big league veteran, and winner of multiple awards over the course of his career, his time in the game was far from insignificant. With the Yankees, his chapter is rather short, though there is still plenty to look back on with regard to the career of Virdon.

Bill Virdon
Born: June 9, 1931 (Hazel Park, MI)
Died: November 23, 2021 (Springfield, MO)
Yankees Tenure: 1950-53 (minors); 1974-75 (manager)

Born during the Great Depression in Michigan, Bill Virdon actually kicked off his professional baseball career with the Yankees, signing a contract with the club prior to the 1950 season and peaking with a .317/.381/.439 showing in 42 games with the Double-A Birmingham Barons in 1953. A promotion to Triple-A Kansas City didn’t go as well though, and before making it to The Show, he was gone. Virdon was dealt away in the deal that brought veteran bench bat Enos Slaughter to New York leading up to the 1954 campaign.

A year later, the acquisition would pan out for the Cards. In 1955, Virdon broke onto the scene with a 17-homer season and a .281/.322/.433 slash line that was good enough for National League Rookie of the Year honors. His sophomore campaign was even better, splitting time with St. Louis and, following a mid-season trade, the Pirates.

Virdon would actually spend the rest of his playing days in a Pittsburgh uniform, starting his tenure there with a rather impressive stretch. He was consistent and an above-average contributor for the Buccos, as he put up at least 2.0 bWAR in every season with the Pirates through 1960, as a slightly below-average hitter with a good glove in the outfield. Along with several others, Virdon was part of a formidable defensive unit for Pittsburgh in 1960, a team that beat the Yankees in that year’s World Series. He had two hits in the Game 7 stunner, including an infamous infield single that hit a pebble and struck Tony Kubek in the throat, helping spark a five-run rally in the eighth before teammate Bill Mazeroski’s memorable shot.

Although his overall production waned as he entered his 30s, Virdon won a Gold Glove Award in 1962, and remained with the club through the mid-’60s. His playing career came to a close after a brief six-game cameo with the club in 1968 at the age of 37. By the time his retirement came around, Virdon had already spent time as a minor league manager, and as a player-coach with the Pirates, serving as a precursor to the rest of his time in the baseball world.

Post-retirement, Virdon immediately got in on the coaching game, and would reach the top of the hill in the 1972 season. That year, he was hired as the manager of his old Pirates club, and he kicked off his tenure on a good note, winning their division before losing the NLCS to the Reds that season. He was the manager during Roberto Clemente’s tragic passing, and eventually lost his job after a middling start to the 1973 season.

For the 1974 campaign, George Steinbrenner brought him on board to manage the Yankees, replacing the burnt-out Ralph Houk. Virdon once again got things kicked off successfully. That year, Virdon captured his first Sporting News Manager of the Year award, leading the Yankees to a 89-73 record after a sub-.500 showing in ’73.

Virdon got the Bombers off to a fine start in 1975, but his time as the head honcho was cut short when the skipper who would become Steinbrenner’s main man suddenly hit the market. After being fired by the Rangers, Billy Martin came on to become the new Yankees manager mid-season (his first stint), obviously resulting in Virdon being let go.

That wasn’t the end of his managerial career, however, as he latched on to the Astros job during that same season, and never looked back. Virdon would spend eight seasons as Houston’s manager, and although they were mediocre to begin his time there, they eventually won a division title in Game 163 of 1980, netting him another Manager of the Year Award. Both distinctions were the second such of his managerial career. In the Astros’ first foray into postseason play, they took a 2-1 NLCS lead over the Phillies, only to drop back-to-back games in extras at the Astrodome to concede the pennant to the Phils. They returned to October play as second-half champs in the split-season of ’81, but for the second year in a row, the eventual champs knocked them out as the Dodgers enacted their vengeance for losing in 1980.

Dismissed following an ugly start to ’82, Virdon wrapped up his time on the big league stage with two years as the manager of the Expos from 1983 to ‘84, finishing just around .500 in Montreal. He would spend further time on Major League coaching staffs, but would never again be a manager.

On the whole, it was a successful run for Virdon in baseball, as a 12-year career, Rookie of the Year Award, and multiplte Manager of the Year Awards are not things everyone can boast. Although his time with the Yankees was minimal, his mark would be hard to deny as a baseball-lifer, and a pretty good one at that.

---

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

The Los Angeles Dodgers, ranked first in the NL West with a 42-24 record, face the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are third in the NL Central with a 34-32 record. The game is essentially a pick'em, with Pittsburgh at -110 and the Dodgers at -110. Starting pitchers are Eric Lauer for the Dodgers, with a 5.74 ERA, and Paul Skenes for the Pirates, with a 2.83 ERA.

How to watch Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

• Date: Tuesday, June 9

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT

• Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

• TV Channels: SportsNet Pittsburgh, SportsNet LA

• Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Los Angeles Dodgers: 42-24 (first in NL West)

• Pittsburgh Pirates: 34-32 (third in NL Central)

Odds

• Spread: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5

• Moneyline: Pittsburgh Pirates -110 / Los Angeles Dodgers -110

• Over/Under: 8.5

Starting pitchers

Los Angeles Dodgers: Eric Lauer (2-5, ERA: 5.74, K: 31, WHIP: 1.38)

Pittsburgh Pirates: Paul Skenes (6-5, ERA: 2.83, K: 82, WHIP: 0.90)

Series: Game 1 of 3 (series tied)

Weather: 79°F at first pitch

The New York Yankees, ranked second in the AL East with a 39-26 record, face the Cleveland Guardians, who are first in the AL Central with a 37-31 record. The New York Yankees are favored with a -120 moneyline compared to the Cleveland Guardians' +110. Starting pitchers are Gerrit Cole for the Yankees, with a 2.00 ERA, and Slade Cecconi for the Guardians, with a 4.92 ERA.

How to watch New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians

• Date: Tuesday, June 9

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT

• Where: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH

• TV Channels: TBS, Guardians.TV Presented by Progressive, WKYC 3, Amazon Prime Video

• Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• New York Yankees: 39-26 (second in AL East)

• Cleveland Guardians: 37-31 (first in AL Central)

Odds

• Spread: New York Yankees -1.5

• Moneyline: Cleveland Guardians +110 / New York Yankees -120

• Over/Under: 8.5

Starting pitchers

New York Yankees: Gerrit Cole (1-1, ERA: 2.00, K: 14, WHIP: 0.89)

Cleveland Guardians: Slade Cecconi (3-5, ERA: 4.92, K: 54, WHIP: 1.43)

Series: Game 2 of 3

Weather: 79°F at first pitch

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

I'm looking to get in and get out of a few games this evening by attacking the YRFI/NRFI market for my MLB picks.

Both Sox games immediately caught my attention this afternoon, and so did the matchup out in Las Vegas. A few strong spots stand out on the board tonight, so let's dive into my best NRFI/YRFI predictions for June 9.

Best NRFI/YRFI predictions today

Braves at White Sox: YRFI (-113)

Kicking off the day by rooting for early runs in the first game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox.

Eric Fedde takes the mound for the White Sox this evening, sporting a 9.00 first-inning ERA after allowing eight runs across eight starts.

Opposing hitters own a .294 batting average, .824 slugging percentage, and 1.118 OPS against him in the opening frame. Over his last five starts, the White Sox right-hander has posted a 68.4% elevation rate and a 2.21 HR/9.

Grant Holmes gets the ball for Atlanta, and he has struggled in the first inning as well, allowing eight runs on 10 hits through 12 starts. Over his last five outings, Holmes has surrendered plenty of hard contact, giving up a 51.4% hard-hit rate and a 12.9% barrel rate. He also owns a 2.10 HR/9 and a 62.9% elevation rate during that span.

Using the current season timeframe on Batters-Box, these lineups feature six elite-rated bats and three additional hitters with strong ratings. That gives us nine total bats in favorable spots to do damage at the plate this evening.

Both teams also rank inside the top 10 in YRFI percentage. The Braves own the second-highest road YRFI rate at 39.39%, while the White Sox rank 10th overall at 32%.

With this being the best number available, I'd be comfortable playing it up to -125 if needed.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, BravesVsn

Red Sox at Rays: NRFI (-135)

I am all over both Sox games today, but for this pick, I want NO RUNS.

Game 2 between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays features left-hander Payton Tolle and right-hander Nick Martinez, two arms that should be able to hold things down early — just as they have all season.

The Red Sox southpaw enters today having allowed just two runs through eight games, both coming on solo home runs. Aside from that, he has surrendered only one other hit during that span. Over his last five outings, he has done an excellent job limiting hard contact while posting a 0.61 HR/9.

On the other side, Martinez has put up similar numbers over his last five appearances, allowing just 36.5% hard contact with a 6.7% barrel rate, while carrying an elite 2.4% walk rate.

Through 12 games this season, the first inning has been where the Rays right-hander has shone most, sporting a 0.75 ERA and allowing just one run.

Offensively, we only have to worry about two hitters with strong matchup ratings: Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero. Both profile well against left-handed pitching, but I'm willing to take that risk given the edge the starting pitchers hold in this matchup.

Polymarket is currently offering the best price on this prop, so I would aim to find a number as close to that as possible.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: RAYS, NESN

Brewers at Athletics: NRFI (+150)

Someone is going to see this and want to chirp me, so I'll make it real easy for you: it's @ColbyMBets.

Now, back to why you're here, the logic.

First of all, yes, I am aware of the elevation in this matchup. I saw the fireworks last night. However, at this price, I think we're getting some real value on the Milwaukee Brewers and Athletics to stay scoreless through one inning.

On the bump for Milwaukee is left-hander Robert Gasser (great pitcher name), who, despite a lower ground-ball rate, isn't allowing much hard contact. Through his first couple of starts this season, opposing hitters own just a .192 xBA and .335 xSLG against him.

On the other side, Athletics right-hander J.T. Ginn has been dealing over his last five outings, posting a 1.59 ERA while carrying a 42.6% ground-ball rate.

Opposing hitters are producing just a 38.2% hard-hit rate and a 5.9% barrel rate, while owning a .197 xBA. Through 11 appearances this season, Ginn has posted a 1.64 ERA in the first inning, allowing only two runs on nine hits.

People are going to harp on the elevation because it's second only to Coors Field, as if Coors has never had a scoreless first inning. If I'm wrong, it won't be the first time, and it certainly won't be the last.

At +150, the price is simply too sexy to pass up.

• Time: 10:05 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSCA, BREW

What is a NRFI prediction?

NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) picks add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI pick is a prediction that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're predicting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.

A YRFI pick is the exact opposite. You're predicting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.

NRFI and YRFI picks add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for those looking for a quick resolution.

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.

Vincent Perozo

Week: 5 G, 20 AB, .450/.450/.900, 9 H, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 0 BB, 4 K, 0/0 SB (Double-A)

2026 Season: 18 G, 62 AB, .258/.333/.355, 16 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 13 K, 1/1 SB, .298 BABIP (High-A) / 18 G, 63 AB, .270/.309/.524, 17 H, 4 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 22 K, 0/0 SB, .342 BABIP (Double-A) / 1 G, 3 AB, .333/.333/.667, 1 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/0 SB, 1.000 BABIP (Triple-A)

Venezuelan catcher Vincent Perozo was signed on July 2, 2019, the first day of the 2019-2020 international free agent signing period. He missed the 2020 due to the coronavirus cancelling the minor league season and made his professional debut in 2021, skipping over the Dominican Summer League completely and playing with the FCL Mets. Battling through a shoulder injury for much of the season, the backstop appeared in 18 games and hit .173/.349/.269 with 1 home run, 0 stolen bases in 2 attempts, and 10 walks to 21 strikeouts. He began the 2022 season promoted to Single-A St. Lucie but only spent about a week there before being sent back down the Florida Complex League. He appeared in 36 games for them and hit .283/.387/.475 with 4 home runs, 1 stolen base in as many attempts, and 11 walks to 32 strikeouts. He was promoted back to the St. Lucie Mets at the end of August and went 3-14 with a double and a homer, giving him a .129/.200/.323 batting line in 9 games with St. Lucie with 1 home run, 1 walk, and 8 strikeouts. He remained in St. Lucie for the 2023 season, spending the entire year there, and hit .226/.322/.381 with 8 home runs, 1 stolen base in 2 attempts, and 32 walks to 103 strikeouts in 88 games. The Mets had the 21-year-old repeat the level in 2024 and the youngster regressed, hitting .173/.280/.229 in 78 games with 10 doubles, 1 home run, 4 stolen bases, and drew 27 walks to 81 strikeouts.

Perozo began his fourth consecutive season with St. Lucie and was a bit better this time around, hitting .259/.376/.378 in 58 games with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 3 stolen bases in 7 attempts, and 25 walks to 42 strikeouts. He was promoted to High-A Brooklyn in August and finished the season with the Cyclones, hitting .167/.265/.200 in 20 games with 2 doubles, 0 home runs, 2 stolen bases in 4 attempts, and 5 walks to 19 strikeouts.

The backstop began this season with Brooklyn, but has bounced all over the Mets’ minor league system since the beginning of the year, filling in wherever needed. Perozo was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse for a single game in mid-April, was then sent to Binghamton for a pair of games, and then sent back to Brooklyn. In mid-May, he returned to Binghamton in what appears to be his actual, permanent assignment.

At the plate, the left-handed Perozo stands square at the plate, standing tall and holding his hands low. The 5’11”, 170-pound backstop has a smooth, uppercutty planar swing that gives him good coverage low in the zone but makes him weak to pitches upstairs. When he connects with a ball, particularly low balls, he shows unexpected power, but his aggressive approach at the plate has led to an elevated strikeout rate, depressed walk rate, and a great deal of poor contact. Perozo is having more success now in Binghamton than he has almost anywhere, and it is no coincidence that his Pull% is down slightly, his Cent% and Oppo% are up, his Line Drive rate is up, and his groundball rate is down.

Behind the plate, Perozo will never be a standout defensive catcher because his arm is only average at best, but scouts and evaluators give him good grades for his mobility behind the plate, framing and receiving abilities, and his ability to work with his pitchers.

Frank Camarillo

Week: 1 G (1 GS), 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (High-A)

2026 Season: 7 G (7 GS), 31.0 IP, 27 H, 16 R, 15 ER (4.35 ERA), 11 BB, 28 K, .261 BABIP (Single-A) / 3 G (3 GS), 17.2 IP, 17 H, 7 R, 7 ER (3.57 ERA), 4 BB, 8 K, .255 BABIP (High-A)

So-Cal native Frank Camarillo was drafted by the Mets in the thirteenth-round of the 2025 MLB Draft, the 403rd overall pick overall. A right-handed pitcher who attended the University of California: Santa Barbara, Camarillo did not have that many innings under his belt when selected. In 2023, his freshman year, he appeared in 4 games in total, allowing 2 runs on 8 hits and a walk over 2.2 innings, striking out 2 batters. In his sophomore season, he appeared in 13 games and posted a 7.97 ERA in 20.1 innings, allowing 27 hits, walking 12, and striking out 18. In his junior year, he posted a 6.53 ERA in 20.2 innings over 8 games, allowing 25 hits, 8 walks, and 19 strikeouts. While he supplemented the innings he pitched by pitching in collegiate summer leagues, he still had only 98.2 innings of work under his belt prior to being drafted- and with poor results, to boot.

The Mets did not have the right-hander appear in any games for the rest of 2025, and when the 2026 season began, assigned him to the Single-A St. Lucie Mets. The 22-year-old appeared in 7 games for them, starting all 7, and was serviceable, posting a 4.35 ERA in 31.0 innings, allowing 27 hits, walking 11, and striking out 28. Near the end of May, he was promoted to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones and has since made 3 starts with them, allowing 7 earned runs in 17.2 innings, good for a 3.57 ERA, while allowing 17 hits, walking 4, and striking out 8. Altogether, he has a combined 4.25 ERA over his first 10 professional starts, allowing 44 hits, walking 15, and striking out 36 in 48.2 innings.

With a pronounced high leg kick, the 6’4”, 210-pound right-hander throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot, dropping down and pushing off the mound with a decent amount of extension. His repertoire consists of a fastball, slider, changeup and splitter. By and large, he uses his fastball almost half of the time, his slider and changeup almost half that, and his splitter sparingly.

His fastball- which statcast registers as a distinct four-seam fastball and a distinct two-seam fastball, which may actually only be a two-seam fastball or a four-seam fastball, based on its characteristics- sits in the mid-90s, ranging 90-96 MPH. With a low spin rate hovering around 2,000 RPM, the pitch has slightly above-average vertical drop and horizontal movement compared to other fastballs, as the magnus force its spin produces is not strong enough to counter the force of gravity. When thrown up in the zone, the pitch produces slightly above-average induced vertical break readings- as high as 18 inches while playing with the St. Lucie Mets- due to the fact that Camarillo releases the ball from a flat approach angle thanks to his extension off the mound and arm slot.

His slider sits in the low-to-mid-80s, ranging 81-85 MPH. It, too, features a low spin rate, giving it gyroscopic break that results in an average amount of vertical drop but almost no horizontal movement. His changeup sits in the same velocity band and features as much vertical drop as his slider, but with much more horizontal movement, averaging about 18 inches while he was pitching in St. Lucie. His splitter is very seldom used, only seeing action a handful of times per game, but it has been his most effective strikeout pitch. Sitting in the high-70s-to-low-80s, the pitch has averaged 1,000 RPM when used, causing it to absolutely fall off of the table with sharp, sudden vertical drop.

All in all, Camarillo does not have high-octane strikeout stuff, which is why he has been a bit hittable in both St. Lucie and Brooklyn. He gives up a lot of line drives and a lot of pulled flyball contact, which is not optimal- but may be hidden in Brooklyn to a degree, where the stadium is extremely tough on left-handed hitters.

Players of the Week 2026

Week One/Two (March 27-April 5): Hayden Senger/Cam Tilly

Week Three (April 7-April 12): A.J. Ewing/Christian Scott

Week Four (April 14-April 18): Randy Guzman/Jose Chirinos

Week Five (April 21-April 26): A.J. Ewing/Channing Austin

Week Six (April 30-May 3): A.J. Ewing/Jonah Tong

Week Seven (May 5-May 10): Ryan Clifford/Jonathan Santucci

Week Eight: (May 12-May 17): Jacob Reimer/Zach Thornton

Week Nine: (May 19-May 24): Ryan Clifford/Channing Austin

Week Ten: (May 26-May 31): Ryan Clifford/Jose Chirinos

On April 26, the Phillies lost to the Atlanta Braves, 6-2. The lonely two runs scored by the team were thanks to a home run by Kyle Schwarber, but it felt like an exercise in futility. Aaron Nola had given up six runs in the initial two innings of the game, a game that was closed out not by the intended trio of Orion Kerkering-Brad Keller-Jhoan Duran, the plan that the team had put forth earlier in the year, but instead by Tim Mayza-Chase Shugart-Nolan Hoffman. It was a Sunday and Chris Sale was on the mound, so right handed hitters dominated the lineup, with Edmundo Sosa, Dylan Moore and Felix Reyes all getting the start. Alec Bohm had a .412 OPS after the game.

The team was then 9-19.

The vibes were low.

Fast forward to today.

The Phillies are six games over .500 and they have possibly the leading Cy Young candidate in Cristopher Sanchez, another starter in Zack Wheeler that might join Sanchez in the top five in voting, a potential group five All-Stars in Sanchez, Wheeler, Schwarber, Duran and Bryce Harper with Brandon Marsh looking more and more a choice every day. They’re beating good teams again, playing capable offense and being supported by (mostly) good starting pitching at the front and the aforementioned trio at the end.

It was the perfect time to ask a question that had to do with the playoffs since, well, we’re in June and it’s time to being considering such things.

Ask that question earlier in the year and it’s more than likely that the results would be flipped, if not decidedly so, in the other direction.

It truly is amazing what some good play will do not only to a team that isn’t playing particularly well, but for a fanbase that is so caught up in the daily doings of the team. Scroll back even though these very pages and you will sense the doom and misfortune that had fallen on us all. The gamut was run between the very last shreds of optimism to even a total and complete rebuild. Now this poll has the team making the playoffs with time to spare?

A remarkable turnaround.

Season Record: 32-33

Week Record: 4-2

Series Record: 10–10, 1 split

GAME 60: 2-1 Win @ St Louis Cardinals

GAME 61: 7-4 Win @ St Louis Cardinals

GAME 62: 3-5 Loss @ St Louis Cardinals

GAME 63: 3-2 Win vs Cleveland Guardians

GAME 64: 0-6 Loss vs Cleveland Guardians

GAME 65: 10-0 Win vs Cleveland Guardians

The Rangers had one of their best weeks of the season. Starting the week off with a win streak that extended to five games, the longest of the season. Texas went 4-2 for the week and won three series in a row, again, the longest streak of series wins for the season. 

Currently the Rangers are just a game under .500 and second place in the division. They outscored their opponents 25-18 and managed to get hits together with runners in scoring position.

Dare I say, they look good?

For what it’s worth, this time last year the Rangers were 30-35

On Tuesday, they’ll start a quick, six game road trip. First to Kansas City to play a team they very recently swept to kick off the series and game winning streak.

They will then go to Boston to play a team that is far below .500 and hopefully keep up a continued streak.

If you managed to stay up late enough on Monday to watch the Cincinnati Reds lose to the San Diego Padres, I applaud you. I apologize to you for your pain and suffering, but I applaud you for your diligence.

The Reds are an absolute mess right now. Depending on the depth of your parameters, you can claim they’ve been a mess for a whole lot longer time frame, but lately they’ve been proponents of some of the worst-played baseball I can remember. Their pitching, for the most part, has been awful – particularly in the bullpen, where it’s been a turnstile of pitchers out-of-options and on the fringes. The hitting has been untimely.

And, on Monday in San Diego, it was their defensive fundamentals that got the laugh-tracks going.

During a 7th inning rally, the Padres once reached on three consecutive bunts, the first two being labled ‘singles’ while the final one officially going into the books as an error by reliever Tejay Antone. At least one of the singles could’ve been labeled an error on a number of different Reds. Defensive indifference? Defensive incompetence? Whatever it was, it blew open a game that, to that point, had been controlled rather well by starter Andrew Abbott, who allowed just a lone earned run through 6.0 IP before being tasked with beginning the 7th by manager Terry Francona in a move that backfired almost instantly.

3 straight bunts by the #Padres, this one by Fermin and there are STILL no outs! Fielding error by Reds' Teejay Antone pic.twitter.com/GbuD4CYHk4

— Carlos (@LFGPads19) June 9, 2026

To be quite clear, the Reds offense scored just 2 runs on the night, the latest in a run of poor offensive form that has seen their roaring May crumble into a brutally austere June. The bullpen, to its credit, at least kept the ball on the infield (even if the Pads, by design, took advantage of that). Even poor Zach McCambley, who came on to pitch the Bottom of the 8th, at least threw strikes and mostly hit his spots before an inability to get guys out led to a 30+ pitch inning in which he was gassed and punished by the end.

Dream bunt rotation. pic.twitter.com/eLCAbC1JiU

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 9, 2026

All told, it was a 6-2 loss for the Reds, another game in which they both led late and lost.

They’re really finding new, impossible ways in which to lose these days. Now, they’re 3 games under .500 and at risk of flushing this entire season down the toilet before the middle of June.

Happy Tuesday A’s fans!

Yesterday was a wild affair in our future home city. The Athletics’ kicked off their Las Vegas homestand with a contest against the Brewers and it was a wild one. The hitter-friendly ballpark lived up to its reputation as both teams combined for 34 hits, 29 runs, and 11 (!) home runs. Seven of those came off the bats of the home team. No lead in this ballpark is safe, no matter how large it is. If there’s a field where massive comebacks can and do happen, it’s this one. They were on the losing end last night but it was a barrage that was lots of fun regardless, and fans got their money’s worth with a four-hour, 14-minute game time.

The temperature at first pitch was a balmy 87 degrees, with the city hitting triple-digits earlier in the afternoon. A’s players, fans, and coaches will all need to get used to that because that’s going to become the new normal during the coming summers. The new ballpark is going to have a retractable roof and under-seat AC for the fans so it shouldn’t be miserable all the time. One can’t imagine them opening the roof during the middle of summer so how the ball flies in the stadium when the roof is closed will be a huge thing to watch when the park opens up. It’s hard to say exactly how the park will play on the field until we get some baseball on it, but all indications are that it’s going to be a hitter’s dream, a complete 180 flip compared to the Oakland Coliseum and its massive foul territory and marine layer.

Who else is excited to see what Round 2 looks like tonight? The A’s could certainly use an extended performance out of scheduled starter J.T. Ginn, and he may be the type of pitcher that can keep runs down in Las Vegas. As a groundball-focused pitcher Ginn will do his best to get his infield defense to work and keep the ball down and in the park. After using seven pitchers yesterday the team can’t really afford a short start from Ginn or else dip into the minor leagues for some fresh arms. Last night was just the first of six games in the future home so hopefully Mark Kotsay knows to do his best to keep his bullpen fresh for the rest of the series.

First pitch is at the same time tonight, folks. 7:05, and based off last night we may have another long evening ahead of us. Until then, have a great day everyone.

A’s Coverage:

• Athletics Fall Short in wild 15-14 loss in Las Vegas Opener
• 7 wild facts fro a Vegas show for the ages
• A’s interested in Kris Bubic
• A’s Falter Late, Drop Finale To Cubs 7-6
• Wednesday Potpourri: What’s Up With Butler, Closer, June Plan?
• Bullpen, Late Rally Lift A’s to 10-Inning Win Over the Cubs
• Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In June
• Las Vegas is the home the A’s have been waiting for
• The A’s Inability To Play Well At Home Is Embarrassing
• A’s Unravel in Series and Homestand Finale
• A’s call up pitching prospect Kade Morris
• Road, sweet road? A’s ready for reset after rough homestand
• Arnold and Jump are both slinging … anyone else reminded of another A’s duo?
• Braves Acquire Austin Wynns, Adding Another Layer to A’s Catcher Connection
• Ginn’s glow-up: A’s hurler coming into his own at right time
• Three Dark Horse Trade Candidates for Athletics This Summer
• June update: 2026 top 10 prospect rankings for all 30 MLB teams
• Athletics Early MLB Draft Preview
• The A’s may have finally found their new leadoff hitter
• Wilson takes swings in next step toward return from IL

MLB News and Interest:

• Orioles place Chris Bassitt on 15-day IL with back discomfort
• Astros GM: “Zero Discussions” About Trading Alvarez, Peña
• Tigers’ Tarik Skubal pitches 5 scoreless innings in rehab start
• Yoán Moncada To Undergo Knee Surgery
• Angels’ Trey Mancini 3-for-4 in 1st major league game since 2023
• Mariners place Crawford on 10-day IL; Emerson day to day with back tightness
• Latest Rookie of the Year poll shows big shakeup in both leagues
• 2026-27 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings: June Update
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Same Dallas, same:

If that game had to take a field sobriety test it would probably just blow spit bubbles & make funny faces & try to steal the cop car.

— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) June 9, 2026

Which will be better for hitters?

So Las Vegas is just going to be worse than Denver for baseball?

— NoTechBen (@NoTechBen) June 9, 2026

Not surprising considering he’s playing for the A’s:

People just don’t know ball and that’s okay. https://t.co/ZKBfwvPppqpic.twitter.com/YskT32emGy

— Chad Pinder’s Burner (@sadAssleticsfan) June 8, 2026

Ha!

If a reverse unicorn is a home run in only 1 of 30 stadiums. What’s this called? Impossible? Because Jonah Heim just hit a ball that’s a home run in 0/30 stadiums pic.twitter.com/vwwwMBx7oy

— Adam Samuels (@SamuelAdams_12) June 9, 2026